Q^ilitaivt Class .^Xl:^_ Bnnk iX ^^ L uf Gopyiight]^° , COPYRIGHT DEPOSm Kaciive CoMivb^ £^ oAiilitaivt So t\}t mf morti of Uixtxm CEnunlg's ^oliiirr Bmh mxh in l|nnor of l^pr ICttttng Uptf raitfi This pic-lure, made May 30, 1903, has special significance and interest, because of the large number of members of Gov. Harvey Post, G. A. R., which it contains, and from the further fact that so many of those shown have died since that date. acme CoAiivty oMilitaivt An Illustrated Narrative of War Times, and a Soldiers' Foster A Pioneer Publication Undertaken in the interest of Patriotic Americans in Racine County, Wisconsin By EUGENE WALTER LEACH A home-made book, about home people, for home people R ta 1i 1 i s h e a h y K . W . I^ e a c li , R a c i ti e , Wis COPVRIGHT19t5 BY THE AUTHOR KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS A. A. I. G., Acting Assistant Inspector General A. C, Army Corps Acci., Accident Adj. or Adjt., Adjutant Amp., Amputated Batt., Battalion or Battery Batty., Battery Brev. or Bvt., Brevet Brig., Brigade Brig. Genl., Brigadier General Capt., Captain Cav., Cavalry Cem., Cemetery Chap., Chaplain Co., Company Col., Colored or C(3lonel Com., Commissary or Commission Corp., Corporal Des., Deserted Det., Detached or Detailed Dis., Disease Disab., Disability Disch., Discharged Div., Division Enl., Enlisted Exp., Expired Hosp., Hospital Hvy. Art., Heavy Artillery Ind. Batt., Independent Battalion Inf., Infantry Lieut., Lieutenant Lt. Art., Light Artillery Maj., Major Mil., Military M. I., Mustered In M. O. Mustered Out Mus., Musician Non. Com., Non Commissioned Perm., Permanent Pres., President Prin. Mus., Principal Musician Prin., Principal Pris., Prisoner Prom., Promoted Q. M., Quarter Master Reg., Regular Reg't., Regiment Reorg., Reorganized Res., Resigned Sec, Section Ser., Service Sergt., Sergeant Sub., Substitute Surg., Surgeon Tel., Telegraph ' \ J Trans., Transferred ' W^ Unas., Unassigned \i»^^ /9

' funds, and to assist the compiler in his work. The writer wishes to make acknowledgment to the members of this committee, of his appreciation of their encouragement and assistance; to the County Board for its timely help, and to Mr. A. J. Horlick, who by reason of his interest in the Grand Army of the Republic, and his co-operation in this enterprise, has made it possible for us to go forward with the publication without any delay. There are many others, too numerous to mention, who have made valuable contribution of time, and material, and interest in promoting the work; Civil War Veterans; United Spanish War Veterans; Sons of Veterans, and civilians, to whom we wish to tender the assurance of our grateful appreciation, and venture to hope that the book may be, to some extent, a satis- faction to them all. This book is peculiarly a home production, for the following reasons : 1 . The rosters are made up of names of Racine County men exclusively; the narrative mentions no others except incidentally; and its locale is our home communities. 2. It has been written for Racine County people alone. If it interests others, that is pleasing, but is beside our purpose. 3. The author is a Racine man, — has never known any other home. 4. All the labor in connection with the publication of the book, — the half-tone plates and zinc etchings, the art work, the printing and the binding, — has been done by one home firm, — The Western Printing & Lithographing Co., — and we take pleasure in calling attention to the superior quality of their work. A man who was never a soldier, and who is therefore un- familiar from personal experience, with the soldier's life, labors under some obvious disabilities in undertaking to make a narrative of wars and war times, based largely on the fragmentary stories, written and spoken, of the experiences and observations of others. The writer, who was but a small boy when the Civil War ended, expects that these considerations will be a recognized factor in judging the merits of the story. ABSTRACT OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER - - _ . . . 17 A United States of the World. The North justified. Slavery in Wisconsin. The fngitlve slave. The "Underground Railroad." First Underground passenger. The Glover case The fugitive arrested In Milw^aukee jail. Court house meeting resolves to see justice done. Also declares "Fugitive Slave" law repealed. 100 Racine citizens to Milwaukee Racine men arrested Syracuse, N. Y., Burlington and Union Grove tender thanks and sympathy. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" published; Chas. Sumner assaulted and John F. Potter challenged. Racine negroes flee to Canada. The John Brown excitement in Racine; "Death to Traitors". The first Lincoln campaign; the "bloody fourth" ward. Stephen A. Douglas in Racine. WAR -------------..