A
Brief History of the Citizens Guard
1860-1865
by Tom Klas
The
Citizens Guard was officially formed on February 22nd, 1860 to
protect the citizens of Fox Lake and nearby communities. Led by Captain George H. Stevens, the
Citizens Guard was accepted by the State into the 22nd Regiment
Wisconsin Militia a few weeks after their formation. This band of patriots met every week to drill
during the fall of 1860 at the College Square in Fox Lake catching the eye of
the citizenry and especially the local ladies.
By January of 1861, the sentiments of war were stirring in Fox Lake as
seen by the increasing frequency of their drill meetings. In the January 31st edition of the
Fox Lake Gazette, it states:
The Citizens Guard meets twice a week for drill. They are put through the regular course of military tactics
by Capt. Stevens, who is well qualified to issue orders. They are preparing for actual service, should Uncle
Sam demand their services. Give the boys a chance, and their bayonet would find its way to the seat of many a traitor’s pantaloons. (Flemming, Fox Lake’s Civil War News and Letters 10)
During
the next few weeks, preparations were made to host an invitation only party not
only to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, but also the one-year anniversary
of the Citizens Guard. The event was the
talk of the town, and the Citizens Guard became ever more vigilant to prepare
for the oncoming conflict.
On
May 4th, 1861, the men from Fox Lake and neighbor communities
marched down College Avenue to the train depot in Fox Lake. They had tendered their services to preserve
the Union and were accepted by Governor Randall to be part of the newly formed
Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
With great public support, the men from the Citizens Guard were led by
horse drawn cars to Fox Lake Junction, where they would connect with the main
train line to Camp Randall. After taking off from Fox Lake Junction, the train
passed Beaver Dam and approached the small hamlet of Minnesota Junction where
they rested for a few hours. Charles Stevens (the brother of George Stevens)
writes on May 5th, 1861 about their stay at Minnesota Junction in
the May 9th edition of the Fox Lake Gazette:
At Minnesota Junction we were obliged to lay over several hours on account of the non connections of the trains. Here we missed our drummer (Mr. Stafford) who was left behind at the last station, and young Van Buren was therefore called upon to take his place. During the course of the morning, however, the “missing man” was seen coming along afoot on the track, and with loud hurrahs, a deputation of the company rushed forward to greet him on his safe arrival, and immediately escorted him to the Junction on their shoulders, amid still louder cheers. About 1 P.M., the expected train hove in sight, having on board the Oshkosh Volunteers - - a fine looking body of young men. We soon after started off - - some of us in not the best of humor on account of the shabby treatment we received at the hands of the hotel proprietors, who failed to furnish us a full supply of “grub”, although well paid “in advance” for some. (3)
So
for many of the men from the Citizens Guard, they left for Madison hungry but
happy to see all the ladies in route to Camp Randall waving handkerchiefs at
the boys which were of course followed by loud cheers. The funny part is that not only did the
Citizens Guard boys get snubbed a prepaid meal by the innkeeper at Minnesota
Junction, but a similar occurrence happened almost just the same for the Fox
Lake Volunteer Rifles, Company “D” 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
on their way to Camp Randall. (Hopefully
we will cover that in another article soon).
One
of the early heart wrenching decisions for most men of the Citizens Guard was
to enlist for a new required term of three years instead of the 90 days they
had expected. Due to this change, George
Stevens, Henry B. Converse, Albert T. Morgan, and James Patch were dispatched
from Camp Randall to recruit over 40 new men to fill the ranks of the Citizens
Guard in such towns as Fox Lake, Randolph, Beaver Dam, and Columbus. With the great efforts of these men, the
Citizens Guard filled their ranks to “..101 men” according to Charley Stevens
in his Camp Randall Report appearing in the Fox Lake Gazette on June 13th,
1861. With all the excitement to recruit
more men into the Citizens Guard, many citizens and soldiers felt that even
though Steven’s boys were a top notch military organization, they might loose
out on being assigned as Company “A” of the Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
Regiment. In the newspaper article
titled “A Little Too Fast” printed in the June 20th, 1861 edition of
the Fox Lake Gazette, the town newspaper editor addresses some rumors
regarding the best company in the Second Wisconsin:
The “Family Paper” called the Wisconsin was a little too fast when it claimed for the “La Crosse Light Guards” as being the best drilled company in the 2nd Regiment, and that said company would be Company “A” in the regiment. The Wisconsin, we presume had not heard of the “Fox Lake Citizens Guard,” commanded by one Captain Stevens. We will enlighten the Wisconsin a little. In the 2nd regiment of W.A.M., may be found the letter named company, having for their captain the best drilled man in the regiment, and this said company has been placed at the right of the regiment and is therefore Company “A”, while the La Crosse company is placed at the left and is Company “B”. Will the Wisconsin make a note of this fact, and give those worthy of honor their due. (Flemming, Fox Lake’s Civil War News and Letters 43)
With
such patriotic fervor brimming in both Fox Lake & La Crosse, the proud
citizenry of these two excellent companies got a little too caught up in the
moment. However the article was correct
in stating that the Citizens Guard was given the honor of being placed as
Company “A” of the Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Now they just had to live up to such high
expectations. On June 11th,
1861 the 2d Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered in for three
years of service and headed immediately to protect our capital in
Washington. Never again would many of
these brave boys from Company “A” see their beloved home communities again.
