- HENRY AUGUSTUS ANDERSON, a grocer and one of the leading
business men of Clinton,
- Wis., was born in Pittsburg, Pa., Sept. 9, 1844, and remained
under the parental roof until nine years of age, when the death
of his mother occurred and he went to live with a distant relative.
At the age of fourteen years he started out in life for himself,
to make his own way in the world, and determining to try his
fortune in the West, came to Wisconsin. He landed at Milwaukee,
where he remained a short time, and then came to Rock County,
where he worked at any employment which he could find.
- The year 1861 found Mr. ANDERSON in Janesville, and when
the Civil War broke out he
- enlisted from that city, being among the first to enroll
his name with the defenders of his country. He enlisted in what
was called the Rock Mountain Rangers, but that regiment was subsequently
disbanded, and in September, 1861, he became a member of the
13th Wisconsin Infantry, being mustered in at Camp Treadway,
Janesville, where the company remained for three months. They
then received orders to proceed to Chicago, and thence on to
Quincy, where they camped one night in an old roundhouse. At
that time winter had set in, the river was partially frozen over,
and the ground was covered with deep snow. The next morning they
were forced to cross the Mississippi on cakes of floating ice
- a very dangerous undertaking - and marched through the snow,
carrying their knapsacks, which at that time were well loaded,
as it was but the beginning of the war. On arriving at the place
where the bridge was burned, they expected to meet a train, but
were doomed to disappointment. Almost completely exhausted, with
no shelter for miles around, the brave soldiers had to lie down
in the snow, and many there took colds from which they never
recovered. After a long and weary wait the train at length reached
them. It consisted of cattle cars without fire, and the weather
was fearfully cold. For a day and a night they were on the road
before arriving at their destination in Western Missouri. The
night was passed in a market place, open at both ends, through
which the wind whistled until their blood seemed congealing.
The next morning they continued on their march to Leavenworth,
where they did garrison duty for two weeks, and then were sent
to Ft. Scott, camping the first night at Johnny Cake, where they
arrived at about 11 o'clock. Their blankets had been sent with
the teams, which had not yet arrived, and the boys were forced
to build fires to keep from freezing. The next day after a hard
and wearisome march they encamped in some old buildings which
had been vacated, and on account of the condition of some of
their numbers, remained in that place for two days. While there
a man by the name of BICKNELL, a veteran of the Mexican War,
proposed to show the boys what army life was, and would dash
through the water and mud in a most reckless manner, but before
reaching Ft. Scott, his death occurred. He did not seem to realize
that he was much older, and his constitution was impaired by
age.
- After the little interval of rest the company proceeded on
their way, and during the march camped
- one night on the old John Brown camping ground, to which
they gave the name of Camp Hominy, as that article of food formed
their entire meal. The country round about was flooded, and they
had to cut down trees upon which to place their beds to keep
them out of the water. They finally reached Ft. Scott, where
they remained in camp for some weeks, when they went to Lawrence,
camping on the low lands in the Kansas Valley, where many of
the boys were attacked with fever. At. Ft. Riley occurred the
first death in the regiment, being that of Eugene TUTTLE, a young
man of Rock County, whom there they buried, placing on the grave
a rough headstone, carved by J. M. CROTZENBURG. His remains were
afterward removed to Clinton Cemetery where the stone which marks
his resting place can still be seen.
- The regiment had been ordered to go to Ft. Riley to join
an expedition for Santa Fe, N.M., but
- remained there but three weeks, when they received orders
to go to Leavenworth, making a forced march of nearly forty miles
a day. At that point they took boats for St. Louis, then the
headquarters for the Northwest, and proceeded by boats to Cairo,
when orders cam to go to Pittsburg Landing, but instead they
were sent to Columbus, Ky., where they were engaged in digging
up torpedoes which the rebels had planted, repairing fords, etc.
While at Moscow a tornado swept over the camp, leveling nearly
all the tents, which the exception of that occupied by the Chaplain.
