USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > A history of Columbia County, Wisconsin : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 19
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Many others might be mentioned whose military careers virtually commenced at old Fort Winnebago. Its evacuation in 1845 was made necessary by the call of troops to the Mexican frontier. While hostili- ties were in progress, permanent settlers had not come into the county in such numbers as to call for any levy upon them. The home military record of Columbia County therefore commences with the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion.
THE PORTAGE LIGHT GUARD
Several years before it broke, it became evident to thoughtful citizens that the Civil war was bound to come, and in the late '50s military organizations were springing up throughout the North. The Portage Light Guard, the first of its kind in Columbia County, was organized in 1859, but did not enter actively into military discipline and drill until early in 1861. By the time a re-organization had been effected, hostilities had commenced, and the President's call issued for seventy-five thou- sand volunteers.
COMPANY G, SECOND WISCONSIN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
The Light Guard promptly offered its services, and was assigned to the Second Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, as Company G. It was mustered into the Union service at Camp Randall on June 11, 1861, with the following officers: Capt. John Mansfield, First Lieut. A. S. Hill, Sec- ond Lieut. S. K. Vaughan, Sergeants W. S. M. Abbott, G. W. Marsh, Charles D. Ettinger and John G. Kent. There were eight corporals, two musicians and eighty privates; twenty-five more enlisted at Fort Tilling- hast, Va., in the following October, and still later (from the fall of 1861 to the winter of 1864) nineteen more joined the ranks of Company G.
FIRST WISCONSIN REGIMENT TO ENTER THE SERVICE
The various companies of the Second Wisconsin were organized at Camp Randall early in May, 1861, and on the 16th of the month, with
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the other commands, Company G re-enlisted for three years, "or during the war." As stated, it was mustered into the service June 11, the Sec- ond Wisconsin Regiment being the first organization to be thus received into the United States service from that state. On the 20th of the same month the regiment left for Washington, and was the first body of three- years' men to appear at the national capital.
RECORD OF THE SECOND WISCONSIN
As a part of that command, Company G participated in the move- ment on Manassas, where during a terrific assault on one of the enemy's batteries the regiment sustained a heavy loss. In March of the next year, after it had become consolidated with the famous Iron Brigade under Gen. Rufus King, the Second was in the advance in the con- tinued operations against Manassas. On the 28th of August, the brigade was assigned a position in the advance line, and proceeded slowly on the left of the army to Groveton, via Gainesville. While moving by the flank in the march toward Centerville, the Second Regiment was attacked by a battery posted on a wooded eminence to the left. It promptly ad- vanced and soon encountered the infantry. While awaiting the rest of the brigade, the regiment checked for nearly twenty minutes the onset of Stonewall Jackson's entire division, under a murderous fire of mus- ketry. When the brigade arrived, the battle was continued until 9 o'clock in the evening, when the enemy was repulsed, and the entire army passed on the road to Centerville.
The Second took a prominent part at the storming of Turner's Pass, South Mountain, and at the battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg. It was in the advance at Gettysburg, where it suffered a loss of thirty per cent of the rank and file. Its total loss at that date amounted to 652 killed, wounded and missing.
In December, 1863, forty members of the Second re-enlisted and on January 28, 1864, arrived at Madison, received their furloughs and dis- persed to their homes. During their absence, the remainder of the Second, with the non-veterans of the brigade, participated in a recon- naissance to the Rapidan River. About the 1st of March, the veterans returned to the front, and their regiment was soon after assigned to the First Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifth Army Corps.
The Iron Brigade then participated in the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Court House. After the latter engagement the Sec- ond Regiment, having been reduced to less than one hundred men present for duty and having lost both field officers, was detailed as provost guard to the Fourth Division, Fifth Army Corps, thus severing its connection
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with the Iron Brigade. In that capacity the remnant of the Second ar- rived at Bottom's Bridge, on the Chickahominy, on June 11, where they remained until the expiration of their term of service. Those absent on detached duty were recalled, and on June 11 the little band of battle- scarred veterans took its departure for home, arriving at Madison on the 18th.
Those who had joined the regiment at various times after its original organization were formed into an independent battalion of two compa- nies under Capt. D. B. Dailey and assigned to provost duty. They par- ticipated in the battle before Petersburg, and in November were trans- ferred as Companies G and H to the Sixth Wisconsin, with which they were mustered out.
