The following is a translation (done by Emeritus Professor of German Donald Becker, transcribed by Marcus Büker) of the memoirs and testimony of Friedrich Herman Konrad Büker, son of Herman Büker., father of Ed, Fred and others, grandfather of Art, George, and others, great grandfather of Cyril, Owen, Elaine, and many others.

 

The entire writing has been translated (quite an endeavor given it was written in 19^th century German script), and now is available for your enjoyment.

I hope that you will find this as much of a joy to read as I and others have found it to be. It is very entertaining, as well as historically informative. The myriad of anecdotes and stories about early pioneering and the Civil War alone have gained the interest of several historical agencies in Wisconsin. I have sat in wonder looking at historical documentation and seeing how details are filled in by his stories. Most importantly, however, the inspirational value is beyond measure. Friedrich truly loved God, and the purpose of his writing is clear: To show how God worked wonders in his life.

 

In this time of conflict and confusion, in our lives, in our families, and in our world, reading this causes one to pause, to reflect on what is going on. Perhaps through the writing and wishes of this man can come refreshment, healing, and peace.

There are Bible verses annotated by me if Friedrich was quoting from there. There are some words that were not translatable or the meaning was obscure, thus question marks and parentheses were placed there. Otherwise the writing is as close to the words and format as the original as possible, including notes placed in the margins.

I plan to also have a more illustrative text, including family tree and some other memorabilia and historical documents in the near future. The additions can be placed in the supplied binder. If you have interest in the additional material, please contact me.

Marcus Büker

FRIEDRICH HERMAN KONRAD

BÜKER

(1840-1924)

Pioneer, Civil War Hero, Church Founder

 

His Memoirs

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In addition to the many hours of work donated by Professor Becker, I would like to thank Owen Haigh (for keeping the original manuscript in excellent care all these years), Clark Haigh (for submitting the manuscript and translation of the first seven pages to the State Historical Society in 1974), and Dana and Marek, for their invaluable help in getting this (finally) all typed out in semi-final form. And finally, I thank God for the opportunity to read and distribute this.

TO THE READERS

Dear readers. I did not write this book to boast. No, certainly not, but to show you that God, who created the world, is still the same as he was 6000 years ago. And our Savior is still the same today as he was nearly 2000 years ago. And when we try to walk his ways, then he will save us when we are in trouble equally as well as he saved his people, the people of Israel (*the Jews*), at that time and even better because our Savior says: "Whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, it shall be done." And he Himself says: "I will not throw out the ones that come to me." And it is my experience that when I called to him in the greatest dangers, that he heard me. But I have prayed to Him and to my Father: "Not my will, but Thy will be done." That is why I wrote it. That it may serve in strengthening some reader's faith.

And because God protected me so wonderfully from so many dangers, as the reader will see in this book, where I described it very briefly and I am no scholar but only a farmer because I have had only 70 days of English schooling and probably not much more than that in German. But very good Confirmation instructions by old, sincere Doctor Boschard -- and God presented me with pious (Christian) parents, especially my mother.--- Garfield kissed his mother for she helped him to become President. And if my mother would still be alive today, I would surely kiss her three times, because she tried very hard to show me how to become an heir and citizen of Heaven. - And her prayers and wishes are fulfilled, so I may say with Paul that nothing can separate me from the love of God and my Savior. Because God is my shepherd. Song number 47 in the Reform Songbook. And my Savior is with me every day - And even when (if?) the Devil frequently stormed onto me, he always had to flee from the Word of God. My Savior helped me to overcome him.

SHORT TALES OUT OF MY LIFE

 

From Herman, Friederich Konrad Büker.

 

I was born on the 13^th of September 1840, in Langenholzhausen, Fürstentum Lippe, Germany and came with my parents to Quebec in 1847. My sister died on the ship and had to be sunk into the sea. It was very hard for all of us. She was about 6 years old. From Quebec we went to Milwaukee and from there to Sheboygan where the harbor now is. There we had to build foliage huts because there were no houses in Sheboygan to rent yet. After many hardships we went about 10 miles northwest into a very wild region where again foliage huts had to be built. The Reineking's then built a big house where four families spent the first winter until spring and summer. Then another couple of houses were built and land cleared. All the boards had to be sawed with the German handsaw. The logs would first be pounded on four sides and then put on a scaffold. Then one stood under the log and on one step. Sometimes two men could saw 200 feet. It was hard work. But everyone went fresh and lively forward. Only one of our closest neighbors could not work. If he lifted something, blood came out of his nose.

 

It was fall already, the second year, when my father said, "Come, Friedrich, do you want to come with me? I did not see Heelming either yesterday nor today yet." We went there, where he was building a cellar. There he sat, his head resting on his hands. He did not hear us come. Then my father said: "Herman, are you sick?" "Yes," he said, "I cannot and should not work. And I have no bread in the house. I went to one who said I could get some money from him but I did not get any." - Then my father said, "Herman, come, I have six dollars yet, we shall split them among us." "Oh, Büker," he said, "you have done more for me than is possible for you." "Now come on, man. Look at our wheat, it is greening already and when God gives His blessing, then we can thresh next year already." He took the three dollars and was helped. They were the last six dollars that my father had.

Shingles were made in the winter at 75 cents per 1000. But only in the evenings and mornings; by daytime we had to clear the land. My father drove the shingles for the people for nothing to the city. My father did not get any poorer because of it. He had plenty to eat until his end.

The next winter I went into the woods with my father to chop trees for the livestock to (budding?). My father cut down a big elm tree. A big branch came back and hit my father over the head. He fell back into the snow. I ran to him, grabbed him by the hand and called "Father, Father," but I received no answer. I waited a little and then I wanted to run and call my mother. But then he started to move a little and to breathe and then said: "Friedrich, are you here?" I said yes and wanted to lift him up but he said: "Let me rest a little yet." Then I helped him up and we went slowly home. The doctor was called and when he examined the wound he said: "Büker, that could have been worse. The bone is lifted from the skull but the skin is not hurt at all. You are going to be well again in 14 days." Then everything went well until I reached the age of 10. Then my father became ill. On the third day he said: " My time will be run out on Thursday about 2 o'clock, then I'll go home (to heaven)."

 

I had forgotten one thing: our neighbor Heelming came and said: "Herman, I can't make up to you what you did for me." My father said: "Herman you don't owe me anything; I did not do any more than a civilized human would do, let alone a Christian."

 

About 1:30 he called us all into his room. First he spoke with mother and then he said to me: "Friedrich, you are the oldest one. Help your mother all you can. Don't lie, that is unnecessary. Be a man at all times. Don't ever play cards for money." I said: "I'll do everything as you say, Father." Then he gave each of us a kiss, folded his hands, prayed and passed on.

 

I was 12 years old when mother remarried and I was raised very strictly. And if I hadn't been a very diligent reader of the Bible at that time, I couldn't have been so obedient but would have run away. Once I got a terrible beating. I was completely innocent. I was to fetch something from our neighbor quickly. The lady could not empty the dish quite fast enough and I, in the meantime, climbed up a ladder. My stepfather and my mother saw this. That is why I received the cruel beating. I had not been able to come any earlier. If I hadn't been reading the Bible I would have run away the next night. But that night I read in the Bible: "Don't let yourself be overpowered by evil but overpower the evil with goodness." Then I read: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Then I went to bed and prayed the Lord's Prayer. I fought for about two hours with myself and grew quiet because the Bible helped me.

 

Then this story happened. I was to look for the cows and had to go in a south-westerly direction to the former Domeier(?) place, now Weber's (Webster's?) farm. To the lake on the southwest corner. I heard a bell but when I came closer, I saw that they were not ours. Then I went back. From time to time I stopped and listened. Suddenly a big wolf came running toward me. I had no knife and no stick with me. Now you can imagine how I ran. The wolf stayed always close behind. My mother taught me how to pray so I called out: "Oh my God, save me!" I ran about half a mile, jumped on a fence and looked back. The wolf stopped also. I found a large stick in the fence with which I wanted to protect myself in case he jumped the fence. He didn't come though but turned back and went there where he came from. My heart was pounding as if to bust my breast. Since then I never again was afraid of anything.

 

The following year a big bear killed 2 grown pigs from our neighbor and carried one over the fence. I went home, sharpened the butcher knife, loaded the gun and searched through the large Larchen Swamp until I found that the bear was located south of it over the road. The next day the townspeople surrounded the swamp and shot him. He weighed over 300 pounds. Since then I was allowed to carry a gun with me.

 

I want to tell another little story here. I was about 14 years old and burned some brush where I was clearing in the woods. Very dry weather came. I used every precaution so that the fire wouldn't spread and reach the woods. No fire had been seen for a week and I went to church on Sunday morning. When we had finished our dinner, I saw smoke rising from the woods. I changed my clothes and said: "Mother, follow me." The wind was blowing strongly. It was very hot and the fire wasn't very far from our neighbor's fence. Wheat was standing in shoks (bundles) behind it. My mother and I worked until we could no more. We had called the neighbors for help. The smoke went over their home. The fire came closer and closer. Two men went to the grainery when we called but they didn't come. My mother and I were dead tired and the fire was so great and came constantly closer to the fence. We did not see any way out anymore. Then my mother said: "Komm, Friedrich, when no one will help us, our Almighty God can help us. Come, child, we will pray." We kneeled down and mother prayed for help. As we were still fervently praying for God's help, 2 lightning bolts struck. The clouds towered up so thick that we could not see the sun for (in?) a few seconds. The rain came in very big drops which put the fire out in a few minutes. I have never in my life forgotten how my dear mother thanked her Heavenly Father. This was now the 4^th time that I, as a youngster, experienced God's help. I want to mention here that the neighbor came later on to apologize to me. His wheat was standing in bundles on the field behind the fence, and if God had not sent the rain, everything would have been burned and the rain went just about 20-40 feet farther south-west than the fire. The sun was shining bright and clear about 40 feet to the southeast.

 

Then we got a preacher, Dr. Boshardt. Now I went to school again too and to confirmation class. I was over 15 years old when I was confirmed. My mother said to me on the day of my confirmation: "Friedrich, are you going to be true and follow Jesus? Don't act now but better wait until next year." I said: "Mother, I will follow Jesus." Then she said, "Then you may go ahead and it will be the happiest day of your life." Yes, and that it was. And I gave my body and soul to my God on my confirmation day and today it still is the day I like to think of as the best day of all. For my faithful shepherd has always guided me with Jesus' hand and when it was going for me as his disciple Peter, namely that I was beginning to sink on the ocean of this world. He let me begin to sink to be sure, but never let me go under.

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I was over 21 years old when the Rebellion War was under way. Lincoln called 300,000 to arms and in Herman Town a company was also recruited. There were also already fairly many who wanted to go and so they came every few days with the flag and said, "Fritz, you have to go along too." I said, " I want to serve with artillery cannons - that makes a bigger bang". The town officials and the mayor and side supervisor (?) when they came a second time I became a little warm(?). I said I am 21 and a half years old and I knew myself what I had to do. I pointed with my hand to my stepfather and mother- as long as they were not in agreement I wouldn't go. The mayor stood up, laid his hand on my shoulder and said, "All respect for you, Büker, for a such a young man who honors his father and mother. For such a person, things have to go well. We don't want to trouble you any longer." Father and Mother said I should think it over well. On the next day the others came again, but I didn't let on that my parents had left the decision to me, and that my mother wouldn't be happy about it. Then I went to the artillery cannons and I said I will go with you to Franklin (once). Then came a 'hurrah!', one cheer after another, and off we went to Franklin. And when it came time to sign, one of the ( ? ) begged me not to sign, and I said "O-ho, that won't do", and I grabbed him by the collar and said, "Here you write your name..."

He wrote his name down; he tormented me the most. And I said, "We must go, it is our duty." (?)

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Now we had to go every day to Howard's Grove and drill. Then all of the sudden word came that the Indians are not far from Manitowoc. They burn and singe everything in their path. Everybody loaded their wagons to flee to Sheboygan. Riders came galloping in, the horses completely wet and full of foam. Everybody who had any old rifle were supposed to come to Newhouse on the Green Bay Road. (margin note: "Write more here: I had said, come let us see where the Indians are, we traveled there.)

There they wanted to halt their advance, and give them a proper licking. I can assure the reader that was just about the silliest thing I've ever seen. I said, " Let's go there and see where the Indians are; after all, we're soldiers." I said, "Whoever has a fast team of horses...(?)"

The two (Carsäts?) sons fetched horses and wagons as everything was ready. "Fritz are you coming?" "Yes, surely." There were 4 of us, and we set off for Manitowoc. The other soldiers and Captain Schnelle went on to Centerville. When we came to Newhouse, ...(?) at a tavern everything was full of men, rifles, sickles tied to poles, pitchforks ... well, I had to laugh at the ragtag. Still today I have to smile about the poor ...(?).

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My father was already there and said, "Friedrich, be careful." "Don't worry Father... then there's no danger, just go home, don't worry." (margin note: For a rustling leaf shall they flee...)

Just as it says in the Bible, ...

 

We hadn't gone much further when already somebody came in a wagon driving horses full of sweat and foam. Indeed, one could have thought he had a spear in his back... we told him he should take his time. We wanted to see where they were; we also rode further. Fences were burning, but no burning houses. (I think that ye, for a rustling leaf shall they flee)

 

We traveled then as far as we could until it got dark, and we let our driver drive back to Howard's Grove and we went on foot to Centerville to the other soldiers. When we got there a man and his daughter were all to be found. When we wanted to have something to east, nothing was to be found but a barrel of beer and a barrel of crackers; our pillows were a bundle of (sticks?). We didn't need blankets because we had none. That was a small beginning of what was to come. Now I should mention something here. In the forenoon, when we were standing at (Zelzenmeiers? Selsenmeier's?) Saloon, my comrades said, "Fritz, shoot the saloonkeeper's (sprinkling cans?) heads off." "Oh, no," I said. "That would be to ruin someone's things." Saloonkeeper: "Can you do that, Büker?" "Yes," I said. "I would like to see... well, that I would like to see too." "Ach," I said. "I wouldn't like to do that." "Ach," he said in reply, "I'll gladly allow it."

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Then I said, "let's do it in this way. For every head I don't hit, then I have to pay. For every one I hit, you have to shell out the metal (money)." "Good, that's what we'll do." There were probably 14 all together. And now it began. The cans were all set in a row next to one another. "Bang!", one, "Bang!", two, etc., until all the cans had a bit missing from the head. "The king (biggest one?) I will graze a little on the ear so he knows we are here." "Bang!" missed. I said don't touch the king; the landlord went over and I too. "You didn't miss," he said. "Look here. The little blue streaks. There the bullet grazed by. Fritz, I wouldn't like to stand in front of you as a bull's eye."

 

On the next morning, the champion marksman Volradth and 3 others came from Sheboygan. They shot at a windowpane in the mill. There were nine little panes in the window; the center pane was the target, but none hit the middle pane. Then my comrade Peter Kirchen said, "My comrade can beat you here." "With what?" "Well, with his rifle." then one of the marksmen said, "Does the rusty thing shoot that far?" That was a little too much for me. Here are 5 dollars. You give Peter also 5. If I hit the target, they are mine. He gave Peter 5. "wait a minute," he said, "we have to go to Manitowoc, and only have a bit over 5. But you can get 10."

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Peter gave him the 5 back. I said "If you want to look there, and watch, then I will shoot once (talking to the group)" "Yes," they said. "Now," I said, "You had steadied yourself; I will shoot from my free hand." I shot, and when they came back, the one who had made fun of my rifle said to the others, "Oh where are we with our expensive guns? That fellow shot the middle out of the middle pane, probably not a ¼ inch from the center." My captain enjoyed that more than I did. I said they should set the target 50 paces farther away, and shoot against all four of them. But they didn't want to do that.

Now we headed off again to Howard's Grove. Again we stopped at a tavern and laid down in the shade. Friedrich Braun came and said the captain wanted to see me. I went there and asked "what is your command?" He answered, "I have wagered with the landlord that you could, with your first shot, shoot off the string in the (ball? Dome?) on the Liverpol (flagpole). Then the landlord said all his people could drink as much as they wanted if they could do the same thing. "Yes, captain, but that's not possible, I have only 5 dollars in my pocket. "No, " he said, "you haven't wagered, but I." "Boys,"

I said, "how could we have it better? If I hit the target, then there are drinks, and if I don't, then also... Captain, you must permit me however, to fire my rifle. It is loaded for Indians at 200-250 paces." "Fire it into the air." "I loaded again but only with a little powder. Then I said, "Boys, now be a little quiet." Bang!, the flag came right down. The bullet right through the middle. (The front side of the cord completely off, the other side half off, almost completely.) The pulley ball split through the middle, and the flag fell on the ground.

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That caused a 'hurrah!' so that the leaves trembled, and the captain applauded and said, "Do you see now I told the truth?" Now we proceeded to drink. "What do you want, Büker? A little beer? Oh no, you'll drink champagne. You're the best marksman I've ever seen." "No, bartender. I am not and do not want to be more than my comrades."

(marginal note: Dear reader, pride and arrogance I never knew... I said to my comrades, "one should not drink more than one glass.")

 

When we marched from Herman Town to Sheboygan, many parents and friends walked along until we went on the steamship to Milwaukee.

 

Serious drilling was the order of the day, and our Heinrich Schulz (instead of doing that) had taken almost two days of leave in the city. Captain Schnelle tied both of his hands together with cord rather tightly and the next morning the hands were quite swollen. Now the others came and (?) and they asked me. And I went along with them and it was only too true. I said that that is worse than it is in Germany; we want to change that soon. "Corporal, go and tell the Captain he should come and untie Schulz's hands." He did not, however, come immediately. I said, "Sergeant, you go once." He still didn't come. And then I said, "Now let us see whether he will come or not. Go and tell him you come in the name of Company C. If he doesn't come immediately, we will untie them ourselves." Then he came, really quickly. Schulz said, "Fritz, give me your knife." I said, "Heinrich, you were absent..."

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If I had given him my knife, I think he would have, in his rage, slit the captain open. From that time on, nothing else was done. I had always first to say how they should do it.

 

I don't want to relate much more about such things but I do want to tell one thing more. No matter what happened, the captain always found out about it. The comrades were very angry about that. I said that I will soon get to the bottom of that, given that all of you support me unanimously. "Yes," they replied, "we will do that. There will be no one who will be able to find fault with you. You can count on us." I said ,"I will soon have that tattletale." So when we were at dinner, I said to my bunkmates, "Fritz, you sit to my right, and when that guy comes by, you give him one on the (hip? thigh?). Then you hold your hand quickly between your knees and I'll pull mine back so he will think it was me." No sooner said than done, it only lasted a very short time until I was called to the captain. "What can I do for you , Captain?" (marginal note: want to call him "C.")

 

"C. says that you hit him on the hip." "If C. says that, he is a liar and a stool pigeon (flatterer?)." "Don't you know, Büker, that you are not allowed to speak ill of an officer?" "What should I call it?" Then I was dismissed,

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but called back immediately again. " Büker, C. claims that you did it." "Then he is as I already said, a liar and a stool pigeon." " Büker, be careful." "I'm careful enough, because I didn't do it." "Do you know then who did do it?" "Yes, that I know." "Then say it, once and for all." "No, I won't do it. I am no liar and stoolpigeon. If you call me again in the matter, I will send for the Colonel." When C. then came into the camp, there was a terrible commotion of a kind I had never heard before. The Captain came and said they should be quiet. And then it really started (all heck broke loose). The captain came again and somebody called out and hit him on the head with a piece of wood. It was already late, then Enderson said, " Büker, tell the boys that they should stop." I said, "Comrades, everything must have its time. Tomorrow, we will sort everything out." Lieutenant Bodenstad and Corporal Schmidt had said that they had known me for years. And they said I would prefer to spend 8 days under arrest than to tell lies. The next morning: "Comrades, we'll do it this way. The first one who is again caught and relates something to the officers, that person must be kicked out of Company C without mercy." This was accepted quite unanimously. I never heard anything again.

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(marginal note: Now at this point, the act of forgiving should be noticed)

 

And I said, "Comrades, one thing I must still say to you. Something else. We must at some time forgive, for it could have happened to one of us. Now we all want to forgive our comrade C. Truly in everything shall be completely forgotten." Everyone was satisfied with this. It was good to be a soldier in Milwaukee. Camp Siegel was a good camp. When it burnt down, we had to go back to camp Washburn. In Milwaukee we had a lot of fun in the 6 months. I attended two silver wedding (anniversaries?). One time, probably 30 men of our company were at the wedding, and that was a splendid day. Our regiment was very popular with the Milwaukee people. When the Marshall held the farewell speech, he said that not a single soldier of the 27^th regiment had been reported for a mistake and we were praised highly for our behavior. Once we had (fought?) with the soldiers of the 28^th regiment. The men of the 28^th wanted to thrash one their regiment on the red bridge. Three or four of the men of the 28^th had made a mistake and attacked our Petri. He had thrown down two and the others he couldn't catch up with. Since that time, the motto was "One man of the 27^th is as good as 4 of the 28^th."

When payday came, people told us we should watch out for the (loafers?). They indicated they had taken money away from individual soldiers at night. We thanked people for telling us this.

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(Marginal note: Landlord had also warned me)

 

And I want to tell about a couple of pranks. I came back to camp at dusk and a couple of comrades called to me, "Fritz, come here," I went there. "You have to stay. Tonight, the loafers want to check out our camp when the dance is going on at Gumbert's." Well, I had to stay. When the dance began, it didn't take very long until the loafers stepped on the dress of a girl who was with a large, strong soldier from Kewaunee. This happened again during the next dance. The Kewaunee person told the loafers they shouldn't try it again. When he danced with the girl again, it happened the same way. He brought his girl quite calmly into the room. When he came back he said, "Boys, give 'em this way." We shoved them toward him. He took a loafer in each hand and threw them down the stairs. There was about 30 of them. It took about a minute. Then he went downstairs alone and said "All of you boys who want to behave, come back. We soldiers won't hurt you, but you must behave." 15 came back, there were 7 of us in all. I left them. The others said they had had a lot of fun, but they hadn't demanded any money (?). I went to camp and when Petri came home he said ,"they had stopped me and said, "Give us your money." "Yes you can have that." and so I threw one of them in the ditch and the second one also, but the third I couldn't catch. I gave it to them."

 

That was everything that the loafers got from the 27^th regiment. On the next day, they laughed that we paid them who warned us and they were pleased.

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Here I must in addition tell about our first target shooting. Each person received three cartridges; I was the last one to shoot. I fired all three shots but didn't hit the target. I had told the captain he should give me a different rifle; mine had a bad barrel. He said I should fetch one. I fetched one but the barrel was bent. I hadn't seen that (or couldn't).

 

Now it was said, "Fritz must carry the target". They wouldn't allow another gun.

 

(marginal note: His gun at 200 paces 3 ft right 3 ft low) I said, "Captain give me 3 more cartridges." I loaded my gun and said, "Now I shoot a bull's-eye." I fired and the bullet hit the earth, then hit the nail in the paper in front of the target in such a way that it flew away. I had the best shot and the captain (jumped into his hands?) and said, " Büker, you are the biggest (luckiest person) in existence. Boys, give up, you can't catch Fritz."

 

(marginal note: It's good being a soldier in Milwaukee)

 

Now we were sent to Columbus, KY. But there it was quite different; we couldn't get any beer and money was tight. Oh, how we would have loved to have bought something. Now there were hard crackers to eat and not enough of them. Now I want to tell about exercises (drilling). One morning we went to a drilling field. It was on a small, steep hill. One soldier groaned rather loudly. What kind of a groan it was, the reader can imagine. Then Lt. Schräg called "Halt! Who did that?" He could have asked for a long time. "If you don't tell, you shall drill so that the sweat pours out of you!" "Oh-ho," we thought. The wind was blowing very strongly. After some drilling, the next item was (Tillegurun?). We obeyed a couple of times very well until it became too fast for us and we ran with the wind from the trumpet(?). The company understood (knew what was what) the situation. I had told the others, "When you see that I wipe the sweat off with the handkerchief, go left and right into the bushes until I wave the handkerchief again." We had a comfortable rest and went back (to the drilling field).

 

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"Why didn't you listen for the trombone?" "Well, who could hear the bugle in such a storm?" Now there was more drilling, but not for long. It was noon, and now Peter Kirchen and I agreed among ourselves if he again should ask, then he would say Büker and I did it (groan). He asked again, and (he said) quite calmly, "If no one did it, then Büker and I did it". And the Lt. Became quite pale in the face and didn't know what to do, and that was the end of it.

 

The next morning, drilling was the order of the day, and he probably thought to himself, "Today I'll give Büker a hard time." Everything went well, then all of the sudden: "Büker, you made a mistake (in drilling)." My answer was "I did what I always did." Then he said, "Hold your tongue!" I said, "I can't, I have to hold my gun." Then he commanded me, "Shoulder arms!" "That's what I did the first time." The man next to me (Kirchen) said, "Yes, that's what he did." He commanded again, "At ease!"

 

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But I was wrong and he was lucky that he didn't (touch me, bump into me?) (It was his good fortune).

 

In the afternoon, by the divvying up of rations, Decker and Grosswinkel wanted to have their rations alone, not for together, and they got them. Since, however, Grosswinkel apparently said something that didn't please him, and he wanted to teach him a lesson, and said, when he passed by me, "We want to teach the boys order." I said, "Lt. Sir, our boys know what order is just as well as our officers do." Grosswinkel had to get ready and he took him along to the stockade. So I thought, now we shall see whether the boys know order...

 

I went to the stockade and asked the Sgt., what is the man doing here?" "I don't know." I said,"Didn't he say why? Did he give you no paper?" "No, he didn't say either how long he should remain." "No? Then wait two minutes and let him go. If Lt. Schräg comes back, ask him why he didn't leave a paper or no orders." "Well," said the Sgt., " Büker, I don't know the regulations as well as you do. I can get in trouble by doing this." I said, "I take all responsibility upon myself." "Alright," he said.

 

I went away. Grosswinkel came right after me. It didn't take very long, however, for Schräg to hear that Grosswinkel was again in his tent. "Grosswinkel, are you here again?" "Yes." The Lt. ran back to the stockade, and came back fast also. I however had done something to Grosswinkel: I instructed him. I said, "When the Lt. doesn't have his saber on, go halfway with him back to the stockade and ask him where he is taking you. If he says 'to the stockade', then you say to him that he should put on his sword belt. This way you won't have to go with him, and you come back to your tent. And then the second time, you go with him again to the same spot and ask him again where he wants to take you, and when he tells you where, you tell him 'oh, no, you've got your sword, you might kill me. I want a guard to come with me. Both went again to the same spot and both came back. Each time he had to go through the company.

 

20

And now P. Kirchen had to go along as guard. Now, Lt. Schräg had finally after a lot of effort brought him to the stockade, and now he knew he had to do it. I had to do a maneuver, but in return he had to move three times. In all of that, amidst the tents of Company C. My comrades were very much amused. The others laughed themselves silly, and they thought, "Now he has shown the boys in the proper manner what order is, and now he knows it himself, too."

 

The following day, I was sitting in front of out tent. Lt. Schräg came over to me and said, "Büker, are you angry?" and I said, "I was right to be angry. Lt., I can drill just as well as you. I can command just as well as you. I can hit the bulls-eye six times in a minute at 200 paces. At any time I will take two of you onto my bayonet. "Büker, don't be angry. I treated you unjustly. Will you forgive me?" I thought for a little while. "Lt., when you said that you treated me unjustly and I should forgive you for that, then I can do nothing else. Yes, I will do it. He stretched out his hand to me, and said, "Büker, it won't happen again. I said yes, it shall be completely forgiven. After that time, we were good friends for as long as he was with us.

 

Now we received marching orders, and when Captain Schnelle commanded us to the ship and the soldiers knew that the captain was going home, the soldiers on the landing sang the song "Vamoose (skedaddle?) for our Captain is going home..."

21

Now we all had to get on the boat to (Gearriderhan?), Missouri. When we got there, the Rebels had already beaten our people and also taken some prisoners. I then had to throw a few wagonloads of rifles into the Mississippi and we then traveled by ship to Columbus, KY.

But soon afterwards, we had to get back on the ship, traveled down the Mississippi, then up the (Yazoo?) River, and when we had landed we went straight into battle. It didn't take long, however, and our people brought in 30 prisoners. And then we had to go on the march to Vicksburg. There was great heat, and we nearly died under the burden of our clothing and equipment. On the first afternoon, I carried 2 rifles and 2 knapsacks. Oh, if we had only thrown away most of it immediately, that would have been much better. On the second day we were almost exhausted by midday.

Heinrich Kisaw and I were still together. I said to Heinrich, "I cant go any further. Come, let's go into the bushes; I believe there's water there." "Yes, I'm quite exhausted too (at the end of my rope)." And we went and found water. Dead tired, we laid down and had rested perhaps an hour. Then we said we wanted to go up the mountain to see where the others have gotten to. It was a rather high mountain, but there was a sad sight. Everyone was lying in a deep sleep in the hot sun, but the dead tired people didn't feel anything of it.

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I said, "Heinrich, come." I'll cut some bushes and you stick one of them in the ground in such a way that the sun doesn't completely burn their faces. No sooner said than done ( I had a really sharp knife), and we were soon done with that. I an Heinrich could have beaten them all to death. When the Colonel woke up, he thought, "Who might have done that?" Peter Kirchen had said, "Colonel, that was done by no one else but Büker. Heinrich also planted a good shade tree." "Good thing." he said.

 

Gradually, all the others arrived. The colonel's horse was (?) by the heat, and he had to go on foot. And we marched again until well into the night. And we had almost reached our goal, and early enough as well. But how many collapsed on that day from heatstroke? That defies description. And many soldiers lie buried beyond Vicksburg as a result of the double-quick march on the following days ... many letters of condolence had to be sent home. I only will mention one example...

 

23

Heinrich Decker. Weighed in Milwaukee over 220 pounds. After his grave illness when on leave in town Herman, he weighed approximately 125 pounds. He then came back after being on leave.

 

Now, beyond Vicksburg, our meat supplies ran short. I saw a number of tracks over the mountains and there had to be a lot of game there. ( I had gone there again and had seen the tracks there) and now we were permitted at our own risk (to follow the tracks) if we could find something. Five of us went and we saw approximately four head of something, approximately 60 rods across the valley on the other mountain. I said "Boys, our rifles carry that far...(aim) 2-3 feet over the second head of game. We all fired at the same time. The head lay on the ground, but rather far from the camp in enemy territory. But, we went over to it, and it was quickly divided into 4 pieces. The butcher Heinrich was with us, and then we headed home. But we were sweating profusely, yet we arrived home safe and sound and had meat. Shortly thereafter, our cavalry took 400 head away from the Rebels, and our company received a big bull. It was slaughtered quite close to our tents. It was on a steep incline. How it happened I cannot say, but the bull was rolled over and it started to roll more and it rolled onto thick grapevines that were tightly entwined on the trees. The bull rolled to near the mulberry tree and remained hanging 12-16 feet (above ground). Now there was something to laugh about. We had ropes and rolled him back. Since then I never again saw a dead ox hang himself.

 

(marginal note: these ropes were cannon ropes used when the horses got stuck with cannons)

24

Around Vicksburg there was always cannon shelling, and the fort was undermined(?) and then the Rebels were given a short time to surrender. They didn't do it. And then again, they remained stiff-necked. They probably didn't believe we had undermined the fort. And so it was blown up into the air. It is said that only two escaped alive; a black man and a white man. It looked horrible. I saw one cannon looking out (of the rubble) with its front end. Now we had to board ship again, to go to Helena, Arkansas. There I and many others became sick with the red dysentery. I was very sick for several days.

Then Captain Schelle came to me and said, "Büker, I did you an injustice. Will you forgive me?" He had resigned and wanted to leave. I said, "Captain, we never exchanged a word (in anger), as you know. You never injured me, and I can't remember anything. " "Yes," he said, "I did you an injustice." I said he should see me in peace and I was prepared to forgive him for everything. That was, however, because he had not given me in the beginning a post of NCO. He was a (mocker of religion?) and I was a Christian. For that reason, he had given the officer's positions to his kind.

(marginal note: 'sit down with those who mock')

 

A sign that the mocker sometimes experiences pangs of conscience. And if I had not intervened he would have probably not have emerged from Milwaukee alive. He must have sensed (remembered?) that.

 

25

On the same evening at 9pm I was loaded onto a wagon in order to be brought to the tent hospital approximately 3 miles away. I didn't know that I was dropped off for out there one laid me onto the field for dead at approximately 10pm. The next day I lay there until approximately 5pm. I lay there for dead. My comrade Schaffer had looked for me in the hospital, but did not find me. So he found me in the field, and saw that life was still in me. After many difficulties, they had brought me to the hospital. The old doctor in his 70s was also completely exhausted, dead tired.

 

The next morning, I was again completely conscious, and in front of our hospital 'stood' 40 corpses. Yes, many remained here. The next day F. Schaffer came again in the morning and fetched me a canteen full of water from a spring, and 3 apples. In the afternoon, comrade Heinrich Kissau (came). He too fetched me water from the spring and 3 apples. The apples and the water I (ate and) drank very carefully. The second day I could already stand up. But my whole face was so burnt from the hot sun that it completely peeled off and my hair almost fell out. That too was the life of a soldier.

Then we came onto the boat to the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. On the second day, I had myself issued a pass and strolled about half a mile in the city.

 

The next afternoon, I was brought already to the convalescing (halfway) camp. When the old General on the next morning came into our shanty, I had such a fever that the covers were really shaking.

26

"What are you doing here?" (again in German) He was a German general, and people said he was very strict. I said "General, I was brought here yesterday evening, otherwise I wouldn't be here." He looked at my hat, and said, "Company C 27 Wisconsin." "Yes," I said. Colonel (K..?..ntz), ha-ha, he became quite gentle, asked where the regiment was, and I told him everything and how it all happened that I was here. Then he said at 9 o'clock I should be ready and would have to go back to the hospital. I asked if he would be so kind and allow me a request. He said, "Yes, he would be glad to." I said he must send me back to the same hospital where I had been, for I would like to get back to the regiment soon. "Yes, yes, certainly you'll be put in the best hospital that we have here." I thanked him very heartily, and we spoke German for a good while yet. And the stern man became so soft that I could see it in his eyes and I believe that I was brought to the best hospital that there was in the whole army. He asked me about everything; about parents, sisters, and brothers.

 

Yes, such a doctor I have never seen again neither before or after, as the one we had.

 

27

Now I want to also tell something about our doctor and the many "good times" that I had with him. After two days I was completely over my fever. Now, someone was carried in who until the afternoon on which he was brought in had lain for six days under his horse with a shot-off arm in a hole on a hill. His comrades had searched for him everywhere, but not found him until that day. He was completely delirious and very weak. When the orderly brought him something to eat and gave him a piece of meat, he stuck a rather large piece in his mouth. I was sitting right next to him, and quickly stuck my fingers into his mouth and pulled out the piece of meat again in such a way that it flew into the air and fell at the doctor's feet. "Fred," said the doctor, "You shouldn't have done that. He could have bitten your fingers. The man is crazy." "No matter doctor. I am too quick for him." The doctor turned around and laughed heartily. "Well done, that's for sure." I laid my arm around the poor devil (wretch?), cut the meat into little pieces and fed him as a mother feeds a little child. He slept next to me, on my left. Thirteen days passed when I got up and in the morning, my baby comrade was gone. I had just gotten dressed and then my George came up to me, grabbed (embraced) me by the neck, kissed my face again and again. I was completely taken aback and I said the doctor was the one whom he owed his thanks. "No, no," the doctor said, "you were the boy." He still was not able to articulate the words and all of the others laughed. I probably have never seen again a person who was as happy as he, and I also have never again been kissed in that way.

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But also never again has anyone rendered me so much thanks as this person.

 

Whenever we went into town, I could have taken whatever I wanted. I was not allowed to pay for anything. He had a German wife and two girls. He was a shoe-maker. When the topic of conversation turned to women, he pulled an artistic piece of embroidery out of his pocket, and said, "Look here. Does any of you have a wife that can make such a thing? (?) (hummingbird?) in other things. My women will make me a rich man.

 

When I came back from leave in Wisconsin he was again completely healthy, and he went back to his regiment. I had to give him my address, and he gave me his, if I and he were to emerge safe and sound from the war, I was supposed to visit him. "Even if it should be 10 years after the war, I should then visit (travel through) the entire state of Ohio at his expense with my wife and children. It would not cost me anything. "Just believe you are very welcome..." Certainly a grand reward.

 

And now yet another story. At that same time, there was a cavalry soldier in the hospital.

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 As we were coming into town, precisely then his company come, and it was raining. It was (?) on the iron plates at the place where it went around the corner. And the horse of one of them fell, and the cavalry man flew over the head of the horse into the ditch. At first I thought he was dead. I shook him, and he began to draw breath. Then his horse came over and sniffed his head and ears precisely as if he could talk to him. I never saw anything like that.

(resume main text)

 

He had rheumatism so bad that he was completely bent over, and he couldn't straighten his legs at all. He was helpless. I took care of him like a child. He too became completely healthy again.

(margin note:) I told the doctor I wanted to take care of him.

 

The doctor however said to him, "John, don't drink no whiskey; you can just as well take poison." Then all of the sudden his company arrived in Memphis, and in his joy he didn't think of that. So he said to me, he had drunk two glasses and then he remembered. "Oh, John, what have you done?" He said, "Doctor, I know myself I'm to blame." The doctor said he would try his best, but he should get his affairs in order, for his end could come soon. The doctor had already said it; he didn't believe that he would pull through. In the afternoon he had the doctor and two attendants come, and h said that they should be witnesses. He said that all of the money in his belt and pocketbook (should go to) Büker, his caregiver. Because I had cared for him so well, that if he had father and mother, they couldn't have done as good a job as I had done. There was $3050. But, dear reader, I didn't want to take any money, which I thought was not earned honestly. And I sent it to all his brothers, for I believed that he had made the money through horse and mule theft (but I didn't know that for sure.)

 

(margin note: I had taken care of him for 17 days. Quite a big present.)

 

Another had bequeathed to me $50 and a beautiful pocketknife. I sent everything to his wife in Illinois. This man was a very pious Christian. His last words were "Oh my Lord..." He had folded his hands and closed his eyes quite peacefully (calmly). He fell asleep quietly.

Then a mocker died. He often said, "if only the devil would take me." But when it was time for him to die, two string men had to hold him down, and he called out, "Don't you see him?" He thought he saw the Devil, who wanted to fetch him. I would never like to see another die that way and end with terrors.

God does not permit himself to be mocked. O, dear reader...do not curse or swear.

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Then I was given leave by the doctor and went to town Herman. There the snow was deeper than I had ever seen it before. And the crust was so hard that one could go straight through the woods and the clearing wherever one wanted to go. There were only 13 people in the church, the smallest number I had ever seen. Then the 14 days were quickly over, and I wanted to leave again. But old doctor Bock said, "You're staying another week here, aren't you?" And I stayed another 7-8 days. That was really a hard farewell (leave-taking). For I wouldn't again return on leave until my hitch was over. The doctor (in the field hospital) laughed with his whole face when I returned. When the doctor saw that I wanted to return to the regiment, he became downright sad and said, "Dear Friedrich, I thought you were going to stay with me. I would have taught you something so that for the rest of your life you wouldn't have to take a gun or axe again in your hand." If he had said that earlier, then it could have worked out.

 

(margin note: If he had told me that sooner, then perhaps I could have stayed awhile.) And I could have cured a broken leg or arm quite well in 7-8 weeks. But I had it too good and the comrades kept writing that I should come back. And to the doctor I said I wanted to help save the Union. And I went to the regiment in Little Rock.

 

(margin note: He could fetch me back at any time if I wanted.) He said, if however I shouldn't feel well, I could come back to him. He also said if I wanted to come back, I should merely write.

 

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I was only there (Little Rock) for a few days, and then we marched off to the (Red?) River. I could not, however, obtain size 10 shoes, and the captain said, "Büker, you don't have to come along if you can't get any shoes." I said my boots would probably hold out, but on the third day, I already had to throw them away. Now I put on the size 9 shoes, but then I got such large blisters on my feet that I thought I couldn't go along. But to remain behind was (more) certain death. The captain gave me his slippers, but they didn't even hold out for a day. And so Fritz had to walk with large blisters and open-wounded, sore feet. But things got better and better so that I didn't care anymore about the stones, but the many thorns, which there are in Arkansas, and I often had to pull (them) out of my socks. The socks were sewn together in the front again and again till they were used up (sewed?). And it got better and better and I went courageously forward. With the socks, I marched 44 days and I had endured the march until (we were) back in Little Rock. Then we came by a rich farmer who had an enormous number of turkeys and chickens. We stayed overnight in the neighborhood and on the next morning, a couple of his turkeys were gone, and the entire regiment had to fall in with their knapsacks in rank and file. The knapsacks were all examined. Petri and I were on guard. When the officer neared the knapsacks, we all stood ourselves around them. And when the officer wanted to reach for the knapsacks, Petri fell so hard on his back behind him that he somersaulted into a ditch. And we quickly exchanged

 

32

the knapsacks, and he examined the two knapsacks which he already examined. They were not from our company. The company C had once again saved the two. I gave Peter a slap on the back and it resounded heartily. And we both laughed ourselves hunchbacked.

(marginal note: Our trick had succeeded well)

 

I said to the captain, he should tell out colonel that he should never have the regiment fall in again on account of a couple of turkeys. It might not have good results. We never again fell in and no one was again examined (searched).

 

When we had marched for awhile and stopped for lunch, there were again at the farmers place so many big fat chickens. The colonel was sitting on a log, and right behind him were quite beautiful (nice) chickens. Then Petri said, "They're really fat," and I said, "Do you want one of them?" He said yes. I took a stone and threw it right at a big one that was sitting right behind the colonel. I hit it in the neck, dead. I went over and picked it up and the colonel said, "Pretty good throw." That was all. Peter gutted it and wrapped it up. In the evening, those who were rather exhausted got it. I believe that he himself didn't take any of it.

33

Now, we marched further. We went up a long mountain, and all at once a cannonball came at us about 8 feet to the side of the road. It hit an oak (20 inches thick) approximately at ground level and it remained stuck in it. The soldiers said, "It's really sitting in there well." Had the cannonball come right along the road, then many of us wouldn't have gone along anymore. And I said, "How careful the Rebels were. They put their cartridges so tightly into (the trees?) that no one could steal them." We then continued our march, and then we stopped and on the next morning, the Rebels were on the other side of us. But they had to beat it (scram) again.

 

When we came to (Prairiedian?) the Rebels had placed their cannons above it (on the high ground). We had to make our way through spongy land and through thickets in order to set up our cannons. Company C was to the right of the cannons. A rifle bullet came right past my knees and I laid down my knapsack and had just laid myself down when a bomb came right at me. I swung myself onto my face from the side and the bomb was sitting right under my knapsack, but didn't explode. The captain said, "Buker, why are you falling to the side?" "Because you (taught?) to us in this way." "Well, you know that for you, no bullet has been made." "I know that and believe that also." For to this day, none of them has been able to hurt me. Then I said "Captain, do you know what put the fuse out? My Bible did that... it is so heavy and it pressed out the fuse. That must be the way it happened." He knew how I meant it.

Now our Heinrich began to shoot the cannon. BANG! "a little lower, Heinrich," said the commander. "I can't see the Rebel's cannons on account of the grass." I said, "Heinrich, come over here for a minute. Here the ground seems to be 18 inches higher. I can see the knave (hub) of the wheel of the cannon." He came. "Yes, Fritz." And they shoved the cannon to that spot. Then he said, "General, look." "Quite right, Heinrich." BANG! That does it. 13 men with horses lie dead over there. Altogether 13. And the Rebels didn't shoot anymore. And we all had to fall in. But when we all reached the prairie up there, they were already a half mile away on another high place.

34

And we occupied their position and rested on the next day. I believe it was Sunday; however, in the morning there was inspection (parade). How the other regiments got there so quickly I can't say. It was the most beautiful parade I've ever seen. The sun was just high enough so that it shone on all the sabers and bayonets. The sun was shining right from the east to the west along the regiments. In the afternoon (it might have been close to 2pm) I saw the Southern General with his white horse come through the trees and I lay down on the grass so that he couldn't see me. The first time he didn't ride so far forward. The second time, however, he rode almost as far as the little old brook and looked at it quite carefully. Then shortly before sunset, he came again. They lay approximately 1/2 mile ahead of us behind a hill. When I stood there, they sent a cannonball approximately 12 inches above my head. I took a step forward, and then came a second one. I took a couple of steps toward the regiment. I was about to call Heinrich our cannoneer, but he was coming toward me already, and said, "Fritz, what kind of shooting is that?" "They want to kill me, but can't do it. Come and shoot them one into their mouth." Yes, the cannon came and I stood approximately 15 feet away from it. Then immediately another cannonball came toward me but missed me by three feet. "Well, Fritz, they (don't?) want to have you dead along with the rest." "Well, perhaps YOU'LL get it this time." But no, the 4^th shot too, they aimed at me. Now Heinrich shot a shot. I said, "Heinrich, exactly six inches into the log under the window." "I know, (but) you said I should shoot into their mouth. For that reason I made this shot. If they now will just push their cannon again into the window." They shoved their cannon again forward but not out of the window. I said, "Heinrich," "Yes, I already see." He aimed, and what a noise it made. And the Rebels came out of the house, and I never saw people run as frantically. He had shot a cannonball right into the mouth of the Rebel's cannon. A large piece had burst out of it and it didn't bother us anymore. Now in the evening I said to our captain...

35

TOWARD EVENING

In the afternoon, I said, "Comrades, pay attention. They intend to attack us this night and take away our cannons." They ridiculed (scoffed) me (almost?). But the captain asked me whether I wanted to stand watch that night. "How many soldiers do you want to have with you?" I said 12. However, that meant right close to me. I stood from 9pm to 7am, but it was approximately 1:30 when I heard (something) and I said, "Boys, fall in." In a moment, all were standing ready. Then one of them said, "Yes, they are coming. I think I heard a saber rattling." I told the boys quite precisely the direction (from which they were coming) and that they should hold (them?) down lower on the hill. And they were within shooting distance from us. I said, "Ready, aim, fire!" Then there was a noise and the General was standing not far from us. He command(ier?)ed all 6 cannons at the same time. (Shrapnel?) (?) but the cannons thundered only a couple of times, then the order was given to ceasefire. They hadn't taken any cannons. On the next morning the General asked, "Well, Büker, that was probably you again who this night at the first commanded so (softly?)." I said, "Yes, General sir, I had done that, so that they should first come into good range." "Done well, Büker," he said.

 

Then we again attacked the Rebels. It probably lasted 20 minutes. On the next day (almost noon), we thought that evening probably not all of us would return. But dear reader, I had asked God to preserve me and also my comrades, and we had on our side not even a wounded person. On the next day we made an attack on the Rebels in a long line, and they were busy in sending our way blue greetings (bullets). But because they were standing on high ground and we had to go through low bushes and blackberry vines, it didn't go fast. But then the General commanded fixed bayonets. And then they fled in great haste, leaving behind a bunch of rifles.

36

(top margin note: There were approximately 1000 of us in the battle line. Whether there were more Rebels, I cannot say. We probably fired approximately 15-20 minutes, but not a single one of us received a scratch.)

(margin note: here I should write more)

 

I think it was mostly the guns and rifles of those who were wounded and killed already before. I then had to hit the rifles against a sugar maple in order to make the barrels crooked. Among them were some very fancy rifles and the owners entire name was stamped in gold letters on the shafts. Not on all of them, but yet on many of them.

 

(margin note: (literally) when such a thing was dangerous the General asked me if I wanted to do it.)

 

Now we marched out again and stayed the night in a good position. On the next morning, the Rebels probably wanted to try again, to give us something to do. But they again had to take flight. On our left flank, some of our soldiers had advanced fairly far to the front, and the Rebels shot one of them through the leg. His comrade had him on his back, and came back with him, with two Rebels hot on his trail. He called, "Help, help" and we came just in time to prevent them from seizing them. Never have I seen a man sweat so much. His name was Howard ('Haverd').

 

(margin note: They (the spies) had laughed about the fact that I said he Rebels would be on the east side the next morning. I was very sorry, for one of them was well known to me.)

 

Then we stayed again at a different place, and on the next morning, the Rebels had captured two of our spies, the first of us that they had taken of our group. Then they had their cannons standing in a clearing behind thick bushes. And when they shot, they held bushes in front of the place where they shot through. I went there, for the Wisconsin was on that day up front. One man had lain down behind a 'point box'. I stood approximately 2 feet behind him.

37

If the man had not gotten to that place, I would have stood exactly at that spot. Then a cannonball went through the box and right through the soldier's chest. He was dead in less than a second; his left arm and head off. (I should have taken that shot.)

The soldier lay directly in front of me. Then I looked around, and our cannoneer was standing not far behind me. I said, "Heinrich, fetch your cannon and shoot it in the mouths of those over there!" I hadn't seen, however, that the General was also standing there in the bushes, and he said "Oh, no, Büker, Heinrich did his duty yesterday afternoon...he chased them 10 miles." I was again on the lookout, for another one (cannonball) had to be coming soon. Then, however, Heinrich was already arriving with his cannon. He quickly turned around the horses into the low bushes. "I just can't see their cannon," he said. I said, "Pay attention, another one's coming right away." And already, it came. "Just wait," he said. "Now I'll fix you." He aimed, BANG! and the Rebels had no more cannon. They had no more cannon to hold the bushes in front of. The first shot hit the axle right under the cannon and the wheels in front stood almost together (collapsed?).

 

They quickly stuck a (file?) into the ignition hole, and they ran away. Now Heinrich with the third shot destroyed the second cannon, and this in turn with the first shot. And we didn't have any trouble for several days. We then marched in the direction of Camden, and we stopped near the farms. We thought we hadn't had many wounded, but that turned out to be quite different. Each house was full of wounded. I only went into one of them; I couldn't stand looking at the sight very long.

38

My eyes became wet. I felt sympathy with them. And I thought, if only the war would end.

We proceeded on toward Camden. There was an elm tree along the was that was approximately 7-9 inches thick. Water was coming out of a knothole approximately 5-6 feet above the ground. The water was under such strong pressure, that it shot out 5-6 feet from the tree.

Then we had gone a few miles, and I became so sick that the two men had to take me between them, and in this way carry me for three miles. Then I got better again. The comrades thought that I must have drunk bad water.

---------- (side-middle insertion)

and there where we stopped, was a great spring, approximately 20 feet from the path. The water ran to a sawmill and I wanted to drink, but it was very warm. "Is it good, Fritz?" It was very clear, and everyone wanted to drink. I got out of the way quickly when they wanted to get me, and they said, "First he wanted to die, and now he's laughing because he praised hot water to us! (didn't trust his judgment?)

---------

We then came to a wide river. There they wanted to build a pontoon bridge over it. I went over and wanted to watch. Then came a bullet and went through the side of a soldier. I gripped him by the other arm, and them came 2 others from his company and took him along with them. I went a little to the side. There stood the General, who asked me whether he was seriously wounded; I said that I didn't think his lung had been hit, for he was able to draw breath well. There stood the General, and asked, "What do you think about that (bridge-making)?" I said if I were in command, I wouldn't build a bridge like this in the daytime, for they could wound and shoot to death more. I would build it in the night and further up river where hey wouldn't have such a good opportunity to shoot at us.

39

He stood awhile, and said, "Büker, I believe that is a good plan," and he commanded that they should go back "home" for the time being until further orders. After that time, we never again built a bridge at a dangerous place during the day, and as far as I know, no other man was lost in the process.

------------(insertion)

I said, we'll take the fort with trickery, You will send 2 men (naturally two volunteers). They will ride along, as if they don't know where they had to go. And when the sentries stop them then they will ask of what army they were. When the sentries would say Confederate, then the two would say, "Oh, we are lucky, we are lucky." And when they are really close, then they say he should keep still, and we would go in without a shot.

---------

(margin note: And the trick succeeded just as I said it would.)

Then we made our pontoon bridge at another place. Very early in the morning, we took Camden. We didn't lose a man, we also didn't take any prisoners; just 2 officers as far as I know. And then they sent a little convoy with provisions after us, with only 25 men guarding it. That was the stupidest move that I'd ever seen. The southern spies had probably found that out and attacked the convoy between the mountains with a couple hundred men and we didn't get any of it. And for 8 days we had nothing but corn to eat and no fat or lard to fry it in. But then I found a solution for our company. A Rebel lived on a high mountain near us. The pig barn stood on the steep mountain. I said, "Boys, in that pigsty is an incredibly fat pig, and the wind is coming from the south. Then a couple of you will go there and one of you will pretend he is with the southerners and the other one (meanwhile) will open the door to the north and shove the big pig down the mountain." No sooner said than done; on the next day we had enough lard. I think he was paid for his pig. (?)

40

A few days afterwards, our company was sent out to see how far the Rebel army was still from us. We marched till nearly noon. Suddenly, 2 southern cavalry men came galloping around a corner. When they saw us, they wanted to turn around quickly, but one of their horses fell and we had them.

Now it was said that if they told the truth, nothing would be done to them. They said we were only 3 miles from the main army. They were coming with 18 brigades. We turned around, and on that same evening, we left Camden as quietly as we could in the direction of Little Rock.

-------------

Note: we had gone into a big house and I think that the commander wanted to let us eat lunch. I said, "Lt., what are we doing sitting around here? When the southerners see that their cavalry doesn't come back, then they'll perhaps send a couple of hundred, and we're lost."

-----------

That evening came a black man; he had crawled three miles to us with his shot-off leg in order to say what sort of plans the Rebels had made. He had laid in the bushes close to the place where the Rebel generals made their plans... the Rebels thought he was dead.

 

He said they had surrounded their regiment and had received the order to surrender, and then they had stood all 800 black men in a line and shot them dead... an abominable trick. And we found out then that it was true, what the black man had said.

It all agreed completely with what the two others had said.

---

Unnumbered page between 40 and 41:

A note: How we were rescued from the most dangerous trap. God again was our protector.

 

He said then to the commander, (?) to the west of us, scarcely 3/4 of a mile, there lay in wait at the very least 8000 men and we therefore had to again withdraw. If they had heard a few shots, then they would have cut off our path of retreat 1/2 mile down the road. When the commander came out of this house and passed by me, he said "Büker, I thank you very much. I hadn't thought of that at all. You have everything in your head." Oh, he was very happy and we came safely out of the trap. We could have never gotten into a more dangerous place, and I believe if I hadn't been there, they wouldn't have come home. It was not to be. There would have been no escape; over six miles in the trap (?).

41

He also said that the Rebels had one army to the west of us, on to the east of us, and the third and strongest one behind us. And they wanted to capture us all at the place where we had to cross the Salina River. We marched then still that evening out of our camp until we reached close to the Salina River. The next day we reached the river. On the second day we arrived at the river. When we got to the river, it was evening, and we made our camp right at the river, for the engineers first had to build the pontoon bridge, and it was raining that night, so much that the river had risen 12 feet. I said, "Boys, that the Rebels shot the black men to death will bring us victory over them." "Well, why?"(he said again) I said, "Such a terrible injustice would not go unpunished."

