Following are the small items from The Polk County Press and The Prescott Journal of July 18, 1863. This is the first we have heard of the Frontier Rangers, apparently another militia company formed in St. Croix Falls.
From The Polk County Press:
— Remember the company drill, at the Fair Grounds, to-day. [The Polk County Rifles]
— The enrollment for each town in Polk county is completed, and JUDGE BARRON [Henry D. Barron] the enrolling officer informs us that he has experienced no trouble in performing his duties. Every man has responded promptly and kindly to all questions and in no case has there been any effort made to evade the rules. Polk is patriotic and sound on the war question.
— The enrollment of this county [Saint Croix County] is nearly completed. The enrolling officers have had but little difficulty in performing their duty.—Hudson Times.
— There will be a company meeting of the Frontier Rangers, at the old School House, in St. Croix Falls, on Saturday afternoon next, for the purpose of drill. An early and full attendance is requested.
W. J. VINCENT,
Captain.
— Gen. Meade [George G. Meade], the next leader of the Army of the Potomac, is the grandson of George Meade of Philadelphia, an eminent Irish American merchant, whose firm (Meade & Fitzsimmons) contributed in 1781 $10,000 to a fund for the relief of the famishing army of Gen. Washington. [This also appeared in The Prescott Journal of July 18.]
— Col. Benton¹ of La Crosse; Ben. Ferguson² of Fox Lake; H. L. Palmer³ of Milwaukee, are prominent in connection with the Democratic nomination for Governor.
It is probable that the Republicans and Union men will nominate Hon. J. T. Lewis,4 the present Secretary of State. They could hardly make a better choice.
— Wisconsin was well represented at Vicksburg. Maj. Britton,5 of the 8th, in a letter published in the Janesville “Gazette” says our State had thirteen infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment and several batteries there.
— Col. R. C. MURPHY [Robert C. Murphy] has been stopping at his old place of residence, St. Croix Falls, for the past two weeks. He has closed up his affairs, and goes to Washington, where we understand he is to engage in the law business.
— Gen. Early [Jubal A. Early], who is at the Lead of one of the divisions of Lee’s army [Robert E. Lee], and who recently made the trifling demand of money and supplies from the town of York, Pennsylvania, is a native of that State. He was born in Carlisle. His father was a poor shoemaker who lived in the outskirts of the then village and brought his only other son up to his trade. This one, the General, left home at an early age, made his way to Lynchburgh, Virginia, established himself there as a dentist, was successful, married a wealthy girl, and then became one of the F. F. V.’s.6
Gen. Prentiss’ Official Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, July 11.
The following has been received at the headquarters of the army here, dated Helena, Arkansas, July 5th :
To Major General Halick [sic: Henry W. Halleck], Washington :
We encountered the enemy, 15,000 strong, under Generals Holmes, Price, and Marmaduke, and others, on the morning of the 4th of July, and whipped them handsomely.
We have captured 1,000 prisoners, 1,200 stand arms, and two colors.
Our total loss will not exceed 150.
The enemy’s losses are very severe—not less than 2,500 in killed, wounded, and prisoners.
(Signed) B. M. PRENTISS, [Benjamin M. Prentiss]
Maj. Gen.
Indiana Invaded.
INDIANAPOLIS, July 8.—Morgan’s [John Hunt Morgan] force of artillery, cavalry, and infantry, numbering from 6,000 to 8,000 have captured Corydon, our forces falling back. The rebels, it is supposed, are marching to Jeffersonville where large quantities of supplies are stored. Troops are being organized throughout the State and sent forward as rapidly as possible. Business is entirely suspended here today, and citizens are forming companies for self defense. One regiment has been raised since last night. It is reported that two citizens were killed at Corydon when the rebels entered the town.7
HEAVY UNION LOSSES.
The billiant [sic] victories of Meade’s army of the 1st, 2d and 3d instant, were achieved at a larger sacrifice than was generally supposed. A Tribune letter places the aggregate loss at 10,275 in killed, wounded and missing.
From The Prescott Journal:
THE NEWS.
The news of the past week is important, and may be summed up as follows;
Port Hudson has unconditionally surrendered.
Morris Island in Charleston Harbor is in our possession.
Lee has crossed his army into Virginia.
Vallaudigham [Clement L. Vallandigham] is in Canada.
The draft is going on in the East.
The frightful mob in New York City has been quelled. Immense damage was done.
Casualities [sic] at Gettysville [sic: Gettysburg].
The following is the list of casualities [sic] in Co. B, 6th Regiment, at the battle of Gettysville [sic]:
Killed–Ole Gunderson.8
Wounded–Serg’t Marugg, Corporals Evans, Fachs, James Kelly, Bullard, J. F. Kelly. Slight; Privates Anderson, F. J. Hall, Foust, Harvey, Keeler, McEwen, Nelson, Richardson, Williams.
Missing–Jerome A. Hall, Friar.9
– Ole Gunderson, Co. B 6th Wis. was killed at the battle of Gettysburg.–He was from Martel.8
From the 12th Regiment.
