Thomas Allen

Thomas Scott Allen (July 26, 1825 – December 12, 1905) was an American printer, teacher, newspaper publisher, and politician. He served as the 9th Secretary of State of Wisconsin and served as a Union Army officer throughout the American Civil War, earning an honorary brevet rank of brigadier general. Before the war he also served a term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Iowa County, and later in life he was publisher of the Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper.

Early life Thomas Scott Allen was born in Andover, New York, on July 26, 1825. He attended Oberlin College.

Civil War service Field officers of the 2nd Wisconsin Vol. Infantry, photographed at a camp in northern Virginia circa 1862. The officers seated, from left, are surgeon A. J. Ward, Major Thomas S. Allen, Lucius Fairchild, and Colonel Edgar O'Connor.

Iron Brigade At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Allen was one of the first Wisconsin volunteers to sign up for service in the Union Army. He helped organize a company of volunteers, known as the "Miners' Guards", and was elected captain. His company was then enrolled as Company I of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.

The regiment mustered into federal service in June 1861 and went east to Washington, D.C. Shortly after arriving, they were assigned to the brigade of William Tecumseh Sherman and went south into northern Virginia with the Manassas campaign on July 16. Within days, they were engaged at the disastrous First Battle of Bull Run. The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry was with Sherman's surprise attack on the Confederate right flank which briefly destabilized the Confederate line. After the Union retreat from Virginia, Allen was promoted to major, in place of Duncan McDonald, who resigned. With this brigade, Allen joined the second campaign into northern Virginia, culminating in the Second Battle of Bull Run. Their brigade was part of the initial engagement of that battle, which took place on the Warrenton Turnpike near Gainesville, Virginia. Sometimes referred to as the Battle of Gainesville, this is where the Iron Brigade first received its nickname as they withstood a combined assault from five brigades of Stonewall Jackson's Corps. The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry took the worst of the casualties. Nearly every officer of the regiment was killed or wounded; Allen was among the wounded but was able to return to duty within days. He reported for duty and took command of the regiment on January 26, 1863.

He led the regiment at the Battle of Chancellorsville in the Spring of 1863, where he performed his most notable war service. He personally led five companies of his regiment to storm the position known as "Marye's Heights". Nicknamed the "slaughter pen", 5,000 Union men had died in the previous assault on the position during the Battle of Fredericksburg. It was a steep hill topped with fortifications, with neighboring hills capable of supporting the defense by strafing any assault from the sides. Around that same time, Allen re-enlisted as a veteran along with about 200 of his regiment. Their 200 veterans were not enough to qualify the regiment as a veteran regiment and remain in service, so the regiment would disband at the end of the enlistment term in August 1864.

5th Wisconsin Infantry (Reorganized) About the time of the expiration of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry, Allen decided he was well enough to return to service. Governor Lewis authorized the reorganization of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry in Wisconsin and reappointed Allen as colonel. Allen raised and organized seven new companies of volunteers and quickly marched them back to Virginia to integrate with the veteran remnant battalion of the old 5th Wisconsin. He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Oshkosh.