The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 79

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050

USA > Wisconsin > Waukesha County > The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc > Part 79

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Fifty-seventh Infantry --- M. Howard Noonham.

First Cavalry-Co. A-Beverly Woodruff. Co. F-Charles B. Kimball, Chauncy B. Kimball, Rob- ert Champion. Co. H-Elisha Morris. Company unknown-Edward Martin, James Monktalow.

TOWN OF VERNON.

First Infantry-Co. F-Grillier Guthrie, New- ton Webster.

Third Infantry-Co. G-Philemon H. Welch.

Fifth Infantry-Co. F-Eugene Davidson, N. Stein.

Fourteenth Infantry-Co. A-Benjamin Platt. Perriander Putnam, Milo Damon, Edward Dur- fey, Benjamin F. Conrad, 1. S. Davidson, William Davidson, Johannos Neistrono, F. Nevins.

Fifteenth Infantry-Co. C-Austin Goodale.

Twenty-second Infantry -- Company unknown- Samuel Jones.

Twenty-righth Infantry-Company unknown- Isaiah B. J. Hinds, Frank E. Reimer, Nestor Baker, John Watson, Charles Hellwig, Ferdinand Shill, Ferdinand Teigs, Otto Kruger, Albert Teskey, George Kellogg, Nelson Smith, Christo- pher Cullens, Ephraim Stein, Lewis K. Moore, John Barnard, John J. Kimball, George Vander- pool, Mon. M. Speaker, Alexander Stewart, John Paxton, William H. Mudgett, John Beggs, Peter Darling, Wallace M. Goff, Jacob Adliff, Michael Powers, August Junger, Dolphet Noolf, George Reeder.

Regiment unknown-Henry Desk, Samuel Jones. Cavalry-James Hudson, Albert Wilkins, Will- iam Friton, Leonidas Baldwin, Carl Pefer, Ever Everson, L. Fuller, James V. Darling, Ole G. Everson,

Barstow's Cavalry-John L. Baldwin.

TOWN OF WAUKESHA.

First Infantry-Co F-Stephen S. Avers.

Second Infantry-Co. F-Nathaniel Meggs, Mar- tin McCall, John Hinton.

Fourth Infantry-Sydney A. Bean (Colonel.)

Fifth Infantry-Co. B-Iawthus R. Ensign, Wm. Horrie. Co. F-Henry Vreeland, Andrew I. Bennett, George Levinie Orlando Culver, Otis Darling, Arthur Halbrook, Thomas McGeep, James Patrick, Luke Chapleau S. B. Langworthy, Irving M. Bean, (Captain), Enoch Totten (Major), Andrew S. Bennett (Adjutant), Miles L. Butter- field, (Captain), Benj. F. Cram, Thomas Deveraux, Henry H. Messenger, Andrew J. Smith, Artemus M. Culver, John B. Doughty, James C. Foster,

520

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

George Klock, Eli J. March, Chesley McFarland, Samuel E. Orvis, Thomas Parkinson, Ezra O. Pelton. George Schwartz, William H. Smith, Rich- ard Welsh, Isaac L. Wood, Henry Becker, Charles O. Brown, James P. Benedict, John F. Culver, Charles J. Cole, Dominick Federer, Frederick Kuessner, John Rattaray, William W. Root, Warren Thompson, Joseph Bubb, Theodore L. West, promoted to Major, Thirty-fourth Regiment, F. D. F. Johnson, W. W. Ross, William Hall, James Murphy.

Eighth Infantry-Company unknown-Jacob Paulus.

Ninth Infantry-Company unknown -- Henry Han.

Eleventh Infantry-Co. F-Riel E. Jackson, (Captain), Philip Downey, Joseph Young (Musi- cian), C. C. Barnes (Surgeon).

Sixteenth Infantry-Company unknown-Otto Mauren (Surgeon).

Eighteenth Infantry-Company unknown-J. W. Crane (Major).

Nineteenth Infantry-Co. H-Henry Avery. Company unknown-Leroy Bennett, Peter Telyea, Luther Powers, George Jones, William McKenna.

Twentieth Infantry-Co. B-Eugene Chamber- lain, Thomas Murray. Co. G-C. H. Miller. Com- pany unknown-Josephus Clawson.

Twenty-second Infantry-Company unknown- Wm. H. Mowrey.

