William Andrew Morgan was born in Canada on January 6, 1843. He came to Minnesota in 1856. He enlisted, from Lakeland in Washington County, at the age 18, on April 29, 1861. It appears that William served as a hospital steward for the regiment. Later in life Henry O'Brien made the following comment about him, when he discussed the men who were at Gettysburg for the dedication of the Minnesota monument in 1897 and remembered their service in the battle 34 years earlier. "William A Morgan: we'll never forget you. You bathed our wounds and cared for us as you would a brother." William was captured at Antietam in 1862. He and Adolph Hospes, another hospital steward, were reported to have become exhausted from the rigors of battle and fell into the hands of the enemy. William was involved in a prisoner exchange and returned to the regiment on December 18, 1862. He was mustered out with the unit on May 5, 1864. He was married Lydia Varble in Hudson, Wisconsin on Jan 6, 1866. They made their home in Lakeland in Washington County, MN. They had thirteen children, nine of whom lived to adulthood. Lydia died in 1906. When the family lived in Minneapolis he was a member of the George N Morgan GAR Post. William had been living in Knapp, Wisconsin, when he applied for admission to the Minnesota Soldier's Home on July 23, 1909. He was probably living with his son, William S Morgan. William was discharged on March 30, 1912. He lived in Toma, Wisconsin, briefly; this time probably with his daughter, Annie. He re-entered the Minnesota Soldier's Home on Dec 3, 1912. The veterans were granted furloughs (vacations) from the Home for up to six months. If they stayed away longer they were discharged from the Home and their space was made available for another veteran. Charles went to visit or perhaps to live in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, where his son William S had moved. He was a member of the Mason's lodge in Eagle Butte. William stayed away longer than six months and was discharged from the Soldiers Home on Dec 5, 1913. William had a brief return to the Home to receive medical treatment from July 25th to Aug 5, 1914. His daughter, Louisa Clough, lived in the town of Downing, located in Dunn County, Wisconsin. William moved there to spend his last days. He died in Downing on October 3, 1914. He was 71 years old. His son, Cole, and daughter, Louisa brought his body to Reedsburg in Sauk County, WI., for burial. He and Lydia are buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Reedsburg. Sources: The Stillwater Messenger, Stillwater, MN., October 28, 1862. Company B Report, December, 1862. St. Paul Daily Union, St. Paul, MN., Jan 7, 1863, p 1. The Stillwater Messenger, Stillwater, MN., Sept. 22, 1963, p 3. Roster of the First Minnesota Infantry, 1910. Minnesota Soldier's Home file, William A Morgan. First Regiment Minnesota Volunteers in the Civil War scrapbook, MHS, p 65. Stillwater Daily Gazette, Stillwater, MN., Oct 21, 1914, Obituary, William A Morgan. Reedburg Free Press, Obituary, Oct 15, 1914. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
