Michael Hendrick Fitch was born in 1837. He was living in Prescott when he enlisted in the Prescott Guards—which became Company B of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment—on May 10, 1861. He was elected a 1st Sergeant of the Company, and on July 3, 1861, was appointed to Sergeant Major of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. On October 23, 1861, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant of Company D. He was Acting Adjutant from April 14, 1862, to July 17, 1862.
On December 19, 1862, he was promoted to major in the 21st Wisconsin Infantry, and lieutenant colonel on March 29, 1864. He was breveted colonel of U.S. Volunteers on January 12, 1865, and mustered out on June 8, 1865.
After the war, Fitch wrote two books:
- The Chattanooga Campaign: With Especial Reference to Wisconsin’s Participation Therein, Madison: Wisconsin History Commission, 1911. (E 537.4 .W5 no. 4, one copy in the UWRF Chalmer Davee Library and another in the University Archives & Area Research Center’s Special Collections).
- Echoes of the Civil War as I Hear Them, New York: R.F. Fenno & Co., 1905. (E 537.5 21st .F58 1905 in the UWRF University Archives & Area Research Center’s Special Collections; also available online in the Hathi Trust’s Digital Library).
The Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin 