served as a Wisconsin delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1860, where he worked for the nomination and election of Stephen A. Douglas. Civil War service After the outbreak of the American Civil War, Barstow wrote to General John C. Frémont, who had been named commander of the Department of the West, and offered to raise a regiment of cavalry. In the intervening months, the United States Department of War reduced their request for additional volunteer cavalry regiments and revoked the authorization for Barstow's regiment, but, after appeals from Barstow and Governor Alexander Randall, demonstrating that the regiment was nearly complete, the War Department restored his authority. The 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment mustered into the service of the Union Army under Colonel William Barstow on January 31, 1862, at Camp Barstow, near Janesville, and left the state on March 26, proceeding to St. Louis. Shortly after their arrival at St. Louis, Colonel Barstow was named Provost Marshal of Kansas and the regiment was distributed around the state on provost duty. For most of his term in this role, Colonel Barstow operated out of Fort Leavenworth. Only months after starting his service, Colonel Barstow was struck by illness and, after struggling for several months, he accepted reassigned in the summer of 1863 to preside over courts-martial at St. Louis, Missouri. He was mustered out of the service on March 4, 1865, and received a retroactive promotion to brigadier general of volunteers on March 13, 1865. He remained in Leavenworth, Kansas, after leaving the service and bid for a contract on the state prison. Two of his sons also relocated to the city. His health had continued to decline through his years in the war, suffering from chronic diarrhea. He died at Leavenworth, Kansas, on December 13, 1865. Family and legacy William A. Barstow was married to Maria Quarles of Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had four sons. Barstow was the son of William Augusta Barstow and Sally Hall Barstow. His Uncles John and Ebenezer Barstow were volunteers in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. Ebenezer Barstow's grandson, John L. Barstow, was the 39th Governor of Vermont. Barstow Street in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin, is named for him. Electoral history Wisconsin Secretary of State (1849) | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 6, 1849 Wisconsin Governor (1853, 1855) | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 8, 1853 | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General