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BLACK RIVER FALLS AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

COMPANY G OF THE 10TH WISCONSIN INFANTRY

THE FALLS HISTORY PROJECT 2010

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OVERVIEW OF THE 2009-10 PROJECT

“All historical experience must be imagined before it can be understood.”

(Historian David Blight)

From the beginning, the central goal of the Falls History Project has been to actively engage

students of history in researching important aspects of local history. For nine years we have

explored this “place” to better understand the multi-layered and complex community in which we

live and study. This year’s project intern, senior Levi Miles, chose to explore the more distant

past, in this case the Civil War experience in Black River Falls. This was a departure for us

since all prior projects involved oral history – interviews with local residents. His research took

him to local archives at the Jackson County History Room, cemeteries, the Wisconsin Historical

Society website, and various other on-line and hard-copy Civil War resources. As with several

of our other projects, we ultimately hoped to better understand how an event of dramatic

consequences impacted our small city. Much to our surprise, we found a larger story than we

first imagined.

Robert Penn Warren once said “The Civil War is our felt history – history lived in the national

imagination.”* The memory of that war, of course, is as complex as the event itself and

continues to inspire historical research in the 21st Century. Much of the impetus for this year’s

edition of the Falls History Project stemmed from my exchange with historian Chandra Manning

in the summer of 2009 while attending a Gilder-Lehrman history seminar at Gettysburg College.

Manning’s 2007 book, What This Cruel War Was Over, explores the experience of the War from

the perspective of the soldiers who fought it, with a special emphasis on how the war changed

their view of slavery. I was intrigued by the notion that young boys from frontier regions like

central Wisconsin went off to distant battlefields and were forever changed by that experience.

Why did they go in the first place? What did they think they were doing? How did young men

from the north react to their forays into the American south? What messages did they bring

back to their small communities? Questions such as these may help us see the war in more

personal terms.

Euro-American settlers reached the Black River Valley as early as 1819 and we know that by

the 1840s there was a permanent settlement here due in large measure to the efforts of a young

man from Massachusetts named Jacob Spaulding. By the time of the outbreak of Civil War,

Wisconsin had been a state for twelve years and between 1861 and 1865, over 80,000 young

men served in the Union Army. Indeed, Wisconsin soldiers played a prominent role in the War.

The following telling statistics come to us from historian Richard Current: “Of the approximately

2000 regiments in all the Union armies, 200 were afterward listed as ‘fighting regiments’ that

had lost 10 per cent or more of their numbers killed or mortally wounded. Among the 200 were

ten from Wisconsin. Of forty-five that had lost more than 200 men in battle, three were

Wisconsin infantry regiments: the Seventh, the Sixth, and the Second.”

(Richard Current. The History of Wisconsin: Volume II: The Civil War Era, 1848-1873. 1976, p.

352).

As was the case with many communities throughout the state, Black River Falls contributed

significantly to the war effort. Over 400 young men from Jackson County served in the Union

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Army during the conflict. One company in particular, Company G of the 10th Wisconsin

Infantry, included 95 men from the village of Black River Falls. We decided early on in the

research to focus our efforts on their story. Levi tracked their story to one specific engagement,

the Battle of Perryville and documented that fascinating research here. As with our other

interns, Levi did an excellent job of searching out this story. He also learned that historical

research prompts more questions than answers, a lesson that all our interns eventually

confront.

As has been the case with all our projects, we are indebted to Mary Woods at the Jackson

Country History Room which is housed in our local library. It was Mary that put us onto a

seemingly obscure thesis written by a local history teacher named Clarence A. Newton in 1961

as part of his Master’s project. Newton’s project was a gold mine of information and we feel

especially good about bringing it to light all these years later.

