Touch the Elbow - Blogging the Civil War

Father’s day is coming and my wife has been looking for things relating to the 18th Massachusetts for me. At one point I even found her looking at a shako that may have (but thanks to a warehouse fire during the war – probably did not) to the 18th. I talked her out due to the price and honestly if she is going to spend that much, I’d rather pull in some more of Edmund’s stuff.

As she was searching the web she found the following post originally on the blog Past Voices: Letters Home, dealing with one of the soldiers – Christian Rheinlander. Surprisingly this post is from two years ago and the first time I or anyone dealing with the 18th has come across it. From the way the post is set up, it looks like there may be more and have emailed the blogger to see if there is.

This is the first time we have come across a sketch dealing with the 18th but it’s been a long time since we have seen a new one. To get one from New York makes it that much better. Sketches that I have seen in the past seemed to have been made by the post to help pass the soldiers memories to the next generation. Unfortunately, most have not survived to today.

Today, I’ll share the sketch, while tomorrow; I’ll have a bit more information on Christian.
Enjoy

Civil War Memoir: Christian Rheinlander, 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The following is from Grand Army of the Republic ~ Department of New York ~ Personal War Sketches of the Members of Charles P. Sprout Post No. 76, of Lockport

Sprout who was with the New York 28th Infantry was killed in Action at Cedar Mountain, Virginia on August 9, 1862

Christian Rheinlander
Born, Denmark
Company “K”, 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

…The first battle in which I was engaged was at Rappahannock Station, Va.… Was taken prisoner by Rebel Infantry, October 1st 1864 between Weldon and South side Railroads. Was confined in Salisbury Prison, N.C., April 12, 1865. A few of my most intimate comrades were Capt. Murray, Sergeant (now) Capt. Beck.

The most important event connected with my service was my escape from Rebel Prison. On the 12th of December, 1864, the prisoners in Salisbury Prison made a break for liberty, but failed. Got a good thrashing. Killed and wounded about sixty-five of us, but on April 12, 1865, together with thirty-nine others,

I succeeded in making my escape by jumping form a train of cars on which we were being removed from one Prison to another. Just as it was starting out from Salisbury on account of United States Cavalry making a Raid on the City on their way from West Virginia into North Carolina. Will add that when I was discharged, I received form the U.S. Gov’t, 3 months’ pay as an escaped prisoner. In making our escape, five of us were killed.