USA > Wisconsin > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform] > Part 10
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It participated in Burnside's famous Mnd March in 1862 on the Potomac, when it returned to its camps at Bell Plain until
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Hooker's campaign began in the last week of April, 1863, when it made its remarkable charge in pontoon boats across the Rap- pahannock river at Fitzhugh Crossing, charged the heights on the opposite side of the river, drove the enemy, took possession, fortified and held the place until General Ilooker's men had crossed the river and got on the left flank of Lee's army, when the brigade recrossed the river and marched to join the main army at Chancellorsville, where it participated in the fight and joined in another retreat on the safe side of the Rappahannock. A short time later it participated in the three bloody days of the battle of Gettysburg, beginning July 1. 1862. At this time it was the First Brigade, First Division. First Army Corps. Gen. Solomon Meredith being in command. It is claimed by some authority that the Wisconsin brigade and Pennsylvania infantry opened fire in that battle at about the same time.
The authorities of both states claim that their soldiers were the first to begin the infantry fighting, but the fact is that they belonged to the same division and marched into the fight at the same time. In the first day's fight the brigade's loss was very great in officers and men, and lost more than one-third of its troops in killed and wounded. During the balance of the two days' battle it was on Culp's Hill, behind strong entrenchments. It was called into action several times and saw the never-to-be- forgotten charge made by the Confederates under Gen. George E. Pickett.
After Meade's fruitless campaign in November, 1863, the brigade returned to its quarters with the rest of the corps at Culpeper Court House, and on the 1st of January the Sixth and Seventh regiments re-enlisted for three years more or during the war, and were given thirty days' furlough, returning to Wisconsin as regiments. Their reception by the people of the state constituted one of the great events in the lives of the young soldiers. At the end of the thirty days the two regiments returned to the brigade and in May. 1864. it, with the rest of the army, plunged into the Wilderness campaign on May 5, 1864, and they were not out of the hearing of hostile guns until the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. It was in the forefront in the two days' battle of the Wilderness proper, at Laurel's Hill, Spottsylvania, Bethesda Church, in North Anna, Cold Harbor, the Siege of Petersburg, the three days' battle of Weldon railroad beginning Angust 18th, and ending on the 21st; the battles of Hatcher's Run, Gravely Run,
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Five Forks and Appomattox. The brigade took its place in the grand review in Washington after the war, and two months Jater returned to the state and was mustered out of the service.
THE EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY.
The Eighteenth Infantry was ordered to Camp Sigel. Mil- waukee. January 7, 1862. It completed its organization and was mustered into the service and left the state about the last of March, 1862. reaching Pittsburg Landing April 5, and went into the Battle of Shiloh the next day. It was surprised by the Confederates early in the morning of April 6th, and, although it was poorly drilled and wholly unprepared for service, vet within a week it was forced into one of the greatest battles of the war and took up the work of fighting, and made a credit- able record, losing many valuable officers, including the colonel and a large number of men. Col. S. H. Alban was killed carly in the engagement; Lient. Col. S. W. Beall, who had been lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, was severely wounded, and Maj. J. W. Crain was killed. In this battle, the Eighteenth lost twenty-five killed and ninety-one wounded. In the follow- ing October it was in the battle of Corinth. again losing heavily in killed and wounded. but adding greatly to its reputation as a fighting regiment. Capt. Gabrial Bouck, of the Second Wiscon- sin, was made colonel to succeed Colonel Alban, killed at Shiloh. The Eighteenth was one of Wisconsin's regiments at the battle and siege of Vicksburg. The regiment reached Chattanooga in time to take part in the battle of Mission Ridge. November 25. 1863, and from there went to Huntsville, where it remained on guard and outpost duty until May. 1864. Most of its duty from that time to the end of the war consisted of important guard and outpost duty. aside from the part it took in the Confederate attack on Altoona Pass. There were stored at this pass an immense quantity of army supplies. The Confederate army needed these supplies and they attacked with great force and vigor, but the small force of Union troops stationed there fought as soldiers are seldom called upon to fight. Here the Eighteenth won for itself great praise and great distinction. It was in this battle that General Sherman signaled to General Corse from Kenesaw Mountain to hold the position. for he was coming. From this dispatch came that wonderful old song. "Hold the Fort. for I am Coming." General Corse had received, previous to this message, several wounds and signaled back to Sherman, "I have lost an ear. part of a check and am wounded in one arm.
