The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 13

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899


USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc. > Part 13


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WAR OF SECESSION - LEWIS' ADMINISTRATION.


The military officers for 1864 were besides the governor (who was commander-in-chief) Brigadier General Augustus Gaylord, adjutant general; Colonel S. Nye Gibbs, assistant adju- tant general; Brigadier General Nathaniel F. Lund, quartermaster and commissary general, and chief of ordnance; Brigadier General E. B. Wolcott, surgeon general; and Colonel Frank H. Firmin, military secretary. The legislature met at Madison on the 13th of January, 1864. "In response to the call of the General Government," said the governor, in his message to that body, " Wisconsin had sent to the field on the first day of November last, exclusive of three months' men, thirty - four regiments of infantry, three regiments and one company of cavalry, twelve batteries of light artillery, three batteries of heavy artillery, and one company of sharp- shooters, making an aggregate of forty-one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five men."


Quite a number of laws were passed at this session of the legislature relative to military matters : three were acts to authorize towns, cities and villages to raise money by tax for the payment of bounties to volunteers; one revised, amended and consolidated all laws relative to extra pay to Wisconsin soldiers in the service of the United States; one provided for the proper reception by the State, of Wisconsin volunteers returning from the field of service; another repealed the law relative to allotment commissioners. One was passed authorizing the gov- ernor to purchase flags for regiments or batteries whose flags were lost or destroyed in the service: another was passed amending the law suspending the sale of lands mortgaged to the State or held by volunteers, so as to apply to drafted men; another provided for levying a State tax of $200,000 for the support of families of volunteers. A law was passed authorizing the governor to take care of the sick and wounded soldiers of Wisconsin, and appropriated ten thousand dollars for that purpose. Two other acts authorized the borrowing of money for repel- ling invasion, suppressing insurrection, and defending the State in time of war. One act pro- hibited the taking of fees for procuring volunteers' extra bounty ; another one defined the resi- dence of certain soldiers from this State in the service of the United States, who had received


87


WISCONSIN AS A STATE.


local bounties from towns other than their proper places of residence.


At the commencement of 1864, there were recruiting in the State the Thirty-fifth regiment of infantry and the Thirteenth battery. The latter was mustered in on the 29th of December, 1863, and left the State for New Orleans on the 28th of January, 1864. In February, authority was given by the war department to organize the Thirty-sixth regiment of infantry. On the 27th of that month, the mustering in of the Thirty-fifth was completed at "Camp Washburn" -Colonel Henry Orff-the regiment, one thousand and sixty-six strong, leaving the State on the 18th of April, 1864, for Alexandria, Louisiana. The other regiments, recruited and mustered into the service of the United States during the year 1864, were: the Thirty-sixth-Colonel Frank A. Haskell; the Thirty-seventh-Colonel Sam Harriman ; the Thirty-eighth-Colonel James Bintliff ; the Thirty - ninth - Colonel Edwin L. Buttrick; the Fortieth - Colonel W. Augustus Ray; the Forty-first - Lieutenant Colonel George B. Goodwin ; the Forty-second- Colonel Ezra T. Sprague ; the Forty-third-Colonel Amasa Cobb.


The regiments mustered into the service of the United States during the year 1865 were: the Forty-fourth-Colonel George C. Symes ; the Forty-fifth-Colonel Henry F. Belitz; Forty- sixth-Colonel Frederick S. Lovell ; Forty-seventh-Colonel George C. Ginty ; Forty-eighth- Colonel Uri B. Pearsall; Forty-ninth-Colonel. Samuel Fallows; Fiftieth-Colonel John G. Clark ; Fifty-first-Colonel Leonard Martin; Fifty-second-Lieutenant Colonel Hiram J. Lewis ; and Fifty-third-Lieutenant Colonel Robert T. Pugh.