-._ 42 Racine wakes up. Many meetings; some peculiar resolutions. The President's predicament. "Mark the traitors." Racine's first company. Ceremonious flag raisings. Union prayer meeting; Senator Doolittle speaks, "Great God Almighty, Shall Just Vengeance Sleep Forever?" Patriotic fund. Allegiance sworn. Flag presentations. Our first martyrs. War preparations. In the county; six per cent of Norway's population enlist. Camp Utley. Fourth of July, '61; a big dinner. Fifteen bushels of strawberries. Military notice. WAR — Continued -----__ __ _____ 7g Soldiers' Aid Societies. Ben Butler's "Contraband of War". Captain P. H. Sheridan in Racine. J. I. Case gives ten dollars each to first 100 volunteers. Big Welsh meeting; patriotic resolutions. Protracted meeting. The draft. Barracks at Camp Utley burns; "buggy." Dr. Tillapaugh appointed Provost Marshal. COLONEL UTLEY AND THE RUNAWAY SLAVES - - - . 97 Kentucky neutral (?) The dwarf negro fugitive. Judge Robinson demands his "boy."' "Do you think you will take that boy?" "Kentucky may go to hell, with all the nations that forget God." The Colonel "on the carpet"; declines to deliver. "If you interefere with me, I'll lay your town in ashes." Runaways stay with the regiment. Appeal to the President; he is neutral. Colonel fined $1000; re-imbursed. THE COPPERHEAD PEST ----------- 107 The Racine Loyalists. Ghouls in Racine. "Kill the rebel; Hang the traitor." Saved by Tom Falvey and Sheriff Schneider. "She struck liim with all her might." Learned to give "three chears" for Lincoln. Parson Brownlow in Racine. Opinions of two good men. Poetic justice; "Crawl to your holes." PRISONERS OF WAR ----- ^-^^ In "Libby". To Danville. Digging out of Danville. Pour weeks in Southern woods. Some tight places. Negroes only source of food supply. "Old Glory" again. Escape of Charles Patrick. In Castle Morgan; a "rat trap". Roster of Racine county prisoners. FROM SLAVERY TO CITIZENSHIP - - 132 Logan Davis. Peter D. Thomas. WILLIAM H. UPHAM -------_.._.. 137 A typical soldier boy's letter. Killed (?) at Bull Run. Captain Strong's letters. "A mortal wound"; "Willie is dead"; "Willie is alive". Letter from Libby Prison. To West Point. At Fort Monroe. Guarding "Jeff" Davis. THE CAMP FIRE ---------.._.. 145 Soldiers' homes. Wisconsin Veterans' Home. Youngest soldier in the Union army. U. S. military and naval academies. Racine's soldiers' monument. The first draft. Deserters. Guerillas. Heroism of Dr. Clarke. General Grant in Racine. Gallantry of Racine men. Racine celebrates surrender of Richmond. The genesis of Jones. Racine soldiers first in Atlanta. Harriet Steward Harrington, field nurse. A confederate gunner in Racine. Company names. Case's cannon. Racine man in sea fight. "Unknown Graves of the Loyal Dead." THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR - - 174 Two instances. Battleship Maine destroyed. War declared. Company F Volunteers. Off to the war. A significant incident. In camp. Home again. Roster of Company F. In the Philippines. Richard P. Covert. Spanish War monument. Roster of Spanish War veterans, with records. THE NATIONAL GUARD ------------ 196 Territorial militia laws. Able-bodied males between 14 and 50. Each must provide himself with musket, fusee, bayonet, knap- sack, cartridge pouch, and two extra flints. Racine County's first militia. Early military operations; "they all got drunk." The first state militia. Officers of sixteen companies in Racine county. Every able-bodied man enrolled. The "Volunteer Corps". The "Belle City Guard", 1871. Disbanded in 1873. The "Racine Light Guards", 1881. Proficient in drill. Many prizes won. Trip to Mobile, Ala. Milwaukee riot duty, 1886. Full roster with dates of muster. The "Garfield Guards", 1881. Company of sturdy young men. High standing in target practice. At Milwaukee riots. "Pick out some man and aim to kill him '^ Milstead halts Governor Rusk. State encampments in Racine. Full roster with dates of muster. No militia since Spanish-American War. PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES, WITH BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH AND ROSTER OF EACH- - - - - 222 Grand Army of the Republic. Racine man a Commander-in-Cliief. First post in Racine. "Too much politics". Governor Harvey Post, Racine. George B. Lincoln Post, Union Grove. Luther Crane Post, Burlington. Past Department Commanders, with dates of election. Commanders-in-Chief, with residence and when and where elected. Army and Navy Union of U. S. of America. National commander a Racine man. Daughters of the American Revolution. Vice President General a Racine lady. Woman's Relief Corps. Governor Harvey Relief Corps. George B. Lincoln Relief Corps. Luther Crane Relief Corps. Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic. Daughters of the Grand Army of the Republic. Charles Filer Camp, Sons of Veterans. Sons of Veterans Auxiliary. William A. Bancroft Camp, United Spanish War Veterans. William A. Bancroft Auxiliary. RACINE COUNTY'S OFFERING ON THE ALTAR OF LIBERTY ---------._... 