Iron Brigade Reunion, 1887

Definitions:
Brevet: a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received
Regiment: a military unit consisting usually of a number of battalions
Battalions: a military unit composed of a headquarters and two or more companies, batteries, or similar units
Company: a unit (as of infantry) consisting usually of a headquarters and two or more platoons
Brigade: a tactical and administrative unit composed of a headquarters, one or more units of infantry or armor, and supporting units

Transcribed by Allan Wessel

Transcribed from an article published September 11, 1887 in the Milwaukee Sunday Telegraph.

The Iron Brigade

2nd Wisconsin

A MEMBER OF IT TELLS SOME OF ITS EXPERIENCES.

When Organized.
Its Commanders from General Rufus King to General John A. Kellogg.
Some of its Battles.
Its Losses.
The Whereabouts of Some of The Survivors.
Personal Mention.

"Will you tell me something about the Iron "
"What do you want to know about it?"
"Oh, tell me when it was organized, who its first commander was, and what other commanders it had, what regiments it was composed of, what battles it was engaged in, how long it served and an other information you might have."

The brigade was first organized in August, 1861. At that time the Second, Fifth and sixth Wisconsin and the Nineteenth Indiana were in camp on Kalorama Heights, now a suberb of Washington. General Rufus King, who had been appointed minister of Rome, declined to enter upon the duties of that office in the face of a civil war, and was soon afterwards made a brigadier general, the second brigadier appointed from Wisconsin, General Charles S. Hamilton being the first. He assumed command of the brigade while it was on Kalorama Heights and commenced preparing it for the hard work which was in store for it. While at Kalorama we were reviewed by General Winfield Scott, the only time the brigade saw him. I cannot tell you who composed General King's original staff. I remember, very well, however, that Captain Robert Chandler, formerly of Milwaukee, was his adjutant-general. Captain John L. Hathaway, also of Milwaukee, and who afterwards become lieutenant-colonel, and is still a resident of this city, was his commissary, and that the late Col. Charles D. Robinson, editor of the Green Bay Advocate for 35 years, was his quartermaster. About the last of August, or early in September, the long roll beat one night about ten 'clock and the brigade took up its line of march for Chain Bridge, several miles above Washington, on the Potomac river and camped on the Maryland side. While at that place, which was known as camp Lyon, the Seventh Wisconsin came from the state and took the place of the Fifth, which the late General W. W. Hancock had begged away from King's Brigade. Late October these four regiments, Second Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin and the Nineteenth Indiana, were moved to Arlington Heights and went into camp for the winter, about a half a mile in rear of the Lee Mansion.

The division to which King's Brigade was attached was that of the late Major General Irwin McDowell. The winter was spent in drilling, reviews and picket duty. On March 10, 1862, when McClellan, moved upon Centerville, which bristled with wooden guns, he found that the rebel army had left a day or two before he reached there. The Western Brigade was part of his army. Upon reaching Fairfax, General McDowell was placed in command of the first corps and General King was given a division. Colonel L. Cutler, of the Sixth Wisconsin was placed in command of the brigade. Within a week the army returned to Alexandria and vicinity to take transports for Fortress Monroe. It was at a late hour decided the McDowell's corps should not go with McClellan, and a week after the balance of the Army of the Potomac had gone to the Peninsula, McDowell's corps had again advanced to Manassas Junction and moved on to Bristow Station, the Western brigade going with him. About the last of April the brigade, with the rest of the corps, moved from Catlett's Station to Fredericksburg, a distance of between thirty and forty miles, and took possession of the city and Falmouth and went into camp.

