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 County results Fairchild : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Hobart : 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1865 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1865.Union candidateLucius Fairchild won the election with nearly 55% of the vote, defeatingDemocratic candidateHarrison Carroll Hobart.[1]
The incumbent Governor,James T. Lewis, refused nomination for re-election.
TheAmerican Civil War had concluded just a few months before this election was held; both major party candidates in this election were retired brigadier generals who had served with distinction in the war.
Lucius Fairchild was the incumbentWisconsin Secretary of State at the time of the 1865 election, having been elected in the 1863 election on the Union Party ticket. Fairchild was one of the first Wisconsin men to volunteer for service in the Union Army, rising from captain to colonel with the2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in the famousIron Brigade in theeastern theater of the war. He led the regiment in fierce fighting during thefirst day of the Battle of Gettysburg. At Gettysburg, Fairchild was wounded and captured. He was quickly released from captivity, but his left arm had been crushed and had to be amputated. He returned to Madison to recuperate, and was then nominated for Wisconsin Secretary of State. President Lincoln awarded him an honorary promotion to brigadier general.
Harrison Carroll Hobart had served as aUnion Army officer through the entire war, rising from captain to brigadier general, operating as colonel of the21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and brigadier inXIV Corps in thewestern theater of the war. He was captured and escaped captivity during the war. Prior to the war, Hobart had served in theWisconsin State Assembly, and had served as Speaker of the Assembly in the1849 session. He had also served as in theWisconsin State Senate during the1st Wisconsin Legislature. This was Hobart's second attempt at election for Governor of Wisconsin, having been defeated byAlexander Randall in the1859 election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Union | Lucius Fairchild | 58,332 | 54.68% | −4.91% | |
| Democratic | Harrison Carroll Hobart | 48,330 | 45.31% | +5.11% | |
| Scattering | 12 | 0.01% | |||
| Majority | 10,002 | 9.38% | |||
| Total votes | 106,674 | 100.00% | |||
| National Unionhold | Swing | -10.02% | |||
| County[2][3] | Lucius Fairchild National Union | Harrison C. Hobart Democratic | Margin | Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 594 | 82.50% | 126 | 17.50% | 468 | 65.00% | 720 |
| Ashland | 29 | 55.77% | 23 | 44.23% | 6 | 11.54% | 52 |
| Brown | 447 | 34.57% | 846 | 65.43% | -399 | -30.86% | 1,293 |
| Buffalo | 523 | 71.25% | 211 | 28.75% | 312 | 42.51% | 734 |
| Burnett | 27 | 100.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 27 | 100.00% | 27 |
| Calumet | 485 | 45.63% | 578 | 54.37% | -93 | -8.75% | 1,063 |
| Chippewa | 200 | 47.28% | 223 | 52.72% | -23 | -5.44% | 423 |
| Clark | 109 | 73.65% | 39 | 26.35% | 70 | 47.30% | 148 |
| Columbia | 2,021 | 65.03% | 1,087 | 34.97% | 934 | 30.05% | 3,108 |
| Crawford | 517 | 47.09% | 581 | 52.91% | -64 | -5.83% | 1,098 |
| Dane | 3,535 | 57.05% | 2,660 | 42.93% | 875 | 14.12% | 6,196[a] |
| Dodge | 2,702 | 43.01% | 3,580 | 56.99% | -878 | -13.98% | 6,282 |
| Door | 309 | 81.96% | 68 | 18.04% | 241 | 63.93% | 377 |
| Douglas | 45 | 45.45% | 54 | 54.55% | -9 | -9.09% | 99 |
| Dunn | 417 | 61.87% | 257 | 38.13% | 160 | 23.74% | 674 |
| Eau Claire | 422 | 57.41% | 312 | 42.45% | 110 | 14.97% | 735[a] |
| Fond du Lac | 2,871 | 50.97% | 2,759 | 48.98% | 112 | 1.99% | 5,633[b] |
| Grant | 2,577 | 69.50% | 1,131 | 30.50% | 1,446 | 39.00% | 3,708 |
| Green | 1,552 | 68.07% | 728 | 31.93% | 824 | 36.14% | 2,280 |
| Green Lake | 1,027 | 70.88% | 422 | 29.12% | 605 | 41.75% | 1,449 |
| Iowa | 1,102 | 51.09% | 1,051 | 48.73% | 51 | 2.36% | 2,157[c] |
| Jackson | 506 | 72.29% | 194 | 27.71% | 312 | 44.57% | 700 |
| Jefferson | 2,003 | 46.17% | 2,335 | 53.83% | -332 | -7.65% | 4,338 |
| Juneau | 627 | 52.96% | 556 | 46.96% | 71 | 6.00% | 1,184[a] |
| Kenosha | 1,035 | 65.22% | 552 | 34.78% | 483 | 30.43% | 1,587 |
| Kewaunee | 122 | 24.16% | 383 | 75.84% | -261 | -51.68% | 505 |
| La Crosse | 1,127 | 60.82% | 725 | 39.13% | 402 | 21.69% | 1,853[a] |
| La Pointe | 29 | 64.44% | 16 | 35.56% | 13 | 28.89% | 45 |
| Lafayette | 1,213 | 46.96% | 1,370 | 53.04% | -157 | -6.08% | 2,583 |
| Manitowoc | 1,013 | 36.11% | 1,792 | 63.89% | -779 | -27.77% | 2,805 |
| Marathon | 112 | 18.33% | 499 | 81.67% | -387 | -63.34% | 611 |
| Marquette | 446 | 43.47% | 580 | 56.53% | -134 | -13.06% | 1,026 |
| Milwaukee | 2,271 | 31.07% | 5,038 | 68.92% | -2,767 | -37.85% | 7,310[a] |
| Monroe | 1,006 | 63.39% | 581 | 36.61% | 425 | 26.78% | 1,587 |
| Oconto | 352 | 59.36% | 241 | 40.64% | 111 | 18.72% | 593 |
| Outagamie | 739 | 42.33% | 1,007 | 57.67% | -268 | -15.35% | 1,746 |
| Ozaukee | 263 | 13.80% | 1,643 | 86.20% | -1,380 | -72.40% | 1,906 |
| Pepin | 231 | 75.24% | 76 | 24.76% | 155 | 50.49% | 307 |
| Pierce | 540 | 69.41% | 238 | 30.59% | 302 | 38.82% | 778 |
| Polk | 197 | 63.75% | 112 | 36.25% | 85 | 27.51% | 309 |
| Portage | 597 | 61.80% | 369 | 38.20% | 228 | 23.60% | 966 |
| Racine | 1,499 | 56.54% | 1,152 | 43.46% | 347 | 13.09% | 2,651 |
| Richland | 967 | 60.32% | 636 | 39.68% | 331 | 20.65% | 1,603 |
| Rock | 3,190 | 73.98% | 1,122 | 26.02% | 2,068 | 47.96% | 4,312 |
| Sauk | 1,681 | 69.15% | 750 | 30.85% | 931 | 38.30% | 2,431 |
| Shawano | 138 | 54.33% | 116 | 45.67% | 22 | 8.66% | 254 |
| Sheboygan | 1,605 | 49.02% | 1,669 | 50.98% | -64 | -1.95% | 3,274 |
| St. Croix | 543 | 69.26% | 241 | 30.74% | 302 | 38.52% | 784 |
| Trempealeau | 415 | 89.83% | 47 | 10.17% | 368 | 79.65% | 462 |
| Vernon | 1,164 | 90.65% | 120 | 9.35% | 1,044 | 81.31% | 1,284 |
| Walworth | 2,890 | 77.23% | 852 | 22.77% | 2,038 | 54.46% | 3,742 |
| Washington | 599 | 23.33% | 1,969 | 76.67% | -1,370 | -53.35% | 2,568 |
| Waukesha | 1,939 | 48.92% | 2,025 | 51.08% | -86 | -2.17% | 3,964 |
| Waupaca | 1,109 | 69.27% | 492 | 30.73% | 617 | 38.54% | 1,601 |
| Waushara | 1,050 | 80.09% | 261 | 19.91% | 789 | 60.18% | 1,311 |
| Winnebago | 2,180 | 62.66% | 1,299 | 37.34% | 881 | 25.32% | 3,749 |
| Wood | 223 | 46.27% | 259 | 53.73% | -36 | -7.47% | 482 |
| Soldiers | 1,200 | 81.25% | 277 | 18.75% | 923 | 62.49% | 1,477 |
| Total | 58,332 | 54.68% | 48,330 | 45.31% | 10,002 | 9.38% | 106,674 |