Company G suffered its severest loss at Gainesville (Second Bull Run). It went into the engagement with 54 men, and lost in killed and wounded 43, 13 being killed outright.
COMPANY D, FOURTH REGIMENT
Company D, Fourth Regiment, was recruited at Kilbourn City, and went into camp at Racine June 6, 1861, with the following commissioned officers : Joseph Bailey, captain ; Walter S. Payn, first lieutenant ; Edwin R. Herren, second lieutenant. On the 15th of July they left for Balti- more, remained in Maryland acquiring discipline and drill until Novem- ber, and after various unimportant movements joined the Army of the Gulf at Ship Island, Miss., on March 12, 1862. The hardships of the voyage engendered much disease, and many of the soldiers found a grave in the sands of the Gulf of Mexico. The company was present at the bombardment and capture of the forts in the Southwest Pass by Porter and Farragut, and in May embarked in captured transports on an expedition which extended to Vicksburg. It participated in the famous thirty-days' siege of that stronghold of the Confederacy, as well as in all the operations centering in and around Baton Rouge. The Fourth Regiment led the advance in driving the enemy within his works at Port Hudson, where it suffered fearful losses, as well in the assaults against the Confederate forces within. In July the regiment returned to Baton Rouge and in the following month was completely equipped as cavalry. Subsequently, until May, 1866, the Fourth did excellent serv- ice against guerilla bands of Confederates and marauding Indians, its operations extending to Texas and the international boundary.
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GENERAL BAILEY AND MAJOR PIERCE
But Company D achieved its greatest fame because of the splendid services rendered to the Union cause in the Southwest by Joseph Bailey, who went out as its captain and in May, 1864, had reached the rank of brigadier-general by promotion.
The company, during its existence, had as captain besides General Bailey, E. R. Herron, Guy C. Pierce and A. C. Ketchum. "Major Pierce was one of General Bailey's most trusted staff officers. Being clear of brain, brave and quick to perceive, he possessed an iron nerve and was many times detailed for perilous duty. He was four times wounded. Chosen as the recipient of a congressional medal of honor for brave and meritorious conduct at the siege of Mobile, Major Pierce has also numer- ous letters and relies, and has recorded many historical incidents which future generations will value as without price."
GENERAL BAILEY AND THE RED RIVER DAM
The foregoing was written by Chester W. Smith, county superin- tendent of schools, to whom we are also indebted for the following graphie sketch of "General Joseph Bailey and the Red River Dam :"
GEN. JOSEPH BAILEY
"Many citizens of Wisconsin have heard of the Red River Dam, but not all of them know that its originator and builder was a Wisconsin soldier and received his practical education in the lumber camps of northern Wisconsin. Fewer yet realize that this man of rugged courage, adaptable knowledge, and unlimited energy saved to the Union cause an entire fleet of gun boats and thereby cut short by two years the greatest civil war of history.
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"When Beauregard's rebel guns woke the North to united action against secession, Mr. Joseph Bailey was a respected citizen of Kilbourn City, Columbia County, Wisconsin. He entered the service on May 18th, 1861, as captain of Company D, Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers. He was a man of commanding stature, great natural ability as a leader and mau- ager of men. In July, 1863, he was made Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment, and in the spring of 1864 he was serving under General Frank- lin's staff in Louisiana, as chief engineer.
"In April of this year Rear Admiral Porter's fleet of gun boats had passed up the Red River as far as Alexandria, some 200 miles above Baton Rouge. These gun boats were intended to work in connection with the land forces of the Union army to complete the subjugation of the South in southern territory.
"But the campaign was not proving a success and just as the army was preparing to retreat, the water in the Red river suddenly fell, leaving the whole Union fleet stranded above the rapids near Alexandria.
"With a hostile people all about them, the enemy's army watching for an opportunity for attack, supplies cut off and provisions short, Ad- miral Porter saw only the utter loss of his fleet and certain necessity of being compelled to destroy the whole squadron to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. Expert civil engineers of the army were consulted with no relief. They declared that it would take a year to construct a dam across the river to float the boats. Looking at the prob- lem from the standpoint of their book-knowledge and lack of experience, no doubt they were right.
"But the man of practical knowledge, the man for the hour, was there in the person of Lieut. Col. Joseph Bailey. He was there with confidence in himself and in his plan, and he had the nerve to offer his idea to the Admiral. But the great naval officer scouted the idea as wild and im- possible. All of his best engineers, educated at West Point, ridiculed the plan, so that nothing was done for twenty days.
