Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-09-01

William e. Strong of Company F,
Second Wisconsin, rode out. When he
came back he had a blood curdling
story to tell that attracted much at
tention. He had suddenly III into a
squad of several C~onfederates and,
SINCE handed and alone. had whipped
them, killing II or two and wounding
others. AS you know. that was early
in the war and an incident of that
kind, at that time. was a big thing.
Governor Randall and other WisCon-
sin people had seen the accounts of
Captain StrOng's encounter with the
enemy and it did not take long to de
eide that he ShOuId be major of the
new regiment then forming, and he
vas appointed. The major was soon
detailed as an inspecting officer and
On special duty most of the time,
reaching the responsible place of in
spectOr general of the Seventeenth
corps. At the end Of the war he was
a brevet brigadier general
The Twelfth left Madison the sec
ond wee in January, 1862, and went
direct to Weston, Mo, travelling from
Hannibal, 236 miles. in open freight
cars when the thermometer indicated
IS degrees below zero, and there was
no fire in the cars. 1t did a great deal
Of guard duty in Missouri and Kansas,
md participated III various Expeditions
until May of that year, when il went
to Tennessee. It was it's fortune to
participate in several important raids
and fn he aCCipnpH to ~4ErnnEjhla m
sitions in that state during the next
three months. In these raids the
Twelfth ran up against the enemy
several times and won a good name.
When the Vicksburg campaign came
the Twelfth took its place with the at
lacking force and was on duty until
Pemberton's surrender, and then
joined Sherman in his campaign
against Jackson. Colonel Bryant was
III command of the brigade. From the
capture Of Jackson until the opening
of the campaign in 1864 the Twelfth
kept up its reputation as a raider and
a guarder of railways, frequently get
ting into hot skirmishes, losing a con
siderable number Of men. At the af-
fair at Bolton station, during Sher-
d > hltI IuidI GA DtulllOI, d SH6lI cA-
ploded in Company |, killing one man
and ~wounding five others
The regiment re-enIisted in March,.
1864. At the expiration Of 30 days
in Wisconsin it was ordered to the
front and joined the army on the way
to Atlanta, June 8, and from tina time
until the end of the campaign was al
most constantly close to the front line
Of battles. The losses Of the regiment
from the time it joined Sherman in
June until July IA, were eight killed
nd 16 wounded. The part taken
by the Twelfth at what was h
called Bald Hill, but now known as
Leggett Hill, in honor of an Ohio
general who commanded the division,
gave that regiment a test that few
regiments ever underwent. 1t charged
again and again, finally taking the
works, after lighting with bayonets
and dubbed muskets. 1t was in this
battle that the gallant Twelfth suf-
fered it's greatest losses. Fifty-one
were killed and 81 wounded. The
battle occurred on July 81. In the
fighting on July % the regiment lost
10 killed and 10 wounded. It's casual
ties rom July Is to September 10 we're
9 killed and 80 wounded. It was a
regiment of heroes. l would like to
write columns about It