Two or three weeks after reaching Fredericksburg, a quiet, erect, soldierly appearing little man came to brigade headquarters with papers authorizing him to relieve Colonel Cutler and assume command of the Wild West Boys. This little man was Brigadier-General John Gibbon, who had just been promoted from captain of battery B, Fourth U.S. artillery. He had then been in the regular army ten years or more. He was such a thorough disciplinarian that it did not take very long to make himself very much disliked by the hardy volunteers of the West. There was a before breakfast drill, immediately after breakfast drill and then more drilling until dinner time, and battalion and brigade drills from one o'clock until five or six. During these seasons of drill it is safe to say that the most unpopular man in the brigade was General Gibbon. If he thought that the drill was not severe enough, he had the boys drill with knapsacks on; when this seemed to light, he drew heavy white canvas leggings fro all of the men and made them wear them. Oh, how the boys hated Gibbon for that. But there came a time when every soldier of that command thanked the little regular from battery B for all of his requirements-for the early morning drill, the all-day drill, the knap-sack drill, and for the thorough course of discipline. That was when they were called upon to go into battle and enter upon the terrible work for which they had enlisted. After the battle of Gainesville, which was fought on the 28th of August, 1862, where between 700 and 800 of the 2000 men engaged in the fight were killed or wounded, every man of the brigade had confidence in and respect for "Little Johnny Gibbon", as they then began to call him.

General Gibbon commanded the brigade during the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam, and was then given a division in the second corps. For some time during the last year of the war, he was a major-general in command of an army corps. General Gibbon is a brigadier-general of the regular army

For a few days after the battle Antietam, Colonel Lucius Fairchild commanded the brigade. About the last of September, 1862, when the brigade was still in the vicinity of Antietam, the Twenty-fourth Michigan, 1,000 strong, was added to the brigade and remained until the winter of 1865, when it came North to guard prisoners. The colonel of the Twenty-fourth, Henry A. Morrow, in consequence of the absence of the wounded Colonels Cutler and Robinson, commanded for a short time. Colonel Cutler commanded until Colonel Sol Meredith, of the Nineteenth Indiana, was appointed a brigadier-general, and regularly assigned to the brigade. Meredith commanded at Fitz-Hugh Crossing, Chancellorsville and at Gettysburg, until seriously injured by the fall of his horse the first day, when Colonel W. W. Robinson, of the Seventh Wisconsin, assumed command. Colonel Robinson remained in command most of the time until the consolidation of the first and fifth corps took place in 1864, which relieved General Cutler from the command of a division, and made him the regular commander of the Iron Brigade.

This brings us to Grant's campaign of 1864. On the second day of the battle of the Wilderness, when General James S. Wadsworth was killed, General Cutler succeeded him in command of the division, and Colonel Robinson again took the Iron Brigade. Colonel E. S. Bragg, of the Sixth Wisconsin, was given command of Colonel Roy Stone's brigade of Pennsylvania Bucktails. Colonel Robinson commanded until some time in June. Soon after Colonel Bragg's return to the Sixth he was appointed a brigadier-general and permanently assigned to the command of the brigade he had entered captain of a company three years before. General Bragg remained in command until the following February, when he was sent to Washington on special duty, taking with him the Twenty-fourth Michigan, and never returned.

Colonel John A. Kellogg, of the Sixth Wisconsin, succeeded Bragg. Soon afterwards the Ninety-fifth New Your, which had been organized as a heavy artillery regiment, was assigned to the Iron Brigade, making the command considerable larger than it had been since 1862. The Ninety-fifth had 1899 men. General Kellogg commanded until the close of the war, and with distinguished ability, winning the rand of brigadier-general.
"Have I answered your questions-is there anything more?"
"Yes, as much more as you can think of. By the way, you have not yet told me what battles the brigade was in."
"While at Fredericksburg, early in the summer of 1862, the brigade made several raids towards Richmond. It had a skirmish on the Rappahannock on the 25th of August, 1862. Its first great battle was at Gainesville, Virginia, where, as I have already stated, it lost between 700 and 800 in killed and wounded. The colonel of the Second Wisconsin, O'Conner, was killed. The major, now General Thomas S. Allen, of Oshkosh, was wounded, and the colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major of the Seventh Wisconsin were wounded in that battle, and so were Colonels Cutter, of the Sixth, and Meredith of the Nineteenth. The brigade was in the second battle of Bull Run, at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Fitz Hugh Crossing, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, he Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, Gravelly Run, Five forks, Appomattox and many less notable engagements.

The Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin reenlisted and enough of the Second to make two companies. These two companies of the Second became a portion of the Sixth the fall of 1864. The brigade was under fire nearly ever day from the 4th of May, 1864, until the 7th of August, 1864."
"How many were killed in the brigade during its term of service."
"I do not believe the records show exactly how many were killed. The killed outright were 484, the wounded 1927. A larger per cent of these died of their wounds. The missing numbered 451, a large percent of whom were killed or never returned from rebel prisons to which they had been sent.

You very seldom hear anything said about the battle of Gainesville, yet it was one of the severest in which the Iron Brigade participated, and it was in most of those fought by the Army of the Potomac. In less than an hour and a-half the brigade lost 165 killed, 608 wounded, and 119 prisoners, a total of 892. These figures include the losses in battle of Second Bull run, where the brigade was not very severely handled. Nearly all of this loss occurred at Gainesville, and the Iron Brigade, with the aid of two regiments of Doubleday's Brigade, fought nearly all of Stonewall Jackson's corps of over thirty regiments, and held it in check, inflicting a loss greater, if anything, than it experienced itself. It was in this battle that the rebel General Ewell lost his leg, and another confederate, General Talifero, was severely wounded and several regimental and brigade commanders were killed..

"You have told me who commanded the brigade-now tell me what has become of the old commanders?"
"The first commander, General Rufus King, died in New York in 1876. The second commander, General Lysander Cutler, died in Milwaukee nineteen years ago. General John Gibbon is in the regular army, General Solomon Meredith died ten or twelve years ago, Colonel W. W. Robinson is a resident and business man of Chippewa Falls, General Edward S. Bragg is so well known that it is not necessary to tell where he is or what he has done. General John A. Kellogg, who was U.S. pension agent at La Crosse for some time after the war, and later a state senator from the Sevens Point District, died in Wausau the winter of 1883. Morrow is a colonel in the regular army and you know all about Fairchild.
"Do you want a few personals?"
"Certainly, all you can give."
"Let us commence with the Second Wisconsin. S. Park Coon, an old time Milwaukee lawyer was the first colonel of the Second. He died in poor circumstances in this city a few years ago. The second colonel was Edgar O'Conner, who had been promoted from a captain in the regular army.
O'Conner was killed at Gainesville. The third was Lucius Fairchild, who entered the service as a captain in the First Wisconsin. After serving three months he was made a captain in the Sixteenth U.S. Regulars, and in the fall of 1861 become lieutenant colonel of the Second. He was made colonel in September, 1862, and a brigadier general in July 1863. While at home recovering from his wound at Gettysburg, the republicans made him their candidate for secretary of state. But you know all about Fairchild. The fourth colonel was John Mansfield, who entered the war as captain of a company. Colonel Mansfield has resided in California for many years and has served as lieutenant governor. He lives at Los Angeles and practices law. General Thomas S. Allen of Oshkosh, was a captain, major and lieutenant colonel of the Second, but in 1863 went to the Fifth Wisconsin as its colonel. The lieutenant colonel, W. L. Parsons, who went out as second lieutenant of company F is a prosperous citizen of Neosho Falls, Kansas. Major George H. Otis, who was a private of company I, is editor of the North Iowa Times, McGregor. Otis won his way up by good conduct.