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but I will hold the fort until Hades freezes over." It was one of the sharpest battles of that kind fought during the war, and to this day many wonder how that small force could check and drive back a whole division of Confederates.
While the Eighteenth did not march with Sherman to the sea, it joined Sherman's army by traveling on boats and rail- roads, reaching it the last of March, and was with him until Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, surrendered, soon after which Johnston and his army laid down their arms. The Eighteenth had three colonels, J. S. Alban, Gabrial Bouck and Charles II. Jackson.
THE NINETEENTH INFANTRY.
The Nineteenth was organized at Camp Utley, Racine, but in April, 1862, was ordered to Camp Randall to guard prisoners taken at Shiloh. Early in June of that year the regiment pro- ceeded to Virginia.
This regiment was given a larger amount of our post and guard duty than most of the regiments, though it was in all ways an excellent command, and both officers and men were anxious for more service; but this important duty had to be placed in good hands and this regiment was thoroughly to be depended upon, and did work in a manner to bring praise from its superior officers.
It was stationed at Norfolk for some time and again was stationed at Suffolk, Va. It was engaged in several battles in front of Richmond and Petersburg, and lost in killed twenty- nine, died of wounds twelve, died of disease 107. Horace R. Sanders, of Racine. was the first colonel, and S. K. Vonghan the second colonel. The regiment had only these two colonels. It was mustered out of the service August 9, 1865.
THE TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized at LaCrosse. Wis., in Septem- ber, 1862, and as soon as it was mustered into the service was sent to Minnesota to aid in the Indian War prevailing there at that time. It returned to Madison in January, 1863, and left for Kentucky February 17th of the same year. It was com- manded by a Monroe county man, Col. Milton Montgomery, and the history of this regiment is of peculiar interest inasmuch as nearly one whole company, D, and a great part of another, F. were composed of Monroe county citizens.
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The Twenty-fifth had quite an experience in Minnesota in the Indian campaign. after which, as has been stated, it returned to Madison and was sent south in 1863. and became a part of the Sixteenth Army Corps and joined Grant's army at Vieks- burg early in June, remaining there until after the surrender and performing well every duty assigned to it. It was one of the regiments which participated in this memorable march of Gen- eral Sherman from Chattanooga to Atlanta. and from there to the sea: It saw hard service throughout this campaign, and the regiment was depended upon, on numerous occasions, for very important duty. and was frequently engaged in severe battles. While its losses in killed and wounded were not as great as many of the regiments, it lost from disease a larger number than any other regiment from the state. The records of Company D showing a large percentage of Monroe county men who died of disease. This is the regiment of which Jeremiah M. Rusk was lieutenant colonel. He went out with it as major, became lieutenant colonel. and as such commanded it in many of its campaigns and battles, and was promoted to brevet brigadier and for some time commanded the brigade. General Rusk told this story on himself: While going through North Carolina in command of a brigade his troops went in the pine forests to camp and when, two days later. it broke camp, nearly every man, because of the pitch pine smoke, was nearly as dark skinned as the colored people. While General Rusk was riding at the head of his brigade. his face nearly as black as a crow's wing. he heard some southern people by the roadside say: "For Gaud sake, if the Yankees haven't been obliged to put niggers in command of their brigades." Colonel Montgomery of this regi- ment lost an arm in action, and for gallant and meritorious con- duet was made a brigadier general by brevet. The Twenty- fifth's losses in killed and wounded was forty-two, and of its number 376 died of disease. It was one of Wisconsin's famous regiments, which left a glorious record of its services. It was mustered out on June 7, 1865.
THE THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
The Thirty-sixth regiment was organized under the presi- dent's first call in 1864, and was the first to respond. It left Madison May .10. 1864. and joined the Army of the Potomac at Spottsylvania. Va., a week later. It went directly into the line of battle when it reached that place, and was soon taken into the thick of the fight and acquitted itself as if its soldiers had been
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veterans. From that time until the end of the war the Thirty- sixth regiment was given the hardest service, and was ordered into all of the battles recorded up to and including Appomattox.
