OSCAR
OAKLEY
139th New York Infantry
Sergeant
Coram
Oscar Oakley
Sergeant, 139th New York Infantry
Coram
Oscar Oakley was born to James and Francis Oakley on
January 19, 1844, in New York City. His father died not
long after. While Oscar was still young, Francis moved
the family to Coram and married Sheriff Richard W. Smith.
Oscar, along with his brothers, Franklin and James, grew
up in the Smith home and hotel, located just south of
Middle Country Road and east of Route 112. According to
local tradition, George Washington stopped at the hotel
for a meal when he was crossing Long Island in 1790 and
was served by Smith's mother, Lucille.
Oscar grew up and worked as a farmer.
Eighteen years old when the war broke out, Oscar decided
to fight for the cause. He enlisted with the 139th New
York Infantry on August 8, 1862. Two of his good friends,
Albert and Edward Bayles, also joined the regiment. They
had also lost their father at a young age, something that
bound these three friends together.
The regiment was organized in Brooklyn.
In September, they were sent to Washington. Oakley must
have impressed his superiors, for on September 9, 1862,
he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
The regiment moved from Washington to
Fortress Monroe in Virginia, located on the tip of the
peninsula where the York and James Rivers meet. While
there, the regiment drilled, trained and served often on
picket duty. The 139th also participated in a number of
raids and skirmishes with the enemy.
The regiment was assigned to the command
of General Grant. During the Battle of Cold Harbor, in a
futile charge against the entrenched forces of General
Robert E. Lee, Oakley received a gunshot wound to his
right side. It was a bloody battle, and Oscar witnessed
the deaths of his two close friends, Edward and Albert
Bayles. He later wrote a letter to the Bayles family
detailing the sad events of that day.
Final Union charge at Cold Harbor. It
was here that Oakley received a gunshot wound to his
side.
Oakley was treated for his wounds at the
field hospital at Cold Harbor, and was later transferred
to the McClellan hospital at Annapolis in Maryland. When
he returned to his unit in August, he was reduced to the
rank of private, but no explanation was found for this
demotion.
Oakley was present when the regiment
participated in the action at Chaffin's farm on September
29, 1864. He was promoted back to the rank of Sergeant on
October 26, 1864, a day before the regiment fought in the
battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia. Oakley was also present
for the assault on Petersburg until its fall on April 2,
1865.
After the war ended, Oscar returned to
Coram. He was no longer content farming, and he
eventually went to work for his brother, James, who was
President of the Woodhaven-Rockaway Railroad.
He married Josephine DeSilva on April 21,
1888. They lived in Woodhaven, where he continued working
for the railroad. The Oakley's had two children, Walter,
who died shortly after birth, and Sarah Oakley
(Goodrich).
Oscar Oakley died July 26, 1920, in
Woodhaven, New York.
Union troops marching into captured
Petersburg.