Ozaukee County's
War History
by Daniel E. McGinley

as extracted from THE PORT WASHINGTON STAR
January 16, 1897



Heroes of '61
Chapter 3

Stewart Daniels

As stated in a former chapter, two Saukville boys, StewartDaniels and Thomas Murphy, served as the regularly detailed foragers for the companyon the march to the sea and during the Carolina campaign, and as such performed thearduous and dangerous duties of the forager with great credit to themselves and tothe satisfaction of their commanders.

Although Stewart Daniels' home was in the town of Grafton, it was so near to thetown line and to the village of Saukville, that he has been always reckoned as aSaukville boy by his comrades. Stewart was the first white child born in the territorynow included in the town of Saukville, he first seeing the light in 1845, in hisfather's log cabin, which stood upon the site of the village of Saukville and wasthe seventh son in a family of nine children. Shortly after Stewart's birth his familymoved nearly a mile south of the village, to the homestead on the banks of the Milwaukeeriver which for nearly thirty years was known as the "Daniels' farm," andwhich is now owned by the Opitz family.

Here Stewart lived and thrived in the wilderness, and as he grew in years and statureattended the village school in Saukville in the winter months; but though a brightboy who learned easily, he did not make the progress in his studies that he mighthave done, he caring more for hunting, fishing, trapping and such sports. He grewup a manly, healthy boy, with a frame remarkably well developed and knit, and althoughbut sixteen when the war began he considered himself large and strong enough to undertakethe life of a soldier in the field.

His father, Capt. George Cook Daniels, a pioneer of Puritan blood and a veteran ofIndian wars, was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and ability, rough in appearanceand speech, but a good neighbor, an upright, worthy citizen, and patriotic clearthrough. The names of the sons Nahum, DeWitt Clinton, Marion, Jerome, Baron Steuben,Jasper and Stewart, were nearly all taken from America's roll of honor and show thelove of country possessed by the parents.

It is no wonder then, that when their country and flag was in danger these boys werenearly all ready to risk life and limb in their defense. Nahum, Marion, Baron S.,Jasper and Stewart all entered the army, each in a different regiment. Baron S. diedin the field, and the others remained in the service until the close of the war,Nahum becoming a captain and winning fame as Sherman's chief signal officer, andJasper fighting his way up to a first lieutenancy. Jerome engaged in a fistic battlewith a Copperhead in 1861, in which he lost a thumb, a loss that barred him frombecoming a boy in blue.

Stewart being so young, and so many of his brothers being willing to go, his fatherthought that Stewart ought to stay at home, at least a year longer. But Stewart thoughtotherwise and October 28, 1861, he went to Port Washington and enlisted in the OzaukeeRifles. He being under age his father took him home again, but Stewart ran away atthe first opportunity and rejoined the Rifles. Taking the sheriff with him, his fatherbrought Stewart home handcuffed and chained him to his bed. But that night he managedto loosen the chains from the bed, jumped out of a window, went to a neighbor's whomhe induced to cut off the handcuffs, threw them and the chain into the river andwas soon back to the company. After the Rifles reached Camp Randall his father madeanother attempt to bring Stewart home but the colonel would not let him take hisboy without an order from the governor. For some unknown reason the governor didnot issue the order, and the father went home alone.

Stewart made a fine soldier, following the fortunes of the gallant Rifles from itsmuster in to its muster out, participating in all the battles and campaigns in whichhis regiment took part, never missing a day's duty, and always ready to volunteerfor any dangerous or exciting task. After the close of hostilities, Stewart returnedhome, but was not contented there, and was soon wandering over the great northwest.He has been a lumberman in Wisconsin and Minnesota, a Fenian member of the unfortunateLouis Reil's army, a scout for Generals Sheridan and Custer on the plains, one ofthe first adventurers at Pike's Peak, a volunteer soldier in several Indian wars,a ranch owner in Arizona, a prospector and engineer in Colorado, Idaho, Arizona,New Mexico, California and Mexico, and a contractor in several places. In 1895, aftermaking a prospecting journey across the great American Desert, he came east to visithis Ozaukee county friends, after an absence of twenty-seven years. During the pastsummer, Stewart joined a company of Americans bound for Cuba to assist the patriotsthere, and if still living is doubtless taking an active part in the struggle forliberty that is being waged in that unfortunate island. Although but fifty-one yearsStewart has had a wonderful and varied experience, which if properly told would overshadowthe wildest fiction, and hundreds of his old comrades and friends will wish him asafe return from his new field of adventure.

Thomas Murphy, Stewart Daniels' comrade forager, was a nativeof Canada, where he was born in 1845. Shortly after Tom's birth his father died,and after a few years his mother was married to a man named John Frawley, and withher husband and boy came to Wisconsin and settled upon a small farm in the northernpart of the town of Saukville in 1854. Tom did not take kindly to his step-father,and being a wild, wayward boy soon ran away from home and became a sort of boy-tramp,knocking about from place to place. But he quickly became able to earn something,and before he was thirteen years of age he was well able to take care of himself.

Adversity is a severe school-master, but is often a good one, and in Tom's case hewas not only thoroughly hardened and well prepared for the rough life of a soldier,but also picked up a good deal of sound patriotism - love for his adopted country.Being in the county when the Ozaukee Rifles was being recruited, he hastened to PortWashington, offering his services to Capt. Williams. But notwithstanding that hewas 5 ft. 6 in. in heighth, he was so slimly built, and had such a round, childishface that he appeared to be even younger than he really was, and there was some hesitationabout taking him as a recruit. In that slender frame there was splendid material,however, and Tom made one of the toughest and bravest soldiers in the company. Hewas so cowardly in camp that the smallest drummer could bluff him, but once in thefield where minies and shells flew thickly, few of any dared lead where Tom Murphydared not follow.