247 List of killed in battle and died of wounds. List of died of accident. List o\ died of disease. List of wounded in battle. CIVIL WAR ROSTER — Alphabetical -------- 251 ISiames of 2,200 men with the following data concerning each: Age at enlistment; Married or sing'e; Residence; Company, regimr-nt, and branch of service; Date of enlistment; Rank; Promotions; Transfers; Wounded, prl.-5oner or killed; Date of discharge or muster out. SOME IMPORTANT BATTLES OF THE CIVIL WAR - - - 331 Dates of 49 of the most important battles, with names by which they were known. South as well as North. ALPHABETICAL ROSTER AND RECORDS OF ORGANIZATIONS ----------- 335 Names of 71 Wisconsin organizations that served in the Civil War with Names of commanders; Names and dates of all battles participated in by each; Names of all Racine county men in each regiment and company. ALPHABETICAL ROSTER BY TOWNS ------- 369 Names of all the men from each town in the county. SOLDIER DEAD IN CEMETERIES - - 380 List of names of veterans of all wars who are buried in ceme- teries of the county. SOLDIERS LONG RESIDENT IN RACINE COUNTY BUT CREDITED ELSEWHERE --------- 383 STATISTICAL TABLES ----------- 388-389 INTRODUCTORY Xotliing Avill more quickly attract a crowd in any commu- nity, and more completely absorb its attention and interest than a street tight. Whether the onlooker be entertained or dis. gusted, there is something elemental and savage about it that compels attention. Fighting used to be a common method of settling personal disputes ; most people now disapprove of it ; organized society forbids it, and enforces a penalty on viola- tions of its dictum. AVhen two nations go to war to settle a grievance or to enlarge boundaries, all the peoples of the earth look on, va- riously impressed, Init powerless to stop it, unless both bellig- erents happen to be so lacking in both military and naval strength as to be a negligible quantity, and unless further, the fracas threatens to damage the interests of some first-class power among the nations. If there be in history any ex- ception to this attitude, it is found in the beneficent police power that the United States has undertaken to exercise in a limited Avay over the AYest Indies, Mexico and Central and South America. Civilized peoples have long recognized the Avaste and the wickedness of war; they are just beginning to be con- vinced of its needlessness, and are setting themselves to the task, even in the midst of a world-conflagration, of finding a way to put an end to it. There is but one sentiment about it among good citizens everywhere, though there is difference of opinion as to the best way to bring it about. Perhaps a con- federation of nations — a United States of the World — will be the solution of the problem. Certain it is that until there is some poAver to compel recognition and observance of, and to enforce conformity to international, universal conceptions of right dealing between nations and races by the rulers and the peoples thereof, there will continue to be ''wars and rumors of wars," taking awful toll of earth's young manhood, its best asset. Something Elemental Seventeen BIRTHPLACE OF OLD GLORY One h 11 11 d r e d and thirty-seven years ago, in her modest home at 239 Arch Street, Phila- delphia, Widow Betsey Ross pieced together the flag that has been the emblem of our coun- try since that day. It was first unfurled at Fort Schuyler, on Au- gust 8, 1777. Old Glory If ever a people was justified in making war, the North, in the Rebellion, had a righteous cause. A small minority arro- gantly demanded the right to dominate the whole, and to fasten permanently on the country an institution abhorrent to the great majority of its people. That war was the meeting of two antagonistic civilizations under one government, in battle for mastery ; an aristocracy based on slavery and slave labor, and a democracy founded on liberty and universal labor. The conditions bred an "irrepressible conflict," which could not have been settled until settled aright. Years before it trans- pired, statesmen saw the inevitable, and after the event any- body could see the steps bj^ Avhich the country approached the catastrophe. AVhile slaverj^ was the underlying cause of the war, its im- mediate exciting cause was the threat of disunion, which came soon after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. This event was recognized by the South as sounding the doom Eighteen JOHN G. McMYNN WILLIAM H. UPHAM HANS HEG of their pet institution, and Avith it of their most cherished hope of dominion. The slave states seceded, one after another, and thns furnished a clear-cnt issue on which the North could unite. "The Union must and shall be preserved," was the battle cry on which the war was begun