USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of the state of Wisconsin : being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 31
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The regiment was, for the time it had been in camp, the best drilled of any from the State.
They left Camp Randall, en route for Cincinnati, on the 18th of September, and established their headquarters at Camp Bates, in Kentucky, about five miles above the city, on the Ohio River. They were subsequently moved near Paris, in Kentucky. Here they remained until the last of October, when they marched to Nicholasville. Thence they marched to Louisville, arriving on the 15th of November; having accomplished the march of
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eighty-five miles in four days. At Louisville, they embarked on the 18th of November, under orders for Memphis, at which place they arrived on the 27th, where they were at the close of 1862, in the first brigade, first division, Brig .- Gen. A. J. Smith commanding, and were unattached to any army.
Capt. Frost, Company K, died on Dec. 18, in hospital, at Memphis.
The Twenty-fourth Regiment (Col. Charles H. Larrabee) was properly called a Milwaukee Regiment. Fully nine-tenths of its members were from that city. To form it, she gave from the flower of her youth, and her best and most influential citizens. Col. Larrabee was the former popular major of the Fifth Regi- ment ; Lieut .- Col. Buttrick, a prominent citizen of Milwaukee ; and Major Hibbard, the well-remembered captain of the Mil- waukee Zouaves of the Fifth.
This regiment left Milwaukee for Louisville, Ky., on the 5th of September. On their arrival at that place, they were placed in Camp Jo. Holt. Here they remained until the 10th, when they were ordered to Cincinnati to assist in the defence of that city. They reached Cincinnati the next day, and were placed in position at Covington, Ky.
They returned to Louisville about the 20th, and on the 1st of October commenced their march towards Perryville. They took part in the battle fought at this place on the 8th of October. They were held as a reserve until about three o'clock in the afternoon, when they were ordered to support a battery. While performing this duty, they lost one man, who was instantly killed.
They took part in the pursuit of Bragg, which followed, and, after various marchings and counter-marchings, went into camp at Nashville, where they were December, 1862, in the right wing of the Army of the Cumberland, under command of Major-Gen. Rosecrans.
The Twenty-fifth Regiment (Col. Milton Montgomery) was made up of companies from Grant and the river counties. Col. Montgomery is a prominent citizen of Sparta, Monroe County. Lieut .- Col. Nasmith was promoted to his present position from a captaincy in the Sixth.
Under orders from Major-Gen. Pope, commanding department
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of the North-west, this regiment left La Crosse on the 20th of September, for St. Paul, Minn., and from thence to aid in quelling the Indian troubles in Minnesota; one company being assigned to Sauk Centre, two companies to Painesville, two companies to Acton, two companies to New Ulm, one to Leav- enworth, one to Fairmount, and one to Winnebago City ; the headquarters of the regiment being. established at New Ulm. After the capture of the Indians, they were ordered to ren- dezvous at Winona, and arrived at Madison on the 18th of December. By special authority from Brig .- Gen. Elliott, com- manding department of the North-west in the absence of Gen. Pope, furloughs were granted to almost the entire regiment to enable the soldiers to spend Christmas at home.
They were, at close of 1862, at Camp Randall, Madison, awaiting orders.
The Twenty-sixth Regiment, Col. William H. Jacobs. Not- withstanding the Germans had already sent an entire regiment into the field, besides the number of German companies in the various regiments of infantry, cavalry, and batteries of artillery, the last call for three hundred thousand was no sooner issued than the German patriotism of Wisconsin declared its intention of being represented in that body of men by another German regiment. This desire was universal. Recruits poured in; and but a short time had elapsed, when so many volunteers were enrolled, that the Twenty-sixth was full to the maximum, and it became necessary to assign companies to other organizations.
Among the officers were thirteen who had seen service, eleven of whom had been in war, either in this country or in Europe." About one-half of the commissioned officers, and perhaps one- fifth of the privates, had been in military service before. Col. Jacobs, although without previous military experience, devel- oped such zeal and energy while in the State as to give earnest of his soon becoming a skilful officer.
It was the intention of the department to order the regiment to the South-west ; but the personal influence of Gov. Salomon, with a representation of the fact that the general understand- ing during the time of enlistment was, that the regiment would be attached to the command of Major-Gen. Sigel, pro- cured a reversal of the original design ; and they were ordered to Washington.
