Ferdinand Frommholz, 16th Ky. Infantry

Many immigrants with ties to Campbell County fought in the Civil War. Among these was Ferdinand Frommholz (whose name, like many others, appeared in various forms, such as Fromholz and Fromholtz.)

Born in Prussia on January 9, 1821, Ferdinand married Frances Hoffman on September 19, 1860, in Hamilton County, Ohio. He had two sons from a previous marriage, and Frances helped raise them, but the new couple did not produce any more children.

After the coming of the Civil War, he was drafted into company I of the 16th Kentucky Infantry on June 23, 1864. At that time, he stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall, had gray eyes, light hair, and a light complexion. His occupation was either a sailor or, more likely, a saddler, as records differ on this detail.

The 16th was a busy regiment while Ferdinand was an active soldier, taking part in William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, and then marching and fighting in Tennessee, including in important Union victories at the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

Soon after these contests in November and December of 1864, Ferdinand was listed as being sick in Tennessee in early January of 1865, and then in a general hospital in Covington starting January 5.

Unfortunately, he never was able to return to his regiment as an active soldier, as records in his file explain

One letter, from a surgeon of the 30th Wisconsin Infantry on July 3, 1865, noted that Ferdinand: “is suffering from chronic diarrhea, and that in consequence thereof, he is, in my opinion, incapacitated for duty, and will be for the period of sixty days from this date.”

The military soon thereafter received a message about Ferdinand.

Alexandria, Campbell County, August 15, 1865

Major General (John M.) Palmer,

Comdg. Ky.

 

             “Respectfully forwarded statement of death Ferdinand Fromholz of Co. I 16th Ky Infty., who was furloughed July 3, 1865 for 15 days and was at the time suffering from chronic diarrhea, and statement as such forwarded by his physician at this place attending him for not reporting at expiration of time. Mr. Fromholz died at this place on Saturday August 12th, 1865 of chronic diarrhea.”

            “You will please forward statement of same to the proper office that his descriptive roll may be forwarded his wife at this place. She is in very destitute circumstances. Mr. Fromholz has never drawn any pay yet. Any and all attention will be thankfully appreciated by his wife.”

Respectfully,

Thomas Jones,

Campbell County Court

 

A notation on the side of the page reads: “W. B. Harland, assistant adjt. General.  Please forward all necessary steps to be taken…and oblige Mrs. Fromholz.”

 

A Campbell County physician, Hugh Knox Rachford, also recorded his observations: “I examined and rendered medical attendance to Ferdinand from July 6th, 1865 until the time of his death.”

 

Ferdinand “was laboring under chronic diarrhea in an advanced form with some affliction of the lungs.” His condition was so bad that “he was not at any time able to leave his room from the time I saw him until the time of his death.”

 

Ferdinand’s body was interred in what is now known as St. Paul’s Church Cemetery in Alexandria, also called St. Paul Evangelical Reform Church Cemetery.

His widow Frances had been born in Germany around 1825 or 1826. She filed for her widow’s pension in May of 1866 and did receive $8 per month, plus $2 per month for each child until they turned age 16, one in 1866 and the other in 1869. Her pension was effective August 13, 1865, the day after Ferdinand’s demise.

 Frances remained in Campbell County for years, per the 1870 and 1880 census records.

Details of her death and burial information remain unknown, though her widow’s pension file shows that she was dropped from the pension rolls as of October 8, 1900 due to her death, and an administrator’s bond of her estate is dated April 2, 1900, with son Otto as the administrator. She may have been buried in an unmarked grave next to her husband.

                                                        Photo from findagrave memorial id 139012693

 

Daniel Myers Jr., 21st and 187th New York Infantry

Not all Civil War veterans who lived or died in Campbell County were born in the area. In fact, many were born in other nations or states, often hundreds of miles or more away. One such example is Daniel Joseph Myers (sometimes spelled “Meyers”) Jr., who entered this world September 26, 1837, in Buffalo, New York. Unlike most of these local men, he saw action in the most famous region of the war, the Eastern Theater.

He eventually made his way west, settling in Newport, Campbell County for his final few decades.

His first appearance on a census record was in 1850, in Buffalo. His father Daniel worked in construction as a paver, and the household included his mother Catharine and his four siblings.

By 1860, Daniel lived with his first wife Louisa, their daughter, and his father. He was a real estate agent.  

