NICHOLAS KOLNGEN, of Dale, Wis., and formerly a soldier of the Union army in the war of the rebellion, was born in France, Jan. 18, 1834, and came to America in 1857 with his parents, proceeding from the port of New York to Milwaukee. There he was brought up and when he was 17 years old, he was made an apprentice to learn the business of a carpenter. He resided in the vicinity of Milwaukee at Granville Station, when the war commenced and, he enlisted Aug. 20, 1862, at Milwaukee for three years in Company C, 26th Wisconsin Infantry and received honorable discharge June 13, 1865, at Washington. He fought in all the battles in which his regiment was involved until his capture by the rebels and, after his release, until the end of the conflict. The data collected by the local historian was written with a pen carried by Mr. Kolngen through the entire period of his service and through all the vicissitudes to which he was exposed. The 26th was the 2nd German regiment of Wisconsin, and was recruited in two weeks. Mr. Kolngen fought in 16 battles and skirmishes, among which were Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, on the Rappahannock, Chattanooga, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and others. On the 1st day of July, 1863, he was in the battle of Gettysburg, was wounded and captured by the rebels. He was conveyed to Richmond, Va., where he was confined in Libby and afterwards to Belle Isle, and was held a prisoner of war until Aug. 1, 1863, when he was exchanged and reached his regiment the night before the battle of Chattanooga. The command had been transferred to the department of the West and he went info the fight mentioned on tile next day. He was also in the battle at Lookout Mountain, his regiment having been assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division 20th Army Corps, and he went to the sea with Sherman, fighting in all the battles of the campaign through Georgia and the Carolinas, among which was Atlanta, where he was injured. While. the command was carrying logs to build breastworks, he was detailed for the labor, overworked, became heated and was sent to the surgeon for treatment. He was in the battles of North and South Edisto, at the burning of Columbia, S. C., and at Bentonville witnessing the surrender of Johnston. He was a participant in the Grand Review at Washington and discharged as stated. He returned to Granville, Wis, and was employed as a railroad assistant until his removal to tile town of Dale, March 22, 1868, and located on his farm on which he has Sill resided. At that time it was unimproved but is now in prosperous and profitable condition. The place has 50 acres in tillage and is supplied with good and suitable buildings. He is a Republican in political principle. Mr. K. still suffers from his wounds. During his imprisonment he had a taste of all which those confided longer in the dens of the South endured. He was starved, unsheltered and suffering until he found a friend who assisted him in obtaining release or he would have passed months in confinement and, probably have lost his life. He belonged to a command which” knew not defeat.” The regiment left Milwaukee with 1,022 men, received 275 recruits and returned with 260 men in 1865. The others were dead, sick, wounded or prisoners.
His marriage to Maggie Bouch occurred June 18, 1865, and they have six children; Maggie married Sebastian Krohner and resides at Bessemer Mich., they have one child. Emma, Nicholas, Bernard, Gilford, and Laura live with the parents.
Soldier’s and Citizen’s Album of Biographical Records, Grand Army Publishing Co. 1888 (Wisconsin Edition) pg. 623, 624
Soldier’s and Citizen’s Album of Biographical Records, Grand Army Publishing Co. 1888 (Wisconsin Edition) pg. 623, 624