Eckersons in Civil War

Several of the men in my family have served the U.S. during military conflicts, stretching all the way back to the wars of early Colonial times.  Two examples are the Eckerson brothers:  William Henry Harrison and Charles W., who came to Lafayette County, Wisconsin with their parents, Levi & Hannah Smith Eckerson.  William Henry Harrison Eckerson, born 8 Dec. 1841 in Wyoming Co., NY, enlisted in Company I, 16th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, on 12 May 1861.  Charles was born 16 Sept. 1837 in Angelica, Allegany Co., NY., and enlisted on Christmas Eve, 24 Dec. 1861 in the same company and regiment, following his younger brother into the Union Army.


The application Charles W. Eckerson submitted for a pension of 1890 contains the following notarized statement:


"...in the service and in the line of duty at Corinth in the State of Mississippi...June, 1863 he received a kick from a mule in the abdominal region.  Also that while on detached service and in line of duty at Savage's Landing, near Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, about April, 1864, he was poisoned by having arsenic or other poison placed in his drink or food by a Confederate sympathizer which has ever since affected his stomach.  Not treated at any hospital."

On a 2010 visit to Vicksburg National Military Park, my husband and I located the monument for Wisconsin.  It's one of the few states which named all participants, not just the casualties.  William and Charles are both shown on the monument.