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 40
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such lands are to be divided in two parts, - one to be known as the "Normal School Fund," and the other as the "Drainage Fund," the income from the for- mer to be applied to establishing and supporting normal schools, and the latter to be apportioned to the counties in proportion to the amount sold in each county with certain restrictions; to codify and consolidate the laws relative to the assessment and collection of taxes.
The following is a summary of the laws passed of a military charac- ter :-
To authorize cities, towns, and villages to pay bounties to volunteers; to in- corporate the Wisconsin Soldiers' Home (of which notice will be given heroafter); to amend the act relative to the commencement and prosecution of civil actions against persons in the military service of the country; to authorize the payment of salaries, clerk-hire, and expenses of the offices of the adjutant-general and quartermaster-general from the war fund; to amend an act authorizing commis- sioned officers to take acknowledgments of deeds, affidavits, and depositions; to amend the act extending the right of suffrage to soldiers in the field; to provide for correcting and completing the records of the adjutant-general's office relative to the military history of the members of the several inilitary organizations of this State; fixing the salary of the adjutant-general and quartermaster-general, and their clerks and assistants; to prohibit volunteer or substitute brokerage ; a supplementary and explanatory bill authorizing towns and villages to raise money to pay bounties to volunteers; amending a law relating to the rellef of soldiers' familles; to provide for the establishment of State agencies for the rellef and care of sick, wounded, and disabled soldiers; to authorize the borrowing of money to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, and defend the State in time of war, not exceeding eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
To summarize: there were fifty-four bills passed amending previous general laws, twelve amending private and local laws, twenty-seven relative to banks, seventy-three relating to bounties, twenty conferring powers on the governor, and seventeen on the secretary of State, nine granting lands for railroad and other purposes, fifteen legalizing certain acts of town-officers, twenty-three relat- ing to the city of Milwaukee, twenty-five incorporating petroleum-companies, twenty-one relating to railroads, thirty extending the time for the collecting of taxes. Five hundred and thirty-nine bills were enacted of a general character, nine joint resolutions, eleven memorials to Congress, and a large number of appropriation bills.
Of this session " The State Journal " says, -
" About all the important measures brought before the legislature were disposed of. The appropriation-bills all passed, except that of thirty thonsand dollars for the enlargement of the Hospital for the Insane, and also the bills for a temporary loan and special tax of eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars for war-purposes, and a general tax of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars for general expenses. The bill increasing the rate of interest was defeated in the assembly, also the bill allowing the Racine and Mississippi Railroad to build branches to Milwaukee and Chicago."
On the 10th of April, the last day of the session, Gov. Lewis sent to the legislature the following message: -
"Four years ago, on the day fixed for adjonrnment, the sad news of the fall of Fort Sumter was transmitted to the legislature. To-day, thank God! and, next to him, the brave officers and soldiers of our army and navy, I am permitted to
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transmit to you the official intelligence, just received, of the surrender of Gen. Lee and his army, the last prop of the Rebellion. Let us rejoice, and thank the Ruler of the Union for victory, and the prospects of an honorable peace.
Signed,
" JAMES T. LEWIS."
The accompanying despatches of the correspondence between Gens. Grant and Lee, and Secretary Stanton and Gen. Grant, were then read by the clerk, and received most enthusiastically. On their conclusion, the senate gave three cheers for Gen. Grant and the army under his command.
On the 7th of February, 1865, Gov. Lewis submitted to the legislature the proposed constitutional amendment abolishing slavery in the United States; and in his message he said, -
"Upon its adoption hangs the destiny of four millions of human beings, and, it may be, the destiny of the nation. I trust, and doubt not, the legislature of Wis- concin will record its decision firmly, and I hope unanimously, in favor of the amendment. Let us wipe from our escutcheon the foul blot of human slavery, and show by our action that we are worthy of the name of freemen."
In the senate, on the 21st of February, the question came up in a joint resolution to ratify the constitutional amendment. On a vote being taken, the resolution was adopted, - ayes 24, nays 5. On the 25th, three senators asked to have their votes recorded in favor of the same, and two against it; making the vote in the senate, ayes 27, nays 7. On the receipt of the reso- lution in the assembly, a vote was taken on the 24th of February, with the following result: ayes 71, nays 21, 2 absentees; and the assembly concurred in the same.
