Thomas B Phillips

Thomas Burroughs Phillips

Thomas Burroughs Phillips mustered out of the Union Army September 20, 1865 as a Corporal in Company A, 30th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in Louisville, Kentucky. His company also served in Paducky, Kentucky and Bowling Green, Kentucky (Date of enrollment: August 2, 1861, age 18, date of discharge: October 15, 1865, age 21). When Thomas enlisted on August 11, 1862, he was 5' 8 1/4" tall and had hazel eyes and brown hair. His father Titus Phillips signed the consent papers. The original name of the Wisconsin Company A was Captain Harriman's Company. Thomas B. Phillips was mustered in on October 21, 1862 in Madison Wisconsin. He was on detached service at Green Bay, Wisconsin by special order No 62 Dist of Wisconsin, November 25, 1863. He was appointed Corporal on May 1, 1864, S.O. #46. In September 1863, he was absent from the muster role on furlough 15 days from September 29 in Pierce or St. Croix County.

From: The Military History of Wisconsin in the War for the Union:

The Thirtieth Regiment was organized at Camp Randall, Madison [Wisconsin] under the supervision of Colonel Dill, and its muster into the United States service was completed on the 21st of October, 1862...

The services of this regiment differ from all other regiments of the State, in the fact that up to March, 1864, the most of it had been retained in the State, its duties pertaining to the enforcement of the Draft. We give, in brief, a statement of the duties performed. On the 16th of November, 1864, Company A

[the company Thomas was in] was sent to Green Bay [Wisconsin], to protect the Draft Commissioner, remaining several weeks...Companies A, C and H, under Colonel Dill, preceeded by Company I proceeded to St. Louis [Missouri], and embarked on the 25th April, 1864, on three steamers, and moved up the Missouri Riber and reached Fort Rice [Dakota Territory] on the 15th of July, having encountered vexatious detentions by snags, sandbars, etc. This fort was located four hundred miles west of St. Paul [Minnesota], at the confluence of the Cannonball with the Missouri, and about 800 miles about Sioux City [Iowa]....

We regret much the absence of data for a more interesting sketch of this regiment. In its organization it was equal to the best sent out of Wisconsin, but it was fated to reap but little honor or glory on the battle field, or in active service against the rebels, although whatever duty it was called upon to perform, was done with cheerfulness and ability.

The detachment under Colonel Dill, left Fort Rice on the 12th of October, 1864, and descended the Missouri River to Sioux City, Iowa, where it was joined by Company D, under the Command of Lieutenant Marshall. Leaving this place on the 3d of November, they continued their journey down the river to St. Joseph, Mo., which place they left on the 24th, and proceeding rapidly by way of Quicy and Indianapolis, they arrived, on the 29th, at Louisville, Ky., and went to camp... On the 12th, the reunited regiment moved by rail to Bowling Green, Ky., where it was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Military District of Kentucky, Colonel Dill having charge of the brigade, and Major Clowney of the regiment. The regiment moved from Bowling Green on the 10th of January, 1865, and returned to Louisville, where they were assigned to guard duty at the military prison. Companies A, D and F, under Captain Meacham, were subsequently detailed as Provost Guard in the city...

Lieutenant Colonel Barlett returned, and assumed command of the regiment at Louisville, in the latter part of February, and on the 17th of April, Colonel Dill was appointed Provost Marshal General of Kentucky. On the 20th of September, the regiment was mustered out of served and started homeward, arriving at Madison on the 25th, where they were disbanded.

Regimental Statistics: - Original strength, 906. Gain - by recruits in 1863, 69, in 1864, 220, in 1865, 23; by substitutes, 1; total, 1,219. Loss - by death, 69; deserted, 52; transferred, 46; discharged, 340; mustered out 712.

From: http://carroll1.cc.edu/civilwar/wis.html:

The 30th Wisconsin served in Minnesota during the Sioux uprising in 1862.

From Wisconsin Civil War Regimental History:

The 3Oth Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin, and mustered into the service of the United States on October 21, 1862. While headquarters remained at Camp Randall, portions of the regiment were detailed on guard duty in various parts of the state. In May 1863, a number of companies were transferred to the Indian frontier and for some months were engaged in guard duty on the line of the Missouri River from Sioux City north to Ft. Pierre, South Dakota. In the summer of the same year, the one company remaining in the state was transferred to Superior and later to Bayfield, Wisconsin. Other companies were transferred to Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in December 1863, and took charge of and guarded the conscript camp. Again in 1864, most of the regiment was transferred to the Indian frontier, where it remained until November 1864, when nine companies were transferred to Paducky, Kentucky, and in the following month to Bowling Green, Kentucky. The regiment was on provost guard and fatigue duty on different assignments in northern Kentucky from that time until it was mustered out of service of the United States on September 20, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. It returned to Madison and was disbanded.

