Burials in the New Jersey Plot at Gettysburg

[Kip124thNY]

I was reading about the soldiers from New Jersey buried in the National Cemetery and I came across a soldier whose name was William Preser of the Egg Harbor City Calvary. His headstone is marked name, Co, Regt and Cav. I have not found any information on him or the cavalry unit. Has anyone ever heard of this unit?

 

[Tom Elmore]

This individual also stumped Travis W. and John W. Busey in their three volume book, Union Casualties at Gettysburg. They conjectured that it might possibly be Sergeant William Preiser of Company E, 27th Pennsylvania Infantry, who was killed on July 1 (fighting with Coster's brigade at Kuhn's brickyard).

There was also a Corporal Emil Preiser of the same company who was wounded on July 1 and died on August 21.

The company, like the rest of the 27th regiment, was recruited in Philadelphia, from among the German elements of the Northern Liberties and Kensington districts.

Egg Harbor township is in southeastern New Jersey, near the coast. Not being adjacent to Philadelphia would normally suggest this "William Preser" was not likely identifiable with William Preiser of the 27th Pennsylvania. However, it turns out that Egg Harbor, New Jersey was founded in 1854 by German-Americans from Philadelphia. So that suggests how an Egg Harbor recruit might wind up in the 27th Pennsylvania.

 

[Kip124thNY]

In reviewing your information on Sgt. William Preiser and William Preser, it does suggest that they could possibly be the same person. I appreciate your researching my question, thank you.

 

[Frank Preisser]

Hello,
my name is Frank Preisser from Germany.
I'm very interested in the Civil War because two Preisser ancestors from my family came to the US around 1851/1852 and died in the civil war 1863:

Preiser William PA 27 E Sergeant, Killed at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863.

Preiser Emil PA 27 E Corporal, Died at Baltimore on August 21, 1863, of wounds received at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863.

Both of them were brothers. They came with their parents to the US and settled in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.

The father Johan Christian Andreas Preiser died 20.09.1864. Burial: Egg Harbor City Cemetery
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23584825

Another brother, Richard Preisser and his sister Anna Olga Bertha went back to Germany in the year 1868/69.

I am looking for further Information about William and Emil (date of birth, photos). I don`t have a exact date of birth of them.
I think William was born 1842 and Emil 1844. Perhaps this is the grave of Emil:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/...=1863&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=19345655&df=all&

Attached the grave of William.

Thanks
Frank Preisser

 

[Tom Elmore]

Frank,

Welcome! The story of your ancestors is fascinating! Do you know the name of the town/city and German state the Preisser family came from, before they left for the United States?

You may know that approximately 5,000 Union soldiers who served at Gettysburg were born in one of the German states (including Prussia, Bavaria, Grand Duchy of Baden, Wurttemberg, Kingdom of Hanover, Hesse, Saxony, Nassau, Duchy of Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchy of Brunswick, Free City of Bremen and Thuringia).

William and Emil were likely both shot down just a few minutes after 4 p.m. on July 1, 1863 in a lane just north of the town of Gettysburg, on the site of a brick-making business. This lane is preserved today as Coster Avenue, in honor of their brigade commander, Colonel Charles R. Coster, and a painted mural in that location dramatically shows the moment the two sides clashed. I have attached my rough drawn map that shows the location of their regiment (27 PA) just minutes before both brothers met their fate. Their opponent was most likely Louisiana soldiers from the Confederate brigade led by Brigadier General Harry T. Hays.

Emil may have been carried to a temporary shelter in the vicinity, and once the battle was over (probably on July 5), he would have been transported to the 11th Corps hospital, established at the George Spangler farm. The information regarding his death and burial are conflicting. He may have died at the farm a couple of days later and been buried in a nearby field (as noted on Find-A-Grave). Then his remains would have been transferred to the new National Cemetery (commemorated by President Lincoln) in late 1863. Or he may have been afterwards transferred to a hospital in Baltimore, where he died on August 21, and his body later returned to the National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Or perhaps one of these outcomes actually applies to his brother William, if William was not killed outright on July 1. If William was killed on the spot north of town, and afterwards hastily buried by the Confederates, his identity might have been lost.

In any case, the George Spangler farm has in recent years also been preserved, and you can see the original barn and grounds that were occupied by so many wounded (of both armies).

 

[Kip124thNY]

Welcome aboard. I found a little information on William and Emil. According to a muster roll when William enlisted he was 21 so he was born about 1842 and Emil was 17 so he was born about 1846. If I locate any further information I will gladly pass it along to you.

 

[Frank Preisser]

Welcome aboard. I found a little information on William and Emil. According to a muster roll when William enlisted he was 21 so he was born about 1842 and Emil was 17 so he was born about 1846. If I locate any further information I will gladly pass it along to you.

Can you send me a copy of the muster roll? Thanks.

 

[Frank Preisser]

Frank,

Welcome! The story of your ancestors is fascinating! Do you know the name of the town/city and German state the Preisser family came from, before they left for the United States?

You may know that approximately 5,000 Union soldiers who served at Gettysburg were born in one of the German states (including Prussia, Bavaria, Grand Duchy of Baden, Wurttemberg, Kingdom of Hanover, Hesse, Saxony, Nassau, Duchy of Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchy of Brunswick, Free City of Bremen and Thuringia).

William and Emil were likely both shot down just a few minutes after 4 p.m. on July 1, 1863 in a lane just north of the town of Gettysburg, on the site of a brick-making business. This lane is preserved today as Coster Avenue, in honor of their brigade commander, Colonel Charles R. Coster, and a painted mural in that location dramatically shows the moment the two sides clashed. I have attached my rough drawn map that shows the location of their regiment (27 PA) just minutes before both brothers met their fate. Their opponent was most likely Louisiana soldiers from the Confederate brigade led by Brigadier General Harry T. Hays.

Emil may have been carried to a temporary shelter in the vicinity, and once the battle was over (probably on July 5), he would have been transported to the 11th Corps hospital, established at the George Spangler farm. The information regarding his death and burial are conflicting. He may have died at the farm a couple of days later and been buried in a nearby field (as noted on Find-A-Grave). Then his remains would have been transferred to the new National Cemetery (commemorated by President Lincoln) in late 1863. Or he may have been afterwards transferred to a hospital in Baltimore, where he died on August 21, and his body later returned to the National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Or perhaps one of these outcomes actually applies to his brother William, if William was not killed outright on July 1. If William was killed on the spot north of town, and afterwards hastily buried by the Confederates, his identity might have been lost.

In any case, the George Spangler farm has in recent years also been preserved, and you can see the original barn and grounds that were occupied by so many wounded (of both armies).

Before they left Germany the Family was living in Stuttgart and Ulm in the german state Baden-Württemberg.
Thanks for the Information.

 

[Wallyfish]

Very interesting thread. Far too many Gettysburg visitors never see Coster Avenue.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Some soldiers from the states of Wurttemberg and Baden who served at Gettysburg:

Wurttemberg:
CSA:
-Sergeant Charles Merkle, Company A, 8th Louisiana, possibly present.
-Bonsold Baker, Company A, 18th North Carolina, possibly present.
USA:
-Private Henry Nickell, 1st Minnesota, born Stuttgart, mortally wounded.
-Private Jakob Fritz Roecker, Company E, 14th Brooklyn, born 1828, village of Flacht.
-Christopher John Thrain, Company D, 15th Massachusetts, born 16 June 1823, Althausen, wounded.
-Carl F. Long, Company F, 3rd U.S. Infantry, mortally wounded.
-Christiana F. Schmidtzer, Company G, 6th U.S. Infantry, mortally wounded.
-Lucas Rittler, Company K, 2nd U.S. Infantry, killed.
-Lieutenant Frederick Schaefer, Company C, 73rd Pennsylvania, born 30 September 1837, Alpinsbach.
-Corporal Carl L. Muller, Company C, 82nd Illinois, born Ingolfingen, captured.
-Corporal Andreas Rupp, Company C, 82nd Illinois, born Holzhausen, captured.
-Private Friedrich Calmback, Company D, 82nd Illinois, killed.
-Sergeant Bernhard Brost, Company G, 82nd Illinois, born Neidleigen, captured.
-Private Engelbert Bandle, Company G, 82nd Illinois, born Eplingen, captured.
-Private Frederick Kubler, Company H, 82nd Illinois, born Weisteurode, captured.

Baden:
CSA:
-Philip Knapp, 6th Louisiana, captured July 4 at South Mountain.
USA:
-Lieutenant Colonel Charles Godfrey Freudenberg, 52nd New York, born 1 May 1833.
-Adjutant John Peller, 1st Minnesota, born 5 February 1830, Heidelburg, wounded.
-Private Albert Sebers, 1st Minnesota, born 29 February 1844, Mingolsheim, wounded.
-Adam J. Areman, Company G, 1st Minnesota, born 1 January 1833, wounded.
-Sergeant Frederick Diehr, Company H, 1st Minnesota, born 1834, mortally wounded.
-Sergeant Peter Anger, Company F, 108th New York, born Pryme, wounded.
-George Werner, Company A, 12th U.S. Infantry, possibly mortally wounded.
-George Smith, Company I, 7th U.S. Infantry, mortally wounded.
-Jacob Friedrick Thumm, Company I, 107th Ohio, born 12 May 1844, Scharnhausen, wounded.
-Color Bearer John F. Rieser, 55th Ohio, born 31 December 1837.
-Private Charles Macher, Company A, 82nd Illinois, born Resfort, captured.
-Private Christoph Wolf, Company B, 82nd Illinois, born Durlingen, captured.
-Sergeant Charles Mohr, Company E, 82nd Illinois, born in Pfrzheim, captured.
-Private Adam Hampel, Company E, 82nd Illinois, born in Sackenheim, captured.
-Private Balthaser Roboldt, Company G, 82nd Illinois, born Shelbrom, captured.
-Corporal Carl Richter, Company H, 82nd Illinois, born in Eidingen, captured.
-Private William Haller, Company H, 82nd Illinois, born in Mulheim, captured.
-Private Wendolin Vogele, Company H, 82nd Illinois, born in Stossfeld, captured.
-Private Carl Zeigler, Company H, 82nd Illinois, born in Stollen, captured.
-Colonel Franz Mahler, 75th Pennsylvania, born 1826, mortally wounded.
-Sergeant Barnabas Billian, Company C, 75th Pennsylvania, wounded and captured.
-Captain Hubert Dilger, Battery I, 1st Ohio, born 5 March 1836, Engen.
-August Stein, Company H, 1st U.S. Artillery, mortally wounded.