USA > Wisconsin > Eau Claire County > History of Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, past and present; including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county > Part 21
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John Fred Farr, now a prominent practicing physician of this city, resigned and was discharged April 4, 1889. His re- tirement was the subject of much regret. He was an able, ener- getic officer. In 1898 he resided at Stanley, Wis., and organized a company for service in the Spanish-American War, which was offered to the Government. The war ended before the services of this company were required. Several years later Dr. Farr again established his home in Eau Claire.
Moses W. Burns was the father of small arms practice in E
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TIIE GRIFFIN RIFLES
Company and was among the first in the State to take up this branch of the military work. No attention had been paid to practice until after the establishment of Camp Douglas ranges. There in 1889 Captain Phillip Reade, of the regular army, started the work and from that day to this Wisconsin has been a shooting State and the Third Infantry has the reputation of being one of the best shooting regiments in the National Guard of the country. Private Burns was made the team Captain of E Com- pany and took entire charge of the instruction. For years he had been interested in rifle shooting and had made a reputation as a rifle shot before he began with the military rifles. With him rifle shooting had been reduced to a science. As an in- structor he was very efficient and took great satisfaction in imparting to the beginner information on the many fine points of the shooting game. He took more delight in coaching a recruit into a good score than to make one himself.
He had been a member of the old City Guards, which existed in the seventies, and became a charter member of the Griffin Rifles. He served five years in the company, when ill health compelled his retirement. He died October 1, 1894.
CHAPTER XV. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
By MARSHALL COUSINS.
All through the month of April the people of the nation watched the gathering war clouds with deep concern. With all others of the National Guard of the country, the members of E Company were particularly close observers of developments, and as day by day went by the feeling became more certain war would result. The Armory, then situated at the corner of First avenue and Ann street, facing on the Chippewa river, was open every evening and the rendezvous of the men of the company.
At 12:19 on the morning of Thursday, April 28, the following telegram was received by the company commander :
"Captain J. M. Ballard, Eau Claire, Wis.
Assemble all men enrolled at Armory ready to entrain at 10:30 a. m., Omaha. Bring all extra property, one day's rations. By Command of the Governor,
C. R. Boardman, Adjutant General."
Many men were in the Armory when the call was received and immediately were dispatched to carry the word to all other members of the company. It was a busy night and by eight o'clock on the morning of the 28th the company was assembled at its Armory ready to take up the march to the depot.
Captain Ballard had been advised by General Boardman sev- eral days before, the maximum strength of volunteer companies was fixed at 101 and the minimum at 89. These figures included officers. Instructions had been given, however, not to enlist over 65 men in the National Guard Company.
All business in the city was practically suspended. At ten o'clock banks, stores and factories closed. Shortly after ten the company left the Armory and began the march to the Omaha Station. An immense cheering assembly greeted the men as, in heavy marching order, in column of fours, they moved out onto First avenue. An escort column was made up as follows:
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SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
Metropolitan Band.
Mayor, Aldermen and other City Officials,
Eagle Post, Grand Army of the Republic, 150 strong. Griffin Rifles, E Company.
From Armory to the depot was one grand ovation. At the depot it was estimated fully half of the people of Eau Claire had assembled. The troop train from Hndson did not arrive until 11:15 and the company immediately boarded the ear as- signed to them. Plentiful lunches had been provided by the Grand Army and the Women's Relief Corps. Carnations and roses from the ladies decorated the blue uniform of every soldier. Ninety-seven men and officers were on the company roll.
On this train was C Company, of Hudson, and H Company, of Menomonie. At Merrillan A Company, of Neillsville, was attached.
The Regimental Sergeant Major, Marshall Cousins, traveled with E Company.
Among those who accompanied the troop train from Eau Claire were Captain Charles II. Henry, a veteran of the War of the Rebellion ; Harry M. Atkinson, editor of the Leader, and Pro- fessor M. S. Frawley of the Eau Claire High School.
Harry Atkinson was determined to enlist. Ile had, for a short period several years before, been a member of the Guard. His brother, Percy C., had already enlisted, but it required long argument on the part of Captain Ballard, Captain Henry, Pro- fessor Frawley and others to convince Harry his first duty was to remain with his paper. Ile only gave up when assured should a second call come, he would be permitted to go.
In Captain Ballard's Company were a number of high school boys, among them members of the spring graduating elass. The gradnation essays of several of the young soldiers were then in the hands of Professor Frawley. At frequent intervals through- out the day the professor would take out these essays and gaze at them with tear-dimmed eyes.
