In September 1861 Edward Saxe began recruiting the Waushara Rangers
for the Army of the North. 50 men enlisted from and around
Saxeville, some of them mere boys of 15. Everyone thought that the
trouble would be over in a few months, and the boys would be home
for the spring work, after spending the winter in the south. Little
did they dream of the resources, courage and stamina of the
fighting men of the South.
Captain Edward J. Saxe was killed at the battle of Shiloh, April
6, 1861, along with Sgt. Williams and Pvt. Cyrus Howe. Among those
killed in action or died of wounds or disease were Capt. Anthony
Gallagher, 1st Sgt. Steven McNeely, Pvt. C. Smith, James Patterson,
J.E. Miliken and about 20 others of the company.
The history of Saxeville would be incomplete without mention of
"Rebel Bell". This bell was taken from one of Confederate President
Jefferson Davis' plantations near Corinth, Miss. and shipped home
by members of Co. A 16th Reg. in 1862, to be placed atop the
schoolhouse.
The posted coordinates will take you to the Rebel Bell, which is
located in a small park next to the fire station and across from
the post office. On the plaque beneath the bell you will notice the
year that the bell was used to call sleves from the fields. Let
that number be established as ABCD. To locate the final you will
travel to N 44 10.(C-2)(B-1)(A+5) W089 0(C).(B+1)(D)(D+5).
This series is being developed to call attention to interesting
tidbits from the history of Waushara County. While multicaches are
sometimes frowned upon by some cachers, I am hoping that these
multicaches will be viewed as fairly easy to navigate. My intent is
to pass some interesting information on to the cacher and for them
to find the cache without too much difficulty.