BLODGETT, William H. Pvt.
Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry
Residence not listed; 21 years old.
Enlisted on 10 Feb 1862 at Chatfield, Fillmore Co., Minnesota as a Private.
On 10 Feb 1862 he mustered into Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
Wounded 18 Aug 1862 at Redwood, Minnesota.
He was discharged on 24 Oct 1863 (place not stated).
Other information: Born in Wisconsin.
No Dates
-----
William Blodgett was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on January 29, 1845 to Franklin Blodgett and Martha Taylor. William and his family moved from Beloit to Baraboo, Wisconsin, then Iowa and later to Chatfield, Minnesota where William's mother passed away in 1859.
Anxious to fight for the Union in the Civil War, William lied about his age and enlisted, he was seventeen years old. He mustered into Company B of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, February 10, 1862 at Fort Snelling.
William enlisted with the intention of going south to join the fight against slavery, but to his disappointment was sent instead to Fort Ridgely, Minnesota to protect settlers from the Native American Dakota Sioux.
The Dakota were angry because their people were starving due to unscrupulous traders and the Government's overdue annuities and food. At dawn on August 18,1862, a small group of Sioux warriors led by Chief Little Crow attacked the Redwood Agency killing 25 men and taking women and children prisoner.
William's regiment was sent to Redwood Ferry where the Dakota, knowing the soldiers would have to cross the river by ferryboat had set a trap. The regiment was out numbered and William who was in the front row second to the right was the frist soldier wounded. He felt a sharp pain in his side and thought the soldier next to him had accidently hit him with his rifle when in fact he had been shot by Chief White Dog.
The ball entered between his ribs, passed six inches through his body lacerating his colon and exiting his spine. Seriously wounded and barely able to walk William tried to find cover at the Ferryman's house but found it was not safe.
The Commanding Officer tried to lead some of the soldiers across the river but somehow drowned. William meanwhile found cover behind some large brush. He saw another soldier being chased by two warriors and called to him to run toward his direction. The other soldier was overtaken and killed by by the warriors about five feet from where William was trying to reload his gun.
He stayed still behind some large brush while the two warriors sat over the dead soldier and smoked. With the fighting over and 23 of his fellow soldiers dead, Will lay still until night fall and over the course of two days walked the twelve miles back to the Fort.
The wound was so grave that is on record at the Minnesota Adjutant General's Report of 1866 and The Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion, part second, Surgical volume, page 94, Case 283. William was also written about in the History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-65.
Against all odds Will survived his wounds and was honorably discharged on October 24, 1862 in New Ulm, Minnesota. The following year Will re-enlisted this time in Company A, 2nd Minnesota Cavalry.
William married Victoria Adelaide Snoad in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 23, 1873. They had three children, Harry E. Blodgett, Claire Blodgett, who lived only ten days and Gracie Mae Blodgett.
The family moved to San Jose, California where William became active in the Phil Sheridan-Dix Post of the G. A. R. He passed away on August 23, 1910 and was buried with full honors at Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. He rests next to his wife Victoria.
Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry
Residence not listed; 21 years old.
Enlisted on 10 Feb 1862 at Chatfield, Fillmore Co., Minnesota as a Private.
On 10 Feb 1862 he mustered into Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
Wounded 18 Aug 1862 at Redwood, Minnesota.
He was discharged on 24 Oct 1863 (place not stated).
Other information: Born in Wisconsin.
No Dates
-----
William Blodgett was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on January 29, 1845 to Franklin Blodgett and Martha Taylor. William and his family moved from Beloit to Baraboo, Wisconsin, then Iowa and later to Chatfield, Minnesota where William's mother passed away in 1859.
Anxious to fight for the Union in the Civil War, William lied about his age and enlisted, he was seventeen years old. He mustered into Company B of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, February 10, 1862 at Fort Snelling.
William enlisted with the intention of going south to join the fight against slavery, but to his disappointment was sent instead to Fort Ridgely, Minnesota to protect settlers from the Native American Dakota Sioux.
The Dakota were angry because their people were starving due to unscrupulous traders and the Government's overdue annuities and food. At dawn on August 18,1862, a small group of Sioux warriors led by Chief Little Crow attacked the Redwood Agency killing 25 men and taking women and children prisoner.
William's regiment was sent to Redwood Ferry where the Dakota, knowing the soldiers would have to cross the river by ferryboat had set a trap. The regiment was out numbered and William who was in the front row second to the right was the frist soldier wounded. He felt a sharp pain in his side and thought the soldier next to him had accidently hit him with his rifle when in fact he had been shot by Chief White Dog.
The ball entered between his ribs, passed six inches through his body lacerating his colon and exiting his spine. Seriously wounded and barely able to walk William tried to find cover at the Ferryman's house but found it was not safe.
The Commanding Officer tried to lead some of the soldiers across the river but somehow drowned. William meanwhile found cover behind some large brush. He saw another soldier being chased by two warriors and called to him to run toward his direction. The other soldier was overtaken and killed by by the warriors about five feet from where William was trying to reload his gun.
He stayed still behind some large brush while the two warriors sat over the dead soldier and smoked. With the fighting over and 23 of his fellow soldiers dead, Will lay still until night fall and over the course of two days walked the twelve miles back to the Fort.
The wound was so grave that is on record at the Minnesota Adjutant General's Report of 1866 and The Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion, part second, Surgical volume, page 94, Case 283. William was also written about in the History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-65.
Against all odds Will survived his wounds and was honorably discharged on October 24, 1862 in New Ulm, Minnesota. The following year Will re-enlisted this time in Company A, 2nd Minnesota Cavalry.
William married Victoria Adelaide Snoad in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 23, 1873. They had three children, Harry E. Blodgett, Claire Blodgett, who lived only ten days and Gracie Mae Blodgett.
The family moved to San Jose, California where William became active in the Phil Sheridan-Dix Post of the G. A. R. He passed away on August 23, 1910 and was buried with full honors at Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. He rests next to his wife Victoria.
BLODGETT, William H. Pvt.
Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry
Residence not listed; 21 years old.
Enlisted on 10 Feb 1862 at Chatfield, Fillmore Co., Minnesota as a Private.
On 10 Feb 1862 he mustered into Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
Wounded 18 Aug 1862 at Redwood, Minnesota.
He was discharged on 24 Oct 1863 (place not stated).
Other information: Born in Wisconsin.
No Dates
-----
William Blodgett was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on January 29, 1845 to Franklin Blodgett and Martha Taylor. William and his family moved from Beloit to Baraboo, Wisconsin, then Iowa and later to Chatfield, Minnesota where William's mother passed away in 1859.
Anxious to fight for the Union in the Civil War, William lied about his age and enlisted, he was seventeen years old. He mustered into Company B of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, February 10, 1862 at Fort Snelling.
William enlisted with the intention of going south to join the fight against slavery, but to his disappointment was sent instead to Fort Ridgely, Minnesota to protect settlers from the Native American Dakota Sioux.
The Dakota were angry because their people were starving due to unscrupulous traders and the Government's overdue annuities and food. At dawn on August 18,1862, a small group of Sioux warriors led by Chief Little Crow attacked the Redwood Agency killing 25 men and taking women and children prisoner.
William's regiment was sent to Redwood Ferry where the Dakota, knowing the soldiers would have to cross the river by ferryboat had set a trap. The regiment was out numbered and William who was in the front row second to the right was the frist soldier wounded. He felt a sharp pain in his side and thought the soldier next to him had accidently hit him with his rifle when in fact he had been shot by Chief White Dog.
The ball entered between his ribs, passed six inches through his body lacerating his colon and exiting his spine. Seriously wounded and barely able to walk William tried to find cover at the Ferryman's house but found it was not safe.
The Commanding Officer tried to lead some of the soldiers across the river but somehow drowned. William meanwhile found cover behind some large brush. He saw another soldier being chased by two warriors and called to him to run toward his direction. The other soldier was overtaken and killed by by the warriors about five feet from where William was trying to reload his gun.
