The history of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, containing biographical sketches, Part 12

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 714

USA > Wisconsin > Jefferson County > The history of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, containing biographical sketches > Part 12

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The final and complete organization of the Thirty-first infantry-Colonel Isaac E. Mess- more-was not concluded during the year 1862.

The Thirty-second regiment, organized at "Camp Bragg," Oshkosh, with James H. Howe as colonel, was mustered into the service on the twenty-fifth of September, 1862; and, on the thirtieth of October, leaving the State, it proceeded by way of Chicago and Cairo to Memphis, Tennessee, going into camp on the third of November. The original strength of the Thirty- second was nine hundred and ninety-three.

The Thirty-third infantry-Colonel Jonathan B. Moore-mustered in on the eighteenth of October, 1862, at "Camp Utley," Racine, left the State, eight hundred and ninety-two strong, moving by way of Chicago to Cairo.

The Thirty-fourth regiment, drafted men, original strength nine hundred and sixty-one- Colonel Fritz Anneke-had its muster into service for nine months completed at "Camp Wash- burn," Milwaukee, on the last day of the year 1862.

Of the twenty-four infantry regiments, numbered from the Twelfth to the Thirty-fourth inclusive, and including also the Ninth, three-the Ninth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth-were mus- tered into the United States service in 1861. The whole of the residue were mustered in during the year 1862, except the Twenty-seventh and the Thirty-first. All were sent out of the State during 1862, except the last two mentioned and the Twenty-fifth, Thirtieth, and Thirty-fourth.

The First regiment of cavalry - Colonel Edward Daniels-perfected its organization at "Camp Harvey," Kenosha. Its muster into the United States service was completed on the eighth of March, 1862, the regiment leaving the State for St. Louis on the seventeenth, with a strength of eleven hundred and twenty-four.

The muster of the Second Wisconsin cavalry was completed on the twelfth of March, 1862, at "Camp Washburn," Milwaukee, the regiment leaving the State for St. Louis on the twenty- fourth, eleven hundred and twenty-seven strong. It was under the command of Cadwallader C. Washburn as colonel.

The Third Wisconsin cavalry-Colonel William A. Barstow-was mustered in at "Camp Barstow," Janesville. The muster was completed on the 31st of January, 1862, the regiment leaving the State on the 26th of March for St. Louis, with a strength of eleven hundred and eighty-six.

The original project of forming a regiment of light artillery in Wisconsin was overruled by the war department, and the several batteries were sent from the State as independent organizations.

The First battery-Captain Jacob T. Foster-perfected its organization at "Camp Utley," where the company was mustered in, it leaving the State with a strength of one hundred and fifty-five, on the 23d of January, 1862, for Louisville, where the battery went into "Camp Irvine," near that city. The Second battery-Captain Ernest F. Herzberg-was mustered into the service at "Camp Utley," October 10, 1861, the company numbering one hundred and fifty- three. It left the State for Baltimore, on the 21st of January, 1862. The Third battery-Cap- tain L. H. Drury-completed its organization of one hundred and seventy at "Camp Utley," and was mustered in October 10, 1861, leaving the State for Louisville, on the 23d of January, 1862. The Fourth battery-Captain John F. Vallee-rendezvoused at "Camp Utley." Its muster in was completed on the ist of October, 1861, its whole force being one hundred and fifty one. The company left the State for Baltimore on the 21st of January, 1862. The Fifth bat-

HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.

