Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  But it was the “veteran question” that dominated the soldiers’ talk. War department clerks in early 1863 began raising alarms that many of the volunteer regiments—including the early regiments of the Iron Brigade—were reaching the end of their three-year enrollments. In the Army of the Potomac alone, the enlistment of 77 regiments were set to expire before the end of August 1864. Worried army officials decided to offer veteran reenlistments to the men in ranks. If three-fourths of the men on the roster of a volunteer unit would reenlist, the order said, each soldier would receive a $402 bounty paid in installments (this at a time when privates collected $13 a month), and the “veteran volunteers” would be sent home as a regiment to enjoy a 30-day furlough.

  After weeks of discussion, the soldiers of the Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin regiments voted to “veteranize.” The early volunteers of the Second Wisconsin, however, decided to go home, and the Nineteenth Indiana fell victim to a clerk’s error and was, despite vigorous protest by its members, merged into the Twentieth Indiana, ending the Hoosier connection with the Iron Brigade. The total reenlistment rate for the Seventh Wisconsin was 211 of 249, and 227 of 290 in the Sixth Wisconsin. One of the new “veteran volunteers” was William Ray.

  Some of the heaviest fighting of the war was just ahead for Ray and his comrades, and the bloodshed would continue almost without respite until Appomattox. In some respects Ray was a lucky man: he suffered his third combat wound early in the fighting at the Wilderness—and missed some of the heaviest fighting of the war that followed.

  Volumes 11

  Back to the Front

  January 17, 1864 to May 30, 1864

  Wm. R. Ray Diary

  Glen Haven, Grant Co. Wis.

  January 21 st/64

  A Member of Co. F. 7th Regt Wis. Veteran Vol

  Reenlisted Jan 1st 1864

  January 17, 1864

  And fine day & at home. & tis the Sabbath day. Has been long time since I had a Sabbath at home.

  January 18, 1864

  And fine day. Went down to Henrys today, found them well and getting along fine. The 3 oldest was gone to school (viz) George, Viola & Florence. This district has a got their new schoolhouse finished & keeping school in it.

  January 19, 1864

  I & Henry went to town. Found many of my friends, some I knew & some I did not know. But most all appeared to know me. We stayed in town late waiting for the mail to come. I purchased flannel for two shirts which Mother is going to make.

  January 22, 1864

  And fine day. I go down to Glen Haven to see the place & see about buying a house & lot. Found 4 or 5 for sale. But didnt like some & one of them I liked verry well. But twas more than I cared about paying out. & I don’t think much of the town as a place to live in. The Society is not the best kind. Returned by noon, got dinner. Wm Henry took us up to Isaacs. We reached here about 3 P.M. Found all well, with an increase of one verry recently. It is about a week old. I found the family small to what it used to be some years. Since I went to the army, one died in the hospital, the other is still living & well. The family is well.

  January 23, 1864

  We stay at Isaacs all day & visited &c. I went to singing school last night to the old schoolhouse that I got all my schooling in. The old place looks kind a natural. But I found verry few of the people that I knew. Those that were children with me have grown up and gone hither & thither. Some to war and others have grown up entirely out of my knowledge. So much so that I was made acquainted with several of my old friends and couldnt recognise them. There are a verry few men. Mostly ladies. This is the only place that I have noticed the deficiency. Tis really great. We had a good sing of it & came back. I enjoyed myself verry well.

  January 24, 1864

  I with Clark & the girls went over to Mark Scotts last evening. Made a short call. I found their family small to what it used to be. Only one of the children at home. One is married & all the rest are dead.

  January 25, 1864

  And still fine warm weather. I stayed at home. Henry came up on the afternoon & I concluded to go down to Cassville with him tomorrow to see about the Bounty the town is to give the soldiers, viz $100.00.

  January 28, 1864

  And fine day. I am at home. I looked over my book &c today. Found them in good order. Found many things to please me. I am glad to see that they have been so well taken care of.

  January 30, 1864

  And fine day. I went to town today, got over to the Price farm. There I met Henry at the Blacksmith & he was going to town so I rode in. They had the meeting of the citizens but when I came away they had not raised much more money. They had about $ 1100.00 raised to buy 15 recruits with. I did not get my money. But I shall try hard to get it. I fully calculated to get it. & I went home with Henry calculating to settle with him.

  February 3, 1864

  A fine day, thaws a little. And at home. Come to the conclusion that if folks wants to see me, they may come & see me. A neighbor calls occasionally.

  February 4, 1864

  John (Sarahs husband) and I went down to Cassville today. We called at his sisters (Mrs Gingre) and got dinner. Then we looked around to find a house for sale. Found a number & comparitively cheap. One I concluded to buy if I and the owner can bargain. He asked $350.00. But I offered him $250. After bantering some time he fell to $300.00 so I left him & come home to confer with Mother about it.