It had for its colonel, Frank A. Haskell, who left the state in 1861 as adjutant of the Sixth Wisconsin, and was General Gibbon's adjutant general. At the battle of Gettysburg. while serving on General Gibbon's staff as a captain, command of the entire army corps devolved upon him for a brief space of time. Generals Hancock, Gibbon and Webb had been wounded and Haskell assumed the responsibility of directing the corps in the engagement. At the battle of Cold Harbor, where his regiment did great execution and met with distressing losses, Colonel Haskell, while at the head of his command, standing on the breast work and as he was about to give a command to charge, was instantly killed. Two days before that he had been ree- ommended for promotion to brigadier general. He was, without doubt, one of the most soldierly and manly men from this state. Though its services extended for only a year, the losses of this regiment were much greater than two-thirds of the three years' regiments.
It had four different colonels, Haskell, who was killed; Col. John A. Savage was mortally wounded. and Col. Harvey M. Brown was erroneously reported killed at Petersburg. Col. Clement E. Warner lost an arm, and a number of captains and lieutenants were killed. More than half of the thousand men that Colonel Haskel hurried to the front early in 1864 were killed or wounded. The regiment lost in one year seventy-nine killed, forty-seven died of wounds, and 168 died of disease. It is not surprising that the survivors of the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin are proud to have been of such a regiment.
THE FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
This regiment was recruited and organized under the direc- tion of Col. Amasa Cobb, formerly of the Fifth Wisconsin. It left Milwaukee for the field on the 9th of October, 1864, under orders to report at Nashville, Tenn., to General Sherman. From Nashville they moved by rail and encamped on the 15th of October at Johnsonville, the terminus of the military railroad connected with Nashville and situated 110 miles from Paducah, on the Tennessee river. Here Colonel Cobb was appointed post commander and Lieutenant Colonel Paine assumed command of the regiment. This important post, at which was collected immense quantities of stores, was then menaced by the approach
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of rebel forces under General Hood, and from the 4th to the 6th of November the regiment was exposed to the fire of the rebel guns, planted on the opposite bank of the Tennessee, losing one man killed and one wounded.
The Forty-third left Johnsonville on the morning of the 30th of November, and marched by way of Waverly through an unbroken wilderness and arrived on the 4th of December at Clarksville, on the Cumberland river. Embarking at Clarksville on the 28th they reached Nashville at 10 in the evening. They landed the next morning and remained in the city awaiting transportation until the evening of the 21st of January. 1865, when they left Nashville by rail and arrived at Dechard, Tenn .. where six companies of the regiment went to camp and four companies, under command of Major Brightman, being detached to gnard the Elk river brigade.
The regiment was employed at that station in post and guard duty on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad until the beginning of June. when it was moved to Nashville, at which place it was mustered out of the service June 24. 1865. arriving soon after in Milwaukee, where they were paid and disbanded.
THE FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.
Was organized at Milwaukee during the months of February and March, 1865. Eight companies of the regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Shears left Milwaukee on the 2nd of March under orders to report at Benton Barracks, Mis- souri, at which place it received orders on the 28th of March to proceed to Paola, Kan. Upon its arrival there the companies were sent in different directions to detached duty, and on the 19th of July Colonel Pearsall was assigned to the command of all the troops in and west of Neosho Valley, Kan., including the station on Osage Mission, with headquarters at Humboldt. Kan. Orders were received on the 10th of Angust for the regiment to proceed to Lawrence, but on account of heavy rains the march was delayed until the 19th, arriving at Lawrence. Kan., on Sep- tember 5th. Upon its arrival at Lawrence the regiment was again assigned on detached service. companies being sent to ocenpy different places. Companies B. D. F and I, were mus- tered ont at Leavenworth, Kan., on the 11th of February, 1866. and reached Madison on the 23rd. The balance of the companies were mustered ont on the 24th of March, 1866, and arrived at Madison on the 28th, where they were paid and disbanded.
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THE FIFTIETH REGIMENT.
