Captain Luman S. Clark
Luman S. Clark was from Clifton Park a township close to Troy NY. Affectionately known to Trojan locals as "Sim" Clark, he joined the Troy company (Company E), of the Anderson Zouaves on April 26, 1861 as a sergeant at the age of 27. Clark was quickly promoted becoming Second Lieutenant of the company on August 31, 1861, while the regiment were encamped at Meridian Hill, Washington DC.
Luman must have returned home to Troy just before the regiment left New York for Washington, because on May or June of the next year, while Luman was fighting the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, Sophie, Clark's wife had a little baby girl.
Colonel Riker, or maybe even Riker's daughter "Annie", must have made a strong impression on Luman because he named his daughter Anna Riker Clark! Unfortunately little Anna died after 11 months on 11 April 1863 and it is unlikely Luman ever met her.
On Tuesday, January 14, 1862, while the regiment was encamped at Tennallytown guarding the northern defenses of Washington, Alfred Covell Woods records in his diary that, an attempt was made on the life of Clark by Private Patrick Welsh also of the Troy Company. Welsh was confined in the brigade guard house for his attack and was dishonorably discharged on March 2, 1862. What happened to Welsh after his discharge is unclear, but he was probably imprisoned for a time before he was drafted into the Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Irish Volunteers (AKA Paddy Owen’s Regulars) on May 31, 1864 as a private at the age of 34. If Welsh thought he had got off lightly for his attempt on the life of Clark, then fate caught up with him on February at Hatcher’s Run, VA, when he was killed in action.
Luman was promoted to First Lieutenant and transfered from the Troy Company to the Advance Guard company (Co. "I") a week or so before the battle of Fair Oaks. He was later promoted to Captain of the same company.
In March of 1864 Captain ‘Sim.’ Clark, was reported by the Troy Daily Times to be filling the position of Commissary of Musters on Gen. Wheaton’s staff at Harper’s Ferry.
At the end of the war it was widely reported that Clark was imprisoned in Richmond and that he may have even spent some time in Andersonville but solid evidence for these claims is still being sort.
Clark, his wife and their daughter are buried in the Baptist Church Cemetery at Clifton Park near Troy NY.
One last interesting point is that Luman’s wife’s maiden name was Peck though she appears not to have been directly related to John J. Peck the brigade commander.
Sources
Letter of Alfred Covell Woods
History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865
Don Ernsberger, 2004, Paddy Owen's Regulars: A History Of The 69th Pennsylvania Irish Volunteers
Troy Daily Times, March 15, 1864
New York State Military Museum <http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/62ndInf/62ndInfCWN.htm>