John volunteered as a
private in the Union army, 7th Wisconsin Infantry, Company F. His regiment and company are inscribed
on his tombstone in Walnut Creek Cemetery near Glen Elder, KS.
 |
| John Johnson wearing his G.A.R. medal |
John Johnson is listed in
the Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers:
7th Wisconsin Infantry, Company F
Enlisted Aug. 19,
1861
Det. In Battery
B, 4th U.S. Art., from Sept. 9, 1863, till Sept. 1864; M. O. Sept.
1, 1864, term exp.
The NationalPark Service U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 database on-line also includes our John Johnson.
Infantry
John's first two years (Aug. 1861 - Sept 1863) were spent as an infantryman. His regiment was part of
what came to be known as the Iron Brigade. They fought in numerous battles. A separate page in this family history is devoted to the Iron Brigade.
This photo is of 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, Company K or Company I, at Upton's Hill near Germantown, Virginia. John Johnson’s Company F probably looked very similar.
This photo shows the names of men.
To know what daily life was like for John, one can turn to From Four Years with the Iron Brigade: The Civil War Journal of William Ray, Company F, Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers, (2002), Lance Herdegen and Sherry Murphy, ed.
The author of the journal, William Ray, was in John's company.
Our John Johnson is mentioned by name in this book! from pg. 52 (emphasis added). We know he's definitely our John Johnson because of the footnote.
(Heavy rains for many days. The day before, they received three inches of snow, resulting in very muddy conditions. This morning, the men had received new guns and ammunition.)
To know what daily life was like for John, one can turn to From Four Years with the Iron Brigade: The Civil War Journal of William Ray, Company F, Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers, (2002), Lance Herdegen and Sherry Murphy, ed.
The author of the journal, William Ray, was in John's company.
Our John Johnson is mentioned by name in this book! from pg. 52 (emphasis added). We know he's definitely our John Johnson because of the footnote.
(Heavy rains for many days. The day before, they received three inches of snow, resulting in very muddy conditions. This morning, the men had received new guns and ammunition.)
February 16, 1862
... the orders was read... Which was as follows. That Mcdowels division had to furnish Co men to go on the western rivers to man gunboats which were laying idle for want of men to work them and this was a call for volunteers from Regts now in service. And they must be sailors or rafts men or boat men that are used to the water. There were a great many probably twenty or thirty out of the Sixth and as many out of our Regt I think. There was only one man out of our Co. His name is [John] Johnson.39 ... But their names are not to be stricken from the rolls as they are to return when they are done with them. I would of liked to went but didn't know anything about the business.
Footnote 39: Johnson, Lancaster, enlisted August 19, 1861, detached to Battery B, Fourth U.S. Artillery from September 9, 1863, until September 1864, mustered out September 1, 1864, term expired. Wisconsin Roster, 560.
The 7th Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Randall in Madison, mustered into service on September 2, 1861, and left Wisconsin for Washington, D. C., on September 21, 1861.
From Washington it moved through Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, where it was mustered out of service, on June 16, 1865.
It participated in the defense of Washington, D.C,, and fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Battles of the Wilderness, and the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee and his army.
The regiment lost 424 men during service. Ten officers and 271 enlisted men were killed and 143 enlisted men died from disease.
John mustered out before the end of the war, and was most likely back in Wisconsin by the time of Lee's surrender.
John's regiment wore distinctive tall black hats and early in the war were called the Black Hat Brigade. Because of their fierce fighting, they later became known as the Iron Brigade.
Originally their uniform was gray, but was changed to blue after Union soldiers were killed by other Union soldiers, because they could not be distinguished from Confederate soldiers.
From Wikipedia:
The Infantry in the American Civil War comprised foot-soldiers who fought primarily with small arms, and they carried the brunt of the fighting on battlefields across the United States. As the Civil War progressed, battlefield tactics soon changed in response to the new form of warfare being waged in America. The use of military balloons, rifled muskets, repeating rifles, and fortified entrenchments contributed to the death of many men. Generals and other officers, many professionally trained in tactics from the Napoleonic Wars, were often slow to develop changes in tactics in response...With the secession of eleven Southern states by early 1861 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln, tens of thousands of Southern men flocked to hastily organized companies, which were soon formed into regiments, brigades, and small armies, forming the genesis of the Confederate States Army. Lincoln responded by issuing a call for 75,000 volunteers, and later even more, to put down the rebellion, and the Northern states responded. The resulting forces came to be known as the Volunteer Army (even though they were paid), versus the Regular Army. Infantry comprised over 80% of the manpower in these forces.
The NationalPark Service U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 database on-line lists the military activity of each regiment. I’ve inserted John Johnson’s enlistment and muster out dates.
UNION WISCONSIN VOLUNTEERS 7th Regiment,Wisconsin Infantry
OVERVIEW:
JOHN JOHNSON
ENLISTED AUG. 19, 1861
• Organized at Madison, Wis., and mustered in September 2,
1861.
• Left State for Washington, D. C., September 21.
• Attached to King's Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of
the Potomac, to March, 1862.
• 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the
Potomac, to April, 1862.
• 3rd Brigade, King's Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock,
to June, 1862.
