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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
UU
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00825 7211
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/historyoffirstwi00webs
History of
The First Wisconsin Battery
Light Artillery
By Dan Webster and Don C. Cameron
FORT WAYNE & ALLER GIC. OW).
THE CUFLE BILEREKY
.1907
1763018
F 8349 .972
WEBSTER, DAN. History of the first Wisconsin battery, light artillery, by Dan Webster and Don C. Cameron. n.p.,1907. 263, vip.
Gift '36
SHELF CARD NL 36-8547
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PREFACE.
To all comrades who, prompted by patriotism, donned the blue and went to the front in defense of our flag when assailed by treason in the days of 1861 to 1865, this book is dedicated.
To them in the closing days of the battle of life may its pages be a reminder of the cheerful spirit with which they endured. dust, sweat, mud, heat, rain, cold and mishaps; recalling the bravery with which they faced danger and death from disease, exposure and the enemy's fire while they were making history.
To the sons and daughters of our comrades may it be an incen- tive to patriotism, making them emulous of lofty deeds and true Americanism. May their bosoms swell with pride when they open the volume and recall that their fathers were of these.
Many comrades have written sketches of incidents, and Comrades Tom Bones, Charlie Leith and Wm. J. Martin have largely helped in the final work.
Story of the First Wisconsin Battery, Light Artillery.
CHAPTER I.
"Hark! I hear the tramp of thousands, And of armed men the hum;
Lo; a Nation's hosts have gathered Round the quick alarming drum ;- Saying, 'Come, Freemen, come! Ere your heritage be wasted,' Said the quick alarming drum."
L E. Webb, a brother of Walter W. Webb, who was cash- ier of the La Crosse County Bank, and a few others had "obtained a promise from the Governor of the State, A. W. Randall, that if we would form a military company he would send a cannon. So Jacob T. Foster took hold of the matter and organized the La Crosse Artillery, and it was con- posed of such men as the Hon. Angus Cameron, Mons Ander- son, Hugh Cameron, Alex. Cameron, who was elected a Lieu- tenant, A. W. Bishop, W. W. Webb, Isaac Usher, and many other prominent men, who never drilled but helped to pay for the fun we had, and during the Fall of 1860 we let the "can- non boom" much of the time previous to the Fall election, some of the time for Republicans and perhaps twice for the Democrats. In the Winter of '60-'61 we recruited in numbers until there were about 80 members on the rolls.
During the Winter we became quite popular and had mili- tary parties and dances, much increasing our popularity and honorary membership. About this time Dan Webster joined us and drilled regularly, and while he was not enrolled he was as much considered a member as any one whose name did appear on the rolls. The situation of the country became interesting, and the question was mooted if a war was to come who would and who would not go. All but a few had too numerous ex- cuses to think of their going, and at a meeting of the company when volunteers were called for only 10 of the original 80 came forward, but all present who could not go agreed to fur- nish two members in their place. Ere long they had their chance, for when the first gun was fired we had a meeting of the Battery and unanimously tendered our services to the country.
Old General Scott (known otherwise as Fuss and Feathers) said he wanted no volunteer artillery, as it took too long to be- come artillerists: but the Governor kept our tender of service in mind, and when Bull Run battle was fought we were ac-
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
cepted, and a telegram was received by Captain Foster and read as follows: "Your Battery is accepted; recruit to 150 Inen ; take old artillerists as far as possible."
A telegraph operator came to Captain Foster with the dis- patch and said, "Here is something that will knock the banking business out of you," and it did.
On the night of the 21st of August a meeting was held at the Armory on Front street to decide what the company should do. There was quite a full attendance. but not much of a rush for the table where the enlistment roll, with pen and ink by its side, was outspread awaiting signatures. The appearance of the assemblage was much like that of a flock of domestic chick- ens when some object has been suddenly thrown in their midst. All are shy at first; finally one more bold than the rest will approach gradually nearer, until assured that there is no dan- ger, when all will crowd around to investigate. So it was with the artillery company this night. Captain Foster was the only one of the officers that felt sure of his position. The Lieutenants hesitated about enlisting unless assured of their commissions, and held back, while the privates waited for the lead of their officers.