 

(margin note: By way of explanation. God had spoiled the plans of the Rebels.)

 

That night it rained quite monstrously, so that the big river had risen 12 feet, and the two armies could not get across the river. The Almighty had destroyed their plans.

 

(margin note: A little amusement concerning my comrade who was sleeping next to me. I said, "Heinrich, the water is coming." He said, "Not to worry." He remained lying there. Then the water came, and ran into his pants. He jumped up quickly and I said, "don't get up, not to worry." He was wet. I couldn't sympathize.)

 

The next morning, however, quite early, as one was just able to see, there was a (attack? Commotion? shooting? 'kuncota') that started up where the sentries/scouts were. But the 9^th and another regiment greeted them when they wanted to come across the clearing. And then we too were ordered to go to that spot. They came again, but had to again retreat. (We got splinters from the fence rail(?)) At 9 o'clock we were commanded back, but we hadn't drunk our cup of coffee. On the double, our company had to go to the left flank. The word was passed that they wanted to encircle us. We ran, as fast as we could, knee-deep in water. I fell in a pitch-pine stump hole and so deeply into the water. I called Ferdinand, "There's someone drowning here! Come, grab hold of my rifle!" He came, and I got out of the hole quickly again.

42

That had held Trutschel and I back a bit. Be we soon caught up with the others. And soon came upon the Rebels. They had hidden themselves behind the trees. We were probably only 60 feet away from them when we caught sight of them and received a hail of bullets in our faces. But only the man next to me was wounded. I said, "Captain, lets play a trick." I said, "Captain, have the company (?) jump back into the brook. And then they will come out from behind the trees."

(margin note: He said, "Büker, you take command" and I did it.)

 

He did it. I said, "May I bring my comrade back with us?" "Yes." Hurminghaus(?) wanted to help me. I laid him in my blanket, but when I laid him on my shoulder, he couldn't bear it that I was carrying him. "Fritz," cried the wounded man, "they're already aiming at you. Let me fall." "Oh, that doesn't matter. They can't do anything to me."

 

(margin note: Under my arms was the breast (chest?)

 

I gathered my blankets together quickly and swung them over my shoulder. And the second shot from the Rebels passed through between me and the wounded man so that the leaves flew away. Now I crawled on all fours back to my comrades and yelled, "Boys, give it to them, boys give it to them!" The Rebels were all out from behind the trees, and were shouting and squealing. For they thought that we had turned tail. We had fired only a couple of salvos and they cried, "We surrender, surrender!" There were 32 of us and we had a wounded man, and we took 32 prisoners with us. But we couldn't take my comrade along.

 

When I had also wounded the Lt., the Rebels yelled that they were all surrendering, and they came along quietly (see page 44).

 

margin note: (When I took my rifle, I wanted to shoot the Rebel through the chest, but a voice came into my breast, saying I shouldn't do it. He had 3-4 children, and I shot him through under the right arm. He lay down a few paces off to the side. Then the Lt. came, and I shot him through under the left arm and he lay down next to the Captain.)

43

Now we went back to the old camp. We had, however, stood there only about 15 minutes when already the command came again: Back quickly to the left flank! We again ran, got there early enough, and this time we were the first. We had time to put ourselves behind the trees. In the course of running there, I had said to Tretzchel, "This time, we shall give them such a licking that they will lose their jackets and vests." However, as we stood there, and I saw the Rebels (had) 6-7 men for each of us in our first front line. Then I though, if God does not give us the victory, then it will look bad (be ugly). But we didn't shoot but rather let them through until we saw that they would soon have their lines complete. The, all of the sudden, the cry went out, "Rutternuts!" (That meant the Rebels because they were mostly wearing brown clothing.) And now fire went forth from all guns. Johan Gerig immediately fell to my right. Then Carl Vitte stepped back a couple of paces, and said, "Comrades, I am shot through the heart. Adieu, Farewell!"

 

I had taken command at once, and I commanded sometimes to shoot half to the left and again half to the right, so that they could hit the Rebels better behind the trees with this oblique shooting. Then George Dean was also wounded. Frank Abel got a buckshot between his teeth, and (it) remained stuck there.

 

(margin note: The bullet had gone through my collar on my neck, otherwise it would have probably have gone through his head.)

 

And our "big hero", who always wanted to have 'fresh meat', and who said, "we want to have a look to see what the pious people are doing," pressed himself tightly behind an oak tree (scared). I (commanded? exhorted?) him often, and I said now, "David, here there is 'fresh meat'." But he wasn't hungry at all, although he hadn't had anything for 2 ½ days. Philip Theis said his leg above the ankle had been hit (shot off), and it was said that he died of that wound.

44

I had Carl Vitte's cartridges, and had shot many of them, and I called, "Sgt., cartridges!" Then the main general happened to be passing behind our line, and he called out, "In a few minutes, in a few minutes, soldier!" He had already received 3 bullets and wounded in 3 places.

 

And (then he) called out, "Hurrah, hurrah! Boys, we've taken the cannons from the Rebels!" That lifted our spirits. Then enough cartridges came, and we continued to fire to the left and to the right. Then the command rang out, "Cease fire, cease fire!" I said, "Boys, let's send one after them, so they can run better!" The captain laughed. I had said, however, that they should shoot over their heads into the thick trees.

 

Now everyone went back to camp. I remained there by myself and I went over and wanted to see my wounded comrade again. I searched, but I couldn't find him. The Rebel Captain and Lt. were lying next to each other, and couldn't get away, and when I came near them, he said, "Yankee, give us each another shot." I said I couldn't do that, and I wouldn't be permitted to do that.

 

(margin note: I said, "not for 1000, and not for a million")

 

If I could do them any favor, I would gladly do it. They asked whether I could give them some water. I said yes. I took my two canteens, and fetched them full of water, and they emptied both of them. I also told them I had been looking for my comrade there, but hadn't been able to find him. I told him they shouldn't lose (let their) courage/hope (sink) because they would be fetched away still this evening or early tomorrow morning. I spoke many other things to them, and I fetched two more canteens full of water for them.

45

And I said that they should drink out the first one, and I would leave the other one for them there. In case they became thirsty again, they would have some. Both of them took their gold watches out, and wanted to give them to me. I said, "Oh, no, I couldn't take them." I said if one of them shouldn't come home again, then their family would think more of the watch than of anything else that they had. Then I said I wish I could have found my comrade, but I had to be going. It was becoming dark and our men would be taking up the pontoon bridge again. I wished there that they would recover. I also told them their wounds were not fatal, although painful. The captain's eyes filled with tears, and I said goodbye. But the captain said I should take a watch after all. I said if their people were honest, then their family members would quite certainly get the watches.

 

(margin note: I let them catch their breath, and told them the wounds under the arms would be healed in 3 months time. Those were the 2 wounds that I had inflicted. Here I should have written more about it.)

 

I got back just in time; they were about to take up the bridge. There were two others then near me who had been standing with their comrade Fritz Buick. He drew his last breath as I passed by. A couple of soldiers pushed the cannons into the river, approximately 20 yards downstream. Those were the two cannons we had taken from the Rebels. The night was becoming cool when I found my company again. They had made some coffee. I drank two cups too, and asked where George Dean and John Gerig were. Nobody knew. The wounded had been brought to tents to the extent possible. I searched in the darkness; it wasn't easy to search.

46

I just thought, "You'll go around among the tents, and call him by name." Then I soon got an answer: "Here." I went over, but the wounded were lying on the bare ground. I had taken along my big blanket, but there was no light to be had. "Well," I said, "Are there no smokers around here?" ("Yes.") "Do you still have some matches?" "Yes," came the reply. Then I said, "Well, then there's a remedy." I said, "Why don't you hold the matches so that they burn a long time." I and the other cut my blanket into pieces. It was accomplished quickly. And oh how pleased the two were when we rolled them into the blanket halves (Dean and Gerig). Then someone said, "But now you don't have any." I said, "Oh, I wish I had another blanket. I'd gladly cut it through again. And I have enough heat that we were really able to give the Rebels (a good roasting?)." I want to remark here that I was probably the only soldier on that day that hadn't thrown away his knapsack.

 

Now, the next morning, we proceeded in the direction of Little Rock. In the evening, our soldiers were so exhausted that they almost couldn't do sentry (guard) duty any more. For we hadn't had anything for 4 days. And our sentries had to go out nonetheless. I said, "Captain, I can go along again." "No, that's not proper. You've now stood guard for 3 nights." "No matter. And when the Rebel cavalry comes, they will have it precisely the same way." "Where would you prefer to go? They think that down below the bridge would be the most dangerous place." "Well then, that's where we want to go." "How many men do you want to have along?" "Twelve is certainly enough." I said, "even if 50 cavalrymen come, we'll kill them all."

47

As we were about to leave, the Captain came, and wanted to give me a whole cracker. "Aye, Captain, I'll take the half, but not the whole." He laughed, and we set off, and when we arrived at the bridge, I said, "We'll fix them, if they want to come across. They'll break their necks and their legs." We took out beyond the first whole pontoon two planks, and beyond the third one three planks, and stuck them tight into the (suspension?) of the bridge.

On the north side, the banks were so high and steep, that no horse could get down them and out again, and on the south side, a small path went through so that one could drive through. A pretty rock elm full of branches was lying there that completely filled the path. We rolled it onto the path. And then I commanded how everybody should position themselves. Then I said, "So, now... take your 'brother' (gun), load well, and then sleep until I nudge you, but then be quick about it as I've instructed you." Now came the patrol. (Expletive) Everyone jumped to their post. I yelled, "Halt, dismount! Give the patrol password! But you have to come along the south side, next to the bridge." He didn't want to. I said, "If you want to break their neck..." When he had made his way through, he gave the others the (sign?). He said, "I want to see what Büker has done there." (pause) "You tricky fellow." When we got back to camp the next morning, my bunkmate said, "Well, I guess you've played your tricks again." The captain had said even if 100 cavalrymen had made their way to the bridge, we would have tracked them and he thought that not many of them would have escaped.

Again, we set off toward Little Rock. And then came our supply convoy. It was on the 5^th day in the morning. I can assure everyone it was on the 5^th day in the morning. But it tasted nonetheless good, even if the cook had not been worth anything...("hunger is the best cook"). However, we always had good water (at least.)

48

Then we marched unhindered to Little Rock. And then we were there for a period of time, and payday arrived soon. We also had a big inspection and parade drilling. There were 10 regiments together. The parade took place on a field next to the arsenal. All the regiments had to march forward and then pivot so that the one end was standing quite still and the other flank came around. The general sat on the wall of the arsenal. The other commanders came too. Because the wounded general had died, it was a question of who should receive his place, whether our Kretz, or Engelman from Iowa.

Engelman was commanding from the arsenal wall. We were the first regiment across. Then we were commanded to halt and ordered back. I said the general commanded incorrectly. And I said, "Just stand still." "Are you certain, Büker?" I said yes. "I'll assume the guilt if it is not so." "Oh", the man next to me said (Peter Kirchen), "Fritz knows it better than the general." The captain was nervous. All of the others moved away. Only Company C stood still. And old Kretz made a happy face.

 

Engelman came running and asked the colonel, "What's wrong with Company C?" "I don't know," he said. "You'll have to ask the Captain." He came to the Captain and asked, "Captain, what's with your company?" "We're standing on command." "What did I say?" The captain said he had made a bad mistake. He rode to the wall and commanded, and this time we went along with the others.

 

(margin note: The other 10 regiments had to catch up with us (coming back). And then we went...)

49

When we had come back to camp after the drilling, I went by Kretz's tent. He beckoned me to come in. "Well, Büker, that was a really good (one?), which you did today." (margin: I said the captain had done it.) "Oh, come on. Even our captain would not have had the courage (to do that)." No, I said, the captain did it. He smiled and said, "Yes, I know the true story." It was a good one. Well, we smoked a few cigars over it. The captain wouldn't have risked it either.

 

Now we had to fetch wood on a Sunday. And I liked to go on Sunday to the Presbetyrian Church. I said we don't want to do that again on Sunday. I identified all of the nice straight trees, which, however, were twisted in such a way that no one could split them. And I said, "Bring these to the colonel's black man." Well, the boys were completely in agreement with this. (...?) I then went close to where the black man was working. He now quickly chopped off a couple of (sections?) but when he wanted to split them, the wood didn't want to budge. And he started, and he reasoned, but that didn't help any. Then the colonel came out of his tent, and he said, "Samuel, what's the matter?" Samuel complained that he couldn't get anywhere with the wood. I was standing not far away, and the colonel said, "What could be the trouble with the wood, Büker?" "Well," I said, "It looks so good, doesn't it? It must be Sunday wood. Hoo Hoo!" We never again drove on Sunday (to get wood). Then I said, "Boys, bring Sammy some of ours (wood)." Then Sammy was quite content and we too...we had, after all, had our fun.

 

(margin note: We also had our payday.)

 

This should fit in somewhere here; I had forgotten it.

 

{Six small pages pasted in between p 49 and 50}

 

A case of deserters.

 

One was supposed to have been gone for six months and the other was supposed to have come back when the Rebels came. Now the court martial was convened in an hour. 24 officers, generals and lawyers. And the two came now, and I was supposed to defend them. I said, "Why don't you take Jacob Loos? He had high schooling." But the one with the two came again and said, "Fritz, if you can't get them off, then there's no one in the regiment that can do that." And Emil Hasse (someone in our company), he asked me so fervently that I should do it, and I said that they should come back in 15-20 minutes. They came back and I said if they would not reproach me, I would do it. "Oh", said Hasse, "Fritz, if you can't do it, no one can."

 

Now I didn't have much time to think things through and I must say I was a bit concerned in front of the high officials and scholars. But I was called and the questioning began. The judge posed a few questions, and I told him that I was a German, and in such an important matter as this, a word might perhaps be used whose meaning I didn't completely understand, and I asked whether he couldn't, for the sake of clarity, say a few other words. "Oh yes, Büker. Two, three and four times, I am willing to do that and more." But he didn't need to do it. During the accusation, I was unable to say very much, for so much was said. The only thing I could say was that I had seen him on the boat and that he had thought I had eaten lunch on the boat, and when he saw me, he had picked up his knapsack and come over to me and had asked, "Fred, is our regiment here?" And I had said, "Yes, about a half a mile, you can follow that path that goes up there." I had told him, however, that if I saw that the guard was coming after him, then I would begin to sing and then he should lie down in a hole between the two paths, and not on the brook into the bushes, and in the long grass, for there they would be able to see him sooner. Now the judge wanted to know whether no guard came after him, and I said I hadn't seen any guard. Then I said to the judge, if he had wanted to desert, then he certainly wouldn't have had a knapsack and a rifle with him. And I said that he had announced his presence immediately to the captain, and done all of his duties, just as any other soldier. And all of the other questions I was able to answer to the benefit of my client. Now attention was directed to the other one, and I could defend him very well. He asked me if I had seen him running away, and then I told the judge the whole story. I had told all of my soldiers exactly how they should shoot and everything and he had been there at the time, and in the morning he had also been there. And when I entered the camp they asked me whether he was already there, and I said that he had been there the previous evening and during the night when we were shooting. And that he had been to Little Rock that was quite certainly a lie. And I told the judge the person who had lied about his going to fetch the mail from Little Rock could also have told the other lies. For in one night no one could travel 200 miles to get the mail. As I told the judge the whole chain of events, I could tell by the look on his face that he was almost at the point of smiling, and he said, "Büker, that is all. You're dismissed." And the old vice-colonel Olmsted, left with his whole face and in 5 minutes they all came out and our Lt. Colonel came over and took me by the arm and led me into his tent, and said, "Büker, you ought to be a lawyer. In 22 years I have not seen a lawyer that did defend his clients as you did."

 

(These three sheets should be pasted on P. 50)

 

And the two of them were completely free and received their pay just as we did. And when the two stopped by, they didn't weep either. But I have never seen a human being who was as pleased as out Lt. Colonel, and I had to smoke a cigar with him and then he said, "I feel happy that them boys got free." He was an attorney, his name was Olstad, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

 

I had completely forgotten about this business with the deserters.

50

Then payday came too, and we wanted to live it up. We had bought ourselves some flour, and also built a baking oven. And out Peter Burkhardt was an excellent baker, and we had fine wheat bread.

 

"Well, Fritz, now you have to fetch us something to drink." They certainly had enough money now for that. Well, if (there's nothing else to do, it has to be), then I can do it. I knew where I could get it. None of it was taken, however, until payday. The "lutter" (first draft of the keg; cheap, thin brandy) was available for 60-65 cents. "Lief" (tobacco?) cost 14, 16 18 cents per pound. Now the high life was going quite nicely. Naturally, however, at our own cost..

 

Now one of the boys dipped his nose a bit too deeply into the canteen and felt a bit sick to his stomach. There was a big gap between two (locks, holes, bunks?), for his bed was the second from the bottom and the "calf" (sick soldier) sometimes growled something through...my comrade Peter Kirchen thought he would have to tie up the "calf" and wanted to have some fun with him. He took a rope; he went out and held himself securely to the wall and with the other hand he wanted to put the rope around the calf's neck. And just as Peter wanted to look through the hole where the calf had its head, the calf rears up with his head so that the mouth comes in front of the hole and he vomits Peter's head and clothing full. The other one didn't know anything about it (that Peter was there). I believe that I myself never laughed more. He received the whole load.

51

Peter had to completely change his clothes. He was in such a good mood while doing so, and he said he had never tied up such a calf before. And that one in the other barn, that one could, for all he cared, jump around in the whole barn, and he showed it to the others too and said, "I won't touch it (alcohol) again." That was the jolliest payday we ever had, and such a one was never granted to us again.

 

Now I'd like to tell another small anecdote. Our baker Borchard was sitting with us and we had spoken about the fact that the little Monitor had taken the big Merrimac, and one of them had sunk. Then he wanted to sit down on his bed, but sat down in front of his bed (and the long way?) and he sank down in front of his bed and said "Adieu, comrades, farewell we're sinking." He must have thought he was on a ship. We pulled him back onto dry land (I think in shame?) and laid him in his bed. After an hour he got up again and when we told him what we had done with him, he said, "Indeed, you're good comrades. Once again you have saved my neck." After that was over, Trutschel called out, "Open the door, will you? It's terribly hot in here." We opened it. It didn't take very long, however, until he called out, "Shut the door." And Wilhelm Mateis said, "Man, you are a silly one. A minute ago it was too hot for you, and now already (it's) too cold." And then, someone was supposed to go to the captain because his rifle wasn't clean. The others had told him he should put vinegar and salt in his rifle and let it stand for awahile, that that would make it shine. (in a stupor, he did it!) I then went with him to see the captain, and told him he should let him go, and he was free.

 

(side margin notes: "Yes, that was a payday"

 

He was stuttering (shivering) (Mateis or Trutschel?)

52

We had to once again make a little journey down the Arkansas River to fetch some 'corn'. When we had landed, 12 men of ours were sent to a bridge. It was said there were about 30 (?gun-rillers?) there.

 

(side margin note: The general asked me if I didn't want to try to catch the (?g-rs?). But he said he didn't want to command me to do so. But as we both knew I had always such a lucky hand, and I said, "Yes, of course.")

 

We hid on the sides of the bridge in the high grass and hazelnut bushes. I said. "Boys, here we want to let them run into a trap, for they can't see us at all." The boat let its whistle ring several times, and now the Rebels had probably thought, "Now we want to help the Yankees load corn." And sure enough, they came marching along full of pride, always looking straight ahead, and went without hesitation on the bridge, and at least half of them were already on it.

 

Then one of our men who had been clinging to one of the hazelnut bushes which was dried out broke loose and those who had not yet passed us jumped back. We came out onto the path and called out "Surrender, or you are all dead men! Hands up!" They obeyed, but I never have seen a Rebel like their captain. He was "false(furious?)" and no doubt annoyed also when he saw we were only a few men. We took along the Captain, Lieutenant, and twelve others. We saw nothing more of the rest of them. And if they continued to run the way they were running, then they probably ran themselves half to death. I also have not heard that they tried that a second time.

53

I had told our soldiers that they should fire a shot over their headswe didn't want to shoot anyone dead if they surrendered. Everything went according to plan except for the fact we didn't get all of them. When we arrived back at the boat, the colonel said, "Well, that certainly didn't take you very long. Well done." I said that a dry stick had spoiled our fun for a little bit. "You done well, Fred, anyway." It had taken us only 27 minutes, and we had gone 60 rods from the ship, and took the prisoners and returned. When the loading was finished, we went back to Little Rock.

 

In the evening I wanted to see what our prisoners were doing. I went up onto the boat and the person on watch said, "Fritz, will you relieve me for a few minutes? I'd like to go into the town up here." I said, "Sure, go right ahead." I sat down on a chair and read newspapers, and I asked the prisoners also if they wanted to read (them). "No, that are all lies anyway." It was already rather dark, and then suddenly one of them jumped up and ran right past me. He was sick and had dysentery. He had pulled something out of his pocket as he went past me. A half inch further and (the thing he pulled out) it would have fallen into the water. And I quickly laid my hand on it, I took it and stuck it in my pocket. He came back, laid down, but then he stood up again and he searched the places where he had gone. I asked, "Friend, have you lost something?" "You couldn't help me!" he said, belligerently.

54

Early on the next morning, I went over to where the prisoners were being held, for I thought with that guy you can have a little bit of fun. When it was bright enough for him to see, he began again to search everything. I could see that he was sick. I asked him again, but his belligerent answer was "Can't help me anyway." I said that I saw that he was sick, (and) that I had had the same sickness, (and) that I would like to help him. He said he had lost all his money. I said I was sorry about that, but that I had some money left, and I wanted to make him a present of $5.00, for I knew how it was when one was sick and had no money. "Yes, I take it."

 

I gave him the 5, and asked whether he had a pocketbook. He said no. I asked him how much he had lost. He said almost $500. I said, "I'm sorry about that. Well, here, I want to make a present to you of my pocketbook." He stretched out his hand, but how astonished he was! (to see that it was his own pocketbook) He gave me the $5 back. He was unable to utter more words. He lay down, but then came right back, and now I could speak with him. He asked me how it was that I had given him back his money. I said that I didn't actually like to say it, but I would tell him why. I had had Christian parents, and was a Christian soldier and a Bible reader, and the Bible said, "Love thy enemies." "You are my prisoners. I caught you yesterday, but today I treat you as well as our own."

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Now I can't tell everything here and only wish to remark on a few things. He took my diary and wrote his name and address in the back and said, "If after the war, you ever want to visit the state of Texas. , then he would pay for my stay for a whole year and I would be able to travel through the whole state at his cost, and even if it was 10 years after the war. (Since he received his property back, he was very happy.) And (he said) I should rest assured that he would never again fire a shot at a Yankee soldier.

 

He then told me all about how many they had lost on the Saline River. He was from the 6^th Texas regiment. He was wounded three times, and sent back to battle three times. Yes, if all nations were Bible readers and true Christians, then we would not need any cannons

[Side note: This person told me that he believed that they had lost more than 4200 men in the battle on the Saline River, but in the War Book, nothing about that was to be read.]

 

The new fort at Little Rock, Arkansas was completed, and we went to have a look at it. It had rained very strongly during the night, and approximately 20 feet above the ground, a rather large hole had been washed out. The general sat there on a log and said, "If only that hole were fixed." But they didn't have a ladder there, and he said it had to be done before it rained again. I said, "General sir, if I can do you a favor, then I will throw up earth into the hole." "Yes, then we don't have to come again." I took off my jacket, but other men said, "No one can heave earth all that way." The general said nothing. Then I picked out a light shovel for myself in the trenches and they had to bring

 

(side note: General: He said: if Büker says he wants to give it a try. Then it is as good as done.")

 

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me a pail full of water. Then there was somebody standing up on top of the fort. I said he should watch out that I not throw anything into his face. I threw a shovelful, but it only reached half as high as it should. That provided something to laugh about, and the ones up on top said, "See, we knew that he couldn't do it." Now I said to the one on top that this time I would throw something into his face if he didn't want to move his head to the side. No, he didn't want to do it. Now I threw, however, a half-shovelful all the way up and if he had not pulled his head to the side, he would have gotten it right in his face. The general laughed out loud. (He knew my jokes already.) Now I said to the one on top he should kneel down and hold the shovel to the side so that he should hold it in well. But now the serious work began. I filled the hole and it was fine, but I admit I worked up quite a sweat by the time I was done. And when I went up on top, the general said, "Büker, you've done me a big favor." And I said, "Nothing to thank me for, General, sir." And he laughed, in a friendly way.

 

Now we had gotten 32 new recruits, and I got a few of them as outpost sentries. It was almost 11:00 when the patrol came, and I had just told the sentry yet again everything he should say. He shouted, "Halt, give the password." He had forgotten to say, 'Dismount' when they came. "Where is the corporal?" "Here," I said. "Why don't you instruct your sentries better?" I said, "Captain, sir, excuse us this time; it's a new recruit, and I told him 10 minutes ago once again the whole drill."

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He rode away to the main watchpost and what did the old fox do? He reported it to the officer at the watchpost. He said to him he shouldn't say anything, the corporal is a better soldier that you and I." (The one at the main watchpost and I were good friends.)

 

Fourteen days later, the same captain was at the same sentry post, and I was too, but I was approximately 30 rods to the south of the spot, and it had rained for a few days, so that the brook was approximately 30 feet wide, and in the middle, more that 2 feet deep. I thought to myself, "Now I will say to you what one must say when the patrol comes." When it got dark, I changed places with the corporal, and I went to the brook. He came once again, and I let him ride as far as the middle of the brook. Then however, I yelled, "Halt! who goes there? Patrol, dismount and give the countersign!" "Let us move out of the water!" "Not one step, or you're a dead man!" {SPLASH, SPLASH!} Wet up to the loins. When he got to the main watchpost, the main guard asked him, "How was the sentry today at the brook?" He grumbled (roared?). H. Bierman told me the next day that the whole regiment laughed that the old 'grumbler' had been taken in this way.

______________________

Now we went to Point (?) Bluff; there we had old Rebel camps. Right behind our general's camp stood a very big fir tree which creaked when the wind blew. It was leaning over his 'shanty'(?). A bunch of us soldiers were sitting on stumps. The

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general said, "I wish that tree weren't there." When at night the wind was blowing he thought it could fall sometime onto his shanty. I said, "General, sir, if you want to get rid of it, it'll be gone in half an hour, if two good men help me." A sergeant was standing there from Manitowoc or (?) Co. C.(?) who asked how I proposed to do that. "Push it over," I said. "I bet six months pay that that's impossible without tying a rope to the top." I said I accepted the bet.

 

Bergmann said, "The general said take back your bet. I have often seen Büker do something that others thought couldn't be done, and he has not failed to this day." There happened to be two Norwegians there who did everything for me that I wished. I said, "Do you want to help me?" "Certainly." "Forward." They fetched their axes and I gave the commands.

 

(margin note: It was a very big fir tree almost three feet thick and (we) had seven 16-foot-long saws. Made blocks, also the wind against us.)

 

Everything was soon accomplished. But now we tried first my apparatus (equipment?). The two could not (break?) on it (to no avail). The two had already chopped the fir tree (to a critical point). Then I said, "So, now you two go over there and do exactly as I tell you." I took the ax and chopped an inch deeper. "Now try it once slowly." The big fir tree shook its head and nodded. (..... an exclamation? five words). I said, "Now boys," and the tree lay exactly as I predicted. "Bergmann, what is your six months pay?" "$18 per month. Büker, you have made a lot of money for one day." I said, "General, I'll make a present of it to him. $108." And Bergmann was able to sleep better.

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Soon thereafter, we marched back to Little Rock. It was a hot and humid day, and a few soldiers were rather exhausted in the afternoon. When we had eaten supper, I wanted to fetch my rifle. We had stood them together, and it turned out that my rifle had been stolen. I went to the captain and told this to him. "Can you recognize your rifle?" he said. "Yes, certainly, among one thousand others." He went along with me and I had a pretty good idea in which company I would find it. We went there, and I had my rifle, the first one I touched. I said, "There it is." And, "Take it along." "How do you know it's your gun?" "Feel right here." He felt. "Yes," he said, "well, you really got to it quickly." I had carved "F. Bü." into the barrel. I would have preferred to (have) lost ten dollars to my rifle. I probably would not have gotten such a good one again. When we were back in Little Rock, we were the "port guard." A regiment's sutler (merchant who sells supplies to troops) had piled up there merchandise worth $30,000. He said to the corporal, "Keep a watchful eye that nothing disappears on me." "If you give me five dollars, I'll do it. And don't worry. As a soldier I have guarded government things, but no sutler things." The sutler said, "I'll show you how to do that." "All right," said the corporal. A very stormy night ensued, and the soldiers had already on the first night

 

(margin note: He had asked me (the corporal) and I told him he should say thus and so. (He would free (of other duties) him to do this))

 

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fetched merchandise worth $200, and the second night much more. When the sutler found out, everything was searched, but not the slightest bit found. But the champagne had tasted too good to a couple soldiers and they had become a bit silly, and they were taken to the guard house. But I got them out.

(Margin note: I had already sent our captain there, (and) had him tell the general if he didn't let them out immediately, the C.O.G. would come and get them. And he let them out.)

 

When General Engelman bid us farewell, he delivered to our regiment a long farewell speech. And our colonel got his nose thoroughly 'trumped' (bloodied?) because he had locked up a couple people on account of the sutler's wares and said he had no right to lock the soldiers up. And he said he had been in the army for four years and had never seen a regiment that surpassed the 27^th. Then he thanked the regiment and said good-bye. But never have I seen so many hats in the air and heard such tremendous "hurrahs!". He was a very friendly general (from the 32^nd Iowa regiment). (Note: he also praised me highly. He said he had never seen anyone who could make his soldiers fall in as quickly as I, and other things) I told him I could make them fall in somewhat more quickly, and when the Rebel cavalry came, I could give the following command: "Boys, fall in and give me fire! (?)" He laughed and said, "Büker that is the quickest command I have ever heard, and the shortest."

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Now I want to again make a short remark. On the 7^th of February, at 3:30, we left Little Rock, Ark. On the 8^th, we were at the mouth of the Mississippi and (some other river) at 12:00, and we remained there until 3. Then we left White River landing; at 6:00 we were again in the vicinity of Vicksburg. On the 11^th, we landed at Nautches(?) That night we came past Port Hudson and Baton Rouge. There were pretty views here. And then we were in New Orleans. On the 14^th we were in the country near New Orleans, where our camp was. The place was called Algiers. At 3:00 we left Algiers on the 20^th of February. At midnight we came to Roerbinsch Train (?). On the 21^st we were in Mullienburg. On the 22^nd we left Mullienburg. On the 23^rd we were at 5:00 at Fort Daul (Paul?). That night we had strong rain. On the 24^th we went aground on a sand bank near Fort Paul and near the island. Dauvies. Here we had to get into the water and lift the ship so that we could get it over the sandbank.

 

(Margin note: My comrade Peter Kirchen said, "You've been lucky again. You don't have to get into the water." I had guard duty.)

 

Then we landed at Fort Gaines. On the 25^th, we came to Mobile Point and we had an inspection at Mobile Fort. (Because we had run aground on the sand bank.) Otherwise we would have gotten to see something of the bombs (the cannonade of the ships) which bombarded the fort and gotten to feel some of it. We then had a good look at the fort. Sunshine follows rain, so it was on the 1^st of May at Mobile Point. During the shelling, they said that over 60 bombs and cannonballs had been fired at the fort per minute. Fort Morgan had been built in 1833.

 

(Margin note: Note: Dear reader, in this way my entire narrative would be had not my diary had been stolen.)

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Now we had to drill again. I wonder if the officers thought we had forgotten how. Then we had to make everything in the camp spic and span. Every 8 days a new camp. On the 9^th of March, there was a general inspection. Our company got the 1^st prize. Here I want to make another little note. I went shortly before midday over to the 66^th Pennsylvania regiment and conversed awhile with the captain. I said we had the best cannonier in the United States. "Oh, no," he said. He said he was willing to bet $100 that no cannonier could surpass theirs. I said I didn't think so. I went home and our colonel was standing there and we spoke awhile with each other. I told him he could make a bet with the 66^th Pennsylvania regiment. He wanted to bet $100 that no cannonier in the US could outdo theirs. He ought to stroll over there. "Ours can beat him." he said. Shortly after midday we went down to the lakeshore and the others said the had set up a 6-foot square tent 3 miles away. And now the shooting commenced. The 66^th managed to get 2 cannonballs into the tent. Our Heinrich, however, all 3. They came back and Heinrich said to me, "Fritz, what am I supposed to do with the 6-foot long thing? I much prefer my little Howitzer in battle." "Oh," I said. "That can be easily fixed. Just go and tell the cannonier of the 66^th he can have his cannon back if he wants to come fetch it."

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"Then he doesn't have to bear the unkind remarks that he had lost his cannon." He came and fetched it immediately. And so our man said, "Now I have my good little one again," and laughed. The 66^th Pennsylvania regiment had the most beautiful music corps. We were there for a few more days. We fetched oysters from the bay, but we would have liked to have had more crackers to eat with them.

 

On the 17^th we received marching orders and marched approximately 22 miles and then we continued and it rained a lot. On the 21^st our mules and horses got stuck, and we had to pull the cannons and wagons out with long ropes. Long bridges were built. In the evening after the rain it was very beautiful, and there was bright moonshine. I strolled a couple hundred paces from the camp and there was a splendid little lake. I went back to the camp and said, "Boys, this evening we can have a good bath." I said there was an excellent opportunity to do that there. Everyone went off to the lake and the bathing commenced. I swam straight across the lake to the other side. There, a big log was lying in the water. I headed for it, and I wanted to have a seat on it. I was about 18-20 feet from the tree when I saw two 'bright stars' which were looking toward me. I saw that there was a large alligator or crocodile lying on the tree. I went backwards perhaps 30 feet and ran as fast as I could. I yelled, "Boys, come out quickly! (3 times)" All were out of the water in a jiffy. "What's wrong?" "Do you see those 2 'stars' over there on the old tree?" "Yes, what is that?" I told them, and the bathing was at and end.

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When we were building bridges across a little stream, a 5-6 foot long alligator carried by the current came by and one man had an axe in his hand and he gave a swing at the alligator and chopped off about a foot. I must have been greatly mistaken if the animal didn't make the water red with the stump and made its escape quickly downstream.

 

And now we came to the little camp Fischer River. On March 26^th we marched as far as a hill and that night we made a wall (fortification) to protect us. And on one day we were up front. The Rebels let us pass unmolested but the last ones didn't want to let them pass without trying to take some of them. The cannons thundered behind us and we had to block the road and everything had to happen quickly. Our commander wanted to place a big log across the road but he couldn't carry it over with his men. And yet he wanted to have it there so badly. I told him I could bring it there in 5-10 minutes if he wanted to. "Give the command." Everything went quickly. I hewed two rollers approximately 6" thick (2 long thin fir trees). I laid the rollers on the lowest side onto the two little trees. And now we rolled the big tree on them. I gave the commands and it took about 7 minutes, and the big tree was straight across the road. "Corporal," said the captain, "You know better how to handle wood than I. Do you want to take over the command? I would like to have it the same way on the other mountain."

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(I asked how far we would have to make it and he showed how far.)

 

I said we would have everything ready in 20 minutes. And then we laid down in the shade. Then the bombardment stopped and the Rebels retreated. We had to then fall in and our Company marched to a hill. We stood there in a line and there came a bomb and hit a pine tree. The tap flew out of the bomb and came right along the road where we were standing and everyone jumped up and dispersed, and no one was injured at all and we marched through the woods to a hill where we camped. The next day was Sunday (and we had rest). However, once in awhile a bullet or a bomb flew over our regiment, but we were lying between two steep hills. On the higher one stood our cannon. ( I went up there once to take a look.) And there the three generals were sitting, telling stories and deliberating. At the invitation of our old (own?) general I sat down with them. "Whiskey" Benton (so he was called for his taste for whiskey) was just saying "Let's (we want to) storm the Spanish Fort." "Oh, no, Benton. That will cost too many men. We'll dig them out for the time being up to quite near the area of the fort. (?)" Just then a Rebel bullet flew by my head. I said in low German, "Heinrich, shoot him once in the neck so that they have something good to look at." The (Ohio divisions?) general said to me, "Can he do that? (in low German)" I had to laugh and he too. "Yes, indeed general sir, he can do that. Every time with the second shot." "That I have to see." He was a German general. The Rebels had shot at me twice before the general got there. {He ran over to Heinrich. Heinrich then fired the second shot and he shot the head off of the Southerner. The general put his hand on his shoulder and said, "You're the best I've seen thus far."}------∝à (circled and arrow pointing to later in text, at *)

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Our commander said, "Yes he's done that (before), but we must not do it now, he only has 3 bombshells left." "General," said the German, "I give you permission on my own responsibility." In approximately 1-2 hours, all the bullets and bombs will be here. I passed by the train." (It is a bad soldier who shoots away his last cartridges, but he permitted it.) Our Heinrich aimed his cannon and the first shot was fired. "Eight inches too low," said the general. "Yes, I know, General sir. In a minute he will look out again. I will let you know." It took awhile, then he said, "General, look!" (*)

The general went over and laid his hand on Heinrich's shoulder and said, "Yes, you have the knack. You are a good one. You shot the Rebel right through the breast." I said he never needs more than 2 bombs or bullets. To this date he had always silenced the Rebels with two shots.

And we remained with the old method, for we were once again in the rifle "pits" (communications trenches). Then came the Rebels and wanted to lift us out of the trenches, but they came to the wrong people. They came quite close so that we could almost stab them. I didn't have anything to command (obviously), but I said, "Boys, give it to 'em, give it to 'em." They had to retreat, and the next morning, the dead lay across the logs. One evening, the Rebels had fetched two companies of the Vermont soldiers out, but we didn't permit such a thing.

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A few evenings before, we also wanted to go into these communications trenches and relieve the others. Most of our group had gone ahead. We had to crawl under a thick fir tree root, otherwise the Rebels could see us or shoot at us when we went into the trench. I was one of the last, and our Captain missed this hole. We had already gone a whole (?) past it. I said, "Captain, we have gone far beyond the entrance." "Come, come." We went further and further. Again I said, "Captain, where do you want to go?" "Just come along." Well, we continued. I had already noticed that he was going too far to the right. Now I grabbed him by the arm and said, "Captain, don't you see the soldiers there lying around the fire in the fort?" there must have been 75-100, and I had whispered it in his ear and said, "Now we either have to go back or take the Rebels prisoners." "No, Büker, that's not possible. there are only 6 of you, and that doesn't work." "I said, "then follow me quietly." I could still see through the darkness a big fir tree, and I knew for certain there were the others of Company C. We had gone back approximately 60-70 paces when the bullets came after us. I threw myself down quickly and the others did too. And a few bullets hit the oak stumps. I whispered, "Lie completely still, don't move. then they'll think they had fooled themselves." Then I whispered that they should follow me again completely quietly and carefully. And we snuck as quietly as possible and I got to a rather low place. I said, "There our people, but also the Rebels, can't hit us."

 

Margin Note: I believe if I hadn't been there, they would have given it to us in a bad way (he would have had a bad time).

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They all lay down and I called in 3 sorts of low German, "Wilhelm, where are you? What are you doing there? (unclear sentence ?) (How, who us drummed away? Who betrayed our presence?) Tell them in the line there not to shoot. Now come here". And we got there without losing a hair. I want to make a remark here that we had to go back and forth through the forward positions of the Rebels twice. They must have been sleeping. they must have been. Otherwise they most certainly would have stopped us. Including the captain, there were only seven of us, but the fort was only a small distance away, perhaps 200 paces. If I had had 25 men, I would have even tried to take the big fort where there were certainly a couple thousand men, but there were too few of us

 

Now we had had a look at the Rebels in the fort, and they had shot at us, but hadn't hit a single man. The hand of the Almighty had preserved us.

 

We had again a couple days of rest. Then we had to go into the communications trenches again right in front of the Spanish fort. Between our cannons and those of the Rebels along the whole line there were a total of 180 cannons in use. A bomb exploded above us. I had just stood up. A piece weighing about seven pounds flew into the ground just where I had been sitting! If I had remained seated, the fragment would have smashed me. My comrade said, "You are a truly lucky person."

 

--- Dear reader, I had to stand up.

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I had to stand up before my comrades in order to be saved. I had entrusted myself to the protection of my Heavenly Father, and not a hair on my head was bent.

 

A few days later we were there again. On the evening between the 8^th and the 9^th of April, the whole lines stormed the Rebel forts, and all the communications trenches. There was a terrible 'rat-a-tat' of guns. And our boys had won. Somebody from Company J(?) of our regiment had captured the flags of the Spanish fort. The inscription on the flag was a strange inscription: "Life or Death, the Mississippi devil's our right. A present of the ladies." Behind each pine stump torpedoes had burst, but not a single one had stepped on one (land mines?). Also, not a single wounded or dead person. We had captured more than 4,000 men and 75 field cannons, and altogether 300 cannons. But, dear reader, in the war books, you don't find anything about that. Mobile and the entire surrounding area was ours.

 

Margin note: But, dear reader, in the war books, we didn't do a thing.

 

On the next day we marched 2 miles from Tombigbee(?) and we camped there. In the evening we had to again go back to Stork's Landing. In the morning at 4:00 we were back there, and on April 14^th we headed back to Buloxi. On the 15^th we boarded the boat again and journeyed across the bay to Mobile and then approximately 3 miles further. There we rested for a few days, and on the 19^th we went 14 miles further, up the Tombigbee River. On the 20^th, again 15 miles, and on the 21^st we marched further and came through the old Union's arsenal in Alabama. On the 22^nd,

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we were camped on the Tombigbee River. Now on the 23^rd I was sent along to fetch the paymaster. And on the 24^th I was once again in Mobile, and on the 26^th already at Fort Morgan. On the 27^th on the Gulf a quite monstrous storm or hurricane (came). Our ship creaked twice so loudly that one might have thought it was about to collapse. The mate came to me. I was lying on the coiled anchor ropes, and he asked whether I had no fear, if I wasn't nervous. I said no. He couldn't comprehend that, and he said that if we were to receive two similarly strong bumps we would all be dead. He could not remember ever having seen such a terrible storm.

 

(Margin note: The braces on the two middle beams had broken.)

 

(more notes: The first thing that he asked was whether I had no fear. I said no. Then he told me the women and girls certainly were. Thereupon I told him he should tell them they should just be calm. Yes, dear reader, I had done it just as the apostles. And he had also said to me, "I will do it." Therefore I knew that nothing could happen.)

 

I said he should just keep calm and that nothing would happen to us. And he asked if I knew that. I said yes. He looked at me and then came back again, and I said he should look over there that it was getting quite nice in the west. And in a quarter of an hour the sea was quite calm. And we arrived safe and sound in New Orleans.

 

After a few days the paymaster came and we boarded the ship 'Starlight', and on May 3^rd I was back in Mobile. Here I should tell what fun I had on the ship. I was sitting on the ship and we had scarcely departed when they were passing by a sunken (by cannonballs) ship, which however because the water was shallow had its paddlewheels sticking up out of the water and I was only about 20 feet from the ship (being passed by ours) when a torpedo suddenly exploded and the water flew approximately 75 feet into the air. The steel spokes of the wheel of the other ship were all quite bent on one side, but I had only gotten a little water from above (but not much) and we headed for Mobile.

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On the ship there sat a man approximately in the middle of the boat. I looked at him and I thought that he came from Town Herman in Sheboygan County. "Oh," I thought, "you should ask him." I did ask if he would allow me to inquire what his name was. "Yes, certainly," he said and I discovered I had made a mistake. And now he said he would also like to know what we were doing there, just three soldiers. I said we had fetched the paymaster. He said, "I am the diver here, and I install the hooks under the ship, (so) that they can wind them up again." He said he got $60 per day while working and had been in Mobile for a fairly long time. "Now pay good attention. The two worst robbers are here on the ship. Be careful that when right after we land, when the planks are laid onto the boat, pay attention; watch out that they don't give you a shove, grab the box, and throw you into the water. They are said to be two strong men and the police cannot yet catch them in the act. I thanked him and said he should pay attention to how well they would obey me or I would shoot them as dead as doornails. He laughed and said he would.

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And, in fact, shortly after we landed, one of the two came and wanted to sit down under the stairway next to the moneybox. I stood on the other side and said, "Get out of there!" He said, "I can sit here just as well as any other man." "Get out of there or you're a dead man! (I began to count) One, two.  He was able to get out, the 'Three' he didn't want to hear. I said, "You two go over to the other side of the boat and don't come back to this side until all other people have left the boat. Otherwise you are both dead men." I had dropped to my knee and the women became anxious. I said, "Don't be nervous. I won't harm a hair on your heads.

 

They didn't come back either until everyone had disembarked. And I went and sat down on our wagon and drove away. Our officer laughed and the paymaster did too and they thought that they had obeyed very well. The old diver said, "Such an amusing sight I haven't seen in a long time. They are afraid of you never have I seen a man drop to his knee more quickly than you." I then went back to the regiment. Tick Taylor had surrendered and the ships all came down the Tombigbee River in a line one after another (14 ships). That was a magnificent sight for us.

[Margin note: The Funeral Procession and Lincoln's Death

 

We had just arrived with the paymaster in Mobile Bay when the little Monitor fired a salvo of mourning every quarter hour. Dear reader, I thought that in Mobile there were mostly Rebels, but so many mourners I have never seen in my life as on that day(?)

Almost everyone was wearing crepe around their hats and arms. Yes, the greatest hero of America had been murdered.]

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Now we went back on board the ship, back to Mobile, back to the old camping place. And on the 14^th of May (payday) we stayed there till the 31^st of May. Note: something more. On the 25^th, 20-30 tons of powder and bombs exploded at the landing near the ships. Three are said to have burned and 300 people had died in Mobile. The houses near the harbor were all standing crookedly on their foundations and the walls and the slate roofs were caved in. It looked dismal. We thought now we could go home, but we still had to go to Texas. On the 31^st of May we again left camp and we boarded the ship in Mobile. On the 1^st of June we were at the landing in Mobile, then we boarded the boat, 'Clinton of New York'. That brought us far(?) On the 2^nd of June we were probably no more than 100-150 miles from the 'sunline'(Tropic of Cancer?). Lovely weather, but it was stifling on the boat. On the third day we saw flying fish. On the 5^th we saw 40 ships in a line, and on the 6^th we were in (Braso) Santiago. Here the general Whiskey Benton, he rode one morning, probably about 9:00 approximately 300 paces toward Mexico, and there rang out a shot from the hill, and he fell from his horse. It was said he had sold the things that were sent to the sick soldiers. Now he's selling no more

 

[Margin note: The distilling machine was broken]

 

We marched now to the Rio Grande. There we could at least fetch some water. The distilling machine was broken.

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On the Rio Grande we put water into pork barrels in the evening. Then we were able the next morning to boil coffee or tea. There were sometimes up to 6-8 inches of dirt/mud in the barrel. Or we buried the barrels in the sand, then is was (?) cool. On the other side of the Rio Grande was the little city Bagdat (?) at the time the Red French were in it.

 

Now I said, "I have to take a look at Mexico." I fetched a pass (the only pass in the south?) and with that I had 18 men ferried over the Rio Grande with me. The boatsman took the pass again and again and (poled?) across the river until all of them had been transported. All of them had to, however, promise me that they wouldn't get drunk, and that they would all be back at the landing by five minutes to 2. Now F. Kölmer and I went together and we really had to force ourselves not to laugh, for wherever we went the French officers stepped to the side, took off their hats, and greeted (saluted) us with the greatest respect. "Well," said Kölmer, "now let us test to see whether they'll let us into their fort." We went there, but it was not possible to go into the fort. They made the most beautiful bows in front of us, and I said, "Ferdinand, that's enough. Let's go back." We thanked them as well as we could and marched back. We had never been accorded so much honor before. We had to restrain ourselves very much from laughing.

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We bought ourselves pie and everything we wanted and we ate and our fill, and each of us took along one or two bottles of champagne. That was the day we drank the least water in Texas.

 

Now on one occasion we also had to load boards (lumber) and it was very hot and we had no good water. Now the boys wanted to have whiskey but the officers said they couldn't get any. "Well, send Büker, he can get it." "He can't," said the lieutenant. "We know better. We're exhausted. Send Büker." "Will you go, Fritz?" "Yes, but I can't promise you that I can bring any back for you."

 

I went to the quartermaster's tent and when I opened the gate a general was sitting there. I saluted and he was quite friendly. He asked me which regiment I was from. I told him everything and that Kretz was our Colonel. And he asked whether I perhaps wanted something or had to order something. I said yes, but that perhaps he would not be able to help me. Perhaps the thing that I wanted wasn't there. I told him now the whole business. Of course I can do that, if it's there. I called the quartermaster who at the moment was looking out the door and said, "Come here once." I didn't have to say anything more, when he knew that it was there. The general then said, "Give the corporal as much as he wants." I took a big bucketful along. I thanked General Sheriden for his friendliness and the favor.

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When I got back to the boys and told them the story there were three big 'hurrahs' for General Sheriden. And I had said to them that I told him that no one would drink too much, and that I would make sure of that.

 

The board-loading went like steam (fast). Thirty men and 30,000 feet were soon loaded. Then I said take what is left along in your buckets. I brought back the bucket and Sheriden was still there and the two of us had time for a nice conversation. Then I too went to the camp.

-----------

I had also told him that there had been three 'hurrahs' for him. He made a friendly face, and he said 'that wouldn't (hurt?) the boys'.

-----------

Now I think we had (at that time) still thirty recruits. It was on the 12^th of June (I think) in the evening and if I'm not mistaken they had just buried one of the recruits. I said to our general he should let the recruits go home. We didn't need them, and I'd be sorry if we had to bury them here. (before we left) I said they were all married men with two to four little children at home, and they were not accustomed to the hot climate, and now on top of that, the bad water. I thought we would end up burying many of them. And approximately 6,000 rebels who didn't want to surrender. We wouldn't obviously have enough on them for breakfast. We could catch them soon. "Well Büker," said the general, "I can't do that. I'm as much under orders as you are."

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We spoke about that for a long time. I said he should do me the favor and write to the general, that he should write to him what I had said and that the old soldiers (or at least a few of them) had asked him to write to him. On the next day we had the answer, and he could discharge them and let them go home. Well I think I've never seen such friendly faces as those of our recruit soldiers. They had all been good comrades and were mostly from Manitowoc County. The boys weren't stingy with the wine on the last evening, and oh how they thanked me, although I said that I hadn't done that. "Well," they said, "we know better." And they promised me lots of good things if we ever saw each other again in Wisconsin.

 

And I didn't begrudge them that, but a few of the men were not quite in agreement with this until I explained it to them better. We old ones, after a few days, had to march to Brownsville, but we left our camp as quietly as if going to a funeral. We too were suffering from homesickness.

That day we only went fifteen miles, and so it went until we were not very far from Brownsville, and the six regiments had surrendered after all, when they had found out that they were surrounded on all sides. And we went then as far as Brownsville and were discharged only on the 29^th (June?) – and still so far from 'home sweet home'. But on the 31^st of August we were once again in Braso Santiago. We had come down the Rio Grande with a steam ship.

 

(margin note: On the whole march no bridge was necessary.)

 

Now we had to unload the whole ship one night. Thirty pontoon bridges.

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(margin note: Thirty pontoon bridges they said we had unloaded. Oh, what a swindle! No bridge was needed there, and no corn and oats either. And if the old ship had sunk, the government would have perhaps had to pay millions to the supplier. Oh, what swindling goes on during war!)

In Brasos we had to unload a ship and when we had unloaded it we weren't supposed to get on it. That was the cause of some hot blood to surge in the veins of the old soldiers. It was agreed among the soldiers that the ship should not leave the harbor, and they wanted to turn around the cannons on the batteries and drill it into the ground. I saw they weren't kidding. I went to the commander. I said he had to speak out. Now he said to the old soldiers they themselves should go up on the ship and inspect it. If they wanted to risk it, he wanted to be free of the blame if it sank, for it was an old ship. That cooled down their anger somewhat. One couldn't blame us either for the day before and then the whole night we had unloaded the ship with every last bit of strength that we had. And now not to travel home on it It was inspected, and the soldiers wanted to go home And, on the 2^nd of September, in the evening, we were already at 7:00 already in Galveston, and the Gulf was as beautiful as it could be until we got to New Orleans. But ever onward to the homeland Nothing else held any interest for us. We were now on our way home. Now we arrived in Cairo, Illinois, and we were supposed to travel to Chicago in cattle cars. That made us again somewhat annoyed.

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But I thought we would make us some windows on the way. I saw lying there an old axe (about a five pound one) and I took that with me into the car. And when we had traveled a certain distance, we ("made ourselves air") knocked some holes in the side of the car high enough to see through with the axe. Two (?) wide and we could then look at the landscape to while away the hours. We were warned that we would have to pay for anything we broke, and we said yes, we would do that, but with lead

 

In Chicago, we stayed the night, and our whole company, as many of us as there were, went by omnibus approximately three miles to a hotel. (He had been a soldier in Germany. (the hotel owner?)) We had not been shown that much hospitality in three years. Everything was excellent. It was the hotel where I stayed when I was on leave. We also had a tremendous amount of fun, for when the train stopped, the girls and everyone came from all sides with baskets full of apples, milk, pies, big watermelons, and whatever we wished to have. And on Sunday, we went by railroad to Madison, Wisconsin. In the evening we couldn't laugh anymoreso much fun we were having. (We were bombarded by flags, hearty welcomes,(indecipherable))

 

In Madison there was supper, and I want to mention here that one soldier thought the governor might 'pay us our due respects'. He said it in English, and I said, "Turn around, he just passed you the bread and our Lieutenant was also in Madison until we left. He treated the company C. (wine, food, etc.) And he was the one who had broken his arm under the engine and had gone home sooner. He was from Janesville.

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In Madison we were given our final payment and then we traveled to Milwaukee, (by steamship) (?) and on the 8^th of October we were in Sheboygan. That was a day of great celebration, but how small was the number of those who were returning. I have recorded the trip home only quite briefly. If I had wanted to tell the whole story, this book would not have been big enough.

 

Here I wish to make a short comment. When we had taken up lodging in the hotel in Milwaukee, everyone went into town. I remained alone in the hotel. Not much time passed, however, before two men came back and searched through everything. I was quite quiet. (didn't say a word) And now it was time for lunch, and Friedrich Braun had lost his pocketbook with $100. He was completely depressed, and he said if they find that out (at home) then people will say that I perhaps lost my money in houses of ill repute even though I had never been in such a place. I said, "Comrades, we cannot permit people to say such things about our Fritz. I have an idea. All of us will give something so that he will have $70-80." My proposal was supported and U. Kisau listed everything that each person gave. It was exactly $80. I said to Fritz, "Do you also have a pocketbook? Well I have two. I'll make a present of one of them to you." He reached out his hand and I gave him his pocketbook. Dear reader, then I saw a really happy face. Everybody got back their money and he handed me $10. I said, "Fritz, I gave the rebels all of their money back that's not my style." Then my comrade Peter Kirchen said, "I almost suspected that he was planning something when he had us search so calmly."

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I was the only one who didn't go to town. He had pulled his pocketbook out of his pocket with his handkerchief precisely when the girls were passing through every minute. He would have never seen anything ever again if I had not remained there.

