Lucius Fairchild

We're in the process of updating our website! Learn more about what that means and how you can help create history..

Civil War Hero

Stuart Stotts

Meet a soldier-statesman who learned early that it takes courage and persistence to succeed in life, whether fighting to save the Union, campaigning for political office, or advocating for the rights of others.

112 pages, 7 x 9, 37 b&w photos
Paperback: $12.95 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-460-9
Ebook: $9.99 | ISBN: 978-0-87020-663-4
Publication Date: 1/5/2011

Reading Level: Ages 8–14, Grades 3–8

BUY

-

Description

Lucius Fairchild’s life brimmed with adventure. As a young man, he headed west across sprawling prairies and high mountains to seek his fortune during the California Gold Rush. Although he found little gold, he made money in other pursuits before returning home to Wisconsin. When volunteers were needed to fight in the Civil War, Fairchild proclaimed, “no one can take a clatter at that . . . more easily than I can.” Rising to the rank of colonel, he led Wisconsin’s legendary Iron Brigade in numerous battles before losing his own left arm at the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, with the glow of a returning hero, Lucius went on to win three terms as governor of Wisconsin and, later, secure diplomatic posts in Europe. Lucius Fairchild: Civil War Hero introduces young readers to a great Wisconsin soldier-statesman.

Even as Fairchild advanced his own career, he never forgot the importance of serving others. As governor and first lady, Lucius and his wife, Frances, swiftly came to the aid of Peshtigo Fire victims in 1871. As commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, he made it a top priority to ensure that veterans were properly cared for. And in the decades following the Civil War, he was a consistent and outspoken supporter of civil rights for Black Americans.

In Lucius Fairchild: Civil War Hero, readers will follow Fairchild through his many adventures and learn how he embodied the ideal that helping people is what makes a real hero. This history-rich biography is enhanced with sidebars on the California Gold Rush, Free States and Slave States, the Iron Brigade, and the Gettysburg Address, as well as a timeline, glossary, and discussion questions.

Author Bio

Stuart Stotts

Stuart Stotts is a Wisconsin-based author, storyteller, educator, and songwriter who has been captivating audiences—children, educators, and families—for more than forty years. He is a Kennedy Center–recognized teaching artist who delivers engaging school assemblies, writing workshops, and professional development sessions focused on integrating music, movement, and literacy through brain-based, relationship-driven techniques. Stotts has written several children’s books rooted in history and social themes. He lives in Deforest, Wisconsin.