History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 54

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998

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The Colonel was at that time in the heyday of early manhood, straight as an arrow, and, when fairly mounted, sat a horse as no other man in Walworth County could. Remarkable sim ilarities are often noted in the careers of men widely separated by distance and time. A parallel is not wanting in this instance.

Col. Elderkin was, when he assumed command of his regiment, of the same age of Napoleon when appointed to the command of the army of Italy. He also weighed in the same notch of the steelyards, and was of his exact height-five feet six inches. Here, much to the credit of the Colonel, the parallel dissolves into marked contrast. Napoleon waxed fat; Col. Elderkin grew lean. Napoleon deluged his country and Europe in blood; Col. Elderkin spilt no gore in Walworth County or elsewhere. Napoleon allowed his ambition "to o'erleap itself," and died an exile and a prisoner. at middle age, on the island of St. Helena; Elderkin, more level-headed, curbed his ambition, and, avoiding exile and death, his " arms hung up as monuments," he lives in the ripeness of his years, to show that " peace hath her victories no less than war."

That his likeness in stature and weight to Napoleon the Great was no matter of mere chance, and that he, like his renowned prototype, was a " child of destiny," is illustrated by an incident in his early childhood. The male members of his family were men of gigantic stature and her culean strength. His father stood six feet three in his stockings, and his brothers were taller still. He was a sizable baby, and grew prodigiously till six years of age, having at that time attained to nearly his present height. Another year of such growth would have made him taller than Napoleon. The fates here interposed. At that time. he was drowned. Fortunately for himself and his country, his father succeeded in resuscitating him after the doctors had given up the job, but his further growth was stopped for the succeeding ten years. He himself avers that, on teaching his first school, at the age of sixteen, he wore the identical jacket in which he was drowned.

His early military service peculiarly fitted him for a militia command. He had known Gen. John Crawford in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., before his removal to Milwaukee in 1836. In 1841, the General was appointed as Chief Marshal of the Day for the Fourth of July celebration of that year. His regimentals and accouterments had grown musty with disuse. His sword was rusty in its scabbard; from his epaulets the glitter had fled, and the buttons of his coat were lusterless. In this dilemma, he sent for his friend Elderkin, who, in the short space of three days, by dint of hard labor and the use of much chalk, whiting and other sconring materials. restored the ancient uniform to its pristine glory. The General appeared in it on the 4th, and was himself the finest military display ever held in the Territory. Elderkin did not go unre- warded for his arduous but modest service. His skill in the polishing of accouterments soon reached the ear of Gov. Dodge, and, in February, 1841, he received his commission, which read as follows:

HENRY DODGE, GOVERNOR OF THE TERRITORY OF WISCONSIN.

To all to whom these presents may rome, Greeting :

KNOW YE, That reposing special trust and confidence in the valor, patriotism and ability of Edward Iderkin, I have nominated, and, by and with the consent of the Legislative Council, appointed him Colonel of the Sixth Regiment of Wisconsin Militia.

And I do hereby anthorize and empower him to exeente and fulfill the duties of that office according to law: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said office, with all the rights, privileges and emoluments thereunto belong. ing, until the Governor of the said Territory for the time being shall think proper to determine and revoke this COMMISSION.

In testimony whereof I have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the GREAT SEAL of the Territory to be hereunto affixed.

1 L. S. GIVEN UNDER MY IIAND, at Madison, this tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the sixty-fifth.

HENRY DOTY.

By the Governor.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

Thus Col. Elderkin stood at the head of the militia at the beginning of the year 1842. The sudden effort of Gov. Doty to put the troops of Walworth County on a war footing would have pnt a less courageous officer to his trumps. Not so with the Colonel. He immediately scoured up his acconterments, and summoned his staff and a few trusty officers to a council of war.

The field officers and officers of the line, so far as they can be ascertained, were as follows: Colonel, Edward Elderkin, Elkhorn; Lieutenant Colonel, Urban D. Meacham, Troy; Major, James A. Maxwell, Big Foot; Adjutant, Abel W. Wright, East Troy.

The Captains were: Lucius Allen, East Troy company; James Harkness, Sr., La Fayette company; P. G. Harrington, Sugar Creek company; Capt. Palmer, La Grange company; J. L. Pratt, Whitewater company; and several others not remembered.

It was decided that there should be thorough work during the summer, and that the general muster should show to the Indians and the rest of mankind that the soldiery of Walworth County were able to defend their hearthstones and homes against any force from without that might assail.

The whole county was up in arms. Between the company trainings and the officers' drills, held at various points in the county, the Colonel and his staff were kept extremely busy, and slept but little during the summer, except in the saddle. The command had never yet been mustered for regimental parade or drill, but, as the time approached. the Colonel and his staff looked forward with confidence, believing that, as a whole, they would prove unsurpassed and unsurpassable in perfection of tactics and strictness of military discipline. The martial spirit was still further aroused by the following order, issued by Maj. Gen. Graves, on assuming com. mand, late in the summer:

DIVISION ORDERS, NO. 1.

HEAD QUARTERS, FIRST DIVISION WISCONSIN MILITIA, MILWAUKEE, August 8, 1842.

1. The undersigned having been appointed Major General of the First Division Wisconsin Militia, here- by assume command of the same.

2. Pursuant to instructions from the Commander-in-Chef, the commanding officers of the several regi- ments, constituting the First Division Wisconsin Militia, will report direct to the Adjutant General as soon as practicable, the number of their several commands (without waiting for a general muster), in order that a cor- rect aggregate may be returned to the Secretary of War, and the full quota of arms to which Wisconsin is entitled may be received.

3. Commanding officers of regiments will immediately ascertain whether the Captains in their several commands have caused enrollments to be made according to law, and if any have neglected their duty, report them to the Commander-in-Chief, and at the same time nominate men to that office who will discharge the duties of such office.

4. The Brigadier Generals will see that every regiment in the First Division Wisconsin Militia, are ordered out for general inspection, and will inform me as early as practicable, of the time and place of holding such general inspections.

5. The division staff officers will hold themselves in readiness to accompany me. in full uniform, on a tour of inspection the coming fall.

6. Any neglect of duty on the part of officers or privates composing the First Division Wisconsin Mili- tia, will be visited with the penalties of the law.

7. Harvey Birchard and Henry S. Brown are hereby appointed Aids-de-Camp to the Major General; W. W. Brown. Division Paymaster, in place of' Eliphalet Cramer, who declines the appointment, and William A. Barstow, Division Inspector, in place of Charles Delafield, deceased. They will be obeyed and respected accordingly.

(Signed.)

GEORGE E. GRAVES,

1HENRY S. BROWN, Aid-de-Camp. Maj. Gen. Commanding First Division Wisconsin Militia.

Ample preparations for the review were made. In addition to the regular'music, fife and drum, furnished by each company, a regimental band was engaged from abroad. The commis- sary department was placed in charge of Emery Thayer and Gorham Bunker, of East Troy, who began the erection of their dining-hall two days before the time appointed for the muster. When completed, it was capable of feeding as many at a time as could find standing room, and. as will be seen, played no small part in the military drama.

THE GRAND MUSTER.

The time appointed for the rendezvous of the "Sixth " was October 5, 1842; the place, Elk- horn. On the preceding evening, several companies marched into camp to the music of the fife and drum. Some took up their quarters for the night in the then unfinished building, after-

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

ward the Center House, and in the court house. Some found hospitable entertainment at the dwellings of the citizens. Many took lodgings in the stables and such other places of shelter as showed an open door. Elkhorn was full of soldiery, who tossed in troubled sleep, dreaming of the big event that was at hand.

As rose the " sun of Austerlitz," so rose the sun of the Walworth County muster. shedding its brightest rays over the fields and woods, brown with the touch of early frosts, and beautiful in the hazy embrace of the Indian summer. Up rose the sun, and up rose the soldiers at Elk- horn, at Sugar Creek, at Walworth, at Whitewater, at Delavan. at La Fayette, at Troy, at Ge- neva; the shrill fife and the snarling drum drowned the song of birds, and tore the air with war- like din as it was never torn before. All were marching to the place of rendezvous. At 9 o'clock, the companies began to arrive, each being greeted with volleys of musketry and shouts of wel- come by their brothers in arms more early on the field. At 10, the last company had reached the field and the line was formed. In addition to the companies of the "Sixth " were detachments from several companies of the Racine County regiment, who were entertained as guests at com- missary headquarters. They all took place in line, and added not a little to the number and magnificence of the cohort.

With a few tangles and snarls, the regiment was formed in line of review on Walworth street, the left resting on Elder Lee's tavern, and the line extending south an indefinite distance toward Delavan. The sight as a military display was never equaled in Walworth County. The rank and file, including visiting soldiers from Burlington and other towns of Racine County, numbered not less than twelve hundred. The soldiers were clad diversely. Prosper Cravath states that they came "some with hats and some without, some with coats and some without, and those who had shirts wore them, and those who did not have them came withont." Be this as it may, they were in line. Their arms, through no fault of theirs, were not of a uniform pattern, but the best the county afforded. Every shot-gun, long-tom, bell-muzzle, rifle, horse-pistol or other firearm in the county was in the line, yet over half were obliged to go through the manual drill with laths, broom-sticks, ax-handles, and such other substitutes as would pass the consider- ate inspection of Inspector General Champion T. Hutchinson, of Rockport, whose duty it was that day to see that they came "armed and epnipped as the law directs." What the soldiers lacked in soldierly apparel and arms was amply made up by their own martial bearing and the gay uniforms of the officers of the line, all of whom wore imported suits, glittering side-arms, with pompous epanlets, ete,. etc. The field officers were dressed in the full military dress of that day-a sort of composite transition style, between the old continental and the modern -- cocked hats, enormous epaulets, blue coat and pants trimmed with gold, and a crimson silk sash. Knee breeches had gone out of fashion even at that early day. The inspection was followed by the grand review, by Brig. Gen. Bullen, of Racine. It passed off much to the credit of the command, and Col. Elderkin was highly complimented by Gen. Bullen on the soldierly bearing, excellent drill and fine discipline of his regiment, which, he affirmed, surpassed that of any other regiment he had seen in the State. The review being over, the soldiers were given an intermis- sion for refreshment and rest before the battalion drill and marching exercises of the afternoon should commence. They broke ranks and repaired to the commissary department for refresh- ments, which were partaken of in true picnic style by broken squads scattered about under the trees of the park. Would that the curtain of oblivion could be drawn over the further exercises of that day! Loyalty to the truth of history only, impels to the continued recital.

At 2 o'clock, the long roll called the scattered soldiers to the line. They came with alacrity, but many of them with unsteady steps. Some soldiers lost their companies, and it is stated that one Captain could not recognize his own command, but insisted on assuming a new command, elbowing the rightful officer out of his place. In vain were the efforts to form the regiment in double file, though the command, " Form in two streaks," rang through the woods and along the line. An hour brought the most of them out of the woods into the street, where the commander could look them in the eye The sorrowful truth flashed upon him from along the whole crooked line that his regiment had fallen from its high estate, and was, as a whole, slightly intoxicated. He saw with chagrin that discipline was lax. Some of his best soldiers were whittling up their arms before his very eyes. The Fife Major insisted on playing while the commands were being given, and the Drum Major showed his skill simultaneously by beating that marvel of execution

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

on the snare-drum known as the double-drag. The Colonel, the Lieutenant Colonel, the Major and the Adjutant blushed crimson with shame, from their noses up their foreheads and down their necks. They retired to the commissary stand for consultation. Before their return, the boozy regiment had got through their heads the command given by the Colonel some fifteen minutes before-" By platoons, by the right flank, march! "-and, led by the Fife Major, had started on the march to Delavan. The officers, on returning to the field, saw the rear of the ine- briated regiment. with a peculiar swaying gait, weaving its way along the road, which, wide as it was, could searcely furnish room for the open order and sudden obliques to the right and left that characterized its march. It was getting under fearful headway, and no time was to be lost in bringing it under control. To halt it by word of command was as impossible as it had been to start it a short time before. The field officers, by a rapid detour, came out in front at the first cross-road, where, by violent gesticulation and shouts, they headed them off, and, by a rounda- bout way, got them back to Elkhorn. The hilarious element, overpowered by the labors of the day, fell out along the line of march; the balance stood up soberly in line, and, after receiving the thanks of the Colonel for their soldierly behavior during the trying scenes of the day, were dismissed, and betook themselves to their homes. They were followed by their less abstemious companions at intervals, as fast as they became sufficiently sober to understand that the muster was over. These last to leave the field carried renown mingled with the odor of rum to the utter- most parts of the county.