"But the man of experience and courage, the man who had made whole fleets of logs float down shallow streams in Northern Wisconsin knew what he was talking about. He persisted and finally Admiral Porter agreed to ask permission of General Banks of the army to allow Colonel Bailey to try the experiment. Banks gave his consent only as a last resort.
"Now the plan that Colonel Bailey proposed was not new as to the fact that a dam in a river will raise the water above it .. The value of Bailey's knowledge was that it offered a way to build that dam, and free those big, helpless boats, in ten days, instead of a year's time :
"Once the project was decided upon, gloom changed to exultation.
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General Banks gave orders to supply Colonel Bailey with every possible need he might require. He asked and obtained 3,000 men, 300 teams and wagons, all the axes and tools that could be found, iron bolts and bricks from the numerous sugar mills along the river, stones from newly made quarries, planks from old or new buildings. There were two or three regiments of Maine men, who were sent into the near-by woods to cut down trees, which were brought to the river with all their branches on.
"The rapids over which the water must be raised to allow the boats to pass, were about a mile in length, and the river was about 600 to 800 feet wide where the dam was to be constructed. To build a dam reaching all the way across the river was impossible, nor was this a part of Bailey's plan. He began by building wing, or bracket, dams about 300 feet long, reaching from each bank of the river, thus leaving a middle chute about 66 feet wide for the boats to go through.
"The dams were constructed by floating on barges the logs, trees, stone, old iron from the mills, and whatever could be used to stop the cur- rent and back the water up the channel. At the end of these wings four of the largest coal barges, 170 feet long, were loaded with stone and sunk. Log cribs were made, floated to the desired place, filled with stone and sunk, after which long iron bolts were driven through them into the hard bed of the river. This was necessary as the current at this point had a velocity of ten miles an hour.
"The men worked almost day and night and at the end of the eighth day the water was high enough to start the boats. Every one marveled, and the tired men grew strong with hope and coming victory. But the next morning the tremendous force of the increased volume of water swung one of the big barges from its anchorage and again the water fell to its former stage.
"Shouts changed as suddenly to doubts and disappointed hopes. Men who had opposed the idea now came forward with their 'I-told-you-so's' and the civil engineers demanded that the effort be abandoned before it was too late to burn the boats and escape being captured by the enemy.
"Then was shown the mighty significance of having a Man present who knew himself and his job. Men recognize a leader. For the past eight days these men had been working, many of them, up to their waists in water and in the hot sun. They now saw their labors tossed aside as of no avail.
"But Colonel Bailey and his corps of assistants never showed a mo- ment's hesitating doubt. Orders were immediately issued to begin the construction of other wing dams and those men redoubled their efforts for they had faith in the man who had faith in himself.
"In three days the water rose to a sufficient height to allow every boat
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of the fleet safe passage over the rapids and down the river to freedom. The Southern army was as astonished as it was disappointed, while the glad acclaims of those who held dear the Union cause, were heard for many days.
"Colonel Bailey was the hero of the hour and received promotion to the position of brigadier general. Rear Admiral Porter and his staff had ordered made a beautiful sword with sheath and hilt of gold, and also a solid silver punch bowl, standing two feet high, which were presented to General Bailey. These magnificent gifts were made by the Tiffany Com- pany of New York and were beautifully engraved with appropriate inscriptions. They are now in the Wisconsin State Historical Museum at Madison.
"After being honorably mustered out in 1865, Gen. Bailey returned to Kilbourn City, his home. In 1866 he moved to Vernon County, Mo., and the same year he was elected sheriff of the county. The next year he was shot by assassins whom he had antagonized in doing his duty by enforcing the law.
"The name of Gen. Joseph Bailey should live in the annals of his country along with the many other brave soldiers who gave their all in defence of home and liberty."
COMPANIES A AND B, SEVENTH REGIMENT
Companies A and B, Seventh Regiment, were from Columbia County, the former from Lodi and the latter from Portage, known as the Colum- bia County Cadets. Company A was commanded by Capt. George Bill, with Hollon Richardson as first, and Richard Lindsey as second lieuten- ant; Company B, by Capt. James H. Huntington, with John Walton as first, and S. L. Bachelder as second lieutenant. The Seventh Regiment rendezvoused at Camp Randall in August, 1861, and in October joined General King's command known as the Iron Brigade. The principal losses to A and B occurred at the two Bull Runs, South Mountain, the Wilderness, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg.