The Colonel did not fare so well, as his tent was blown over,
and in his nightshirt made his way to the Chaplain's tent, calling
out in his Irish brogue, "Chaplain let me in, me tint has
gone to the D----." While stationed at Moscow, Mr. ANDERSON
had charge of a squad of men forming an escort to a United States
Paymaster, who had in his possession $1,000,000 with which to
pay the army at Corinth. They were attacked by Wheeler's cavalry
at Trenton, but after a few shots had been exchanged the enemy
retreated. They pressed on to Corinth, and from there returned
to Fts. Henry and Donelson, and participated in several expeditions,
in one of which they had a skirmish with the revel cavalry at
Hopkinsville, killing twenty-five and capturing several prisoners.
While lying at the forks of a road a messenger came hurrying
up, reporting that the rebels had attacked the 5th Iowa Cavalry,
and with an order to march on double-quick to their relief at
Garretsburg, where some five or six had been killed. Not finding
them at that point, they were ordered through a swamp, in which
they came upon the enemy cooking their meal, which they left
without contention. That night our forced slept under the shelter
of a straw stack, and then returned to Ft. Henry, where they
laid in camp for some weeks, and thence proceeded to Clarksville,
participation in a skirmish at Rickett's Hill and Green River
Bridge. Returning to Ft. Henry, they were set to Ft. Donelson,
arriving just too late for the battle. They went into winter
quarters at Ft. Henry and in the spring went to Ft. Donelson,
where they remained several months, and in the summer were ordered
to Stevenson, Ala. Later they were sent to Nashville, but soon
returned to the former place.
- While at that place, Mr. ANDERSON had charge of a company
selected to conduct sixty
- prisoners of Wheeler's Cavalry to Nashville, and while in
that city was quartered in Zollicoffer's Barracks. Returning
to Stevenson, they guarded the road over which the supplies for
Rozencranz's army were conveyed, and in the winter of 1863-64,
did duty as provost guard at Nashville. About that time, the
term of enlistment of the regiment having expired, the greater
part of the men re-enlisted, and returned home on veteran furloughs
of thirty days. Once more going to the front, they were ordered
to Hunstville, Ala., guarding the railroad between that point
and Stevenson, and then did guard duty on the Tennessee River
between Point Rock Creek and Decatur, the enemy being on one
side, the Union forces on the other. The following winter the
regiment to which Mr. ANDERSON belonged became a part of the
4th Army Corps, under Gen. Stanley. The 3d Brigade was commanded
by William P. Lyon. The next spring they were ordered to East
Tennessee, and while on the way the news reached them of the
assassination of President Lincoln, and while at Greensboro they
heard of the surrender of Gen. Lee. They returned to Nashville
with the expectation of being mustered out, but disappointment
awaited them, for they were sent to New Orleans, later to Indianola,
Texas, and to Green Lake, where they remained a few weeks, and
where they greatly suffered from thirst, much of the water being
unfit for use. While at the latter place they received orders
to be discharged, which was done at San Antonio, and they soon
afterward returned to New Orleans, going thence to Madison, Wis.,
where the regiment was mustered out of service Dec. 25, 1865.
- After over four years of continuous service on the Southern
battlefield, Mr. ANDERSON
- returned to Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa, from which place
he subsequently moved to Clinton, Wis. He was married in 1870
to Miss Josephine HOSKINSON, daughter of Josiah HOSKINSON, an
early settler of Beloit. The family now consists of four children
- Lora E., Nellie, George and Frank.
- In 1876 Mr. ANDERSON established his present business, in
which he has been quite successful.
- He is a leading and enterprising citizen in that thriving
little village, and well deserves a liberal share of the public
patronage. He has always supported the Republican party, casting
his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and
in his social relations is a member of Good Samaritan Lodge No.
58, A.F. & A.M., also of Waterloo chapter and the G.A.R.
of Clinton, and was a charter member of Victoria Lodge No. 196,
A.F. & A.F., in Waterloo, Iowa. He was a faithful and tried
soldier during the darkest days of our country's history, and
is now a valued citizen, held in high esteem by all.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 514-516.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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