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1862 October, Seventh Wisconsin

Killed

On the battle field of Sharpsburg Md., Wednesday, Sept. 17th, 1862. 
Wesley Craig, son of Jonathan and Mary Craig, age 20 years, 1 month and 7 days.
Among the many causalities which have of late fallen with such touching severity upon our gallant Wisconsin Volunteers in the recent struggles on the Potomac, none have sent a deeper thrill of sorrow through the bosoms of the inhabitants of this village than that of the untimely fall of this noble youth. Though but just emerging from the endearing rounds of sportive boyhood he arose in the strength of opening manhood, impromptu answer to his country's call, and freely dedicated the morning of his life to her service. 
Among the "Lancaster Union Guards" who left our county on the 29th of August '61 under the command of Capt. Callis to rally around our national standard 
and battle in defense of it honor we find his name enrolled.
Having been nurtured in the arms of his mother in whose bosom glows the living fire of her country's love, and inspired with noble sentiments inculcated thoroughly with the teachings of a father whose devotion to his country's welfare is attested by the dangers he has encountered in years past, on the tented field, we wonder not at the early desire which prompted him to participate in the labors of vindicating his country's rights.
Of the nobleness, with which he, in common with his fellow soldiers, bore the toils and dangers of the deadly conflicts through which they have been called to pass as privates in Company F, of the 7th Reg't Wis. Vol., we ask no further evidence than that 
afforded us by the many gallant achievements 
that have crowned their heroic efforts wherever directed. 
On third fatal day, long and hard had been the contest between his valiant band and the stubborn foe and they were just being relieved by their comrades fresh 
from the rear when he fell to rise no more.
In honor of his gallantry in this last hour of danger it is enough that one of his noble companions in arms has said, "he stood up to the work like a man through the hottest of the fight". And though we feel that it is indeed an affection of the greatest severity to be called thus early to part with him and many others whom we might mention, whose lives have been giving a willing sacrifice upon the alter of out county, yet we esteem the course in defense of which he and they have fallen as one in which it's is an honor to die.

Alpha
Buena Vista, Oct 1st '62

From Co. E, 7th Reg't
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md.
October 1st, 1862

Ed. Marquette Express, - Dear Sir: - When I sent you a list of the causalities of Co. E. of the 7th Regiment Wis. Volunteers , in the late battles in Virginia and Pennsylvania, I had no time to give any particulars. I now give a few, which may be of some interest:

Corporal Gustavus Sergeant. of "Westfield, was hit by a shell at the battle of "Antietam", which broke his thigh and passed into his body causing his death in a few hours. He was perfectly conscious of his situation and bore his pain with heroic fortitude, saying to his friend, Mussay, with almost his last breath, "I am willing to die." "tell my father and friends I fought and died for my country." Corp'l Sergeant was one of our most exemplary and best soldiers and while we regret and with his friends mourn his loss, we rejoice that he dies the most noble of all deaths - the death of a patriot soldier, fighting for the rights of many, for truth and humanity - an honor to his friends and his country.

Private James Pattingell, of Kingston was severely wounded by a musket ball which struck his hip, breaking and destroying the joint so that amputation of the leg could not save him. He was also wounded in the arm. He lived six days, enduring the most intense pain like a martyr, when he he expired shortly after asking those around him to inform his mother that he did not run from the enemy - James faced the balls of the foe,  fought and died like a soldier and will receive his reward for the service he has tendered his country.

James Briggs - another of our most noble boys - received a very frightful wound in the body and leg, but uttered no word of complaint or fear. We could judge of his suffering only by his wounds and his paleness. When spoken to in regard of his probable death - for we all supposed he would die - he said calmly "I have always tried to do my duty." He was taken to the hospital, his wound dressed after taking a piece of shell out of his body, and when we last heard from him he was doing well. God grant that he may live to return to his friends. a more noble boy never lived than he.

Private George W. Eddy, of New Chester, AdamsCcounty, who was seriously wounded in the leg, on the 28th of Aug. in the battle near Gainesville, Va. died at Douglass Hospital in Washington, Sept. 13th.

