Wisconsin in the American Civil War With the outbreak of the American Civil War , the northwestern state of Wisconsin raised 91 , 379 soldiers for the Union Army , organized into 53 infantry regiment s , 4 cavalry regiments , a company of Berdan ’ s sharpshooters , 13 light artillery batteries and 1 unit of heavy artillery . Most of the Wisconsin troops served in the Western Theater , although several regiments served in Eastern armies , including three regiments within the famed Iron Brigade . 3 , 794 were killed in action or mortally wounded , 8 , 022 died of disease , and 400 were killed in accidents . The total mortality was 12 , 216 men , about 13 . 4 percent of total enlistments . Approximately 1 in 9 residents ( regardless of age , sex or qualification for service ) served in the army , and , in turn , half the eligible voters served . Wisconsin was the only state to organize replacements for troops that had already been fielded , leading northern generals to prefer having some regiments from the state under their command if possible . A number of Wisconsin regiments were distinguished , including three that served in the celebrated Iron Brigade — the 2nd Wisconsin , 6th Wisconsin , and 7th Wisconsin . All were noted for their hard fighting and dashing appearance , being among the only troops in the Army of the Potomac to wear Hardee hat s and long frock coats . They suffered severely at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 . The 8th Wisconsin , another hard - fighting regiment , was often accompanied into battle by its mascot , Old Abe , a bald eagle . Belgian immigrants during the Civil War . Northeast Wisconsin saw a huge influx of immigrants from Belgium in the mid - 1800s . It began in 1852 when two Belgian families decided to make the move to America . They were unhappy with the monarchy and sought what is now known as the " American dream " . Belgians then flooded Brown , Door and Kewaunee counties . They settled towns named after cities in the Old Country , such as Brussels , Namur and Rosiere . These three counties still hold a significant amount of people with Belgian roots . It was not long before the new immigrants were forced into major issue the United States was facing , the Civil War . War rosters were first filled by volunteers . When newspapers made more reports of casualties , the number of volunteers fell , forcing states like Wisconsin to start a draft . Belgians thought they were safe because they didn ' t consider themselves citizens , but the government stretched definitions to fit most men . In order for immigrants to receive land , they had to sign a " Declaration of Intent " which said they intended to become American citizens at some point . This made them eligible for the draft . Draft Processes Each town ' s assessor was assigned to gather a list of men , age 18 - 45 , healthy enough to fight . Belgian families felt they were unfairly targeted by those in charge of drafts . In Door County , 40 of the 63 men drafted were Belgian . There were options for men to skip the draft , but not many , especially Belgian men , were successful . Doctors were flooded by potential soldiers claiming disabilities , which would allow them to stay home . Among the ailments claimed , there were hernias , lameness , poor sight or hearing , varicose veins and ulcers . In September 1862 , Dr . H . Pearce verified disability 246 of the 454 men that sought a way out . Of those , 21 were Belgian . Shortly after , the first Civil War draft in Wisconsin was in November 1862 . Finances surely came into play when it came to paying out of the draft as of 1863 . Those who were desperate and able would pay $ 300 to get out of the war . A total of 862 men paid this , with a mere 18 of them being Belgian . The last option was for the draftee to find a substitute . This came into effect in 1864 . It was difficult to find someone willing to go to war , but a substitute could have been a full - blooded Native American , a minor , or a non - citizen . Riots After it seemed to many Belgian people that the draft was fixed , emotions began to run high . One of the biggest issues was the language barrier . Few Belgian immigrants spoke English , therefore could not understand why they were being drafted into a war they had no intent of being a part of . Anger soon overcame these men . They would form marches with clubs , pitchforks and guns . They wanted to see fair enrollment processes . In one of the most explosive demonstrations , colonists formed and marched into the city of Green Bay . They stood outside Senator Howe ' s home and demanded action . Howe addressed the crowd from his home . But because of the language barrier , the immigrants could not understand , Howe felt threatened and fled the city . Not feeling satisfied , the mob continued to march around the town until they found a fellow Belgian , O . J . Brice . Brice was able to calm the crowd in their native French . He explained that the drafting process would be filled with justice and fairness . The group was satisfied with his explanation in their own language . They then dissembled and returned home without damage or arrests . Wisconsin women during the war . While men were fighting , women were often forced to learn how to farm and do other manual labor . Besides having to tend to the home and children while the men were away at war , women also contributed supplies . Quilts and blankets were often given to soldiers . Some had encouraging messages sewn on them . One quilt that was made in 1864 by a group of women in Green Bay had the following poem : Other items women often sent included : shirts , sheets , pillows , pillowcases , coats , vests , trousers , towels , handkerchiefs , socks , bandages , canned fruits , dried fruits , butter , cheese , wine , eggs , pickles , books , and magazines . At one point , after the Battle of Resaca , women sent every wounded man within a certain distance a fresh orange or lemon . These fruits were to quench the strong thirst that was known to accompany a wound .