Twenty-third Infantry-Company unknown- Robert C. Clawson.

Twenty-fourth Infantry-Co. D-Daniel Mc- Killips, Charles Purdy, John Murray, David McPhillips, John Martin, Patrick Ryan.

Nazro Guards-Christian Jentz.

Twenty-eighth Infantry -- Company unknown- Timothy O'Brien, Wm. A. Barstow, Edwin B. Cook, John A. Williams, C. C. White, Ellis White, Conrad Pfluyr, Andrew Fletcher, William Webb, Edwin Higley, Frederick Wexter, Nathaniel How- ard, Henry Baker, Jackson Reed, Goodruff Have- stein, Charles Jenskie, Harmon Yemerick, Volney H. Porter, Benjamin Howard, Henry Baker, Sherman M. White, Elisha T. Bradley, Napoleon Merrill, Patrick H. Carney, John Downs, George H. Short, James Walton, William Henry Clark, George W. Holmes, Jacob Harrison, Legrand

Safford, George Knipple, David McDonald, Hugh Crale, Thomas McGath, John Duer, Peter A. Duer, William Cooper, Franklin A. Ben- nett (First Lieutenant), Joseph Peffer, Edwin White, James L. Watson, John Price, William Swan, Robert C. Elliott, Stuart Eldredge, Samuel W. Hogg, Adam Fresling, William T. Savage, Joseph Harding. Jacob Barney, Albert S. Kend- rick (Adjutant), Cushman K. Davis (First Lieu- tenant), James Webb, H. L. Chamberlain, Jobn W. Lowry, Wm. A. Mann, Joseph Hadfield, John Murphy, August Brager, Loring Davids, Edward Savage, Oscar Carlson, William H. Bump, Charles H. Churchill, George W. Howard, Phillip Clark, E. A. Gage, Morter S. Smith, Charles B. Slawson, Arba Hawley, William Klock, Joseph Felton, Thomas Compton, Henry Fratz, William Wether- by, Fred Wardrobe, Willis V. Tichenor, (Cap- tain), Aaron Morton, Walker L. Bean (Second Lieutenant ), Sanborn J. Bean, H. Adolph Meyer, M. G. Townsend (Captain), Herman Hibbard, Monroe Hubbard, Henry H. Gillson, Thomas Campion, Charles Larkin, Thomas Ferguson, Samuel N. McFarland, Thomas Puffer, Henry Imig, Frans Ellsler, Charles Hall, Orlin Vander- hoff, John O'Brien, William Linch, George Risel- back, Jacob King, Jacob Adlaff, Albert Voght, Wm. A. Tucker, Martin McCall, Robert Killips, Chas. Subluck, Aug. Guble, Peter Bowman, James Angamen, John Boh, John Weitzell, George Ruder, David James, James Hoag, Israel Luther, George Sawyer, W. D. Hatch, James Carver, Samuel Car- ver, H. Culver, William Campion, Ed. Porter, John Howie, William Story, Schuyler Taylor, Jno. Powles, John Johnson, Edson Bastin.

Regiment unknown-John Kinney, Harvey M. Douglas, Dwight V Culver, John Kumey, Byron Canfield.

First Cavalry-Richard L. Gove (Adjutant,) Horatio Foote, James Murdock, Michael Tyrel, George Knipple, W. A. Barstow (Colonel).

Third Cavalry-Co. E-Jacob Maurer. Com- pany unknown-James Lee, Louis Blessing, Charles Weneland, Peter Imig, Henry Downie, Henry Knipple.

Berdan's Sharpshooters-Coles Dutcher, Benja- min F. Moderate.

Benton Hussars-Michael Shafer, John Paulos.

The Draft .- There was but little excitement in Waukesha County when the announcement was made that her citizens would be obliged to submit to a draft to fill her quota in Lincoln's call for 600,000 men. A gallant effort had been made to avert the humiliation of a draft, but it was not quite successful. Therefore, in September, 1862, Vernon Tichenor, of Waukesha, was appointed Commissioner to superintend the draft in this county, and Dr. R. Dunlap was appointed examining surgeon. The quota for the county was announced as follows : Waukesha, 194; Vernon, 63; New Berlin, 104; Brookfield, 116; Summit, 63; Oconomowoc, 121; Muk- wonago, 75; Eagle, 70; Ottawa, 59; Delafield, 74; Genesee, 90; Menomonee, 125; Lisbon, 78; Pewaukee, 85; Muskego, 76; Merton, 81; total, 1,474. To this was added 210 for decimated companies belonging to the county, which had theretofore enlisted, which swelled the number to 1,684. Before the arrival of the time for the draft to take place, however, the quota was reduced by enlistment to less than 200, and finally to 191.

