Bio: Kesler, George (1838 - 1893)

Contact:  Lani Bartelt

Surnames: Kesler, Engledinger, Weikmann, Kimball

----Sources: Additional Civil War documents, 1890 Special Schedule of Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines and Widows, St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Colby, Clark Co., WI, Additional Note - St Killian’s Church of Colby, WI was renamed to St Mary’s in the early 1900’s.

George Kesler was born in Jefferson County, NY in June of 1838, where he lived till he came to Wisconsin in 1848.

On August 12, 1862 he enlisted in Co D of the 27th WI. Infantry and he served till the close of the war. He was taken prisoner at Jenken’s Ferry, Arkansas and served in the rebel prison for fifteen months. He was mustered out Sept. 20, 1865.

His rank is listed as a Private both at time of enlistment and at time of discharge.

27th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Organized at Milwaukee, Wis., and mustered in March 7, 1863. Left State for Columbus, Ky., March 16. Attached to District of Columbus, Ky., 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, Dept. of the Tennessee, to May, 1863. 3rd Brigade, Kimball's Provisional Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 3rd Brigade, Kimball's Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, to August, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Arkansas Expedition, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Army Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Army Corps, to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Army Corps, to February, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Reserve Corps, Military Division West Mississippi, February, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 13th Army Corps, Military Division West Mississippi, to August, 1865.

SERVICE - Duty at Columbus, Ky., till May 30, 1863. Moved to Young's Point, La., May 30-June 3. Moved to Haines' Bluff June 11, thence to Snyder's Bluff June 16, and duty there till July 25. Siege of Vicksburg , Miss., June 4-July 4. Ordered to Helena, Ark., July 25, and duty there till August. Steele's Expedition against Little Rock, Ark., August 10-September 10. Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10. Duty at Little Rock till March 23, 1864. Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3. Elkin's Ferry April 2-3. Prairie D'Ane April 9-12. Occupation of Camden April 16. Evacuation of Camden April 26. Jenkins' Ferry , Saline River, April 30. Duty at Little Rock and Pine Bluff till February 7, 1865. Pine Bluff June 21, 1864. (Cos. "A," "D," "E" and "H" on guard duty along Little Rock & Memphis Railroad west of Brownsville.) Ordered to New Orleans, La., February 7, 1865, thence to Navy Cave, Mobile Bay. Campaign against Mobile and its defences March 17-April 12. Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26-April 8. Assault and capture Fort Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. Expedition to Manna Hubba Bluff April 19-25. Moved to McIntosh Bluff, and duty there till May 9. Moved to Mobile, thence to Brazos Santiago, Texas, June 1-6. Moved to Brownsville August 2 and there mustered out August 5, 1865. Discharged August 29, 1865. Regiment lost during service 22 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 232 Enlisted men by disease. Total 259.

The 1890 Special Census of Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines and Widows for Colby, Clark Co., Wis., lists him as follows:

George Kesler, Rank Pvt., Co. D. 27 R WI. Inf., Enlisted: 21 Aug 1862, Discharged: 30 Sep 1865, Address - Colby, Wis., Disability –- chronic diarrhea, Remarks: resulting piles, catarrh disease of lung and lumbago, reenlisted.

Later in Clark Co., WI he was a member of the I.N. Earl Post, No. 112, the G.A.R Post in Colby, Clark Co., Wis., and he filled the offices of Sergeant Major and Office of the Guard.

On July 11, 1866 at Manitowoc, Wis., he married Elizabeth Engledinger, who was born Dec. 22, 1844, and they moved to Brown County, Wis., soon after their marriage, where they lived till May of 1886 when they moved to Colby, Clark Co. WI.

George Kesler died at his home in Colby, Clark Co., Wis., on Jan 24, 1893 at the age of 54 years and 7 months.

Surviving him were his wife and five children. He was buried from St. Killian’s Catholic Church with Rev. Father Weikmann officiating and he was buried at the cemetery there as is his wife, Elizabeth, who died Nov. 29, 1913.