* The Warren quote is taken from historian David Blight’s 2001 book, Race and Reunion: The

Civil War in American Memory. The Blight quote about historical experience comes from a

lecture that he gave in the summer of 2001 at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Paul S Rykken

Falls History Project Advisor

June 2010

Front Cover Photo Credits

The 10th Wisconsin Infantry flag was retrieved on 11 June, 2010 from:

http://www.wisconsinbattleflags.com/units-flags/10th-wisconsin.php

The Perryville Monument photograph was retrieved on 11 June, 2010 from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drcohen/283364989/

The G.A.R. photograph is from Jackson County Veterans: Volume I by Bob Teeples. It pictures

veterans of the War in 1885, including some that had served in Company G.

The picture of the gravestone of John Helbling was taken by Levi Miles in May of 2010.

Helbling is also pictured on the 1885 G.A.R. photograph.

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INTRODUCTION

In 1861, the year the Civil War began, Black River Falls and the surrounding area of Jackson

County were “just one step removed from the frontier stage” (Newton). The community was

small and closely knit, only recently being created due to an influx of settlers who came to the

area to farm the fertile land.

As of only ten years prior to the Civil War Black River Falls was a very small logging outpost

with a mere 150 residents. The town’s first newspaper the Jackson County Banner was

established in 1856. Expanding sawmills and farm enterprises soon saw the population in the

area of Jackson County jump to nearly 4,200 by 1860. Other business enterprises include the

mining of iron ore, which proved to be a failure at the time.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the call went out for able bodied men to fight for their

country. This essentially put the development on pause in the area because a surprising large

amount of men from the area were contributing to the war effort, either by donning the blue or

by contributing in the logging or metal industries. According to Newman’s Thesis, it is estimated

that development in the county was set back approximately ten years by the war. After the close

of the war the town began to flourish once again, and the city we know as Black River Falls

began to take shape as we know it today.

Levi Miles

Falls History Project Intern

June 2010

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Explanation of Military Terms

Throughout this project there are many military terms that come up either in passing or as a

focus of a passage. To clarify what each term means I have listed the definitions below, in

accordance to Newton’s Thesis. These terms may have had shift in meaning since 1850.

Infantry – “Ten companies made an infantry regiment. There was no tactical division into

battalions. The field officers were a Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel and Major.”

Cavalry – “A troop of company averages 100 men, with a Captain and two Lieutenants. It was

divided in two, three, or four sections; four troops made a battalion under a Major; three

battalions a regiment under a Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel.”

Artillery – “A battery of Horse Artillery. One Captain; three Lieutenants and 150 men, with six

guns and 140 horses (cannoners rode horses) usually accompanied each Cavalry Brigade.”

Regiment – “Each regiment consisted of ten companies.”

Company – “A company consisted of one Captain, one first Lieutenant, one Second Lieutenant,

one First Sergeant, four Sergeants, eight Corporals, two Musicians, one Wagoner, and 64

Privates.”

Re-Enlistment – “Having completed an enlistment, a man had the privilege of remaining in

service but joining for three more years. During the Civil War the men re-enlisting were

mustered out and mustered in again for three years, receiving three hundred and two dollars

bounty in addition to the one hundred dollars for the first enlistment.”

Mustered Out – “A release from duty after having served a term of enlistment. The term of

enlistment for the Civil War was three years.”

Veteran Regiment – “A regiment before being classified as a veteran regiment, must have

served two of three for which it had volunteered; if two thirds or more of the regiment re-enlisted

it had the privilege of returning to the state as a regiment where it received a furlough of thirty

days.”

Bounty – “A system so designed by the Federal government whereby an individual when

confronted with military service could hire a replacement for a fee of three hundred dollars.”

Casualty – “One injured, killed, captured, or missing in action through engagement with an

enemy.”

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Company G of the 10th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment

The 10th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was raised at Camp Holton, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and

mustered into service on October 14, 1861. The regiment was mustered out on October 25,

1864 and the veterans and later recruits transferred to the 21st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

Regiment. The Colonels for the 10th Infantry were Alfred R. Chapin, of Milwaukee, and John G.