I suppose only a few people know that Halbert E. Paine was the first quarter master of the second. He served out a few days, having been appointed colonel of the Fourth Wisconsin. As you know he became a brigadier-general, lost a leg at Port Hudson, was three times elected to congress from the Milwaukee district and for a time was commissioner of the patent office at Washington and is now a prosperous lawyer in Washington, having a pleasant home in a suburb. Another man whose name is familiar to you is Gilbert M. Woodward. Woodward was a private at first, but was promoted second lieutenant, September, 1862, and a month later was made first lieutenant and adjutant. He retired at the end of three years, but was offered a commission as colonel if he would reorganize the Second regiment. He declined the offer. Woodward has been prominent in the democratic party the past ten years. He has been an unsuccessful candidate for the state senate; was elected to congress in 1882, defeated in 1884, and was the unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1886.
The first surgeon, Dr. Lewis, of the Second, become colonel of the 28th Wisconsin. Dr. Phil Fox, of Madison, was assistant sergeant for a time. One of the captains of company A is Captain Billy Jones, now in the secretary of the state's office. He lost an arm at Antietam. The first captain of Company A was George H. Stevens. He was killed as lieutenant colonel at the battle of Gettysburg. He was a splendid soldier. Captain Frank Hatch, of La Crosse, was a lieutenant in Company B. He left there to take position in an Iowa cavalry regiment. He was General W. T Sherman's adjutant general for a time.
A wild Irishman was a private in Company B when the regiment went out. There was mettle in him. He became a lieutenant, then a captain, and when his company went to the Sixth he was promoted major of that regiment. He was also brevetted colonel. He has been practicing law at Council Bluffs, Iowa, for many hears. I mean Colonel Dennis B. Daily.
James D. Wood was a sergeant in that company. Wood afterwards became a captain and assistant adjutant-general of the brigade. He lives at St. Paul and is in the postal railway services. He is an old newspaper man.
Still another man of the company was W. H. Harries. He is a lawyer at Caledonia, Minn.
Do you know Colonel Gabe Bouchk, of Oshkosh, who had such a narrow escape from being nominated by the democrats for governor last fall: He was for nearly a year captain in the Second. In April 1862, he was appointed colonel of the 18th Wisconsin. Bouchk is the richest man of the old brigade. John Hancock was first lieutenant in Bouchk's company of the Second. In 1861 Hancock became major of the 14th Wisconsin, and later lieutenant-colonel, and then colonel. He is now in the adjutant-general's office at Madison.
Another man of Bouchk's old company was Henry B. Harshaw. A braver soldier never fought in the Iron Brigade. He lost an arm at Laurel Hill. By the way he is making a model state treasurer, and is every day adding to his staunch friends. Do you remember Captain William E. Strong, of company F? He left the brigade the fall of 1861 to become major of the Twelfth. He afterwards became lieutenant-colonel and at the end of the war was a brevet brigadier-general. He has been for many years a leading business man of Chicago.
Another captain of Strong's company was Martin L. Gorman, who started as a private and served three years. He is now a resident of Milwaukee and is one of the engineers on the St. Paul.
Captain C. C. Dow, of company G, is a resident of Portage. For many years after the war he was in the postal railway service and for three or four years was postmaster of Portage. He went out when Cleveland came in, or soon after.
Captain Nat Rollins, of company H, is a prominent lawyer of Leadville, Colorado, and a member of the legislature. George M Humphrey was a private, sergeant and lieutenant, served three years and went out as captain in another regiment. He has been a resident of Nebraska for many years, and has succeeded well as a lawyer. He has also served several terms in the legislature and once was speaker. Some of these days we shall hear of Humphrey as a congressman. Lieutenant Edward Devlin left toe Second to become a captain in the Thirtieth Wisconsin. Cornelius Wheeler, a lieutenant of company I, is now a resident of this city.
Henry Naegely, who became a captain is now proprietor of a hotel at East Saginaw, Michigan.
A.T. Morgan, who was a private in Company A, became a captain. The year after the war he located in Mississippi. He once served as state senator and was one or two terms sheriff, but was finally driven from the state on account of his political views. He now resides in Kansas. Having given you so much about the Second it will not do to pass the Sixth and Seventh Regiments.