The militia law provided that each commandant of a regiment or separate battalion, within twenty days after the annual inspection, "should furnish the commandant of his brigade a local description of such regiment or separate battalion, together with a roster of the commissioned officers of such regment."

Neither the Colonel nor any of his staff ever attempted to furnish a description of the regi- ment as it appeared on that day.

A COURT MARTIAL.

A court martial was held in accordance with law, at Elkhorn, November 25, 1842, and sat ten days. Maj. James A. Maxwell was Judge Advocate. P. G. Harrington was President of the Court. All delinquents for disorderly or unmilitary conduct, absence, or other violation of the militia law, were then brought to judgment. The board was relentless in imposing fines for absence, which, in the aggregate, amounted to several hundred dollars. The warrants were placed in the hands of the Sheriff, who collected sufficient to pay the expenses of the court, and some other incidental expenses attending the muster. What more he collected, if anything, he put in his pocket for his trouble, as he was authorized to do by the court. The Sheriff had some trouble in forcing collections, owing to various mistakes which occurred in the premises, and occasionally shot so wide of the mark as to have only his labor for his pains.

In the Spring Prairie company were enrolled four Salisburys liable to military duty-Daniel (Sergeant), and Christopher, Ansel and Elisha. Sergeant Daniel, one of the upright soldiers of that day. called the roll and checked off Elisha as absent. The court martial tried Chris. and issued a warrant for the collection of the fine from the Orderly, Daniel himself. Thus, when the attempt to collect was made, the Salisbury tribe were thrown into inextricable confu- sion, and the Sheriff gave up the job long before matters were unsnarled.

MORAL INDIGNATION.

The regiment, as has been intimated, showed signs of inebriety on the afternoon of muster day. Of the individual soldiers on parade, probably not one in three took a drop of anything strong, but the others took sufficient to make the regiment average not sober. The temperance element were scandalized, and. when the court martial had risen without taking any cognizance of the scandal, it was determined to prosecute the commissary department in behalf of the Gov- erment for selling liquor in violatien of law. Accordingly, Gorham Bunker and Emery Thayer were indicted. The trial was held in Elkhorn, and nearly the entire regiment were summoned to testify. Strange as it may seem, it was, in the face of the fact of two hundred men drunk on the occasion, quite difficult to prove the offense. Those who got drunk could remember nothing, and those who kept sober knew nothing about it. After the trial had proceeded for nearly a day, the case was brought to a summary close, and a nolle prosequi entered, on presentation of

Id Spooner

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

the written permission of the commanding officer allowing the accused to furnish refreshments and drinks, backed by the following very explicit clause of law:

" If any person, during parade, shall encroach on the parade ground previously designated, or shall then and there sell, or offer to sell or give away, any spirituous liquors, without per- mission of the commanding officer, or shall have in his possession any gambling table or other gambling device, such persons may be put and kept under the guard by such commander until the setting of the sun on the same day; and such liquor, gaming table, or other gambling de- vice, may be abated or destroyed as a nuisance, by order of the commandant."

Bunker and Thayer were acquitted. and, after a hilarious gathering and supper, returned to East Troy vindicated, or at least acquitted of all intent to violate the law.

There are no records vouching for the correctness of the foregoing recital. It is gathered from tradition, and is doubtless faulty in many particulars.

The Indian scare died out, as did all military ardor. For twenty years thereafter, scarcely a company rallied in Walworth County. When next the call came, with equal zeal the call was answered, and in numbers thousands strong. The story is one of bravery, fortitude, patriotism. victory, death-marked by the graves of Walworth's sons all over the South. Smiles melt to tears as the story is told of the reality of war that fell upon the sons of the men who mustered on the field of Elkhorn in 1842.

THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.

On Monday. April 15, 1861, the Governor of Wisconsin received the following dispatch from the Secretary of War:

To HIS EXCELLENCY, A. W. RANDALL. Governor of Wisconsin: Call made on you by to-night's mail, for one (1) regiment of militia for immediate service.

SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War.

The letter referred to in the telegram, was received by the Governor, giving special instruc- tions in regard to the mustering-in of the regiment, the rendezvous, which was to be at Madison -the quota assigned to each State, etc.

On the following day, April 16, Gov. Randall issued the following proclamation:

TO THE LOYAL PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.

For the first time in the history of this Federal Government, organized treason has manifested itself within several States of the Union. and armed rebels are making war against it. The proclamation of the President of the United States tells of unlawful combinations, too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary manner, aid calls for military forces to suppress such combinations, and to sustain him in executing the laws. The treasures of the country must no longer be plundered; the public property must be protected from ag- gressive violence; that already seized must be retaken, and the laws must be executed in every State of the Union alike.

A demand made upon Wisconsin by the President of the United States for aid to sustain the Federal arm must meet with a prompt response. One regiment of the militia of this State will be required for im- mediate service, and further services will be required as the exigencies of the Government may demand. It is a time when, against the civil and religious liberties of the people, and against the integrity of the Govern- ment of the United States, parties and politicians must be as dust in the balance. All good citizens, every- where, must join in making common cause against a common enemy.

Opportunities will be immediately offered to all existing military companies under the direction of the proper authorities of the State for enlistment to fill the demand of the Federal Government, and I hereby in- vite the patriotic citizens of the State to enroll themselves into companies of seventy-seven men each, and to advise the executive of their readiness to be mustered into service immediately. Detailed instructions will be furnished on the acceptance of companies, and the commissioned officers of each regiment will nominate their own field officers.

In times of public danger, bad men grow bold and reckless. The property of the citizen becomes unsafe, and both public and private rights liable to be jeopardized. 1 enjoin upon all administrative and peace offi- cers within the State renewed vigilence in the maintenance and execution of the laws, and in guarding against excesses leading to disorder among the people.

Given under my hand and the great seal of the State of Wisconsin, this 16th day of April. A. D. 1861. By the Governor ALEX. W. RANDALL.

L. T. HARVEY, Secretary of State.

In seven days from the time of this first preclamation, thirty-six companies had tendered their service to the country, and on the roll of honor was the company from Geneva, Capt. Roundy, at first enrolled as Company F, Fourth Wisconsin Infantry, and afterward known as Company F, Fourth Wisconsin Cavalry.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

The thirty-six companies that so early proffered their services were ordered to rendezvous at Madison, and the First Regiment was immediately organized. When the companies were origi- nally formed, it was supposed that the call was for three months only, but when it was known that the Government required enlistment for three years or during the war, they, with one ex- ception, accepted the proposition, and were embodied in the first six regiments raised by the State, participating in the severest actions of the war, and ranking everywhere and at all times among the most brave and reliable companies. The Whitewater company, Capt. Curtice, re- ported ready for service a very short time after the Geneva-probably only a few days-and its officers received their commissions on the same day-April 25. It was also assigned to the Fourth Infantry, as Company A. The following were the first officers of the two companies:

Company A ( Whitewater Light Infantry) -Captain, Charles E. Curtice, Whitewater; First Lieutenant, Frank L. Kiser, Whitewater; Second Lieutenant, Philo A. Castle, Whitewater.

Charles E. Curtice served until March 28, 1863, when he was honorably discharged, and after- ward re-entered the service as Paymaster of the Fourth Cavalry.

Frank L. Kiser resigned September 6, 1861.

Philo A. Castle was promoted to First Lieutenant September 26, 1861: resigned March 31, 1862.

Company F (Geneva Independents)-Captain, Daniel C. Roundy. Geneva; First Lieuten- ant, George H. Brown, Geneva: Second Lientenant, Harris Durkee. Geneva.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 54

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 998

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998