He was an early entrant into the war, as he enlisted just a month after it started, joining company G of the 21st New York Infantry, sometimes called the “1^st Buffalo Regiment,” on May 9, 1861, in, of course, Buffalo. This regiment had originally mustered in as a three-month unit, but officials soon had it reorganized for two years, a decision that many of the men “received with ill feeling” leading to forty-one soldiers being placed under arrest.¹  

He was commissioned as a 1^st Lieutenant on July 4, 1861, to date from his enlistment date of May 9, then was promoted to captain on January 12, 1863, to date from December 8, 1862.

During his time in the regiment, he fought in a few of the war’s most famous battles. He was wounded at 2^nd Bull Run, on August 30, 1862, and was possibly in the fighting at South Mountain and Antietam, before seeing action at the bitter Union defeat at Fredericksburg in December.

He mustered out of the unit on May 18, 1863, in Buffalo after his two year term expired, but his military life was only temporarily paused.

On September 10, 1864, he joined the 187^th New York Infantry as a 1^st lieutenant and adjutant. He was never commissioned into those ranks but was commissioned as the regiment’s lieutenant colonel on December 3, 1864, to date from October 11.

The 187^th left New York on October 11, 1864, and Daniel was involved in several fights of the Overland Campaign as the war’s end neared, including at Hatcher’s Run, Weldon Railroad, and Five Forks. He probably was present for the fall of Petersburg and at Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House, as well as the Grand Review of Union Armies in Washington D.C. in late May of 1865.

Daniel was discharged from the army with the regiment on July 1, 1865.

He married Ida Smith in 1878, and they had three children born in Buffalo through 1885. By 1890, however, they had relocated to Newport, where six years later, their home suffered enough damage in a bad storm to have it mentioned in the newspaper. During the tempest, lighting struck their home “and glanced off, breaking a widow and striking a sewing machine,” knocking that machine over and leaving behind "a stain as though a red hot iron had been placed upon it.”²

Fortunately, everyone in the house was unharmed.

Four years later, Daniel still lived on Columbia Street in Newport with his wife, daughter, and two sons. He worked as a railroad claims agent. He continued to live in the same city, collecting a $15 monthly pension as of November of 1907, and working as a railroad rate clerk in 1910, when he and Ida shared their home with two sons.

The start of the 1920s brought no change to where he lived or worked, but his household now included two sons, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson.

Daniel passed away on May 23, 1921, in Newport, due to “lymphangitis, septic.” This disease was likely an infection of his lymphatic system and  perhaps a complication of skin infections.3

A contributing factor was a “traumatic fall on sidewalk,” and his family agreed that he had “never fully recovered from injuries received” in that recent accident.

He had been a ticket agent at the Cincinnati depot of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and had supposedly worked for the railroad for nearly forty years. His obituary claimed he had lived in Newport for sixty years, though the actual number was probably just more than thirty, as his youngest child had been born in Buffalo in 1885, and his first known appearance in Campbell County records occurred in 1890.

He also had been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Two sons, one daughter, and his widow survived him.⁴  

Daniel was buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

¹https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/unit-history/infantry/21st-infantry-regiment, Accessed March 2, 2023
²Cincinnati Enquirer, July 16, 1896

³https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25234-lymphangitis, Accessed March 2, 2003

4Cincinnati Enquirer, May 24,

Letters from a Civil War Relative # 15, the Final One: Undated Fragment

 
This fragment is the final entry in this series. I could fit it no other place so I'm posting it alone. Unfortunately, his optimistic outlook on the war did not prove to be true.

I created this special page to put links to all of these letters in one place.

My friend it is anuff  (enough?) illegible about to think how the grate Union is torn up and I can tell you that it a going to caus bloodshed to settel it. There is one thing I now that we will whip them some day or another and I don’t think it will be long for we hear some mity good nuse and you no it does us a great deal of good.

So I must come to a close but still remain your affectate son untell death. 

From Richard Stamper to Joel Stamper, rate by Lewis Reynolds, read it if you can.

bad pen.  

 

Letters from a Civil War Relative #14: Unknown Date and Place

This is the next-to-last entry in this series which has taken me weeks to post. 

I want you to tri to rite to me oftner than you deo for you don’t know the pleasure it is to me to receive a letter from you. Tell all of my old friend howdy for me for I don’t know when I will get to see them for I don’t see any prospect of peas at this time but I think I will get home again Christmas if not sooner.

