USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 26
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The Sunday following President Lincoln's war message there was not a pul- pit in Green Bay, Fort lloward or De Pere that did not send forth a rousing sermon and this patriotic policy was continued almost without intermission until the close of the war. "Secession is rebellion, it is founded on no legal right. The Union is not a partnership of states bound together by a compact, but a nation," said Rev. William E. Merriman in preaching on June sixteenth, to a very large audience in the Presbyterian church in Green Bay.
On May 18, 1861, there was a flag raising at Fort Howard which is thus touched off in the columns of the Bay City Press. "About three o'clock a chapter on Cherry street became as a limb of orioles, or as the turning over of a leaf in a brilliant quickstep. It was lively- it was gay. There was an unusual flag on the ferryboat. There was an unusual alacrity in the ferrymen, boss and assistant.
"The short of it is that Miss Mattie Underwood and her music scholars were going over to capture Fort Howard and raise above its mouldy battlements a superb flag manufactured for the purpose. By a brilliant maneuver, Major Shaler, the venerable custodian of this ancient stronghold was made prisoner, and with him they made their way to the parade ground within the walls of the fort-the halyards were run up and the red, white and blue was sent to the head of the flagstaff one hundred feet high by the united efforts of the battle scarred veteran and the beautiful and gallant thirteen.
"And the major said that although he came there a captive and was a pris- oner without the hope of rescue or redemption, yet it was one of the happiest days of his life. To see the stars and stripes once more floating from the old flagstaff was enough to fill him with pleasure and gratitude.
"He then directed the firing of the national salute-thirty-four guns-from the outside plaza, which were answered back by other thirty-four guns from Desnoyer's dock on the city side under the direction of ex-Mayor Goodell."
Not as lively a flag raising but one quite as impressive took place under the direction of Father Bonduel of St. John's church, Green Bay. "The beauti- ful flag was a part of the furniture of the altar, the Belgian choir was there for the singing of the Mass ; Guardian No. 2's band to furnish national airs and anthems, and a few select voices to execute national hymns. It was raised on the flagstaff with deafening cheers, repeated and prolonged."
Henry J. Furber, at that time principal of the "brick schoolhouse" known now as the Sale school, with his scholars raised a flag over the "old brick" on
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the Saturday following. Sheriff Daniel M. Whitney set a flag flying over the courthouse on Monday, and on Wednesday the Wide Awake boys raised a beautiful new edition of the stars and stripes in the village of Fort Howard.
Everywhere flags were floating, drums were beating, fifes were squealing, and over the white fences enclosing the lovely gardens hung snowballs and lilacs and all sorts of old fashioned flowers. The girls tilted along the streets in enormous hoop skirts, that held out flounced barege and muslin dresses. .Their hair was primly parted and smoothed down on either side of the face, and their hats, low crowned broad brimmed affairs had wide ribbons to tie under the chin. A local paper tells as illustrative of the inflated skirts of that date that a Menominee brave, standing as immovable as a cigar store Indian on the streets of Green Bay and noting one of the belles of that town gliding down the newly laid plank walk on Washington street, grunted, "Ugh, much wigwam."
In April, 1861, the Bay City Press publishes the item that Leonard Martin, son of Morgan L. Martin, who was serving his last year as a cadet at West Point had with the entire class of that year been graduated three months ahead of time and ordered to the front. Letters of the time show that the youngsters were wild with delight, the trip to Washington was an exciting lark full of pleasurable incident. Young Martin was during the first years of the war in command of Battery F. Fifth Artillery. In the army of the Potomac under General McClellan, he served with great gallantry in all the hard fought and bloody battles of the Virginia campaign. In the last years of the war, Colonel Martin was in command of the Fifty-first Wisconsin Regiment.
William Emory Merrill, son of Captain M. E. Merrill, the former com- mandant of Fort Howard, was still another Brown county boy and graduate of West Point who served with great distinction during the war. Colonel Mer- rill graduated at the head of his class and was in the engineering corps, was captured and confined in Libby prison, a terrible experience to which he never cared to allude in later years.
