- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
This was surprisingly easy - I found this CDV in a pile that included many more from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, showing a young man in what appears to be a four-button sack coat worn buttoned over a military-style vest. Notation in pencil identified him as one Louis LaCount, and a brief search turned him up in Co. A of the 5th Wisconsin Vol. Infantry! Here's more information regarding his service copied from Dennis Moore's Civil War Roster:
LA COUNT LOUIS
5th Wis. Vol. Inf. Company A Union Army
Enlisted as private 04/24/61 City of Manitowoc
History--Wounded at Battle of Mayre's Heights, Va.
05/03/63. Transfered to Veterans Reserve Corp.
04/10/64.
Mustered out 07/15/64. At the time of his enlistment,
LA COUNT was age 18 and single. He had dark hair and
stood 5'10". Manitowoc newspaper reported that
LA COUNT received a broken leg at Mayre Heights,
Battle of Fredericksburg, Va.
********
CIVIL WAR VETERAN DEAD
Dr. Louis B. Lacount, a Former Resident Here and a War Veteran Died at Merrill.
WAS MEMBER OF CO A. 5TH WIS.
Served through Almost the Whole Civil War Campaign and was Wounded at Chancellerville.
Announcement was received in the city Tuesday of the death at Merrill of Dr. Louis B. Lacount,
a former resident of this city, Monday. Death was due to infirmities incident to old age and
was hastened by a fall received April 10. Deceased was 60 years of age and is survived by a wife
and one daughter.
Louis B. Lacount was born in this city February 18, 1843, being a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Lacount
who resided on the Calumet road. He received his education in the schools here and remained in
the city until the time of the breakng out of the Civil war when he and five other brothers
enlisted in the service with the Union army. Louis Lacount became a member of Company A, which was
formed here and departed from the city with the troops when they left Sunday evening June 23, 1861,
going south to Milwaukee on the Goodrich steamer Comet. From Milwaukee the company went to Madison
where on July 13, of the same year they were mustered into the United States service at Camp
Randall as Co. A. Fifth Wisconsin Infantry.
Leaving Madison Mr. Lacount went through the entire compaign and was a member of the Light Brigade.
He rose to the rank of First Lieutenant and fought in many battles, principal among which were those
of Golden's Farm, Malvern Hill, Antietem and Fredericksburg. At Chancelorville he was struck below
the knee by a minie ball, which carried away the bone. During a greater part of the campaign he was
a tentmate of Judge J.S. Anderson and was at his side when he received the wound. After the war was
over the boys returned to this city and remained here until the death of the father when they became
residents of various other cities.
Find-a-Grave added a postwar portrait of then-Dr. Loius B. LaCount plus a quoted obituary that gave additional details about his postwar career:
The doctor spent his early days here and was a general favorite. He was born at Manitowoc Feb 28, 1843, and when a young boy came to Chilton to live with his brother, Dr. David D. LaCount, remaining here until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in Co. A. of the 5th Wis. Vol Inf. He served three years and was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863. After he recovered sufficiently from his wounds he was transferred to Seminary Hospital, Georgetown, and served the balance of his time as clerk, dispensing drugs. He was mustered out at Washington, July 15, 1864, and then returned to Chilton. He worked at the cases in The Times office and took up the study of medicine with his brother, under whose tutorship he prepared to enter Rush Medical College at Chicago. He graduated Feb. 8, 1868, from that institution and shortly after entered into a co-partnership with Dr. J. M. Adams at Oconto, where he remained one year. From there he went to Shawano and remained twelve years, then moved to Merrill. His reputation as a soldier was above reproach and among professional men he also ranked high, both as a physician and surgeon. He was married April 12, 1869, at Green Bay to Olive LeClaire.
Not a bad investment of $2 at my favorite flea market!