All of the fifty-three regiments of infantry raised in Wisconsin during the war, sooner or later moved to the South and were engaged there in one way or other, in aiding to suppress the rebellion. Twelve of these regiments were assigned to duty in the eastern division, which con- stituted the territory on both sides of the Potomac and upon the seaboard from Baltimore to Savannah. These twelve regiments were: the First (three months), Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Nineteenth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty-sixth, Thirty-seventh, and Thirty-eighth. Ten regiments were assigned to the central division, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Northern Alabama, and Georgia. These ten were: the Tenth, Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty- fourth, Thirtieth, Forty-third, Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh. Added to these was the First (re-organized). Thirty-one regiments were ordered to the western division, embracing the country west and northwest of the central division. These were: the Eighth, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, Thirty-first, Thirty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, Forty-first, Forty- second, Forty-eighth, Forty-ninth, Fiftieth, Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third .. During the war several transfers were made from one district to another. There were taken from the eastern division, the Third and Twenty-sixth, and sent to the central division; also the Fourth, which was sent to the department of the gulf. The Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seven- teenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-fifth, Thirtieth, Thirty-first and Thirty-second were transferred from the western to the central department.


The four regiments of cavelry were assigned to the western division - the First regiment being afterward transferred to the central division. Of the thirteen batteries of light artillery, the Second, Fourth, and Eleventh, were assigned to the eastern division; the First and Third, to the central division ; the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth, to the western division. During the war, the First was transferred to the western division; while the Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth, were transferred to the central division. Of the twelve batteries of the First regiment of heavy artillery - "A," "E," "F," "G," "H," "I," "K," "L," and "M," were assigned to duty in the eastern division ; "B" and "C," to the central


88


HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.


division; and "D," to the western division. Company "G," First regiment Berdan's sharp- shooters, was assigned to the eastern division.


The military officers of the State for 1865 were the same as the previous year, except that Brigadier General Lund resigned his position as quartermaster general, James M. Lynch being appointed in his place. The legislature of this year met in Madison on the 11th of January. "To the calls of the Government for troops," said Governor Lewis, in his message, "no State has responded with greater alacrity than has Wisconsin. She has sent to the field, since the commencement of the war, forty-four regiments of infantry, four regiments and one company of cavalry, one regiment of heavy artillery, thirteen batteries of light artillery, and one company of sharpshooters, making an aggregate (exclusive of hundred day men) of seventy-five thousand one hundred and thirty-three men."


Several military laws were passed at this session : one authorizing cities, towns, and villages to pay bounties to volunteers; another, incorporating the Wisconsin Soldiers' Home; two others, amending the act relative "to the commencement and prosecution of civil actions against persons in the military service of the country." One was passed authorizing the payment of salaries, clerk hire, and expenses, of the offices of the adjutant general and quartermaster general from the war fund; another, amending the act authorizing commissioned officers to take acknowledg- ment of deeds, affidavits and depositions; another, amending the act extending the right of suffrage to soldiers in the field. One act provides for correcting and completing the records of the adjutant general's office, relative to the military history of the individual members of the several military organizations of this State; another fixes the salary of the adjutant general and the quartermaster general, and their clerks and assistants; another prohibits volunteer or sub- stitute brokerage. One act was passed supplementary and explanatory of a previous one of the same session, authorizing towns, cities, or villages, to raise money to pay bounties to volunteers; another, amending a law of 1864, relating to the relief of soldiers' families; and another, pro- viding for the establishment of State agencies for the relief and care of sick, wounded, and disabled Wisconsin soldiers. There was an act also passed, authorizing the borrowing of money for a period not exceeding seven months, to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, and defend the State in time of war,-the amount not to exceed $850,000.


On the 13th of April, 1865, orders were received to discontinue recruiting in Wisconsin, and to discharge all drafted men who had not been mustered in. About the first of May, orders were issued for the muster out of all organizations whose term of service would expire on or before the first of the ensuing October. As a consequence, many Wisconsin soldiers were soon on their way home. State military officers devoted their time to the reception of returning regiments, to their payment by the United States, and to settling with those who were entitled to extra pay from the State. Finally, their employment ceased - the last soldier was mustered out -the War of the Rebellion was at an end. Wisconsin had furnished to the federal army during the conflict over ninety thousand men, a considerable number more than the several requisitions of the General Government called for. Nearly eleven thousand of these were killed or died of wounds received in battle, or fell victims to diseases contracted in the military service, to say nothing of those who died after their discharge, and whose deaths do not appear upon the mili- tary records. Nearly twelve million dollars were expended by the State authorities, and the people of the several counties and towns throughout the State, in their efforts to sustain the National Government.