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In accordance therewith, they left Camp Sigel, Milwaukee, on the 6th of October, and, on their arrival at Washington, were at once sent forward to Gen. Sigel's corps.
In a review which took place soon after their joining the command, their action was such as to call forth the highest encomiums from their commanding general, who pronounced them the best disciplined body of troops in his corps, consider- ing the time they had been in camp.
At the close of the year, they were (Dec. 20) near Stafford Court House, Va., in the Eleventh Corps of the Army of the Potomac, under command of Major-Gen. Burnside.
The Twenty-seventh Regiment (Col. Conrad Krez) was com- posed of six companies raised in the counties of Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Kewaunee, with others from various localities. In the assignment of companies to this regiment, many fell short of the minimum, by which it was delayed in its organization and readiness to leave the State. By request of the governor, special permission from the war department was given to con- tinue recruiting for this and the Thirty-first Regiment, also in a similar position.
The organization was completed in 1862, and they anxiously awaited orders to take their place beside others of Wisconsin's sons in doing battle for liberty and the Union.
The Twenty-eighth Regiment, Col. James M. Lewis, was com- posed principally of men from the counties of Waukesha and Walworth ; left Camp Washburne, Milwaukee, on the 20th of December, under orders for Cairo, where they arrived next day. They were immediately placed on board a steamer, and sent to Columbus, Ky., where they were December, 1862.
The varied experience of Col. Lewis as surgeon of the Second Regiment, and during his captivity as prisoner at Richmond, together with the general confidence in the ability of himself and the officers of his regiment, will lead us to follow the move- ments of this regiment with no common interest.
The Twenty-ninth Regiment, Col. Charles R. Gill, made up mainly of volunteers from Dodge, Jefferson, Dane, and Wash- ington Counties, left Camp Randall on the 2d of November, under orders to report at Cairo. On their arrival, they em- barked on the steamer "New Uncle Sam," and proceeded to
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Helena, Ark., where they were Dec. 19, 1862. This regiment as in the second brigade, Army of the South-west, Brig .- Gen. Steele commanding.
The Thirtieth Regiment (Col. Daniel J. Dill) was composed of six companies from the St. Croix and Chippewa valleys, two from Waushara, and two from Iowa Counties.
The material composing it was equal to that of any which had left Wisconsin, as may be inferred from the duties it was called upon to perform within the State; for as "a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country," it may well be supposed that its conduct was meritorious to call forth the encomiums so freely bestowed on it in the performance of duty at home.
Col. Dill was promoted to the command from a captaincy in the Sixth Regiment, where he had the experience of nearly a year's campaign in the field.
The Thirty-first Regiment (Col. Isaac E. Messmore), like the Twenty-seventh, was left, by the order of the war department prohibiting recruiting, with less than the minimum. Six com- panies from Iowa, Lafayette, and Crawford Counties, were ordered into camp at Prairie du Chien ; and special permission, before alluded to, was obtained to continue recruiting for this regiment. At the close of the year, it was much above the minimum strength, and of good materiel.
On the 14th of November, it was removed from Prairie du Chien, in charge of the camp of rendezvous for drafted men at Racine, where it remained, awaiting orders to join the army in the field.
Col. Messmore was formerly lieutenant-colonel of the Four- teenth, and took active part in the memorable battle of Shiloh, on the 7th of April.
The Thirty-second Regiment, Col. James H. Howe. This regiment, composed of volunteers from the northern line of counties, left their camp at Oshkosh on the 30th of October, under orders for Cairo, where they arrived next day. From Cairo, they were immediately sent forward to Columbus, Ky., and subsequently to Memphis, where they were attached to Gen. Sherman's command.
Col. Howe resigned his position as attorney-general of the
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State, to which office he had been re-elected for a second term, to take command of this regiment.
Lieut .- Col. Bugh was promoted to his position from a cap- taincy in the Fifth Regiment. He was severely wounded in the battle of Williamsburg, on the 5th of May, in which he displayed signal coolness and bravery.
The Thirty-third Regiment (Col. Jonathan B. Moore) was raised from the southern tier of counties of Wisconsin. The men of this regiment were wholly from the families of the well- to-do farmers of that locality, and constituted one of the best drilled and disciplined regiments from the State.