COMPANY D, TENTH REGIMENT
Company D, Tenth Wisconsin Infantry, was formed in August, 1861, and was known as the Fremont Rifles. James L. Coffin was captain, Thomas L. Kennan first lieutenant, and George W. Marsh second lieu- tenant. In October, 1861, the Tenth was mustered into service at Camp Hutton, Milwaukee, and served in Kentucky, Tennessee and in Sher-
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man's movement toward Atlanta. It was at Champlin Hills, Chicka- manga, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek.
COMPANY H, ELEVENTH REGIMENT
Company H, Eleventh Regiment, was organized in September, 1861, and accepted at Camp Randall for service October 18th, with Alexander Christie as captain, Eli H. Mix as first lieutenant and Isaac J. Wright as second lieutenant. It saw active service in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. The Second Brigade to which it was attached took part in the battle of Champion Hills, in the siege of Vicks- burg and the Red River expedition, and the Eleventh was finally mus- tered out of the service at Mobile, September 4, 1865. The regiment suffered a death loss of 348; 262 of whom died of disease. Captain Christie resigned in January, 1864, and was succeeded by Lieut. James O'Neal.
COMPANY D, NINETEENTH REGIMENT
Company D, Nineteenth Regiment, was recruited in December, 1861, with Samuel K. Vaughan as captain, William H. Spain as first lieutenant, and Edward O. Emerson as second lieutenant. The command was mus- tered into service April 30, 1862, and left for the Potomac on the 2d of June. The boys were engaged for the first time at Newberg, N. C., on the 1st of February, 1864. In June they accompanied the advance of Grant's army in its assault upon Petersburg. After enjoying a veteran furlough, in October they proceeded to the trenches before Richmond. The regiment participated in the battle of Fair Oaks, and in April of the following year was a part of the Union army which marched into Rich- mond and planted the regimental colors on the city hall. On the 9th of August, 1865, the regiment was mustered out of the service in the capital of the Confederacy.
COMPANIES C, G AND H, TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT
Companies C, G and H, Twenty-third Regiment, were all organized in Columbia County. C was raised in Portage, with Edgar F. Hill as captain ; G was from Columbus, James E. Hazelton captain, and H from Lodi, with E. Howard Irwin captain. J. J. Guppey, promoted from the Tenth, was colonel of the Twenty-third during its entire service. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Carrion Crow Bayon, La., Novem-
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ber 3, 1863, and exchanged in December, 1864. Captain Hill, of Com- pany C, became lieutenant-colonel of the regiment in August, 1863
GENERAL AND JUDGE J. J. GUPPEY
Joshua J. Guppey, of Portage, colonel of the Twenty-third for nearly three years, was one of the most distinguished citizens of Columbia County. He was a native of New Hampshire, and while a student at Dartmouth College was captain of its military company, showing even in his early youth one of the strong tendencies of his life. Admitted to the bar of the Granite State in 1846, when twenty-six years of age, he located at Columbus, Columbia County, in the same year. In the follow- ing year he was appointed colonel of the county militia, and held the office of judge of probate and county judge from the fall of 1849 to January 1, 1858; was superintendent of the public schools of Portage city from 1858 to 1861, and on September 13th of the last named year was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was in active service as such until July 25, 1862, when he was promoted to colonel of the Twenty-third, and held that position with high honor to the end of the war. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the engagement at Carrion Crow Bayou, La., and in March, 1865, was brevetted brigadier-general "for gallant and meritorious services during the war."
In April, 1865, while absent in the service General Guppey was re- elected county judge for four years from January 1, 1866, and held that office by successive elections until 1882. In 1866 he was again elected superintendent of city schools, serving thus until 1873. Whether in mili- tary or civil activities, Judge Guppey acquited himself as a man of unusual ability and conscientiousness.
RECORD OF THE TWENTY-THIRD
The Twenty-third Regiment early joined the army destined for the reduction of Vicksburg, its first engagement of any note occurring at Fort Hindman on the Arkansas River, which surrendered largely as the re- sult of the fierce assault delivered by the Thirty-third. The regiment re- ceived many congratulations for its conduct from the division and brigade commanders. The Yazoo swamps laid many of the soldiers low, but the health of the men improving, active operations were resumed. They fought on the battlefield at Fort Gibson, Miss., and were the first to enter the village. The Twenty-third won fame at the battles of Champion Hills and Black River Bridge, at the latter engagement capturing the Sixtieth Val. 1-12
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Tennessee with its colors. It was at the front in the general assault on Vicksburg, at the close of the siege the regiment numbering but 150 men ready for duty. Later, at Carrion Crow Bayou, the regiment was at- tacked by a greatly superior force of the enemy, but, with reinforcements, regained the ground at first lost, although at great sacrifice. The regi- ment then engaged in the Red River expedition, the battle of Sabine Cross Roads and the investment of Mobile, being mustered out of the service July 4, 1865.