  February 5, 1864

  I went down to see Capt [Henry] Young. He was not at home, having gone up to Mr. Ramsey s to see a number of Recruits for our company off. He returned however & I had a little chat with him and with Firman & his wife, being acquainted with all. Henry coming along on his way home from Beetown where he went this morning. Called at the mill for his grist, so I jumped in & rode home with him. After partaking of dinner he came up to Mothers, I thereby having a ride home. After staying a couple of hours he returned home. In the meantime he & Mother settled, he & I settled, he coming out some indebted to me. He gave me his notes.

  February 7, 1864

  And fine day. This is the Sabbath day. There was church at the schoolhouse today. But I didnt attend. Time is flying swiftly. My time to return to camp will soon be here. I must start on the morning of the 10th inst.

  February 9, 1864

  I & John went to town. I didnt buy the house &c but fixed things so that Henry can buy. I didnt get my town Bounty as I expected as I have to get a duplicate from the Ajt State Gen [State Adjutant General] to show that I am credited to the town.

  February 10, 1864

  I started for Prairie du chien. John took me down to Henrys with the team. Then we started about half past 11 oclock. Came on good speed, reached Praire du chien about 5 P.M. Put up at the Masion house. Here I found Frank Boyanton [Francis A. Boynton] & several others. One of their neighbors brought them down.

  Twas harder for me to leave home this time than before. Something unexpected but duty to my country compels me so to do.

  February 11, 1864

  The train started at 9 A.M. I took passage for Madison. When we got to Bridgeport, lot more of the Boys come aboard. There is most of the old soldiers aboard now and our officers & a number of acquaintances. We came on to Boscobel, took on a lot more and kept picking them up & when we reached Madison, Frank Boyanton took our names, said he would go up to the Ajt. Gen. [Adjutant General’s] Office and see & get our papers if he could. I got another ticket for Milwaukee & went on with the Boys. We reached here about dark. Put up at the Menomince house. The Boys scattered in different houses. We start at 8 A.M. in the morning for Racine.

  February 12, 1864

  We take the 8 A.M. train for Racine which we reach at 10 A.M. Come to camp, verry few here. The Quartermaster assigned the Cos their quarters. Co F., or at least quite a number of [us], took peaceable possession of one Barrack. The Boys scattered into the city as they have to board themselves until tomorrow when we get rations. I went up town late this evening. But came back & I with about a
dozen others slept in the Barracks. We had a verry good bed as there is plenty of straw.

  February 13, 1864

  A fine day but windy. Captain came today, also the 1 st Sergeant. Cap brought the duplicates & I set down & wrote a letter to Henry & sent him the duplicate to draw my local bounty, as also told him to buy a house & lot in Cassville. Tis a corner lot on Bluff Street (forgot the name of the other street) where most of the travel comes around that corner. It is a pretty place & water near. The house is one storie high with two good rooms and about as pretty a place as there is in the town. Henry will now have $200.00 in cash in his hands of mine to pay down. Today we drew rations. There is no guard around camp & the Boys go & come as they please.

  February 14, 1864

  This is, as evrybody knows, Valentine Day. There is a goodly number Boys got in & there is a guard placed around camp with orders to let nobody go out without a pass signed by the Lieut Col [Mark Finnicum]. But there was many got out for all that; & some committed depredations on the citizens such as tearing paling of the fence & breaking gates down & breaking windows &c. & at night there was a patrol went through the principle streets & got a number of drunken rowdies and they too had molested citizens. & it is for this that the guards has been put on. The citizens I find verry courteous & sociable people. They talk & chat with all that behave themselves. But we will soon be brought in bad repute on account of the few Devils.

  The appearance of the country is quite different to what it is in the western part of the state. Here there is no snow and don’t appear so cold. But there has been a wind blowing ever since we come here. The soil is verry sandy & quite dry in many places. Our camp is near the lake shore just south of the town. Tis a pretty place for a camp & the several groves in & about camp makes it look much better.

  Our water is good but rather softer than what we have out west. And is furnished by a well in camp. The officers made us another visit today & we had the first Rollcall which will be kept up. There is 43 present & more to come.

  February 16, 1864

  And verry cold day, hard wind blowing. It as much as we can do to keep warm. There is a rumor that we start for dixie tomorrow.

  February 17, 1864

  Clear but cold wind blowing. We got ready and started. Took the cars & off fore Chicago at about 9 A.M. which place we reached about noon, got dinner at the Refreshment Saloon. Was waited on in a verry genteel manner by the fair sex. After getting dinner, marched to the depot of the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago R.R. Got on good comfortable cars. At 3 ½ P.M. start on another ride of 480 miles. We paced along as usual. The Boys seem happy. Not a single case of sickness in the Regt.