Thomas (usually referred to as T.B.) lived in Star Prairie, Glenwood, and New Richmond, Wisconsin. After the War, he worked as a harness maker until his shop was destroyed in the Cyclone of 1899. He then worked as a rural mail carrier on route 2, New Richmond, Wisconsin. His obituary was on the front page of the New Richmond Republican Voice February 21, 1906:

T.B. Phillips Died Sunday: Thomas B. Phillips. for so many years a resident of this city and probably as well or better known than any other New Richmondite, succumbed Sunday morning to an acute attack of Brights disease from which ailment he has been suffering for many years. His birthplace and early home was Hillsboro [There is no such such city, see: Jefferson, Michigan below] , Hillsboro county [Hillsdale county], Mich., where he first looked upon this world April 18, 1844 [According to his military records, Thomas was born in Dover, Lenawee county, Michigan].

He removed, with the family, to this city

[New Richmond, Wisconsin], when fifteen years of age [1858] and has resided here continuously since then with the exception of two years spent in Glenwood [1890-1891]. During the Civil War he enlisted in Co. A 30th Wis. Vol. and served three years to the close of the war. Altho in no great battles, he took part in many skirmishes. In 1868, he married Miss Ellen Harrington of this city [New Richmond, Wisconsin], who with seven children, survive him. They are: Mrs S.A. [Nettie] Cameron of Emerson, Manitoba; Ira Phillips of Hayward; Mrs. Geo. [Mae] Hoeper and Mrs Thomas [Gerturde] C. Martin of Chicago; and Thomas, Robert and Glen of this city. His surviving brothers and sisters are: Aaron Phillips, Lucca, N.D.; Edwin Phillips of Hutchinson, Minnesota; Jas and Augustus of Hudson; Mrs. T.H. [Martha Phillips, his sister] Daniels of Seattle, Wash, and Mrs. E.N. [Mary Phillips, his sister] Levings of this city. All of the relatives except Aaron Phillips, Mrs. T.H. Daniels and Mrs. S.A. Cameron came to New Richmond to sorrow with the wife and mother for the loss of a loving husband, a kind father and a good brother. Mr Phillips was a harness maker by trade, tho he never followed that occupation after the cyclone, which destroyed the shop which he then owned.

During the last three years of his life, since Feb. 1 1902, Mr. Phillips served as rural mail carrier on route No. 2 until forced by ill health to relinquish his position some six months ago. The funeral services were conducted the B.I. Humphrey Post, No. 103, G.A.R. and took place at the Methodist church yesterday afternoon. The pall bearers, who were all old soldiers, were: J.F. Messer

[Company F, 30th Regiment] and Rufus Young [Company A, 30th Regiment] of Hudson, R.S. Beebe [10th Battery] of Cylon, Phillips Miller, L. Taft [Company A, 30th Regiment] and E.W. Dawley [Company A, 30th Regiment] of the local post. Floral offerings were profuse. The most beautiful being the wreath given by the B.I. Humphrey post and the pillow presented by the R.F.D. carriers. The remains were interred in the New Richmond cemetary after ceremonies at the grave by the G.A.R. National Archives records for Civil War soldier's pension includes marriage record, death certificate. Cause of death: chronic Parenchymatous Nephritis and Uraemia (kidney failure), Bright's disease.

Photograph and information submitted by Thomas Burroughs Phillips' great great grandson, Brad Hall.

Thomas Burroughs Phillips
(At Enlistment, 1861)

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Sources:

Quiner, E.B. 1866. Chapter XXXVIII. IN. The Military History of Wisconsin in the War for the Union. Clarke & Co., Chicago, Illinois.

State of Wisconsin. 1886. Thomas B. Phillips, page 419. IN Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Volume II. Democrat Printing Company (http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/roster/).

Note on Thomas Burroughs Phillips' statistics at enlistment from National Archives Military Records.

Note on service of 30th Wisconsin in Sioux Uprising in 1862 from http://carroll1.cc.edu/civilwar/wis.html.

Excerpt from Wisconsin Civil War Regimental History from http://badger.state.wi.us/agencies/dva/museum/cwregts/30wisinf.html.

New Richmond Republican Voice, February 21, 1906.

Photograph of Thomas B. Phillips from http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/PhotoDB.html.