Peter Stoffel was born in TRIER, (Prussia) GERMANY in MAY of 1842. He was a FARMER by occupation and 20 years and three months of age upon his enlistment at West Bend, Wisconsin on AUGUST 12, 1862. Because he was under 21 years of age, Peter’s father, NICHOLAS STOFFEL signed the enlistment papers consenting to the enlistment of his son.
Peter was found to have BROWN EYES, DARK HAIR, a FAIR COMPLEXION, was of MEDIUM BUILD and was FIVE FEET SIX INCHES tall. These features were recorded by the recruiting officer, JACOB MANN (who appears so prominently in the WEST BEND POST section of your web site).
Peter was mustered into the Wisconsin 26th as a PRIVATE on SEPTEMBER 17, 1862, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was paid a BOUNTY of $25.00 and enlisted for a period of THREE (3) YEARS.
The COMPANY MUSTER ROLLS for Company “G” of the “26th” recorded nothing remarkable about Peter Stoffel from September 17, 1862 through APRIL 1864 (other than a consistent “PRESENT” notation). Peter remained a PRIVATE throughout the length of his service.
Peter was mustered into the Wisconsin 26th as a PRIVATE on SEPTEMBER 17, 1862, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was paid a BOUNTY of $25.00 and enlisted for a period of THREE (3) YEARS.
The COMPANY MUSTER ROLLS for Company “G” of the “26th” recorded nothing remarkable about Peter Stoffel from September 17, 1862 through APRIL 1864 (other than a consistent “PRESENT” notation). Peter remained a PRIVATE throughout the length of his service.
Peter was wounded at the battle of RESACA on or about MAY 15, 1864. The wound apparently FRACTURED his (left) TIBIA (i.e., “G.S.Wa Fract. tibia mid 3″ ” (sic)) as noted by the surgeon in charge of the “USA General Hospital” in Chattanooga, Tennessee informing Peter’s commanding officer of Peter’s death. The death notification was dated JULY 19, 1864. The actual date of Peter’s death at the USA General Hospital in Chattanooga was noted by the surgeon as “the ___ day of July, 1864”.
Upon his death, Peter’s personal effects consisted of a POCKET BOOK containing $.25 (i.e., “Pkt. Book cont. 25 cents”).
Upon his death, Peter’s personal effects consisted of a POCKET BOOK containing $.25 (i.e., “Pkt. Book cont. 25 cents”).
Peter’s DISCHARGE PAPERS (i.e., discharge by reason of “Death”) set forth that he was last paid for his military service on DECEMBER 31, 1863, and that he was entitled to pay from January 1, 1864, to the date of his discharge (death). He had received CLOTHING from the military having a value of $11.80 since January 1, 1864, the cost of which was to apparently be recouped from any payments made upon his discharge.
Commencing in February 1876, Peter’s father, NICHOLAS STOFFEL, began an attempt to secure an ARMY PENSION for himself based upon his son’s death almost 16 years before. NICHOLAS STOFFEL (by then 66 years of age and a widower (his wife having died on February 15, 1868) living in Addison Township, Washington County, Wisconsin) sought the pension because of his “old age and poor health” and based upon his declaration that he “has no property whatsoever”. Nicholas was assisted in these efforts first by the Washington D.C. law firm of LaFayette, Bingham & Co.and later by the pension attorneys” Frank N. Fitzgerald& Otto Delp (a.k.a. Fitzgerald & Delp) of Indianapolis, IN were successors to Fitzgerald & Powell and Fitzgerald & Vajen, themselves successors to P.H. Fitzgerald. These law firms apparently “specialized” in these types of claims.
Nicholas’ claim for the pension noted that he and his wife had received $170 from Peter during his military service and $30 from another member of Company “G” (Jacob Heinz a/k/a “Heiff”) apparently after Peter’s death.
Nicholas’ efforts to secure a pension continued into JUNE 1889 (by which time Nicholas would have been almost 80 years old) without success. There is no evidence to suggest that Nicholas ever received any pension compensation from the government.
Information from LUKE R. STELLPFLUG, Andover, Minnesota
Information on Frank N. Fitzgerald & Otto Delp from Jeff Tyler, Valencia, CA
Information from LUKE R. STELLPFLUG, Andover, Minnesota
Information on Frank N. Fitzgerald & Otto Delp from Jeff Tyler, Valencia, CA