BLACK RIVER FALLS AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR COMPANY G OF THE 10 TH WISCONSIN INFANTRY

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1 BLACK RIVER FALLS AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR COMPANY G OF THE 10 TH WISCONSIN INFANTRY THE FALLS HISTORY PROJECT 2010

2 OVERVIEW OF THE 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 21 st 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, , 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 Army during the conflict. One company in particular, Company G of the 10 th Wisconsin Infantry, 2

3 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 10 th Wisconsin Infantry flag was retrieved on 11 June, 2010 from: The Perryville Monument photograph was retrieved on 11 June, 2010 from: 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 Helbling is also pictured on the 1885 G.A.R. photograph. 3

4 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 Expanding sawmills and farm enterprises soon saw the population in the area of Jackson County jump to nearly 4,200 by 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

5 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 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 reenlisted 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. Causality One injured, killed, captured, or missing in action through engagement with an enemy. 5

6 Company G of the 10 th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 10 th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was raised at Camp Holton, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and mustered into service on October 14, The regiment was mustered out on October 25, 1864 and the veterans and later recruits transferred to the 21 st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The Colonels for the 10 th Infantry were Alfred R. Chapin, of Milwaukee, and John G. McMynn of Racine. The 10 th 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 10 th 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 10 th 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 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) 6

7 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 1 st Leiut. Co. E. M.O. Nov 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, nd Lieut, Dec. 2, 1862 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 Enlisted Men Ameden, Leland M Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Trans to 21 st 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 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 Bates, Robert J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 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 Blair, Joseph M. Jackson Co. Sept. 7, 1861 Trans. to 21 st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Bliss, Morris W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Disch. May 1, 1863 Brewer, John W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Burrows, Edward Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 12, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Trans. to 21 st Wis. Inf. 7

8 Burrington, Joel Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Burrington, Jospeh Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Cahill, Valenzo Milwaukee Sept. 21, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills Campbell, William R. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Oct. 16, 1862 Wnds. Rec. 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, 1963 Carnahan, Andrew Sparta Aug. 25, 1862 Trans. to 21 st 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 Coleman, Issac A.. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept.7, 1861 Prisoner Larkinsville, AL 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 21 st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Eldridge, Timothy P. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Feb. 6, 1863 Ellis, James Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Pris. Oct. 2, 1863 Enhelder, John J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Felt, Charles Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Kenesaw Mt. Fish, William Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862 Fisher, Robert P. Fox Lake Sept. 24, 1861 Forsyth, Jacob L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 14, 1861 Francis, Alexander H. Alma Sept. 22, 1861 Franz, Charles Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 12, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills, KY Griffin, Harrison Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Gruber, Nicholas Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 21, 1861 Disch. Feb. 22, 1863 Hall, Eron Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Oct.16, 1862 Hanson, Hans Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. May 25, 1863 Hayden, John D. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Chaplin Hills, KY 8

9 Disch. Feb. 10, 1863 Helbling, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Prisoner Larkinsville, AL Hitchcock, Edward P. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 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 Hoffman, Ellis L. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. May 7, 1862 Holmes, Horace J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 26, 1861 Fifer Disch. Oct. 5, 1864 Homeyle, Jacob Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 10, 1861 Trans. to 21 st Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Howard, Frank Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 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 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 Hunt, John W. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Dec. 24, 1862 Hunter, George Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Perryville, KY 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 21 st 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. May1, 1863 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 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 Monish, Geogre H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 19,

10 Moon, James T. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Perryville, KY Disch. Feb. 10, 1863 Nelson, Lewis Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1862 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862 Nettleton, William H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1862 Trans. to 21 st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Oaks, Eugene F. Melrose Dec. 8, 1863 Trans. to 21 st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 O Connor, Thomas Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 O Flaherty, Edmund Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 19, 1861 Wnd. Stone River Died Apr. 1, 1863 Oleson, Ole Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY Oct. 8, 1862 Oleson, Christian Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 O Neal, Isaac Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Owen, George H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wnd. Kenesaw Mnt. Pilmpton, James A. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 On Det. M.O. Reitz, Fred Blk. Riv. Falls Aug. 29, 1862 Trans to 21 st 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 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, 1862 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 21 st, Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Shuman, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Drummer Smith, Wm. H. H. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Sept. 8, 1862 Stafford, Samuel S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died. Sept. 7, 1862 Nashville, TN Sterling, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Story, Sleeman S. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. Dec. 26, 1863 Sturdevant, Fred W. Blk. Riv. Falls Oct. 11, 1862 Trans to 21 st Wis. Inf. Nov. 4, 1864 Subra, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. July Tiffany, John Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 KIA Chaplin Hills, KY October 8, 1862 Thurm, George J. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7,

11 Tyler, Clayton M. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Disch. July 11, 1862 Wachter, Kasper Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 17, 1861 Wnd. Stone River Disch. May 1, 1863 Weiss, Jacob Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Wiedmayer, George F. Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 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 Wycott, James Blk. Riv. Falls Sept. 7, 1861 Died Jun. 24, 1862 Murfreesboro, TN 11

12 List of Notable Battles Co. G. of the 10 th Wisconsin Infantry Participated In 1. February 25, 1862 Occupation of Nashville, TN 2. April 28, 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, 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 12

13 Obituaries and Burial Locations of Company G Soldiers The following list of obituaries and burial locations was complied 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. 13

14 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. Date October 8, 1862 Statistics of the Battle of Perryville Location Boyle County, Kentucky (specifically around the town of Perryville) Result Confederate Tactical Victory Union Strategic Victory Factions Involved United States of America (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 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. 14

15 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 21 st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry were overwhelmingly unprepared for battle, some had, at this point, never even fired their weapons. The 21 st did fire one round at the Confederates, but in turn, were shot down by the 1,400 troops in the Confederate line. 15

16 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. 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 22 nd 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 eh battle cost him his military career and he investigated for his conduct during the campaign. Buell resigned from the service in May of The soldiers who died at the battle were buried in mass graves on the battle field. 16

17 The 10 th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and the Battle of Perryville There are very few records of the 10 th 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 10 th 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 9 th 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 10 th 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. 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. Illustrations of the Battle of Perryville and the position of the 10 th Wisconsin Infantry are on the next page. The darkened circle represents the area that the troops of the 10 th Wisconsin Infantry would have been in at the listed time. 17

18 Positions of the armies at 2 p.m. (1400), October 8, Note that Buell is still one mile from the battle at this point. The troops of the 10 th Wisconsin Infantry are on the map under McCook (I). 18

19 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 2 nd Ohio, the 10 th Wisconsin, the 38 th Indiana, and the 10 th Ohio Infantries. Shots are exchanged until ammos is completely diminished. 19

20 Positions of the armies at approximately 3:45 p.m. (1545), October 8. The Confederate troops attack the Union flanks, with the 10 th 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. 20

21 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). 21

22 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 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: 21 st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment s Harrowing Fight. ( ) CWSAC Battle Summaries. Retrieved from History of the Battle of Perryville. (n.d.) Perryville Reenactment. Retrieved from Jones-Taylor, Minnie. (1968). History of Black River Falls to (K. Jacobson-Kelm, personal communication, May 13, 2010). Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3 by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3 by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from Map of the Battle of Perryville of the American Civil War Drawn in Adobe Illustrator CS3 by Hal Jespersen. Retrieved from 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 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. 22

23 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. 10 th Infantry Battle Standard Retrieved from 23