On the 17th of May, Gen. Winfield Smith, attorney-general of the State, and Gov. Lewis, succeeded in effecting a settlement with the General Government for the claim of the State for the five per cent due from the Government on sales of public lands within our State. This claim had been withheld many years. The State was trustee for a grant of lands made to build a canal from Milwaukee to Rock River, and sold one hundred and twenty-five thousand acres, while the canal never was built. The Government had held on to their five per cent fund until the State settled for this amount of land sold; and what the State paid over to the Government would go to the Milwaukee and Rock River Canal Company. The negotiations between the State and the Government occupied a great length of time, but were now satisfactorily settled. On the 17th of May the balance due the State to that date, amounting to $148,784.06, was paid. In the month of November the further sum of $5,670.28 was sent to the State authorities, being the amount which had accrued since the date of settlement.
The governor, by special order, was authorized to raise two new regi- ments; and on the 3d and 5th of January, 1865, he directed the organization of the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh.
The quota, under the call for three hundred thousand on the 19th of December, was put at seventeen thousand eight hundred. This amount was considered excessive; and a correspondence ensued with the provost-
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marshal-general. After a full examination was made, the revised quota was ascertained to be twelve thousand three hundred and fifty-six; which number was apportioned among the six congressional districts. The sixth district protested that the quota assigned that district was excessive. The provost-marshal-general, however, declined making any change.
On the 26th and 27th of January, 1865, the governor ordered the Forty- eighth and Forty-ninth Regiments to be organized; and in February the Fiftieth Regiment was ordered into camp, and organized. As the draft was ordered to take place on the 27th of March, and a new impetus was thereby given to recruiting, Gov. Lewis gave directions for the organization of the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Regiments at Camp Randall; and the Forty-sixth, Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, Forty-ninth, and Fiftieth were all filled to the minimum, and left the State in March.
The surrender of Gen. Lee and his army on the 9th of April was virtually the close of the war. The surrender of Gen. Johnston and his army to Gen. Sherman followed as a natural consequence. Thereafter the rebel army lost its identity; and such fragmentary portions of it as were scattered through- out the Southern States entered into negotiations with the United States authorities, surrendered, and disbanded; the last to do so being the army of Gen. Kirby Smith in Texas. Orders were received, on the 13th of April, to discontinue recruiting, and discharge drafted men who had not been mustered in; and, about the 1st of May, orders were promulgated for the muster-out of all organizations whose term of service expired on or before the 1st of October, 1865. Many of our Wisconsin troops coming under the operations of this order, they were soon ou their way home. During the summer, the State officers were engaged in attending to the reception of returning regiments, their payment by the United States, and the settle- ment with those who were entitled to extra pay from the State. During the same period, the mustering-out of the several regiments continued, ex- tending into the winter, many of them being sent to the Rio Grande or the north-western frontier.
The total number of troops raised during the term of Gov. Lewis's ad- ministration, up to April 30, 1865, amounted to thirty-eight thousand six hundred and eighteen, which includes volunteers for new regiments and batteries, recruits for old organizations, veteran re-enlistments, drafted men, and the one-hundred-day troops.
At the election in the month of April, Hon. Jason Downer was elected judge of the Supreme Court, to fill the unexpired term of Hon. Byron Paine, resigned. The 20th of April, 1865, was appointed by Gov. Lewis as a day of thanksgiving for the overthrow of the Rebellion, and restoration of peace.
The news of the assassination of President Lincoln, on the 14th of April, was received in Wisconsin, as in all the loyal States, with great sorrow. Public meetings were held in the prominent cities and villages of the State, and sermons and addresses delivered.
On the 28th of June Josiah L. Pickard was, by the regents of the State University, elected chancellor; which position was declined.
CROSSCUP & WEST-SE
Hr. Eaton
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
The Union Convention to nominate State officers for two years, com- mencing Jan. 1. 1866, was held at Madison, on the 6th of September, Hon. M. L. Martin, president; at which time the following ticket was nominated: Governor, Lucius Fairchild; Lieutenant-Governor, Wyman Spooner; Secretary of State, Thomas S. Allen; State Treasurer, William E. Smith; Attorney- General, Charles R. Gill; Bank Comptroller, J. M. Rusk; State-Prison Com- missioner, Henry Cordier; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Josiah L. Pickard.
The Democratic Convention was held at Madison Sept. 20, H. L. Palmer, . president. The following ticket was nominated: Governor, Harrison C. Hobart; Lieutenant-Governor, D. W. Maxon; Secretary of State, L. B. Vilas; State Treasurer, J. W. Davis; Bank Comptroller, Thomas McMahon; State- Prison Commissioner, C. Horneffer; Superintendent of Public Instruction, J. B. Parkinson.
