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. |