Wisconsin History Day By Day


Related Web Sites:
Virtual American Biographies

Louis Powell Harvey

Incidents in the early life of Governor Harvey

Particulars relative to the death of Governor Harvey

Death of Governor Harvey


Read More About It

"Wisconsin Blue Book" 1960

"Dictionary of Wisconsin Biography" by Wisconsin Historical Society

"Wisconsin in the Civil War" by Frank L. Klement


Vocabulary:

riverboats
downstream
regiments
moral


Interesting Fact:

Harvey asked the citizens of Wisconsin to contribute medical supplies for the Shiloh wounded and he received enough to fill 90 crates to take on his "mission of mercy."


Study Questions:

  • Why did Harvey feel it was so important to personally go to Tennessee?
  • How long had Harvey been governor before his death?
  • What were the circumstances that caused Harvey to fall overboard?


    U.S. historical events that occurred on April 19:

    1775: The battles of Lexington and Concord start the Revolutionary War.



  • April 19

    April 19, 1862: Governor Louis Powell Harvey slipped and fell between two riverboats in Tennessee and disappeared. His body was recovered several days later 65-miles downstream. Harvey had learned that Wisconsin regiments had suffered losses in the Battle of Shiloh and had traveled to Tennessee to lend moral support to the troops.


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