It is also unofficially reported that Corporal John J. Rose of Hancock, wounded in the foot Aug. 28th, has since died of lockjaw, in Washington

All the other boys of our company who were wounded are doing finely, so far as heard from.
We are now enjoying a season of rest  - do not expect to rest long as the enemy are in our front, across the Potomac, and the booming of the murderous cannon is heard almost every day which tells us our forces and those of the enemy are not far apart. Today the President is here it review the remnants of "Lincoln's hirelings" as we are called by our foes.
Of course you will have heard the full particulars in detail of all the late battles before this reaches you, so asking the boys of old Marquette and vicinity to come and help us and hoping for the early dawn of the "Good Time Coming"
I will close.
L. E. Pond

HEADQUARTERS 7TH REGT. WIS. VOLS.
Camp in field, Md. 
Oct. 6th 1862
Friend Cober: - I notice in the Madison Journal in which my reports of the battles of the 16th and 17th of Sept. were published that a mistake occurred in the name of the person who commanded Co. F; the company was commanded by Sergt. Wm. Eugene Stoat, instead of Wm. E. Stout; please note it.
Yours Respt'y
John B. Callis, Capt..
Commanding 7th Reg't. W.V.
Gibbon's Brigade in the Late battles--

Interesting letter from Frank A. Haskell.
The Portage Register publishes an interesting letter from our fellow townsman Frank A. Haskell of the Wisconsin 6th. now Acting Assistant Adjutant General of Gibbon's Brigade to his brother in that city. It relates to the late battles about Manassas and in Maryland, We copy some extracts:

THE FIGHT NEAR GAINESVILLE
On the 29th of August on the turnpike from Warrenton to Centerville, near Gainesville King's division encountered the right wing of the enemy.
I will not say now whose was the fault, but of the division consisting of four brigades, two were not engaged at all, and one other but lightly. But Gibbon's, the 2d, 6th and 7th Wisconsin, and 19th Indiana, which the rebels have named the "Black Hat" Brigade - they wear black felt Army Hats - went into the fight. This was their first hard battle, as the sun was going down upon this pleasant August day their line was formed that they stood face to face with three times their number - nowhere a hundred yards distant, and in some places not more than twenty - and for nearly an hour and a half until entire darkness came upon the earth, the little hill whereon they stood was a roaring hell of fire. Retiring never an inch. with no confusion, now standing up, now flat upon the earth, now swaying backwards or forwards to get advantage on ground, the devoted 1800 blazed with fire. Line after line of the rebels confronted them and was swept away or broke in confusion. Fresh regiments would again appear upon the grounds, their discomfited ranks had left and with a cheer would rush on for a charge upon the "Black Hats".  But their rebel cheer was drowned in one three times louder by the Badger boys, and their lines met the fate of their predecessors. No battle was ever so fierce before - no men ever did better than did the men of Gibbon's Brigade. With the darkness came cessation of the rebel fire, and then, and not till then, ours ceased. We had yielded not an inch and our pickets covered our advanced lines. Then came the taking off the dead and wounded. Then we learned the extent of our loss.
Now was the hardest part of the battle - to learn who of our friends were killed or wounded. 771 of the brigade had fallen. I cannot give the names of any; you have read them in the papers. At a little past midnight we were ordered to leave the scene of our terrible battle, and having cared for the wounded as well as we could and taken as many as the ambulances would hold with us, we silently took up the line of the march of Manassas Junction. As the daylight came on the next morning none of us could look upon our thinned ranks, so full the night before, now so shattered, without tears.and the faces of those brave boys, as the morning sun disclosed them, no pen can describe. The men were cheerful, quiet and orderly. The dust and blackness of battle were upon their clothes, and in their hair and on their skin. "but you saw none of these; you only saw their eyes, and the shadows of the "light of battle," and the furrows plowed upon cheeks that were smooth a day before, and not now half filled up. I could not look upon them without tears, and could have hugged the necks of them all.

THE BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN
OUR FORCES HERE, I SUPPOSE EXCEEDED 30,000. THAT OF THE ENEMY WAS FROM 30,000 - 40,000. By one or two o'clock P.M. the battle became general. Reno, first attacking on the left, and Hooker on the righ; the turnpike was the center, and was guarded on our side by our numerous batteries. At about 4o'clock P.M. Gibbons' Brigade, which belong to the bully Joe Hooker's corps, but was that day detached, got orders from Gen. Burnside to move up the turnpike towards the gorge and attack the enemy and dislodge them. This was the hard place of the whole line but this Brigade never falters, and amid Hooker's thunder upon the right, and Reno's upon the left, the "Black Hats" moved steadily on to their work,