I want you to come and see us as soon as you can for I don’t think we will leave hear shortly. The orders is for us to stay hear and hold this firrt  (fort).

I have land out $5 dollars and hav got 23 as yet and if you will come out I will give you 10 dollars for I no you worked hard to raise me and hant forgot it.

I don’t want my brothers and sisters to forget me for I hang forgot them yet so I shal close by still remain your son untell death from Richard Stamper to Joel Stamper and family.

A few lines to Jame Gun (This was probably James Gunn, a Baptist minister per the 1860 census.)  I am well and would like to see you and your old woman and also Lewis and Malin is well and I want you to rite to us and let us no how you are geting along so I shal close. Richard Stamper to James Gun     

A few lines from Lewis Reynolds to Joel Stamper. My old friend, I would like to see you and hear you talk. I think it would be pleasure to me. Tell all of the girls howdy for me. So I must close, Lewis Reynolds to Joel Stamper

Lewis and Malin referred to brothers Lewis and Malon Reynolds. Lewis wrote this letter so he probably used the third-person since the first section of the letter was to be from Richard.

Letters from a Civil War Relative #13: July 9, 1862 from Camp Cottrell

Camp Cotterl Clabern Co Tennessee July the 9 day 1862

My dear father, I seet my self once more to let you no that I am well at this time, hoping when these few lines come to hand it may find you in good health. I would like to see you all once more but I no I am deprived of that opportunity at the present. I hant received a word from you in along time and I think longe of the time of hearing from you and I want you to rite to me as soon as you receive these few lines.

We have got order to go out a-skirmishing at 7 o'clock in the morn. We will be gon 2 or 3 days. There is a talk of our redgiment being converted to cavalry and I wish it may be so for I am tirde of marching. We have marcht so mutch. We hear some good nuse from olde richomd. I hant time to tell you all of the nuse at this time for it will soon be roll call and then we will haf to blow out our lits and go to bed. All is qite in camps tonite.

 That appears to be all of this one, probably written by Lewis Reynolds.

Letters from a Civil War Relative #12: July 5, 1862, from Camp Cottrell

Camp Cotterl Claborn Co Tennnessee July the 5 day 1862

My Dear father, I seet my self this mornin to drop you a few lines to let you no that I am well at the present time hoping when these few lines comes to hand they may find you enjoying the same like blessing. I hant any thing verry strong to rite to you this time only I suppose our men has got whipt at old Richmon and I tell you if they are whipt they are whipt mity bad and that is verry bad nuse to us. I am in hope it ant the truth. It come by telegraft and I am afraid it is the truth.

I wish you could bin here yesterday so you could hearde the cannons firde. That would bin a site to you. It almost jard the ground. I don’t know when we will leave hear.

I hear that Moses Reynolds is coming out hear before long and I want you to be sure and come with him and I want you to bring me one dollars worth of stamps if you pleas and I want John to come and get his discharge for it is readdy for him and has bin readdy for a long time.

The boys wants to see him. Enny how health is verry good hear at this time. All is quite in camps to day. (rate by Lewis R)

I want to no the reason that you don’t rite more than you do. This makes the 4 letter that I have had rote sens I have received are one from you and I begin to think long of the time of you not riteing to me. I want you to rite to me as soon as you receive these few lines and rite all of the good nuse you can get and rite what the cecesh is deoing in breathet county and rite how corn crops looks in that country and how wheat crops looks and also whether it is a good  prospect of a (illegible) and I want you to try to rite ofner than you do if you pleas and tell all of the olde friends to rite to me.

So I must close but still remain your son untell death. From Richard Stamper to Joel Stamper.

A few lines from Richard Stamper to Moses Reynolds. I would like to see you and all of the family verry well at this time. I think it would be great pleasure to me to see you all and hear you talk. I want you to rite to all of us so I must close but I still remain your friend. Untell death.

Rote by Lewis Reynolds

A few lines from Lewis Reynolds to Joel Stamper and family. I am well at this time and Mailon is well. I would like to see you and your family the best in the world but I no I cant see you now girls. I would like to see you and if I cant see you I would like to hear from you. Rite to me if you pleas and I will do the same.

Lewis Reynolds to Polly Stamper

Mailon is Lewis’ younger brother, a private in the same company.