We have received a letter from the 12th dated Vicksburg, July 1st. The surrender of the city renders the letter of little general interest, except the closing paragraph :
The health of our army is generally good. The 12th have a considerable number sick with fever and ague; the effects, we think, of exposure at Grand Gulf and hard labor here. JAS. MILEY10 of Co. A was shot in the head and instantly killed. He had just returned from Prescott, where he had been on furlough. This is the only man our regiment have had killed. Miley was a good soldier, ever ready to do his duty cheerfully. Co. A have also lost another estimable man in SOLOMAN M. RUSSELL,11 of Richland [sic: Richmond], St. Croix Co., who died of a fever but a few days since. –To-day is pay day for months of March and April. ‘Greenbacks’ and smiling faces are circulating on every side.
NEWS ITEMS.
– Generals Grant [Ulysses S. Grant] and Meade have been promoted, the former to Major [General], and the latter to Brigadier General in the regular Army.
– It is stated by a correspondent of the New York Tribune that Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is the loser of $100,000 by the rebel invasion, the rebels having destroyed his iron mills near Gettysburg, and stolen all his teams. The loss embraces about all Mr. Stevens was worth.
– There is a rumor that Gen. Banks [Nathaniel P. Banks] is to be recalled from the South, and made Secretary of War. This is given some color of probability by Gen. Franklin’s [William B. Franklin] departure for New Orleans. It is very well known that Franklin is one of the most able officers in the army, and it is fair to presume that he would not be sent to the Department of the Gulf unless he was to be its commander. Banks is an efficient soldier, but his remarkable administration ability could be employed in the War Department with immense advantage to the country.
– It is rather remarkable that in the remotest nooks of the Southern Confederacy which have been reached by our cavalry expeditions, the slaves know all about the Emancipation Proclamation. The Conservatives insisted that it would not be heard of in the interior of the South. The birds of the air, the winds and the waters, all bear the charmed secret to the listening bondsman.–Nashville Union.
1. Charles Swan “Colonel” Benton (1810-1882) was a lawyer and politician who moved to Milwaukee from New York in 1855. In 1856 Benton was appointed Register of the United States Land Office at La Crosse and served in that capacity until 1861. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the U.S. Congress in 1862. He engaged in agricultural pursuits near West Salem, Wisconsin, and later, in 1865, at Galesburg, Illinois, returning to La Crosse in 1869. Benton served as judge of La Crosse County from 1874–1881.
2. Benjamin Ferguson (1820- ), a native of Penobscot, Maine, came to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, in 1844. He was one of the first settlers and built the first frame house in the village. He engaged in farming and became very successful. Ferguson was elected sheriff of Dodge County in 1852. In 1857 he received the nomination for state senator but was defeated by former Governor William E. Smith, but Ferguson was successful in being elected in 1859. He was nominated for governor of the state in 1861 but was defeated by Governor Louis P. Harvey by a very small majority.
3. Henry L. Palmer (1819-1909) was a lawyer, politician, and insurance executive. A Democrat, Palmer was state assemblyman (1853, 1860, 1862, 1873) and state senator (1867-1868). He also served as Milwaukee County judge (1873-1874). Important in this context, he will be the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor in 1863. For more information, see the Dictionary of Wisconsin History article on Henry L. Palmer.
4. James Taylor Lewis (1819-1904) was a lawyer, politician, and the ninth governor of Wisconsin, being elected in 1863. Beginning his political career as a Democrat, Gov. Lewis later joined the Republican Party and led the state through the tumultuous conclusion of the Civil War. He was an ardent supporter of President Abraham Lincoln, and faithfully supplied his state’s quota of soldiers for the army. He made numerous trips to army hospitals and camps, and secured a special order to transfer Wisconsin’s sick and wounded soldiers home. Lewis was also instrumental in founding homes for both soldiers and soldiers’ orphans. For more information, see the Dictionary of Wisconsin History article on James Taylor Lewis.
5. William B. Britton, from Janesville, entered service as captain of Company G, 8th Wisconsin Infantry (Robert C. Murphy’s old regiment). He was promoted to major on December 20, 1862, to lieutenant colonel on July 7, 1864, and to colonel on March 28, 1865. He was wounded at Nashville.
6. First Families of Virginia, socially prominent and wealthy families.
7. Corydon was the site of the only Civil War battle fought in Indiana. On July 9, 1863, Confederate cavalry led by General John Hunt Morgan, aided by the citizens of Brandenburg, Kentucky, crossed the Ohio River into Indiana to begin what is known as “Morgan’s Raid.” Morgan’s 2,500 men were opposed by 400 hastily-assembled home guard at the Battle of Corydon. The Union troops were quickly defeated and the town surrendered. Corydon was sacked in retaliation for Union looting in Kentucky.
8. Ole Gunderson was not killed at Gettysburg.
9. Jerome A. Hall is the only soldier listed here who was not already mentioned in the July 2, 1863, letter from Company B’s captain, Rollin P. Converse. Jerome A. Hall was from the Town of Oak Grove in Pierce County. He did not stay missing for very long. He will be taken prisoner at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864, but will muster out on February 18, 1865.
10. James Miley, from Prescott, was killed in action on June 21, 1863, at Vicksburg.
11. Solomon M. Russell, from the Town of Richmond in Saint Croix County, died June 26, 1863, at Vicksburg, from “disease.” His death had been noted by Edwin Levings in his letter of July 1, 1863.
Gen. Grant’s latest and happiest expression is contained in his letter, read to his friends at the recent dinner given to him in Memphis. In speaking of his noble army, he says :
The Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin 