Title: William J. K. Beaudot Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1861-2002

Creator:

• Beaudot, William J. K.

Call Number: Local History Manuscript Collection 366

Quantity: 2.3 cubic ft. (8 boxes)

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

William J. K. Beaudot was a Milwaukee, Wisconsin resident who was interested in Civil War history and very active in Civil War re-enactment organizations. These records reflect his activities regarding that subject and specifically his involvement with the "reactivated" 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-lhmc0366

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William J. K. Beaudot worked as a librarian in the Milwaukee Public Library system for 36 years, from 1964 to 2000. He earned degrees from Marquette and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Beaudot was interested in Civil War history, publishing several books and articles relating to the Civil War. He co-authored two books, In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg (1990) and An Irishman in the Iron Brigade (1997) with Lance Herdegen. He also authored The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War (2003). Beaudot wrote for a variety of periodicals, including Blue & Gray, Virginia Country’s Civil War, Gettysburg Magazine, and Milwaukee History. Beaudot was active in several Civil War associations. He was a member of the “reactivated” 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment and held various leadership roles. He represented the 6th Regiment in the larger North-South Skirmish Association (N-SSA) and the Civil War Skirmish Association (CWSA), which holds marksmanship competitions using Civil War era weaponry.

The "reactivated" 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed exactly 100 years to the day after its Civil War counterpart was mustered into Federal service as an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the Civil War. The original 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was recruited from counties in the southern third of the state and after training was mustered into service on July 21, 1861. The 6th was brigaded with two other Wisconsin regiments, the 2nd and 7th, and the 19th Indiana to form the only all-Western brigade in the Army of the Potomac. After the brigade's first test in battle on August 28, 1862 in the prelude to Second Bull Run, it became known as the "Big Hat Brigade" due to its distinctive uniform. Prior to Antietam, the brigade became known as the "Iron Brigade," as a testament to its relentless push forward under fire from the Rebels. After Antietam, the Iron Brigade was reinforced with the addition of the 24th Michigan. The 6th was present for duty at Appomattox Court House in April, 1865.

The "reactivated" 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment’s purpose was to uphold the traditions of the original 6th, an infantry regiment that served in the Civil War (1861-1865). The organization's actions include participation in skirmish shooting competitions and ceremonial events using traditional uniforms, equipment and weaponry. They won many national and regional skirmish musket shooting competitions, and have been judged the Best-Uniformed Union Unit at numerous national skirmishes.

This collection mainly consists of records of several Civil War associations and manuscripts of Civil War related books and articles that Beaudot was involved with. The associations include the “reactivated” 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, N-SSA, CWSA and the Wisconsin Civil War Centennial Commission. The bulk of the association records come from the “reactivated” 6th Regiment spanning 1961 through 1982. These records include by-laws, certificates, correspondence, financial documents, meeting minutes and schedules. This organization and its predecessor have a few variations of its name: 6th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment and 6th Wisconsin, among others. The other half of the collection is manuscripts of Civil War related articles or books authored or co-authored by Beaudot. Miscellaneous materials include some photographs and manuscripts not authored by Beaudot.

The collection is arranged into the following series:

1. Civil War Associations, 1861-1989
2. Manuscripts, 1863-2002
3. Miscellaneous, 1987-1988

William J. K. Beaudot Papers, 1861-2002, Collection 366. Local History Manuscript Collections, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War : the biography of a regiment

An Irishman in the Iron Brigade : the Civil War Memoirs of James P. Sullivan, Sgt., Company K, 6th Wisconsin Volunteers

A Kid to the Corps : a Midwestern Boy's Life with Movies and the Marines

The Milwaukee Regiment: A City Goes to War

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view Local History Manuscript Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

These materials were found separated into two different collections. In 2019, they were reunited. All materials were donated by William J.K. Beaudot in the early 1990s. The materials were accessioned as Local History Manuscripts.

Processing Information

Described by Shawn McCarthy, Volunteer, 2007. Inventoried by Kadie Seitz, Fieldworker, 2014. Processed by Casey Lapworth, 2019.

