Edmond Wilkins was born 2 May 1843 in Dorchester, County of Dorchester, England. He was one of eleven children. He arrived in Canada on his birthday in 1859, arriving at Montreal, Canada, and in 1860 relocated to the Village of Waukesha, Wisconsin. In 1862 he moved to the Town of Lisbon, six miles north of Waukesha.

On 12 February 1864, Wilkins enlisted as a Recruit in Company A, 28th Regiment, Wisconsin Vol. Infantry, going to Camp Randall in Madison, and from there joining the 28th Regiment at Pine Bluff, Arkansas in April 1864.

While on a march Pvt. Wilkins became sun struck and was in the hospital and on sick list for some three months.

On 22 February 1865 the Regiment was ordered to Mobile, Ala., going by boat down the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. While crossing the Gulf on the old flat-bottomed boat Belvedere they ran into a severe storm and thought it was the last, but soon arrived safe and sound at Fort Morgan on Mobile Bay. There they were ordered to Spanish Fort to take part in its capture, and were under fire for 13 days. From the noise of the bombardment, Pvt. Wilkins was made deaf in his right ear.

After the capture of Spanish Fort the Regiment was ordered to Texas and was discharged at Brownsville, Tex., August 23d, 1865 and ordered home.

Edmond Wilkins joined Wm. B. Cushing Post No. 19, Department of Wisconsin, December 12th, 1890, and held the offices of Junior Vice Commander, Senior Vice Comander, Officer of Guard.

He is buried at Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha, Wisconsin.