Frederick Carl Winkler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederick Carl Winkler
|
|
|---|---|
From History of the Bench and Bar of Wisconsin (1898)
|
|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Milwaukee 4th district |
|
| In office January 1, 1872 – January 1, 1873 |
|
| Preceded by | Charles M. Hoyt |
| Succeeded by | Gottlob E. Weiss |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Frederick Carl Winkler
March 15, 1838 Bremen, German Confederation |
| Died | March 22, 1921 (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
|
| Children |
|
| Parents |
|
| Profession | lawyer |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | |
| Commands | 26th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Frederick Carl Winkler (March 15, 1838 – March 22, 1921) was an immigrant from Germany who became a lawyer and an important leader in Wisconsin. He served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1872, representing Milwaukee. He was also an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was later honored with the rank of brevet brigadier general.
Growing Up and Education
Frederick Winkler was born on March 15, 1838, in the Free City of Bremen, which was part of the German Confederation at the time. In 1844, when he was six years old, he moved to the United States with his mother. His father had already moved there a year before.
Frederick grew up and went to school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He also received special lessons from a well-known teacher named Peter Engelmann.
When he was 18, he started studying law in a lawyer's office. To earn money, he taught school during the winters. In 1858, he worked as a clerk in another law office in Madison, Wisconsin, where he finished his law studies. He became a lawyer in April 1859 and then went back to Milwaukee to start his career.
Serving in the Civil War
While studying law, Frederick Winkler became a strong supporter of ending slavery. He actively campaigned for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election.
When the Civil War began, his law partner joined the army. This left Frederick in charge of their law business. As the war became more serious in 1862, Frederick decided to close his business. He started gathering volunteers to form a new army company. He successfully recruited a full company and was chosen as their captain. His company became Company B of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. This regiment was made up almost entirely of German American immigrants.
The regiment marched east to join the Army of the Potomac in Virginia. They arrived in October 1862, just after the Battle of Fredericksburg.
During that winter, Frederick Winkler often worked away from his regiment. He served as a judge advocate, which is like a military lawyer, at the headquarters of the XI Corps. He also worked as an aide to General Franz Sigel. When the spring fighting began, Winkler was assigned to General Carl Schurz's staff. He was with General Schurz during the Battle of Chancellorsville and the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
During the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, his regiment's leaders were badly wounded. Frederick Winkler left General Schurz's staff to return to his regiment. He helped lead them through the rest of the Battle of Gettysburg.
After Gettysburg, the regiment had lost many soldiers and was reorganized. They were then moved to the western part of the war after the difficult Battle of Chickamauga. Their colonel had to leave due to his wounds, so Frederick Winkler took command in November 1863. He was officially promoted to major that month.
Winkler led his regiment to victory at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Afterward, his regiment received many new recruits and recovered soldiers.
That winter, Winkler briefly returned to his judge advocate duties. He represented General Schurz in an investigation about his performance at the Battle of Wauhatchie. Winkler successfully showed that General Schurz's actions were correct.
While leading his regiment during the Atlanta campaign, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1864. Frederick Winkler and his regiment received special praise after the Battle of Peachtree Creek. Their brigade commander, James Wood, wrote that the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and its leader, Frederick Winkler, showed outstanding bravery and skill. He said their actions were an example for others and deserved the highest praise.
Winkler was considered for promotion to colonel in August 1864, but he never officially received that rank from the federal government. He led his regiment through Sherman's March to the Sea in the fall of 1864. He then returned to Wisconsin to recruit more soldiers. While in Wisconsin that winter, he married Frances M. Wightman. He rejoined his regiment in the spring and led them through the Carolinas campaign until the war ended. They participated in a large parade in Washington D.C. in May 1865, then returned to Milwaukee, where the regiment was officially disbanded.
After the war, Frederick Winkler was given two honorary ranks: colonel and then brevet brigadier general. President Andrew Johnson nominated him for brigadier general in January 1866, and the United States Senate confirmed it in March 1866.
Life After the War
After the war, Frederick Winkler went back to being a lawyer. In 1867, he started a law firm with Ammi R. Butler. In 1871, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a member of the Republican Party. He represented Milwaukee's 4th Assembly district in the 1872 session. This district covered a part of Milwaukee's west side.
In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant offered him a job as a United States Attorney, but Frederick Winkler turned it down because his law practice was too busy.
For 50 years, he was one of Wisconsin's most important lawyers and a key leader in the Republican Party of Wisconsin. He led Wisconsin's group to the 1880 Republican National Convention and helped James A. Garfield get nominated for president. He also served for a long time on the board of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Frederick Winkler passed away on March 22, 1921, in Los Angeles, California. He is buried in Milwaukee's historic Forest Home Cemetery.
Family Life
Frederick C. Winkler was one of at least three children born to Carl Winkler and Elizabeth (Overbeck) Winkler. His younger brother, August Gotlieb Winkler, moved to Greenville, Alabama, where he became a successful merchant and served on the city council.
Frederick Winkler married Frances M. Wightman in 1864. They had six daughters and three sons together.
