JANUARY 3, 1863
Important Military Order
The Adjutant General of the State has
issued the following order:
“The Governor is credibly informed that
persons have, under the name of 'substitute
agents' or 'brokers,' perpetrated the
grossest frauds upon both the drafted men
and those offering themselves as
substitutes, extracting from them a large
amount, and often making the substitute
pay a head bonus on the contract. Desiring
to protect both parties against such frauds
-- the drafted men who may now or
hereafter be in camp, and persons who
desire to present themselves as substitutes
are earnestly advised and urged to have no
transactions whatsoever with the class of
men representing themselves as substitute
agents.
All further necessity for resorting to
these men to secure substitutes is obviated
by the appointment of an officer at each of
the camps of rendezvous at Milwaukee and
Madison for the transaction of this
business, by Major Howard Stansbury,
U.S.A., who has stationed [Captains] at
Camp Randall and Camp Washburn, whose
special and sole duty is to receive all who
desire to become substitutes and to bring
them to a personal interview with such
drafted men – leaving the parties to make
their own terms without intervention of any
other person whatsoever.
When a drafted man has procured a
substitute, he may take him to the Post
Commandant, and as soon as the substitute
is accepted and mustered by the proper
officer, the principal will be released.
JANUARY 3, 1863
THE BARRACKS AT CAMP SIGEL
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Two Soldiers Burned to Death
About 1 o'clock yesterday morning, a fire
was discovered in one of the buildings at
Camp Sigel, and in less than half an hour
all of the barracks occupied by the soldiers
were burned to the ground. The barracks
were occupied by the Twenty-seventh
Regiment, Col. Krug. There were quarters
for ten companies, but as the Twentyseventh has only nine companies, nine only
were occupied. The fire originated the
remaining empty quarters. The door to this
room was kept locked. When the guard
discovered the fire the whole of the room
was in ablaze and the door open, so that it
must have been the work of an incendiary.
The alarm was immediately given, but the4
wind was high, and the building being very
dry and filled with soldiers bunks and
straw, burned like so much tinder. The fire
spread rapidly and filled the whole
barracks with flame and smoke almost in a
moment. The soldiers blinded and
suffocating with the smoke made their way
out, some dressed, but a great number only
partially so. Two of the soldiers were
burned to death. Another was badly
burned, but is expected to recover.
The two men who were burned to death
are reported to have gone to bed drunk.
One of them was waked and pulled out of
bed by his chum but he went back again,
not seeming to appreciate the danger. As
the flames were upon them his chum left
him.
Many of the soldiers had carpet bags
and small trunks containing their private
property. Nearly all of them were lost.
Those who got out with their wearing
apparel were fortunate. Some escaped
without boots [or hats or coats]. As a storm
of rain came up shortly after the fire, the
soldiers suffered a great deal before
morning.
A large number of [military supplies]
were consumed by the fire...The barracks
destroyed consisted of five large frame
buildings constructed together. The loss to
the regiment is a severe one and it will be
some time before it can be remedied. But
the loss of property is nothing compared
with the sad loss of life. The two soldiers
died a death far more horrible than could
be conceived on the bloodiest of battlefields.
Yesterday the regiment, about 800
strong, marched to Camp Washburn, where
the soldiers will find comparatively
comfortable quarters.
JANUARY 7, 1863
Riot at Appleton
Oshkosh dates of the 6th say a riot was in
progress at Appleton at the time. A
drunken Indian murdered a German on
Sunday night last, for which he was
arrested and confined in jail. The mob
assembled for the purpose of breaking open
the jail and taking the Indian out to lynch
him.
Several citizens of Appleton were
injured in their efforts to assist the officers
in protecting the jail. Unless some outside
help came to their aid, it was feared the
mob would finally succeed. The Governor
was telegraphed for troops, but for want of
sufficient information did not order any.
Possibly he has since.
JANUARY 8, 1863
The Battle at Vicksburg
A battle at Vicksburg more desperate, if
possible, than that at Murfreesboro, is
reported, with results, at latest dates, not
favorable. The rebels evidently anticipating
the effort that would be made on our part to
capture
Vicksburg,
here
prepared
themselves for it, and thus far successfully
resisted us. Vicksburg, however, must and
will be taken. The result may be delayed
and the sacrifices enormous, but it is a
necessity to succeeded. One Wisconsin
regiment at least (we think Col. Howe's) is
there, and we presume some others, though
which we cannot now tell.
JANUARY 8, 1863
$500 Reward
The Governor offers a reward of $500 for
the apprehension and delivery to the Sheriff
of Kenosha count of the murder of Thos. W.
Taylor, whose remains were recently found,
as related, in a little lake in the town of
Randall, Kenosha county.
