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     The War started on April 12 1861.  It took more American lives then any other war in history.The Northern and the Southern states were fighting. The North was fighting for end to slavery while the South felt slavery should still exist. 
     Most of the soldiers from Wisconsin were tough fighters. 12,216 Wisconsin soldiers died. The Wisconsin soldiers fought every southern state except Florida. They also went as far west as New Mexico. 
     African Americans from the North were not allowed to be in the war until 1862, when
Abraham Lincoln let them. 
     Belle Peterson was a Wisconsin women in the war. Women had to dress as men to fight in the war.  If women did not want to go into battle, they could make clothing for men, food for soldiers,and they could act as nurses for wounded soldiers. Some women also worked to makemedicine for the men and women that were dying. 
     Some of the ethnic regiments were the Irish brigade, the German regiments, and
the Candinavian regiments. More then 186,000 African American troops served 
in the Union army between 1862 and 1865. The Iron Brigade is an old Wisconsin troop. 
Everyone in the Iron Brigade was a Midwesterner
     One of the generals in the war was John Gibbons. Twenty-one Wisconsinites received a
Medal of Honor for being so courageous during the war. There were three regiments from Wisconsin. 
   With the death of so many men from Wisconsin, it was difficult for families to remain together. Women tried to tend to the family farms.  But, often times it became too much for them to do alone.  If they were able to find other employment, wages were low.  At times, their only hope to feed their children was to find assistance at the Child Care Center.

Wisconsin and the Civil War:Richard H Zeitlin Published by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum 30 West Mifflin Street Madison WI 53703

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