The
Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment led an honored and heroic battle
history in such major conflicts as First Bull Run, Brawner’s Farm, Second Bull
Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Fitzhugh’s Crossing,
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court
House and a full host of small engagements and actions from 1861-1864. In
fact, the fierce combat that the brave men from Fox Lake participated in from
1861-1864 took a toll on their numbers.
By May 11th 1864, after the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse
at Laurel Hill, Company “A” was left with only nine men fit for service to the
Second Wisconsin. With other companies
in the same situation, the 2d Wisconsin Infantry Regiment (with fewer than 100
men in its ranks) was kindly detailed to division provost guard for the rest of
their term of service. This famed
regiment was mustered out of service on June 28th, 1864 on the basis
that their three-year enlistment term had expired. A grand welcome home parade on June 18th,
1864 was given in honor of the brave men of the Second Wisconsin at
Madison. However, not all of the Citizens
Guard members decided they had enough of the war. Many members of the Citizens
Guard and their fellow 2d Wisconsin brethren re-enlisted, to be known as the
Independent Battalion – Wisconsin Volunteers companies “A” & “B”. The Citizens Guard’s own Albert T. Morgan led
Company “B” of the Independent Battalion and was promoted on September 14th,
1864 as Captain of the Old Second Wisconsin boys that were still assigned to
division provost duty. On November 30th
of 1864, they were transferred to become companies “G” & “H” of the Sixth
Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment falling in with their old
comrades from the Iron Brigade. Albert
T. Morgan once again served as Captain, this time leading Company “H” of the
Sixth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment. They now were in full duty once again taking
the front actions with the rest of the 6th Wisconsin Veteran
Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Here the
veterans from the Citizens Guard fought in the battles of Second Weldon
Railroad, Second Hatcher’s Run, Gravelly Run, Five Forks, and Appomattox
Courthouse. On May 23rd,
1865, several men from the Citizens Guard marched at the Grand Review in
Washington D.C. serving Wisconsin through the entire war.
The
brave men from the Citizens Guard have plenty to be remembered for, especially
their excellent founder, Captain George H. Stevens. Stevens as he did back in Fox Lake showed his
tremendous leadership skills and knowledge of tactics resulting in his promotion
on August 30th, 1862 to Major of the Second Wisconsin Infantry
Regiment. By January of 1863, George
Stevens was promoted to Lt. Colonel of the 2d Wisconsin serving under Colonel
Lucius Fairchild as his second in command. On July 1st, 1863, the
gallant George Stevens was mortally wounded near Mc Pherson’s Woods during the
opening attack against Archer’s Brigade of Tennessee and Alabama
regiments. He would die from his wounds
on July 5th, 1863. George H.
Stevens now rests in the Gettysburg National Cemetery alongside several
Citizens Guard members who lost their lives at Gettysburg preserving the Union.
The
Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was also part of a larger famed
military organization in the Army of the Potomac made up of regiments entirely
from the Old Northwest. The “Western
Brigade” comprised of the 2d Wisconsin, 6th Wisconsin, 7th
Wisconsin, and 19th Indiana was transformed into a tough fighting
unit under the command of Brigadier General John Gibbon starting in May of
1862. Through constant drill,
discipline, and eagerness to uphold the honor of the West, these boys become
one of if not the best brigade to fight in the Civil War. As the men fought courageously up the steep
grade at the battle of South Mountain on September 14th, 1862,
General George B. Mc Clellan, Commander of the Army of the Potomac, bestowed
upon them the title of the Iron
Brigade. In 1863, at the battle of
Gettysburg, the Iron Brigade was nearly destroyed including the new comers to
the brigade, the 24th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 2d Wisconsin Infantry lost 77% of their
men at Gettysburg, going into the battle with 302 men, and concluding with only
69 men by July 4th, 1863
(Beaudot and Herdegen. An Irishman in the Iron Brigade 115). Other regiments in the Iron Brigade under the
command of Brigadier General Solomon Meredith suffered the same fate on the
first day of the battle of Gettysburg.
This hard fighting brigade would never be the same after the battle of
Gettysburg, but the pride established in 1862-1863 existed throughout the
duration of the war for the “Black Hats” as many Confederates identified them
as.
The
boys from Fox Lake, Randolph, Trenton, Beaver Dam, Kingston, Columbus, Fall
River, and many other local communities gave their lives so that our Union
could be preserved. Hurrah for the Citizens Guard!
“A
Little Too Fast.” Fox Lake Gazette
20 June 1861. Fox Lake’s Civil War
News and Letters.
Ed. Julie Flemming. Fox Lake, WI: Fox Lake Library, 2002. 43.
Beaudot, William J.K. and Lance Herdegen. An Irishman in the Iron Brigade: The Civil
War
Fox
Lake Gazette. 31 Jan. 1861. Fox Lake’s Civil War News
and Letters. Ed. Julie Flemming.
Fox Lake, WI: Fox Lake Library, 2002. 10.
Stevens,
Charles A. “From our Correspondent –
Camp Randall” Fox Lake Gazette 9 May
1861.
- -
-. “From our Correspondent – Camp
Randall” Fox Lake Gazette 13 June
1861.
1st Edition: 3/4/03
Revised on: 7/17/05
TK