"Of course not."

"The Sixth had four different colonels. Lysander Cutler, Edward S. Bragg, Rufus R. Dawes and John A Kellogg. All became generals, and all but Cutler were line officers at first. Kellogg and Cutler are dead. Dawes located at Marietta, Ohio, where he still lives. He has served a term in congress. Cutler was brevetted a major-general."
B.J. Sweet, who went out as major of the Sixth, became lieutenant colonel and was appointed colonel of the Twenty-first. He was badly wounded at Perryville and transferred to the invalid corps, and made brigadier general. Sweet was for many years pension agent at Chicago, leaving there to become deputy commissioner of internal revenue. He died after holding this office two or three years. His daughter, Miss Ada Sweet, held the office of pension agent at Chicago ten or twelve years.

One of the bravest soldiers of Company D, Sixth, was Thomas Kerr; he rose from the ranks to lieutenant colonel. He still lives in Milwaukee.
The first adjutant of the Sixth, Frank A. Haskell, became colonel of the Thirty-sixth and was about to be commissioned a brigadier general when he was killed at the battle of Cold Harbor, early in June, 1864.
The first captain of company A, Adam Maloy, was made lieutenant colonel of the Seventeenth, then colonel, and was brevetted brigadier general. The second captain, David K. Noyes, lost a foot at Antietam and afterwards served as lieutenant colonel of the Forty-ninth.
Another captain of that company was Louis A. Kent, now editor of a mining paper at Denver, Colorado. One of the lieutenants was H. J. Huntington, now a prominent lawyer of Green Bay.
The first captain of company B, Daniel J. Dill, who for many years has been a merchant at Prescott, Wisconsin, was made colonel of the Thirtieth. Philip W. Plummer, who was first lieutenant of company C, was killed as major at the battle of the Wilderness in May, 1864.
Company D had six captains; john O’Rourke resigned the fall of 1861 and became captain of a battery. John F. March resigned in 1861 to become colonel of a New Hampshire regiment. Sam Birdsall resigned in 1863 and has held an office in Washington most of time since. Thomas Kerr was promoted to major and lieutenant colonel. John R. Lammey was killed at Hatchers Run and Henry C. Matraw is in the railroad business at Toledo, Ohio.
General Bragg was captain of company E when he went into the service. Joseph H. Marston, who was second lieutenant, became captain upon the death of E.A. Brown, killed Antietam. Marston is one of the rich men of Appleton. Henry T. Garfield, the last captain of company E lives at Shawano. He was brevetted major.

