The Civil War Letters of Alvah Philbrook
24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
By Robert W. Philbrook
(Originally
Published in the April 2000-December 2000 issues of the PPFA Newsletter)
Chapter 1: Alvah Goes to War
Alvah Philbrook was born on April 21, 1830 in Ossipee, New Hampshire. He was 9th generation from Thomas Philbrick who came to New England in the early 1630’s. Thomas Philbrick is the shared ancestor to most of the Philbrick and Philbrook families who are found in the United States today. Born to John Marston Philbrook and Ann Maria Hazelet, Alvah was the oldest of nine children. Alvah’s father was sometimes called “Honest John” and was “a good father, a kind husband, a sincere Christian.”
Alvah had a “good public school education” and was by trade a machinist at the Boston & Maine Railway at Portland, ME and Boston, MA. He married a childhood friend, Caroline Elizabeth Manning who was the daughter of Cephas Manning, an inventor. Caroline & Alvah were married on January 5, 1853 in Boston. As a young girl, Caroline “detested the name of Alvah” and disliked the “ugly school boy” who teased her, but when she saw how kind and respectful he was to his Grandmother & Great Grandmother, she began to fall in love with Alvah. Caroline, who used the name “Caddie”, and Alvah had a daughter, Caroline Alice Philbrook who was born on March 18, 1854 in Boston. Little “Carrie” and her parents moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1856 where Alvah was superintendent of the locomotive shop.
In August 1861 Alvah’s father, John Marston Philbrook, died and with news of the Union’s defeat at the Battle of Bull Run, he felt a special responsibility to enter the service. He believed that he could better take care of his mother and sisters through the pay he would earn as an officer in the Union Army. Almost a year later, Alvah was authorized to raise a company of men for the 24th Wisconsin Infantry.
Throughout August, Alvah enlisted men from all over Milwaukee to serve with him in the 24th Wisconsin. On August 21st he was given the rank of Captain and command of Company D, 24th Wisconsin. Samuel B. Chase was 1st Lieutenant who joined on the 22nd and Sergeant Christian Nix became 2nd Lieutenant after transferring from Co. F, 6th Wisconsin.
On September 5th, 1862 the 24th Wisconsin left the state and moved to Kentucky taking with it just over 100 men in Company D. The 24th first arrived in Louisville, KY and then moved onto to Covington where they were assigned to duty in the field of the central northern portion of the state.
The 24th had its first engagement with Confederate Forces at the battle of Chaplin Hills (KY) on October 8, 1862. During this engagement, the 24th Regiment suffered its first casualty when James W. Hazell of Alvah’s company D. was killed. Private Hazell was the only soldier of the Regiment to fall during it’s first battle.
From the 11th of October the 24th WI pursed the Rebels until reaching Crab Orchard (KY) south of Danville where the pursuit was halted and the Regiment moved west through Bowling Green (KY). By late November the 24th was encamped outside Nashville, Tenn. along Mill Creek.
During this lull before the end of 1862, Caddie & little Caroline would come to visit Alvah in camp during Christmas. These would be the last of the happy times as on December 31st Alvah and the 24th Wisconsin would be caught up in the bloody engagement between the Union & Confederate forces near Murfreesboro at Stones River, Tennessee.