The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-05-30
GEN. FAIRCHILD DEAD.
one OF Wisconsin's Foremost
Citizens Gone.
Heroic Deeds in War and Valuable
Services in Time of Peace.

that his physician had told the family
hc had not long to live. The announce
mcnt of his death, at 6:i5 in the even
ing, came almost with the blow of a
tragedy TO the legion of friends in this
city who, knowing of his serious illness.
had been led to believe the old hero
would survive it.
The change came in the afternoon. and
IN few short hours he sank steadily
into tho embrace of death For two
hours before the end he was unconscious.
and with all the members of his family
surrounding his bedside he Slept peace
fully away the last moments of life.
to awake on the golden shore.
Hls illness was from the grippe and
its results. which affected the kidneys
and other internal organs For a year
OF more he had not been strong. and
his system was unable to stand the
strain. The immediate cause of his
death was heart failure
An EventfuI Life.
1ucius Fairchild'S character was full
of color. The story of his life IS most
interesting. He was one Of the sons of
Ohio who was truly great. Born in
1881 at Kent. Portage county, in the
state of Presidents. he got his early
education II the common schools Of
Cleveland. Later he passed through
Carroll college in Waukc>ha. Wis. hon
OTaby. His father came from Ohio to
Wisconsin in 1916 and settled in Nadi-
son Soon after, when the fire Of the
gold discovery III California spread All
over the world 1uciuS. then q sturdy
lad of Is. left his home with several of
his companions and set out across the
plains with four-yoke oHteam. IT was
the rough experience he passed through
on this journey that laid the founda lion
for the rugged manhood that character
iZed him in later years. After many
months of infinite toll the party reached
San Francisco with combined capital
of just - cents.
For six years young Fairchild worked
as a digger, miner, prospector and labor
or. and saw every phase of the wild life
of the mountain and of the camp. In
1850 he returned to Wisconsin. rich in
experience, but rs poor in pocket as when
h. set out
Fairrhild's first experience in politics
was had in California, when he was
elected delegate to Il convention called
/ for the nomination of governor. On his
way to the convention his mulC. which
carried every earthly possession thar the
young miner could call his c.cn. fell
, from height on the mountain trail and
WAS killed. This accident left the mas
ter without n cent or a change of dress.
tie en-, finished h@ JogFF9Gy on f99t and sat
4 short time after his return to Wis
conSin hp was elected clerk of the cir
cult court and. meanwhile. studying law.
was admitted to the bar in 1860. At
the heg:nnng of the Civil war he was
q member of a company called The
Governors guard. and promptly enlist
ed in the regular army. His work in
drumming mp volunteers for war
service marked him as efficient in
that line Of work as in others, and he
soon had company gathered together,
of which he was elected captain lmmc-
diatcly. AT the same time he declined
the governors offer to be lieutenant
colonel. His regiment went into the
field. was engaged in several skirmiSheS,
and. returning in three months 10 Madi-
son. was mustered out. He was commits
stoned then captain i'm the regular ar
my. declined GOV. Randall's offer Of pro-
motion 10 he colonel of regiment. but
accepted the office of licutpnant-cOloncl of
the Second regiment. which, owing to the
cnloncTs ill-hcalth. he commanded dur
ing the most important engagements.
His War Record.
In an encounter with Stonewall Jack
son ut the battle of Gainesville the See
und. which was the crack regiment of
the famous Iron Brigade. lost over one
half of its members. During this en-
gagement Fairchild had his horse shot
from under him, but did not los" his
nerve and coolneSs At the second battle
of Bull Run, two days later, he com
mandcd 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
tictam 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 mcmor
able day ELECTED compliments from the
Confederate commander.
Col Farchild took an active part n
Fredericksburg with Burnside. and a
Charlottesville he took conspicuous par
on the staff Of Gen. WadswoTth
The gallant Second lost ll6 Of its 3n'
i4mCn at the battle Of gettysburg. II
leading a desperate charge up Seminary
hill cen. Fairchild's military career wa
closed by ball which shattered his lcf
arm, rendering amputatIon necessary
While ut home nursing the place where
the member was be received 4 cOmmlS
sion of brigadier-general for gallantry
He was on the eve of returning 10 tn,
front when the Union Republican con
vrrtinn nominated him TO be Secrrtar,
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.
In 1860 he was nominated 10 be Goy
ernor hy the Republicans and elected
He served his state in that capacity I"
three terms. ,,.-
tho great Sailors and Soldiers cohNep
tiou held in Chicago. He was nominated
tn be consul 10 Liverpool IN 1871. an
otber remarkable instance OF the ot1C
..rpkinc the man. for not one ot the pun
/ liz poSitionS which he occupied was
his own choosing
An English journal SAID during ~
form of Office in that island couhtr.
4 tb,t mo American consul ever had
Moro friends mt this post lie re
mained abroad as representative ~ ''h
! government some ten years, serving q
Paris after leaving Engtand rs Amer
lean minister to Spain he represents, e., e, {,
] inns country at the session OF Tue ~
/ n,tional commission in lNNl' 10 alJG>
~, cnninIiratcd affairs OF Morocco. j.
1SS; he WAS elected commander III
rhiaf of the Grand Army. From ina
/ limo unril 4 few years ago he TOOK Il
/ active part in all public matters TIA
b1d for their object the promotion "
The interests Of the state. ol late. now
ever. he had withdrawn from nunH
/ life as much aS 4 man IN ms F9sl'lo 10
we'll could. ana IL vas WIN tt'ut, -, -.
tbat 10 was induced - become chalrma
,be semi-centennial committee whlc
has in charge the arrangements for III
celebration Of the fftieth anniversar
- +be admission of Wisconsin 10 III
,,nion nr Having accepted the task he n
Ea,,bt vouId have wished 10 have thu
6ttincly rounded out his services Z" IN
state but a. il i. the committee 1aS @ a
ready had the benefit. OF ms g2uhss :
and the celebration OF the stase
memory's monument.
Y. y1-;IboIr, has made the chlt