At the sun an hour high in the afternoon with its rays streaming full in their faces, they were engaged with the enemy's infantry, largely their superiors in numbers and posted behind stone walls and in woods, the rebel batteries meantime hurling shell among us to which our own artillery replied with interest. The rebel artillery was silenced, the brigade drove all before it up the gorge as darkness came on, and we heard first the cheers of Reno, then of Hooker, upon our left and right telling us that all but the center was won. Wisconsin through commencing last and with its work not done could not fail to do that work well before it slept. So above the roar of the battle went up the cheers of the Wisconsin men in response to those of their friends upon the right and left and with the coming on of night they redoubled their work.-

At about 10, P.M. the battle closed.- the enemy was dislodged from the gorge, and the Brigade rested upon their arms- the 6th where they fought the others, relieved by fresh troops, who came and took their places and the fell back a few yards, first for more ammunition, then for sleep. And the victory was won along the whole line and the rebels were in confusion and retreat upon the other side of the mountain.

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM
Our brigade moved out to battle a little after sunrise and before we had moved a hundred yards toward the enemy their second shell- the first just passed over out heads - dropped and exploded in the 6th Wisconsin and killed or wounded thirteen men and officers- Capt. D. K. Noyes of Baraboo being among the latter. He has had his right foot amputated saving the heel and ankle joint- is dong well and will undoubtedly recover. We moved on to battle and soon the whole ground shook at the discharges of artillery and infantry. Gainesville, Bull Run, South Mountain were good respectable battles but in the intensity  and energy of the fight and roar of firearms, they were but skirmishes in comparison to this of Sharpsburg. The battle raged all day, what short intervals during which charges were being made in the disposition of troops. At night we were in occupation of almost all we had gained of ground; this was a good deal The enemy's dead and wounded were nearly all in our lines. The slaughter upon both sides is enormous. All hands agree that before they had never seen such a fearful battle. The loss of the Brigade was in killed and wounded, 880 - 47.5 percent. of the men engaged. The victory was complete, but not decisive. The 18th was consumed in maneuvering and ascertaining the position of the enemy and on that night he skedaddled out of Maryland leaving his dead unburied, his wounded uncared for and a large amount of arms and some guns in our hands. About twenty stands of colors were captured by us - two by the 6th Wisconsin. The flag of the 6th received three bullets in the flags staff and some fifteen in the flag! that of the 2d Wisconsin - 3 bullets in the staff and more than twenty in the flag. We are now near the field. I hope you may never have the occasion to see such a sight as it is. It will not attempt to tell you of it. But amid such scenes we are all cheerful, the men were never more so - victory in two hard great battles and the rebels out of Maryland made us glad.

 INCIDENTS
THROUGH ALL THESE FOUR BATTLES WHICH I HAVE HINTED AT, I HAVE BEEN AND AM UNHARMED. I CANNOT TELL HOW ANYONE COULD HAVE SURVIVED; BUT WE ARE ALIVE AND HAVE THE BELIEF THAT HE WHO CONTROLS THE DESTINIES OF NATIONS AND MEN, HAS SAVED ME, AND WILL , UNHARMED , IN MANY MORE BATTLES.

I have not been afraid of anything in battle. One does not mind the bullets and shells much, but only looks to the men and the enemy to see that all is right. I saw many incidents of battle that would interest you, but cannot now tell them. One however I will tell, On the 17th, about 10 o'clock A. M., I was sent to Gen. Hooker with a message. I had to ride through a hailstorm  of bullets from the enemy not a hundred yards and off and was upon the gallop upon my pet horse "Joe,"  a fine creature, fleet as a deer, and brave  as a lion , who had carried me in all the battles, when a musket bullet hit him full in the side, he jumped into the air - the blood spurted several yards from the wound, and he staggered to fall. I dismounted and patted his neck to take leave of the faithful creature. He leaned his head against me like a child. But I must leave him; I started, and he whinnied after me and tried to follow. I went to him and again stroked his neck and patted him. He seemed to know as much as a man. I again started to leave him. He again tried to follow, but his poor legs could carry him no more ; he whinnied for me feebly, and fell, and was dead in a minute. I could not help a tear for him.

Captain Bachelle of the 6th Wisconsin had a pet Newfoundland dog that he had raised, and which was always with him. Master and dog both fell dead together upon the field shot with bullets.

