| Election Name: | 1865 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Wisconsin |
| Flag Year: | 1866 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1863 |
| Next Election: | 1867 Wisconsin gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1867 |
| Election Date: | November 7, 1865 |
| Nominee1: | Lucius Fairchild |
| Party1: | National Union Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 58,332 |
| Percentage1: | 54.69% |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 48,330 |
| Percentage2: | 45.31% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | James T. Lewis |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Lucius Fairchild |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1865 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1865. Republican Party candidate Lucius Fairchild won the election with nearly 55% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Harrison Carroll Hobart.[1]
The incumbent Governor, James T. Lewis, refused nomination for re-election.
The American 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 incumbent Wisconsin Secretary of State at the time of the 1865 election, having been elected in the 1863 election on the Democratic Party ticket. Fairchild was one of the first Wisconsin men to volunteer for service in the Union Army, rising from captain to colonel with the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in the famous Iron Brigade in the eastern theater of the war. He led the regiment in fierce fighting during the first 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 a Union Army officer through the entire war, rising from captain to brigadier general, operating as colonel of the 21st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and brigadier in XIV Corps in the western theater of the war. He was captured and escaped captivity during the war. Prior to the war, Hobart had served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, and had served as Speaker of the Assembly in the 1849 session. He had also served as in the Wisconsin State Senate during the 1st Wisconsin Legislature. This was Hobart's second attempt at election for Governor of Wisconsin, having been defeated by Alexander Randall in the 1859 election.
| County | 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 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| Fond du Lac | 2,871 | 50.97% | 2,759 | 48.98% | 112 | 1.99% | 5,633 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||