You have already discovered that the Sixth Wisconsin, like the rest of the brigade, turned out a number of field and general officers. There is one other I will mention. In 1861 M. H. Fitch was a sergeant of company B; in 1862 he reached the rank of lieutenant; he was made adjutant of the Twenty-first Wisconsin and reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in that regiment, and was brevetted colonel. For some time after the war he was United States pension agent in Milwaukee. He is now president of a leading bank at Pueblo, Colorado.
There is still another Sixth Wisconsin man who became a field officer of another regiment; that is Captain Frederick Schumacher. He went out as first lieutenant of company F, was made captain the fall of 1861, and in the summer of 1862 left the Sixth and became major of the Twenty-first. He was killed at the battle of Perryville. I do not believe there ever was a more popular line officer in the brigade; and when word came from Perryville that the major had been killed, hundreds of hearts in the Sixth Wisconsin ached. Schumacker was a resident of Milwaukee; I met his daughter in the city a few weeks since.
P.H. McCauley was second lieutenant of company D. It will be remembered that he drilled nearly all of the men in the manual of arms. Resigning in 1861, he joined the Seventeenth Wisconsin and became a major. He was an old Milwaukeean and now resides in Des Moines, Iowa.
What memories a glance at the names of the old regiment recall. A loose-jointed, awkward sergeant of company H was Charles H. Ford. But there was war mettle in him. When he was made a lieutenant he slicked up, braced up, and pulled himself together admirably. In less than two years from the time he enlisted he was captain of the company. Retiring in 1864 he was made major of the Forty-sixth Wisconsin, and he was as handsome and fine looking a field officer as the Sixth turned out. Poor Charlie Ford died of consumption fifteen or twenty years ago.
Micheal Mangan was a private in the Sixth and was made lieutenant at Gettysburg, where he lost part of his foot. He served in the invalid corps the balance of the war and after the war become a lieutenant in the regular army. He was retired on three quarters pay fifteen years ago; he is now a Fond du Lac business man.
One of the most popular officers company E ever had was Jerome B. Johnson, who has been connected with the Milwaukee post office the past ten years. He enlisted as a private, became a sergeant, and was the first man commissioned in the regiment after it left the state. He was seriously wounded at the battle of Gainesville and reluctantly left the service. By the way, Johnson was commissioned captain of the invalid corps, but for some reason or other the commission did not reach him until two years later, when he had engaged in other business. It would be a grand old world if all men were as good as Captain Jerome B. Johnson.
Do you remember Guilford Smith? What a nice, clean-faced, boyish fellow he was, and what a splendid soldier he made all through the war? I guess he never missed a battle. At the battle of Gettysburg his clothing was torn by bullets in three places. Smith escaped without an injury of any kind and is now a prosperous farmer up in Clark County.
Probably the Sixth Wisconsin had the worst old farce of a brass band that ever was permitted to drag its slow length before a dress parade. T.D. Kanouse was a member of that band but he afterwards joined the Third Battery and became a good soldier. Do you recall the one old drag-a-long tune that band played?
Mair Pointon, who became first lieutenant of company A, and who was as sure-footed a soldier as ever put on a uniform, has been seriously ill at his home in Baraboo for some months.
A.L. Roberts was at first a private in Co. B, but became captain and commissary. He is now a merchant at Wahpeton, Dakota. But I must stop talking about men of the Sixth.

The first colonel of the Seventh Wisconsin, Joseph Van Dor, had been a very efficient drum major in the German army, but as commander of a regiment he failed, and resigned in a few months. He was succeeded by W. W. Robinson, of whom mention has been made. He was succeeded by Colonel Mark Finnicum, who went out a captain. He is now residing at Pulaski, Kentucky. His successor was Hollon Richardson, who entered the arm a first lieutenant and left it a brevet brigadier-general. He has been a lawyer at Chippewa Falls for a number of years. He delivered the annual address at Madison two years ago.
Judge C.A. Hamilton, of this city, was major of the Seventh when it went out, but became lieutenant-colonel in a few months. He was so badly wounded at Gainesville that he retired the next winter.
Colonel Charles A. Hamilton was a dignified, handsome officer and always had the respect and confidence of the regiment. The men regretted exceedingly to have him resign, but the serious wound in the brigade's first great battle rendered it impossible for him to continue in the service. He was shot early in the engagement at Gainesville but refused to leave the field until that battle was over, when dropped upon the ground like a blanket and remained there unconscious for some time. Colonel Hamilton is a grandson of the Nation's first great financier, Alexander Hamilton, who was murdered by Aaron Burr. While every man who is present at the reunion will regret that the colonel is not there none of them will regret it more sincerely than himself.
General John B. Callis was a captain in the 7th, became a major, then lieutenant colonel, and at Gettysburg was shot through the body and left on the field for dead. He was made a brevet brigadier general for conspicuous service in the field. After the war he went to Alabama and served in congress from that state. Returning the Lancaster, Grant county, he established his home and has lived there ever since. He has served one or two terms in the assembly. He is a constant sufferer from his wounds.
Joseph M. Bartholomew of company A has been an express messenger on the Northwestern from Milwaukee to Lancaster for many years. He is a member of E.B. Wolcott Post.
Charles K. Brown lost one of his legs in the Wilderness. He is now a resident of Chippewa falls. Many of his friends will be disappointed if he does not attend the reunion.
Alexander Cross, also of company A, has been a resident of Neilsville for some time. He had to submit to an amputation of his leg some years after the war.
Captain W. W. Ryan, of company A, lives at Baraboo. He has been engaged in Railroad building to a considerable extent. Captain Ryan was left for dead at Fitz Hugh Crossing, having been shot through the body, but he is worth a whole regiment of dead men, yet.

