Belgian immigrants in Wisconsin during the Civil War facts for kids

Belgian immigrants moved to Wisconsin during the American Civil War. This article explains why they came and how the war affected them.

Belgians Come to Wisconsin

In the mid-1800s, many people from Belgium moved to northeast Wisconsin. It all started in 1852 when two Belgian families came to America. They were not happy with the Belgian government. They hoped to find a better life, often called the "American dream."

Soon, many more Belgians followed. They settled in Brown, Door, and Kewaunee counties. They even named their new towns after places in Belgium. Some of these towns were Brussels, Namur, and Rosiere. Even today, many people in these counties have Belgian family roots.

The Civil War Draft

The new immigrants soon faced a big challenge: the American Civil War. At first, people joined the army as volunteers. But as the war continued and more soldiers were hurt, fewer people volunteered. This led states like Wisconsin to start a "draft." A draft is when the government chooses people to join the army.

Belgians thought they would be safe from the draft. They did not see themselves as American citizens yet. However, the government found a way to include most men. To get land, immigrants had to sign a "Declaration of Intent." This paper said they planned to become United States citizens later. This declaration made them eligible for the draft.

How the Draft Worked

Each town had an assessor. This person made a list of men aged 18 to 45. Only men healthy enough to fight were listed. Many Belgian families felt they were unfairly targeted. For example, in Door County, 40 out of 63 drafted men were Belgian.

There were ways to avoid the draft, but they were hard to use. Many men, especially Belgians, were not successful. Some tried to claim they had health problems. They would visit doctors, saying they had issues like hernias or poor eyesight. In September 1862, a doctor named H. Pearce checked 454 men. He found 246 had disabilities. Only 21 of these were Belgian men.

The first Civil War draft in Wisconsin happened in November 1862. By 1863, money became a way to get out of the draft. If a man was desperate and could afford it, he could pay $300. This was a lot of money back then. A total of 862 men paid this fee. Only 18 of them were Belgian.

Another option appeared in 1864. A drafted man could find someone else to take his place. This person was called a "substitute." It was hard to find someone willing to go to war. A substitute could be a Native American, a minor (someone under 18), or even a non-citizen.

Belgian Immigrants Protest the Draft

Many Belgian people felt the draft was unfair. Emotions ran very high. A big problem was the language barrier. Few Belgian immigrants spoke English. They could not understand why they were being forced into a war they did not want to join.

Their anger grew. They formed groups and marched with clubs, pitchforks, and guns. They wanted the draft process to be fair. In one major protest, colonists marched into the city of Green Bay. They stood outside the home of United States Senator Timothy Howe. They demanded that he take action.

Senator Howe spoke to the crowd from his home. But because of the language barrier, the immigrants could not understand him. Senator Howe felt unsafe and left the city. The crowd was not satisfied. They continued to march until they found O.J. Brice, a fellow Belgian. Brice was able to calm the crowd by speaking to them in their native French. He explained that the draft process would be fair and just. The group was happy with his explanation in their own language. They then went home peacefully, without causing damage or arrests.