The 4th of July, 1861. was observed with pomp and circumstance in Green Bay, the fair grounds, which lay not far from the crossing of Porlier street and Webster avenue were used for the first time, and formed the setting for quite a notable gathering. Governor Horatio Seymour of New York was the orator and guest of honor. The officers of the day were M. L. Martin, president, Charles D. Robinson and Charles Tullar, vice presidents, Dr. C. E. Crane, marshal. with Fred S. Ellis and J. F. Lessey, as assistants. The toast master was Harry E. Eastman, who filled the office most acceptably. The Bay City guards, afterward called the Union guards presented a fine soldierly appear- ance, and an impressive event was the presentation of a beautiful flag. made by the ladies of the city, the address to the soldiers being given by Mrs. Morgan L. Martin. There was much singing of patriotic airs, "The Star Spangled Ban- ner," "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean" and "We'll Rally Round the Flag. Boys."
On September 7. 1861, the first organized company of recruits made up of Brown county men, left Green Bay for the scene of action under command of Lieutenant Arthur Jacobi. They were called the German recruits, and responded to a call sent out by government for a German regiment. To quote from a Brown county newspaper: "Lieutenant Arthur Jacobi, and twenty-one valiant Germans left in wagons for Appleton, there to take rail for Camp Seigel, Mil-
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VIEW OF GREEN BAY, LOOKING SOUTHEAST FROM CARGILL ELEVATOR
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THENEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR, LENNY AND TILDEA FOUNDATIONA
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waukee." Copperheads were, however, in evidence in Green Bay, as witness, "the river transportation line, E. A. Buck, agent, said that no one was to travel on the company's steamers at less than regular fare," whereas the United States government allowed for the transportation of troops to the front two cents a mile.
"After this unprecedented refusal Colonel James Howe appeared and claimed the privilege of wheeling them into line-railroad line on Bogart's wagons. John Jacobs' little steamer, the Queen City was at the dock, so Jacobs claimed the privilege of carrying the recruits with their wives and sweethearts as far as De Pere. Off they started in good style. on the gallant little steamer. Guardian Fire Company No. 2 on the roof, Germania Fire Company No. I on the fore deck. Wagons took up the soldiers at De Pere."
Thus was marked the departure of the first troops from Green Bay. Three sets of officers had been commissioned during the summer to recruit companies, the recruiting station being located first at the corner of Pine and Washington streets, then at the corner of Washington and Doty and later in the Goodell building across from the old courthouse, corner of Adams and Doty streets; but up to the departure of the German recruits not half a dozen had gone from Green Bay, and not over a dozen from the whole county. The spirit of rivalry existing between the active patriots of De Pere and Green Bay had a wholesome effect in arousing enthusiasm. Recruiting went valiantly on. under command of Milo E. Palmer in Green Bay, and of Joseph G. Lawton in De Pere. In Sep- tember. "Palmer's company is getting along gingerly. There are already 78 names enrolled, and the spirit is moving deep and wide. On Monday General James H. Howe and others went to the Suamico fishing grounds, and hooked half a dozen fine fellows, and didn't have to half try either."
The Union guards of Green Bay were ordered to report at Camp Randall in October, 1861, and became Company H of the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry with Milo E. Palmer, captain, and Nathan Smith and C. C. Lovett as lieutenants.
Since a large proportion of the soldiers from Brown county shared the for- tunes of the "marching twelfth," reviewed in the diary of Robert Campbell and the reminiscences of Henry Smith and William R. Mitchell, a brief sketch of its history may interest the reader. The regiment marched from the time of leaving Madison, January 11, 1862, one thousand six hundred miles, was transported by steamer. one thousand five hundred, and by railroad, six hundred miles.
Reporting at Camp Randall in the fall in 1861, the wanderers found them- selves at Leavenworth, Kansas, in February. 1862. Six days later they had marched one hundred and sixty miles to Fort Scott ; twenty days thereafter they were at Lawrence, one hundred and fifteen miles from Fort Scott. Within two weeks an order arrived to move to Fort Riley, one hundred and twenty miles. Then they marched back to Leavenworth, thence down the river to St. Louis, and to Columbus, Kentucky. By this time it was June, 1862.
