Ozaukee County's
War History
by Daniel E. McGinley

as extracted from THE PORT WASHINGTON STAR
January 9, 1897



Heroes of '61
Chapter 2

Lieut. John Gough

The town of Saukville was nobly represented in the Ozaukee Rifles by a squad of eighteen, headed by the subject of this sketch, John Gough, who was before the war, as he is now, a prominent farmer of that town.

John Gough was born in Valcartier, Canada East, June 24, 1883, and coming to Wisconsin with his parents and the rest of the family, reached Mequon, this county, on June 5, 1845. The next month the family settled upon the homestead in the town of Saukville which it has occupied up to this time, the aged and respected parents still living there. Being one of the first families to settle in town, they found it an unbroken forest, through which Indians and wild beasts roamed at their pleasure; and John being the eldest of the children, and though but twelve years of age, soon became accustomed to the rough life of a pioneer, and grew to be a strong, athletic young man, 5 ft. 10 in. in his stockings.

As may well be supposed, there were no schools within reach of the family for several years and John had little opportunity to attend school, but being a bright boy, and having intelligent parents, he picked up a common school education, learned the carpenter trade, and besides being a model tiller of the soil he became so skillful in the use of many tools that his services were much sought after by his neighbors. His home being in a region abounding in the different kinds of game indigenous to this climate, John became familiar with firearms, a fact that was of great value to him in the army.

John Gough upon reaching his majority was an ardent Republican and has to this day remained an uncompromising, conscientious member of that party, voting for Lincoln and for every presidential candidate of the party since the war. Being a true patriot, who loved his adopted country and was opposed to the continuation of slavery, it is no wonder that he was eager to march to the defense of Old Glory when it was fired upon by armed traitors, and hardly waiting to house the harvest he enrolled his name as a member of the Ozaukee Rifles October 7, 1861.

He was chosen one of the first sergeants of the company, and a good one he made. Having had some previous training in militia companies he soon mastered the drill and there was that snap and vim to his movements that are so indispensable to a good soldier's makeup. Having seriously injured his knee by an accident, just as the regiment was leaving Madison for the front, John was forced to use a crutch up to the opening of the battle of Shiloh, and his leg never recovered fully, but still troubles him.

When the ìlong rollî sounded at Shiloh, Gough promptly threw away his crutch, buckled on his accouterments, and seizing his rifle limped to his post in line of battle; and during those two terrible days of battle and death, remained at his post until the foe had fled, doing his whole duty and doing it nobly. Coming out of that fight safely, he participated in the siege of Corinth, the battles of Iuka and Corinth, and in Grant's first advance against Vicksburg, always on hand when needed and ever ready for duty. When companies ìGî and ìKî were consolidated, the sergeants of the latter company were wrongfully sent back to the ranks, instead of being mustered out; and although Gough soon after received a commission as second lieutenant of company ìK,î he was never mustered as such, but through some inexcusable connivance, stupidity or negligence on the part of his superior officers, he was kept in the ranks until May 1, 1864, when he and Sergt. Gatfield were mustered out under a special order from the Secretary of War. In the meantime he had accompanied the regiment in all of its marches and trials, and at Lake Providence, La., with nearly the whole command, was prostrated by a terrible fever, which he finally rallied from, and had just strength to take advantage of a short furlough that was given him, and reach his home. Recovering from his illness he returned to the regiment at Vicksburg, and remained in the ranks manfully performing his duties until his muster out.

Receiving his discharge he went directly to Madison and laid his case before the governor, requesting that his commissioned rank be given him in a new regiment. He was promptly offered a commission in one of the regiments then being raised for one year, but knowing that such regiments would only do garrison duty, he as promptly declined the offer. He was told that no three years regiments were then being organized by the state and was offered a commission in one of the regiments then in the field. But as he knew that his going as a commissioned officer to a company that had seen service, would be an injustice to the noncommissioned members of that company, he was forced to refuse that offer also, and returning to the farm he tilled the soil until the war ended, and continues to work that farm still, always sorry that he was not allowed to serve the remainder of the war in the gallant Ozaukee Rifles, or old company ìKî of the 16th Wisconsin.

In 1872 Comrade Gough was married to Miss Elizabeth Mooney, of Milwaukee, who has made him an excellent wife. Three sons have been born to them, John E., Lawrence and Michael. The eldest, John E., died a few months since, after a long and painful illness, much respected by all who knew him. Of late years the privations and exposures of his army life have begun to tell on Comrade Gough, and his health has been far from good. But he has hundreds of friends, who knowing him to be the upright, worthy citizen that he is, wish him the early return of good health, that he may live for years to come, enjoying the prosperity and happiness of the great nation he fought so gallantly to save to posterity, honored and respected by all.

