Wisconsin: Today's History Lesson

[Scuba]

> When Wisconsin volunteers marched off to the Civil War the state’s governor, Alexander W. Randall, was authorized to use $100,000 for defense.

> The state’s total military equipment at the beginning of the war was six obsolete brass cannon, 135 flint lock muskets, 796 percussion muskets and 811 rifles, all outdated. There were also 101 old pistols, 158 sabers, 44 swords and 56 tents. The first Wisconsin regiments sent to the Union army went east without weapons.

> Twice as many Wisconsin men died of disease as were killed in Civil War battle.

> Some Wisconsin regiments were made up of nationality groups. The 15th infantry regiment was largely Norwegian and was illustrated by the fact that 115 out of 899 men were named Ole.

From the book The Wisconsin Story: The Building of a Vanguard State by H. Russell Austin.

[Borchkins]

1. My great, great, ... uncle

volunteered for the Union Army. He left Monfort WI on foot. He died when his feet became infected from marching in lousy boots.

The Vets Museum in Madison is a great source of info on Wisconsin's Civil War volunteers.
B

[postulater]

2. Many of the Norweigians around the Civil War were in Wisconsin as loggers.

The great Northwoods was being raped and there were camps full of Norweigians.

I was looking at census records from the mid-1800s in Eau Claire region and saw entire pages nearly full of Ole Olsons of different ages living in the camps, row after row - Ole Olson, Ole Olson, Ole Olson, Ole Olson.

[AllyCat]

3. We had lots of wagon builders from Norway in my city.

And tobacco.

[mojowork_n]

4. Those "Oles" and some guys named "Klaus" and "Hasso," too -- saved the Union

At the beginning of the war, Maryland's legislature held a special session -- the state hadn't declared for either side and the majority of its residents really preferred neutrality.

Being cut off from the rest of the northern states, at the whim of a 'neutral' state government didn't seem like a good plan to Lincoln so he sent Federal troops to arrest the members of the legislature. "Will they follow orders," the question was raised? 'Of course they will, the reply came quickly, "they're all Norwegians and Germans from Wisconsin and don't speak a word of English."


http://teaching.msa.maryland.gov/000001/000000/000017/html/t17.html

[lutefisk]

5. My direct ancestor was in the 15th Infantry

His name wasn't "Ole", but he went through hell, alright. Even though he was born in Norway, he volunteered and fought in most of the major battles, was severely wounded, was taken prisoner and almost died at Andersonville. Yet, he came back to Wisconsin and lived in the place he fought for. Now, 150 years later, his descendants are damn near ready to leave this state. It's not the place he fought for.