Two Million Steps

Two Million Steps is the story of two men from western Wisconsin who were members of the 25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company A. It tells their journey from the formation of the regiment through the end of the war. During the Civil War men from both sides rushed to volunteer seeking excitement adventure and to defend their state along with their country. This is the regiments story. In 1862 the 25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed in La Crosse Wisconsin from mostly volunteers from the western part of the state. The regiment went to war with 1018 men. The Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin would go on to fight in seven major campaigns and numerous smaller skirmishes with a common motto amongst its men that was coined by Chauncey H. Cooke a private from Company G and was picked up by the regiment I have no heart in this war if the slaves cannot go free.. During the war the Regiment lost the largest percentage of soldiers from Wisconsin units. They were often called to lead the attacks in Major General Shermans March to the Sea and onto the end of the war because of their ferociousness in battle.