The 25th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. During their service, they first participated in the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several eastern bands of Dakota people, Da ...

, then spent most of the rest of the war in the western theater.

Service

The 25th Wisconsin was organized at

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse ( ) is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population was 52,680 as of the 202 ...

, and mustered into Federal service September 14, 1862. The Regiment was immediately sent west to help

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

deal with the Sioux uprising. Wisconsin was part of the Army's newly formed Department of Dakota that had been created to deal with the problem. The Department was Headquartered at

St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

under the command of Major General John Pope. The Regiment arrived at Fort Snelling on the 22nd of September. General Pope wanted to create a line of outposts from Fairmount to Alexandria with the 25th: Hq- New Ulm, A Co- Fairmount, B Co-Alexandria, C Co- Sauk Center, D, F, & I- Mankato, G Co- Richmond, E & H Co Paynesville and K Co- Winnebago. Colonel Montgomery later moved the Hq to Mankato. In November Company F was tasked with burying the dead at Lake Shetek. They reported only finding skeletal remains, some of which had been burnt by prairie fires. In a January 1863 letter to his sister, Union soldier Chauncey H. Cooke, a private from the regiment's Company G, gave his reasons for fighting for the Union in the war, stating that "I have no heart in this war if the slaves cannot go free." The regiment was mustered out on June 7, 1865.

Casualties

The 25th Wisconsin suffered 3 officers and 46 enlisted men killed in action or who later died of their wounds, plus another 7 officers and 402 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 460 fatalities.Civil War Archive
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Commanders

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Milton Montgomery (August 16, 1862June 7, 1865) was placed in command of the provisional division from June 6 to July 28, 1863, and then commanded the brigade from February 3 to April 11, 1864. He was wounded and captured on July 22, 1864, at Decatur, and his arm was amputated. He was released in a prisoner exchange in January 1865, and was then placed back in command of the brigade from February 1 through April 1, 1865. He received an honorary brevet to brigadier general after the war. ** Lt. Colonel Samuel J. Nasmith (June 6, 1863July 28, 1863) commanded the regiment while Montgomery was in command of the provisional division. Died of disease on August 17, 1863. ** Lt. Colonel

Jeremiah McLain Rusk Jeremiah McLain Rusk (June 17, 1830November 21, 1893) was an American Republican politician. He was the second United States secretary of agriculture (1889–1893) and the 15th governor of Wisconsin (1882–1889), and served three terms ...

(February 3, 1864April 11, 1864; July 22, 1864January 12, 1865; February 1, 1865April 1, 1865) commanded the regiment when Montgomery was in command of the brigade or imprisoned. Received an honorary brevet to brigadier general. After the war he became the 15th

governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

and the 2nd

United States Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments The department includes several organi ...

. ** Major William H. Joslin (September 16, 1864October 25, 1864) commanded the regiment while Rusk was absent. He was previously captain of Co. B. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly.

Notable officers and personnel

* Charles H. Baxter was a corporal in Co. C, was wounded and discharged, but later re-enlisted with the 41st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, and was then commissioned captain of Co. K in the 47th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he became a Wisconsin state senator and mayor of

Lancaster, Wisconsin Lancaster is a city in and the county seat of Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,907 at the 2020 census. History Lancaster originated as a planned community to serve as the county seat for Grant County. Anticipating t ...

. * William H. Bennett, brother of Van S. Bennett, was captain of Co. B. He was wounded and captured at Decatur. After three ascending amputation attempts on his leg, he died of his infected wound. * Menzus R. Bump was enlisted in Co. G and rose to the rank of first sergeant. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * Cyrus M. Butt was first lieutenant for Co. A, and later became a major for the 48th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel but never mustered in federal service at that rank. After the war he served in the Wisconsin State Senate. * Jasper Cabanis, son of George Cabanis, was a private in Co. I and died of disease in 1862. * James DeMott Condit was captain of Co. D. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * Chauncey H. Cooke was a private in Co. G. His letters describing his service in the war were published as a book. * Allen H. DeGroff was a private in Co. G. He was among the youngest Wisconsin volunteers at 15 years and 4 months at the time of his enlistment. After the 25th Wisconsin was mustered out, he served one more month with the 12th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * John W. DeGroff was a private in Co. G. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate. * Vivus Wright Dorwin was captain of Co. G. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * Charles A. Hunt was first lieutenant and later captain of Co. K. He also served much of 1864 as acting quartermaster of the regiment. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly and was appointed superintendent for the removal of the

Winnebago people The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hocąk, Hoocągra, or Winnebago are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. Today, Ho-Chunk people are enrolled in two federally r ...

from Wisconsin in the 1870s. * Edward I. Kidd was enlisted in Co. C. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, and was the state bank examiner. * James B. McCoy was enlisted in Co. E and was later commissioned 1st lieutenant. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * David Schreiner was enlisted in Co. C, was wounded at Atlanta and lost his left arm. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * Michael J. Warner was enlisted in Co. K and discharged for disability in 1863. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly. * Thomas C. Woodard, father of Western Woodard, was enlisted in Co. F, rising to the rank of sergeant. * David C. Yakey was enlisted in Co. A and reached the rank of sergeant. After the war he served in the Wisconsin Assembly.

References

External links

Roster of Wisconsin
Military units and formations established in 1862 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Union army from Wisconsin 1862 establishments in Wisconsin