Wisconsin feels, as well she may, proud of her record made in defense of national existence. Shoulder to shoulder with the other loyal States of the Union, she stood-always ranking among the foremost. From her workshops, her farms, her extensive pineries, she poured forth stalwart


89


WISCONSIN AS A STATE.


men, to fill up the organizations which she sent to the field. The blood of these brave men drenched almost every battle-field from Pennsylvania to the Rio Grande, from Missouri to Georgia. To chronicle the deeds and exploits -the heroic achievements-the noble enthusiasm -of the various regiments and military organizations sent by her to do battle against the hydra- headed monster secession - would be a lengthy but pleasant task; but these stirring annals belong to the history of our whole country. Therein will be told the story which, to the latest time in the existence of this republic, will be read with wonder and astonishment. But an out- line of the action of the State authorities and their labors, and of the origin of the various military organizations, in Wisconsin, to aid in the suppression of the rebellion, must needs contain a reference to other helps employed-mostly incidental, in many cases wholly charitable, but none the less effective : the sanitary operations of the State during the rebellion.


Foremost among the sanitary operations of Wisconsin during the war of the rebellion was the organization of the surgeon general's department - to the end that the troops sent to the ' field from the State should have a complete and adequate supply of medicine and instruments as well as an efficient medical staff. In 1861, Governor Randall introduced the practice of appoint- ing agents to travel with the regiments to the field, who were to take charge of the sick. The practice was not continued by Governor Harvey. On the 17th of June, 1862, an act of the legislature became a law authorizing the governor to take care of the sick and wounded soldiers of Wisconsin, and appropriated twenty thousand dollars for that purpose. Under this law several expeditions were sent out of the State to look after the unfortunate sons who were suffering from disease or wounds. Soldiers' aid societies were formed throughout the State soon after the opening scenes of the rebellion. When temporary sanitary operations were no longer a necessity in Wisconsin, there followed two military benevolent institutions intended to be of a permanent character : the Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee, and the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Madison. The latter, however, has been discontinued. The former, started as a State institu- tion, is now wholly under the direction and support of the General Government.


Whether in the promptitude of her responses to the calls made on her by the General Govern- ment, in the courage or constancy of her soldiery in the field, or in the wisdom and efficiency with which her civil administration was conducted during the trying period covered by the war of the rebellion, Wisconsin proved herself the peer of any loyal State.


-


TABULAR STATEMENT.


We publish on the following pages the report of the Adjutant General at the close of the war, but before all the Wisconsin organizations had been mustered out. It shows that 85,000 brave men were ready to forsake home, friends and the comforts of peaceful avocations, and offer their lives in defense of their country's honor. Twenty-two out of every hundred either died, were killed or wounded. Thirteen out of every hundred found a soldier's grave, while only 60 per cent of them marched home at the end of the war. Monuments may crumble, cities fall into decay, the tooth of time leave its impress on all the works of man, but the memory of the gallant deeds of the army of the Union in the great war of the rebellion, in which the sons of Wisconsin bore so conspicuous a part, will live in the minds of men so long as time and civilized governments endure.


Table showing total number of Volunteers originally in the several organizations from the State, and numerical strength at the close of war.


GAIN BY RECRUITS.


GAIN BY DRAFT.


LOSSES DURING THE SERVICE.


ORGANIZATION.


Original


1863.


1864.


1865.


1863.


1864.


1865.


Veteran Re-


Enlistments.


Total.


Death.


Missing.


Desertion.


Transfer.


Discharge.


Muster- Out.


First Infantry, three months.


810


810


3


5


76


719


First Infantry, three years ...


945


75


66


407


15


1508


235


57


47


298


871


Second Infantry, three years ..


