MICHAEL O'BRIEN
Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: GRIFFIN,
A worthy veteran of the Civil War, who bore more than an average part
in that great conflict is Michael O'Brien, for many years an upbuilder
of the orchard interest of the Santa Cruz Mountain region. He was
born in Utica, N. Y. , April 14, 1840, a son of Patrick and Margaret
(Griffin) O'Brien, farmers in that splendid section of the Empire
State, where Michael assisted on the home place as he grew up to habits
of industry and economy, wheel he received a good education in the
local public schools. Stirred with patriotism he volunteered his
services to his country in the spring of 1862, enlisting in Company E.
Fourteenth New York Volunteer Infantry, a second-year regiment; but he
was held in service for three years, being first transferred to Company
B, Forty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry (the Ellsworth Avengers)
until that regiment was discharged, when he was transferred to Company
D, Second New York Heavy Artillery. During his service he was in
thirty-two general engagements besides numerous skirmishes. AMong
others he was in the Seven Day Battle, Malvern Hill, Gains Mill,
Chancellorsvine, Fredericksburg, Antietam, South Mountain,
Gettysburg, where he was slightly wounded in the right leg; Mine Rim,
Petersburg, where, on June 17, 1863, he was taken prisoner and sent to
Andersonville and imprisoned in that horrible place for six months and
three days. During this time, with sixty others, he tunneled out
and they made their escape, separating and going in pairs; by traveling
nights and hiding daytime he made his way within twelve
miles of Charleston, where he and his partner were captured and
returned to Andersonville, and there he had the scurvy very bad.
Both armies had arranged for an exchange of 10,000 prisoners.
They were formed into squads of ninety and each squad went inside of
the dead line to be examined by a doctor, the worst cases being allowed
to go. He was not passed as the doctor said he could stand it
another month, but his partner was passed. Mr. O'Brien watched until he
saw the guard's back turned, then jumped across the line into the ranks
of his squad, thus he was paroled with the others, but he took a
desperate chance of being shot to save his life, for he would have died
had he remained in prison much longer. They went to Annapolic
Camp, where he rejoined his command to hlep to take Richmond, He
was present at the surrender of genearl Lee at Appomattox, after which
he marched to Washington and took part in the Grand Review. He
was mustered out and honorably discharged at Alexandria, Va., in May,
1865. Returning to his home, he spent some time on the Erie
Canal, steering a canal boat, and became very familiar with that
region. In 1867 he took the steamer San Francisco and Crossed to
the Pacific side via the Nicaragua route, from where he came on the old
boat from New York to San Francisco. For a time he was engaged in
trucking, and then came to Santa Clara County and took a
homestead of 160 acres at Wrights, built a cabin and by grubbing and
clearing improved the place so he had a good farm later setting out an
orchard and vineyard. He farmed it for thirty-three years and
then sold it to his brother, Thmoas, who has since died. He then
bought another ten acre ranch near Wrights, devoted to orchard and
vineyard, but sold it in 1920. He lived at Wrights until March,
1922, when he located at Los Gatos. He is a membder of the E. O.
C. Ord. Post.