and fought to a suc- cessful conclusion, the emancipation of the slaves being an in- cidental, though inevitable, emergency war measure. SLAVERY IN WISCONSIN Tlie first concerted move in Racine county against slavery was the presentation to Congress in 1845, of the following memorial, most of the signers of which were citizens of Racine. It is evidence of the fact that the early settlers here under- stood the nature of the "institution" and wished to take no chance of its getting a foothold in the territory : "To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the U. S., in Congress assembled : "The undersigned, inhabitants of the territory of AViskon- sin, having learned that a number of slaves are reported from this territory in the census of 1840, and believing that it is the purpose of same, who regard not the natural rights of our fel- low men, the true interests of our territory, and our general Avelfare, to inflict upon us the terrible curse of slavery ; and be- lieving that the introduction of slavery into this territory would be in violation of the ordinance for the government of the Northwestern territory, and the constitution of the United States ; Slavery in Wisconsin Nineteen •' I\('sj)i-ctrully j)r;iy your lioiiorable body to take measures I'or till' uncoiiditioiial liberation of tbe said slaves, and to free us from 1li(' odium now I'csting ui)on us as slave-holders, and also efifeetually to protect, forever, this territory from the in- troduction of slavery, and the consequent evils and curses of that evil system. "Jacob Ly Brand Edwin A. I\ol)y Amaziah St('l)bins Joi'l K. Carpenter F. ^V. DcBcrard Joseph Adams H. W. Fuller L. Parmelee John P. Flynu E. S. Capron Anson Jones Reuben Chadwick Ceorere S. Wright AV. II. Gillespie S. AV. Wilson Samuel W. Hill TJiomas E. Parmelee A. T. Briggs J. W. Vail A. G. Youns William P. Cole Edward S. Blake Chester Bush Henry Hewitt II. H. H. Briggs W. H. Lathrop Albert H. Blake Henry S. Durand George H. Carpenter E. 8. Capron Ira A. Rice Hiram Foote James 0. Bartlett J. B. Jillson." The al)0ve and thirt.y-five otlier names were signed to the memorial. Tragic Phases THE FUGITIVE SLAVE Previous to the war there was interminalile controversy between the North and the South about man.y things, all of them related, directly or indirectly, to the "institution." One of the dramatic, tragic phases of that controversy was that connected with the capture and return of fugitive slaves. For many years prior to the war an increasing number of these un- fortunates were making their way through the Northern states to Canada, where, under the British flag they were free. There grew up among the abolitionists of the North an organized as- sistance to this movement — animated by humanitarian motives alone — by means of which the runaway slaves were secreted, fed, clothed, transported, and in every possible way forwarded in their flight. Their Southern masters could easily follow the fugitives to certain points in the free states, when all trace of them W'Ould be suddenly lost. "There must be an underground T"iVenty JOHN BOWEN JAS. M. TILLAPAUGH HERBERT E. PUTNAM railroad," was their conclusiou, and from that time "under- ground railroad" was the name by w^hich that system of help for fugitive slaves was known. The passengers on the "underground railroad" were above the average in intelligence and in physical prowess. They were men and Avomen who Avere determined to have liberty, even though they lost their lives in the attempt, as they frequently did. The slaveholders did all that they could to put the fear of the consecpiences into their slaves. When one of them ran away from the plantation, those remaining were never permitted to know the result of the dash for liberty. If those who took up the chase returned without him, they never reported a failure, but always success. "They had caught the runaway and had sold him south;" or "they had killed him," was reported, so that those remaining would be impressed with the wisdom of staying where they were. Of course this organized effort to free the slaves enraged the slave owners, and in 1850 they procured the passage through Congress of a "fugitive slave law," by the terms of which it became the duty of United States ]Marslials to arrest and return runaway slaves wherever found, upon a warrant is- sued by a United States Court. Tt provided also, that anyone hindering the arrest of a slave, or attempting the rescue or cor- eealiiumt of a fugitive, became su))ject to a fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding six months, and was also liable for civil damages to the party in- .iured, in the sum of one thousand dollars for each slave so lost. "In aiding fugitive slaves, the abolitionist was making tlie Underground Railroad T«'c»i/v-o»<: JOHN D. WALKER WALTER STONE NATHAN CRAWFORD Underground Stations most effective^ protest against the coiitiiiiiance of slavery; but h(^ was nlso doing something more tangible, he was helping the oppressed — he was eluding the oppressor, and at the same time he was enjoying the most romantic and exciting amusement open to men M'ho had high moral standards. He was taking risl'S, defying the laws, and making himself liable to punish- ment, and yet could glow with the healthful pleasure of duty done."