After waiting until it looked as if the matter of organizing for the war would go by default, Dan Webster remarked : "I've enlisted to go to the war in this company, and am going if I go at the tail end of it; if I cannot go in the cabin I will go on deck, but go I will if the company goes." Others followed until considerable enthusiasm was aroused. It was decided to open a recruiting station at the Armory, which was done on the following morning. Dan Webster was appointed by Cap- tain Foster as the First Sergeant, to take charge of the same.
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On the 27th of August there were 57 names enrolled; on the 30th, 81; and on September 10th, 164. This number was sub- sequently increased to 173, but as only 150 men could be mus- tered no more would be enrolled. Some of these were rejected at muster and a few "backed out," but as a rule all were "good stayers."
Most of the recruits were, or had some time been, lumbermen and worked in the pine woods, and had been raftsmen on the Mississippi and its tributaries, consequently took more readily to camp life and could adapt themselves to camp fare more easily than many other companies. As a result the La Crosse Artillery had less sickness than usual among new recruits in camp.
While the Battery was recruiting a Lieutenant Oates from St. Louis and a Captain Baker were in La Crosse recruiting for the sharpshooting service, but met with ill success until the full quota of the Battery was secured.
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
Men came from La Crosse, Vernon, Monroe, Jackson and Trempealeau Counties, Wisconsin, and from Minnesota, and would not be refused. In fact, the percentage of Minnesota men was so large that the Battery might have been called a Minnesota Battery had it been recruited on the opposite side of the river.
One man from Vernon County was accompanied by his wife, who said she came to see him sign his name to the enlistment roll, as he was determined to go. As he laid down the pen she took it up and wrote "God bless and protect you, my husband."
While recruiting was going on daily drills were had on the square, or Peter Cameron park, near the Congregational Church, where much was learned in the matter of keeping step to the music of the Union. Officers and men alike were ig- norant of tactics, and all studied with the same zealous determi- nation to master the art of war. The park became quite an attractive place-attractive alike to the young ladies and the recruits; to the former, for they could see the soldier boys, and to the latter, for there "the girl" he was to "leave behind" him was sure to be. The military spirit pervaded all, and there were many civilians, and even some ladies, always ready with their criticism.
One day while Lieutenant Cameron was drilling a squad he gave the command "Eves right." A country school ma'am who was present said to a friend: "What awful grammar that offi- cer used. Did you hear him say I's right, instead of I am right ?"
One day a secession sympathizer by name of Ridgley came to town and hurrahed for secession and Jeff Davis. The Battery boys, hearing of this, promptly arrested him, obliged him to subscribe to the oath of allegiance, to hurrah for the Union and carry the Stars and Stripes through the principal business streets of La Crosse to the tune of Hail Columbia. There was no more talking treason while the Battery remained in the city.
One of the recruits named O'Neill was stabbed in a saloon near the Armory, and one Sunday morning a squad of the boys who had been calling upon their wounded comrade marched into the open saloon. (All saloons were open on Sunday in those days.) A moment thereafter a beer keg came crashing through the large front window, followed by another and another. Fer- guson and Carl Cameron went over and stepping in found Rath- bun tearing loose the counter, bottles, glasses. etc., flying with every wrench. He finally landed it down the back stairs. An- other was investigating the "inwards" of a large clock with his boot heel, while Nodley was reaching out with his left duke for the three denizens of the saloon. Every time he reached a fel- low went down. Officers Foster, Cameron and Anderson arriv-
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
ing on the scene saved the shelving, wainscoting and the paper on the wall.
Fifty white blankets were issued at La Crosse, and we be- lieve 50 gray woolen shirts, the first of the kind many of us ever donned. One night soon after we got these blankets, just as we were rolling into them on the soft pine floor of the Armory, music up near the La Crosse River bridge attracted our attention. Out we turned to listen, draped in our blankets -and shirts-a la Winnebago, and Bradfield, Burke, Green, Cameron, if not others, stalked up toward the bridge and afterwards strolled around a few blocks. Scarcely would a like squad, thus clad, be allowed to now stroll around La Crosse at 8:30 of an August evening.
