| A Couple of Soldier Stories |
Ludwig Blenker (1812-1863) is an example of why enthusiasm is not always enough to make a
successful soldier. He was born in Worms, Germany. He enlisted in the Bavarian Legion in 1832 and
served in the Greek Wars of Revolution with distinction. After he returned to Worms five years later,
he became a vintner, but went bankrupt. He was one of the main leaders of the German revolutions
of 1848, but had to flee when the revolutions failed. He first went to Switzerland, and in 1849 went
to the United States where he went into business in New York City. Upon the outbreak of war, he
volunteered and became prominent among the organizers of the German recruits. As a Colonel, he
led the 8th New York to war, and by July 1861 he was given the command of a German brigade
which repulsed a Confederate cavalry attack in a rearguard action at First Bull Run. He was
appointed Brigadier General on August 9, 1861 and by October had gathered enough German
regiments that the War Department organized "Blenker's Division".
successful soldier. He was born in Worms, Germany. He enlisted in the Bavarian Legion in 1832 and
served in the Greek Wars of Revolution with distinction. After he returned to Worms five years later,
he became a vintner, but went bankrupt. He was one of the main leaders of the German revolutions
of 1848, but had to flee when the revolutions failed. He first went to Switzerland, and in 1849 went
to the United States where he went into business in New York City. Upon the outbreak of war, he
volunteered and became prominent among the organizers of the German recruits. As a Colonel, he
led the 8th New York to war, and by July 1861 he was given the command of a German brigade
which repulsed a Confederate cavalry attack in a rearguard action at First Bull Run. He was
appointed Brigadier General on August 9, 1861 and by October had gathered enough German
regiments that the War Department organized "Blenker's Division".
He was assigned to the Mountain Department in Virginia under
Major General John C. Fremont in March, 1862. When Blenker
and his division left for western Virginia on April 6, the men were
ordered to leave their tents behind. Unfortunately, they ran into
over a foot of snow and they were pelted by freezing rain, making
many of the men ill. Blenker was severely injured in a fall from his
horse at Warrenton, and confusion rose in the stressed troops, who
were also suffering from insufficient rations. They began to raid
farms, and this event gave birth to the term "Blenkered", or
misappropriating goods to maintain an army in the field. Major
General William S. Rosecrans was sent by the War Department to
find the division and escort it to Fremont. Rosecrans resupplied the
hungry, cold troops and rushed them to Major General Fremont at
Petersburg on May 11.
Major General John C. Fremont in March, 1862. When Blenker
and his division left for western Virginia on April 6, the men were
ordered to leave their tents behind. Unfortunately, they ran into
over a foot of snow and they were pelted by freezing rain, making
many of the men ill. Blenker was severely injured in a fall from his
horse at Warrenton, and confusion rose in the stressed troops, who
were also suffering from insufficient rations. They began to raid
farms, and this event gave birth to the term "Blenkered", or
misappropriating goods to maintain an army in the field. Major
General William S. Rosecrans was sent by the War Department to
find the division and escort it to Fremont. Rosecrans resupplied the
hungry, cold troops and rushed them to Major General Fremont at
Petersburg on May 11.
Fremont pushed the exhausted men to catch up with Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley.
On June 7, 1862 at Cross Keys, Virginia, Fremont met up with Jackson who repulsed the
demoralized union division. They took heavy losses in an attempt to turn the Confederate left flank.
Shortly after this action, all of the blame was put on Blenker and he was relieved. Although there
were no charges against him, he saw no more action and was discharged on March 31, 1863. He
died later that year at his farm in New York, from the injuries received in the fall from his horse.
On June 7, 1862 at Cross Keys, Virginia, Fremont met up with Jackson who repulsed the
demoralized union division. They took heavy losses in an attempt to turn the Confederate left flank.
Shortly after this action, all of the blame was put on Blenker and he was relieved. Although there
were no charges against him, he saw no more action and was discharged on March 31, 1863. He
died later that year at his farm in New York, from the injuries received in the fall from his horse.
Albert Sieber's life took a different path. Sieber was born in 1844 near Heidelberg, the 13th of 14
children, and he came to America as a boy. He volunteered in the military in March of 1862, and
was a private in Company B of the 1st. Infantry from Minnesota He participated in the Peninsular
campaigns, fought at Antietam and Fredericksburg, and was severely wounded on the second day of
the Battle of Gettysburg, when in the evening hours of July 2,1863 his regiment (which was 60
percent Germans) was to defend the "Cemetery Ridge". The First Minnesota Regiment was the only
regiment in place. General Winfield Scott Hancock mounted a counter-attack on these 262 men with
a force more than five times greater, killing 75 and wounding 174 men of the First Minnesota
Regiment. This was the highest percentage of loss suffered by a regiment of the army.
children, and he came to America as a boy. He volunteered in the military in March of 1862, and
was a private in Company B of the 1st. Infantry from Minnesota He participated in the Peninsular
campaigns, fought at Antietam and Fredericksburg, and was severely wounded on the second day of
the Battle of Gettysburg, when in the evening hours of July 2,1863 his regiment (which was 60
percent Germans) was to defend the "Cemetery Ridge". The First Minnesota Regiment was the only
regiment in place. General Winfield Scott Hancock mounted a counter-attack on these 262 men with
a force more than five times greater, killing 75 and wounding 174 men of the First Minnesota
Regiment. This was the highest percentage of loss suffered by a regiment of the army.
