Bill Wangemann - The Civil War and Sheboygan County

The sunny blue sky was dotted with puffy white clouds, but the two lines of soldiers below, one clad in blue the other in grey, took no notice of the beautiful day. The two lines of warriors were separated by perhaps 300 yards. On both sides the young soldiers, some of them barely past boyhood, nervously checked their weapons. They knew a battle was coming. Some of the grim-faced men were silent, others chatted nervously with their friends. Two young drummer boys chased each other about and threw green apples at each other. Then came the heart-stopping order to “form up.”

The long blue line then slowly began advancing across the stubble of what had been a wheat field. With their hearts pounding in their throats and their mouths as dry as cotton, the men pushed forward. The advancing troops held their muskets at the ready. There was no sound except the crunching of their boots and the clanking of their equipment. The unit’s colors, held high, were flapping in the breeze. Behind the advancing troops, came the Cavalry mounted on steeds that pawed the ground and pranced nervously about. With white knuckles the blue-clad men clutched their muskets, bayonets glinting in the sun.

Across the field, the Confederate troops hunkered down behind a rail fence. Behind them their officers, with drawn swords, implored the nervous troops to wait, wait till the enemy came closer.

As the Blue line of Union troops came into range, the order to fire was given. The peaceful countryside was torn apart by the crash of musketry and the roar of cannons. Men began to fall, smoke almost totally obscured the battlefield … the audience was overwhelmed by the chaos unfolding before them.

The audience?

Indeed. This was not Gettysburg, Shiloh or Bull Run; it was Greenbush on a sunny September afternoon. What I have just described is the annual Civil War re-enactment that takes place every September at Wade House. Twice per day, for two days, Confederate and Union Troops face each other, re-enacting that mortal combat.

Long before the first shots of the actual Civil War were fired, there was talk among Sheboygan Falls residents about the war and what it would mean to the Sheboygan Falls area.

On April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter was attacked by the Confederates. For 34 hours the Union troops in the Fort held out, after which they felt compelled to surrender.

It was a Sunday when the news arrived in Sheboygan Falls that war had been declared. One young man seized a drum and began parading through the streets with some friends, raising quite a racket. Old Deacon Trowbridge was in the middle of one of his well-known fire and brimstone sermons when the impromptu parade passed the church. Furious at having the peace and quiet of the Sabbath disturbed, the deacon rushed from the church and confronted the seemingly inconsiderate drummer. The young man turned out to be Nathan Cole, the son of John Cole, one of the founders of Sheboygan Falls. Young Cole shouted to the deacon “It’s war! It’s War! And President Lincoln has sent out a call for all able-bodied men.” “War is it?” exclaimed the deacon who seized the drum and began to parade about, beating the drum himself.

Nathan Cole went on to serve in the Union Army, advanced to the rank of major and had a distinguished military career.

Not long after Nathan entered the Army, the now elderly John Cole received news that his son was gravely ill. The old man decided that he would go to wherever Nathan lay ill and care for him himself. When Cole reached the area where his son was reported be, he was refused permission to enter what was termed an active military area. No amount of begging or pleading could change the officers’ minds as they steadfastly refused him permission to search for his son.

But John Cole was not a man to give up. He determined to go to Washington D. C. and see none other than Secretary of War Stanton. Against all advice, the old man made the tiring trip to Washington D.C. When Mr. Cole at last arrived at Stanton’s office, he was confronted by a line of at least 40 people all waiting to see the secretary. There were generals, congressmen, and senators. Cole joined the very end of that line – a tired, gray-haired, little old man from Sheboygan Falls. All day long dignitaries filed in and out of the secretary’s office while John Cole patiently waited.

When he arrived he had explained the purpose of his visit to the receptionist who informed Mr. Cole he had little or no chance of talking to the Secretary of War. Stanton was noted for being somewhat aloof and what some people described as cold-hearted. At one point, late in the afternoon, Secretary Stanton came out of his office to see how many more people were waiting to see him. At the very end of the line he noted the little old stooped-over man and asked his aide who he was and what he wanted. When his aide explained to the Secretary the purpose for Cole’s visit, he immediately informed his aide that the old man was to be admitted into his office at once. Ahead of the senators, the congressmen and generals, John Cole of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, was given a private audience with Secretary of War Stanton. When Stanton was informed by Mr. Cole that he had been refused permission to enter a war zone to search for his gravely ill son, Stanton was horrified. He personally wrote out a pass that would permit Cole to enter any war zone to look for his son and he further ordered that the military should assist Mr. Cole in any way possible. Secretary Stanton then added that, if Mr. Cole found his son Nathan, the young soldier was to be given indefinite leave so that his father could take him back home to convalesce.

John Cole did, in fact, locate his son and take him back home where he fully regained his health. Nathan Cole then re-entered the Army and attained the rank of major. While leading troops at the battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Major Nathan Cole was grievously wounded but once again he recovered and returned to Sheboygan Falls.

Today’s Snippet: The first Memorial Day observance actually took place in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865 on the site of a former Confederate prison camp that was also a mass grave for thousands of Union soldiers who died while being held captive.

For more information of the Civil War re-enactment at the Wade House, contact them at (920) 526- 3271or check out their Web site wadehouse@wisconsinhistory.org.