	Series: 1. Civil War Associations, 1861-1989
	6th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
Box   1 Folder   1	Bylaws and Revisions, 1961-1981
Box   1 Folder   2	Celebrations and activities, 1975-1982
Box   8 Folder   1	Certificates, 1971-1981
Box   1 Folder   3	Civil War 6th Regiment,1861-1912, undated
Box   8 Folder   2	Competition Ribbons, 1975-1983
Box   1 Folder   4-10	Correspondence, 1961-1993, undated, undated
Box   1 Folder   11	Correspondence - Membership Request, 1973-1981, undated
Box   1 Folder   12	Financial, 1964-1989, undated
Box   1 Folder   13	Lance Herdegen's Journal, 1964-1966
Box   1 Folder   14-23	Meetings, 1963-1987
Box   2 Folder   1	Regulations, 1964, undated
Box   8 Folder   3-4	Rosters, 1963-1988, undated
	Skirmishes
Box   2 Folder   2	Inspection Letters, 1975-1982
Box   2 Folder   3-12	Invitations and Applications, 1973-1982
Box   8 Folder   5	Invitations and Applications, 1981-1982
Box   2 Folder   13	Range Maps and directions, undated
Box   2 Folder   14-28	Results, 1962-1979
Box   3 Folder   1-3	Results, 1980-1987
Box   3 Folder   4	Schedules, 1964-1982, undated
	Uniforms and Equipment
Box   3 Folder   5	Firearms, 1963-1972
Box   3 Folder   6	Flags, Ensigns, and Brass, 1961-1969
Box   3 Folder   7	G.W. Bollman & Co., 1962-1974
Box   3 Folder   8	Inventories, 1967-1973
Box   3 Folder   9	Leather Goods, 1961-1972
Box   3 Folder   10	Medals and Trophies, 1961-1963
Box   3 Folder   11	Miscellaneous, undated
Box   3 Folder   12	Shirts, 1965-1966
Box   3 Folder   13	Shoes, 1963-1970
Box   3 Folder   14	Trousers, Leggings, and Buttons, 1961-1969
Box   3 Folder   15	Wohlmuth Company, 1964-1974
Box   8 Folder   6	Wohlmuth Company, undated
	Civil War Skirmish Association (CWSA)
Box   3 Folder   16	General, 1981-1982
Box   3 Folder   17	Old Northwest Territory, 1980-1982
	North – South Skirmish Association (N-SSA)
Box   3 Folder   18	Bylaws, Rules and Elections, 1958-1963
Box   4 Folder   1-2	Bylaws, Rules and Elections, 1971-1979
Box   4 Folder   3	Correspondence, 1961-1981, undated
Box   4 Folder   4	Dues, 1972-1978
Box   4 Folder   5	General, 1963-1982
Box   4 Folder   6	Meetings, 1962-1989
Box   4 Folder   7	“Morning Reports”, 1987-1993
Box   4 Folder   8	Northwest Region – Correspondence, 1964-1983, undated
Box   4 Folder   9	Northwest Region – Meetings, 1962-1989
Box   4 Folder   10	Northwest Region – Miscellaneous, 1963-1983, undated
Box   4 Folder   11	Northwest Region – Skirmishes, 1964-1985, undated
Box   4 Folder   12	Paymaster Scandal, 1980-1981, 1980-1981
	Wisconsin Civil War Centennial Commission
Box   4 Folder   13	Correspondence, 1962-1963
Box   4 Folder   14	Financials, 1962-1963
Box   4 Folder   15	Meetings, 1962-1963
Box   4 Folder   16	Presentations, 1962-1963
	Series: 2. Manuscripts, 1863-2002	⇧
Box   4 Folder   17	The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War - galley proof, 2002
Box   4 Folder   18	Gettysburg Magazine, January 1991. “Francis Asbury Wallar: A Medal of Honor at Gettysburg”, pgs. 16-21, 1991
	In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg - drafts
Box   5 Folder   3	Bound, 1989 (titled: Gettysburg: The Charge on the Railroad Cut), 1989
Box   5 Folder   4	Loose - foreword, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   5-6	Loose - chapter 1, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   7-8	Loose - chapter 3, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   9	Loose - chapter 4, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   10-11	Loose - chapter 5, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   12-14	Loose - chapter 8 / epilogue, circa 1989
Box   5 Folder   15	Loose - bibliography, circa 1989
Box   6 Folder   1	Introduction and Chapters 1 through 6, 1989
Box   6 Folder   2	Appendix III. The Uniform of the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers (and the Iron Brigade) at Gettysburg, PA, 1 July 1863, Maddaus, Howard, 1863
	An Irishman in the Iron Brigade - drafts
Box   6 Folder   3-4	Definitive, 1992
Box   6 Folder   5	Early, 1992
Box   6 Folder   6	Postscript, 1991
Box   6 Folder   7	Rough proof, 1993
	Series: 3. Miscellaneous, 1987-1988	⇧
Box   7 Folder   1-2	Brothers Gone Before, Gramm, Kent – unpublished manuscript, undated
Box   7 Folder   3	Photographs, 1987-1988
Box   7 Folder   4	Shooting the Percussion Sharps, France, Dave – draft manuscript, undated
Box   7 Folder   5	Unidentified draft manuscript, undated