  February 18, 1864

  And fine day, rather frosty. It seems as though we are doomed to some misfortune evrytime we travel. And it come on us at about 9 A.M. this morning. About 20 miles this side of Ft Wayne the cars run off the track caused by a rail breaking. The Engine went over safe. The first cars, which contained the baggage, run of the track and the tender & car behind not running off, held it from going down the embankment. & it running on the frozen ground & across the ties smashed the running gear all to pieces from this. Back some 4 or 5 cars was on the track all right, ours or the one that most of our Co. was in being the hind one of that number. And then there was three 3 off, the first one behind ours run off, pitched down the embankment which is about 8 feet high, falling on its side & rather disturbing the equilibrium of some & others, it gave them a pretty good idea of astronomy when they fell out of their seats & their heads striking in various ways against obstacles. But luckily no one was verry seriously hurt, but the affair drew Blood on several. They soon clambered out the door but it tried the climbing propensities of some. The next 2 cars stoped right side up on the embankment. Here we had to stay until 1 ½ P.M. In the meantime they had got a number of men & 2 pairs of new truck. The trucks were put under the baggage car, the broken one having been first removed. At this time 1 ½ P.M. we started, this affair having delayed things so that we were delayed at many places waiting for trains to pass. We drew bread & cheese today.

  February 19, 1864

  Weather is milder. We ride all day today, delays frequent. Nothing particular occurs, except the thieving of several little things as glasses &c, out of groceries. They being drunken reckless fellows and unhappily for our Co. there is several such fellows at it. We drew bread today. We did expected to reach Pittsburg tonight. But we will not I guess. But we have good cars & are comfortable. We come home as far as Chicago on what they call Pick cars. They being freight cars with four windows in a car & 3 bench seats running lengthwise & we thought when at Chicago that we would have the same till we got in those. Those we have now are second class.

  February 20, 1864

  And still fine, weather mild. We reached Pittsburg just dark. We were well received by the citizens. We marched to the Refreshment Saloon and got a good supper after which we gave 3 cheers for the hospitality received at the hands of the patriotic citizens of Pittsburg and 3 more for the Patriotic State of Pennsylvania. We then went back to the Depot for the purpose of getting on the cars. But there being different arrangements so that we had to march a short ways down the street where we got on second class cars. This was quite unexpected to us for we thought sure that we would have to take Pick cars here. 9 P.M. the time for starting & we did start. Come on all night rather slow though having to wait for trains at different stations.

  February 21, 1864

  And fine day. We still are going till nearly midnight when we reach Baltimore. We march to the Refreshment Saloon. There we were quartered in the building for that purpose. We were delayed at one place today, 3 hours waiting on the workmen to finish a new bridge they were putting in. I was somewhat surprised to see men at work on a job that they commenced this day on account of its being Sunday. But as it took them only one day to build it, I should have thought they might have put it off one day. But probably twas a necessity that compelled them to do it. I was verry glad to have a chance to lie down a few hours as I am almost sick with a bad cold and I have been so for 4 days. I have not enjoyed my ride well at all, havent ate but 2 meals in that time.

  February 22, 1864

  When we were awoke for breakfast I see we were among & with the 57th P.N. [Pennsylvania] Fine fellows were they too. We went to breakfast. Twas verry good but I couldnt eat it. Drank a cup of coffee, got up & went into the city, found an oyster saloon, got a good dish of Oysters which tasted verry well to me. Cost 25 cts. Then returned to quarters. We stay here till 4 P.M. when we started out. Got on the cars & after an hour or so we start for Washington. Come slow, stopping at the different stations, reached Washington 9 P.M. Got supper at the Retreat, marched to No. 4 Barracks where we spread blankets. The 9th N. Y. Cavelry came with us also.

  February 23, 1864

  We stayed in the Barracks all day getting our regular meals at the Retreat. We drew garrison & camp equippage today and those wanting clothing drew it also. Just at night the order come for us to start to the front tomorrow morning at 9 A.M.

  February 24, 1864

  We get breakfast, march to the cars, get on and soon we are off for the front, coming by way of Alexandria, stopping a little while here, then buzzing onward, stopping at the different stations. Come to within 1 & ½ miles of Culpepper. There we got off. It is now about 3 P.M. Here we stopped a couple hours. Then marched up through Culpepper and 2 miles west to near the old Brigade or what is left of it. Here we camped, it being now about 7 P.M. Now we have to pitch tents as well. I & B Hayden [Benjamin Hayden]136 my tentmate, we made bed and spread tents over us.

  February 25, 1864

  And fine day. We draw rations & straighten up, forming streets preparatory to building cabins. Gen [Lysander] Cutler was over to see us and ordered all the teams axes &c we wanted to build with. There was a number of teams come & our Co got one. I was detailed to go with the choppers & we put in a good days work. But as usual I had the misfortune to get my left hand br
uised pretty bad.

  February 26, 1864

  I was sent out with the detail again today at the Captains Request on account of me being out yesterday & knowing the woods. So I went & we put in another good [day]. My tentmates got a set of good logs so we can put ours up tomorrow. My hand is quite sore. But I didnt have anything to do but boss the work. The recruits went out to drill one hour. There is about 100 in the Regt & 22 of these belong to our company. And the officers say there is 20 more coming to our Co and 200 to the Regt.

  February 27, 1864

  Our Co. has houselogs enough so we don’t have to go out chopping. We got our shanty up and the tents stretched over it. So we sleep in it tonight. The recruits go out to drill a little again this morning. The Boys are verry busy at their shanties.