MICHAEL HUNTZ, Chilton, Wis., and a member of G. A. R. Post No. 205, was born April 4, 1844, in Williamsville, Erie Co., New York, and he is the son of John and Margaret (Franzen) Huntz. His father died in the place in 1882, where the mother also died two years later. When he was 1, years old he came to Racine, Wis., to visit two sisters who resided there and remained until the following year, when he determined to enlist in the German regiment which was recruited in Wisconsin under the arrangement between President Lincoln and General Sigel. He enlisted Aug. 20, 1862, was made Corporal and was afterwards promoted to Sergeant. He served through his entire period and was mustered out June 13, 1865. The regiment reported at Washington in October, and was assigned to the 11th Army Corps. In November, the command went to the Vicinity of Gainesville and went thence in December to Falmouth and made connection with the army of Burnside, as he was retreating after the failure on his attack on Fredericksburg. In January, 1863, Mr. Huntz took part in the mud campaign and he was first in action at Chancellorsville. He was next in the battle of Gettysburg, after which the regiment was sent to the Army of the West with the command of Hooker, and Mr. Huntz was in the repulse of charge at Mission Ridge, afterwards pursuing the rebels and going to Knoxville. He returned to Lookout Valley and went thence to the vicinity of Chattanooga. He was in the fight at Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Cassville, Pumpkin Vine Creek, Pine Knob, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, and fought at Peach Tree Creek in which action McPherson was killed; at that battle. Mr. Huntz was wounded in his right leg by a musket ball. He was taken from the field hospital to Chattanooga and thence successively to Nashville, Louisville. and Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, after which he went home on a furlough of 30 days. After its expiration he went to Nashville and thence to New York, where he was ordered to Moorhead City and joined his regiment just before the battle of Bentonville, in which action he was a participant. After the surrender of Johnston, he marched back to Washington, where the regiment was mustered out in June, 1865.
Before the war, he engaged in learning the business of an engineer and had Become a successful mechanic in that line. After the war he was an engineer with headquarters at Buffalo, New York and in 1867, he started for California via Panama and went from the Pacific Coast to Arizona where he worked nearly three years in a quartz mill On returning eastward, he went to Racine and was in the employ of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company five years. In 1876, he located at Chilton and in 1879, engaged as engineer in the works of Dorschel, Schultz & Co. Mr. Huntz has served three years as Alderman in one of the wards of Chilton. He was married June 3, 1876, to Mary Hagan, of Chilton, and their seven children were born in the following order: Anna, April 6, 1877; John, Sep. 13, 1878; William, May 1, 1879; Joseph, Nov. 1, 182; Frank, Feb. 1, 1884; Rosa, Sep. 10, 1886; Mary, July 14,1888.
Soldier’s and Citizen’s Album of Biographical Records, Grand Army Publishing Co. 1888 (Wisconsin Edition) pg. 401, 402
Soldier’s and Citizen’s Album of Biographical Records, Grand Army Publishing Co. 1888 (Wisconsin Edition) pg. 401, 402