After enjoying a season of comparative rest in repairing railroads, in scout- ing and guerrilla warfare, the Twelfth struck Bolivar, where they were attached to the Seventeenth army corps. After the battle of Corinth they pursued the Confederates and participated in the movement which followed the surrender of Holly Springs. In February, 1863, they were on guard duty on the Memphis
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and Charleston road; in March were in Memphis in time to take part in the Coldwater expedition under Colonel Bryant. Indulging in a slight skirmish at Hernando in which the enemy was defeated, the Twelfth joined Grant's army, were placed on garrison duty, and in June served in the trenches before Vicks- burg. On August 17, 1863, the regiment joined the Seventeenth army corps under General McPherson and undertook some reconnoitering-then back to Vicksburg and to Natchez, more guerrilla warfare, more marching; finally with General Sherman's regular expedition and famous march to the sea.
Captain Carleton Wheelock who entered the service as a sergeant was pro- moted to first lieutenant of Company H, of the Twelfth Regiment, then to the captaincy of the company and later to the rank of major of the regiment. Con- temporary with the Union guards was its rival the Brown County Rifles, recruited at De Pere under command of Captain Joseph G. Lawton, with George W. Bowers and Samuel Harrison as lieutenants. This company formed Company F of the Fourteenth Wisconsin and went into service at Fond du Lac sixty- four strong. Almost immediately on leaving the state the regiment went into active service and participated in the fierce battle of Pittsburg Landing.
Captain Lawton resigned previous to the siege of Corinth, and Second Lieutenant Samuel Harrison was promoted to the captaincy. He fell mortally wounded at the battle of Corinth, where an exposed position on a hill tinder murderous fire was held from nine in the morning to one in the afternoon by the Fourteenth Wisconsin and Fifteenth Michigan. Private Samuel Morrison was also killed and the color sergeant of the regiment, Dennis J. F. Murphy from the town of Glenmore was badly wounded. Murphy was a brave soldier and his office of color bearer was a dangerons one. The Fourteenth Regiment received high commendation from the commanding officer for the cool daring displayed in the battle of Corinthi and was rechristened the Wisconsin Regulars, taking part in many important engagements.
To Company F belonged "little Cady" whose story was often told in the years succeeding the Civil war. Among the private soldiers enlisted at De Pere were two boys, James K. Newton and Henry Cady, sons of two of the most worthy farmers in the county. At the battle of Shiloh "little Cady" as he was called in the regiment got his death wound. Newton continued in the service, was promoted to a lieutenancy and at the close of the war entered Oberlin College. He subsequently became a professor in that institution and years after wrote the story of his comrade "little Cady." The pathetic incident was widely published in the newspapers of the day, but is no longer to be found.
Captain Curtis R. Merrill sent Newton's commemorative sketch to General Grant who in a note of thanks for the remembrance expressed sympathetic interest in the story of the two lads who followed the fortunes of the Brown County Rifles in the famous Vicksburg campaign where one lost his life.
In May, 1864. the Brown County Gnards were enlisted for one hundred days. The officers of this company which was composed of Brown county men were James Camm, captain, and lieutenant Leonard La Plant.
Both Captain Camm and Lieutenant La Plant had served their term and reen- listed. A. Gnesnier of Green Bay was one of the corporals.
Colonel William Chapman, a West Point graduate of 1833, who was sta- tioned at Fort Howard for several years, and had served with distinction in the
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Mexican war had attained the rank of lieutenant colonel at the commencement of the Civil war and was brevetted colonel. He was in the army of the Potomac and commanded a brigade under General Hancock at Malvern Hill, was at the second battle of Bull Run and participated in Mcclellan's wonderful retreat across the Chickamauga.
Colonel Chapman was of southern birth and for that reason it was believed was later retired from active service. He held, however, important positions at the various mustering points, was stationed at Camp Randall for a long period and did most excellent work in organizing and superintending the troops at other military posts.
Among those who left for the front in the summer of 1861. were Charles E. Crane who was made surgeon of the Fifth Wisconsin, James T. Reeve who became surgeon of the Twenty-first Wisconsin, and M. L. Martin who in August, 1861, was appointed paymaster in the regular army, with the rank of major. -
At the November elections of 1801. James H. Ilowe was elected attorney general of Wisconsin, but resigned his office in 1862, to assume command of the Thirty-second Regiment, which was organized under his superintendence. Colonel Howe's regiment was mustered into service on the 25th of September, 1862. Company F of the Thirty-second was recruited at Green Bay, with Matthew J. Meade, captain, and Michael F. Kalmbach and Paul Dakin, lieutenants. Paul Dakin of whom Robert Campbell speaks in his journal of the Vicksburg cam- paign, formerly served as a sergeant in Company H of the Twelfth. He died July 12, 1863, at Memphis, Tennessee.
