Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-05-28

that lire of work as in others, and he
soon had u company gathered together,
of which he was elected captain imme-
diately. At the same time he declined
the governors offer to be lieutenant
colonel. His regiment went into the
field, was engaged in several skirn1iShes,
and, returning i'll three months to Madi-
son. was mustered out. He was commits
stoned then Il captain in the regular ar
my. declined Coy. RandalPs offer of pro-
accepfcd the @: L. OF Observation-Disclosures Of
the Second regiment. which, owing to the
colonels ill-health, he commanded dur
ing the most important engagements.
In an encounter with StoneWal Jack
! son ut the battle of Gainesville the Sec
ond, which was the crack regiment of
the famous Iron Brigade, lost oyer one
half of its members. During this en-
from under him, but did not lose his
nerve and GOODNESS. At the second battle
of Bull Run, two days later, he COM
manded the consolidated Second and
Seventh Wisconsin and covered the re-
treat of the Federal forces. He was the
last soldier to- leave the field.
At the first guns of the battle of An
tietam he arose from the soldiers sick
couch in an ambulance and hurried for
ward. arriving in time to participate in
the afternoon fighting. Immediately pre-
vious to the battle Fairchild had been
made colonel of the Second, and his
bravery on the field during that memoir
able day elected compliments from the
Confederate commander.
In 1850 he WAS nominated to be gov
ernor by the Republicans and elected
He served his state In that capacity for
three terms.
He was chosen in 1867 to preside over
the great Sailors and Soldiers conven-
ton held in Chicago. He was nominated
to be consul to Liverpool in 1871, an
other remarka BILE instance of the office
seeking the man, for not one of the pub
lie positions which he occupied was of
his own choosing.
An English Journal said during his
term of office in that island country
that mo American consul ever made
more friends at this post" He re-
NAMED abroad as representative of this
government some ten years, serving at
Paris after leaving England As Amer
lean minister to. Spain he represented
this country at the session of the inter-
national commission in 1880 to adjust
the complicated affairs of Morocco. In
1886 he was elected commander-in-
chief of the Grand Army. From that
time until a few years ago he took an
active part in all public matters that
had for their object the promotion of
the interests of the state. Of late, how
ever, he had withdrawn from public
life as much as a man in his position
we'll could and it was with difficulty
that he was induced to become chairman
of the semi-centennial committee which
has in charge the arrangements for the
celebration of the ffrieth anniversary
of the admission of Wisconsin TO the
union. Having accepted the task he no
doubt would have wished to have thus
fttingly rounded out his services TO the
state, but as it is. the committee has al
ready had the benefit of his counsel,
and the celebration Of the states if
tieth birthday will be capstone to
memory's monument.
Col. tairchiid took an active part at
Fredericksburg with Burnside, and at
Charlottesville he took conspicuous part
on the staff Of Gen. Wadsworth.
The gallant Second lost lI6 of its 300
men At the battle of Gettysburg. In
leading Il desperate charge up Seminary
hill Gen. Fairchild's military career was
closed by a ball which shattered his left
arm. rendering amputation necessary.
While at home nursing the place where
the member WAS he received a commits
SION or Drlgauler-generai FOR gaIantry.
He was on the eve of returning to the
front when the Union Republican con-
vention nominated him to be secretary
of state.
He was married in 1864 and had three
children. Mrs. Selden Bacon of New
| York, Mrs. Charles NJ Morris of Madi-
son and Miss Caryl