Picture taken at the 25th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg |
Andrew Robinson was born in Fair Haven, Rutland VT March 23, 1825, the second son of John W. Robinson and Rebecca Merritt. It is known that his mother was the widow of Solmon Norton and had seven other children. His mother would have been 45 when Andrew was born. Much of what we know about Andrew comes from depositions taken in 1883 when he applied for an increase in his Invalid Pension.At about age 16 he went to Marcellus Falls, NY for about a year, and then to Cuyahoga Co, OH, to Lorain Co. OH (Avon) where he married Charlotte Williams in 1845. About the same time he and Charlotte moved to Montgomery Cross Roads, OH, living there about 5 years, then to Seville, OH, then to Hartford, WI and then to Spring Valley Township in Rock Co. WI. Their children; Arthur, Hiram and Edgar were born in Ohio while Estelle, Charlotte, Emma and Mattie were born in Wisconsin. Andrew's occupations have been listed as farmer, carpenter and joiner. |  Charlotte and Andrew taken in Appleton, WI 1888 |
From the records, it appears that at least the farm in Spring Valley, near Ordfordville, was rented and that Andrew regularly hired out. There is mention of this in his son Arthur's writing as well as some testimony given.
He enlisted in the 7th Wisconsin Infantry in September 14th 1861, at Camp Randall, Madison, WI. He enlisted as a private in Co. "G" of the 7th Wis Inf., but did no duty in that Company, as he was immediately made Quarter Master Sergeant of the Regiment, and acted as such until he was discharged in 1862 for medical reasons. It might be noted that at the time of his enlistment, his brother William was the Lt. Colonel of the Regiment.The Regiment left Madison on September 21, 1861 and arrived in Washington on October 1st. The Regiment, part of the famous Wisconsin "Iron Brigade" spent that winter in camp. In November the Brigade was part of what was called the "Grand Review."
It was at this review that Andrew suffered his injury, described in his own words in a deposition given in 1883.
"On or about the 14th of November
1861, I cannot be certain as to the day, I was with my regiment at the
Grand Review by Gen. McClellan and President Lincoln at Baileys Cross
Roads,
Va and my horse became frightened by the discharge of artillery and
reared
and plunged in such a manner that he was uncontrollable, so much as
that
I left the grounds and went back to my camp at Arlington Heights, a
distance
of 4 or 5 miles. When I got back I found something was wrong with me,
and
I supposed I was only strained by being thrown violently backwards and
forwards in the saddle. But after a few days I went to Dr. Ayers, at
that
time State Assistant Surgeon of my Regiment and upon making an
examination
he told me at once that I was ruptured. He went and got a truss and
showed
me how to fit it on which I did, and after wearing it about three days,
I went back to him, telling him it hurt me so that I could not wear it.
He said that it was all he could do for me, and that I had better be
discharged.
In the course of two or three months after receiving the injury, I
suffered
from strangulation with the hernia, that is I supposed it was
strangulation;
it would come out and I could, with difficulty, get it back by lying
down
flat on my back on the ground, but I do not know that any surgeon ever
assisted me in putting it back. Whenever I would apply to Dr. Ayers for
relief he would always say that it was no use doing anything for me;
that
I should be discharged, which I did no want to do. About the middle of
January 1862 I was detached from my regiment and sent to Montello,
Marquette
Co., Wisconsin on recruiting service. I returned to the regiment on the
last day of March 1862 at Fairfax Seminary, near Alexandria, Va. I
immediately
commenced to do duty and suffered almost constantly from my hernia. Dr.
Ayers was the only surgeon I consulted, and he always declined doing
anything
for me, saying that I could not be treated successfully in camp.
Finally
after a forced march from Thoroughfare Gap to Haymarket in the latter
part
of May 1862, I had the worst trouble with the hernia that I ever had,
and
suffered very greatly from strangulation, and the Quarter Master got
Dr.
Ayers into the tent when I was lying on the bunk and told him he must
do
something for me. Dr. Ayers said: "I can do nothing for him, I have
told
him so repeatedly, the only thing for him to do is to take his
discharge
and go home." I then went before the Brigade Surgeon, as soon as I was
able, and was discharged on or about the 26th of June 1862.
I came directly home to Spring Valley Township, Rock Co., Wisconsin.
During
the remainder of 
that season, I did very little work, only such as was
necessary around my own place. In 
the spring of 1863 I commenced
working
my trade, and continued at it ever since. In the spring of 1869 I
removed
to Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin, and from there to Appleton, in the
spring of 1872, and have resided here ever since.
During the war, according to William's biography, their parents, John and Rebecca were living with Andrew near Ordfordville and died in Wisconsin sometime during the war.