tery, commanded by Captain Oscar F. Pinney, was mustered in on the Ist of October, 1861, at " Camp Utley," leaving the State for St. Louis, on the 15th of March, 1862, one hundred and fifty-five strong. The Sixth battery-Captain Henry Dillon-was mustered in on the 2d of October, 1861, at " Camp Utley," leaving the State for St. Louis, March 15, 1862, with a numer- ical strength of one hundred and fifty-seven. The Seventh battery-Captain Richard R. Grif- fiths-was mustered in on the 4th of October, 1861, at " Camp Utley," and proceeded on the 15th of March, 1862, with the Fifth and Sixth batteries to St. Louis. The Eighth battery, com- manded by Captain Stephen J. Carpenter, was mustered in on the 8th of January, 1862, at "Camp Utley," and left the State on the 18th of March following, for St. Louis, one hundred and sixty-one strong. The Ninth battery, under command of Captain Cyrus H. Johnson, was organ- ized at Burlington, Racine county. It was mustered in on the 7th of January, 1862, leaving " Camp Utley " for St. Louis, on the 18th of March. At St. Louis, their complement of men- one hundred and fifty-five-was made up by the transfer of forty-five from another battery. The Tenth battery-Captain Yates V. Bebee-after being mustered in at Milwaukee, on the roth of February, 1862, left " Camp Utley," Racine, on the 18th of March for St. Louis, one hundred and seventeen strong The Eleventh battery-Captain John O'Rourke-was made up of the "Oconto Irish Guards " and a detachment of Illinois recruits. The company was organized at "Camp Douglas," Chicago, in the Spring of 1862. Early in 1862, William A. Pile succeeded in enlisting ninety-nine men as a company to be known as the Twelfth battery. The men were mustered in and sent forward in squads to St. Louis. Captain Pile's commission was revoked on the 18th of July. His place was filled by William Zickrick. These twelve batteries were all that left the State in 1862. To these are to be added the three regiments of cavalry and the nineteen regi- ments of infantry, as the effective force sent out during the year by Wisconsin.

The military officers of the State, at the commencement of 1863, were Edward Salomon, governor and commander-in-chief; Brigadier General Augustus Gaylord, adjutant general ; Colonel S. Nye Gibbs, assistant adjutant general; Brigadier General Nathaniel F. Lund, quartermaster general ; Brigadier General E. B. Wolcott, surgeon general; and Colonel W. H. Watson, military secretary. The two incomplete regiments of 1862-the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-first volunteers - were completed and in the field in March, 1863. The former was mustered in at "Camp Sigel "-Colonel Conrad Krez - on the 7th of March, and left the State. eight hundred and sixty-five strong, on the 16th for Columbus, Kentucky; the latter, under command of Colonel Isaac E. Messmore, with a strength of eight hundred and seventy-eight, left Wisconsin on the ist of March, for Cairo, Illinois. The Thirty-fourth (drafted) regiment left "Camp Washburn," Milwaukee, on the 31st of January, 1863, for Columbus, Kentucky, numbering nine hundred and sixty-one, commanded by Colonel Fritz Anneke. On the 17th of February, 1863, the Twenty-fifth regiment left "Camp Randall" for Cairo, Illinois. The Thirtieth regiment remained in Wisconsin during the whole of 1863, performing various duties - the only one of the whole thirty-four that, at the end of that year, had not left the State.

On the 14th of January, 1863, the legislature of Wisconsin, as before stated, convened at Madison. Governor Salomon, in his message to that body, gave a summary of the transac- tions of the war fund during the calendar year; also of what was done in 1862, in the recruiting of military forces, and the manner in which the calls of the president were responded to. There were a number of military laws passed at this session. A multitude of special acts authorizing towns to raise bounties for volunteers, were also passed.

No additional regiments of infantry besides those already mentioned were organized in 1863, although recruiting for old regiments continued. On the 3d of March, 1863, the congress of the United States passed the "Conscription Act." Under this act, Wisconsin was divided

WISCONSIN AS A STATE.

into six districts. In the first district, I. M. Bean was appointed provost marshal; C. M. Baker, commissioner; and J. B. Dousman, examining surgeon. Headquarters of this district was at Milwaukee. In the second district, S. J. M. Putnam was appointed provost marshal; L. B. Caswell, commissioner; and Dr. C. R. Head, examining surgeon. Headquarters of this district was at Janesville. In the third district, J. G. Clark was appointed provost marshal; E. E. Byant, commissioner ; and John H. Vivian, examining surgeon. Headquarters at Prairie du Chien. In the fourth district, E. L. Phillips was appointed provost marshal ; Charles Burchard, commissioner; and L. H. Cary, examining surgeon. Headquarters at Fond du Lac. In the fifth district, C. R. Merrill was appointed provost marshal ; William A. Bugh, commissioner ; and H. O. Crane, examining surgeon. Headquarters at Green Bay. In the sixth district, B. F. Cooper was appointed provost marshal; L. S. Fisher, commissioner; and D. D. Cameron, examining surgeon. Headquarters at LaCrosse. The task of enrolling the State was commenced in the month of May, and was proceeded with to its completion. The nine months' term of service of the Thirty-fourth regiment, drafted militia, having expired, the regiment was mustered out of service on the 8th of September.