It was a bright sunny day and at every village and city along the route the troops received an ovation. Madison was reached late in the afternoon. There were assembled thousands of stu- dents and citizens. Several state offieers boarded the train to extend their greetings, among them being the noted newspaper correspondent, Hon. Gilbert E. Vandereook, then Assistant See- retary of State, and Hon. Sewall A. Peterson, State Treasurer, a former officer of H Company. Nels Nelson, a University stu-
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HISTORY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
dent, had served an enlistment with E Company. He boarded the Eau Claire car to bid his former comrades goodbye, but soon changed his mind and announced to his classmates on the plat- form he was going on with the company. He finished his course at Madison after the war.
The Wisconsin troops were mobilized at the State Fair Grounds, near Milwaukee, the camp being named "Camp Har- vey," in honor of the War Governor, Louis P. Harvey, drowned April 19, 1862, at Pittsburg Landing, in the Tennessee river, while on a visit to the wounded Wisconsin soldiers at Shiloh.
Sometime after dark the train reached the eamp and was met at the depot by Governor Seofield, General Boardman, Colonel Patton and Colonel Ginty. The trotting horse stables were as- signed to Colonel Moore's Third Infantry, and to these quarters the troops from the northwest were conducted. The writer of this sketch recalls the trip in the darkness with Governor Scofield as a guide, from the station to the Administration Building, where the Governor had established his military headquarters. Lan- terns were few and the night dark, but the companies moved without confusion to the quarters.
The large roomy box stalls had been plentifully supplied with fresh straw and the tired men were glad to roll themselves in their blankets and seek rest in these improvised barracks.
From this point on, the war history of the company becomes intermingled with that of the other companies of the regiment. The history of the regiment will be given with such additions as pertain particularly to the Eau Claire Company.
On the regimental roster when the regiment was called to service were the following field and staff officers:
Colonel Martin T. Moore, La Crosse.
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin F. Parker, Milwaukee.
Major Thomas J. George, Menomonie.
Major Julius E. Kircheis, La Crosse.
Major Randolph A. Richards, Sparta.
Captain Orlando Holway, Adjutant, La Crosse.
Captain George A. Ludington, Quartermaster, Neillsville.
Major John B. Edwards, Surgeon, Mauston.
Captain Edward H. Grannis, Assistant Surgeon, Menomonie.
Captain Charles F. King, Assistant Surgeon, Hudson.
Marshall Cousins, Regimental Sergeant Major, Eau Claire.
In addition to the above, the regiment carried as a National Guard Organization three Battalion Adjutants, but at the first
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eall for troops the Battalion Adjutants were not ineluded. They were :
First Lieutenant E. Bartlett Farr, First Battalion, Eau Claire. First Lieutenant Louis Sehalle, Seeond Battalion, Tomah.
First Lieutenant Henry W. Klopf, Third Battalion, Neillsville.
A few days after the regiment arrived at Camp Harvey, Con- gress passed a law accepting National Guard Organizations as they had existed in the states and the Battalion Adjutants were ordered into the eamp.
Immediately on arrival of the regiment at Camp Harvey. Colonel Moore looked about for a regimental headquarters. Re tween the barracks occupied by his men and the race track. under a spreading tree (not a chestnut) was the blacksmith shop, where the trotters, the former occupants of the barraeks, had their shoes adjusted. This being the only available building, was quickly converted into the headquarters of the Third Infantry.
The morning of April 29 opened cold and raw. Throughout the stay of the troops at Camp Harvey the weather was uneom- fortably cold. The men sleeping in the barraeks or box stalls, being well supplied with straw, did not suffer greatly from eold during the nights, but those officers who had been supplied with tents would get up in the morning chilled through and through. The dressing room facilities at this eamp, while perhaps suitable for the former occupants of the barracks, were not exactly eon- venient for the young soldiers, but they made the best of it. Going across the race track from quarters they would break the iee on the brook and make their toilets, talking and laughing even with chattering teeth.
The period at Camp Harvey was full of excitement and uneer- tainty. The air was charged with rumors of battles fought and orders to the front. It was fully expected the Wisconsin regi- ments would be rushed into Cuba. Governor Scofield made every effort to prepare the men properly for service. He looked with no enthusiasm upon war and much deplored it, although heartily endorsing the course of President MeKinley. Ile had made a brilliant record for himself in the War of the Rebellion and re- ceived promotion to the rank of Major for gallantry on the field of Gettysburg. He knew what war meant.