The examining surgeon opened his office at Waukesha about September 1, 1862, and from that time until the day of the draft, it was crowded day and night. He succeeded in giving exemption papers to an average of thirty-five persons per day. The local papers described the

521

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

scene as one ludicrous in the extreme. Men who had always boasted of their physical health and prowess were prostrated by the draft malaria, and could hardly climb the stairs to the sur- geon's office. The melancholy feelings of men of sound body and middle age who suddenly received word that their friends in Canada were "very sick-not expected to live," was sorrow- ful to behold. Ten who thus suddenly learned of illness among their Canada friends left Wau- kesha in a single night. Thirteen left Oconomowoc on a certain Sunday evening, and about half that number tore themselves away from Pewaukee. Canada did not appear to have at that time well ones enough to properly care for the sick, and the good men of Waukesha County could not see them suffer. They therefore left for the Queen's dominions in the night, not find- ing it in their hearts to wait until another day.

The enrollment of men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years was the work of the Sheriff. The enrollment, exemptions and the draft may be seen as follows :

Enrolled Militia. Exemptions.

Drafted.

Eagle ..

224

Muskego.

206

Lisbon

270

Delafield.

222

Merton

268

Ottawa.

151

Summit

218

Mukwonago

198

Pewaukee.

265

Vernon

203

Menomonee.

335

Brook field

320

Genesee

328

Oconomowoc

379

New Berlin

437

Waukesha

620

136

Total

4044

770

191

The first draft began in the court house, at Waukesha, on Monday, November 10, 1862. It will be seen by the above table that the four towns of Waukesha, New Berlin, Oconomowoc and Mukwonago had no draft. Their quotas were full. Mr. Tichenor, the Draft Commis- sioner, secured only 117 of the 191 drafted, which number he took to Madison November 16, 1862. The balance were either exempted or had " skedaddled."

During this draft, Mr. Tichenor and his deputies all went armed, as several had threatened to open a fight. The thorough preparation made by Mr. T. for a battle to kill, if any was to be had at all, prevented a disturbance.

Before the second draft took place, hundreds of men had become possessed of the Govern- ment circular giving fifty-one diseases, any one of which would secure exemption, and men desiring to escape military service appeared before the surgeon with these circulars marked opposite the names of the different diseases they thought would serve to secure it. One man from Pewaukee had thirty-one fatal diseases marked as "what ailed him," and another from Oconomowoc said he had the nineteen diseases which were marked in his circular. Strange to say, the surgeon refused to exempt either of them.

The conscription act gave drafted men the same bounties as volunteers.

The second draft for Waukesha County began in the United States court room at Milwau- kee, the office of County Draft Commissioner having been abolished, at 2 o'clock Thursday, November 12, 1863, and was completed in three hours. Every town was included, and . 17 persons drew prizes, divided as follows : Waukesha, 68; Eagle, 28; Ottawa, 18; Summit, 22; Pewaukee, 35; Vernon, 24; Genesee, 29; Delafield, 28; Oconomowoc, 45; Menomonee, 40; Brookfield, 40; Mukwonago, 26; Lisbon, 24; Muskego, 26; New Berlin, 32; Merton, 30.

522

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY

The third draft for Waukesha County took place at Milwaukee, on Friday, September 23, 1864, and 766 able-bodied men drew prizes. One-half of these were for deficiency in former quotas. The towns of Merton, Lisbon, Mukwonago and Eagle filled their quotas by volunteers. The other towns stood the draft, as follows : Muskego, 52; Menomonee, 140; Vernon, 46; Oconomowoc, 146 ; New Berlin, 54; Brookfield, 80; Pewaukee, 62; Ottawa, 30; Summit, 62; Genesee, 28; Delafield, 40; Waukesha, 66. But all that were drafted were by no means secured. Some "skedaddled," and a large number escaped by other means, so that a supple- mental draft was ordered for December 1, 1864. It resulted as follows: Summit, 32; Mus- kego, 36; Menomonee, 102; Pewaukee, 24; Oconomowoc, 42.