The enrollment in Wisconsin of all persons liable to the "Conscription " amounted to 121,202. A draft was ordered to take place in November. Nearly fifteen thousand were drafted, only six hundred and twenty-eight of whom were mustered in; the residue either furnished substitutes, were discharged, failed to report, or paid commutation.

In the Summer of 1861, Company "K," Captain Langworthy, of the Second Wisconsin infantry, was detached and placed on duty as heavy artillery. llis company was designated as "A," First Regiment Heavy Artillery. This was the only one organized until the Summer of r863; but its organization was effected outside the State. Three companies were necessary to add to company "A " to complete the battalion. Batteries "B," "C" and "D" were, therefore, organized in Wisconsin, all leaving the State in October and November, 1863.

NINTH ADMINISTRATION-JAMES T. LEWIS, GOVERNOR-1864-1865.

James T. Lewis, of Columbia county, was inaugurated governor of Wisconsin on the fourth of January, 1864. In an inaugural address, the incoming governor pledged himself to use no executive patronage for a re-election ; declared he would administer the government without prejudice or partiality ; and committed himself to an economical administration of affairs con- nected with the State. On the thirteenth the legislature met in its seventeenth regular session. W. W. Field was elected speaker of the assembly. The republican and union men were in the majority in this legislature. A number of acts were passed relative to military matters.

On the Ist day of October, J. L. Pickard having resigned as superintendent of public instruction, J. G. McMynn was, by the governor, appointed to fill the vacancy. On the fif- teenth of November, Governor Lewis appointed Jason Downer an associate justice of the supreme court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Byron Paine, who had resigned his position to take effect on that day, in order to accept the position of lieutenant colonel of one of the regiments of Wisconsin, to which he had been commissioned on the tenth of August previous. The November elections of this year were entered into with great zeal by the two parties, owing to the fact that a president and vice president of the United States were to be chosen. The republicans were victorious. Electors of that party cast their eight votes for Lincoln and Johnson. The members elected to the thirty - ninth congress from Wisconsin at this election were : from the first district, H. E. Paine; from the second, I. C. Sloan ; from the third, Amasa Cobb; from the fourth, C. A. Eldredge; from the fifth, Philetus Sawyer; and

HISTORY OF WISCONSIN,

from the sixth district, W. D. McIndoe. All were republicans except Eldredge, who was elected as a democrat.

The Eighteenth regular session of the Wisconsin legislature began in Madison on the elev- enth of January. 1865. W. W. Field was elected speaker of the assembly. The legislature was, as to its political complexion, "Republican Union." On the tenth of April, the last day of the session, Governor Lewis informed the legislature that General Lee and his army had sur- rendered. "Four years ago," said he, "on the day fixed for adjournment, the sad news of the fall of Fort Sumter was transmitted to the legislature. To-day, thank God! and next to Him the brave officers and soldiers of our army and navy, I am permitted to transmit to you the official intelligence, just received, of the surrender of General Lee and his army, the last prop of the rebellion. Let us rejoice, and thank the Ruler of the Universe for victory and the pros- pects of an honorable peace." In February preceding, both houses ratified the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery in the United States. At the Spring election, Jason Downer was chosen associate justice of the supreme court for a full term of six years. The twentieth of April was set apart by the governor as a day of thanksgiving for the overthrow of the rebellion and restoration of peace. At the Fall election both parties, republican and democratic, had tickets in the field. The republicans were victorious, electing Lucius Fairchild, governor ; Wyman Spooner, lieutenant governor ; Thomas S. Allen, secretary of state; William E. Smith, state treasurer; Charles R. Gill, attorney general; John G. McMynn, superintendent of public instruction ; J. M. Rusk, bank comptroller; and Henry Cordier, state prison commis- sioner.

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

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-eightlı. 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

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

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.

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The history of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, containing biographical sketches, Part 12

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 714

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 714