" Old Grant" was again most worthily represented by the colonel, and her other sons of this regiment. Lieut .- Col. Lovell was one of the oldest citizens of the State, and a prominent lawyer of Kenosha. He was a member of the first and second Constitutional Conventions, and was speaker of the assembly in 1858-59. He made a most accomplished drill-officer.
The regiment was mustered into the United States service in the beginning of October, and left Camp Utley, Racine, for Cairo on the 11th of November. From Cairo they were ordered to Helena, and from thence to the Tallahatchie, where they were December, 1862.
The Thirty-fourth Regiment, drafted militia, Col. Fritz An- neke. This was the first regiment organized from the drafted men of this State for nine months' service. Col. Fritz Anneke had the reputation of a skilful officer in the old country, and was promoted from Major-Gen. McClernand's staff to this regi- ment.
Lieut .- Col. Orff was formerly lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Wisconsin Infantry.
Company G, Berdan's sharpshooters, Capt. Frank E. Marble. Wisconsin contributed one company to this regiment, which, on its organization, was assigned to position as Company G. They passed the winter principally in camp of instruction, near Washington, and accompanied the army, under Gen. McClellan, in its advance on Richmond, from the debarkation near York- town, until the final withdrawal, and return towards Washing- ton.
They took part in the grand series of battles before Rich-
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mond, in one of which, that of the 30th of June, Capt. Drew was instantly killed while rallying his men after a temporary confusion, caused by the sudden falling-back of a Pennsyl- vania regiment. Sergeant Staples, also, well known in the vicinity of Madison, was killed while assisting his captain.
Subsequently they participated in the movements of the army under Gen. Pope, and bore their share in the battles of Gainesville and Bull Run on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of August, where six of their number were wounded.
The record of this company is such that they cannot receive justice in a sketch like this. They have done their whole duty.
They were (Dec. 8) near Falmouth, Va., in the centre grand division of the Army of the Potomac.
First Regiment of Cavalry, Col. Edward Daniels. The com- plete organization of this regiment was effected in February ; and on the 17th of March they left Camp Harvey, under orders for St. Louis. On their arrival, they were transferred to Benton Barracks, where they were furnished with horses, and otherwise completely equipped. Thence they were ordered to Cape Girardeau, and left St. Louis on the 27th of April. From Cape Girardeau, the headquarters of the regiment were removed to Bloomfield ; and detachments were constantly sent out in various directions through the country, which performed good service in preventing any organization of the rebels in their vicinity.
On one of these excursions, parts of Companies A and D, under command of Major La Grange, attacked and dispersed a body of rebel guerillas at Chalk Bluffs, in Arkansas. Their loss was two killed, including Lieut. Phillips of Company A, and six wounded, among whom was Lieut. Merrill of Com- pany D.
Subsequently the regiment penetrated the swamps of the " Panhandle," reaching Little River at Homersville, where they captured the rebel steamer " Daniel Miller," worth about fifteen thousand dollars, loaded with sugar, molasses, whiskey, and rebel officers.
On the 1st of August, a detachment of twenty-three men from Company I, under command of Capt. Porter, surprised a rebel company of eighty-five men at Jonesborough, and took
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eleven prisoners, together with some arms, horses, and wagons. The next day, after a desperate fight against overwhelming numbers, Capt. Porter was forced to capitulate, having lost, in this adventure, killed, five ; wounded, two ; paroled as prisoners, eight; and missing, eight.
From Bloomfield, the regimental headquarters were trans- ferred to Madison, Ark., the regiment being scattered over about two hundred and fifty miles of territory.
This meagre sketch falls far short of doing justice to the brave men of this regiment, who have suffered great privations in the making of a record which should find a place among our historic treasures.
Owing to the continued illness of Col. Daniels, the regiment had been in 1862, for some time, in command of Lieut .- Col. La Grange, a very popular and efficient officer.
They were at Patterson, Mo., attached to the Army of South-east Missouri, commanded by Brig .- Gen. Davidson, at the close of 1862.
The Second Regiment of Cavalry (Col. Thomas Stephens), on the 24th of March left Camp Washburne, under orders for St. Louis ; at which place they arrived on the 26th, and were quartered in Benton Barracks. Here they were mounted and completely equipped ; and, on the 15th of May, the first battal- ion left for Jefferson City, followed, on the 19th, by the second and third battalions. They left Jefferson City on the 28th en route for Springfield, where they arrived on the 10th of June. From Springfield they were ordered, on the 13th, to join Gen. Curtis's command. The junction was effected at Augusta. They were present at the battle of Bayou Cache, on the 7th of July, and afterward accompanied Gen. Curtis's command to Helena, Ark., in the vicinity of which place they were at the close of 1862.