The Union Republican ticket was elected by an average majority of nine thousand. At the same election, the Union and Republicans elected sixty- eight members, and the Democrats thirty-two. The senate of 1866 had twenty-three Unions and Republicans, and twelve Democrats.
CHAPTER LIV.
WISCONSIN'S WAR RECORD.
Events of 1865, continued - Regimental History - Battle-Field Scenes and In- cidents. - The Last Year of the War.
THE " Iron Brigade," on the 6th of February, 1865, broke camp, and took part in the engagement near Dabney's Mill, on Hatcher's Run. In this affair, the third division of Gen. Crawford, of the Fifth Corps, took the ad- vance, and bore the brunt of the fight on the 6th and 7th of February. Our Wisconsin regiments fought with their accustomed gallantry; and their loss was very severe. The loss of the division was about thirty-seven officers and eleven hundred and forty-three men, an aggregate of eleven hundred and eighty out of about four thousand who went into action. The loss of the Seventh Regiment in the battle at Dabney's Mill, on the 6th and 7th of February, 1865, as reported by Lieut .- Col. Richardson, is as follows, four killed, and nineteen wounded. Returning to camp near the Military Rail- road, they remained until ordered, in the middle of February, to proceed to Baltimore. On arriving at City Point, the order, so far as it related to the Sixth and Seventh Regiments, was countermanded; and the two regiments were ordered to return to their old camp, when, by order of Gen. Crawford, they were re-organized as the " First Provisional Brigade," and placed under the command of Col. Kellogg of the Sixth, Lieut .- Col. Kerr assuming com- mand of the regiment. March 5, the Ninety-first New York Heavy Artillery were added, making the brigade about three thousand men. Here they remained until the opening of the final campaign, which resulted in the capture of Gen. Lee.
On the morning of the 29th of March, 1865, the brigade broke camp near the Military Railroad, and moved to near the Boydtown Plank-road. Here line of battle was formed; the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin forming the first line, in rear of the second brigade. The enemy being driven from his position, the brigade was ordered to a point near the road; the Seventh Wisconsin, under Lieut .- Col. Richardson, being placed on the road, and the balance of the brigade about eighty rods to the rear, in line of battle, where they remained during the night, and next day advanced to the road, and threw up breastworks. On the 31st the brigade moved from the breastworks, in a north-westerly direction, across Gravelly Run, where it
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was massed in column of regiments for a short time, when it was ordered to deploy into line of battle to the right of the second brigade. Before this movement was accomplished, only the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin being in line, Col. Kellogg, in command of the brigade, was ordered to arrest the men from the front line, who were falling back in confusion. This could not be done, as the flying troops broke through his line, and threw it into confusion. The Sixth and Seventh were ordered to close their intervals, form into line of battle, and open fire on the enemy; which was done, and con- tinued until the enemy had turned both flanks, and were firing on the flanks and rear. The Seventh Wisconsin changed front, so as to meet the fire on their flank; but, the enemy appearing in strong force in the rear, the brigade retired across Gravelly Run in as good order as possible, being somewhat broken up by being compelled to fight their way back. The Sixth and Seventh were formed on the front line next to the creek, near the bridge, where they remained during the rest of the engagement. The brigade was re-formed in the rear of their first position, and ordered to lie down, and were afterwards moved forward on the battle-field, and encamped. The Fifth Corps had been ordered to report to Gen. Sheridan at Dinwiddie Court House. On the 1st of April, the brigade moved in line of battle in a westerly direction to the vicinity of the Gravelly Run Church. In the afternoon the Seventh Regiment occupied the advance line on the left of the brigade, with the Sixth Wisconsin on the right. Companies B and E of the Seventh were deployed as skirmishers, covering the brigade front, advancing in line of battle. The enemy's advance was driven through the woods, back upon their intrenchments at Five Forks. Gen. Sheridan ordered Col. Rich- ardson to move over the enemy's works, which the gallant colonel obeyed, wheeling to the right, and charging the enemy through the open field, driv- ing them through the woods, following their retreating columns, and again charging them through a second open field. Night coming on, the brigade fell back two miles, and went into position behind the breastworks captured from the enemy. This was the part taken by the Sixth and Seventh Wis- consin in the famous battle of Five Forks. On the 2d the brigade, advan- cing to the South Side Railroad, found the position abandoned by the enemy. This was about thirteen miles from Petersburg. Continuing to advance rapidly in a westerly direction, the enemy were found intrenched on the Burkesville Road. The brigade was deployed to the right of the road, in two lines; and the Seventh, under Col. Richardson, were deployed as skir- mishers, with orders to cover the entire front of the line of battle. The enemy, after dark, opened fire on their lines, which was replied to; and the command advanced, and halted within a few rods of their breastworks, where they lay on their arms all night. During the night the enemy abandoned their works. Pursuit was made; but they were not overtaken, and the bri- gade went into bivouac. On the morning of the 4th pursuit was resumed; and Jettersville Station, on the Danville Railroad, was reached in the after- noon, which was found occupied by Gen. Sheridan's cavalry, and the enemy in strong force just beyond. Here the brigade formed in line of battle, the
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men weary and footsore, having travelled all day, and labored all night, throwing up breastworks. Here they rested, waiting for an attack, until the 6th, when the enemy was found to have again taken flight. Following him during the 6th and 7th, on the west side of the Appomattox, they reached High Railroad Bridge, where they found the enemy had crossed, and set the bridge on fire. On the 8th, a long and tiresome forced march was made by the brigade, being much impeded by the wagon-trains of the Twenty-fourth Corps. They encamped in line of battle that night. On the 9th, pursuit was again resumed; and the gallant "Iron Brigade" had the proud satisfaction of assisting in the capture of the famous army of Gen. Lee at Appomattox Court House.