After the Battery was recruited to its maximum Captain Foster announced that the company would hold an election for the selection of its officers. Accordingly a meeting was held in Barron's Hall one evening when the Captain announced that the commissions would be issued by the Governor named by him, Foster, in his letter asking permission to recruit a six gun battery, but he preferred to have the company sanction the selection, therefore he would let them make the selection for themselves.
J. T. Foster was elected Captain, Alexander Cameron Senior First Lieutenant, A. W. Bishop Junior First Lieutenant, and J. D. Anderson Senior Second Lieutenant. The first struggle came with the election of Junior Second Lieutenant. The name of Isaac L. Usher had been sent to the Governor for that position, but for some reason he refused to go with the battery.
The officers so far elected were the ones that had been recom- mended by Captain Foster, and he now nominated Charles B. Kimball for the office, but the boys had gotten the idea into their heads that Acting Orderly Sergeant Dan Webster was entitled to the commission and he was accordingly elected and passed through the successive grades, being mustered out as Captain of the Battery in July, 1865. in Milwaukee, Wis. C. B. Kimball was elected First or Orderly Sergeant and L. A. Pad- dock Quartermaster-Sergeant. defeating Winfield Scott, who had been nominated by Captain Foster. Scott had displayed some very arbitrary methods in dealing out supplies while acting in that capacity.
Scott was the only man in the battery that had ever had any experience as a soldier, having accompanied General A. Sidney Johnston in the expedition to Utah but a short time before the . breaking out of the rebellion. He served faithfully in the ranks for three years, while Paddock deserted on the retreat from Cumberland Gap in 1862.
Captain Foster now suggested that as it would take nearly all night to elect the six Duty Sergeants and the 12 Cor-
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DON C. CAMERON.
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
porals that he name eighteen good men for those positions and thus simplify matters; but the boys insisted upon going through the bill in detail, which was accordingly done. The Sergeants selected were Myron D. Hill, Oscar F. Nutting, E. E. Stewart, W. J. Summerfield and Samuel Hoyt. Myron Hill's name was the first on the original battery roll, now in the Adjutant-Gen- eral's Office in Madison.
The ladies of La Crosse, under the direction of Mrs. N. R. Smith and Mrs. A. T. Clinton, procured and presented to the Battery a beautiful silk flag, bearing the following inscription :
Presented to Captain Foster's Battery By the Ladies of La Crosse, September 19th, 1861.
The presentation speech was made by Dr. D. D. Cameron, and was as follows:
"Officers and Soldiers of the La Crosse Battery: In behalf of the ladies of the city of La Crosse I appear here today for the purpose of presenting you this flag. The flag is not given by those who have prepared it by reason of its intrinsic value. but it is given because it is the flag of the Revolution; it is the flag around which cluster the holy memories of the time that tried men's souls: it is the flag of Washington, and Adams, and Jefferson; the flag of Union, the flag of Freedom. This em- blem, gentlemen, has carried joy and comfort to the wandering American in all foreign climes, in the silence of all the seas. Nearly one hundred years ago the Angel of Freedom, after searching in vain for a resting place in the old world, beyond the great waters, winged her flight- toward the setting sun, planted the Stars and Stripes upon this, the Western Conti- nent, and the Republic of the United States of America was one of the Nations of the earth. This old flag has recently been insulted, torn down and trampled under foot; the Government has been defied; its property has been stolen ; men and women have been mobbed and murdered. not by the hired minions of foreign despots, but by citizens of our own country who. like the rebel angels, would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven. For the purpose of putting down this unrighteous rebellion vou, gentlemen, have girded on your armor ; you have forsaken father, mother. sister, children and friends; you sacrifice all other feelings to the one feeling of love of country. You say by your act here today 'I will bid good-by to all these, and if need be I will do more. I will offer up the last drop of my blood a willing libation upon the altar of my country's freedom ?' you say by your act here today that you are resolved to do all that true men can do in order that
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"'The Star Spangled Banner forever shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.'
"These things being so, it is no matter of wonderment to me that the ladies of La Crosse should prepare and present you this splendid banner.