 

Letters from a Civil War Relative #11: June 30, 1862 from Camp Cottrell

Here is another one Lewis Reynolds penned for his buddy Richard Stamper.  The reference to "cain tuck" as "Kentucky" makes me smile for some reason. I can easily imagine my ancestors using that pronunciation.

 June the 30 1862

Camp Cotterl Clabern Co Tennessee

My dear father, I seet my self once more to drop you a few lines to let you no that I am well at this time hoping when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all well and harty. I  hant any thing verry strange to rite to you at this time. We are yet close to the gap and don’t nowhen we will leave hear. Not soon I don’t think. I want you to come and see us as soon as you get your corn laide by if not sooner and I want John to come too for his discharge is reddy for him to get.

John I want you to rite to me whether Major Hamton paide you your meny (money) yet or not. Captain Clarke sent it by him and he sede (said) he would send it to you the first chans (chance) he got and if he hant you must go and see him about it and not (forsake?)

I want you to come as soon as you can so I can send neds close (Ned’s Clothes, referring to Edward Turner, as Ned was likely his nickname) home for I no they would be safer at home than they are hear.

Brother and sisters, I would like to see you all but I no I can’t see you now. We have a guard around us now. Wish uou could all be hear the 4 of July. Our men is a going to take a spree shooting with the canons on that day because indepenance was illegible declared on that day.

I don’t expect to rite any more tell I receive a letter and that may be a large time. It looks like you could rite oftener than you doe (do) for I hant received a letter from you sens the 6 of June and that has bin a longe time it appears to me. It may not appear that way to you, I don’t know that but I just guest that a way. I can tell you some things strange. I seen a woman drummed out of the service yesterday mornin. Father I am as fat and actif as a buck but cant jumpe qite as far but don’t lack  mutch of it. So turn over and read the rest.

Tell all of my friends howdy for me and tell them to rite to me as soon as they can and I will rite to them. So I must close but still remain your son untell death. From Richard Stamper to Joel Stamper, rote by Lewis Reynolds.

A few lines from Lewis Reynolds to Joel Stamper. My friend I am well, hoping when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all well. I would like to see you out hear in dixey (Dixie) verry well.

A few lines to the younge sisters, I am a soldier from olde cain tuck (Kentucky) and I have hade verry good luck. Now I am in Tennessee and I let the girls be rite to me, if you pleas. Poly Stamper.  L R 

Letters from a Civil War Relative #10 June 29, 1862, from Camp Cottrell, Claiborne Co., TN

Here is the next letter to Joel Stamper, this one written by Lewis Reynolds on Richard's behalf. There is some surprising (to me) bravado and confidence expressed in this one. I wonder if the entire regiment was in such good spirits at the time.

 

 Camp Cotterl Claborn Co Tennessee June the 29 1862

My dear father. I seet my self once more to drop you a few lines to let you no that I am well at the present time, hopeing when these few lines come to hand they may find you all well and deoing well.

I have nothing verry strang to rite to you only the gap is open.

The rebels left it in double quick time. Our men took a flag of truce and went to the rebels camps, talked with them and staid all njte with them and they tride to swap horses with our men.

The rebels ses they (sic) that our men and them never will fite and I no the reason because they wont fite us. They hade rather run than to fite and it is good sens of them.

I think my self the rebels left 5 cannons at the gap and they are all spiked and they left all of their tents. They cut their tents all to peases with their nives before they left and they left a greate deal of their commissary stores and a good many shels and balls and a greate many other thing too (illegible) to mention at this time.

I received a letter the 6 day of June wich give great pleasure to hear from you and hear that you was all well

Here is another instance where I am inserting an undated/marked page where I think it seems suitable.

I have had many troubles and trials to encounter with sense I have been in the service and expect to see a great manny more if I live long in this troublesome world. 

I want to deo as my rite is. I can put my trust in god for I no he is the only                                                savior and I want all of my brothers and sisters to deo the same for I no life is                                            uncertain and death is sure

There is several sick her and one died today.

That will make a man come to his (illegible - sadness?) to see a soldier die in                                             the servis.

I want to deo as my rite is. I can put my trust in god for I no he is the only savior and I want all of my brothers and sisters to deo the same for I no life is uncertain and death is sure.

There is several sick her and one died today.

That will make a man come to his (illegible - sadnesd?) see a soldier die in the servis.

The uncertain final page.