River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-01-07
MADISON CORRESPONDENCE.
wIsCONsIN's WAR RECORDS.
The Compilation Now
IN Progress.

"A'NS-f'h-fo " Az hA<NFN''
The Compilation Now
In Progress
The question has often been asked
of your correspondent, "What Is
being done with the soldiers records
to require such force of clerks and
50 much time in the work." Espec-
tally are the veterans themselves
Interested in this work, and their
conceptions of what constitutes "A
"military history" of an individual
soldier differ SO widely that some.
what full explanation of the mOduS
of the work is necessary To make
clear its scope and magnitude.
AT first thought it would seem that
the work vas of interest to "A limited
class only. A little consideration Of
the feature will at once convince the
most skeptical that it is by no means
a local interest which is conserved by
the law which authorizes this
compilation. Wisconsin has popu
lation of say 100000. She sent out
81. 900 men into the field. OF this
number 10000 may have returned.
Ii each or these men may stand
credited with the usual number of
relatives, usually computed at five to
each adult male, we have the respect
able figures of $50, 900 people who are
directly interested in these musty
records which are piled away in the
Adjutant Generals office, within
whose folds lies the story of each
mans service-his marches, battles,
wounds and death, the discharge
which gave him back to waiting
friends crippled with wounds or de
bilitated by disease, or the muster
out which released him at the close
of his term of service, a conquering
hero.
1t thus occurred that Governor
Rusk and General Chapman, Adjutant
General of Wisconsin, to whom are
due the credit of the idea of placing
in shape for permanent preservation
these Invaluable records, and whose
Ideas are incorporated in the law
under which the work is progressing,
met with ready and unanimous
response to their recommendations
when laid before the Legislature at
It's last session. Under their direc-
tiOn a bill was drawn, the title of
which is a key To It's contents. The
title is IAN Act to Authorize the
Governor and Adjutant General To
Compile. Perfect and RecOpy the
Reco,d DIS of TIE Adjutant General 5
Office Pertaining to the War of thu
Rebellion" This bill was introduced
by Mi. Blyton on February 9TH, 1888,
and was thereafter known as No. 1853
4. 1t was referred to the Committee
on Militia, and after being somewhat
amended, was passed. receiving in the
Assembly 78 ayes and no noes, and in
the senate 20 ayes and no noes. The
vote is an index of the favor with
which the idea Was received and the
widespread interest which the subject
commanded.
The Legislature having thus
authorized the work and appropriated
IA sufficient sum of money 10 in ure its
completion, "A study of the best meth
DDS engaged the attention of
General Chapman, who became, by
virtue of his office, responsible for the
details of the work. TO this end he
visited the War Department at Wash
ington and awaited himself of the
| experience OF the General Government
in like work. lie has also made a
study of the methods pursued by
other states notably that of Illinois,
which has shown more than ordinary
| liberality and thofoughness in the
compilation of its war records. Thus
| prepared, he began the work in June
| last with the assistance of clerks
| appointed by the Governor, who have
| been selected after careful consider
| alton of their fitness for the
| duties imposed upon them.
There are now nine clerks engaged
exclusively upon this work. in
addition to whom Capt. F. L. Phillips,
| Acting Assistant Adjutant General
! renders invaluable assistance i'll col
| lecting the material and directing the
work, he having been in the office
with General Chapman for the past
| five years. which has given him a
thorough knowledge of all the papers
pertaining to the military history of
| Wisconsin in the war.
For data upon which to base the
personal history of the soldiers and
officers of the line reliance is chiefly
| placed upon the official returns of the
Company and Regiment. The former
were required of all Company Com
manders at the end of each alternate
month February, April, June,
August, October and December.
These reports are known as bi-monthly
muster-rolls, and are supposed to
account for all the men of the Com.
pany which were shown at the last
! previous muster, as well as All
| additions since, whether from enlist
ment or return from missing IN
action or desertion. In case of death
or other loss of men shown on the
! previous roll the name of such man
is given with the proper remark
Sho wing the cause of death, the date
and place of the same, and such other
information as would give a clear and
comprehensive, though necessarily
brief history of such loss. This is
an ideal roll. The real roll is not
| fully up to this conception. In many
| instances the rolls were never made.
The more serious business of march
ing and fighting often interfered with
the work of the adjutant and HI
( clerk The sudden swo0p of rebel
! cavalry upon the nuguarded rear 81
| the regiment often consigned To the
| flames tie precious regImental chest
| Al d company books. the worth of
! which was too often little known on
ton lightly valued hy the rank and
tile or even the officers whose duty II
was To care for them 1t thus tran
| spires that in the thorough overhaul
ing and mpthodicai assificdtIOn tO
which G. neral Chapman is no"
subj-cling the records of his otfic"
many regiments are found sadly d.
ficient in the essentials of perfrc'
history of the men who represented
Wisconsin in the war for the Union
Before passing to the further con
sideration of this subject | wish To-
say few words in laudatiou mot
dpfensp) of the men who served. not
only their country, but their com
rades, by welding the pen instead of
the sword or musket. From three
years experience | know that the
clerks who did the writing. in the
| Adjutant's. Quartermaster' 5. Commits
sary's and Surgeons offices were
| looked upon by many of the men in
the Ianks AS sneaks, ''hospitil buns
and towards, and were considered
| worthless and unnecessary imp" diment
TO the fighting forces. But this
characteriz ton was an injustice. and
everyone who will give the matter
\ the least thought will SO confess