The Fiftieth Wisconsin was organized under the supervision of John G. Clark, of Lancaster: left Madison by companies the latter part of March and the beginning of April, 1865, and on arriving at St. Louis, Mo., the companies were assigned to Ben- ton Barracks. On the 11th of October, Colonel Clark assumed command of the post at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where the regi- ment was stationed until the expiration of its term of service. Company E was ordered to report at Madison, Wis., where it was mustered out and discharged on the 19th of April, 1866. The balance of the regiment remained in garrison at Fort Rice until the 31st of May. 1866, when Companies A, B, C and D, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel MeDermott set out for home, reaching Madison, Wis .. on the 12th of May, 1866. Com- panies F, G, II. I and K. under the command of Colonel Clark, left Fort Rice on the 3rd of June and arrived at Madison on the 14th of June, and here the whole army was immediately mustered out, paid and disbanded.
THE FIFTY-FIRST REGIMENT.
Six companies of this regiment were recruited under Col. Leonard Martin and were organized at Camp Washburn, Mil- waukee. during the months of February, March. April and May. 1865, and were sent to Benton Barracks, Mo., the last company being organized on the 29th of April, in that year. The fon junior companies not having left the state, they were mustered out and discharged at Milwaukee on the 6th of May under gen- eral orders from the War Department for the reduction of the army. On the 7th of April Company B was placed on temporary duty at St. Louis, and on the 8th of May Companies A, C, E and F were ordered to Warrensburg. Mo. These companies were then stationed along the line of the Pacific railroad, and were occupied in guarding the construction of this road from Holden to Pleasant Hill. Company B reached the regiment on the 21st of June. In accordance with the special orders from the War Department June 10. 1865, the Fifty-third Wisconsin, consist- ing of four companies, was consolidated with the Fifty-first regi- ment and was mustered out at Madison in companies, the last company being disbanded on the 30th of August, 1865.
THIRD CAVALRY.
This regiment was fully organized. and the colonel and field officers mustered into the United States service on the 28th of
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January, 1862. Col. William A. Barstow took command and its headquarters were at Camp Barstow. Janesville.
On the 26th day of March. 1862, the regiment left the state under orders to report at St. Louis. They took the train for Chicago and had arrived within three miles of that city when they met with a terrible disaster. The cars were running rapidly and several of them were thrown from the track. Twelve men were instantly killed, and twenty-eight wounded. On the morn- ing of the 27th they arrived in Chicago and took the cars for St. Louis, where they arrived the 28th, and marched to the fair grounds. near Benton Barracks. May 22nd. 1862. they took three steamers up the Missouri for Leavenworth, Kan .. arriving May 27th. They had previously drawn Merrill's carbines at St. Louis and sabres at Janesville. They camped on the blue grass near Fort Leavenworth, and there drew their horses and equip- ments, and in the city their revolvers. Colonel Barstow was appointed provost marshal of Kansas, and in the beginning of June the regiment was stationed, by detachments. in different parts of the state. extending from the Nebraska line on the north to Fort Scott on the south. The nature of the service was chiefly to hunt up and expel the jayhawkers and bushwhackers of that region. Companies C, F. I and MI were sent. June 12th. from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Scott. where they arrived on the 17th. This march is worthy of record, as it was accomplished in five days without the loss of a man or horse. the distance being 130 miles. Fort Scott was now the outpost of the forces. and Major Henning took command of the post. Company I was sent to occupy Carthage, Mo .. sixty-five miles from Fort Scott, Captain Conkey in command.
Company (' was sent to Trading Post, thirty-five miles north of Fort Scott, on the border. Bands of rebels were prowling about the territory. Captain Conkey followed one party. with a small force, from Carthage, and finding himself in danger, charged through their camp of 2.000 one morning before day- light and escaped. Colonel Barstow unexpectedly met the same band at Montevallo, and routing them. fell back to Fort Scott, where an attack was expected. But General Salomon's arrival, on his return from the Indian country, made the post seenre. General Blint arriving. Companies F and I. Lieutenant Willets in command, joined an expedition in pursuit of the enemy. At Taberville they had an engagement with him, and Company I being in front, showed so much bravery that Colonel Clond commended them in his official report. They took part also
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in the action at Coon Creek where 600 loyalists routed 1,500 rebels. .
Early in September, Companies I and M were substituted, at Fort Scott, for C and F, Major Henning still commanding. They were constantly engaged in seonting expeditions. and as escorts for trains to General Blunt's army in southwest Missouri. until January, 1863, when Companies C and G were added to the com- mand, and remained till July, at which date Company G was ordered to report to Lieutenant-Colonel White, who then had command of the regiment.
Meanwhile the first and third battalions. under Major Schroeling, were engaged in such varied movements as were common to a state of border warfare. In June, 1862. a disposi- tion was made of them at different points, thus: Company D was sent to Atchison, G to Shawnee, and L to Aubrey: Com- panies B and H guarded Fort Leavenworth ; at Leavenworth City, A, E and K performed provost duty besides scouting in the border counties of Missouri. The infamous Quantrell, with his guerillas, was often found and fought by them.
September 13 six companies went to Indian Creek, in sonth- west Missouri, and joined the command of General Salomon. In his brigade they took part in the battle of C'ane Ilill, the last of November, and in that of Prairie Grove, December 7th, to be described hereafter. Subsequently they went to Cane Ilill again, thence to Van Buren on a raid, driving out a Texas regiment and capturing several steamboats. During the winter of 1862-63 they were a part of the time at Elm Spring Mills, and Marma- duke being engaged in raiding through the country, they were continually on the alert to intercept and dislodge him. They were now in Arkansas and then in Missouri, on short marches and on long ones-at one time moving from Forsyth, Missouri, to Springfield. 256 miles, in four days, without taking forage or rations. June 22nd they were separated from the rest of the command and marched to Fort Scott, camping there July 5th, the day after the fall of Vicksburg.
The other companies of the regiments B, C. H. I and M, in the preceding month of May, under the command of Captain Stout, marched to Fort Blunt, in the Cherokee Nation, as an escort for the post supply train. A heavy force of some 1,500 Texans and Indians under the rebel general, Cooper, attacked them on the 30th of May, when they were only four miles from the fort. The enemy was repulsed, the national troops losing five men killed and wounded. June 4th they again set out from
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Fort Blunt as escort to the returning train, and on the 20th turned about as escort to a large train of supplies to the fort. At Cabin Creek, on the 27th, the rebel General Cooper again attacked them with a much superior force. The enemy, however, were driven fifty miles across the Verdigris river. Reaching Fort Blunt they were attached to the Third brigade, army of the frontier. July 16th they marched south, under the lead of General Blunt. The next day they had a battle at Honey Springs, where the rebels under Cooper and Standwaite lost many prisoners and their whole artillery. Afterward they crossed the Arkansas river and pursued the enemy, having some skirmishes, and on the 19th returned to Fort Blunt with the army.
The carly border warfare led to the formation of several Indian regiments. composed in general of the arms-bearing refuges among the Indians that could be obtained for the service of the United States. The Third Wisconsin Cavalry had some connection with these regiments, particularly the Third, which was recruited on the frontier of Missouri and Kansas. Mr. E. II. Ely. of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, was first detailed for special service. and then ordered by General Blunt. November 15, 1862, to take command of Company G, Third Indian Regiment. as first lieutenant. The First Battalion was with this regiment in the battle of Honey Springs, or Elk Creek.
FOURTH CAVALRY.
This regiment was originally organized as the Fourth Regi- ment of infantry about the 6th of June. 1861. at Camp Utley, Ra- cine. On the 15th day of July. 1861. they left the state under orders to report at Baltimore, Md., where they arrived on the 23rd. After detached duty, which separated the companies of the regiment. they were reunited on the 5th of August and went into camp thirty miles north of Washington. Here they remained engaged in drill until the 4th day of November. when the regiment took part in an expedition on the eastern shore of Virginia under General Lockwood, which accomplished no result. Upon its return the regiment was placed in barracks in the city of Baltimore, where it remained until February. 1862. It was ordered on board of transports at Newport News, Virginia. and sailed south to join the army of the Gulf. and arrived at Ship Island, Mississippi, on the 13th of March. There the regiment. was assigned to the Second brigade of the Gulf department. Brig .- General Thomas Williams commanding. Here it remained in camp until the 16th of April, and on that day, with the Fourth
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