6th Michigan Infantry \"Wolverine Rifle Rangers\" CIVIL WAR LETTER Ft Morgan, AL

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6th Michigan Infantry \"Wolverine Rifle Rangers\" CIVIL WAR LETTER Ft Morgan, AL :
$136.50

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Civil War Letter

Benjamin Franklin (or Frank B.) Knause (1843-1914) was born on 24 March 1843 in Waterloo, Seneca county, New York, and was a resident of Calhoun County, Michigan, when he enlisted as a private in the “Wolverine Rifle Rangers,” or Co. E, of the 6th Michigan Infantry on 1 July 1861 at Fort Wayne, Michigan. He mustered into the 6th Michigan on 20 August, and re-enlisted at Port Hudson, Louisiana, on 23 February 1864, and was discharged on 15 September 1865 at Jackson, Michigan. His pension record indicates an alias of Frank B. Knause. He successfully applied for an invalid pension in 1890, certificate 749,128. As per his obituary in theBrooklyn Daily Eagle, he was a member of a Western post of the G. A. R. That obituary, which confirmed his Civil War service, also noted that his son, Dr. B. F. Knause, was associated with the infectious disease department of the New York City Board of Health. Knause lived at 1076 Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn; he resided in Bushwick for twenty years. After his death from a carcinoma, Frances (“Fannie”) Maria Knause (18xx-1937), his widow, was awarded a pension in 1914, certificate 782, 268. Section 204, lot 34079, graves 1 & 2, Greenwood Cemetery.

Frank’s parents were Benjamin Knause (1808-1869) and Elizabeth Mensch(1813-1856). His siblings were John W. Knause (b. 1833), Mary Catherine Knause (b. 1836), and Elizabeth (“Libbie”) Emma Knause (1838-1923). In 1850, the Knause family resided in Ridgeway, Orleans county, New York, where Frank’s father worked as a “Gib Maker.” In 1860, the Knause family lied on a farm they calledGrove Gardenin Marengo township, Calhoun county, Michigan. From Frank’s letters we learn that Benjamin was a vegetable farmer and hauled produce regularly into nearby Marshall. We also learn that he raised hops on his farm.

You will notice that Frank’s mother died in 1856 yet he directs many of his Civil War letters to his “Father and Mother.” Sometime shortly after Frank’s biological mother died, Frank’s father remarried to a woman named Tirzah H. Peck (1826-1910) and together they had at least one child named Carrie S. Knause, born about 1862. Tirzah was the orphaned daughter of Daniel Comstock Peck (1794-1842) and Samantha Curtis (1796-1842) of Hastings, Oswego county, New York.

Frank’s older brother, John W. Knause, married Martha (“Matt”) E. Bridenbecker (b. 1836), the daughter of William and Sarah (Unk) Bridenbecker of Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York. We know from Frank’s letters that John & Matt were married on 22 February 1865 andwere enumerated shortly thereafter in Springfield, Massachusetts, where John worked as a machinist. By 1880, John and Matt resided in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Pvt. Harlan P. Hurd of the 17th New York Light Artillery

Frank’s sister Mary Catherine Knause was married in July 1857 to Harlan Page Hurd (1838-1926) in Brockport, Monroe county, New York, and later resided in Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York. Harlan was the second of eight children born to Russell Frost Hurd and Nancy Ann Frost of Orleans county, New York. Mary and Harlan had several children, the oldest of whom are mentioned in Frank’s letters: Willard (“Willie”) Kendall Hurd (1858-1877), Mary Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Hurd (b. 1860), and Harlan (“Harrie”) Page Hurd, Jr. (b. 1863). During the period covered by these letters, Mary’s husband — Harlan P. Hurd — was serving as a private in the 17th New York Independent Light Artillery (a.k.a theOrleans Battery). Harlan served from August 1862 and was promoted to corporal before mustering out in June 1865.Immediately afterthe war, the Hurd family moved to Corry, Erie Co., Pennsylvania. They remained there until 1880, and then moved to Newark, New Jersey, where Harlan established the Newark Door Company.

A great many of the letters that survive were written to Frank’s older sister, Elizabeth “Libbie”) Emma Knause (1838-1923). On-line genealogical records reveal that she married Charles Ryland Brown (1824-1898). One record indicates that she married on 27 February 1865 but Frank’s letters tell us that she was still unmarried in the spring of 1865 so the marriage most likely took place in 1866. Libbie and Charlesspent their years together in Bradford, McKean county, Pennsylvania — Libbie often working as a school teacher. In the spring of 1865, Libbie left her father’s home in Michigan to live with her older, married sister Mary Hurd who lived in Frankfort, Herkimer county, New York.

Frank occasionally mentions his “Uncle Adam.” This was his biological mother’s brother, Adam Mensch (1807-1887), a resident of Marshall, Calhoun county, Michigan. Adam was married to Maria Anna Wheeler (18xx-1877).

TRANSCRIPTION

Fort Morgan, Alabama
December 23d 1864

My dear folks at Home,

Having a little spare time, I will write you a few lines. I am pretty well and in pretty fair spirits, but I am not satisfied with the way my mail comes to me. I have not had a letter from [sister] Libbie nor one from you for some time owing to the fact I suppose of my being detached from my company.

Co. E has now got marching orders and will leave Fort Gaines for Mobile tonight or tomorrow morning. I still remain at Mobile Point (Fort Morgan) and I guess I am likely to stay here so that in future you will be very careful in directing my letters to me in the following way. Adjutant’s Office, Headquarters 6th Regiment Michigan Heavy Artillery, Fort Morgan, Mobile Point, Alabama. I may be ordered to rejoin my company but in case of such an event, I will let you know immediately. The Captain commanding my company wants me back in the company and he will do all he can to get me returned to my company. I think I would prefer staying here to tramping around the country, but as a soldier it is my duty to rejoin and remain with my company if I am ordered to do so by the proper authority.

The officer commanding the regiment orders me to stay here and here I am going to stay till I am ordered back by some general. Be very careful in directing your letters so that I may get them. Our mail is very irregular at the best, but when it comes, I like to hear from you. We heard tonight that General Sherman had taken Savannah. I sincerely hope this may be true. Mobile can not hold out a great while if besieged with any vigor. There are only 5,000 troops at Mobile and they are principally militia. Deserters from there come in almost every day and surrender themselves to our forces here. They are much surprised at out treatment of them and say that they supposed we would force them into our army as soon as they came inside of our lines. Their officers have told them this story and they believed it. Both refugees and deserters write in saying that there is much suffering at Mobile and the approach of our army will be hailed with joy.

You mentioned in some letters that you were going to send me some papers, I have received none yet.

The weather here for the past two days has been very cold. We have been having one of those keen Norther’s peculiar to the Southern Sea Coast. Today it has been freezing all day long. Tonight it is somewhat warmer.

I am in a hurry tonight or I would write you a longer letter. You must take good care of your health and not expose yourself unnecessarily. A Happy New Year to you all. Much love to Mother and a kiss for Carrie. Love to Libbie. Love to you all. Write soon and often.

I remain as ever your affectionate son, — Frank B. Knause

Adjts. Office, Headquarters 6th Mich Regiment Heavy Artillery, Fort Morgan, Mobile Point, Ala.

TERMS

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6th Michigan Infantry \"Wolverine Rifle Rangers\" CIVIL WAR LETTER Ft Morgan, AL :
$136.50