Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-02-28
WAS FIRST MAN KILLED
IN THE CIVIL WAR
That Distinction Due to Brother of
w. T. Gerard, of This City

The distinction of being the frs
northern solder killed in the civil
war is due to William r. Gerard, 8
brother of Wesley T. Gerard of this
city. We reproduce the following ar
ticle, containing facts corroboratine
that statement from the Crawfords
vile Gnd.) Review:
That William 7. Gerard, whose
/ body is buried in Greenbush GENE
| terry in Lafayette, was the first
of the assertion that William T. Ger
northern soldier killed in the civil
| war, is the statement made by Ed
ward P. Hammond, OF that city, who
was lieutenant Of Company C. of
the Ninth Indiana volunteers, OF
which Gerard was member. w. T.
Gerard was a brother of the late
David w. Gerard, founder of the
tribe OF Ben-Hur, also a brother Of
Wesley r. Gerard, who also served in
the war Hammond's statement is
confirmed by William M. Dehart,
who was also a member of the Ninth
regiment, and later with the Forty
sixth Indiana. The subject was
brought up by the recent encampment
of the Indiana G. A. R., which had
official badges containing profile
of John Auten, as the first Indiana
soldier killed in the rebellion. Ham
mond and DeHart say that this was
an error on the part of the Indiana
department, G. A. r. which had the
badges made, and they say that
now is an opportune time to set mat
ters right and make known the real
facts Of the case.
According to these two veterans
both of them we'll known in Indi-
ana G. A. r. circles, there is no
doubt whatever as to the correctness
of the assertion that William T. Ger
ard, of the Ninth Indiana, was the
first soldier from this state to meet
death in the civil war. They go fur
ther and declare that Gerard was the
first Union soldier of any state or
regiment to die in the war. Gerard
was a Jasper man. He was killed in
the battle of Laurel hill July Z, 19
the battle of Laurel hill July Z, 1861,
whereas, Auten, who belonged to
Company /, Of the same regiment,
Company 1, of the same regiment,
was killed three days later, on July
10. 1861. DeHart was but short dis
tance from Gerard when he received
his mortal injury. After the dying
soldier fell DeHart took Gerard's hat
and covered the face of the body.
Later there was a military funeral
and the body was brought here and
buried. It's whereabouts was practic-
ally unknown by his comrades Of the
Ninth Indiana until in 1888. DeHart,
who then lived at LoganspOrt was
walking through the cemetery here
and saw the grave with the govern
ment marker on it
The father CT the three Gerard
boys died 12 years before the Civil
war. Shortly before his demise he
prophesied the Rebellion; said he
would have three sons in the war
and that one of his sons would be
among the first men killed. David W.
Gerard at that time was but six
years old, yet he served in the war
which followed as his father pre-
dicted.
William Gerard was always con-
sidered an unlucky youth. He met
with several misfortunes. When he
bade good bye to his brother, Wes-
ley, near where the Central Union
Telephone Co.'S office is now located.
Wesley said to him:
Twill, you better not go to the
war You'll sure get hurt. Let me go
iii your place"
William went to the front and was
killed in the first skirmish.