McMynn of Racine. The 10th Infantry was involved in 19 notable battles mostly located in and

around Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee, including, but not limited to, Paint Rock Bridge,

Chaplin Hills (Perryville), Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Tunnel Hill, Kenesaw Mountain, and

Peach Tree Creek. Originally the regiment consisted of 916 men, and at its largest the regiment

had a total strength of 1,304 men. The regiment suffered a total of 219 deaths.

The 10th Infantry served its first winter in Bacon Creek, Kentucky, and in the spring of 1862

marched to Huntsville Alabama. From Alabama the regiment moved around the South, in an

area that became to be known as the “Western Theatre”.

Company G of the 10th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was composed of men from Black River

Falls and the surrounding area. A total of 113 men served in the company. Of these 113 men,

96 were from Black River Falls, and 17 were from the surrounding areas, most notably Melrose

and Sparta. The most notable member of the company was Captain William Moore, was killed

in action near Larkensville, Alabama in 1862, making him a Wisconsin war hero. A great deal of

information is available on Captain Moore because his diary of events that the regiment went

through is available to the public through the veteran’s library in Madison, Wisconsin. An

honorary Army post, Post 92, was located in Black River Falls between the years of 1882-1935

was dedicated to Captain Moore. At its peak, the post had more than 100 members, some of

whom served in the Civil War and Mexican American War.

This flag is the flag of the10 Wisconsin Volunteer

Infantry. Note that it has honors on it and has

the names of important battles the regiment was

involved in painted onto it. The flag currently

resides at the Wisconsin Veteran’s Museum.

(1863, with honors, additional honors added 1

Dec 1864, Gilbert Hubbard & Co., conserved

1987)

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Roster of Company G

Name Residence Date Remarks

Officers

Captains Rank from

William Moore Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Killed July 4, 1862 Larkinsville, AL

Andrew J. Richardson Menasha Oct. 1, 1862 Resigned June 2, 1863

Norman Thatcher Menasha Aug. 25, 1863 From 1st Lieut. Co. E. M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

First Lieutenants

Lorenzo B. Brewer Irving Sept. 7, 1861 Resigned Nov. 8 1862

Benjamin F. Johnson Alma Nov. 8, 1862 Resigned Feb. 26, 1863

Joseph C. Hussey Blk. Riv. Falls Mar. 24, 1863 2nd Lieut, Dec. 2, 1862 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Second Lieutenants

Silas A. Wilcox Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Resigned Dec. 1, 1862

Thomas C. O’Neal Blk. Riv. Falls Mar. 24, 1863 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Enlisted Men

Ameden, Leland M. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans to 21st Wis. Inf. Oct. 30, 1864

Ameden, George W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept 7, 1861 Died Mar. 19, 1862 Nashville, TN

Anderson, Lewis Blk. Riv. Falls Sept 7, 1861 Killed July 2, 1864 Kensaw, MT

Anderson, Knud Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Angler, Andrew J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Nov. 4, 1862 Wnds. Rec. Chaplin Hills

Babcock, Thomas J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Mar. 15, 1862 Elizabethtown, KY

Babcock, John H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept 7, 1861 Disch. May 1, 1863 Disability

Bates, Robert J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

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Bathrick, Frank S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Hoover’s Gap; M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Behm, Frederick W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Nov. 16, 1862 Disability

Blair, Joseph M. Jackson Co. Sept 7, 1861 Trans. To 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Bilss, Morris W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Disch. May 1, 1863

Brewer, John W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Burrows, Edward Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 12, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf.

Burrington, Joel Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Burrington, Joseph Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Cahill, Valenzo Milwaukee Sept. 21, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Campbell, William R. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 8, 1861 Died Oct. 16, 1862 Wnds. Ec. Chaplin Hills

Carmichael, William Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Killed May 9, 1864 Accident

Carnahan, Archibald Sparta Sept. 26, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Disch. May 1, 1863

Carnahan, Andrew Sparta Aug. 25, 1862 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Christopherson, H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Jan. 9, 1863

Clapp, Oliver H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Coleman, Issac A. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Prisoner Larkinsville, AL M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Court, John H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 Died Perryville, KY Oct. 16, 1862

