Clark County Press, Neillsville (Clark Co.) WI

June 29, 2011, Page 16

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

 Heritage Days to honor Civil War Veterans

A Civil War Memorial is located at the Neillsville Cemetery; dedicated in 1908. Area soldiers who served in the Civil War will be remembered during Neillsville’s Heritage Days, in observance of the 150^th Anniversary of the war.  (Contributed photo)

This year marks the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War and all civil war veterans will be honored during Neillsville Heritage Days.  This year’s Heritage Days buttons and t-shirts will honor the anniversary and those who served in the Civil War.

In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called on the loyal North for volunteers to aid the U. S. Government suppressing the rebellion in the southern states. Clark County responded with 30 men joining the 14^th Regiment Wisconsin.

At that time, approximately 120 families lived in Clark County, which had a population of nearly 800.

The 14^th saw its first action at Shiloh and then Corinth.  It also fought at Hill, Big Black River and took a major role in the Battle of Vicksburg, where it received a position of honor in the brigade as it marched into the city.

The 14^th was the first regiment to enter Natchez.  In December 1863, two-thirds of the regiment re-enlisted.  The 14^th was with Union General William Tecumseh Sherman during his Atlanta campaign.  The 14^th was mustered out six months after the surrender of the Confederacy at Appomattox April 9, 1865.

Of the men Clark County sent to fight, many were from the Neillsville area. The Clark County men, who were either killed, died of their wounds or lost their lives to disease include:

Gustavus Ayers, son of Sustavau A. Ayers, an 1855 arrival to Neillsville; Charles G. Bacon son of Orson Bacon, and early Neillsville settler and county treasurer; John O’Neill, son of Neillsville founder James O’Neill; Henry Ross, brother of Prominent Neillsville lumber baron Robert Ross; Washington Short; Thomas Whitmore; Louis Lynch, son of James Lynch; and Gottlieb B. Schlinsog, brother of a leading farmer and Town of Grant organizer.

The Grand Army of the Republic Post (GAR) and the Woman’s Relief Corps (WRC) were responsible for the gray granite statue of the union Soldier of heroic size, which was erected in the Neillsville Cemetery.

The soldier is outfitted with a musket and knapsack, wearing the soldier’s cape overcoat.  Rev. W. P. Burrows, Neillsville Methodist Church pastor, dedicated the soldier Friday July 10, 1908.  Part of the Burrow’s dedication speech is quoted as: “Let us dedicate this monument to their memory, ever to stand as a witness of the valorous deeds of American heroes and turning away to resume our various tasks in life, remember the words of our martyred Presidnet Lincoln, in his famous Gettysburg speech…let us here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth (Republican and The Clark County Press July 23, 1908).”

The Neillsville Historic Preservation Commission is making this monument a local landmark.  For those who want to view the monument, it is located at the west side of the Neillsville Cemetery, closest to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.