Frederick
C. Winkler, son of Carl and Elizabeth (Overbeck) Winkler, was born
in Bremen, Germany, March 15, 1838, his parents then residing in that city.
The father came to the United States in 1842, locating in Milwaukee, where
he opened a drug Store. Two years later he was joined by his wife and children,
and Frederick C. was reared in that city, obtaining his education in the
public schools, which, although greatly inferior to those of the present
day, offered advantages superior to those to be obtained elsewhere in Wisconsin
in the territorial and earl statehood days. He began his legal studies
at the age of eighteen in the office of H. L. Palmer, and at the age of
twenty he removed to Madison and occupied his studies in the office of
Abbott, Gregory & Pinney, be admitted to the bar at Madison on April
19, 1859. Returning to Milwaukee he began the practice of his profession
in his home city and had entered upon a most promising career when the
break- out of the Civil war changed his plans for a time. The Twenty-sixth
Wisconsin infantry, a German regiment, was organized in Milwaukee and vicinity,
and F. C. Winkler became captain of Company B. It was mustered in on Sept.
17, 1862, left the state Oct. 6. following, and joined the movement toward
the Rappahanock. spending the winter in drill, guard and picket duty. It
participated the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, the men fighting
like veterans, and was at Gettysburg, July 1 to 3, Captain Winkler, being
attached to the staff of General Schurz. In a report of this battle one
authority says that the Twenty-sixth "fought like demons," and in this
engagement both the lieutenant-colonel, and major of the regiment were
wounded. Captain Winkler then became the acting field officer. After the
battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 20 and 21, the regiment was sent with General
Hooker's forces to the Army of the Potomac to the relief of General Rosecrans
at Chattanooga. In November following the colonel left the organization,
and from that time until the close of the war, Captain Winkler was in command,
and was advanced to the rank of colonel. The regiment under his command
took part in the battle of Mission Ridge in November, 1863, and the campaign
into East Tennessee for the relief of Knoxville which followed it. In the
spring of 1864, when Gen. Sherman organized his army for the invasion of
Georgia, it became part of the Third brigade, Third division of the Twentieth
corps, of which the command was given to General Hooker. It thenceforth
took part in all of General Sherman's campaigns, fought many skirmishes
and took part in nearly every battle. Perhaps its severest struggle was
at Peachtree Creek, July 20, 1864. Of that action the official report of
Colonel Wood, then commander of the brigade, contains the following: "Where
all behaved well it may be regarded as invidious to call attention to individuals,
yet it seems to me that I cannot discharge my whole duty in this report
without pointing out for especial commendation, the conduct of the Twenty-sixth
Wisconsin volunteer infantry, and its brave and able commander. The position
of this regiment in that line was such that the brunt of the attack on
this brigade fell upon it. The brave, skillful and determined manner in
which it met the attack, rolled back the onset and pressed forward in a
counter-charge and drove back the enemy could not be excelled by the troops
in this and or any other arm, and is worthy of the highest commendation
praise. It is to be hoped that such conduct will be held up as an example
for others, and will meet its appropriate reward."- (Annual report of Wis.
Adjt. Gen. for 1864. p. So.)
The regiment marched
with Sherman to the sea, and from Savannah through the Carolinas to Richmond,
participating in hot fighting at Averasboro and Bentonville. It took part
in the Grand Review in Washington, then proceeded to Milwaukee, where it
was mustered out on June 28, 1865, Colonel Winkler being brevetted brigadier-general
of volunteers "for meritorious service." Gen. William Cogswell, of Massachusetts,
then in command of the brigade, in his final report to the War Department,
mentioned the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin as "one of the finest military organizations
in the service." Before the command of the regiment fell to his hands.
Captain Winkler gave a large measure of his time to duties as judge advocate
of many courts-martial, charged at times with the trial of the most weighty
offenses. In five or six cases it became his duty to certify to headquarters
sentences of death; all but two of these were commuted. In the court of
inquiry to investigate certain reflections on Maj.-Gen. Carl Schurz and
a part of his command, contained in General Hooker's official report of
the night battle at Wauhatchie in Lookout Valley, Colonel Winkler was,
at the request of General Schurz, appointed his counsel, and as a result
of the inquiry General Schurz and his subordinate, Col. F. Hecker, were
"fully exonerated from the strictures contained in General Hooker's report."
After leaving the military service General Winkler resumed the practice
of his profession, and has been for the past forty years one of the leading
attorneys of the city, Messrs. A. R. R. Butler, James G. Jenkins, T. B.
Elliott, A. A. L. Smith, John T Fish, Edward P. Vilas, James G, Flanders,
E. H. Bottum and C. F. Fawsett having been at different times associated
with him as partners. During the last ten years or more he has given a
large portion of his time to the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company,
being a trustee and member of the Finance and Executive committees of that
In politics he has always supported the Republican party. His marriage
to Miss Frances Al. Wightman occurred in 1864, and "six daughters and three
sons have been born to the union. In character General Winkler is a man
who commands the widest respect and admiration. His devotion to duty as
a soldier exhibits the same qualities of courage, firmness, energy and
faithfulness to the trusts reposed in him that have marked his life as
a citizen and a professional man. He is an able jurist and has won in his
profession large success commensurate with his ability. In social life
he is a refined and cultured gentleman.
Memoirs of Milwaukee County Vol2, 1909 pg. 17-19 (ARC)
F 587 .M6 W33 v.2 Milwaukee Archive UWM