Darrow, William S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 23, 1861 Prom. Sergt. Maj. Aug. 10, 1863

Dimmick, Ludwick L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Disch. Apr. 7, 1863

Douglas, Enos Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Mar. 8, 1862 Bowling Green, KY

Edson, William P. Melrose Oct. 23, 1863 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Eldridge, Timothy P. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Feb. 6, 1863 Disability

Ellis, James Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Pris. Oct. 2, 1863 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

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Enhelder, John J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Felt, Charles Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Kenesaw Mnt. M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Fish, William Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862

Fisher, Robert P. Fox Lake Sept. 24, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3, 1864

Forsyth, Jacob L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 14, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Francis, Alexander H. Alma Sept. 22, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Franz, Charles Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 12, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills, KY M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Griffin, Harrison Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Gruber, Nicholas Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 21, 1861 Disch. Feb. 22, 1863

Hall, Eron Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Oct. 16, 1862 Disability

Hanson, Hans Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. May 25, 1863 Disability

Hayden, John D. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hill, KY Disch. Feb. 10, 1863

Helbling, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Prisoner Larkinsville, AL M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Hitchcock, Edward P. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Hoffman, Horace Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans. Co. B Nov. 20, 1863

Hoffman, William P. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Pch. Tree Creek M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Hoffman, Ellis L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. May 7, 1862 Disability

Holmes, Horace J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 Fifer – Disch. Oct. 5, 1864

Homeyle, Jacob Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 10, 1861 Trans. to 21st Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Howard, Frank Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Hulet, Benjamen Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Prisoner Stone River Deserted Jun. 4, 1863

Hulet, Hiram Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnds. Rec. Chaplin Hills Died Oct. 13, 1862

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Hummel, Rudolph Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnds. Rec. Chaplin Hills Disch. Feb. 10, 1863

Hummel, Jacob Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Perryville, KY M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Hunt, John W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Dec. 24, 1862 Disability

Hunter, George Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Perryville, KY M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Jacobson, Nels Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Racine WI Apr. 6, 1862

James, Harvey Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Deserted Nov. 5, 1861

King, Samuel B. Melrose Dec. 24, 1863 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

King, John M. Melrose Dec. 24, 1863 Trans. to Nov. 5, 1861 Nov. 4, 1864

Lane, George Jefferson Sept. 17, 1861 Disch. May 1, 1863 Disability

Lane, Job Sparta Sept. 6, 1861 Died Murfreesboro Apr. 9, 1863

Latture, Andrew J. … Aug. 24, 1862 Disch. May 1, 1863

Livermore, Leman S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Mann, David Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans. to V.R.C. Aug. 1, 1863

Marks, Joseph B. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 Died Apr. 4, 1862 Murfreesboro, TN

Marsh, William Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Mar. 17, 1862 Elizabethtown, KY

McCollum, John A. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 19, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Monish, George H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 19, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Moon, James T. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Perryvile, KY Disch. Feb. 10, 1863

Nelson, Lewis Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862

Nettleton, William H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Oaks, Eugene F. Melrose Dec. 8, 1863 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

O’Connor, Thomas Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

O’Flaherty, Edmund Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 19, 1861 Wnd. Stone River Died Apr. 1, 1863

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Oleson, Ole Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862

Oleson, Christian Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

O’Neal, Isaac Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Owen, George H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Kenesaw Mnt. M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Pilmpton, James A. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 On Det. Serv. @M.O.

Reitz, Fred Blk. Riv. Falls Aug. 29, 1862 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Rogers, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 4 1864

Rockwell, Joseph L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 23, 1861 Disch. Feb. 3, 1863 Disability

Root, Morgan J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Feb. 22, 1862 Nashville, TN

Sargent, Phillip H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Nov. 20, 1862 Crab Orchard, KY

Schermerhorn, Wm. J Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Schermerhorn, John G.

Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Killed July, 5, 1864 Chattahoochie Rvr, GA

Sechler, John H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Shuman, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Drummer M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Smith, Wm. H. H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Sept. 7, 1862 Disability

Stafford, Samuel S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died. Sept 7, 1862 Nashville, TN

Sterling, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Story, Sleeman S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Dec. 26, 1863 Disability

Sturdevant, Fred W. Blk. Riv. Falls Oct. 11, 1862 Trans. to 21st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864

Subra, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. July 9, 1862 Disability

Tiffany, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY October 8, 1862

Thurm, George J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Tyler, Clayton M. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. July 11, 1862 Disability

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Wachter, Kasper Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 17, 1861 Wnd. Stone River Disch. May 1, 1863

Weiss, Jacob Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Wiedmayer, George F.

Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Williams, John M. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. July 25, 1862

Wood, Abraham Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Oct. 15, 1862 Perryville, KY

Wright, Charles Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 12, 1861 M.O. Nov. 3 1864

Wycott, James Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Jun. 24, 1862 Murfreesboro, TN

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List of Notable Battles Co. G. of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry Participated In

1. February 25, 1862 – Occupation of Nashville, TN

2. April 28, 1862 - Paint Rock Railroad Bridge, AL

3. June 21, 1862 – Battle Creek, TN

4. July 13, 1862 – Murfreesborough, TN

5. August 22, 1862 – Mud Creek, AL

6. October 8, 1862 – Perryville/Chaplin Hills, KY

7. December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863 – Stone River/Murfreesborough, TN

8. June 23 to July 7, 1863 – Tullahoma Campaign/Middle Tennessee Campaign

9. June 24-26, 1863 – Hoover’s Gap, TN

10. September 19, 20, 1863 – Chickamauga, Georgia

11. November 23 to 27, 1863 – Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Orchard Knob and Lookout

Mountain, Tennessee

12. February 22 to 27, 1864 – Dalton, Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost and Rocky Face Ridge,

Georgia

13. May 27, 1864 – Pickett’s Mill, Georgia

14. June 9 to 20, 1864 – Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia

15. June 15 to 17, 1864 - Lost Mountain, Georgia

16. July 3,4, 1864 – Ruff’s or Neal Dow’s Station or Smyrna Camp Ground, Georgia

17. July 5 to 17, 1864 – Chattahoochie River Operation, Georgia

18. July 18, 1864 – Buck Head/Nancy Creek, Georgia

19. July 20, 1864 – Peach Tree Creek, Georgia

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Obituaries and Burial Locations of Company G Soldiers

The following list of obituaries and burial locations was compiled by combining the works of

Clarence Newton of Melrose and Robert Teeples of Black River Falls.

Obituaries (Alphabetical by last name):

Morris W. Bliss – June 27, 1918

William S. Darrow – September 13, 1917

Charles Franz – January 20, 1921

John D. Hayden – December 1, 1926

George H. Owen – June 28, 1923

Fred Reitz – April 18, 1918

John H. Sechler – March 1, 1923

William H. H. Smith – February 19, 1928

Burial Locations* (Alphabetical by last name):

Knud Anderson – Trempealeau Valley Cemetery (Springfield)

John W. Brewer – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

Ludwick L. Dimmck – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

Timothy P. Eldridge – East Lawn Cemetery (Alma Center)

Charles Felt - Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

Nicholas Gruber – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

Jacob Hummel – Oakwood Cemetery (Merrillan)

Joseph B. Marks – Standford Cemetery (Alma Center)

George H. Monish – Melrose Cemetery (Melrose)

William Moore – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

John H. Sechler – Sechlerville Cemetery (Hixton)

John Sterling – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

John Tiffany – Melrose Cemetery (Melrose)

Clayton M. Tyler – Riverside Cemetery (Black River Falls)

*It should be noted that the men who died in and around the various battlefields were often

buried in mass graves at the location of their deaths. The two most notable mass graves are

Gettysburg and Perryville.

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The Battle of Perryville

The Battle of Chaplin Hills, also known as the Battle of Perryville was a large scale conflict

towards the beginning of the Civil War. The Battle occurred on October 8, 1862 in the town of

Perryville, Kentucky and the surrounding countryside. The battle was very important and the

actions of many of the units on the battlefield are well documented.