In the short campaign from March 29 to April 9, the casualties in the Sixth and Seventh Regiments were as follows: Sixth Regiment, killed, or died of wounds, sixteen; Seventh Regiment, killed, or died of wounds, eigliteen; wounded, fifty-two. After the surrender of the rebel forces under Gen. Lee, the brigade, on the 11th of April, moved to Black and White's Station, on the Petersburg and Lynchburg Railroad, and went into camp, where they remained until the corps commanders were ordered to march their respective commands to Washington. They arrived there, and participated in the grand review on the 23d of May, and went into camp till the 17th of June, when they left Washington to report to Major-Gen. Logan, at Louisville, Ky., where they arrived on the 22d of June. Here they were organized into the " Provisional Division " of Gen. Morrow, -the Seventh Regiment in the first brigade, and the Sixth in the second brigade; the latter being placed under the command of Col. Kellogg of the Sixth, who, at the muster-out of Gen. Morrow, was assigned to the command of the division. The Seventh was mustered out, and started for Wisconsin on the 2d of July, arriving on the 5th at Madison, where it was received by the State authorities, and was soon after paid off, and the regiment disbanded. The Sixth was mustered out on the 14th, and arrived at Madison on the 16th, and were publicly received, paid, and the regiment disbanded. Col. Kel- logg, the last brigade commander, issued a final order, dissolving the organi- zation of the " Iron Brigade; " and the gallant corps, which had become the pride of our State, ceased to exist. Its history forms one of the brightest pages in our national records. Col. Kellogg of the Sixth was subsequently brevetted brigadier-general, and Lieut .- Col. Richardson of the Seventh was brevetted colonel, and subsequently brigadier-general, for gallant and meritorious services in the final operations of the Army of the Potomac, particularly at the battle of Five Forks. The regiment under Lieut .- Col. Stephenson, with the brigade under command of Col. Hawley, left Sa- vannah on the 17th of January, 1865, in continuation of the march towards Goldsborough. The march was without any historical interest until the 20th of January, when the regiment, in advance of the division, entered Robertsville, S.C., encountering the enemy about a mile from the village. Two companies went forward as skirmishers, and the firing soon became sharp; but the enemy was sent flying through the town. The regiment had
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three wounded. March was resumed on the 2d of February, which was continued, the regiment engaged in guarding trains, and destroying railroad- track, passing Columbia, and proceeding to Winnsborough, and, on the 5th of March, camping at a place eleven miles from Chesterfield, where it was inspected, and found to be in rough condition, -clothing in shreds, and shoes worn out. Thence they proceeded to Cheraw, S.C., building corduroy road, and guarding trains, reaching Fayetteville, N.C., on the 11th of March. On the 15th and 16th, when near Bluff Church, the regi- ment, with the brigade, marched to the support of the cavalry division, forming line of battle to attack the enemy, who was found strongly posted. The skirmishers became hotly engaged, and held the position several hours, until relieved. The casualties of the regiment were twenty-seven killed and wounded. During the remainder of the day, the regiment was held in reserve, without further casualties, and was relieved at dark by a brigade of the Fourteenth Army Corps. On the 18th and 19th the brigade marched, and arrived near the Fourteenth Army Corps, who were engaged with the enemy. After some changes of position, the regiment occupied, with the brigade, a position on the left of the Fourteenth Army Corps, facing the west. Breast- works were soon completed; and the brigade remained without any thing worthy of note occurring until the 22d, when, the enemy having retreated, march was resumed; and, on the 24th, the brigade, with the rest of the army, went into camp near Goldsborough. These affairs are known as the battles of Averysborough and Bentonville. Lieut .