In his deposition Andrew also states that
he lived in Texas from February 1877 to June 1879. It may be supposed
that
he and Charlotte were living with their son Arthur at Crawford,
McLennan,
Co., Texas. In about 1889, when William's biography was being written,
William reports that Andrew was living in Tennessee, again we presume
he
was living with his daughter Estelle and her husband Cashious B.
Knickerbocker.
Their son Arthur
wrote a pamphlet in 1912 about his experiences in the Civil War
and
about his family history. From that pamphlet we learned that both he
(Arthur)
and Hiram were also soldiers in the Civil Was, serving with Co. E of
the
33rd, WI Vol. Regiment. We also have some information about their
son Hiram. Hiram was stricken with malarial fever during the siege of
Vicksburg.
The fever may have lead to or hastened his eventual death. In the 1880
census he is living at Brokaw, WI and his occupation is listed as
lumberjack.
In 1883, Andrew says he is living in Rudolph WI. Hiram died October 10,
1903 at the Wood, WI Veteran's home is buried at the National Cemetery
there.
Charlotte in 1908 |
A medical report written in 1883, and filed
in support of Andrews claim for an increase in pension contained the
following
Doctors Examination for Pension, given at Fond du lac, WI. "Andrew
Robinson,
age 58, 196 lbs, 6 ft" Conditions: "We find right inguinal hernia which
descends into the scrotum about the size of a goose egg; and the hernia
is difficult to retain in place with any truss he has been able to
obtain." The original pension was granted in 1870 and there were several petitions for increases. The original pension was $4.00 per month, the final pension payment to his widow amounted to $12.00 per month. The hernia apparently plagued Andrew the rest of his life. A medical report in his pension records concluded that his death on December 13, 1890, was caused by peritonitis which resulted from a strangulation of the hernia. Andrew died December 13, 1890 in Kaukauna, WI and is buried with Charlotte between Lucien Knickerbocker and Cashious Knickbocker in Riverside Cemetery, Appleton, WI. Charlotte died November 21, 1908 in the state of Washington where presumably she was living with her son Arthur. |
Deposition given in support of a claim for increase in invalid pension
Claimant's Statement
Case of Andrew N. Robinson No. 214.629
On this 1st day of May 1883 at Appleton, County of Outagamie, State of Wisconsin, before me L.B. Raymonds, Special Examiner of the Pension Office, personally appeared Andrew, N. Robinson.
My name is Andrew N. Robinson, am 58 years old the 23rd of last March, reside in Appleton, Wis and am by occupation a carpenter and joiner. I enlisted in the 7th Wisconsin Infantry in September 1861, I think the 14th, at Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin. I enlisted in Co. "G" of the 7th Wis Inf., did no duty in that Co., as I was immediately made Quarter Master Sergeant of the Regiment, and acted as such until I was discharged in 1862.
On or about the 14th of November 1861, I cannot be certain as to the day, I was with my regiment at the Grand Review by Gen. McClellan and President Lincoln at Baileys Cross Roads, Va and my horse became frightened by the discharge of artillery and reared and plunged in such a manner that he was uncontrollable, so much as that I left the grounds and went back to my camp at Arlington Heights, a distance of 4 or 5 miles. When I got back I found something was wrong with me, and I supposed I was only strained by being thrown violently backwards and forwards in the saddle. But after a few days I went to Dr. Ayers, at that time State Assistant Surgeon of my Regiment and upon making an examination he told me at once that I was ruptured. He went and got a truss and showed me how to fit it on which I did, and after wearing it about three days, I went back to him, telling him it hurt me so that I could not wear it. He said that it was all he could do for me, and that I had better be discharged. In the course of two or three months after receiving the injury, I suffered from strangulation with the hernia, that is I supposed it was strangulation; it would come out and I could, with difficulty, get it back by lying down flat on my back on the ground, but I do not know that any surgeon ever assisted me in putting it back.
Whenever I would apply to Dr. Ayers for relief he would always say that it was no use doing anything for me; that I should be discharged, which I did no want to do. About the middle of January 1862 I was detached from my regiment and sent to Montello, Marquette Co., Wisconsin on recruiting service. I returned to the regiment on the last day of March 1862 at Fairfax Seminary, near Alexandria, Va. I immediately commenced to do duty and suffered almost constantly from my hernia. Dr. Ayers was the only surgeon I consulted, and he always declined doing anything for me, saying that I could not be treated successfully in camp. Finally after a forced march from Thoroughfare Gap to Haymarket in the latter part of May 1862, I had the worst trouble with the hernia that I ever had, and suffered very greatly from strangulation, and the Quarter Master got Dr. Ayers into the tent when I was lying on the bunk and told him he must do something for me. Dr. Ayers said: "I can do nothing for him, I have told him so repeatedly, the only thing for him to do is to take his discharge and go home." I then went before the Brigade Surgeon, as soon as I was able, and was discharged on or about the 26th of June 1862. I came directly home to Spring Valley Township, Rock Co., Wisconsin. During the remainder of that season, I did very little work, only such as was necessary around my own place. In the spring of 1863 I commenced ---------- my trade, and continued at it ever since. In the spring of 1869 I removed to Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin, and from there to Appleton, in the spring of 1872, and have resided here ever since.