1051


57


80


290


179


110


237


2156


247


5


51


98


945


810


Fifth Infantry, three years ...


1058


210


684


25


50


25


204


2256


285


4


105


88


405


1424


Sixth Infantry, three years ..


1108


58


171


18


79


411


61


237


2143


821


7


79


75


513


1148


Seventh Infantry, three years ..


1029


74


843


12


189


67


218


1932


891


6


44


106


478


912


Eighth Infantry, three years ..


973


52


286


62


16


3


301


1643


255


B


60


41


320


964


*Ninth Infantry, three years ..


870


109


180


43


1


219


1422


175


25


7


191


739 455


Eleventh Infantry, three years.


1029


268


24


62


147


368


1965


348


25


9


319


1264


Twelfth Infantry, three years .....


1045


84


314


22


177


24


1


519 2186


294


26


64


336


1466


"Thirteenth Infantry, three years.


970


169


212


83


83


72


392


1931


183


8


6


321


797


Fourteenth Infantry, three years.


970


60


489


41


85


200


115


272


2182


287


13


97


28


407


1355 320


Fifteenth Infantry, three years ..


801


20


76


1


1


7


906


267


22


46


47


204


1252


Seventeenth Infantry, three years ..


941


77


298


10


186


213


1964


221


5


157


32


448


1101


Eighteenth Infantry, three years ...


962


61


103


84


28


200


71


178


1637


220


78


208


23


265


848


Nineteenth Infantry, three years.


978


26


156


5


54


1484


136


. 46


152


845


805


227


41


115


222


524


1171


288


40


99


261


483


1505


226


45


31


196


1006


Twenty-third Infantry, three years ...


1


118


4


1117


289


J


6


124


416


Twenty-fourth Infantry, three years ...


1003


70


4


6


95


13


1444


422


20


65


165


772


1002


2


1


1089


254


31


125


232


447


865


24


68


3


17


82


1187


231


31


81


221


578


961


2


114


1


1089


296


39


103


184


467


906


69


220


23


1


1219


69


52


46


340


712


Thirty-first Infantry, three years ...


1078


2


52


33


167


710


993


6


370


5


100


1474


275


58


27


189


925


1066


4


22


. 37


170


637


961


1066


14


8


1088


256


29


11


990


9


15


1014


296


21


88


214


708


25


76


64


135


136


1144


211


29


29


195


680


918


8


104


7


1082


108


55


21


208


640


780


780


No Report.


780


776


776


13


578


130


1


1008


57


18


149


188


646


Forty-third Infantry, one year .... 867


38


8


913


70


40


1


89


768


Forty-fourth Infantry, one year ...


877


235


2


1114


57


48


121


92


796


859'


142


/1001


261.


8|


86


801


802


1


78


1266


261


6


51


134


466


848


Third Infantry, three years ...


979


70


284


20 72


85


13


1034


219


21


23


316


Sixteenth Infantry, three years ..


1066


70


547


12


88


155


19


248


2200


363


46


115


88


386


Twentieth Infantry, three years .. Twenty-first Infantry, three years .... 1002


990


12


120


6


1


2


152


15


1009


139


4


180


223


1077


173


71


138


289


406


1018


20


282


236


1196


246


4


56


57


248


585


961


2


125


11


878


8


188


4


892


164


8


2


961


20


283


186


472


Thirty-second Infantry, three years ... Thirty-third Infantry, three years .. Thirty-fourth Infantry, nine months ... *Thirty-fifth Infantry, three years ... Thirty-sixth Infantry, three years ..... Thirty-seventh Inf., one, two & three, Thirty-eighth Inf., one, two & three ... Thirty-ninth Inf., one hundred days ... Fortieth Infantry, one hundred days ..


Forty-first Inf., one hundred days ...


578


6


2


570


Forty-second Infantry, one year ... ... 877


Forty-fifth Infantry, one year ....