The future of this country is now, as it always has been, a matter of much concern to the subject of this sketch; and feeling that the Republican party represents the best policy for the perpetuation of our government, John Gough takes a live interest in every political campaign, working early and late for the success of his party. He has held some of the minor offices in the gift of the people, who have sought more than once to elevate him to a high office, but with characteristic modesty he has invariably refused to have his name so used. John Gough and Richard C. Kann, of Port Washington, are the only survivors of the Ozaukee Rifles living in this county. May they continue to survive for many years to come.

The picture accompanying this sketch, was copied from a tintype taken several years after the war. Mr. Gough did not wear whiskers until after the war.

Another member of the Rifles hailing from the town of Saukville, was John P. McGinley, who was born in Lowell, Mass., Jan. 4, 1841, came to Wisconsin and Ozaukee county with his parents in 1851, living in the town of Cedarburg two years and then settling on a farm in the town of Saukville, where John grew to manhood inured to the hard labor and privations of a pioneer's life. John was eager and quick to learn, and although his school days were but few, being confined to a few weeks of each winter, he acquired a fair common school education.

A native American, and having intelligent parents, who though born in Ireland, were as loyal Americans as any of the native born, John was patriotic to the core, and his whole heart was with his country and flag when the crisis came. He wanted to go to the front in response to the first call for volunteers, but his eldest brother having gone in a Michigan regiment, and John's assistance being badly needed on the farm, he was prevailed upon to remain until after the harvest had been garnered, when on October 11, 1861, he entered his name on the rolls of the Ozaukee Rifles, and became one of its most enthusiastic members. His personal description at the time of his enlistment was: Eyes dark, hair black, complexion tawny, heighth 5 ft. 9 in., body muscular, healthy and well formed. He had one fault that often got him into trouble as a boy and a young man, and that was a hasty temper. Being an all around athlete, quick in actions and powerful in grip or blow he generally came out of his quarrels a victor, but in time he outgrew the failing that got him into trouble, and made a good soldier and citizen.

When the company left the county John was the eighth corporal. Accompanying the regiment in all of its campaigns and participating in all of its engagements, he was with it from the time it left the state until its return, always striving to do his whole duty. On August 1, 1862, at Corinth, Miss., he was promoted sergeant, and on April 8, 1865, at Goldsboro, N.C., he was made sergeant major. He suffered much from sickness, and was seriously ill several times during his term of service, but he never was long absent from the regiment at any time. During the trying march from Savannah to Goldsboro, he commanded the squad of foragers that supplied Gen. Frank P. Blair's headquarters and in the performance of that laborious and dangerous duty had several bouts with the enemy's cavalry, being in the hand-to-hand fight at Fayetteville, N.C., and other encounters. During this march he captured a famous thoroughbred stallion of the ìHunterî breed, valued at $10,000, and turned it over to Gen. Blair. Whether the government ever received anything from that valuable capture, the writer cannot aver.

After his muster out John returned to the farm, worked on it a year and then went to Fond du Lac, where he learned the carpenter trade. In 1868 he was married to Miss B. Kating, of the town of Saukville and in 1869 moved to Chicago where his wife died in 1872, leaving two daughters, one of whom died a year later. In 1876 he was again in the town of Saukville where he founded the St. Finbar's Temperance and Literary Society, of which he was the first president, and through his personal efforts its hall was built.

In 1879 he returned to Chicago where he was married to Miss Mary Murphy, who died a year later leaving an infant son. Becoming prominent in labor unions, he was elected President of the Carpenters and Joiners Union of the United States, which office he held for some years, giving to it much labor and time, and in the performance of his duties traveling around to the different commercial centers of the country. In 1883 he was prostrated by a serious attack of an illness from which he had suffered ever since the war, and which no doubt was the result of exposure during his army service. Rallying somewhat he again returned to this county, and finding that the country air strengthened him he remained here until his death, June 17, 1887. While working at his trade on a barn in the town of Jackson, Washington county, he fell from the roof, and sustained injuries of which he died six hours later.

Dying thus in the prime of his manhood, John's death was a most pathetic one, and was a sad ending to a life of sorrows and disappointments. Appropriate resolutions were adopted by the Union Veteran League of Chicago, of which he was an esteemed member, and by the St. Finbar's Temperance and Literary Society of which he was again the president. His remains were followed to their ìwindowless palace of restî by a large number of mourning friends, including the Temperance Society and many of the veterans of the county and his coffin was wrapped in the old flag of the Ozaukee Rifles, the flag that he had marched so proudly and hopefully under 26 years before. May his memory be ever green.