The German recruits who left Green Bay in the summer of 1861. formed Company II of the Ninth Wisconsin. The company took part in some of the hottest engagements of the war. The battle of Saline river so thinned the ranks of the regiment that after the muster out of the non-veterans it was con- solidated into four companies under the command of Colonel Arthur Jacobi. Company H was officered at the start by Captain Gumal Hesse and Lieutenants Fred Holzer and Philip Kruer. Arthur Jacobi was promoted during the war from adjutant to colonel of the regiment.
Company B of the Thirty-fourth regiment was largely made up of Brown county men. It was organized at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, under Colonel Fred Anneke. This regiment. the only organization from Wisconsin whose term of service was less than "three years or during the war." had as captain of Company B. James N. Ruby, and Henry B. Fox and Dennis J. F. Murphy, lieutenants. Their term of service expired and they were mustered out on the 8th of September, 1863. but at the expiration of their term many reenlisted. Company F, of the Fiftieth Regiment was recruited in Green Bay with Charles C. Lovett, captain and Charles Photenhauer and Frank T. Brayton. lieuten- ants. Lovett had served as lieutenant of Company H of the "Marching Twelfth." Company F entered the service in the spring of 1865 and remained on duty in the west for over a year.
Many residents of Brown county served in regiments outside of the com- panies raised within its limits. Maurice Maloney, colonel of the Thirteenth regiment ; Edgar Conklin, captain of Company F. Twenty-first Regiment ; H. E. Eastman, major of Second Battalion, Second Cavalry Regiment : Joseph F. Loy. captain Company H. Fourth Regiment ; William R. Torrey, lieutenant colonel
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First Cavalry ; Charles D. Robinson, editor of the Green Bay Advocate who was commissioned assistant quartermaster ; Charles R. Tyler ; Charles H. White and many others. The record of the men who went from Brown county is one to be proud of.
An unhappy incident of the Civil war in Brown county was the case of Israel Green, son of Thomas Green, an old and respected citizen of Green Bay. The young man was a lieutenant in the marine corps of the United States Army, and took part in the raid on and capture of John Brown at Harper's Ferry. He was an impetuous fellow entering with zest into any undertaking, and was at the time, October, 1859, under command of Colonel Robert E. Lee, then an officer in the United States army. Lieutenant Green led the attacking force of United States marines who battered down the door of the old engine house where John Brown and his adherents had entrenched themselves. Green was the first man to rush into the building under dangerous fire. It is said that as the abolitionist, although wounded, resisted arrest, Lieutenant Green struck him with the flat of his sword.
After the execution of John Brown the government made inquiry as to the men who had shown especial valor in his capture, for the famous reformer was generally looked upon as a dangerous fanatic and a menace to public peace. Young Green was called to Washington and detailed as one of the military escort that accompanied on their return to Japan the Japanese embassy sent out by the Japanese government to report on the United States republic, the first international advance made by this hitherto self centered nation.
In August, 1860, the American fleet sailed for Japan bearing the distinguished visitors and after being royally entertained at the Japanese court returned to New York by way of Cape Horn, reaching port on May 2, 1861.
During the nine months that the fleet was absent no word had reached them of the close prospect of civil war and before Israel Green left the "Niagara" he was notified that he must take the oath of allegiance to the United States, for war was abroad in the land. The young man took the oath and immediately resigned his commission. His uniform was taken from him and he left without delay for his home near Winchester, Virginia; for his wife was a handsome Virginian, belonging to a family of wealth and influence and inheriting a large slave property. The blow came with killing force on the venerable father and mother in Green Bay and no word of explanation or regret came to the friends at home until long after.
