“The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, published: Chicago:  
Western Historical Company.   1879.


JAMES M. BURNHAM, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Hebron; born in St. 
Lawrence Co., N. Y. June 9, 1836; the early part of his life was spent in 
his native State; came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1847, and 
remained in Hebron, Jefferson Co., until 1859, when he went to 
Minnesota and remained two years as a farmer; returning to Jefferson 
Co., he enlisted in October 1861, in the 13th W. V. I.; the regiment was 
in Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky on scouting duty; was on guard duty 
at Fort Donelson, and was in the fight with Forrest, afterward going to 
Alabama; the regiment veteranized the same fall at Nashville; Mr. 
Burnham re-enlisted in the same regiment, and was sent to Gen. 
Rousseau's headquarters and employed in the Commissary Department; 
he was captured by Forrest at Athens, Ala., and narrowly escaped being 
shot in retaliation for the hanging of certain rebels at Nashville; he was 
robbed and nearly stripped, but was saved from death by a rebel Colonel, 
and furnished with boots, etc., by a rebel Major, who said "he had been a 
prisoner at the North and was treated like a gentleman;" but Mr. B. 
suffered many indignities on the way to Castle Morgan, Ala., where he 
was held until his release in April, 1865; during his six months' captivity, 
he suffered everything from hunger and filth, and was fed usually on a 
pint of raw corn-meal per day; men were shot and bayoneted for no 
caused whatever; on his release from prison, Mr. Burnham took a short 
trip to Minnesota, and was discharged from service in August, 1865, and 
settled on the farm he now owns of 111 acres, which he has since 
improved.  He married, in 1858, Miss Margaret Barnes, who died in 
1859; in 1866 he married Miss Emeline Abbey; they have four children - 
Hannah, Frank, Maud and Annie.  Mr. Burnham is a stanch Republican, 
a member of the Hebron Grange, and is in accord with the Universalist 
Church.

Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)