06


1129


Twenty-second Infantry, three years,


994


281


10


84


Twenty-fifth Infantry, three years ... Twenty-sixth Infantry, three years .... Twenty-seventh Infantry, three years Twenty-eighth Infantry, three years ... Twenty-ninth Infantry, three years .. Thirtieth Infantry, three years ..


2


287


270


Tenth Infantry, three years .....


916


.


768


177|2 ........ 445


114


196


71


Strength.


Gain by Substitutes.


Forty-sixth Infantry, cuo your ..... ....


914


83.


Forty-seventh Infantry, one year ..


927


Forty-eighth Infantry, one year ....


828


.


178


775


Forty-ninth Infantry, one year ...


986


16


1002


48


6


..


Fiftieth Infantry, one year .....


942


16


8


87


34


714


Fifty-first Infantry, one year ..


841


2


6


42


16


41


406


Fifty-second Infantry, one year ..


880


9


889


8


14


0


47


815


First Army Corps, Infantry ....


1124


295


597


164


83


202


76


1


885


2510


271


5


108


88


557 1641


Third Cavalry, three years ..


1186


324


608


80


18


857


2523


215


126


34


418


1691


Fourth Cavalry, three years ..


1047


82


810


140


16


260


2305


850


28|


74


2


474


+754


Milwaukee .....


83


1


... 58


42


2


84


808


221 .. ..


7


14


48


212


First Battery Light Artillery ...


158


5


35


2


48


243


12


6


30


188


Third Battery Light Artillery ....


170


85


82


1


88


48


294


24


1


15


1


82


171


Fourth Battery Light Artillery.


151


1


64


1


79


804


24


1


5


61


218


Sixth Battery Light Artillery.


157


18


64


1


2


34


276


29


5


9


86


197


Seventh Battery Light Artillery


158


40


50


1


8


92


844


29


9


1


68 237


Eighth Battery Light Artillery.


161


2


90


10|


829


25


1


13


14


58


228


Ninth Battery Light Artillery ..


155


4


53


6


296


6


6


1


56


227 91


Tenth Battery Light Artillery ....


47


89


80


2


279


24


4


2


17


92


Twelfth Battery Light Artillery ..


99


86


121


2


8


81


842


80


1


2


81


105


128


Thirteenth Battery Light Artillery ..


156


22


10


188


14


1


25


8


39


106


Heavy Artillery.


129


103


80


20


361


12,


37


4


22


286


Battery B, Heavy Artillery ..


149


80


6


185


7


17


40


105


Battery C, Heavy Artillery ..


146


11


11


3


171


8


1


31


124


Battery D, Heavy Artillery ..


146


12


71


280


39


9


67


110


Battery E, Heavy Artillery ..


151


153


2


1


150


Battery F, Heavy Artillery ..


4


156


1


10


144


Battery H, Heavy Artillery ..


151


8


154;


10


144


Battery I, Heavy Artillery ..


150


18


163


1


10


152


Battery K, Heavy Artillery ..


148


9


157


3


10


144


Battery L, Heavy Artillery ..


152


8


155


6


145


Battery M, Heavy Artillery ...


152


2


154


3


105


43


87


9


194


84|


8


4


43


58


47


Gibbons' Brigade Band ..


13


1


.....


..


38


do


U. S. Colored Troops ....


171


46


21


5


1


244


do


Army and Navy ...


546


168


Out of State.


14


5


....


394


6868


16868


Unassigned


61]


12


97


537


5217


1798


1325


15784


91379


10868


258


3362


2961


16193


54052


Total.


56792


8361; 11245


2752


2361


5961


Remaining in service Nov. 1, 1865.


November 1, 1865.


t October 1, 1865.


# Drafted men who paid commutation ; volunteers, substituted and drafted men, mustered out before assignment; musters in the field reported by the War Department, without stating organization.


¿ To the number of 615 remaining in the service, November 1, 1865, should be added 145 transferred from the Twentieth and Twenty -third Regimenta.


91


...


25


25


25


Battery A, Heavy Artillery ..


151


2


153


1


146


Battery G, Heavy Artillery ..


152


10


145


Sharp Shooters, ..


15


No Report.