On the 5th of August, 1862, Governor Salomon of Wisconsin, received from the war department a despatch stating that orders had been issued for a draft of 300,000 men to be immediately called into the service of the United States, to serve for nine months unless sooner discharged. That if the state quota under the call of July 2d for 300,000 volunteers was not filled by the 15th of August the deficiency would be made up by draft. The secretary of war would assign the quotas to the states and establish regulations for the draft. The quota for Wisconsin was 11,904, and Governor Salomon undertook to make the first and only draft that was conducted under the authority of the state. Subsequent drafts were enforced by district provost marshals under orders from the provost mar- shal general at Washington. The sheriffs of the different counties were directed
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to make the enrollment, to appoint deputies, and to make lists of all able bodied men between eighteen and forty-five years of age.
Great impetus was given to recruiting by fear of the draft and many towns were able to fill their quota by offering extra bounties. The sheriff of Brown county was Daniel M. Whitney, captain of the mail steamer Swan and firm in carrying out his duty in the trouble which threatened on the enforcement of the draft. Orders were issued by the adjutant general directing that the draft should commence on Monday, the Ioth of November, 1862, and continue from day to day until completed. Drafting was to be made by towns, and drafted men were to rendezvous at designated points. Green Bay, De Pere and Fort Howard were exempt, as they had filled their quota, but in the county at large, where the population was made up of foreign born citizens, many of whom had emigrated from the old country only a year previous, and who were working hard to gain a living from their little farms of uncleared land, there was stubborn resistance to what appeared unjust demand. From men who had come to the United States to escape the military conscription laws enforced in Germany, France and other countries and were not yet long enough in America to understand or sympathize with the Union cause came loud mutterings of discontent and in many cases armed resistance.
The Belgian colonists in the towns of Green Bay and Scott were in especial bitterly opposed to the draft and refused to comply with the governor's order. Several hundred strong and armed with farm implements, guns or any weapon that came to hand they marched to Green Bay city, prepared to mob Senator T. O. Howe, who was on a visit home, and whom they held responsible in great measure for the hated conscription order. It is recalled that Senator Howe, pale as death, stood upon the upper piazza of his residence and addressed the malcontents, but the majority understood not a word of English and as the mur- murs and execrations grew louder the senator withdrew by a side entrance and was driven rapidly away in a carriage. The mob hurried back to Baird's stone building on Pine street where the county offices were. Here they were met by the chairman of the county board, Hon. John Last, a graduate from a Brussels university and thoroughly conversant with the French language. He, assisted by O. J. B. Brice, dispersed the rioters and in the end persuaded many of them to submit to the draft. When they did go to the front the Belgians were con- sidered among the bravest and best fighters to be found anywhere.
The mayor of Green Bay, Henry S. Baird, on the morning of the riot having heard that an armed mob was on the way to attack the city and realizing the serious trouble that had occurred in other Wisconsin towns in consequence of the draft law, ordered that the draw on Devil river bridge should be swung and the belligerents stopped "by the old gentlemen's river." The old bridge of that day had a float draw, a crazy affair, but by intimidation or boats the rioters suc- ceeded in crossing the stream.
By commission of April 24, 1863, Curtis R. Merrill of De Pere was appointed provost marshal for the fifth congressional district of the state of Wisconsin with the rank of captain of cavalry. "You will immediately report by letter to the provost marshal general, and will proceed without delay to establish your headquarters at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and enter upon your duties in accord-
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ance with such special instructions as you may receive from the provost marshal general.
"Signed, EDWIN MI. STANTON. Secretary of War."
Captain Merrill proved himself eminently fitted for the work assigned him ;" a difficult position it certainly was, entailing promptness and courage. Imme- diately the fort buildings which had been dismantled were put in some degree of repair and garrisoned by the veteran reserve corps of the United States army, with Captain Curtis in command. The old town hall and courthouse combined was occupied as the provost marshal's office. Major Shaler, who had been in charge of Fort Howard from the removal of the troops in 1852, was replaced in the command of the old cantonment in the spring of 1863, by Captain Merrill, but retained his house, the surgeon's quarters of earlier days, and continued to reside there for several years. The examining surgeon of the newly organized office was Dr. Horace (). Crane. Dr. Crane had in the first years of the war been assigned duty as physician in charge of St. John's College Hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, and was regarded as an unusually able physician and skill- ful surgeon. As examining surgeon for the provost marshal's office at Green Bay he proved most efficient. Ile was moreover a great favorite with the sol- diers, for whom he ever showed warm sympathy, giving ready aid when possible.
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