Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-04-19

regiment went down the river ana on
the 18TH they took position in the
serge lines at Vicksburg, where 1t did
god service till the surrender. On
the 18th Of July it took possession of
Yazuo city, and on the 25th went into
camp at Port Hudson. After that the
twentieth served in various ways in
Louisiana, going later to Brownsville,
Texas, where the men did guard duty
for several months.
On the 18th of January, 1861, the
twentieth was sent over to Matamoras,
Mexico, to protect the United States
consul during one of the frequent at
tempts there at revolution. Colonel
Bertram was in command of this ex-
petition, and he managed the matter
wisely and fearIessly | do not know
but that this was the only instance in
which any body of the Union troops
of the civil war did services beyond
the boundary of the United States.
On the 7th of August, "a, the
twentieth went as part of an expedi
ton to Mobile bay, wnere it assisted
in the capture of Fort Morgan, which
surrendered August %. The regiment
aid service along the gulf coast
between Mobile bay and the Pasca
goula river from this time till the
following March, 1865, when the
Union forces began operations against
Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, near
Mobile. In all these operations the
twentieth was among the foremost of
the troops. 1t was one of the first
regiments TO march into Fort Biakely
after its capture on the morning of
April 9, forty two years ago today,
the day OF Lees surrender to Grant.
1t was the special duty of the TWEEN
tieth for the next two weeks to collect
such stores, ammunition AND artillery
as the rebels had abandoned. Our
comrade, Captain F. A. Bird, was then
; commanded by General Bertram, and
it became his. duty to super intend the
collection of these things left by the
enemy.
In the latter part of June the
regiment was again sent to Texas,
this time to Galveston. There the
, men did garrison and guard duty till
! the 18th day of July, when they were
mustered out of the service. the
: twentieth reached Madison on the Both
: day of July, and on the 9th OF August
the men were paid off and the regi-
ment was disbanded, having done a
full duty three years. 1t was fine
body of soldiers.
; During the term of service the
y twentieth lost 107 men killed and dice
of wounds, 1873 died of disease ano
| 10 died of accidents making total
i loss of 255. It's original strength was
: 900 and it gained by recruits 1879,
making a total of 1929 men. It's loss
: by death was, therefore, % 2-3 pei
; cent.
5
y | have said that Colonel Bertram
, was much of the time IN command OF
} the brigade to which his regiment
belonged. II is the testimony of al
who knew HIM that he was one of the
very best commanders never failing IN
, the able and faithful performance OF
the duties assigned him.
: The late Dean E. E. Bryant said OF
him. ''He was man of remarkably
quick perceptions and learned drill,
regulation, and matters of military
duty as if by intuition. In the days
, of the war, ne was in the prime of
manhood. Nothing seemed to fatigue
y him. Though q brave and dashing
officer and strict in his discipline, he
q was one of the most delightful of COM
$ panions- in-arms. After a long march
: into the night, he would throw himself
. down, sleep soundly three or four
a hours, then waking he would be up at
: dawn, long before reveille, saying to
: his terminate. "Rise. Jupiter, and
= snuff out the moon, He 1eceived
much praise from his superior officers
5 for brave and efficient service.
Colonel 8ertram was born in Ger
many in 1925. In early life he went
to sea, and is said to have been at one
: time in command of vessel of war
] After coming to this country he
served in the Mexican war, and at it's
! close he went to sea again. Besides
German and English, he could speak
] the French, Spanish, Portuguese and
, Scandinavian languages.
Among the truest testimonials an
army officer ever gets are the things his
old boys say about him forty years
after. Colonel Bertram gets the most
hearty praise from every survivor of
the twentieth | have ever heard speak
of HIM. Every living army officer
may we'll rejoice in the present love
and respect OF his surviving COM
rades.
, For gallant and meritorious service
Colonel Bertram was, March Is. 1865.
: brevetted brigadier general.
; After the war, General Bertram re-
turned to Watertown, where in 1870,
he was mayor Oh the city. Also, in
1870 he uaS q momhor nf aSSop7hIy