A good many noble men went down at that battle of Fitz Hugh Crossing. Among them was Captain Gordon, a handsome man and as brave a soldier as the regiment ever had. Captain Gordon was a great singer. One of his most intimate friends, Sergeant Rood, who afterward became a lieutenant, marred Gordon's widow and they have been for many years residents of Chicago, where Rood and his wife, who is a thorough business woman, have made a fortune. Rood attended the last reunion held in this city in 1882.
E.B. Dunlap is a substantial resident of Lodi. His wife has been president of the Womans' Relief Corps for the department of Wisconsin.
M.C. Hobart was a private or sergeant when the regiment left the state, but when the war was over he had in his pocket a commission as lieutenant-colonel of as good a fighting regiment as was ever organized anywhere, for any war. He did not muster as lieutenant-colonel because of the reduced number of men in the command. He is a thrifty farmer near Fall River, and two years ago was a member of the assembly. His wife, Sarah D. Hobart, is one of Wisconsin's ablest and best writers.
John Lindsey, honest as the day is long, and who followed the fortunes of his regiment up to the Welden railroad, where he received a severe wound in the neck and shoulder, is now a business man of Marshall, this state, and also postmaster.
Captain C. E. Wicks resides at Columbus. He made a magnificent record as a fighting man and won his way from the ranks to the command of his company.
Chas. Walker is a thrifty farmer near Rio, this state.
Dennis Riley, who stood the storm of bullets like the hero that he is, lives at Marshall, a neighbor of Lindsey.
A few months ago the Sunday Telegraph gave a sketch of Alexander Hughes. Hughes was wounded seven or eight times and, if I remember rightly, the last time at North Anna, where he was badly hurt that he never returned to the army, and for several years wandered along close to the border of the unknown beyond. Recovering he came to Milwaukee and acquired a business education in Professor Spencer's college and studied law. Many years ago he went West, finally bringing up in Dakota. He became a first-class lawyer, built up a large practice and made a great deal of money. He has held various territorial offices and is at present a senator.
Captain A. R. Bushnell, of company C, is a resident of Lancaster. He has held the office of United States District attorney for the Western district of Wisconsin since the new administration came into power.
Lieutenant J.H. Holcomb lives at Platteville.
Jeff R. Rewey, of company C, resides at Wisner, Nebraska.
The following-named were members of company D, 7th:
Captain W. W. Machen has been resident of Adell, Iowa, for many years.
James Graham lives at Stoughton and George H. Cole spends most of his time in Milwaukee.
George Burnett is a worth, enterprising citizen of Stoughton.
Alexander Ivey is a leading merchant at Lancaster. Ivey lost a leg at Gettysburg. He will be at the reunion if trains run.
Colonel George H. Walther, of this city, was a captain in the 7th Wisconsin for year when he was made major in another regiment and at the end of the war was colonel of the 35th Wisconsin. Colonel Walther still resides in this city. He married a daughter of the late Solomon Juneau and is a popular citizen. He will attend the reunion.
O.F. Tripple is a prominent citizen of Stoughton.
The following are members of company E, Seventh Wisconsin. Captain L. E. Pond lives at Westfield. He is the able senator from that district and last winter championed the measure to secure monuments for the Gettysburg battlefield, and was the steadfast friend of other legislation favorable to the veterans. He is a man of ability, has a large heart and he is unyieldingly true to his convictions and his comrades. Another captain of the company, W.H. Gildersleeve, resides at North Weymouth, Mass.
Of company F, Captain Frances Boynton resides in Nebraska. Lieutenant Jesse M. Roberts is at Plainfield, Iowa.
