Oscar B. Robertson, Burlington, Wis., member of G. A. R. Post No. 201,
was born at Walton, Delaware Co., New York, March 1, 1833, and is the
son of William and Susan (Butler) Robertson. There were eight children
in his father's family, born as follows: William, Cornelia, Addie,
Elizabeth, Mary, Francis, Andrew J. and Mr. Robertson of this sketch.
The parents were natives of America and were respectively of English
and Scotch descent. The father died about the year 1835 at Walton, and
when the son was 11 years of age he accompanied his mother to Honey
Creek, Walworth Co., Wis. The family located on a farm and Oscar went
to school and made himself as useful as possible until he was about 15
years of age, when he went to serve an apprenticeship to acquire a
knowledge of the trade of a painter. He finished his trade and
remained there in all about seven years. He went thence to Weyauwega,
Wis., where he remained until called to resume charge of the farm by
the death of his mother, which occurred Jan. 11, 1856. He remained at
Honey Creek, engaged in farming and also in working at his trade. His
business was interrupted by the advent of war, and as events
progressed he did not like the outlook and determined to enter the
army. Feb. 15, 1862, he enlisted as a bugler in the 9th Battery,
Company H, Captain C. H. Johnson, and was mustered into service at
Burlington. March 19, he started for Benton Barracks with the command,
where they received their equipment of six pieces of artillery. Their
next move was to Leaven worth, Kas., and on the 26th of April the
whole command started for their long march of more than 500 miles to
Denver, Col., where they arrived in 32 days. There the battery was
divided into sections. The right went to Fort Union, New Mexico, under
Capt. Dodge. The second section went to Fort Larned, Kas., and the
left, to which Mr. Robertson belonged, went to Fort Lyon, Col. This
involved another long march. It was frontier service, and as the
rebels were there, many varieties of fighting were experienced as well
as that of repulsing the Indians, which was very satisfactory work
with the battery. Mr. Robertson remained with the battery there until
ordered east to Fort Larned, Kas., and again engaged in a long march.
Oct 14, 1864, the command went to Shawneetown to join Blunt in
resisting the encroachment of Price, who had that section under
menace. He was in the fight at Weston, Mo., with Marmaduke, in which a
retreat to avoid Price's flank movements became necessary. They
followed Price, who was driven across the Arkansas River as far as
Fort Scott, and Mr. Robertson was in the action in which Marmaduke was
captured October 24th, and where Price narrowly escaped. The battery
returned to Fort Leavenworth, Kas., and remained there until mustered
out Jan. 26, 1865.
He returned to his home and resumed his former occupation. The
following spring he removed to Burlington, where he has since pursued
his business as a painter. He was married Oct. 13, 1866 to Julia A.,
daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Turner) Trott and their children are
named William and Ursula. The mother died Nov. 19, 1887.
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