JANUARY 8, 1863
The Nineteenth Wisconsin at Norfolk
The first of January at Norfolk seems to
have been observed most spiritedly...
The Nineteenth Wisconsin Regiment
paid Gen. Viele a New Year's call, in full
ranks. They formed a line before the house,
and the music of the band called the
General out once more. This regiment is a
special favorite of Gen. Viele. It has been
with him for eight months, and is very much
imbued with a strong spirit. When
the
band ceased, Gen. Viele addressed the
Regiment as follows:
“Officers and soldiers of the
Nineteenth Wisconsin: – Words fail to
express my heartfelt thanks at this tribute
of respect and affection from you. We have
been for months associated together, and in
my rounds I have had daily opportunities of
personally observing both your officers and
men. Trusted with important duties and
responsibilities, you have not in one
instance failed to fulfill them. Stationed
among those who have felt little kindness
towards you, you have daily exhibited a
noble forbearance. When no courtesy was
shown to you, you have not failed to show
pity towards the many misguided people of
this place whom the enemy have left here
unprotected, and who have made many
petty efforts to annoy you. Surrounded by
these annoying influences, you have never
forgotten yourselves, remaining true to the
trust confided to you, proving that men who
can show such noble magnanimity of spirit
under trying circumstances, will not fail to
show equal bravery and nobility on the
battlefield. Brave men of the Nineteenth, it
is the pride of your commanding General to
know that the trust reposed in you has been
fulfilled to the letter and that his wishes
have always received you warm support.”
These remarks were received with loud
applause. Col. Sauders then replied on
behalf of the regiment – thanking Gen. Viele
for his words and expressing their regard
and admiration of him as a commander,
and hoping they might be led by him into
battle. The band then struck up, when
cheers upon cheers again went into the
air.”
JANUARY 9, 1863
The Twenty-fourth in the Fight –
Interesting Personal Details
Extracts from a Private Letter,dated –
Nashville TENN., 7 P.M.
January 2, 1863
There has been an awful battle raging
for four days. Shiloh was nothing to
compare with it. There is nothing definite to
be heard from the front as yet.* * I will tell
you a few casualties, all that I have been
able to learn as yet. Lieut. Chivas was
wounded, but I know not how badly. Lieut.
Nix, Second Lieutenant In Philbrook's
Company, is dead. Cam. Reed is wounded;
don't know how badly. Our Captain (Austin)
is reported killed, but I cannot find out
anything about it that is reliable. Our
Second Lieutenant, George Bleyer, had
command of Company F (Capt. Clark's
Company), and was wounded in the calf of
the leg and had to leave the field. Then our
First Lieutenant, Tommy Balding (I believe
his is safe) took command of the company
(F), and afterward the Captain was killed,
leaving Company A without a commissioned
officer, and the Orderly, Henry Drake,
wounded, leaving the company under the
command of a Second Sergeant, and not
having confidence in him they broke, and
were followed by the next company, F, and
so on down the line, but were again rallied.
This is the description I have heard, but I
cannot say how true it is. Major Gibbard
sent a dispatch to Col. Larrabee, who is
here (the regiment is under command of the
Major) that there were then three hundred
killed, wounded and missing. This was after
the second day's battle. Capt. Eldred was
missing, but is safe.
I consider myself fortunate to be safe
from this battle.
Yours, WILL.
JANUARY 9, 1863
The Proclamation
The New York “World,” the able organ of
the New York democracy, flouts the
proclamation of emancipation as a “war
measure,” because the proclamation
depends for its efficiency upon the success
of the war. The objection is not entirely
tenable, and is one which would apply to
many other “war measures.” Such
measures, we suppose, are designed to
strengthen our forces and arms generally,
so that when battles do come our
advantages may be increased, and the
probabilities of our success strengthened.
War applications, as well as their value and
efficiency, can only be conjectured, and if
we triumph the part they play in the
triumph must equally be a matter of
conjecture.
The result of the war, very probably, will
alone make emancipation a fixed fact and a
practical thing, and so will the same result
be necessary to make a great many other
war measures of any apparent value. The
proclamation is not expected to free the
slaves, but is expected to have such an
influence and bearing upon that system as
to weaken it, and correspondingly weaken
the rebellion and resistance to the
Government. The question is not whether it
will free the slaves, but whether it will
exercise the influence suggested.
JANUARY 9, 1863
HOMESTEAD LAW. – On the 1st of
January the new Homestead Law took
effect. For $15 a man can secure 160 acres
of government land, by this act.
JANUARY 10, 1863
THE NEWS
We have an official confirmation of Gen.
Carter's brilliant cavalry raid into East
Tennessee. Gen. Halleck thanks Gen.
Carter for his performance of this
unequaled achievement, and General
Granger for planning it.