Thanks to Wisconsin Soldiers
The following order has been issued by Gen. Gibbons to his brigade:

Headquarters Gibbons Brigade
Sharpsburg, Oct. 18, 1862

Special Order. - It is with great satisfaction that the brigadier general commanding announces to the Wisconsin Troops the following endorsement upon a letter to his excellency the Governor of Wisconsin. His greatest pride will always be are always merited. I beg to add to this endorsement the expression of my great admiration of the conduct of the three Wisconsin regiments in Gen. Gibbons brigade. He has seen them under fire acting in a manner that reflects the greatest possible credit and honor upon themselves and their State. 
They are equal to the best troops in any army of the world .

(Signed.) Geo. B. McClellan
By command of Brigadier Gen. Gibbons.
J. P. Wood, Captain and A. A. G. 

The three regiment are the 2d, 6th and 7th - all old troops that have tramped all over Virginia.

Medical History of the 7th Wisconsin Regiment,
from its arrival in Washington to the first of October.
Some time since, in pursuance of orders from the Surgeon General, medical inspection of the Army of the Potomac was undertaken and reports required from the Surgeons of the different Regiments. We are indebted to Surgeon Ayres of the 7th Regiment for a copy of his report. It embraces an interesting history of the regiment from its arrival in Washington to a recent date and gives an exhibit of the diseases to which it has been subject with an idea of ils effective strength at different periods.
A note enclosing the report dated Oct 15th says the regiment was then doing well and ready to march at an hour's notice.

Dr. Edw. P. Vultum, Medical Inspector, U.S.A.;
Sir: - Agreeably to you request, I beg leave to submit the following report relating to medical and sanitary condition of the 7th Regt. Wis. Vol., with which I have the honor of being connected.
D. Cooper Ayres, Surgeon,
7th Regt. Wis. Vol.
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., Oct. 9, 1862

