Rollin M. Strong (July 27, 1830October 11, 1897) was an American businessman,

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

pioneer. He served in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, representing

Sauk County Sauk County is a county in Wisconsin. It is named after a large village of the Sauk people. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,763. Its county seat and largest city is Baraboo. The county was created in 1840 from Wisconsin Territory a ...

, and was chief clerk of the Assembly for several years in the 1870s. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, he served as a

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

officer. In historical documents, his name is usually abbreviated as

Early life

R. M. Strong was born at

Bridport, Vermont Bridport is a New England town, town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. The town was founded October 9, 1761. The population was 1,225 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 1,2 ...

, in July 1830. He was educated at the Troy Conference Academy in

Poultney, Vermont Poultney is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, Rutland County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. New York (state), New York state is on its western border. Castleton, Vermont, is on its northern border. Poultney was home to Gr ...

, and moved to

in June 1850. He was elected sheriff of Sauk County in the November 1860 election, but resigned on the day he took office, choosing instead to volunteer for service in the

, due to the outbreak of the

Civil War service

He raised a company of

volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

from Sauk County and was elected their captain. His company was soon enrolled as Company A of the

19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment The 19th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the Un ...

and was organized at

Camp Randall Camp Randall was a United States Army base in Madison, Wisconsin, the largest staging point for Wisconsin troops entering the American Civil War. At this camp fresh volunteers received quick training before heading off to join the Union Army. Also ...

. The regiment was employed to guard prisoners of war there until they mustered into federal service April 30, 1862. The regiment then proceeded to Washington, D.C., for service in the western theater of the war. They were first assigned to guard duty at Union-held cities and fortresses on the

Virginia Peninsula The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other peninsulas to the ...

, and were then redeployed to defend Union-held territory on the coast of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. Captain Strong was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on September 30, 1863, and then to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

on December 3, 1863. He was in command of the Union defenders stationed at

Newbern, North Carolina New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

, and successfully repelled a Confederate attack in the Winter of 1864. In April 1864, the regiment was shipped back to Virginia and organized into XVIII Corps in the

Army of the James The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River (Virginia), James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia. Histor ...

. The colonel of the 19th Wisconsin Infantry,

Horace T. Sanders Horace Turner Sanders (May 1, 1820 – October 6, 1865) was an American politician, lawyer, and military officer. Born in Sheldon, New York, Sanders received his education in Lockport, New York, and was admitted to the New York Bar. In 1842, he m ...

, was placed in command of their brigade, leaving Lt. Colonel Strong in command of the regiment. Their corps was engaged in the Bermuda Hundred campaign, which landed 33,000

Union soldiers During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

along the Virginia coast to coincide with Grant's

Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union ...

. After some skirmishes in eastern Virginia, they moved toward

Petersburg Petersburg, or Petersburgh, may refer to: Places Australia *Petersburg, former name of Peterborough, South Australia Canada * Petersburg, Ontario Russia *Saint Petersburg, sometimes referred to as Petersburg United States *Peterborg, U.S. Virg ...

, and joined Grant's

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

. The 19th Wisconsin Infantry was re-enlisted in August 1864 as a veteran regiment and received a two-month furlough. They returned to the Petersburg trenches in October. That month, the regiment was sent out on a mission to cut the Confederate supply lines. Strong led the charge against a Confederate fort at the

Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road The Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road (also known as the Second Battle of Fair Oaks) was fought October 27–28, 1864 in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In combination with m ...

, where the regiment suffered its most severe casualties of the war. Strong was wounded and captured, along with about 600 other Union men. He spent most of the remainder of the war confined to

Libby Prison Libby Prison was a Confederate prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. In 1862 it was designated to hold officer prisoners from the Union Army. It gained an infamous reputation for the overcrowded and harsh conditions. Prison ...

, where his left leg was amputated. He was paroled February 19, 1865, and resigned from federal service April 11, 1865.

Postbellum career

Upon returning from the war, he was immediately nominated as the National Union Party candidate for

in Sauk County's 2nd Assembly district (the southern half of the county). He was elected and served in the 1866 session. In the Fall of 1866, he was elected treasurer of Sauk County, and was subsequently re-elected in 1868, 1870, and 1872. In 1875, the Republican majority in the Assembly elected him as chief clerk for the 28th Legislature; he was subsequently re-elected for the 29th Legislature. He was one of the founding directors of the Baraboo Valley Air-Line Railway, and worked on that line until it was acquired by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. Sometime after 1880, he moved to

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

, where he remained for the rest of his life. He journeyed back to Wisconsin in August 1897 and died at a hotel in

Sparta, Wisconsin Sparta is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. The population was 10,025 at the 2020 census. History Sparta is located on former Ho-Chunk territory acquired by the United States i ...

, during the trip. He had been in poor health for a number of years.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Strong, Rollin M. 1830 births 1897 deaths People from Bridport, Vermont People from Reedsburg, Wisconsin Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Union Army officers Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly 19th-century American legislators 19th-century Wisconsin politicians