Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-11
HIS ARMY RECORD.
an Ex-Oficer of the Iron Brigade Writ
ten Up by One of His Army Comrades.

ten Up by One of His Army Comrades.
One of the interesting specialties of th
@nday Telegraph of Milwaukee is the pub
ication of war "reminiscences, contributes
generally by men who served in or were as
sociatcd with Wisconsin regiments. In tn
last number we notice contribution from
Zen. John Gibbon, colonel, Seventh infan
try, U. 3. A., sketching visit to Antietan
cemetery and to the scenes whereon the IroI
brigade (Which he commanded earlier in tn
war; distinguished itself in the battle O
Gettysburg. Another paper in the sam,
number is the closing series of historical ant
personal sketches of the Second Wisconsin
regiment written by Col. George H. Otis, Of
McGregor, Iowa, ex-major of that regiment
In this paper we find the following re-
gardlng well known journalist Of ST.
Paul,
CAPT. J. D. WOOD.
"Ihere is one other omission that comes
70 mind just now, and that is James d
wood. AT the time Fort Sumpter was fired
upon, Wood was living at La Crosse, where
ne mad located about year previous. He
served as private in the La Crosse Light
GUARDS. Collwell, captain, with thirty seven
members on the roll. Capt. Colwell prompt
~ ohered the services of the Guards to the
governor, and the day following word was
aeceived that the company was too late for
the three-months' regiment, and the COM
pany proceeded to organize, and was finally
assigned to the Second regiment, as Co. B.
wood was @ corporal in the company
when it was mustered in, and while in
Camp Randall was promoted to SER
geant, IN which position he went through
the battle of the first Bull Run. Here
First Lieut. Frank Hatch was wounded and
soon after discharged. Second Lieut..
hughes was promoted to fill the vacancy,
and on an election by the company, J. D..
Wood was made second lieutenant, the COM
mission being dated Sept. 9th. 1861. He
served with the company until June, 1862,
when he was appointed acting adiutant of
the regiment by Col. Fairchild, and while so
serving, was, on the recommendation of Col.
Fairchild, promoted to first lieutenant of
company D, vice Sanders, resigned, the
commission being dated August 25th, 1862.
he continued as acting adjutant until Capt.
Ely's discharge for disability, when he
was promoted to captain of company
u, the commission dating January
lst, 1868. At the battle of Fred
ericksburg he was detailed on the staff
Of Gen. Sol. Meredith, then COM
manding the brigade. By Gen. Meredith
he was recommended to the appointment of
captain and assistant adjutant general, the
commission being issued March 4th, 1868,
and was assigned to duty with the Iron Bri-
gade, in which position he continued under
different commanders until at the battle of
Weldon Railroad he was taken prisoner and
confined in the old Libby and at Danyille,
N. O., remaining six months in rebeIdom,
when he was exchanged, and after O short
leave of absence rejoined the brigade head
quarters at Baltimore, liz tering out SOL
aier5. On this special duLy he remained un-
til discharged, June 81, 1866. In March,
1864, while at Culpepper, Va, the COM
manding officers of the regiments, the bri-
gade, Col. Bragg, commanding, and Gen. Cut
ler commanding the division, united in rec
ommending him for promotion to command
one OF the new regiments then forming in
the State. The recommendations were verv
fatterjng, General Bragg closing his with
the following: "The Iron Brigade will be
his sponsor for efficiency, character, courage
and good conduct, wherever the reputation
OF Wisconsin flag is entrusted to his keep
lng." On two other occasions he was re-
commended for brevet promotions,
Of him, after the Fredericksburgbattle Gen.
Meredith said: "Capt. James D. Wood, A,
A. g., Fourth brigade, First division, First
army corps, for good conduct in
crossing the river on the 29th of
April, and courage and skill exhibited in TAX.
ing off the pickets, May 2, 1868. He was the
last to cross the river, and assisted in saving
the pontoons. Capt. Wood was in the first
engagement at Bull Run in 1861, and has
taken part in every engagement through
which the brigade has since passed. Thus
we have the record of our old adjutapt gen.
eral. Capt. Wood is now on the editorial
staff Of the st. Paul DAILY GLOBE, and is as
popular with the printing fraternity, of
which he is one of the brightest ornaments,
as he was when on duty with the old bri.
gade."