The troops were, immediately on arrival at Camp Harvey, put on the regular army ration. To this the Governor, however, insisted there should be added milk and butter. He said the
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HISTORY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
great dairy state of Wiseonsin eould well afford to supply her soldiers with these artieles while they were still in the state; that there would be time enough later for them to do without.
A change in the personnel of the regimental staff took place during the period the regiment was in preparation for muster in. Captain George A. Ludington, who had for so many years served faithfully and well as Regimental Quartermaster, owing to his physical condition was rejected by the surgeons. Charles R. Williams for some years had been in charge of Camp Douglas Reservation and held the rank of Captain in the Quartermaster's Department. He was transferred to the regiment as Quarter- master, and Captain Ludington became depot Quartermaster at Camp Douglas. Captain Williams eame to the regiment splen- didly equipped owing to his familiarity with the supply depart- ments of the army and proved to be a most efficient officer.
Another change in the staff oeeurred at this time. Lieutenant E. B. Farr, of Eau Claire, was rejected by the surgeons and Marshall Cousins, then Regimental Sergeant Major, was eommis- sioned as Battalion Adjutant and assigned to the First Battalion, commanded by Major George. This position had been offered to Lieutenant Cousins in 1895, but he had declined it in order to find a plaee as a commissioned offieer for Lieutenant Farr ..
May 1 was the first Sunday in the camp and the newspapers of Milwaukee estimated 60,000 visitors passed through the grounds. Daily during the time the troops were at Camp Harvey thousands of citizens visited the camp. Monday morning, May 2, the eamp was aroused at an early hour by the cry of the news- boys announcing Dewey's great vietory at Manilla, "and many Spaniards killed." Cheer after eheer went up from the young soldiers and the ehilly sunrise temperature was forgotten.
Active preparations were going on night and day to complete the organization and to fully and completely prepare the troops for active service. Lieutenant Colonel Tilden, Deputy Surgeon General of the United States Army, organized and swore the Regimental Surgeons as Government Examining Surgeons, and on May 5 the examination of offieers and men was begun. A few of the Eau Claire boys failed to pass this physical examination. Several of them, on being informed by the kindly Dr. Tilden they could not be mustered in, could not restrain the tears.
Wednesday, May 11, 1898, was an eventful day in the history of the soldiers of the Third Infantry, as well as of Wisconsin. For on this day at 1:30 o'clock, Captain William L. Buek, of
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the United States Army, began mustering the regiment into the United States service.
Shortly after noon Captain Buek entered regimental head- quarters, formerly the blacksmith shop, where he found Lieuten- ant Cousins on duty. The headquarters' rolls were in readiness and Captain Buek asked they be immediately signed by the officers of the field and staff, handing a pen to the Lieutenant. That offieer, however, suggested Colonel Moore be given the honor of first signing the oath as a soldier of the United States. Fol- lowing Colonel Moore, the Lieutenant signed and became the second to muster. After the headquarters had been mustered, one by one the companies were taken up, the roll called and in an impressive manner the men, with uncovered heads, took the oath as United States Volunteer Soldiers. Many spectators wit- nessed this interesting ceremony.
The Third Infantry was the first Wisconsin organization to be mustered into the Federal service.
MUSTER-IN ROLL.
Joseph M. Ballard, Thomas P. Cochrane, John E. Barron, Fred Arnold, Seymour H. Knight, Francis Deline, Guido H. Faber, Horace L. Whittier, Frank Hill, Donald Boyd, Joseph Bellmer, Perey C. Atkinson, Henry A. Bitter, Harry Stanard, Samuel Hill- stad, Wilfred A. Kutzner, Hugh O. Beadle, Roy M. Baston, Sumner P. Bartlett, Russell C. Bailey, Ezra L. Catheart, Roy Fowler, Earl C. Tebo, George Herron, Adam Ahneman, James G. Brackett, Herbert E. Bush, Herbert L. Boleman, William II. Bruce, Dwight C. Brace, Fred W. Bandoli, Holford F. Calvert, William J. Cameron, William P. Carroll, Maleolm J. Cernahan, William Cheators, Carl F. Bandelin, Charlie Curry, Patrick De- chaine, Charles E. Day, William H. Dodge, George E. Eeklund, Eugene Eldridge, Philip C. Elbert, Charles Eek, William F. Elbut, Lawrence A. Flaghr, Harry F. Fowler, Jerome E. Gillett, Samuel E. Grout, Charles W. ITall, Edward Haggerty, Roy W. Hebard, George M. S. Hort, Julius W. Holberg, Clarence H. Hutehinson, Frank Humes, Martin H. Johnson, John F. Joyee, Charles E. Kelley, Frank S. Kopleberger, Hans S. Lund, Augus MeKay, Al. S. Morgan, Charles T. Mosher, Nels B. Nelson, Bernie Nelson, Charles R. Nichols, Carl G. Nyquist, Joseph Nelson, George C. Ranous, Harry M. Samuels, Samuel L. Stafford, George Sherman, Christ H. Sehroeder, George L. Slosson, Carl M. Toft, Herman
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HISTORY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
Watson, Harry W. Werner, Felix H. H. Watterbury, Rosswell B. Van Wagenen, Charles Russell.
The above is a list of officers and men who were mustered into the United States Volunteer Infantry May 11, 1898, by W. L. Buck, Captain U. S. A. When the orders came for volunteers, it called for three officers and 101 men. Company E left Eau Claire, Wis., April 28, 1898, with three officers and 99 men, for Camp Harvey. Before the time for mustering in, an order was issued reducing each company to 84 officers and men, the surplus being sent home. After arriving at Camp Thomas an order came to increase company to 106 officers and men. Following is a list of same:
Simon Rohm, John Ahearn, Alfred G. Ballerd, William J. Baxter, John H. Cheever, Thomas F. Dowling, Lester Frost, Eugene E. Hanson, William Hall, W. H. Hawley, Harry Huey, Charles H. Johnson, W. P. Kennedy, Arthur Kalanguin, Gilbert N. Krohg, John Kungerman, August Kessler, Herbert S. Lyons, Louis Larson, Leonard Loken, Albert J. MeClintock, Niles E. Meservey, Timothy J. Reagan, Ward Ross, John S. Shallenburger, Arthur S. Sherman, Homer W. Sloan, John Somerville, Arthur Thompson, Graham B. Thompson.
The following named men came to Camp Harvey with E Com- pany, but were rejected by the examining surgeon and ordered sent to their homes :
Richard Hollen, LeRoy Binder, William Myre, S. Edward Bostwick, O. Olson, J. Frederick, Floyd Jones, William A. Schwahn, J. A. Cooper, J. B. Noble, Lieutenant E. Bart Farr. Most of these men were rejected owing to being under weight.
Officers of the regular army assisting in the organization and muster of the Wisconsin troops were Lieutenant Frank M. Cald- well of the Seventh Cavalry. Lieutenant Caldwell went to West Point from Oshkosh and took a warm personal interest in Wis- consin. He was on an inspection tour of the Wisconsin companies when the call came and he was directed to report at Camp Harvey. He was detailed as Post Quartermaster and Commissary. When the Fourth Regiment was organized Lieutenant Caldwell was commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel and rendered valuable and able service with that regiment.
Captain William L. Buck, Thirteenth Infantry, was the chief mustering officer. Captain Buck had several years previous to the war served a detail as United States inspector with the Wis- consin troops.
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A very popular officer paid a visit to the regiment unofficially, Captain Phillip Reade. It was under Phil Reade's instruction the first rifle practice was had at Camp Douglas. This was the subjeet in which Captain Reade was greatly interested and the Wisconsin men quickly partook of his enthusiasm. He had a personal acquaintance, through the close contact on the range, of many officers and enlisted men, and has always been exceedingly popular with the Wisconsin Guard. Several years ago he retired as a Brigadier General.
The medical department of the army was represented by Lieu- tenant Colonel Henry R. Tilton, Deputy Surgeon General of the army. He called to his assistance Dr. Ladd, of Milwaukee, and Dr. Reynolds, of Geneva. These three distinguished surgeons arranged for and supervised the physical examination of the troops previous to their acceptance by the Federal Government.
Two interesting events occurred during the period the regi- ment was in Camp Harvey. One of these was the marriage of Sumner P. Bartlett and Miss Olga Arnold, one of Eau Claire's beautiful daughters.
Charles W. Hall, of the company, was also married to a Mil- waukee young lady.
The marriage of Corporal Bartlett was kept a secret from his comrades until shortly before his death in Porto Rico.
During the period the regiment was at Camp Harvey many friends from home visited E Company. Among them may be mentioned General Michael Griffin, Captain C. H. IIenry, Major William P. Bartlett, Captain John Kelley, John C. Fennessey, John F. Roberts, Captain Chris Schlosser, Mayor S. S. Kepler, D. A. Cameron, Aldermen -- Hugh J. Forest, J. H. Young, Frank Gre- goire, Martin Severson, John H. Fleming, M. S. Beecher, Charles S. Lee, N. J. MeIntyre, Chief of Police John Higgins, William K. Atkinson and wife, Harry M. Atkinson, Florence Atkinson, Miss Clara Zwiekey, Mrs. Thomas Hutchinson, Mrs. J. M. Ballard, Mrs. HI. L. Whittier, Mrs. Henry Cousins and Miss Mary Cousins. Other welcome visitors were George B. Early, of Chippewa Falls, and Lieutenant Governor Emil Baensch.
This subject cannot be passed without special reference to the visit of Miss Vera I. Moore, daughter of Colonel Moore. For a long period Miss Moore had been known as "The daughter of the regiment," and annually encamped with the regiment, for which she felt the same love, admiration and pride as her worthy father.
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HISTORY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
The organization in the Wisconsin regiments differed in a few respects from the organization under the United States laws. The Wisconsin regiments had regularly appointed Quartermasters with rank of Captain, and also had regularly appointed Battalion Adjutants with rank of First Lieutenant, mounted, and Battalion Sergeants Major. In the regular service these positions were filled by detail of line officers.
General Charles King, some years previous to the war, had recommended to the Governor and Legislature the passage of a law making these positions permanent ones, and Marshall Cousins, when a member of the Legislature, had prepared and secured the passage of such a law. On the reorganization of the army, following the Spanish-American War, the Federal laws were amended and now closely follow the Wisconsin regulations of that day.
As previously stated, the Battalion Adjutants and Battalion Sergeants Major were not included in the first eall, but a few days after the call Congress enacted a law accepting the organi- zations as they had existed in the states, and those affected were ordered into camp. In the Wisconsin establishments the Regi- mental Adjutant and Regimental Quartermaster held the rank of Captain. Assistant Surgeons also held rank of Captain. When these officers were mustered into the United States service, how- ever, their rank was reduced to First Lieutenant.
When the call was made, Marshall Cousins, of Ean Claire, went into the camp as Regimental Sergeant Major, which position he had held for several years. On the rejection of Lieutenant Farr by the Surgeons, the Sergeant Major was commissioned Battalion Adjutant with rank of First Lieutenant, and assigned to the First Battalion, commanded by Major Thomas Jefferson George, of Menomonie. Samuel E. Grout, of Ean Claire, was the Battalion Sergeant Major.
ASSIGNMENT TO BATTALIONS.
In the State organization the regiment was divided into three battalions, and companies were grouped on geographical lines as far as possible. They took their numerical designations from the rank of their Majors. The same assignments and designations continued in the United States service, as follows :
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First Battalion. Seeond Battalion. Third Battalion.
E-Eau Claire. B-La Crosse. A-Neillsville.
C-Hudson. K-Tomah.
D-Mauston.
HI-Menomonie L-Sparta.
F-Portage.
I-Superior. M-La Crosse.
G-Wausau.
May 13 formal orders were received for the regiment to move on Saturday, May 14. Their designation was Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Ga. Friday was spent in packing up and saying good-bye to friends. Saturday morning bright and early the camp was astir and baggage hauled to the train. At 3:30 o'clock the first section pulled out. The regiment moved in three sections, Colonel Moore, Major George and Major Kireheis, respectively, in charge of seetions. In the second seetion, under Major George, were about five hundred men, being companies of B, C, E, H, I and M. Chicago was reached after dark and some time passed in switching in and about the stock yards. It was well along in the night before the train pulled away for the Southland.
Sunday morning dawned on the regiment making its way through Indiana. At every station the troops were greeted by large crowds. The season was well advaneed over that of Wis- consin, The ladies were out in summer frocks and bright colors. The grass was green and foliage well out. Leaving Indiana the regiment passed through Kentucky and into Tennessee. At Nashville they found Quartermaster Sergeant Ludington await- ing them. He had left the first seetion and reported a pleasing compliment paid the regiment by an officer of the regular army. For some time the first section stood in the Nashville depot. After they had pulled out an officer of the army, noticing Ser- geant Ludington, inquired of him what regiment had just pulled ont. The Sergeant reported it was the Third Wisconsin, to which the officer replied, "No, it was some regular army regi- ment. No volunteer regiment carried itself as the regiment which just left." The Sergeant, however, convinced him it was the Third Wisconsin.
Monday morning, May 16, the regiment found itself in Chat- tanooga and after several hours on the road reached Lytle, the detraining station for Camp Thomas. Between Chattanooga and Lytle they had their first view of Lookout Mountain. The First Battalion under Major George was quickly under way after detraining and was conducted by a guide to the Kelley Field, where they were instructed to await the arrival of the remainder
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