"Should the women of the land, in this hour of our country's peril, stand calmly by, gazing upon the battle with cold indif- ference, then might we despair of the Republic. But, no, gen- tlemen, the ladies not only of this city, but of the entire country accord to you, and such as you, all honor and glory and perpetual memory for going forth to battle, that the glo- rious old flag of the Stars and Stripes may again wave in tri- umph from the frozen north to the sunny south, and from the rocky east to the golden west. The gallant La Crosse Light Guard and their brave commander. Captain Colwell, have already been on the blood-stained field. You follow quickly.
"If you perish in the strife, be assured the ladies of the land will not permit your honored names to be forgotten, and in the future days of triumph and of rest, when the sword and the trumpet shall hang in the hall, and there shall be no more for soldiers to do in the field, those of you who return may expect the rewards a ransomed and grateful people will be eager to bestow. Captain Foster, again I say in behalf of the ladies of the city of La Crosse, I present you, your officers and soldiers this flag. Accept it in their name, accept it as an unostenta- tious token of the respect they entertain for your characters, and as an expression on their part of an earnest wish that the cause in which you have embarked may speedily be trium- phant. I need not entreat you. Captain, officers and soldiers, in the name and for the sake of the ladies who present it. see to it that the fair face of that bright banner may never be tar- nished. I need not ask you by the holy memories of the women of the Revolution to see to it that the honor of that flag may never be compromised. May those of you who return be enabled to point to it with proud triumph :
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"'Flag of the free heart's hope and home, By angel hands to valor given ; Thy stars have lit the welkin dome And all thy hues were born in heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet,
Where breathes the foe, but falls before us,
With Freedom's soil beneath our feet
And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us.'"
To which Captain Foster replied as he received the flag from the hands of Dr. Cameron :
"Ladies of La Cro-se: In the reception of this banner allow me as the representative of this Battery to tender our sincere
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
thanks and heartfelt gratitude. We receive it with the most tender emotions, with fear, yet firmness; taking in our hands that which to obtain our forefathers fought, bled and perished, yet while we press it to our bosoms and look to Almighty God for its protection in our hands, we ask of you, ladies of La Crosse, to invoke the blessings of Him who rules the arms of war and destinies of nations. One year since all was peace in our land. our country the favored of the world, the home of the homeless, the promised land. But, oh. how altered! How sadly changed ! The pure folds of our flag have been trampled in the dust by those who ought in suppliance to have bowed beneath it, and torn in shreds by those who should in ecstacy have folded it around their hearts. We now go forth to its protection, leaving all that is dear to us on earth; firmly re- solving that this banner shall come back to you unsullied, though it take the last drop of blood of the La Crosse Battery. Guidon, receive it. Remember your blood, mine, and the blood of us all must bathe it 'ere it falls into the hands of our rebel- lious foe."
The presentation exercises were held in what is now known as the Fourth Ward Park of the city, and speeches were made by Hon. George Gale, then judge of that circuit; B. F. Mont- gomery, a prominent attorney ; Charles Seymour, the editor of the Republican, and others, among whom was Private Winfield Scott, who was ready to wrap its folds about him and die for his country. Lieutenant Webster being called upon simply said: "Some thirty years ago a man by the name of Webster talked at the birth of secession. The time for talk has passed and the time for action has come, and I propose to follow this flag as it leads to the death and funeral of disunion."
In the month of June, 1888, 27 years after the above event, at a reunion of the survivors of the Battery held at La Crosse, the old flag was again placed in the hands of the ladies who had been instrumental in procuring it for the company.
Upon this occasion Thomas A. Bones of the Battery thus addressed the ladies:
"Ladies of La Crosse: On the 19th day of September, 1861, von presented this flag to the La Crosse Battery and through your representative charged us to guard and protect it with the ardor of patriots and soldiers, not with the words but with the sentiment of the charge of the Spartan mother to her son. 'Return with your shield or on your shield.' The pariotism of the boys of the 1st Wis. Battery was grand; the presentation of this flag made it sublime. We went forth with a full reali- zation that we might meet death, sickness, disaster and hard- ship, but disgrace never. After 27 years we return, not all of us,-many who stood in the ranks on that occasion sleep the
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sleep of the brave, many are scattered through the land, and we who appear before you are old men worn and scarred, but loyal and true as on the day we received this flag at your hands, and with the will if not the physical ability to defend it as well as when we received it. We trust that you are satisfied with the manner in which we have redeemed our pledge. The old flag is not so handsome as when we received it, but it is just as precious. We are not so handsome, but we know more, and as for yourselves, like our mothers, you are always handsome. We return the flag with mingled emotions of pleasure and pain, with cheers for the living and tears for the dead-both men and women-for the brave did not all fall in battle, nor did all the victims wear the uniform, but a broken heart caused the death of many just as loyal as ever died that the Nation might live."