On December, 20, 1864, President Lincoln issued a call for 300,000 more men. The quotas were not assigned to Waukesha County until February, 1865, and were as follows : Eagle, 13; Ottawa, 6; Summit, 8; Oconomowoc, 7; Merton, 14; Delafield, 13; Genesee, 6; Mukwonago, 17; Lisbon, 22; Pewaukee, 10; Waukesha, 49; Vernon, 8; Menomonee, 25; Brookfield, 31 ; New Berlin, 24; Muskego, 14.

A few weeks later, Gen. Lee surrendered, Jefferson Davis was captured and the Rebellion- one of the most destructive civil conflicts recorded in history-was at an end.

Capture of Jefferson Davis .- There were so many Waukesha County soldiers in the detach- ment detailed to effect the capture of Jefferson Davis, the closing act of the Rebellion ; there was so much interest attaching to the affair because Col. Edward Daniels, whose regiment the detachment was from, was an old resident of Waukesha County, and as Orson P. Clinton, another well-known Waukesha County man, furnished some of the most important testimony in the successful effort to secure to Wisconsin soldiers their share of the $100,000 offered for Mr. Davis' capture, the following article is deemed worthy of a place in this book, inasmuch as it places before the people of Waukesha County facts which no Wisconsin or other book ever con- tained :

The scenes of May, 1865, are here recalled. Lee had surrendered ; the Southern army, what there was left of it, was poorly clad, poorly fed, poorly paid and poorly equipped. Even the most sanguine of the leaders in the Rebellion were without hope; their inevitable fate cast an overshadowing gloom upon the torn and desolate graveyard of the South. The North had triumphed in arms, and would soon triumph in law. The fate of treason was death; that was Constitutional law, and the Southern leaders knew it. Most of them expected to meet this fate, if captured, and were making extraordinary efforts to escape. Jefferson Davis was one of this class. He had left Richmond, and, with a comparatively small escort, was skulking through the South. This became known, and President Andrew Johnson, May 2, 1865, offered $100,000 for his capture. The First Wisconsin Cavalry, raised mostly by Col. Edward Daniels, ex-State Geologist, resident of Waukesha County, had been lying at Macon, Ga., from April 20, 1865. A detachment consisting of about one hundred and fifty men was sent, under command of Lieut. Col. Henry Harnden, now United States Revenue Collector at Madison, Wis., to capture Jeff Davis, who was thought to be in that State. At 5 o'clock Sunday morning, May 7, 1865, this detachment struck the trail of the Davis party near Dublin, in Laurens County, where the ex-President of the Confederacy and John C. Breckenridge had parted company. A few hours later, bits of paper and a copy of the Richmond (Va.) Enquirer, found on the trail by Walter O. Hargrave, of Fond du Lac County, made it certain past all doubt that the boys were on the right track. They then pushed on, regardless of hunger and weariness, with renewed vigor. At Poor Robbin Ferry, or Abbeville, on the 9th, this detachment met a much larger body of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, under command of Col. Benjamin D. Pritchard. Pritchard knew of the offer of $100,000 for the capture of President Davis (so some of his men said, though he afterward denied it) but Col. Harnden did not. The two talked together, the latter finally disclosing his orders and going so far as to state to the Michigan commander that he (Harnden) was on Davis' trail, showing the papers, etc., in proof. Pritchard said he had orders to take Poor Robbin Ferry and patrol the river ; but he was careful not to unbosom him- self as Col. Harnden had done, which would have let the latter know of the handsome reward

C. Ca. Lobitos ( DECEASED) WAUKESHA.

525

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

offered by the Government. As, near Abbeville, fresh evidences of the close proximity of Davis were found, the darkies saying, "Jeff am ahead dar," Col. Harnden pushed wearily on, follow- ing the trail. Toward night of the 9th, a little girl was accosted in front of a Southerners' residence, with, "Has Mr. Davis left your house ?" Innocent of the consequences, she answered truthfully, "Yes; he hast just gone that way," pointing in the direction of the closely-followed trail. At 9 that night, Col. Harnden's horse being almost too weak to bear his burden farther, a halt was called. Sergt. Maj. Hargrave opposed the halt. He contended that Davis was as tired and as nearly worn out as themselves, and it was best to push on and make the capture that night. But Col. Harnden's order prevailed, and the boys went into camp within less than two miles of their game, with orders to push on at 3 o'clock next morning.