• 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps Army of the
Potomac, to June, 1863.
• 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, to March,
1864.
SERVICE:
• Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March,
1862.
• Advance to Falmouth, Va., April 9-19.
• Duty at Falmouth and Fredericksburg till August.
• McDowell's advance on Richmond May 25-29.
• Operations against Jackson June 2-11.
• Reconnoissance to Orange Court House July 24-27.
• Expedition to Frederick's Hall Station and Spottsylvania
Court House August 5-8.
• Thornburg's Mills or Massaponax Church August 5-6.
• Pope's Campaign in Northern
Virginia August 16-September 2.
• Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23.
• Battles of Groveton August 29;
• Bull Run August 30;
• Chantilly September 1 (Reserve).
• Maryland Campaign September 6-22.
• Battles of South
Mountain September 14;
• Antietam
September 16-17.
• At Sharpsburg, Md., to October 30.
• Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 22.
• Battle of Fredericksburg
, Va., December 12-15.
Wisconsin Historical Society
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294955414&dsRecordDetails=R:IM33527
Wisconsin Historical Society
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294955414&dsRecordDetails=R:IM33555
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:4294963828-4294955414&dsRecordDetails=R:IM33555
• "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863.
• At Belle Plain till April 27.
• Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
• Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2.
• Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30.
• Battle of Chancellorsville
May 2-5.
• Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24.
• Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-3.
• Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24.
• Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan till
October.
By the end of the war, the 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Invantry lost during service 10 Officers and 271 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 143 Enlisted men by disease. Total 424.
Sept. 9, 1863, John Johnson was detached to
Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery.
From Wikipedia:
By the end of the war, the 7th Regiment, Wisconsin Invantry lost during service 10 Officers and 271 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 143 Enlisted men by disease. Total 424.
Sept. 9, 1863, John Johnson was detached to
Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery.
From Wikipedia:
During the American Civil War, artillery batteries often consisted of six field pieces for the Union Army and four for theConfederate States Army, although this varied. Batteries were divided into sections of two guns apiece, each section normally under the command of a lieutenant. The full battery was typically commanded by a captain. Often, particularly as the war progressed, individual batteries were grouped into battalions under a major or colonel of artillery.
Field artillery in the American Civil War refers to the important artillery weapons, equipment, and practices used by the Artillery branch to support the infantry and cavalry forces in the field. It does not include siege artillery, use of artillery in fixed fortifications, or coastal or naval artillery. Nor does it include smaller, specialized artillery termed assmall arms.
OVERVIEW
BATTERY "B" 4th ARTILLERY.
Artillery Brigade, 1st Army Corps, to March, 1864.
Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, to May, 1865.
SERVICE
• Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
• Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
• Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
• Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864.
• Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
• Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7.
• Spottsylvania May 8-21.
• North Anna River May 22-26.
• Jericho Ford May 25.
• On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
• Totopotomoy May 28-31.
• Cold Harbor June 1-12.
• Bethesda Church June 1-3.
• Before Petersburg June 16-18.
• Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
• Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
• Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
• Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
• Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864.
• Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12.
• Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7.
• Spottsylvania May 8-21.
• North Anna River May 22-26.
• Jericho Ford May 25.
• On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28.
• Totopotomoy May 28-31.
• Cold Harbor June 1-12.
• Bethesda Church June 1-3.
• Before Petersburg June 16-18.
• Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865.
JOHN
JOHNSON MUSTERED OUT SEPT. 1, 1864, TERM EXPIRED
I can only imagine the emotions John felt to be able to go home after honorably serving his adopted country, after seeing so many men killed and wounded in so many fierce battles. And I have to wonder how his participation in the war affected him the remainder of his life.
From the Monument to the 7th Wisconsin at Gettysburg:
I can only imagine the emotions John felt to be able to go home after honorably serving his adopted country, after seeing so many men killed and wounded in so many fierce battles. And I have to wonder how his participation in the war affected him the remainder of his life.
From the Monument to the 7th Wisconsin at Gettysburg:
Original strength 1029. Recruits 685.
Casualties:
Killed - 172.
Wounded - 761.
Died of wounds - 100.
Died of disease - 124.
Total 1157.
Killed - 172.
Wounded - 761.
Died of wounds - 100.
Died of disease - 124.
Total 1157.
Wisconsin cherishes the memory
of her brave sons.
of her brave sons.
Limber and Caisson
From Wikipedia:
Limber
The limber was a two-wheeled carriage that carried an ammunition chest. It was connected directly behind the team of six horses and towed either a gun or a caisson. In either case, the combination provided the equivalent of a four-wheeled vehicle, which distributed the load over two axles but was easier to maneuver on rough terrain than a four-wheeled wagon. The combination of a Napoleon gun and a packed limber weighed 3,865 pounds (1,753.1 kg).[35]
Caisson
The caisson was also a two-wheeled carriage. It carried two ammunition chests and a spare wheel. A fully loaded limber and caisson combination weighed 3,811 pounds (1728.6 kg).[35]The limbers, caissons, and gun carriages were all constructed of oak. Each ammunition chest typically carried about 500 pounds (226.8 kg) of ammunition or supplies. In addition to these vehicles, there were also battery supply wagons and portable forges that were used to service the guns.