Robert Downend enlisted on October 25, 1861, and served as a corporal in Company D of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry. He mustered out on February 10, 1865, at the expiration of his term.
The following article is from The History of the St. Croix Valley (Chicago: H.C. Cooper Jr & Co., 1909) vol. 2, pages 1111-1112.
Robert Downend, the genial, popular and accommodating postmaster of Osceola ,Wis., was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1834, and came to America with his parents, James and Mary (Ward) Downend, while still an infant. His parents settled in New York state, Oneida county, and died there. Robert received his education in the common schools of New York state and farmed a short time, after which he started work in a lumber mill while still very young. In 1856 he came to Wisconsin and located near Hudson one year, then settling in Osceola in the spring of 1857, engaging in lumbering, which he followed fro several years on the river and in the woods. Subsequently he served seven years as treasurer of Polk county and was then appointed surveyor general of logs and lumber in this district for several years. His work in this capacity attracted favorable notice and from that time on he was employed by various companies to scale logs. In 1861 our subject enlisted in Company D, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, and served in the Army of the West, doing service mostly in the Western states. Mr. Downend is a Republican in politics and has been treasurer, assessor and member of the town board. He affiliates with the Masons and the G. A. R. His appointment as postmaster dates from 1897, since which time he has given great satisfaction. The subject of this sketch was married, October, 1877, to Matilda Johnson, of Swedish descent, whose parents spent their latter days in this community. Mr. and Mrs. Downend have been blessed with two children: James Garfield and Merlie, both of whom are at home.
The Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin 