Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

---

Washburne, Cadwallader Colden 1818-1882

Military officer; born in Livermore, Me., April 22, 1818; brother of Elihu Benjamin Washburne; was a land surveyor in early life, and afterwards a lawyer; went West in 1839, and finally settled at La Crosse, Wis., in 1859. He was in Congress from 1856 to 1862; a delegate to the peace conference in 1861, and soon after the attack on Fort Sumter he raised the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry, of which he became colonel, and, in December, 1861, conducted a successful expedition from Helena, Ark., into the interior of Mississippi. He was exceedingly active and efficient in the command of divisions in operations around Vicksburg in 1863, and afterwards served with distinction under Banks in Louisiana. He was made brigadier-general of volunteers in July, 1862, and major-general in November. From 1867 till 1871 he was a member of Congress, and in the latter year was chosen governor of Wisconsin. He died in Eureka Springs, Ark., May 14, 1882.