The state of Kentucky was considered a border state throughout the American Civil War,

bordered to the south by Virginia and Tennessee, and to the north by Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

The state was s prime battle field for both sides of the war as Kentucky controls the Ohio River

among others. The state of Kentucky, hoping to fend off the worst of the conflict was officially

declared neutral at the outbreak of the Civil War. Neither side of the conflict respected this

neutrality, and throughout the Civil War the state was a battlefield. While Kentucky never

officially seceded from the Union, a temporary Confederate capital was established in Bowling

Green in 1861 and remained there until the close of the Civil War.

Statistics of the Battle of Perryville

Date – October 8, 1862

Location – Boyle County, Kentucky (specifically around the town of Perryville)

Result – Confederate Tactical Victory

Union Strategic Victory

Factions Involved – United States of American (Union)

Confederate States of America (Confederacy)

Commanders – Union: Don Carlos Buell & Alexander M. McCook

Confederacy: Braxton Bragg & Leonidas Polk

Number of Soldiers Fielded – Union: 16,000

Confederacy: 22,000

Casualties and Losses – Union: ~4,275

Confederacy: ~3,400

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The events that led to the conflict in the hills surrounding Perryville are complex and filled a mix

of folk legend and fact. It is interesting to note that in many scholars’ opinions the Battle of

Perryville was ‘almost accidental’. Neither the Union nor the Confederates ‘chose’ Chaplin Hills

to be the location of a huge battle, instead they ‘bumped’ into each other while scouring the area

for water.

Confederate troops were in the area because of the so called ‘Kentucky Campaign’ led by Major

General Braxton Bragg, Major General Leonidas Polk, and Major General William J. Hardee.

Union troops were located in Kentucky under the command of Major General Don Carlos Buell,

Major General George H. Thomas, Major General Alexander M. McCook, and Major General

Charles C. Gilbert. Buell, having heard rumblings of a Confederate offensive forming south of

Kentucky, moved the Union regiments in the area to form a barrier between the ‘rebels’ and the

Union held cities of Louisville and Nashville.

On October 3, 1862, the troops under the command of Confederate Major General Hardee

stopped at Perryville to request reinforcements and locate water that was suitable to drink. At

that time Kentucky was in the grips of a severe drought, and Perryville had a source of water in

the vicinity.

On October 7, Buell’s army reached the outlying reaches of Perryville. It was then that Major

General Buell learned of a Confederate presence in the area. Buell immediately went about

planning an attack. Not only did Perryville contain a source of precious water, but it contained

six roads went out from the town, making the city desirable to hold. The main objective of the

forthcoming battle was, of course, to remove the enemy soldiers from the area. Buell ordered

his troops to attack the rebels by 10:00 am on October 8. Buell’s headquarters where located

three miles out of town to the West. In a house that would come to be known as the Dorsey

House.

Shortly after 10:00 am the Union solders began to engage the confederates. This delay in plans

was because the Union troops were, at the time, looking for water. At 2:00 pm the order came

for Brigade General Phil Sheridan to seize Peter’s Hill, which he did. At this point it began to

become clear that the Union was most likely outnumbered. The Confederates, while originally

planning to attack, were now holding a solid line of defense against the Union troops. General

Bragg then ordered the Confederate troops to move about in the “left wheel” formation, giving

the Union commanders the false impression that the Confederates were retreating.

By 2:00 pm most of Buell’s army had arrived at the battle, and the Union extended its flank to

the north. With the confederates in their “left wheel” position, they attacked the central line of

the Union, only to find the Union troops more than ready to return fire, decimating the

Confederate lines.

At this point in the battle the “raw” Union troops began to take a beating from the veteran

Confederates. Most notably, the 21st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry were overwhelmingly

unprepared for battle, some had, at this point, never even fired their weapons. The 21st did fire

one round at the Confederates, but in turn, were shot down by the 1,400 troops in the

Confederate line.

At 5:30 the Union was forced to retreat from its position at Open Knob Hill. This is considered

one of the most crucial actions of the battle, and the high point for the confederacy at Perryville.

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On the left side of the battle, McCook’s I Corps units were positioned at the now famous Henry

P. Bottom House and Chatham House. The Confederates attacked this location at 2:45 pm.

The Confederates burned the barn located on the Chatham property and continued to launch its

attack on the area. With mounting pressure from the north, the Union troops retreated to

McCook’s headquarters at the Russell House.

Meanwhile, the Union troops were forced to retreat at Peter’s Hill. The battle continued to rage

until nightfall. As the reports became more dire, Buell refused to reposition and reinforced

troops, which most likely cost the Union the battle. At nightfall, the most interesting encounter of

the battle occurred. Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk accidently rode into the Union

line. Here he bluffed his way out, saying that the Union soldiers were “firing on friends”, he then

called for the Confederates to fire upon the Union line, and in that one volley 65% of the 22nd

Indiana Volunteer Infantry were killed. When nightfall finally arrived the battle mostly came to a

halt, with only a smattering of gun fire here and there.

While the Confederates won a tactical victory in the battle, pushing the Union back for over a

mile, and controlling the town itself, they found in the morning that they were unable to hold their

position and retreated. The Union was able to hold the area, and controlled Kentucky for the

remainder of the Civil War. Unfortunately for Major General Buell, his poor decisions at the

battle cost him his military career and he was investigated for his conduct during the campaign.

Buell resigned from the service in May of 1864. The soldiers who died at the battle were buried

in mass graves on the battle field.

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The 10th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

and the Battle of Perryville

There are very few records of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry and its men remaining. Most are in

private collections or have been lost. The following information was found in Newton’s Thesis.

The 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment became part of Brigadier General Lovell Harrison

Rousseau’s division in the Battle of Perryville, Rousseau was under Major General McCook’s

command. They were part of the 9th Brigade which was under the leadership of Colonel

Leonard A. Harris. The unit was to support Simmon’s battery located below the crest of the hill

(Newton). 360 men and 11 officers began the battle, with roughly 90 of those men hailing from

Company G. The unit fought with the enemy until ammunition was exhausted, and then

continued to hold the enemy for 30 minutes. The regiment left its position on the order to

withdraw to resupply. Upon resupplying, the unit returned to the front lines and continued to

fight gallantly.

In the official report of General Rosseau the following commendation was offered:

“For this gallant conduct, these brave men are entitled to my gratitude, and I thank them here as

I did on the battlefield.”

Following the Battle of Perryville, the 10th Wisconsin Infantry and the remainder of Rosseau’s

Army marched to Nashville to pursue Bragg’s rebel troops. In hindsight, it is very important that

the regiments held the hill, as this possibly was the deciding action of the battle.

Illustrations of the Battle of Perryville and the position of the 10th Wisconsin Infantry are on the

next page. The darkened circle represents the area that the troops of the 10th Wisconsin

Infantry would have been in at the listed time.

The following men of Company G were injured or killed at Perryville*:

Wounded: Morris Bliss, Edward Burrows, Valenzo Cahill, Archibald Carnahan, Ludwig

Dimmick, Charles Franz, John Hayden, Jacob Hummel, Rudolph Hummel, George Hunter,

Joseph Hussey, and James Moon.

Killed: Andrew Angler, William Campbell, John Court, William Fish, Hiram Hulett, Lewis

Nelson, Ole Olson, Abram Wood, and John Tiffany.

*It should be noted that there are contradictions between the official records as found in

Records and Sketches of Military Organizations as edited by Charles E. Estabrook, and the

lists complied in the Newton Thesis. For simplicity’s sake, all soldiers who names were

mentioned are on the lists above.

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Positions of the armies at 2 p.m. (1400), October 8, 1862.

Note that Buell is still one mile from the battle at this point. The troops of the 10th Wisconsin

Infantry are on the map under ‘McCook (I)’.