* "Social disdain was brought on the 'railroad' workers. 'Black abolitionist,' 'Niggerite,' 'Amalgamationist' and 'Nig- ger thief were some of the epithets used." Notwithstanding the dangers involved, the names are known of :]2()0 persons in the North and East who were en- gaged in this work, among whom are listed the following from Racine county: James 0. Bartlett, AVilliam L. Utley, A. P. Dutton, AVilliam H. AVaterman, S. B. Peck, George S. Wright. Charles Bunce, Elder Fitch, General Reed, Dr. Secor, Dr. E. G. Dyer of Burlington, Captain Steele and Mr. Peffer and there were certainly others. These men were known as those who could be trusted Avith information concerning the operation of the "road." and Avho could be depended upon to do all in their power to hel|) along a fugitive slave. Few people knew at the lime that they were so engaged, for "the penalties of the law, the contempt of neighbors and the espionage of persons in- terested in the return of fugitives to slavery made secrecy nec- essary." Their names now constitute a roll of honor for their children and for the city and county of Racine. *.A.lbert Biishnell Hart, in introriuotion to "The UnderKround Railroad." by W. H. Siebert. Tivcnty-hvo ^VM. P. LYON CAPT. J. C. GIPSON N. H. DALE A comniou method of getting these fugitives to Canada was by means of steam and sail boats on the Great Lakes, and all of the ports on the west shore of Lake Michigan were made use of, more or less, as stations of the "underground railroad." A. P. Button had a grain warehouse and knew all of the cap- tains who made this port. Among them were the following who were friends of fugitives and who transported them free to Canadian ]iar])ors of refuge : Capt. Steele, of the propeller Galena; Capt. Kelsey, of the Chesapeake; Capt. Appleby, of the Sultana. The boats of General Reed, touching at Racine, also received them without fare, as did the ]Madison, the Mis- souri, the Niagara and the Keystone State. "]\h\ Button knew these vessels and their officers and for twenty years shipped runaway slaves as well as cargoes of grain from his dock in Racine."* FIRST "UNDERGROUND" PASSENGER The first passenger on the "road" through AViseonsin Ter- ritory was Caroline, a young woman fugitive slave, whose patronymic w^as never disclosed, if it were known. She was successfully "conducted" on this trip by Lyman Goodnow of Waukesha, and it was a journey full of luirdship and peril last- ing five weeks, during the summer of 1842. They were hunted and followed all the way by United States officers and other slave chasers, but eluded them all. Br. E. G. Byer of Burling- ton, father of Charles E. Byer of Racine, was one of the agents of the "road" who contributed time and money in assisting Mr. Goodnow in liis humane, but illegal, undertaking. Dr. Successfully Conducted *"The Underground Railroad," by W. H. Siebert. Tiventv-three E. CATLIN COOl'ER F. DORNING HENRY CRAWFORD Glover Kidnaped Dyer might properly have been called one of the general of- ficers of the "underground" in this section, for he "vvas en- thusiastic, resourceful, courageous and unremitting in his la- ])ors in behalf of the fugitives. THE GLOVER CASE Although slave-hunters had at different times been in Ra- cine in pursuit of their detestable business and incidentally of their Ijlack victims, only once were their hands laid on a negro in this town, with the purpose of returning him to slavery, and that attempt failed. About the year 1852, a negro named Joshua Glover appeared in Racine and soon found a home up the river near the saw-mill of Rice and Sinclair-, al)out four miles from town. In the winter of '53- '54 he worked in the mill. On the evening of IMarch 10, 1854, a little before dusk, eight men, in two wagons, drove from Racine to within about one hundred yards of Glover's cabin, where they left their out- fit and proceeded on foot. These men were Deputy Marshals Charles Cotton of Milwaukee and John Kearney of Racine, a man named Garland from St. Louis, who claimed he owned the negro. Glover, and five other men. Cotton alleged that he had a warrant for Glover's arrest, issued by Judge Miller of the United Slates Coui-f. Milwaukee, but he did not serve the paper. Through the connivance of a coloi'ed man named Turner, wlio had ingratiated himself into the confidence of Glover, and Avho. with another coloicd man nanuHl Alby, was in Glover's cabin on that evening, the door was unbolted at once at the l