(Here I turned over two pages at once to page 87)

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The next two pages that person can use whoever examines this book.

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"Farmer in Town Herman in Sheboygan County after the War."

 

On the 8^th of October I had come home and now it was time to do hard work. And I said, "Now I have been engaged to my fiancée for nearly six years and now it's high time to get married." And the wedding took place on the 22^nd of December, 1865, the first wedding in our parish. I had invited everyone including the whole Missionshaus family, doctors and students, and old Dr. Boshart smoked a cigar and said that on such a festive occasion he wanted to smoke a cigar too. (otherwise he never smoked) Everything proceeded very happily, and I bought then a team of horses and traveled then several times around the county. I also built a big barn 40 feet wide, 80 feet long, and 18 feet high. At the time, the biggest barn in town Herman. But the (erosion?) hole, of which I had many on the land, that I didn't like. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have sold the land. I didn't like that. And at the time I had not heard anything about ( ). Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have sold. And my war comrade H. Decker wrote to me that I should come to visit him sometime, and Christof Klocke and I took him up on his invitation, and journeyed up to Clark County, and I liked it there too, and bought or rather made a deal for 160 acres and moved there in October 1872. I wanted to put everything on the railroad cars, but they wanted for the horses and cows $45 and that was too much for me. And I packed approximately 2800 (?) onto a wagon and I drove there with it; and came right back and fetched my wife and children with the railroad. At this point I'd like to tell a little about the trip there. One evening we wanted to stay overnight with somebody. He must have been a rich person. We inquired (but the note said) "we keep no people" and we drove on. There was a small farm and I said, "Fritz, here we want to inquire." The lady of the house was standing in the doorway, and I told her what we wanted. "Yes," she said we could stay. It was an Irish family, but everything in the house was so clean and pretty. It was really top-notch. And when we wanted to leave the next morning, the man didn't even want to be paid, and he said

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if we were ever in the neighborhood again we should stay there. I told him he should just accept the payment, and then he took it. On another occasion we inquired (if we could stay the night) and the woman said her husband wasn't home and she didn't know if he would be back that evening. I asked whether they had a barn for the horses and she said yes. (Then I said to her mother, then let us stay here) "I see by the pictures (you have hanging on the wall) that you belong to the Christian folk (people) and I am one too, who tries to follow our Savior." Then she said, "You can stay here." And her husband came home and the two of us were up until 2 A.M. He was a blacksmith, and we were invited back cordially if we ever came through again.

 

We didn't have any trouble except for the railroad fools. At a place where the railroad tracks came through, we had to drive through a clearing (?) over freshly plowed land sloping downhill. Suddenly came some railroad cars and stopped right behind us. And the strong black smoke blew right over the horses and they became fearful. (margin note: They blew the whistle so loud that the horses wanted to run away.) I had to use all of my strength to bring them to a halt, and I said, "Come Friedrich, hold the reins once." I took out my rifle and took aim, and they stopped blowing the whistle. I shouted, "You big fools, just whistle one more time. You are the biggest fools in 1,000 miles. Just whistle once more!" But they were quite still. If they had whistled again, I would have put a hole in that whistle. Now everything went well, but the roads were getting worse and worse. We were driving across a bridge, not over a swamp, no, over big rocks. (although one had to drive quite carefully) Suddenly everything went down steeply and 'BANG!' a rope broke and the big box where all of the pots with preserves were packed fell down about 8 feet onto a big stone. I said, "Fritz, now the pickles are canned as plums." But I laughed and he too laughed. We went down and took everything out of the box and only one gallon jar was broken. We set the box back onto the wagon, loaded everything back in it, and our journey continued.

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And we came again into a woods and then the path was really bad. We passed a lumbering camp. There was a fat young man there. We asked him how much further we had to go. I want to (get to?) (call it?) Johnsonville. "Oh you can't get there any more before darkness." I said we wanted to give it a try, and we drove on. We had gotten about a half a mile further and there stood a great big fir tree stump. We had to drive over the high roots, and as the right-hand front wheel drove over, it fell into a hole so deep that the wagon would have fallen over had there not been a tree standing there. The king pin (lynch, big bolt) up front had broken off. "Well," said my nephew, "now we're really done for." I said, "Fritz, we'll have to stay overnight here." It looked like rain. He fetched the horses and I put a hook around the thick fir tree in order to be able to tie the horses to it. And I pulled a couple small trees together over the horses, tied them securely, and the horses would not have gotten wet if it had rained. Now it was getting on toward morning and we saw a big stone and we rolled that over to the wagon, and I quickly chopped down an 'iron tree' approximately 16 feet long and we put it under the knave of the wheels and now I said, "Fritz, make yourself nice and heavy. Then we will soon be ready to go again." I first helped him to lift up the wagon box, and then I had had another bolt. And I shoved the wagon back together with a little 'hand-tree'. Then I said, "Now let it down nice and slowly." The bolt slipped a bit into the hole. I bent on the bolt and 'click' everything was again ready to go. We made ourselves a little fire oven and made our dinner and went to sleep. On the next morning, a rooster crowed, and we were quite close to the farmer. We harnessed up the horses and we drove to the farmer. For when he saw that we were coming to a stop, he came out to us and said we should come in; breakfast would be ready soon. That was just fine with us. I wanted to pay him, but he said, "Oh, no." Then I gave the two girls the money. Their camp was only a half mile away. The man said that there was nobody there who didn't like to work. (among the farmers)

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And we were then by midday in Neillsville, and at the evening we were at Heinrich Decker's place, my old war comrade. And the next day I headed back to town Herman, and fetched my wife and children. They were all ready to go, and so everything went very quickly back and forth. Now it was a matter of getting some boards and building a shanty. And then it was time to chop wood, and a house was built that measured 24 x 28 feet. When it was erected, I couldn't get a carpenter (specialist) to make the rafters. And because I was afraid we might have snow, I took the boards and laid them down so that the water would run off well. I did a good job with that, for we did get snow, but the water ran off nicely, and our things stayed completely dry. And we blocked up a stable for the horses (log cabin) big enough that we could also put 2 cows in as well. Then the carpenter came and the house was soon finished. And the next summer we built a log shanty onto the house. Now we had enough space. And the next spring we built a log barn: 30 feet wide, seventy feet long. We also cleared three acres for potatoes and garden vegetables. The other was seeded with oats. And in the fall we already had 80-90 bushels of oats, and potatoes and garden fruits in abundance. Of course we were not lacking deer meat, for I had made a path through the woods during the morning to a neighbor who had millet hay to sell, and we wanted to fetch some that afternoon. We had driven a small stretch when a saw a stag walking and I snuck behind a big pine tree as quickly as I could, closer to him and he was in some bushes, and I couldn't see anything of him. Then suddenly I saw the white of his tail, and I took aim, there was a 'BANG!', and I went over, but I couldn't find the stag. Then the driver of the wagon called out, "I saw him fall." I said, "Then come and show me." He couldn't find him either. And we could make no rhyme or reason out of it.

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He wanted to go back to the wagon, (and I too) but there a sugar tree had fallen over, and the stag was lying in the hole! We took him along to the wagon, and I said, "Heinrich, where there is a stag there is also a doe." I walked again a few paces from the wagon, and he drove on. We were soon on the other end of the path (through the woods) when the doe came right out in from of the wagon. And he thought, "If only Fritz were on the wagon." But I had already seen the doe and was lying behind the tree. When she was close enough, 'BANG!' she fell and I slit its throat. The deer jumped up and ran toward the wagon. Heinrich laughed and I did too. If it had gotten one jump further it would have been lying under our wagon. Now we fetched the hay. And we took along the two deer. When we wanted to unload then in front of the door, my brother Conrad came, grabbed the doe by the leg, and the doe came down and the stag did too and the horns almost hit him in the face. He was perplexed, and I was too, that that prank could have turned out very badly. And my uncle Simon Reineking said, "Well, Fritz, you do things in a colorful way." The two uncles helped me afterwards for 1-2 days and uncle Simon took home two deer, one a 2-year old and a doe. He came back the next fall and took one satg and one doe with him back home. But sadness too came to our family. Our little son had died, a very pretty and quiet child. Yes, joy alternates with sorrow. My brother Heinrich cleared ten acres for me, and my eldest son was with him. Heinrich was chopping down a big oak tree, and my son, not far from him, had begun chopping the front side of another one. The big one had a big crooked branch. That caught onto the other one and pulled down with it halfway to the ground. Then the big branch broke and came back with the other one, and the big branch was thrown to the place where my son was sitting on a boulder, approximately 40-50 feet away diagonally from the two trees that they wanted to chop down. Heinrich had set him so far back as a precaution.

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The big branch had a fork. The green part came down on Friedrich's back and the dry part over his knees. I thought his legs were off. I picked him up, he was lying on his face. I shook him a little bit, but there was no breath, no movement. Dead reader, that was the heaviest burden that I picked up in my life. Now I went toward the house with him, and there a small stream, and I took him on my knees and wiped a few drops of blood from his face. I shook him again and over his lips came a quiet, "papa, papa."

 

Never in my life have I uttered such a deep felt prayer of thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father (as on that day). There was after all again some hope. Now I took him home. I had sent my brother out in advance so that my wife wouldn't suddenly be surprised. Heinrich then ran over to Greenwood to the doctor's office. I had told him before he left he shouldn't run too hard but just at the time he reached the doctor's office he (the doctor) came flying already with his cart, and my brother Heinrich was far behind him. How he managed to get there and back so quickly is a mystery to me to this day. He felt it however long thereafter. It was 7 miles there and 7 miles back. Now the doctor examined the whole body and the legs. He looked around and said, "Friend Büker, in 8-10 days your son is alright again." How I felt can only be sensed by someone who experienced something similarand my son was again healthy. As is always the case I too had all sorts of second thoughts. I asked God to lead me if I had done wrong so that I would come back to Sheboygan. But everything again went very well, and I had vowed to God that I would do everything in my power (to ensure that) we would have a church and a community here as soon as possible.

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And I can say with good conscience that I did what I could. And I believe too (and I know) if I had not bought up the land then, it wouldn't have been possible. For in three years the nine of us had 40 acres of land and in the fourth year a log cabin church.

In the two years we cleared nearly 35 acres. The my brother-in-law Simon Boedecker came and saw the Paerson farm and said, "Fritz, if the farm can be bought, then just buy it. I also want to move here. The farm pleases me very much." I said, "Simon, that fellow will have to sell or starve, for they don't work and he has sold his fir trees and the money will soon be used up." It didn't take very long either until he came over and asked whether I knew of a buyer for him and said I would get one for him, but he would have to tell me how much he wanted to have. He said $4,000. I said that was a bit too much. "I'll give you $3800 if you throw in the cattle and the two-year-old foals." And I said , "You can take your horses and your new wagon and the household goods." He didn't want to go along with that deal, however. "I'll pay you $2000 right away and again in 2 months." (But his wife wanted to keep the foals.) I said, "Then the farm will cost me $4000 in a year and my horses are getting old and you have two young horses." It however didn't take very long until he came back and the deal was concluded. At 1:00 I had no debts and at 2:00 I had $3000 (?). Now I wrote to Boedecker telling him that the deal had been concluded and that he was quite satisfied with it. However he had become ill and couldn't come. I said, "Mama, what do we want to do? Do we want to lose the $150 or risk it? (?)" "Do as you like." I risked it and at 1:30 I had $3000 worth of debts. I then began to lumber and I made already during the first winter $394. And the next winter somewhat more. I had to now acquire sleds and chairs and everything and we tore down the old house on the 200 acre farm and rebuilt it closer to the spring (water). And the next spring, we also built a barn 70 x 30 x 17 feet. But the barn became too small and we made another threshing floor. And a box 30 feet long, but it (threshing floor) too was too small. But we then built a new farm house 34 x 32 x 18 feet. And a kitchen 16 x 24 feet. That cost me almost $2600, and two years later we built a barn 44 x 80 x 18 feet. And then a pig barn 24 x 30 feet, then a wagon barn 36 x 40 feet, and then a (vegetable) fruithouse 24 x 30 feet, and then a wood shed 24 x 30 feet. Well, dear reader, now I should probably have soon stopped with building, but the barn again became too small. And I built an addition on the west end 44 x 44 feet. And even that barn was scarcely large enough, and we had to make a stack of oats outside of it, containing more than 200 bushels. We had especially good harvests. A few years earlier we had 12 acres of oats. They yielded 1000 bushels, and by weight each acre would have quite certainly had 100 bushels. And the next year we had 1800 bushels from 22 acres.

 

Side margin: Klatschweiber

 

Dear reader, it appeared as though God wanted to reward me richly for what I had done for the sake of the Kingdom.

 

But now came other times. One day a couple of gossipy women had been visiting my wife. They had really given her a hard time about the fact that I was always lending money out to people and was always getting cheated out of it. But that I helped one of their husbands out of a terrible trap, from which they probably would have lost half their farm. That, of course, she didn't know, and also that I, because of that, had lost the best deal that I had ever made in Clark County.

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I would certainly have made $1000 from it, but it was too late and I had the loss (missed out). I also wouldn't have given much for it (the opportunity), but that she got my wife so worked up cost me ten time more grief. And she reproached me quite unjustly. And I just said a few words. I would have much preferred to lose another $1000, but things that are done cannot be made undone, and the next morning she didn't come to the table, and I laid my Bible aside. But dear reader, that was probably the biggest mistake I ever made in my whole life, for on the 17^th of September, a little storm blew up and a little cloud passed by us a bit closer. We had just eaten; it was about 6:15. It had been a very hot day, and I was in the kamma(? chamber? pantry? bedroom?). Suddenly there came a large bang and I rushed out of the (chamber) and into the dining room and saw my youngest daughter coming from the kitchen. I could tell immediately by looking at her that something had happened. And I asked, "Bertha, has something happened?" "Yes, our barn is on fire!" I asked, "Where are Jake and George?" "They are letting out the cattle and livestock." "Has nothing else happened?" "No." "Well, then, let it burn, if no one has been harmed." I blew the horn and people came, and ladders were set against the hoses and blankets were soaked and laid over them. The wind was coming straight out of the northwest. I couldn't see very well but took the axes and said, "Ernst, pound a couple of nails into the ladder. It's inclined to slip." He did that, and I saw that up above that there was fire in a knothole on the side of the fruithouse. I squirted water up there and it was extinguished. I went to see what my wife was doing, and Simon Boedecker went too. His wife had fainted when she had seen that the barn was burning. I went onto the porch and Simon Boedecker came back and said his wife was alright. And then I saw somebody coming up the path and I thought, "What does he want? Everything is already burned up."

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He came up to me and stood at the posts(?). As far as I recall he didn't say "good day" either. He said, "A big fire." I said, "Yes, the highest flames I have seen." Then he said, "A great loss (a lot of damage). All the hay, all the beautiful fruit. Yes, the big building. All that is now a great heap of ashes." That was all true, too. "Yes, a great loss." I said, "Yes, but I'm happy that non of us was injured." Then he said, "Yes, that's the way it goes. You always say one should put his trust in God. Now what do you have from your trust in God? Everything is a big pile of ashes."

 

I stood there, quite dumbfounded. I turned around and called, "Lord Jesus, help me to overcome the enemy Satan just as you conquered him." I turned round quickly and said very gruffly, "Scram! Get out, you false liar! I want to have nothing to do with you! Clear out or you'll get something additional, you deceiver! Even if my body and soul are dying away, God is nonetheless the consolation of my heart, and my purpose (lot) in life." Yes, dear reader, the was the Devil in human form. I could describe him further how he looked but I'll refrain from doing so. I never saw him again.

 

Then I went (or wanted) to have a look at the fire too, but I stopped dead in my tracks, and thanked my Savior and beseeched God. I professed my faith in Him, and said, "I have earned your chastisement. Your judgment is just, but you also have promised that you would be gracious unto the meek and humble. If it is now possible, please spare me my house. Thy will be done." I raised my eyes and looked toward the fire, and lo and behold the wind had just turned around and was coming from the southeast. It had been coming from the northwest.

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I had never seen the wind change direction so suddenly. It was blowing straight away where it had been coming from a minute before. Now I went over and told the people they should stop applying sand(?) from the wagons. I told them that the danger had passed. Nothing will burn up anymore. The fire on the roof of the wagon barn went out by itself. They squirted some more water onto it, but it wasn't burning anymore. It had been burning in 3 or 4 places, and where it had been burning, no repairs have been made, and as far as I know, it still doesn't rain through there. Dear reader, if the wind had come strongly from the northwest, no building would have been left standing. That was my punishment for having set the Bible aside. Many of my neighbors saw it and I wish that they would take a warning from that and not put the Bible aside for a small reason, for where the Bible is not read, there is no longer any true Christianity. There everything goes more toward heathenism. For nothing shows us the way so clearly how we should conduct our lives in order to follow our Savior than the Bible. And today someone could buy anything from me, but my Bible, no one could buy from me so that I couldn't read from it anymorenot for all the millions in the world. For the rich man in the parable had to go already in the next night. Yes, the Bible is my greatest treasure (jewel) that I have in the world.

 

Now that the barn had been burned down, measures had to be taken as quickly as possible to assure that the livestock had shelter (stalls). And my closest neighbor came and helped me for 16 days until we had everything back in order. I wanted to pay him, but "No, not a cent." Dear reader, do you also have such a neighbor? Others helped, too, and in the winter almost all helped again carting sand and by the time of the hay harvest the barn was again ready.

98

Two other neighbors, William R. and William T., also helped me three days each, carting stones when the masons were there. Now everything was in operation again, but I again had to start logging for building and buying feed costs, although my neighbors had brought me hay and also fruit. And when one had lumbered through the winter and then in the spring, one had to break what one called a "roll-way" (?) The logs were sometimes rolled down into the rivers from a height of 20 feet or more. The breaking was often very dangerous work.

And we had a few high "roll-ways" too. One of them didn't want to come loose and I said I wanted to go down now and see if I can't loosen it. I started and then the ice broke and the legs came rolling down so quickly that I now had to jump onto each log. Then the ice also broke on the land. That lasted now for quite awhile. I had no corks under my rubbers. If I had made a single misstep I would have been completely smashed. Now what remained of the whole "roll-way" went and I had to think that any second they would float onto one another (dam up). Then an 18-foot long log came floating after them and I shoved my pick firmly into the thin end that was in front and the other end swung around. I jumped on the log toward the shore, reached out with my left hand into some hazelnut brushes. The big one broke, but the little one, which was scarcely the thickness of a finger, held me, and I was hanging on the steep bank. The other men standing on the shore stuck into my right hand another pick, and I was saved. Dear reader, if I had made only one misstep, placed one foot wrongly, then I would have been rolled flat. But God had clearly sent His angel to make sure that my feet didn't slip.

