02/25/2026
When the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the people of Wayne County were not left in the dark for long. Thanks to telegraph lines, railroads, and a steady flow of newspapers, news of the attack reached upstate New York within a day or two. By April 13–14, residents of towns such as Lyons, Newark, and Palmyra would have known that war had begun. Within days, flags were raised, public meetings were held, and the reality of war set in.
As President Lincoln called for volunteers, enlistment efforts quickly followed. Most Wayne County men enlisted close to home, signing up at town halls, public buildings, or other local gathering places. It was common for friends, neighbors, and relatives to enlist together, forming companies made up largely of men from the same communities.
Wayne County furnished soldiers to many New York regiments, but several units drew especially heavy enlistment from the county. The 111th New York Infantry included a large number of Wayne County volunteers and became closely associated with the area. The 98th New York Infantry was also largely recruited from Wayne County and nearby counties. Earlier in the war, men from the county enlisted in regiments such as the 27th New York Infantry and the 17th New York Infantry, often forming entire companies from local towns.
Although enlistment took place locally, formal mustering into United States service usually occurred at larger training camps outside the county. Many Wayne County soldiers were mustered at Elmira or Auburn, depending on the regiment and time period. This is why Civil War service records often list different locations for enlistment and muster.
Picture is of the cleaned up add from the Palmyra Harold in 1862.