I desire the testimony taken of Dr. D. Cooper Ayres of Green Bay, Wis, B.F. Gifford, G.W. Stetson, Daniel Mowe and Dr. D.P. Lacey as in all of Ordfordville, Rock Co, Wis of Harrison Inman, Bass Creek, Rock Co., Wis and of Charlotte Robinson, my wife, who resides here in Appleton.
Q. Were you entirely sound and free from hernia or rupture at the time of your enlistment?
A. I was
Q. Were you an able-bodied and perfectly sound man at the time of your enlistment?
A. I was. I was considered the strongest man in Spring Valley Township were I resided.
Q. How long did you reside in Spring Valley Township, Rock County, WI prior to your enlistment?
A. About five years, I came there in the fall of 1856, I believe.
Q. When did you come from __________ place?
A. I moved there from Hartford, in Washington Co in this state (Wis.), had only come to Hartford in March 1856 from Seville, Medina, Co. Ohio.
Q. How long had you lived at Seville?
A. About 5 years
Q. Where previously?
A. I lived in Montgomery Cross Roads, Wood Co. Ohio for four or five years previously
Q. State when you were born, and all the places were you had lived up to your going to the last mentioned places.
A, I was born in Fair Haven, Rutland Co., Vermont. When I
was
a little over 16 years old, my father residing in Rutland, Rutland Co.
Vermont. I left home and went to Marcellus Falls, Onondaga Co.,
N.Y.
I was there just a year, and then to Cayahoga Co. Ohio, where I stayed
almost a year, then to Lorain Co. Ohio and after residing there two or
three years, I moved to Montgomery Cross Roads, in Wood Co. Ohio, as
above
stated
.
Q. When were you married to your present wife?
A. May 1st 1845
Q. Did you ever go in bathing, out of doors, while living in Spring Valley?
A. I do not recollect that I ever did, I do not recollect ever going in bathing with anyone since I was a boy. When I was a boy I went into the water so much that it produced cramps, and I have always been careful about going into the water since.
Q. Who did you work with at Ordfordville, Rock Co., other than the men whose names you have given me, or in that vicinity, and what did you work in company with them, prior to your enlistment?
A. C. F. Dickey, who now lives in Brodhead, Green Co., Wisconsin, worked with me more or less for two years. He learned the trade of me. We worked as carpenters worked together. Ralph Whitehead, who lives near Brodhead, worked with me at the carpenter business for six months or so.
Q. Were you ever sick while living at Ordfordville? That prior to enlistment.
A. I think I never employed a physician for myself prior to my enlistment while living there.
Q. Who was your family physician during you residence at Ordfordville prior to the war?
A. Dr. D. P. Lacey, then and now living in Ordfordville was one, and Dr. W. J. Fairman, living then in Ordfordville, but whose recent whereabouts is unknown to me, was another.
Q. Do you think of anyone else whose testimony would help you in this case?
A. Others __________ ______ is Dr. Henry Palmer of Janesville, Wis and my oldest son Arthur J. Robinson, now residing at Crawford, McLennan, Co., Texas and my second son Hiram N. Robinson, now residing at Rudolph, Wood, Co. In this state.
Q. What do you expect to prove by Dr. Ayres?
A. I expect to prove by him the attendant circumstances of the rupture, and the fact of my applying to him as I have stated, and also as to my suffering ____________ during the time I remained in the service after the injury was received.
Q. Can you give the names of any other persons who are familiar with the circumstances of your rupture?
A. Hopkins, the drum major of the Regiment belonged to the same mess. Leffler the sergeant major also I do know where Leffler is, but Hopkins resides at Hortonville in this county. There was a man named Guernsey who lived near Stoughton in Dane Co., in this state. He was a private, and detached with the Quarter Master detachment, I think his first name is Otis. He lived near Stoughton in the last I knew of him. My brother W. W. Robinson, the Colonel of the 7th Regiment knew something about the circumstances - I do not know how much. He now resides, when at home at Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Co. In this state. I forgot to say in my statement before you here today, that I resided in Texas two years, from February 1877 to June 1879.
Q. Do you desire to be present at the examination of any of the witnesses named in this statement either in person or by an attorney?
A. I desire to be present at the examination of all.
Andrew N. Robinson
Deponent