Tom had one great failing which has clung to him to this day, and that was a propensityfor telling lies, - yes, barefaced falsehoods. Neither had he too great a regardfor the seventh commandment, but age and wisdom have doubtless banished all tracesof that failing, as he is now the head of a family and good citizen of the greatcity of Chicago. Like his comrade, Stewart Daniels, Tom Murphy was mustered in andmustered out with the regiment, and with the exception of short spells of illnessnever was absent from his post of duty. Tom was a great success as a forager. Ifthere was any forage wanted and to be had, he and Stewart Daniels would be sure tobring it in. Tom had some faults but if all of our soldiers did as well as he didthe Rebellion would not have lasted so long.

The cuts of the two noted foragers, Daniels and Murphy, printed herewith, arecopies of photographs taken in Vicksburg, Miss., and show how the originals appearedat the age of eighteen, and after two years of hard campaigning.

Three pairs of brothers went from Saukville in the ranks of the Rifles. They wereChas. W. and Lyman W. Chapman, John and William Goggin, and Charles and Henry Thomas.But the Chapmans died of disease shortly after the battle of Shiloh. John Gogginwent out as one of the corporals of the Rifles, but disease laid a firm hold on him,and he was discharged Dec. 16, 1862. Recovering from the sickness he again enlisted,this time in the 35th Wis., was commissioned second lieutenant Febr. 17, 1866, butwas not mustered as such, being mustered out with the regiment a month later. Henow lives in Milwaukee. William Goggin, a boy of sixteen, left school to march awaywith his brother and comrades, and gave up his young life for the flag, dying ofdisease at Monterey, Tenn., June 2, 1862. The Thomas boys were tough, wiry littlefellows, Charles being nineteen years old, and 5 ft. 3 in. in heighth, and Henryeighteen years, and 5 ft. 2 in. in heighth. Charlie was killed at the writer's sidein the battle of Bald Hill near Atlanta, Ga., July 21, 1864, as described in a formerchapter. Henry was wounded the same day and never returned to the regiment. He isliving at Eagle, Wis.

James O'Hare, the tallest member of the Rifles from the town of Saukville, was anative of Massachusetts and twenty-six years of age. He was a broad shouldered, big-heartedyoung man, measuring six feet and one-half inch in his stockings. Coming west withhis parents in the 40’s, he worked on the farm until the war began. He was takenprisoner at Corinth, as stated in a previous paper, was exchanged, returned to theregiment and died of disease at Lake Providence, La., July 13, 1863. May his restbe peaceful.

There was another gallant soldier from the town of Saukville in the Sixteenth Wisconsinwho deserves special mention here although not a member of the Ozaukee Rifles.

James McDonald, the subject of this sketch, was the son of a brave soldier of theBritish army and was born in King's county, Ireland, January 6, 1818. When a yearold, he was brought to America by his parents; they settling near Quebec, Canada.In Canada James passed his boyhood, grew to manhood, secured a common school education,and married. His wife dying left him with six children to care for, and with themhe came to Wisconsin and Ozaukee county in 1858, buying and settling upon a farmin the town of Saukville.

The beginning of the civil war found James McDonald a true patriot, arranged uponthe side of freedom and union, and in the fall of 1862 he volunteered to fight forhis adopted country "three years or during the war." He wanted to joinhis neighbors in the Rifles or old company "K" of the Sixteenth, but whenhe reached the regiment, company "K" had ceased to exist, it having beenmerged into Company "G" and he was assigned to "E" one of thebest companies in the regiment.

Our hero was a great lover of music, played the violin beautifully, and having aremarkably sweet and well cultivated voice, sang charmingly. Of a happy jovial dispositionhe was very fond of good company and was the best of company himself, always as readyfor a frolic as the youngest of his comrades. Always healthy, hardy, brave, cheerfuland willing, he made an excellent soldier - one ever ready for duty - as ready fora bout with the enemy as was for a song or laugh with the boys. It is no wonder thenthat he became a great favorite with his comrades, for he never was so happy as whenmaking others happy. He participated in all of the battles and campaigns in whichthe regiment was engaged, from the beginning of 1863 until the close of the war,always doing his duty, - no matter how trying it might be, - in a cheery, uncomplainingmanner that was the admiration of his commanders and comrades. Often in bivouac orcamp has the writer seen a crowd of pleased soldiers around "Jimmie" McDonald,listening with rapt attention to his charming renditions of Scotish or Irish musicand songs. It was a treat to hear him.

After the war he returned to his farm in Saukville, was married to Miss MargaretGough, a highly esteemed lady of that town, in 1867, and ten years later moved hisfamily to Fremont, Neb., where his wife died in 1879. In 1880 he joined the colonyplanted in northern Nebraska by Gen. John O'Neil and in 1890 removed to Greely county,Neb. where he died respected and beloved by all who knew him, August 18, 1896. Nomore sterling patriot fought for the old flag during the civil war than sunny, gallantJames McDonald, who as a soldier or a citizen was ever a gentleman, pure in speech,action and motive, and honest to the innermost core. The world is always betteredby having such men living in it, and when they leave it there is a void not easilyfilled. Those who knew him will ever revere the name and memory of James McDonald.