![]() ![]() Other notable units from the four counties included the 24 th Wisconsin, which was eventually commanded by nineteen-year-old Col. King eventually commanded the Iron Brigade, which included three regiments from Wisconsin. The most popular unit during the early days of the war was the Milwaukee Light Guard, led by Rufus King, which became part of the 1 st Wisconsin Infantry. Among the other training grounds were Camp Holton, later called Camp Sigel, which was in the First Ward near Lake Michigan, and Camp Washburn, located west of Twenty-seventh Street on the grounds of the Cold Spring racing course. The conditions there were so bad that the volunteers preferred to spend their nights in the city picket lines had to be established to keep the men at camp. The first volunteers gathered at Camp Scott, named for General Winfield Scott, commander of the Union army, on Spring Street west of Twelfth. The first of these troops arrived shortly after. Militiamen were joined by other volunteers coming to the city to receive preliminary training at one of the camps swelled the city’s population temporarily. Many responded to President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops, issued in an April 15, 1861, telegram to Governor Randall that required the state to provide a regiment (about 1,000 men) for the Union war effort. The members of these units came from all neighborhoods and included some of the most prominent citizens. Private militia units had been a common sight in the streets even before the Civil War, since ten companies called the city home. During that canvass Milwaukeeans cast 3,175 votes for Abraham Lincoln and 6,875 for George McClellan. They supported military activities, helped the city mourn its losses, stimulated donations for the support of families of the volunteers, presented protests against policies, and punctuated the spirited presidential election of 1864. Meetings represented the many points of view of the community. Community bands joined militia units on parade, ministers prayed, and political leaders gave speeches meant to inspire the crowds. Immediately following the Southern secession, leaders in Milwaukee called for a mass outdoor meeting. Support for war aims were also commonly expressed in the streets. The most notable disturbance occurred in Port Washington in late 1862 eight companies of soldiers were required to end it. Numerous protests-often described as “riots” by authorities-broke out in the four county area when the state initiated a draft for militia volunteers in 1862, and when the federal government began conscription in the summer of 1863. īut the war also sparked conflict, especially over military conscription. Pork-packing facilities also experienced growth, and beer production increased by almost 20,000 barrels a year. Military and civilian demands for leather production nearly doubled the number of tanneries. Case helped make wheat king, to the benefit of merchants along the harbor and grain processors along the Menomonee River. City farm-machinery producers like Milwaukee Harvester and J.I. Once it began, the Civil War spurred economic growth. Local papers supported one or the other and outdoor meetings, parades, and bonfires kept the populace interested. ![]() ![]() Douglas and Abraham Lincoln both visited Milwaukee. While much of the state supported Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans, Milwaukee had a strong Democratic streak, especially among the Germans. Milwaukeeans were deeply involved in the political issues of the 1860 presidential campaign but not unified about them. Milwaukee’s wartime history reflects its evolution from a frontier town to an industrial center, highlights the city’s changing political priorities and gender roles, and provides a case study of the stresses and strains war has put on American cities since the mid-nineteenth century. The United States has fought three major wars since Milwaukee became a city. ![]()
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