This regiment was familiarly known as " Washburne's Cav- alry," having been recruited by the Hon. C. C. Washburne. He was retained in its immediate command but a short time, having been promoted to the position of brigadier-general. Col. Stephens, afterwards in command of the regiment, was former inspector-general of this State. It was now in the third division of the Army of Eastern Arkansas, under command of Gen. Gorman.
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The Third Regiment of Cavalry (Col. William A. Barstow) was fully organized, and accepted into the United States ser- viee by the muster of the eolonel and field-officers on the 28th of January, and left Camp Barstow, Janesville, on the 26th of March, for Benton Barracks, St. Louis. A railroad accident, on the same night, resulted in the instant death of ten men, mortally wounding two, and slightly injuring twenty-eight.
They left St. Louis, under orders for Fort Leavenworth, Kan., on the 22d of May, and arrived at their destination on the 27th. Here they received their horses and horse equip- ments, having previously been fully equipped, with these exceptions.
About the first of June, Col. Barstow was appointed pro- vost-marshal-general of Kansas, and ordered to disperse his regiment, one company in a place, in various parts of Kansas, extending from near the Nebraska line on the north, to Fort Scott on the south. The regiment was thus scattered until the 8th of September, when Col. Barstow was relieved from duty as provost-marshal, and ordered to concentrate his regiment at Fort Scott.
Up to this date, the regiment had been engaged in no general battle, but had been on constant pieket and scout duty, and employed in fighting seattering bands of guerillas, and protect- ing the people and property on the borders of Kansas for a dis- tanee of nearly two hundred miles. Since then, in 1862, it participated in the battles of the Army of the Frontier.
The Milwaukee Cavalry was organized at Milwaukee during the month of October, 1861, and joined Gen. Fremont's army at St. Louis as an independent acceptance. The officers in charge were, eaptain, Gustave Von Deutsch ; first lieutenant, Charles Lehman ; seeond lieutenant, Albert Galoskowski.
Subsequently, the company became identified with the Fifth Regiment Missouri Cavalry, its captain having been made lieutenant-colonel of the regiment.
The First Heavy Artillery, Capt. A. J. Langworthy. On the 9th of December, 1861, Company K of the Second Regiment (Capt. A. J. Langworthy) was detached from the regiment for " heavy artillery duty," under Special Order No. 172, from the headquarters of the army. In pursuance of this order, they
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moved the same day into Fort Cass, on Arlington Heights, Va., to which they had been assigned for garrison-duty. Their number was largely augmented by recruits from the State ; and, at the close of 1862, they still remained in charge of Fort Cass, at Arlington, Va.
Lieut. Caleb Hunt died Dec. 1, 1862, at Milton Junction, the result of injuries received in an attempt to get on a railroad- car while in motion.
The First Battery, Capt. Jacob F. Foster. On the 23d of January, this battery left Racine, under orders for Louisville, Ky. On their arrival, they were placed in camp of instruction near the city, where they remained until the beginning of April, when they marched in the direction of Lexington, and, after performing duty at various places to which they were ordered in that part of the State, took possession of Cumber- land Gap, after its evacuation by the rebels, on the 17th of June. To move these heavy guns a distance of thirty miles across the Cumberland Mountains, and in places which the enemy had pronounced impracticable for light artillery, was indeed an herculean task; but it was accomplished, and the La Crosse Artillery had the honor of hoisting and saluting the stars and stripes on the strongest of the enemy's forts. They participated in the retreat from this place, and on the 21st of November arrived at Cincinnati. Here they remained until the 26th, when they embarked for Memphis, where they were at this date.
Capt. Foster was made chief of artillery by Gen. Morgan on the 26th of April, giving him command of twenty-six guns.
They were now in the right wing, Thirteenth Army Corps, under command of Major-Gen. Sherman.
The Fourth Battery, Capt. John F. Vallee. The Second and Fourth Batteries left Camp Utley, Racine, on the 28th of January, for Baltimore, where they arrived on the 31st, and were immediately ordered to Washington. They remained but a few hours in Washington, as they were ordered to. For- tress Monroe via Baltimore. They arrived at Fortress Monroe on the 3d of February, and were placed for duty in the water battery, where they were December, 1862.