Captain H. F. Young is a resident of Patch Grove, Grant county. A reunion without Captain Young would not be complete. The captain is one of those large hearted, patriotic, kindly men whom the old veterans delight to meet.
Thomas W. Riley is a business man of St. Paul and has been getting rich.
John Dolphin resides at North Andover. He is the present sheriff of Grant county. He says a large delegation will be at the reunion from Grant county. A.S. Morse is one of the substantial citizens of Lancaster. He has held a county office several years.
Fletcher S. Kidd also resides at Lancaster. He has been unable to walk for many years.
Of company G, Seventh Wisconsin, the following are named: Captain Fred L. Warner is a leading merchant of Randolph, this state. He and his wife will the guests of Captain Robert Montieth and wife during the reunion.
Of C. H, we name the following: Robert Montieth was a private when he entered the service, was appointed sergeant and in 1862 became second lieutenant and was afterward made first lieutenant and adjutant and then captain of his company. Captain Monieth was on staff duty much of the time. He was acting adjutant general of the brigade at different times. He was also on the staff of General Wadsworth and General Cutler when they commanded a division, and for a time served on Gen. Warren's staff while he commanded the 5th corps. After the war he was quartermaster general of the state for a time. He has been resident of this city for some years and is employed in the St. Paul general offices. He is a member of Wolcott Post and Wisconsin Loyal Legion.
Of Co. I, 7th, Lieutenant C. C. Lesler resides in Chicago. Captain Augustus Rogers resides at Colebrook, this state; E.S. Williams, at Wautoma and Lieutenant Chas. M. Prutsman, at Arbuta, Nebraska.
Of Co. K, Captain George M. Hoyt, who was commissioned major at the time Hobart was commissioned Lieutenant-colonel has been in the regular army most of the time since the war and is now a captain and stationed out West somewhere.
Captain John W. Hoyt resided at Beloit until a year ago, but now lives at Long Pine, Neb. The Hoyts were both privates when the entered the service.
John W. Bruce, who was a private and won the rank of lieutenant by good service, and was left for dead on the field of Gettysburg, is a much respected resident of Merrill. His old comrades will be delighted to wee him at the reunion.
F.W. Oakley, who was a lieutenant in company K, and lost his arm during Pope’s famous retreat, lives at Madison. He became a captain in the commissary department after leaving the 7th and was brevetted major. For a number of years he was United States marshal for the Western district of Wisconsin, retiring when the present administration came into power. Samuel B. Morse is in the Sixth auditor's office at Washington. Lieutenant Washington Steever resides at Menasha.
Another man of company A, 7th, is Bert O'Conner. He was wounded two or three times and for many years has been a resident of Eau Claire and held the office of chief of police several years.
Captain Robert Candler was the first adjutant-general of the brigade, but when General King took command of a division Chandler went with him, as did the balance of the staff. The next adjutant-general was Frank A. Haskeil, who had been adjutant of the 6th Wisconsin. Captain Robert Monteith, of the 7th, acted as adjutant-general several times. Captain James D. Wood, to whom reference is made elsewhere, was adjutant-general from some time in the spring of 1863 until until August, 1864, when he was taken prisoner. Captain Andrews, of the 7th Wisconsin, acted as adjutant-general for a time. When General John A. Kellogg commanded the brigade his adjutant-general was Adjutant Watrous, of the 6th. After he was captured, the 31st of March, 1865, Captain Henry Naegley, of the old Second, and later of the Sixth, was the adjutant General. Adjutant General Chandler died in an insane asylum. As already stated, Haskell was killed at Cold Harbor in 1864. All the others are living.

Clark County Civil War Veterans

A MEMBER OF IT TELLS SOME OF ITS EXPERIENCES.