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Positions of the armies at approximately 3 p.m. (1500), October 8.

The confederate troops under Jones’s command push up the hill and come into the 2nd Ohio,

the 10th Wisconsin, the 38th Indiana, and the 10th Ohio Infantries. Shots are exchanged until

ammos is completely diminished.

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Positions of the armies at approximately 3:45 p.m. (1545), October 8.

The Confederate troops attack the Union flanks, with the 10th Wisconsin taking a hit from

Brown’s troops in the front. The Union troops at the base of the hill held their positions for

another 30 minutes before withdrawing to resupply.

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Final Notes on the Project and Civil War History Research

When we began organizing this project the premise seemed simple enough: Find out “more”

about Black River Falls and its role in the American Civil War. Unfortunately, or rather,

fortunately, there ended up being a lot more pieces of research out there than I originally

planned on.

The information contained in this project came from many sources. The history room of the

Public Library contained a surprising amount of information pertaining to the Civil War and the

area. The research done by others before me also proved to be invaluable. The work by

Clarence Newton of Melrose, and Robert Teeples of Black River Falls proved especially so.

The internet, which normally I shy away from while doing legitimate research also proved to be

invaluable. The Wisconsin Historical Society website contains a plethora of scanned

documents, pictures, and historical accounts from the time period. After an article was

published in the local newspapers about the project, an outpouring of interest and information

came from the community.

While there was a lot of information floating around out there, there seems to be a lack of actual

tangible evidence of the company. In all my research I turned up very few artifacts related to

Company G. There is not a single document or picture at the Historical Society relating to

Company G, and the few that I was able to locate lie in the hands of private collectors and

family members of the descendants of the soldiers.

As with all research, this project and the research that goes along with it is ongoing. If anyone

has any research to add to this work, please contact Mr. Rykken at BRFHS

(paul.rykken@brf.org).

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Works Cited

Author Unknown. (n.d.) Grand Army of the Republic: Department of Wisconsin

Breiner, Thomas L. (n.d.) The Battle of Perryville. Retrieved from

http://www.battleofperryville.com/battle.html.

Estabrooke, Charles E. (1914). Records and Sketches of Military Organizations. Democrat Printing Company.

Flato, Charles. (1961). The Golden Book of the Civil War. New York, Golden Press.

Historynet Staff. Battle of Perryville: 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment’s Harrowing Fight.

(06.12.06) CWSAC Battle Summaries. Retrieved from http://www.historynet.com/battle-

of-perryville-21st-wisconsin-infantry-regiments-harrowing-fight.htm

History of the Battle of Perryville. (n.d.) Perryville Reenactment. Retrieved from

http://www.perryville.net/history/php

Jones-Taylor, Minnie. (1968). History of Black River Falls to 1940.

(K. Jacobson-Kelm, personal communication, May 13, 2010).

Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War. 2007. Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3

by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Perryville_1400.png

Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War. 2007. Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3

by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Perryville_1500.png

Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War. 2007. Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3

by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Perryville_1600.png

Matteson, C.S. (1890). History of Wisconsin: Soldier’s and Citizen’s Album Biographical Record

– A History of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Newton, Clarence A. (1961). Jackson County’s Role in the Civil War.

Perryville. (n.d.) CWSAC Battle Summaries. Retrieved from

http://nps.giv/history/hps/abpp//battles/ky009.htm

Quiner, E.B. (1866). The Military History of Wisconsin: A Record of the Civil and Military Patriotism of the State in the War for the Union. Chicago, Clarke & Company

Publishers.

Schenk Mies, Earl. (1961). The American Civil War. New York, Golden Press.

Stanchak, John. (2000). Eyewitness Books: Civil War. China, Dorling Kindersley Publishing.

Teeples. Robert W. (n.d.) Jackson County Veterans.

Woods, Mary. Black River Falls Public Library History Room, Personal Contact.

10th Infantry Battle Standard. 1987.

Retrieved from http://www.wisconsinbattleflags.com/units- flags/10th-wisconsin.php