The Third Battery, Capt. L. H. Drury. The Badger Bat-
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tery left Camp Utley, Racine, under orders for Louisville, Ky., on the 22d of January. On their arrival, they were ordered into camp of instruction near Louisville ; and, while there, their armament was changed by the substitution of rifled thirty-two-pounders for their light guns. On the 10th of March, they left Louisville for Nashville, arriving on the 14th. Here they went into camp, and remained until the 29th, when they took up their line of march for Savannah, Tenn. : thence they were transferred to Pittsburg Landing in the middle of April. From Pittsburg Landing, they marched, during the summer, from place to place in Tennessee and Kentucky, and, on the 2d of October, left Louisville, coming up with the rear-guard cavalry pickets of the enemy on the fol- lowing morning. These were dislodged by a few shell from the long-range Parrotts; and the battery pressed forward to Perryville. They were present at, though they took no part in, the battle at this place, but were employed in the pursuit of the retreating enemy, and took part in the skirmish near Stanford on the 15th of October, and subsequently encamped at Mount Vernon.
Capt. Drury of this battery was appointed chief of artil- lery in Gen. Van Cleve's division, with the charge of three batteries.
The Badgers were, at the close of this year, near Nashville, in the left wing of the Army of the Cumberland, under com- mand of Major-Gen. Rosecrans.
The Fifth Battery, Capt. Oscar F. Pinney. This battery left Camp Utley, Racine, on the 15th of March, for St. Louis, and arrived at that place next day. On the 19th, they took their departure from St. Louis, with orders to report at New Madrid, where they were employed in building forts. In the latter part of April, they were moved to Hamburg, Tenn. They participated in the battle of Farmington, on the 9th of May. Four guns of the battery, under Licuts. Hill and Gard- ner, were ordered to the extreme front to defend a bridge, across which the rebels must pass in order to make the attack. They remained here three days, and fell back in compliance with the order of Gen. Pope. From this place, they marched from point to point in Northern Mississippi and Alabama. On the 23d of August, Lieut. A. Smith died at Iuka Springs.
CROSSCUP & WEST-
HON. JOHN SCHUETTE.
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They left Louisville on the 1st of October with Buell's army. On the evening of the 7th, two of their guns engaged three of the enemy's, and, after a battle of several hours, silenced and drove them from the field. On the morning of the battle of Perryville they were held as reserve, and, at five in the after- noon, were ordered to support Gen. McCook's division, as they were driven back by the enemy. In this position they had room to use only five guns, the sixth being silent. Their steady and accurate fire compelled the enemy's battery to change position. The rebels attempted three times to take the battery, but were as often repulsed by the sturdy valor of the support, and the destructive fire of the battery. Here they lost one killed and one wounded. Gen. McCook, in presence of his staff, thanked the captain and battery for their gallantry, saying that they had saved the division from disgraceful defeat, and that he could not appreciate their services too highly.
They continued in pursuit of rebels until the 15th of Octo- ber, at Crab Orchard, where they rested a short time, and, on the 20th, commenced their march to Nashville, by way of Lan- caster. They arrived at Nashville on the 7th of December, having marched above five hundred miles.
They were (Dec. 8th) near Nashville, in the Fourteenth Army Corps (Army of the Cumberland), under command of Major-Gen. Rosecrans.
The Sixth Battery (Capt. Henry Dillon) left Racine on the 15th of March for St. Louis, arriving at that place next day. They embarked for New Madrid on the 19th, and took part in the siege of Island No. 10. After Island No. 10 fell into our hands, they remained there, doing garrison-duty, until about the 10th of June, when they were ordered to Pittsburg Land- ing, and were in the vicinity of Rienzi during the greater part of the summer.
They took part in the battle of Corinth on the 3d and 4th of October, and lost in killed, six, including Lieut. Daniel T. Noyes, and in wounded, twenty-one.
The Sixth Battery went into the fight with ninety-three men all told, and that number made up partly of men detailed from infantry regiments of three different States. They were con- sidered a " forlorn hope ; " but, by their severe fighting and
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dogged bravery, they actually turned the tide of battle in our favor, and won the fight. Officers and men, loyal and rebel, all agree, that no more desperate or better fighting was ever done than by that battery at the battle of the 4th. Well may our State be proud of her troops.
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