In the mean time, Pritchard, with fresher men and horses, took a more direct road to inter- cept Davis (having received information which he afterward admitted under oath came only from Col. Harnden), and made all possible haste to get in ahead of the Wisconsin boys and secure the prize. He came upon the Davis camp in the night of the 9th of May ; picked his best men and stationed them across the trail on which he knew Col. Harnden and his men were advancing, with orders to "let no one approach from that direction."

Promptly at 3 o'clock Wednesday morning, May 10, Sergeant Hargrave roused Col. Harn- den's camp, and at 3:45 the line advanced. Sergt. George B. Hussey, with six companions, was sent in advance. That Pritchard's men were near never entered the heads of Col. Harnden and his men ; therefore, when Hussey received a volley from the former, they instinctively said " rebels," and rushed on to capture Jeff before he could break camp. But on receiving another volley Hussey retreated to the main body of the detachment, which, when it had advanced near enough, reccived volley after volley from the Winchester repeaters in the hands of the Michigan soldiers. Col. Harnden and his men supposed they were fighting rebels. Some of Pritchard's men, however, said, a few hours later, that they knew who they were firing at, but were obliged to obey the order to " to let no one approach from that direction." Two of the Fourth Michi- gan were killed, two or more wounded, and two taken prisoners. The prisoners explained and the battle closed ; two Wisconsin boys being severely wounded, and several horses being killed or disabled. While this fight was in progress. Pritchard surrounded the rebel camp near by and captured Davis, who had been aroused by the firing and was making ready to flee. When the Wisconsin boys came up, just as Jeff was surrendering, they were so enraged over the manner taken to snatch the prize from their very grasp, that many of them were determined then and there to exterminate "Pritchard and his murderers," as the boys savagely denominated the Fourth Michigan detachment.

Some of the Michigan boys declared Pritchard was entitled to a court-martial, as he had used Col. Harnden's confidence to snatch Davis from those who had first discovered the rebel trail and cheiftain, and that his order to stop Col. Harnden resulted in nothing less than murder. To this day the Wisconsin boys declare that Pritchard's escape at that time was one of the luckiest of his whole life.

Davis was captured at Irwinsville, Irwin Co., Ga., just in the gray of morning, Thurs- day, May 10, 1865. The locality is near the Alapaha, a branch of the Suwanee River, and in the pine barrens, the country of the " clay-eaters," or much despised "white trash." He had on a hood and his wife's water-proof, with a bucket in hand, impersonating an old woman carry- ing water. His boots "gave him away." At first he drew a bowie-knife and showed fight, but soon gave up. He hung his head like a whipped cur, expecting his fate would be the bullet or the gallows ; but Mrs. Davis was indignant, independent and tyrannical, telling Col. Harn- den that her husband was " President Davis, and if the Yanks continued to address him in such opprobrious terms as 'old Jeff,' some of them would get hurt." With the captured party were Postmaster General Reagan, now member of Congress from Texas ; Davis' private Secretary, and quite a number of others. One of the party cast some papers in the fire, and another stepped aside and touched a match to a bundle of documents, supposed to have been of great importance ; but what they were has never been disclosed, and never can be.

526

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

When the boys began to confiscate baggage, etc., Mrs. Davis commanded Sergt. Har- grave to save her husband's magnificent horse for his use. There is no evidence that her order was obeyed.

All that saved Pritchard from court-martial was Secretary of War Stanton's hatred of Col. O. H. La Grange, in command of the brigade, afterward Superintendent of the U. S. Mint, who indorsed Col. Harnden's official report of the affair, stating the facts as here recited, and throwing the whole blame for the wanton loss of life upon what appeared to be the willful doings of Pritchard. Secretary Stanton gave no heed to this report, because La Grange once pre- sumed to talk pretty plainly to him in regard to the exchange of prisoners. La Grange had been captured and put " under fire " by the rebels-hence his plain talk about the duty of exchang- ing prisoners.

