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Civil War Veterans Reflections

1863 From "River City Memoirs" Volume 5 Page 17 by Dave Engel
FEELING THE DRAFT

"Already in November 1863, the Union version of the selective service had taken 46 men from Wood County, said Edwards, and one from Frenchtown, namely Andrew View. "He will make a good soldier, providing he is not too lazy. He is very anxious to have Clinton come back to see if he won't buy him off." At the end of 1864, great excitement arose again about the draft. "Everybody is leaving for Canada, Nevada and California," said Edwards, "not only French and Irish, but every one in general. "There will not be men to drive logs or run the lumber unless the raise comes in a week or more. "They are chasing me around every one and wanting their pay, but I am putting them off as long as I can by telling them that I am willing to pay but the Administration forbid me doing so."It's a pretty good excuse, but I cannot make it work much longer. "Billy and me, one or both, are sure to be drafted but, just before is comes off, I think I will send him home and, if he is drafted there, he can do as you all think best about reporting himself. As for me, I will do the best I can. And, if it was not for business, I would go." Edwards Jr. was drafted and reported at La Crosse Nov. 29, 1864. "Jim and Mike Brennen, and Leandro Riply got exempted. Wm. Farrish and myself put in a substitute. He got a fellow from Misketo Creek. And I put in old Frank Caterea's boy, Frank. You may think he was small, but I made him pass. And I don't think there is another in Wood County that could put him in," said Edwards."They treated me like a gentleman and done all they could for me."

1865 CATTRA, FRANK PVT. CO. H, 6TH REGIMENT, INFANTRY, CIVIL WAR CASUALTY.Volunteered, substitute for John Edwards Jr., from Centralia, Wood, WI. 29 November 1864, wounded 1 April 1865, Battle at FIVE FORKS, died 29 September 1865, at Harewood Hospital, Washington D. C. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Frank Cattra was born in Grand Rapids in 1849 to Frank Cattra and a Native American woman named Mary. He was only 15 at the time of his volunteer enlistment in the Civil War.

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Submitted by

[Gretchen Levings]

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