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Colonel Joseph Laing 79th New York, Cameron Highlanders


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Joseph Laing was born in was born in Paisley, Scotland on May 10, 1828. He came to the United States in 1845, and five years later entered into business as an engraver and print publisher. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted as Captain of Company G, 79th New York (Cameron Highlanders) and was wounded at the first Battle of Bull Run where their commander, Colonel Cameron, brother of Secretary of War Simon Cameron, was killed. Laing suffered four bullet wounds resulting in wounds to his forearm and head and neck leaving him with impaired hearing. The Highlanders sustained one of the highest number of casualties among Union regiments engaged in the battle. Laing was wounded eight times during the war, and was captured twice but managed to escape on both occasions The regiment took part in the expedition to Port Royal Ferry in January 1862 and saw action at Pocotaligo, S.C. In June, the Highlanders were part of the expedition to James Island and took part in the Battle of Secessionville. In August 1862, the regiment was involved in Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia and, just a year after the death of Colonel Cameron at Bull Run, the regiment was once again fighting over the same battlefield. The Highlanders had sustained heavy losses— nine men were killed, 79 wounded (one mortally) and 17 missing, a total of 105. "I have never seen regular troops that equaled the Highlanders in soldierly bearing and appearance," commented General Sherman on the 79th's performance. During the Maryland Campaign of September 1862, the 79th saw action at the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. During the latter battle, the Highlanders fought near Burnside's Bridge and were deployed as skirmishers leading an advance along the Sharpsburg Road near the Sherrick House. Following Antietam, the regiment saw duty in Maryland, and in December took part in the Battle of Fredericksburg. The 79th participated in the ill-fated "Mud March" of January 1863. At Fort Sanders (known by the Confederates as Fort Loudoun), Knoxville, the Highlanders helped inflict a massive defeat on Longstreet's troops. In April, the Highlanders rejoined the Army of the Potomac in time to fight at the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, being engaged in the assault on the salient known as the "Mule Shoe." It was at Spotsylvania that the original Cameron Highlanders were to fight their last engagement. Again they faced Longstreet's hard fighting veterans and once more the 79th drove them from the field, losing five more men killed or mortally wounded in the fight. Their colonel, David Morrison, was wounded and command was passed to Colonel Laing. As the regiment stood in line on the bloody battlefield, the men received the order for muster-out, their term of enlistment having expired on 13 May 1864. . After the war Laing resumed business as an engraver, lithographer and print publisher, executing steel, copper plate, lithographic engraving and printing. He was the Colonel of the 79th Regiment New York National Guard until it was disbanded in 1876. Joseph Laing died on November 22, 1905 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

 

 

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The picture of Grant is on the lapel pin because when the reunion took place he was gravely ill with cancer. Here is a menu from another 79th group.

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Dick, you turn up with some amazing relics. That's a beautiful blade and photo of him wearing it. Interesting that the New York Cameron Highlanders adopted the same motto as the famous Scottish Highlanders (aka, the "Black Watch") which loosely translates to "No one messes with me and gets away with it". Very cool, thanks for posting.

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Thanks, here is a wood engraving by Winslow Homer showing the 79th Highlanders on parade in 1661. The don't think sword with the group is the same one in the photograph. The sword in the photograph has a leather scabbard the one with his initial's has a steel scabbard. The photograph was taken in 1894. The sword has Victoria's cypher so it is the proper period. Joseph Laing was a very wealthy man and my guess is that he had a number of broadswords

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