This regiment arrived in Washington, D.C. the 26 day of September A.D. 1861, numbering  1017 enlisted men. The measles had broken out in the regiment at Camp Randall, Wis. a short time previously to its leaving that location, and at the time of arrival in Washington was prevailing to a considerable extent.
The first camp occupied was the open ground east of the Capitol. The second was at Camp Lyon, near Chain Bridge. The third was at Arlington Heights where it remained during the winter, the men occupying common wall tents. Here we had a limited number of cases of common continued fever, but the general health was good.
We broke camp on the 10th of March and went to Fairfax C. H., Va., thence back to Arlington Heights; and thence to Fairfax Seminary. The weather being inclement and the tents affording but  imperfect protection the men complained a good deal of the exposure to which the were subjected being now provided with shelter tents only.
On the 4th of April we again broke camp and marched to Bull Run, Manassas and Bristow Station, under great exposure experiencing at this time a snow and rain storm which lasted five days.
We left Bristow Station on the 14th of April leaving seventeen patients sick in hospital and marched to Cutlet's Station where we left ten patents more. The cases were chiefly the result of exposure in our marches. Our transportation being insufficient and the roads being remarkably heavy and mud deep, we were under the necessary of leaving a Catlett's everything we could dispense with for the time being and consequently were obliged to turn over to Government a large supply of medical and hospital stores amounting to over $200. In this department, our outfit had been liberal and up to this time our supplies had been abundant for our own use but since then we have labored under many disadvantages from an insufficiency.
On the 21st we left Catlett's and reached Falmouth on the 24th. Our sick list increased both in numbers and severity, we having at this time a number of cases of severe typhoid fever.
The last of May we again marched to Catlett's thence to Haymarket and Warrenton, and back to Falmouth within ten days and encamped upon the open field on the clay soil table and land of the Rappahannock opposite Fredericksburg where we remained about forty days. The surrounding here were not salubrious and although the water used in camp seemed to come from springs yet it was little if anything more then surface water passing a few feet through channels in the clay soil and subsoil. Diarrhea of a serious character accompanied in most instances with a form of continued fever prevailed extensively throughout the regiment which as the temperature of the weather increased became more severe.
Towards the last of July we moved camp a little further from the river to a more desirable location where we remained about twelve days but the unhealthy influences prevailing the former camp continued to develop themselves while we remained here.
On the 5th of August the Regiment marched on a reconnaissance beyond Fredericksburg and left camp a little before daylight. The debilitated state the men were in caused many to fall out and on our return to camp three days afterwards we found our sick list very much increased.
On the morning of the 9th we broke camp to join Gen. Pop's army near Culpepper Court House and were under the necessity of sending off sixty-six patients via railroad. On the evening of the second day we joined Gen. Pope near Cedar or Slaughter Mountain , a distance of forty-five miles. This march told severely on the physical powers of the men and over two thirds of the Regiment were now applying for medical advice. The prevailing trouble was diarrhea, debility and general prostration of physical and nervous energy.
On the 18th we struck tents ,the men resting on their arms over night and retreated on the next day to Rappahannock Station. From here we sent twenty-seven patients to Catlett's Station and the Regiment participated a little in the skirmishing of the 21st, 22d, and 23d wherein we had two men wounded by the ricocheting of a solid shot. We then were ordered on a forced march to Warrenton, thence to White Sulphur Springs where we remained one day to witness a little artillery skirmishing and then return to Warrenton continuing our march directly to Gainesville, passing the village about noon on the 28th and resting few hours for refreshments.
About two miles from Gainesville we met the enemy in a severe engagement of artillery and musketry. The mean strength of the regiment for this month was 774, including officers and soldiers, but  a number had been sent to the hospital, a number had been detailed as wagon guard for the train which was then a Centerville, and some had fallen out so that the number of men actually engaged in the action did not exceed 580 rank and file, and we lost in this and subsequent actions of the two following days, 28 killed, and 155 wounded making from among the effective men actually on duty a loss of nearly 32 percent.
On the 30th the Brigade to which our regiment belongs was posted on the right of the line of battle and mainly covered the retreat of the army that night towards Centerville.
From Centerville we continued our retreat and on the evening of Sept. 2d we arrived at Upton's Hill the men very much prostrated both from the excitement and the exposure to which they had been subjected.
On the evening of the 6th we broke camp on Upton 's Hill and during the night we marched thence through Alexandria on the way to Frederick City, Md. The aggravating effects of the events of the ten previous days now presented themselves in many instances in a very marked degree in the prostration of mental as well as physical energy. - the men had rested four days at Upton's Hill but did not recruit physically and their energy and ambition were so much depressed that they fell out by the wayside in scores exhibiting the appearance of general exhaustion with symptoms of corporeal disease. 
The same thing had been observed but a much less extent on two previous times during the present campaign . On returning to Fredericksburg from the reconnaissance of August 8th a general lassitude seemed to control the normal energies. Also the same thing presented itself on the march from Warrenton to Gainesville, Aug 27 and 28th but the excitement attending the event of the evening of the 28th and subsequent days until we reached Upton's Hill seemed to sustain the men and events keep their energies buoyant. But at this place the excitement having subsided both the physical and mental energies of the men became very much depressed and at the commencement of the march from this place they seemed controlled by an almost ungovernable lassitude. The proportion of those who fell out during the first two day was greater then had been experienced on any previous march - but upon arriving at Frederick City, Md. the spirits of the men began to assume more buoyancy and when the regiment was again called into the engagement of the 14th at South Mountain they had recovered their native vigor and there reasserted their title to be claimed as veterans.
On this march between Georgetown and Frederick City the Government, needing transportation elsewhere, took from us our hospital supply team and we were under the necessity of turning over to the proper department not only our hospital tent but also the greatest proportion of our medicines and hospital supplies only reserving for use such as we could carry a small sized ambulance.
The enemy retired from the field a little after 10 o'clock P.M. of the 14th. Previous to this time also all of the battles in which our regiment had been engaged had been fought late in the afternoon or in the dusk of evening or in the nighttime making more inconvenient in attending to the needs of the wounded. 
On the 15th and 16th we advanced as the enemy retired and on the night of the 16th the regiment lay upon their arms on the margin of the field of Antietam. The events of the 17th, in which our regiment participated are already a matter of history and since then we have quietly remained in camp near the Battle Field on the north bank of the Potomac.
The following is a synopsis of the sanitary condition of the regiment for the six months ending September 30th as taken from the hospital records. those cases where a less number than five occurred in a month are included collectively under the head of "miscellaneous cases:"

SYNOPSIS of Report of the Medical Department of the 7th Regt. Wis. Vols. 
from April 1st to Sept. 30th, inclusive:

* 28th and 30th of August; and 14th and 17th of September.
NOTE:-The record for April is somewhat incomplete, being on the march; there were 27 patients left at Bristow's and Cutlet's Stations.