The Legislatures are nearly all in
session. That of Kentucky has met, and the
Governor (semi-rebel) protests against the
Emancipation Proclamation.
The Michigan Legislature have reelected Mr. Chandler to the Senate.
We continue to get more particular
accounts of the pursuit of Bragg. There has
been a remodeling of the Army Corps in
Rosecrans' Army.
Springfield, Missouri, has been again
attacked by the rebels, 6,000 strong. At last
accounts it was holding out bravely, and
reinforcements were expected.
It is stated, on Gen. Grant's authority,
that Gen. Banks has now reinforced
Sherman.
The Congressional news is important,
but not particularly worthy of note.
JANUARY 10, 1863
THE SEVENTH BATTERY WISCONSIN
LIGHT ARTILLERY.
Correspondence of the Sentinel.
Jackson, Tenn., January 1.
In my last communication, I promised
you some account of the glorious old
Seventh Battery, or the brag battery, in
point of weight, at least, of Wisconsin. This
Seventh Battery averaged, when they were
mustered into the service of Uncle Sam, 162
pounds per man, and they challenged any
battery in the West, of equal numbers, to
beat them in the average size of their men.
This Battery left Racine, the camping
place of the Regiment of Wisconsin Light
Artillery, on the 15th of March last, having
now been in the field something over nine
months...They were ordered from Racine to
New Madrid, where they had charge of a
battery of siege guns, and did themselves
much credit and their country good service,
and at the same time perfected themselves
in the drills and practice of heavy artillery,
in addition to their regular drill of light
artillery. Upon the surrender of Island No.
Ten, they were removed to that place,
where they remained until the middle of
June, when they were sent to Trenton and
Humboldt, Tenn., stations on the railroad
from Columbus to Corinth.
From these places they had, during the
summer, been removed still further into
Tennessee, but had, some five or six weeks
since, been sent back to the old quarters,
Humboldt and Trenton, the battery being
divided, a section at each place. During all
this time the battery had no opportunity of
distinguishing itself, having been in no
active engagement except in the practice of
drill as artillery, and campaigning as
soldiers.
They came to Jackson to assist in its
defense at the call of Gen. Sullivan, and
while here the enemy made a swoop upon
Trenton and Humboldt, capturing their
caissons and camp equipage, thirty of their
men and fifty of their horses, and the
private baggage of the officers, and the
battery saw no fight.
They are smarting under this
misfortune, although it arose from
circumstances entirely beyond their
control. I venture to assure you, Messrs.
Editors, that when they do get at the
enemy, he will, whoever he is, remember
the Seventh Wisconsin Battery for some
considerable time afterwards.
Yours truly,
A. J.
JANUARY 14, 1863
NAVAL INTELLGENCE
Our dispatches of yesterday mentioned
the departure of the New Ironsides from
Fortress Monroe. Her destination is
probably Beaufort, N.C., where a large fleet
is concentrating preparatory to an attack
on Wilmington.
Professional men are said to be highly
pleased with the sea-going qualities of the
new Monitors, and see nothing to be
improved save of further strengthening of
the sections.
JANUARY 15, 1863
Foreign Tribute to the Gallantry of Our
Troops. – A Rappahannock correspondent
writes to the Philadelphia Inquirer:
“A Prussian officer of rank, who
witnessed the late battle at Fredericksburg,
has declared to several of our highest
officers that he never saw troops march up
to storm batteries in face of such dreadful
fire as did our troops at the late battle. He
expressed admiration at the excellent order
in which the several divisions advanced
under fire, and the obstinacy with which the
battled was contested on both sides, and
said that no such severe fighting had been
done in any of the European wars within
the last twelve years. This testimony,
coming from a high and disinterested
source, is a worthy tribute to the bravery of
our patriotic Union soldiers.”
JANUARY 22, 1863
The New Senator from Minnesota
While Indiana has eternally disgraced
herself by sending to the U.S. Senate such a
man as Hendricks, Minnesota has honored
herself by sending a Senator who is so
faithful and true a representative of the free
North-west, as Governor Ramsey.
Born at Harrisburg, Pa., Senator
Ramsey began his career as a mechanic,
but so improved his time and limited
opportunities that he managed to acquire a
fair education. On arriving at manhood he
studied law, and soon after his admission to
the Bar, acquired a large practice. He took
part early in politics, was sent to the
Pennsylvania Legislature, and to Congress.
Appointed Governor of Minnesota, he
became thoroughly identified with the
interests of the new Territory, and has
always been forward in every movement
connected with its development into the
vigorous State it has now become. The
people of Minnesota showed their approval
of his course by electing him Governor
under the State organization, and have
again manifested their trust in his fidelity
and ability.
In Senator Ramsey the Government will
secure an able and firm supporter, who will
truly represent the unalterable loyalty of
Minnesota.