99

(Note: Again on page 102)

The old log driver said he had never seen anyone in such a dangerous position.

 

Dear reader, I want to make a few more remarks on how God always protected me when I was threatened by robbers. Once I was in Eau Claire, Wis. There I withdrew $1500 from the bank (or took it to the bank). There was a man standing not far from me who saw that I took the money (from) there. Then I traveled with the railroad to another small town and stayed there. I asked the innkeeper then after dinner whether he could give me a single room. He said no. I went to bed and it was probably 1 or 1:30 when I awakened but I was quite groggy and I saw someone looking over at me to see what I was doing. I put on my pants and I went over to the well, drank some water, stuck my finger in my mouth and spit everything out. And then I went back and lay down, but I didn't sleep again. And as I got up the next morning I saw that in two rooms no one had slept and I still believe to this day that the innkeeper had made a plan with the other two men. I never stayed again in that hotel.

 

(Margin note with arrow: On the next day the two were gone.)

 

And later I did stay in a hotel in Eau Claire and there came (I'm not sure if it was one or two men), I think it was around 1:00, and they wanted to break into my bedroom, but I had shoved the bed up against the door ad had pressed the chairs so tightly between the bed and the wall so that no one could open it. But they came again. Then I said they should just try it one more time and I would give it to them so much that they would certainly have enough. And the next morning I told this to the innkeeper. He said he couldn't understand this, for the doors had all been locked; he himself had locked them. And he said he wished I had gone ahead and shot through the door, and that if it ever happened again I should remember what he said. He would pay for all the trouble [?corner?]

100

 

Here I had turned two pages.

 

102

Later, on another occasion, again two came but because they saw that our two were on the wagon, they wanted to jump onto the big [? buck back bed ?] but they couldn't do that because it was made differently. They came toward us and I knew with a fair degree of certainty who they were but it was too dark so I couldn't have sworn to it. But if they had called to us and if we had had to stop, then I would have given them the money with the right hand and with the left one he would have gotten such a blow in the side or on the head with a stone, that he would have been left lying in the dirt with the pocketbook, and I believe he never again would have demanded one.

 

The other story you've already read in the book, when we were still in Milwaukee it seemed to me that my comrade was (being bothered by) missing something, and I asked him, "Friedrich, are you missing something?" "Yes," he said. "You know where you are going when the bullet hits you. I, however, do not." I said, "Friedrich, then I can give you some good advice. You're well aware you are a sinner." "Yes, I know that." Now I told him, "Then go to Jesus and tell him what is bothering you. You know, after all, that he said, 'Come unto me'. That goes for you, too." And I quoted a whole bunch of other words that Jesus had said. And afterwards he was entirely different. After (or on) the march to Little Rock, both of them (Friedrich Schaefer and Friedrich Selberg) couldn't get any water, and both had died. It's been now almost 60 years since that happened. Dear reader, I felt his loss severely. But I believed they had been 'home' for a long time. When I received the letter in the hospital, I mourned for him as David mourned for Jonathan. Heinrich Kissau was now the only one. H. Decker was sick at home on leave and Kissau came through the hospital and went on leave and he had then probably told my mother and my fiancée that I had dysentery.

103

And my fiancée wrote me immediately a beautiful letter, and the first two verses from song 349 of the Reformed Song Book, which seems to be "The (Larger?) the Cross, the closer is Heaven. He who is without a cross to bear is without God. One forgets the curse of Hell and Death in the lust to sin and the commotion of the world. O, O blessed is the man whom God had sent trials and tribulation, etc

 

And when some times begin to look as though dark clouds are about to draw together, then I often sing the song 162 "Jesus my Joy": The green pasture of my heart, feast of my eyes. Jesus my adornment (jewel?)! O how long is the heart anxious and longs for you Lamb of God, my bridegroom. Aside from you nothing else in the world shall be dearer to me, etc.

 

This last Easter was the first I know of that I was not able to go to church when I was at home. I read then the last chapter in the Gospel according to john. And when Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Peter denied him (as we all know) three times, and the third time Peter's heart became heavy and he said then, "Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you." Then I thought (to myself), "If Jesus would ask you as he asked Peter, you can say the same thing." And then I also had to say, "Lord, you know all things, you well know that I love you." Then I took our songbook and sang several hymns. Also the song, "Jesus my joy, the pasture of my heart, Jesus my jewel.  Yes, I had a lovely Easter day.

 

Dear reader, I wasn't alone either. "Behold I am with you all the days to the end of the world". Glory to the Father and the Son and to the Holy Spirit upon His Throne.

 

The Holy Trinity be praised forever!

104

Now dear reader, I must be stopping. If I wanted to write down all of the occasions that God , when danger threatened, almost always let me know about it in advance, then I would fill these pages to overflowing. Now, dear reader, I had put this book down, and then I thought I would write down a couple more stories. I and my father were driving sawn logs down the Sheboygan River, and I wanted to fetch one log away from the shore, and went after the log and I stepped into a sinkhole. I reached for the log with my left hand and then with the other one too, and so I emerged in one piece.

(margin note: came away happy)

 

If I had not grabbed onto the log so quickly I would have drowned and my father wouldn't have known what had become of me.

 

Then on one occasion I fetched a load of boards, a rather large one, approx. 900 feet, ad up front in the wagon I had 2 sacks full of fruit. I wanted to pass by a big stump on the right side when right wagon wheel fell so deep into the soil that I fell with the two sacks of the wagon, head over heels and came to rest with my neck in front of the front wheel. I had just enough time to call out "whoa!" (to the horses). Six inches more and my neck would have been severed (off), but the horses stood still immediately upon hearing my command and did not move another inch forward. And I loaded my sacks back onto the wagon and came home. If I were to write down all of these stories how God preserved me at the last second I could fill this book. Now I remember another accident. My brother Heinrich Humke (Half-brother) had bought 160 acres of land and when he paid the money (I do not know anymore how much) he discovered that there were tax "titles" on it. Now I wanted to go to Black River Falls. I was standing in front of the store where I always made my purchases, and the owner asked me where I was going. I told him.

105

"Oh, you don't have to go there with the post." He said I could drive with him and if I didn't want to go along, he could bring back the tax titles for me. He was after all well acquainted with the people and could probably buy the more cheaply than I. When he got back on the third day and I wanted to have the tax titles, he wanted to keep them. I was wrong to have let myself be duped in this way and I said to my son in law that this was the last time I would buy anything in their store. Then he said I should wait a little bit, and he would have a word with him. And then the old man came back and said if I'd give him $180 then he would turn them over to me. I paid him out the money and then went immediately to the county office and had everything attended to. And I went back to Greenwood. And he was standing in front of the store. I called him in behind the counter. He asked what I wanted. I said to him, "You are a liar, a hypocrite, and a cheater", and how I wished for him that for every cent that he cheated on my brother out of, he would lose a dollar.

 

In 4 years he was so poor that he didn't have any togs (clothes) on his body, but just rags. Then one day I wanted to go to Withee and when I wanted to head home I thought I saw him crossing the street. He stopped, however, and I asked "Well, Chandler, how are You getting along?" "Very poor, Mr.Büker". I asked him if he still remembered what I had told him (at that time), "Yes," he said. I felt sorry for him and the little girl. I said I would take back my wishes.

 

A short period afterwards, he and the girl were very well clothed.

 

Whenever I wanted after this to conclude a deal or buy land I didn't let anyone know about it. I had learned something.

 

And all of the many land purchases I never again was caught (duped). He who wishes to buy something should keep quiet until the deal is complete.

106

Now I want to tell another similar story. I had lumbered for the Eau Claire lumber company. The log measurer, Sealer, had cheated me that winter, out of at least $200, while measuring logs. And when the camp broke up, I had jammed (pinched) the second finger of my right hand so that it was bleeding a lot. I was writing orders, and the Sealer, who was measuring the logs, said "Let me write the orders". I was dumb enough and allowed him to write a few, but I didn't let him write my name. I wrote it all at the bottom after he had gone, add on all of my orders I had made a little mark nobody knew about

In addition, one Sunday when we were back home, he had used my rifle for hunting and then cleared out the barrel with a ram rod from a soldier's rifle. That ramrod was made of iron or steel and my gun was ruined. With that rifle I was able to hit a 3" ring at 200 paces. I wouldn't have sold that gun for $50. Then, in addition, he wanted to seduce a neighbor girl. I had warned the girl and told her she would watch her step with him, for he didn't have anything and he would never marry her. She, however, had promised me by her word of honor that she would not let him "find out anything". And she was gone after a few days. I had also told her that I believed that he belonged to a gang of robbers

 

Then I went to Eau Claire to settle accounts, and the cashier laid two orders on the table. I said those were not my orders. I reminded him that I had told him twice that he should not pay at any orders where my marks were not on them. He said that he hadn't thought about that. I said it wasn't my fault. I asked him if he knew where he (Sealer) was. No, he didn't know anything. Then when I came back to Eau Claire, I asked him again. Then I said he should lose half

 

(Margin note: the clerk, I think he belonged to them).

 

He didn't want to do it either, and he wanted to know why I wanted to see him so urgently. I told him to beat him until he gave me back my money, or until I had broken his bones. "Oh," he said, "you can't kick that big man." I said "Yes I can kick him and you both, and another one in one minute, that would be just a little fun for me". And then I said I could also get him if I wanted to. Then he said there was no worry about that. I said "You will find out that I can hurt him. Now I wish that that money breaks his neck."

 

I stayed the next night in Eau Claire, and the next day I had business in Neillsville, and then came home on the evening of the third day. When I entered my room, there was a sample copy of a New York newspaper on the table, in such a way that the other side of the newspaper was lying face up. I was just about to take off my (arm coat?) when, I leaned at the newspaper and saw printed in middle sized letters "Bill Hariman Killed by Police". I was taken aback for a while. That was him. He had not wanted to turn himself over and the police had shot him through the chest. Yet on the same evening that I had wished that for him. Since then I have never wished such a harsh punishment on anyone. Just one time on a cheat who came to me and I made the profession (confession) of faith easy for him and since then he had better luck.

109

Now dear reader, how does it look now? Quite dismal I should say. In our old fatherland there children and weak people are dying of hunger and are deprived of other necessary things, and who is mainly to blame for this? Every truth-loving person will say America. I say that I believe America has played the most shameful trick on its most faithful friend, a friend unsurpassed by any other in the history of the world, Germany gave him the money, and not a single other country. And if our biggest crazy hypocrite had stayed on this side of the ocean, then today our whole world would be better off. But America became too proud and too haughty. I predicted this last war 15-20 years in advance. We were one day visiting one of my nephews, and I told them that they would have to become soldiers, just as I had been before them. I said that they would see (that what I was saying was true) but that appeared ridiculous to them. But they saw in due course that it was true. And America told Germany that it would have to pay for everything that had been damaged by it. (Treaty of Versailles) But I digress. I wish I had been an official in Germany when the Germans had to sign the papers. Dear reader, I can assure you that the other hypocrites would have never forced me to do it. I would have pointed my finger at their chests. I would have told them frankly to their face, "You hypocrites! Your heart tells each of you that it is a lie" And if they attempted to lay hands on me then I would have acted just as David did. They would have probably not left the room alive, for I knew that they were liars and I would have had no fear of them. And the Kaiser clearly made a big mistake that he looked for aid from such a great hypocrite as our Wilson.

110

Indeed, one can say all of Germany had fainted (in shock) upon finding out that America was sending troops and everything against them. I believe every honest and upstanding human being who knew the story of how Germany had helped America would have not fared much better (fainting). I wish Wilson had read my letter that I wrote to him before the war. Then he would have known quite clearly what I and others thought of him. But one thing fills me with joy even today that the smart liars had forgotten when the Germans had signed that that would have inflicted much more damage on the Germans (referring to people), Dear reader, I can't write it here, it could still hurt Germany, if peace is still to be made. Yes, I believe that the smart liars "have made a big mistake".

And what is today's "Americalamity"? (French "malour" + America) Truly the blacks had it better than many farmers have it today. The boss (slave holder) had to feed them and clothe them. If it hadn't been for the selling them apart they could eat and drink what they pleased. We whites (at least the working people among us) have to drink water so that the rich alone get the wine. I'm writing from personal experience. I was sick and wanted to have some beer or wine. The doctor had to bring it from another state. And, dear reader, that one quart cost me $3. That's the great Yankee land of liberty. And another fellow had drunk some whiskey, but wasn't however at all drunk. When they asked him whether he had drunk whiskey, he didn't want to lie, however, he didn't have anything to do with distillery. He had to pay $124! That's just one example of (life on) the free land of "Americalamity". And what taxes today do farmers have to pay? One of them had a clearing of approximately 100 acres and lots of debts.

111

He had to pay $400 minus a few cents! And everywhere you go there is robbery and murder in the entire free country. That is the blessing (result) that the Bibles are out of the schools and that in the schools, children are no longer taught "Fear God and love thy neighbor". Lovely prospects America is I believe the right hand in the English Gang of Thieves. First the Indians were treated unjustly, then America helped England to ruin the Boers (South African white people, descendants of Dutch, German and English also referred to as "Afrikaners" although the last has a wider meaning), which was no concern of ours. And now its truest friend  Indeed it will probably reach the point that England will receive the northeast corner. Poor New York. And the United States can then be called New  (Slips). England already had and would like again to have the eastern corner of the US, just as France has Alsace and Lorraine (German-speaking). They would have liked to have done that at the time, when the rebellion was here, but the Germany would have been at its back. How quick Wilson was when he wanted to ruin Germany and how slow now to help. It'll probably come to pass that England gets the northeast of America if the world lasts longer and does not get destroyed. Before that, America's disgrace will probably not be eradicated. The world is becoming so godless that its destruction perhaps is no longer very far off. If we do not again get the Lincoln at the helm and Germany gets no Bismarck, then the prospects are not rosy. But as we know, there is one sitting in the regiment (government?) and he can soon change everything. Let us however pray (hymn 434 R.S.B) especially verses 3-4: "O that I might hear the word resound soon upon the earth that peace should reign in every place where Christians dwell. O that God would concede to us the end of war, the resting of weapons, and the end of unhappiness," etc.

112

In the 71^st Psalm (and call for salvation like David).

 

Now a small thing occurs to me. I once had two steers (oxen). They were very angry at one another so that they were foaming at the mouth. I was working not far away and I thought I would drive them together, but that would have not accomplished anything. And they butted one another quite horribly. However the bigger one won. In the afternoon both were standing in the shade of the tree and the big one was licking the small one all over and never again did I see them butting each other. The two bulls truly understood more than French, quite certainly more than Clemenceau and Poineaine. I believe that those two themselves did not believe that they belong to the human race.

 

But I must stop, for what I think of the poor, hungry, children and the helpless people, my heart becomes heavy.

 

And now dear reader, I must soon get to the end, for I can just communicate something from my life. And you may think "well, you had a blessed life". Yes, for I cannot ever thank my faithful Father in Heaven and my Savior enough. But I am still in the pilgrimage land and one of my children is going astray---

 

And if you have already experienced the situation that a child was lost in the woods, oh, how happy were the parents and all of us when we found it. Suddenly all worries were past. The bears had not harmed him (it). God has preserved it mercifully. Oh, what a joy.

113

Dear reader, I would like to give my complete fortune if I could save him while I am still alive but I still have one hope. For as much higher heaven is than the earth, so much higher are God's thoughts and path than ours. And the Lord Jesus also said, "What You will ask of the father in my Name, that He will do".

 

And he has so often already heard my prayers that I still have hope after all. (Hymn 272, verse 3) in the Reformed Song Book "Go into your chamber, unburden your heart to Him of the trouble that makes you lose heart." God always pays attention to His own when they weep as their shepherd. God's heart feels our pain; he cannot bear it very long when we weep and wail. Dear reader, don't you also think that there is still hope?

 

Now I wish that this short account of my life might prove useful to its readers and serve to encourage them. And may your main goal be the eternal homeland and I wish that I might see many of the readers in the heavenly kingdom up there when our time on earth is completed. Dear reader, when you read this, remember that a farmer wrote it and you can easily imagine that there will be many mistakes in it. But I think nonetheless that it will provide enjoyment to many of my grandchildren and nephews (for many of them are still alive) to hear once again something from their old uncle. Because I am no doubt the only one still alive, for as far as I know, all who came with me from Germany are already "home". Yes, I say home, for we in my youth in town Herman often sang the beautiful song with one another: (Song # 14) "We who are gathered here to (clasp?) (shake?) our hands in agreement in order to ally ourselves with Your torment (martyrdom), to be true to You eternally." And as a sign that this song of praise is pleasing and beautiful to your heart, say "Amen" and at the same time, "Peace be with you".

 

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Oh, what a happy reunion

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(?) #499

 

Therefore we are happy: we are walking in the light and happy is our countenance in the face of all of the need (travail) down here (on earth). In the sanctuary of heaven, Jesus Christ loves us and He gives the soul holy (blessed) peace. Who knows who can name that which we inherit after death, what He gives us who loved us first.

 

(Separate, pasted in page)

 

A Short Explanation for the Readers

 

I want with this note to write a few more works by way of explanation for this little book. Not many people have been given as much as my Heavenly Father has given me. During the War, I was able to tell our soldiers in the evening where the Rebels would be the next morning and what they intended to do, and that we would defeat them. It appeared strange to them that I knew that, and that every time it happened in precisely the way that I predicted it would. We had someone in our Company C who could not understand it at all. However, after he had seen three times in a row that our generals did exactly as I had predicted he became quite calm, and he said, "It happens each time exactly as you said it would." Dear reader, it gave me pause, too. But I recognized God's goodness and thanked Him from the depth of my soul.

(other side)

 

(Top margin: And the Rebels did not pursue us any more and they didn't get Little Rock again.)

 

When we were awaiting the Great Battle on the Saline River I told my comrade in the evening "Tomorrow we have to avenge the great injustice that the Rebels have committed against the blacks." Then he said, "Well that doesn't have anything to do with it." I said, "You will see it." And he saw it. We had 222 dead and wounded and the Rebels 4000 and 200. And seeing that, he had nothing more to say. And I gave somebody who had lost $495 back his money (a bet?). That person said that he thought that they had lost a good deal more.

And our captain was also a Christian and he told the generals about it and so it went until we came home. There probably was no other soldier who had as much freedom as I did. Yes, my heavenly Father ordained all that and so it turned out each time as I had said. Glory be to Him alone to this day.

 

F. Büker  Biographical Sketch