15 88


Blunt's Brigade Band ...


32


714


do


88


52


do


87


1


1


6


89


184


8


20


4


33


270


26


3


60


177


Fifth Battery Light Artilley ....


155


5


212


18


Second Cavalry, three years ....


1127


187


630


198


22


215


No Report.


67|


684|


1444


61 2602


8661.


.


8


81| 29


28


87 812


4


882


9


67


86 *.. ........


958 848 511


28


141


127 *........


486


25


Fifty-third Infantry, one year


9


98


No Report.


98


155


17


Second Battery Light Artillery.


60


66


78


11


60


Eleventh Battery Light Artillery


16


1


5


2


1


29


18


41| 854*


947 985


84


First Cavalry, three years ..


4685


1


1


92


HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.


TENTH ADMINISTRATION .- LUCIUS FAIRCHILD, GOVERNOR-1866-1867.


The inauguration of the newly elected State officers took place on Monday, January 1, 1866. The legislature, in its nineteenth regular session, convened on the tenth. H. D. Barron was elected speaker of the assembly. The " Union " and " Republican " members were in a majority in both branches of the legislature. "Our first duty," said Governor Fairchild in his message, "is to give thanks to Almighty God for all His mercies during the year that is past." " The people of no nation on earth," he continued, " have greater cause to be thankful than have our people. The enemies of the country have been overthrown in battle. The war has settled finally great questions at issue between ourselves." Among the joint resolutions passed at this session was one submitting the question of a constitutional convention to frame a new constitution for the State, to the people. The legislature adjourned on the twelfth of April, having been in session ninety-three days. At the general election in November of this year, there were elected to the Fortieth congress : H. E. Paine, from the first district; B. F. Hopkins, from the second; Amasa Cobb, from the third; C. A. Eldredge, from the fourth; Philetus 'Sawyer, from the fifth, and C. C. Washburn, from the sixth district. All were republicans except Eldredge, who was elected as a democrat. The proposition for a constitutional conven- tion was voted upon by the people at this election, but was defeated.


The twentieth session of 'the legislature commenced on the ninth of January, 1867. Angus Cameron was elected speaker of the assembly. The legislature was strongly " Repub- lican-Union." The message of Governor Fairchild was read by him in person, on the tenth. On the twenty-third, the two houses, in joint convention, elected Timothy O. Howe United States senator for the term of six years, commencing on the fourth of March next ensuing. This legislature passed an act submitting to the people at the next Fall election an amendment to section twenty-one of article four of the constitution of the State, providing for paying a salary of three hundred and fifty dollars to each member of the legislature, instead of a per diem allowance, as previously given. A sine die adjournment took place on the eleventh of April, after a service of ninety-three days.


To provide for the more efficient collection of license fees due the State, an act, approved 'on the day of adjournment, authorized the governor to appoint an agent of the treasury, to superintend and enforce the collection of fees due for licenses fixed by law. This law is still in force, the agent holding his office at the pleasure of the executive of the State.


On the 27th of March, Chief Justice Dixon resigned his office, but was immediately appointed by the governor to the same position. At the election in April following, associate Justice Cole was re-elected, without opposition, for six years from the first Monday in January following. On the 16th of August, Associate Justice Downer having resigned, Byron Paine was appointed by the governor in his place.


The republican State ticket, in the Fall, was elected over the democratic-resulting in the choice of Lucius Fairchild for governor; Wyman Spooner, for lieutenant governor; Thomas S. Allen, Jr., secretary of state; William E. Smith, for state treasurer; Charles R. Gill, for attorney general ; A. J. Craig, for superintendent of public instruction ; Jeremiah M. Rusk, for bank comptroller, and Henry Cordier, for state prison commissioner. Except Craig, all these officers were the former incumbents. The amendment to section 21 of article 4 of the constitution of the State, giving the members a salary instead of a per diem allowance, was adopted at this election. As it now stands, each member of the legislature receives, for his services, three hundred and fifty dollars per annum, and ten cents for every mile he travels in going to and returning from the place of the meetings of the legislature. on the most




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