- Col. Stephenson reports the following casualties in the regiment from Jan. 17 to April 6, 1865: killed, four; wounded, twenty-six. Moving with the rest of the army in pursuit of the rebels, under Johnston, the regiment reached Raleigh, where it remained until the 27th, being present at the surrender of the rebel army. On that day it moved on its homeward march, passing through Richmond, and reaching Alexandria on the 16th of May. It participated in the grand review of Sherman's army at the national capital, encamped a few miles from Washington, from whence that portion of the Third whose term of service expired before the 1st of October was sent to Madison, and mus- tered out. The balance of the regiment, to which was added several hun- dred members of other regiments, whose terms did not expire with their respective organizations, were sent to Louisville, Ky. Here they remained until the 21st of July, when they moved by rail to Madison, arriving on Sunday evening, July 23, when they were mustered out of service, and paid off. For meritorious services during the war, Col. Hawley was bre- vetted brigadier-general, and Lieut .- Col. Stephenson as colonel.
The Fourth Regiment, as has been before remarked, was changed into a cavalry regiment; and its history as the Fourth Cavalry will be referred to hereafter. The Sixth Regiment, on the 25th of March, 1865, participated in the general skirmish along the whole line, and succeeded in driving in the rebel outpost, then in front. Here Sergeant William Hall, Company G, was killed, and Corporal James D. Splain, Company G, Edward Martin, John Morrison, and HI. S. Otis, Company D, and Charles O. Foot, Com-
CROSSCUP & WEST-SC.PHR. A.
ARCHBISHOP J. M. HENNI.
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pany K, wounded. Edward Martin is reported as having died of wounds.
In the charge on the enemy's works at Petersburg, April 2, the Fifth Wisconsin and Thirty-seventh Massachusetts, led by Col. Allen, were in the extreme front, supported by two lines in the rear. At four, A.M., the signal for the charge was given; and the colors of the Fifth were the first planted on the enemy's works, that regiment being the first to enter the captured works of Petersburg. Col. Allen led a portion of the regiment two miles through the abandoned lines of the enemy to the left, inside of the late rebel works, capturing many prisoners, then back to the right, where the regiment was engaged in skirmishing till night. The losses, as officially reported, were, killed, eight; died of wounds, nine; wounded, seventy-one.
The loss of the regiment was about one-tenth of that suffered by the whole corps, consisting of fifty regiments.
On the afternoon of April 3, they joined in the pursuit of Lee; the Sixth Corps encountering Gen. Ewell's forces at Little Sailors' Creek on the 7th. The lines were hurriedly formed, and pushed forward at a double-quick; the regiment marching with unbroken line through a swamp waist- deep, under fire of the enemy's musketry. They moved to the brow of a hill, where the enemy was discovered but a few paces distant, admirably posted, and fighting with the energy of despair. The regiment was in an extremely hazardous position, being subjected to a severe flank and cross fire. Col. Allen rode iu advance of the line as calmly as though danger were unknown. Company G (Capt. Henry Curran) and Company C (Lieut. Evan R. Jones) were deployed as skirmishers. Lieut .- Gen. Ewell and staff surrendered to six men of the skirmishers, under command of Sergeant Cam- eron, Company A, who was promoted lieutenant on the field for gallantry. The action of the regiment elicited high encomiums from the corps, division, and brigade commanders. In the action of April 7, the regiment had six- teen killed, seventy-nine wounded, and three died of wounds. The pursuit was continued until the 9th, when Lee surrendered. On the 10th the regi- ment commenced its return, and reached Burke's Station on the evening of the 13th. They encamped till the 23d of April, and marched to Danville, arriving on the 27th, and reaching Richmond on the 20th of May. Leaving Richmond on the 24th for Washington, they arrived there June 2, after a long and tedious march. On the 16th of June they left for Madison, Wis., arrived on the 20th, and were soon after mustered out, tlms closing the record of the " Fighting Fifth." Col. Allen was brevetted brigadier-gen- eral for gallant and meritorious services during the war. The record of the Sixth and Seventh Regiments has been given in the account of the "Iron Brigade; " and it is not necessary to repeat it at this time.
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