CAPTAIN IRA WOOD. 109 



with Ira as first lieutenant of Company A. He was 

 mustered into the United States service on May 13, 1861. 

 During that year he participated in the battles at Black- 

 burn's Ford, Bull Run and Upton's Hill, all in Virginia. 

 He was promoted to captain, and mustered as such, to 

 date October 29, 1861. He was engaged in the following 

 battles while a captain: Near Big Bethel, siege of York- 

 town, Hanover Court House, Seven Days' battle, Games' 

 Mills, Malvern Hill, Malvern Cliff, second Bull Run, An- 

 tietam and near Shepardstown. He was honorably dis- 

 charged on tender of his resignation by special order, 

 War Department, October 14, 1862. He resigned to be- 

 come a field officer in a new regiment, but owing to the 

 clamor of politicians for places for their favorites he did 

 not get the appointment. While with the Twelfth a 

 friend writes me : "The regiment was for a good part of 

 the time commanded by Captain Wood, the senior cap- 

 tain, and he was the only company commander who was 

 present at every engagement up to the time he resigned. 

 At Antietam he made a record with his color guard, when 

 ordered to retreat, by backing off the field as much as pos- 

 sible, declaring that he preferred to take the bullets in 

 front." 



On leaving the army he was for a few years in the em- 

 ploy of the American Express Company, and while living 

 in Buffalo became a captain in the Seventy-fourth New 

 York State National Guard. He then went back to Syra- 

 cuse and for four and a half years was chief of the fire 

 department of that city, resigning the position in October, 

 1 88 1, to travel for an Eastern manufactory of fire hose. 

 Upon his resignation as chief the Board of Fire Com- 

 missioners tried to induce him to remain, and passed reso- 

 lutions of regret. Steamer No. I and the Hook and Lad- 

 der Company presented him with an elegant desk clock, 



