gaged in organized treason. While no unnecessary expense should be incurred, yet it is the part of wisdom, both for individuals and States, in revolutionary times to be prepared to defend our institutions to the last extremity." It was thus the patriotic governor gave evidence to the members of both houses that he "scented the battle afar off."

On the 16th of January a joint resolution of the Legislature was passed, declaring that the people of Wisconsin are ready to co-operate with the friends of the Union everywhere for its preservation, to yield a cheerful obedience to its reqirements, and to demand a like obedience from all others; that the Legislature of Wisconsin, profoundly impressed with the value of the Union, and determined to preserve it unimpaired, hail with joy the recent firm, dignified and patriotic special message of the President of the United States; that they tender to him, through the chief magistrate of their own State, whatever aid, in men and money, may be required to enable him to enforce the laws and uphold the authority of the Federal government and in defense of the more perfect Union, which has conferred prosperity and happiness on the American people. "Renewing," said they, "the pledge given and redeemed by our fathers, we are ready to devote our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honors in upholding the Union and the constitution."

service, in companies of seventy-five men each, rank and file, and in regiments of ten companies of seventy-five men each, and to commission officers for them. The governor was also authorized to contract for the uniforms and equipments necessary for putting such companies into active service. $100,000 was appropriated for war purposes; and bonds were authorized to be issued for that amount, to be negotiated by the governor for raising funds. It will be seen, therefore, that the exigencies of the times-for Fort Sumter had not yet been surrendered-were fully met by the people's representatives, they doing their whole duty, as they then understood it, in aid of the perpetuity of the Union.

Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, until the quarters were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed, the gorge-wall seriously injured, the magazine surrounded by flames, and its door closed from the effects of the heat, four barrels and three cartridges of powder only being available, and no provisions but pork remaining, Robert Anderson, major of the first artillery, United States army, accepted terms of evacuation offered by Gen. Beauregard, marched out of the Fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th of April, 1861, with colors flying and drums beating, bringing away company and private property, and saluting his flag with fifty guns. This in brief, is the story of the fall of Sumter and the opening act of the War of the Rebellion.

"Whereas," said Abraham Lincoln, President, in his proclamation of the next day, “the laws of the United States have been for some time

thereof obstructed, in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by law." Now, in view of that fact, he called forth the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000, in order to suppress those combina

THE STATE AROUSED.

In Wisconsin, as elsewhere, the public pulse quickened under the excitement of the fall of Sumter. "The dangers which surrounded the Nation awakened the liveliest sentiments of patriotism and devotion. For the time,party fealty was forgotten in the general desire to save the Nation. The minds of the people soon settled into the conviction that a bloody war was at hand, and that the glorious fabric of our Na- | tional government, and the principles upon which it is founded, were in jeopardy, and with a determination unparalleled in the history of any country, they rushed to its defense. On every hand the National flag could be seen displayed, and the public enthusiam knew no bounds. In city, town and hamlet, the burden on every tounge was war." "We have never been accustomed," said Gov. Randall, "to

sider the military arm as essential to the maintenance of our government, but an exigency has arisen that demands its employment." "The time has come," he continued, "when parties and platforms must be forgotten, and all good citizens and patriots unite together in putting down rebels and traitors." "What is money," he asked, "what is life, in the presence of such a crisis?"

Such utterances and such enthusiasm could but have their effect upon the Legislature, which, it will be remembered, was still in session. So, although that body had voted to adjourn, sine die, on the 15th of April, yet, when the moment arrived, and a message from the governor was received, announcing that, owing to the extraordinary exigencies which had arisen, an amendment of the law of the thirteenth of the month was necessary, the resolution to adjourn was at once rescinded. The two houses thereupon not only increased the amount of bonds to be issued

ing from civil process, during the time of service, all persons enlisting and mustering into the United States army from Wisconsin. When, on the seventeenth, the Legislature did adjourn, the scene was a remarkable one. Nine cheers were given for the star spangled banner and three for the Governor's Guard, who had just then tendered their services-the first in the State-under the call for a regiment of men for three months duty.

"For the first time in the history of this Fedoral government, are the words of the governor, in a proclamation issued on the 16th of April, "organized treason has manifested itself within several States of the Union, and armed rebels are making war against it." "The treasurers of the country," said he, "must no longer be plundered; the public property must be protected from aggressive violence; that already seized must be retaken, and the laws must be executed in every State of the Union alike." “A demand," he added, "made upon Wisconsin, by the President of the United States, for aid to sustain the Federal arm, must meet with a prompt response." And it did, and no where with more genuine enthusiasm than in Vernon county.

VERNON COUNTY AWAKENED.

The county of Vernon was not slow to move when it was clearly seen by her citizens that the Union was in deed and in truth threatened by armed rebellion and avowed secession. "The rebellion of the slave holders," said the Northwestern Times, of April 24, 1861, "of the seceding States has now reached actual war against the loyal citizens of the United States. The property of every citizen of this great republic has been attacked, because every citizen is a part of the government which has a property interest in Fort Sumter, which fort has been cannonaded and probably taken by the rebels at Charleston."

"The President of the United States," continues the Times, "has called for 75,000 volun

teers, and will probably need more; and Gov. Randall of this State calls on all loyal citizens to sustain the laws. He also calls for volunteers in companies of seventy-five men each to enroll themselves and report to him their readiness to serve." "Every lover of free institutions," concludes the writer, "the world over, every loyal citizen of the United States, expects every man to do his whole duty, in the war that has just been commenced by the South Carolina traitors."