Albert Sieber was hit in the head by a shell fragment so hard that
his skull was opened up on the right side. His right leg had
shattered. He was sent to the Army Hospital for a six-month
recovery. After he recovered his strength, he served as a security
guard in a POW camp in Elmira, New York. In 1864, he was
awarded the rank of corporal. After the war, Sieber was honorably
discharged from the army and in 1866 went out west to explore the
silver mines in Nevada and the gold fields of California. After he
didn't strike it rich, he found a job as a foreman on a ranch in
Arizona where there were only a few scattered settlers who were
under constant attack by Apaches. Sieber organized a defense
against the Apaches. General George Crook hired him to be Chief
of Scouts in 1871 for much of the Apache Wars. This was the most
dangerous time in the Old West, and Sieber was wounded in
fighting 29 times by knives, bullets or arrows. On one occasion, a
ball shattered his left leg, shortening it by a full five inches, and
permanently crippling him. He was known among the Apaches as
"bleached face that knows no fear."
his skull was opened up on the right side. His right leg had
shattered. He was sent to the Army Hospital for a six-month
recovery. After he recovered his strength, he served as a security
guard in a POW camp in Elmira, New York. In 1864, he was
awarded the rank of corporal. After the war, Sieber was honorably
discharged from the army and in 1866 went out west to explore the
silver mines in Nevada and the gold fields of California. After he
didn't strike it rich, he found a job as a foreman on a ranch in
Arizona where there were only a few scattered settlers who were
under constant attack by Apaches. Sieber organized a defense
against the Apaches. General George Crook hired him to be Chief
of Scouts in 1871 for much of the Apache Wars. This was the most
dangerous time in the Old West, and Sieber was wounded in
fighting 29 times by knives, bullets or arrows. On one occasion, a
ball shattered his left leg, shortening it by a full five inches, and
permanently crippling him. He was known among the Apaches as
"bleached face that knows no fear."
He acted as a negotiator between the tribes and the military, becoming a legendary figure and one of
the most famous scouts in the frontier history of the territory of Arizona. George Crook described
Al Sieber in 1844 as follows: "He is six feet tall, weighs 190 pounds and seems to exist in only bones
and muscles. Eyes and hair are dark, his appearance is not unusual. He can move with his scouts
sixty miles a day and back, also he is an incomparable rifle shooter. His fearlessness is famous. "
the most famous scouts in the frontier history of the territory of Arizona. George Crook described
Al Sieber in 1844 as follows: "He is six feet tall, weighs 190 pounds and seems to exist in only bones
and muscles. Eyes and hair are dark, his appearance is not unusual. He can move with his scouts
sixty miles a day and back, also he is an incomparable rifle shooter. His fearlessness is famous. "
These were trying times, and there were long parades of exiled Indians heading to relocation and piles
of massacred Indians alongside of scattered dead settlers, burned out frontier homes and wandering
orphans. Sieber is credited with having prevented massacres of Indians on a couple of occasions and
he was not happy with the later military treatment of the Apaches. He wanted to resume prospecting.
He was formally discharge from military service in 1890, but Sieber still had adventures. He entered
into a four-year dispute with an Indian agent that Sieber felt treated Indians poorly and even managed
to solve a local murder. Albert Sieber had never married.
of massacred Indians alongside of scattered dead settlers, burned out frontier homes and wandering
orphans. Sieber is credited with having prevented massacres of Indians on a couple of occasions and
he was not happy with the later military treatment of the Apaches. He wanted to resume prospecting.
He was formally discharge from military service in 1890, but Sieber still had adventures. He entered
into a four-year dispute with an Indian agent that Sieber felt treated Indians poorly and even managed
to solve a local murder. Albert Sieber had never married.
Sieber began a struggle to receive a pension, and had to continue to work. In 1905, he found work
with the construction of a road leading to Roosevelt Dam. Eight days before his 64th Birthday, on
February 19, 1907, he was supervising an Apache work crew when he noticed a large outcropping
of boulders teetering above ready to slide. He screamed a warning and while the others scrambled to
safety, because of his lame leg he could not jump out of the way fast enough and was crushed by the
boulders. He could not be saved, and died quietly and bravely, surrounded by Indians. Dozens of
books and articles have been written about him. The movie 'Geronimo' tries to include a portrait of
his life to some extent as does the film 'Apache'.
with the construction of a road leading to Roosevelt Dam. Eight days before his 64th Birthday, on
February 19, 1907, he was supervising an Apache work crew when he noticed a large outcropping
of boulders teetering above ready to slide. He screamed a warning and while the others scrambled to
safety, because of his lame leg he could not jump out of the way fast enough and was crushed by the
boulders. He could not be saved, and died quietly and bravely, surrounded by Indians. Dozens of
books and articles have been written about him. The movie 'Geronimo' tries to include a portrait of
his life to some extent as does the film 'Apache'.
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