COMPANIES A AND E, TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT
Companies A and E, Twenty-ninth regiment, were composed almost entirely of citizens from Columbia County. Bradford Hancock, who became colonel of the regiment in April, 1865, was the first captain of Company A, and was succeeded by O. F. Mattice and O. D. Ray, the latter being promoted from the ranks.
Company E was recruited along the border between Columbia and Dodge counties, and its captains were Hezekiah Dunham, Darius J. Wells and Joshua A. Stark.
The Twenty-ninth was mustered into service at Camp Randall Sep- tember 27, 1862, and its fine record is identified with the operations of the Army of the Southwest. Its first battle was at Port Gibson and, although the command was made up of raw recruits, the brigade com- mander commended its conduct highly, and at the battle of Champion Hills, fought soon afterward, it is credited with having made one of the most brilliant charges of the entire war, capturing over three hundred prisoners, a stand of colors and a brass battery. The regiment con- tinued its good record at the siege of Vicksburg, the siege of Jackson, the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, the work connected with the construction of the famous Red River Dam under the superintendeney of Colonel Bailey, and the concluding battle before Mobile.
COMPANY K, THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT
Company K, Thirty-second Regiment, was recruited in August, 1862, and mustered into the service at Camp Bragg, Oshkosh, September 25th following, with John E. Grant as captain. In November the regiment joined General Sherman's command at Memphis, Tenn., and accompa- nied his army later in its famous march to the sea, and from Savannah north through the Carolinas to Richmond. It reached the Confederate capital May 9, 1865, on the 24th of that month it took part in the grand review at Washington, and was mustered out on the 12th of June.
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LAST INFANTRY COMPANIES
A portion of Company E, Forty-second Regiment, was raised in Co- lumbia County during the fall of 1864, and Company D, Forty-sixth Regiment, in which there were a few Columbia County boys, was recruited in the first two months of 1865.
CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY
Company E, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, was known as the Columbia County Cavalry. It was recruited in the fall of 1861, was accepted for service at various dates between December, 1861, and March, 1862, and its captain was George N. Richmond. The regiment left Camp Wash- burn, Milwaukee, March 24, 1862, and its operations were mostly around Memphis and Vicksburg.
Company F, First Heavy Artillery, organized at Portage in Septem- ber, 1864, with Erastus Cook as captain. The company left Camp Ran- dall on the 3d of October, 1864, and was assigned to duty in the defenses of Washington. It remained at that point until June 26, 1865, when it was mustered out of service. It was the only company of troops going from Columbia County which returned without loss of life.
THE DRAFTS IN THE COUNTY
In proportion to population the number of citizens in Columbia County who volunteered to serve the Union cause on the field of battle was as large as any county in the state. But despite appeals from the local newspapers to avert such a course, which was considered by some as a reflection upon patriotism, and the strenuous efforts of the recruit- ing agents, the "draft" came to Columbia County as it did to other sec- tions of the North. In June, 1863, Provost Marshal S. J. M. Putnam of Janesville, under orders, appointed the following enrolling officers to register the names of those liable to military duty in Columbia County : Perry G. Stroud, Newport; E. F. Lewis, Lewiston ; J. B. Wood, Fort Winnebago; Hiram Albee, Marcellon; David H. Langdon, Scott; John M. Bay, Randolph; Jeremiah Williams, Courtland; John H. Rowlands, Springvale; Henry Converse, Wyocena; Wells M. Butler, Portage and Pacific ; J. C. Mohr, Caledonia; Jacob Cosad, De Korra; Jesse F. Hand, Lowville; E. W. McNett, Otsego; E. T. Kerney, Fountain Prairie; G. W. Campbell, Columbus; William K. Custer, Hampden; Ammond Chris- tophers, Leeds; A. G. Dunning, Arlington ; Thomas Yule, Lodi; Cyrus Hill, West Point.
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