When, however, the matter came before the committee appointed by Congress, and the Fourth Michigan claimed the entire reward and all the credit of the capture, Col. Harnden went before the committee with such facts as secured to the Wisconsin boys their full share of the money ; but the pages of history still bear wicked libels against the First Wisconsin Cavalry.

The proof that no heed was given to Col. La Grange's report of the battle at Davis' cap- ture because of Stanton's hatred of that brave Wisconsin officer, was the fact that La Grange had repeatedly been strongly recommended for promotion, which Secretary Stanton as often refused.

Following is something more official. Gen. Robert G. H. Minty, in command of the division, said, in his official report to the War Department, May 18, 1865, that " Pritchard found a detachment under Lieut. Col. Harnden, of the First Wisconsin Cavalry, on Davis' trail ahead of him," and that, "by taking a circuitous route and marching until 2 o'clock in the morning," succeeded in passing ahead of Harnden and making the capture. This report was based on fresh facts, and no further evidence is needed to convince any reasonable person that a superhuman effort was made by Pritchard to cheat the weary Wisconsin boys out of the fruits of their almost superhuman labor.

Following is Gen. J. H. Wilson's official report of the capture of Jefferson Davis : MACON, Ga., May 13.

Hon. E. M. Stanton :

Lieut. Col. Harnden, commanding the First Wisconsin Regiment, has just arrived from Irwinsville. He struck the trail of Davis at Dublin, Laurens Co., on the evening of the 7th, and followed bim closely night and day through the pine wilderness at Alligator Creek, and Galen Swamp, via Cumberlandsville to Irwinsville. At. Cumberlands- ville, Col. Harnden met Col. Pritchard, with 150 picked men and horses of the Fourth Michigan. Harnden followed the trail directly south, while Pritchard, having fresher horses, pushed down the Ocmulgee toward Hopewell, and thence by House Creek to Irwinsville, arriving there at midnight on the 9th. Jeff Davis had not arrived. From a citizen, Pritchard learned that his party was encamped two miles out of the town. He made a disposition of his men and surrounded the camp before day.

Harnden had camped at 9 P. M. within two miles, as he afterward learned, from Davis. The trail being too indirect to follow, he pushed on at 3 A. M., and had gone but little more than one mile when his advance was fired upon by the men of the Fourth Michigan. A fight occurred, both parties exhibiting the greatest determination. Fifteen minutes elapsed before the mistake was discovered. The firing in the skirmish was the first warning Davis received.

The captars report that he hastily put an one of his wife's dresses and started for the woods, closely followed by our men, who at first thought him a woman, but seeing his baots while he was running, they suspected his sex at once. The race was a short one. The rebel President was soon brought to bay. He brandished a bowie-knife and showed signs of battle, but yielded promptly to the persuasion of Colt's revolvers, without compelling the men to fire. He expressed great indignation at the energy with which he was pursued, saying that he believed our Government too magnanimous to hunt down women and children. Mrs. Davis remarked to Col. Harnden, after the excitement was over, that the men had better not provake the President, or he might hurt some of them.

Reagan behaves himself with dignity and resignation. The party evidently were making for the coast.

J. H. WILSON, Brevet Major General.

It should be observed that, in pushing ahead of Col. Harnden, Pritchard violated orders. He was to patrol the river at Abbeville. Col. Harnden made his official report May 13, to Brig. Gen. Croxton, barely stating the facts of the capture. On this report Col. O. H. La Grange made the indorsement heretofore referred to, which is as follows :

527

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION M. D. ) MACON, Ga., May 14, 1865.

Respectfully Forwarded :

From this report it appears that Lient. Col. Harnden faithfully discharged his duty, and no blame can attach to him in relation to the unfortunate collision between his detachment. and Col. Pritchard's, which he had every reason to believe remained at Abbeville. It is, however, a source of painful regret that the aatisfaction experienced in this communication is clouded by the knowledge that an act having every appearance of unsoldierly selfishness in appro- priating by deception the fruits of another's labor, and thus attaining unearned auccess, resulted in unnecessary bloodahed, and a sacrifice of lives for which no atonement can be made. What may have been intended merely as an act of bad faith toward a fellow-soldier resulted in a crime, and for this cloaing scene of the rebellion, inglorious in itself, but historio by circumstances, it is difficult to repress a wish that the accident had afforded the Government a representative above suspicion.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 79

Author: Western Historical Co., pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050