hiː wʌz ɛŋɡˈeɪdʒd ɔnðə ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ ænd nˈɔːɹθ wˈɛstɚn ɹˈeɪlweɪ ʌntˈɪl ˈeɪpɹəl nˈaɪntiːn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, wˌɛn hiː ɛnlˈɪstᵻd æz ɐ pɹˈaɪvət ɪn kˈʌmpəni ˈiː, sˈɛkənd wɪskˈɑːnsɪn ˈɪnfəntɹi ɹˈɛdʒɪmənt dˈuː tə ðə sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ.
He was engaged on the Chicago & North Western Railway until April 19, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Company E, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment due to the Civil War.