As the flag was placed in the hands of those patriotic ladies who had 27 years before presented it to the Battery, one could but notice how lovingly they touched its sacred folds, particu- larly Miss Nannie Colwell, whose father went to the front as Captain of the La Crosse Light Guards and was killed at the battle of South Mountain, who caressed its tattered and worn body with loving hands, drawing its faded stripes so tenderly about her while her thoughts were on the blood-stained field on which her father had offered up his life in defense of his country and flag. Was it the "mist of time" that was around those veterans there assembled that dimmed their eyes as they watched this young girl fondling their old battle flag so teri- derly?
In the latter part of September the Battery was ordered to Artillery Camp of Instruction at Racine. Upon the even- ing of departure wives, sisters, sweethearts and friends. from Wisconsin and Minnesota, gathered in Barron's Hall with the Battery and the fires of patriotism were lighted by short speeches and farewell good wishes spoken, after which we were accompanied to the depot by a large delegation of citizens. Our one gun was placed upon a flat car. and secured so it could be used in firing salutes, which was done at all the principal towns through which we passed en route to said camp. At Milwaukee we found no civic or military organiza- tion or no representatives of the municipality to welcome us or tender to us the freedom of the city. This neglect we were told was owing to the fact that a telegram had been received at Mil- waukee saying that the Battery had, at the last moment, re- belled and would not leave La Crosse. However, we soon formed in column of platoons and took up our line of march from the La Crosse to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul depot, a distance of about one and a half miles, independently
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Story of the First Wisconsin Battery.
and alone, in the doing of which it was, at that time, said the Battery made the best appearance, did better marching and gave evidence of better discipline than any organization which had appeared on the streets of the city. No halt was made in Milwaukee, only to change cars, when we were off for Racine, arriving there in the evening, in a rain storm. At first we were quartered in a hall on the second floor, but within a day or two were sent to Camp Utley to begin camp life in earnest. In the company were a number of men over six feet in height, and the tall men were all grouped together and given the right of the company. As we entered the gates of the fair grounds, where the camp was established, a bystander said: "A lot of picked men. Lieutenant ?" "Yes,"" replied Lieutenant Webster; "picked 'em up in 13 days."
We found six batteries in Camp Utley, viz: the 2d, Captain Herzberg; 3d, Captain L. H. Drury ; 4th, Captain Vallee; 5th. Captain Pinney; 6th, Capt. Dillon; 7th, Captain Griffith. Camp Utley was located on a level plateau of ground some 40 rods from the lake shore. and about a mile south from the busi- ness center of Racine. It was a splendid location for a camp of instruction, affording capital drill and company parade grounds.
The State furnished tents for our shelter, and a large mess house where the soldiers were fed at the expense of the State. The mess house, or dining hall, was a temporary structure. built of rough lumber, and served as a shelter from the sun, rain and wind, when the first was not too hot, the second too copious or the last too furious. It beat eating in the open air, in November, however. The furniture was of the rudest kind; the long tables being made of rough boards flanked on either side with long benches. The table ware was in accord with the building and table; plates, cups and spoons of tin, with knives and forks of the cheapest variety. They answered our purpose splendidly, and we doubt if a man of the whole lot who ate with them did not see the time before he received his discharge that he would have considered himself fortunate to have pos- sessed as good. The fare was plain, plentiful and palatable, and was satisfactory as any could have been. There were those, however, who complained of the quantity, quality and style in which it was served. The 1st Battery being composed largely of men who had spent much time in the logging camps of the Wisconsin and Minnesota pineries, took to camp life readily. and adapted themselves to their surroundings and the condi- tions existing in camp. There were no murmurings or com- plaints, but they at once proceeded to make themselves as com- fortable as possible. While many of the other companies would . indulge in boisterous conduct at table, such as loud and rough talking, throwing potatoes, meat and bread from table to table.
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