This is a sketch of a 30th Wisconsin Infantry camp in Bowling Green, KY (Dec 1864).
Where did John Thompson go after he was with Sullys Northwest Expedition? Companies A, C, F and H (John’s) commanded by Colonel Dill, left Fort Rice, Dakota, Friday, October 12, 1864, and descending the Missouri river in flat boats built by themselves, arrived November 2, 1864, at Sioux City, Iowa. Continuing their journey down the river they arrived at St. Joseph, Mo., November 17, 1864.
Company H (John’s company) having been detained by floating ice, had Captain Bedal abandoned his boat a few miles above St. Joseph, and marched his command to the city, rejoining the other companies November 23d.
Leaving St. Joseph MO on the 24th of November 1864, and proceeding by rail, they arrived on the following day at Quincy, Ill., and thence proceeded by way of Springfield, Ill., and Indianapolis, Ind., arriving on November 29, 1864, at Louisville, Ky., where they went into camp. On the 12th of December 1864, the nine companies of the 30th WIS left Louisville by rail, and next day went into camp at Bowling Green, Ky. This is the Camp in the sketch. Here the Regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Military District of Kentucky Colonel Dill took command of the Brigade, and Major Clowney that of the Regiment. On the 10th of January, 1865, the Regiment left Bowling green for Louisville, arriving on the 12th, where they were assigned to duty as guard to the military prison in that city.
John and the rest of the 30th WIS regiment was mustered out of service at Louisville, Ky., September 20, 1865, and immediately started for home, arriving at Madison, Wis., September 25, 1865, where it was paid and disbanded. The Camp where they went to in Madison is Camp Randall (where they trained when they joined the war) which is now where the Wisconsin Badgers stadium is located at.
After the war John went to Goodhue County, Minn. and married a Valders girl, KRISTI HAUGEN daughter of Sivert Haugen, at the Holden church (The church is North of and between the cities of Kenyon and Wanamingo MN.) They pioneered to Minnehaha County, South Dakota, in 1866. John and Kristi left with John Nelson and Nelson’s wife, Anne Marie Dalemo and their 4 yr old child on June 4th 1866. Both couples had a team of oxen and a wagon (prairie schooner). Their common property was a dog and three cows. They arrived on June 29, 1866, John’s Birthday, near the school for the deaf in what is now Sioux Falls, SD.
John and Kristi settled north of Sioux Falls next to the Sioux River on what he would later call Walnut Grove.