By Julie Huebel, Pierce County Historical Association
ELMWOOD, WI – When I was originally posting the abridged versions of the Elmwood alphabet series on Facebook, a visitor to the PCHA History Center in Elmwood told me she had been hoping I would feature the Holt family for the letter H, but assumed I would pick my own last name of Huebel, so didn’t think she had a chance. Little did she know I had a trick up my sleeve, I had been planning a second ‘H’ post due to a very cool local history discovery.
A very special historical find that was discovered after I had written the Holcomb article prompted me to make an exception and do a second H post, H is also for Holt… Steve Holt came into the Pierce County Historical Association’s History Center in Elmwood and said he had his great-grandfather’s Civil War discharge papers and was hoping to learn more about his time in the war. Little did he know then, just how much he would learn! Steve’s Holt lineage is: Steve, Clark A., Albert, Edmund, Adam, Thomas, Charles, William, William…his ancestors coming from the Haslingden/Bury area of England. Edmund was born in England and came to the US with his mother in 1845 when he was about 2 years old. His father came the previous year with his brothers. The family settled in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Edmund moved to Rock Elm Township by 1870 and married Sarah Heslin in 1872.
During Steve’s visit, I did some quick searches online and found his great-grandfather, Edmund Holt, served in Co. F of the 28th of the Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, serving in Arkansas and Alabama. He was mustered in on August 20, 1862. I continued researching that evening at home and hit the jackpot! Edmund kept a diary of his time serving in 1863 and his daughter, Estella (Holt) Wild, had donated this diary to the Wisconsin Historical Society and it is kept at the UWRF Archives & Research Center. I planned my visit to view it. When I reached into that envelope and pulled out that little diary, I could not have been more excited if it belonged to my own great-grandfather.
The first entry is on January 15, 1863, and reads: “Today I left home to join my regiment having been at home sick since the 20th of December. We arrived at Chicago about 7 o’clock and took the ill (Illinois) central for Cairo.” Over the next days he talks of traveling down river and on January 23rd he writes: “Last night we slept in the upper deck of the boat. This morning we went on shore and pitched our tents and now I suppose I shall to begin soldiering.” On January 27th he writes of his “Cousin Tom” being in the hospital since they left, but he is now returned to camp. (Anyone know who Tom is?) August 20th: “Today it is one year since I enlisted. I know rather more about soldering then I did then but I do not dislike it yet. Today we received orders to march but for some reason we did not.” September 11th: “Little Rock is on the other side of the river from where we are camped. Yesterday the rebels left without giving us a fight.” November 3rd entry tells of the many days of down time they have: “Camp life goes on as usual nothing to do and no excitement. Once in a while we have brigade drill.” November 14th he writes: “Quite a large part of the town was burned the day of the fight a good many of the houses have cannon balls through them.”
After posting the discovery of this diary on Facebook, Steve and his brother, Frank and their wives Lorie and Ann visited the office in Elmwood and viewed the images I had of the diary. It was a VERY special moment seeing them read the words their great-grandfather had written over 160 years ago. Very special indeed! Steve and Lorie soon made a trip of their own to see the diary for themselves.
Edmund mustered out of service on July 18, 1865. He passed away at only age 55 and is buried in the Poplar Hill Cemetery.