VERNON COUNTY'S FIRST WAR MEETING. The first war meeting in Vernon county was held at Viroqua, on Wednesday, April 24, 1861, in the evening, at the court house. At this meeting, the following gentlemen were appointed to collect funds to procure music for the company being organized in Viroqua, and to maintain their families while they were gone to help the General Government put down the secession rebellion at the south: Thomas Fretwell, J. A. Somerby, J. E. Newell, Dr. J. Rusk, Dr. E. W. Tinker, Justice Smith and Calvin Morley.

The meeting adjourned to Saturday evening, April 27th, when a very enthusiastic time was had. Henry Nichols was elected president, William Clawater, vice-president, and T. C. Ankeny, secretary.

On Motion, Col. R. C. Bierce, J. Somerby and Wm. H. Goode were appointed a committee to draft and report resolutions expressive of the sentiments of the people of Bad Ax county, on the subject of the present State of the Union. The committee appointed at a previous meeting to obtain subscriptions to support a volunteer company and their families, reported $117 already obtained and that progress was making for additional sums.

On motion, enough funds were appropriated to purchase a good fife and snare drum and the committee were instructed to purchase the same at their earliest convenience. It was further ordered that 20 per cent be paid in at once on subscription.

The committee on resolutions reported the following which were unanimously adopted: "We the people of Bad Ax county, in war meeting assembled, irrespective of party, for the purpose of declaring our sentiments on the present state of the affairs of the Nation, do hereby declare as follows:

1. Resolved, That secession is not a constitutional right, and that we look upon the present attitude of the pretended seceded States as one of rebellion coupled with the fixed determination to crush out the spirit of liberty and substitute in its place, the spirit of slavery.

2. Resolved, That, under ordinary circumstances, we believe in allowing the utmost freedom of speech and the press, but in the present hour of our country's peril, we declare we will not permit any man in our midst to openly declare in favor of the right of secession, or advocate the cause of traitors and rebels against the Federal government.

3. Resolved, That, to our old flag of stars and stripes, we owe all our property and our honor, and we hereby renew our allegiance and fidelity to it, and express our determination to never stand idly by and see it trailed in the dust.

4. Resolved, That, like our fathers of old, we here pledge, in support of our constitution and. our flag, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

5. Resolved, That we sympathize with the Union men of the south, and will do all in our power to ameliorate their condition.

The meeting was then warmly addressed by William Clawater, R. C. Bierce, T. C. Ankeny, Gen. Spencer, Adj't. J. Berry, William F. Terhune, H. Greve and others. The utmost unanimity of feeling, sentiment and enthusiasm prevailed among the speakers, and they were enthusiastically cheered by the large audience present.

On motion, William Clawater, C. A. Hunt, Gen. Spencer, C. M. Butt, J. Berry, J. C. Berry, William Joseph, Albert Bliss and Capt. C. B.

Wagoner.-James R. Lyon. Privates.-Thomas W. Allen, Gilbert L. Allen, George W. Atwood, Charles F. Bohn, Elias C. Burdick, Charles Birnbaum, Nathan Burchell, Lewis M. Boughton, Thomas W. Barcus, Edward L. Briggs, Daniel Campfield, Charles E. Carnes, Wm. S. Cushing, Charles A. Conklin, Lawson Davis, George W. Douglas, Franklin Elsworth, Charles Evritt, Oliver P. Fretwell, Rodolph Fine, Abijah Fox, Dewitt C. Fenton, James Fairman, Chester A, Green, John M. Goodwin, Alexander Graham, John Harland, John F. Harding, Wm. H. Hauckabout, Ichobod B. Hill, Lewis Hart, Abel H. Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Henry Jones, Charles O. Jones, John W. Longmire, Charles Lind, Edward Lind, Alexander Lowrie, Sidney B. Lovlin, Wm. Lawrence, Wm. Moore, Peter S. Markle, Wm. A. Mattison, Wm. E. Minchell, James McClain, Hugh F. McClure, George D. McDill, Thomas Newton, Wm. H. Nichols, Daniel W. Nutting, Levi Pearson, Charles F. Page, Aldrich W. Rodgers, Earl M. Rogers, Hiram M. Richardson, Wm. L. Riley, George Robins, Daniel Remington, Gabriel A. Ruby, Levi Steadman, George W. Sutton, Gotfriel Shriver, Caleb Shrieves, John L. Somerby, Wm. H. Sweet, Wm. Sears, Edward E. Sears, Milton Southwick, Alfred Thompson, George W. Thompson, Reuben Thompson, George W. Thurber, Levi Tongue, John T. Willey, Frolan Willey, Chester A. Wyman, Joseph Wood, Isaiah Williams, James C. Wallace, Caleb Wright, Samuel G. Wallar, Francis A. Wallar and Richard A. Warraham.

Recruits. William Balden, James O. Burrell, Albert E. Fosdick, Henry A. Fosdick, John H. Hendrickson, Wm. H. Johnson, Wm. L. Lindsley, Eli Rockwell, James A. Stalker and Valentine Warner

This company was made a part of

THE SIXTH WISCONSIN REGIMENT,

which was organized at Camp Randall, Madison, in July, 1861, and mustered into the service of the United States on the 16th of that month, and left the State for Washington on the 28th. The following was the roster of the regiment:

Colonel.-Lysander Cutler.

Lieutenant Colonel.-J. P. Atwood.
Major.-B. F. Sweet.

Adjutant. Frank A. Haskell.
Quartermaster.-I. N. Mason.
Surgeon.-C. B. Chapman.

First Assistant Surgeon.-A. W. Preston.
Second Assistant Surgeon.-A. P. Andrews.
Chaplain.-Rev. N. A. Staples.

Captain Co. A.-A. G. Mallory.