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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Cadwallader Colden Washburn Biography Cadwallader Colden Washburn Image WASHBURN,
Cadwallader Colden (1818-82). An American soldier, political leader, and
capitalist, born at Livermore, Me. In 1839 he removed to Iowa and later to
Illinois, where he studied law. In 1842 he began practice at Mineral Point, Wis.
He entered into partnership with Cyrus Woodman in 1844, the firm devoting much
of its attention to real estate and banking. Woodman retired in 1855 and
subsequently Washburn made fortunate investments in timber lands and became one
of the pioneers in the flour-milling industry. In 1854 he was elected to
Congress by the Antislavery element, and was twice reëlected, serving until
1861. There he joined his brothers, Israel Washburn and Elihu B. Washburne
(q.v.). Soon after the outbreak of the Civil War he raised the Second Regiment
of Wisconsin Cavalry and was mustered into the Federal service in February,
1862. He served under General Curtis in Arkansas from March to July of that year
and was then promoted to be brigadier general of volunteers. In November, 1862,
he was promoted to be major general and was given a division in the Army of the
Tennessee. In 1864 he was given command of the District of West Tennessee,
which, with the exception of some months when he commanded the District of
Vicksburg, he continued to administer until he resigned from the service on May
25, 1865. He was again a member of Congress from 1867 to 1871, and in 1872-74
was Governor of Wisconsin. He gave largely to education , built an observatory
at the University of Wisconsin, and founded an orphan asylum at Minneapolis. The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XXIII (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 341. |