He stayed still behind some large brush while the two warriors sat over the dead soldier and smoked. With the fighting over and 23 of his fellow soldiers dead, Will lay still until night fall and over the course of two days walked the twelve miles back to the Fort.
The wound was so grave that is on record at the Minnesota Adjutant General's Report of 1866 and The Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion, part second, Surgical volume, page 94, Case 283. William was also written about in the History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-65.
Against all odds Will survived his wounds and was honorably discharged on October 24, 1862 in New Ulm, Minnesota. The following year Will re-enlisted this time in Company A, 2nd Minnesota Cavalry.
William married Victoria Adelaide Snoad in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 23, 1873. They had three children, Harry E. Blodgett, Claire Blodgett, who lived only ten days and Gracie Mae Blodgett.
The family moved to San Jose, California where William became active in the Phil Sheridan-Dix Post of the G. A. R. He passed away on August 23, 1910 and was buried with full honors at Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. He rests next to his wife Victoria.
Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry
Residence not listed; 21 years old.
Enlisted on 10 Feb 1862 at Chatfield, Fillmore Co., Minnesota as a Private.
On 10 Feb 1862 he mustered into Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
Wounded 18 Aug 1862 at Redwood, Minnesota.
He was discharged on 24 Oct 1863 (place not stated).
Other information: Born in Wisconsin.
No Dates
-----
William Blodgett was born in Beloit, Wisconsin on January 29, 1845 to Franklin Blodgett and Martha Taylor. William and his family moved from Beloit to Baraboo, Wisconsin, then Iowa and later to Chatfield, Minnesota where William's mother passed away in 1859.
Anxious to fight for the Union in the Civil War, William lied about his age and enlisted, he was seventeen years old. He mustered into Company B of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, February 10, 1862 at Fort Snelling.
William enlisted with the intention of going south to join the fight against slavery, but to his disappointment was sent instead to Fort Ridgely, Minnesota to protect settlers from the Native American Dakota Sioux.
The Dakota were angry because their people were starving due to unscrupulous traders and the Government's overdue annuities and food. At dawn on August 18,1862, a small group of Sioux warriors led by Chief Little Crow attacked the Redwood Agency killing 25 men and taking women and children prisoner.
William's regiment was sent to Redwood Ferry where the Dakota, knowing the soldiers would have to cross the river by ferryboat had set a trap. The regiment was out numbered and William who was in the front row second to the right was the frist soldier wounded. He felt a sharp pain in his side and thought the soldier next to him had accidently hit him with his rifle when in fact he had been shot by Chief White Dog.
The ball entered between his ribs, passed six inches through his body lacerating his colon and exiting his spine. Seriously wounded and barely able to walk William tried to find cover at the Ferryman's house but found it was not safe.
The Commanding Officer tried to lead some of the soldiers across the river but somehow drowned. William meanwhile found cover behind some large brush. He saw another soldier being chased by two warriors and called to him to run toward his direction. The other soldier was overtaken and killed by by the warriors about five feet from where William was trying to reload his gun.
He stayed still behind some large brush while the two warriors sat over the dead soldier and smoked. With the fighting over and 23 of his fellow soldiers dead, Will lay still until night fall and over the course of two days walked the twelve miles back to the Fort.
The wound was so grave that is on record at the Minnesota Adjutant General's Report of 1866 and The Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion, part second, Surgical volume, page 94, Case 283. William was also written about in the History of Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-65.
Against all odds Will survived his wounds and was honorably discharged on October 24, 1862 in New Ulm, Minnesota. The following year Will re-enlisted this time in Company A, 2nd Minnesota Cavalry.
William married Victoria Adelaide Snoad in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 23, 1873. They had three children, Harry E. Blodgett, Claire Blodgett, who lived only ten days and Gracie Mae Blodgett.
The family moved to San Jose, California where William became active in the Phil Sheridan-Dix Post of the G. A. R. He passed away on August 23, 1910 and was buried with full honors at Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. He rests next to his wife Victoria.
Bio by: Pamela Fowler Sweeney
