Ferdinand E. Eberlein
Company C 5th Regt Minn, Volunteers
“We marched over battlefields were I saw the graves and blood on the earth, trees destroyed by bullets, dead horses en mass….” Ferdinand E. Eberlein, February 18, 1863
Camp near Germantown
, February 18, 1863
Dear Parents,
Today I received your esteemed letter dated the 4th of this month in good health, thank God. I received a very disturbing letter from brother Eduard on the 10th of this month saying that he volunteered to join the soldiers (this must be a mistake), that he left everything with strangers, which I don’t like at all, people I don’t know, but your letter made me feel better and gave me new courage. Your letters mean so much to me.
I sent Eduard 85 dollars for construction and to buy young farm animals; he does not say what he did with it and I wrote several letters to him with enclosures, but he does not answer. Could you please check on what is happening? Soon I will have that much money again, which I will send to you as soon as I have a chance.
I’m taking care of the three highest ranking officers in the company and receive something extra per month, I eat good food while we are in camp, and I don’t have too many occasions to spend money here. I am glad that you gave me my brother Georg’s address. I will write him a letter as soon as possible.
We are now in this camp the second week and I don’t know when we will be leaving here. We will definitively go to Vicksburg where I might go see my brother. The first of this month I saw Martin Kiefer in German Town and Memphis. He is doing well. So far I have not been in a battle.
In December 1862 and January we went marching, over Christmas and New Year’s. We had a hard time and came within one mile to the rebels, but they escaped from our path. We marched over battlefields were I saw the graves and blood on the earth, trees destroyed by bullets, dead horses on mass. And now while I am writing this letter I can hear the canons not far from here. I could write so much more but time does not allow it.
So I have to close this letter, wishing you all the best and hoping that this war will soon come to an end and that I will see you all again.
Your eternally devoted son,
Ferdinand E. Eberlein
Company C 5th Regt Minn, Vols
Memphis, Tennessee
I am awaiting an answer soon and good news.
Biography | Ferdinand Eberlein 18 Feb. 1863 | George Eberlein 27 March 1863 | Eberlein 18 May 1863 | George Eberlain 18 June 1863 | 9 Aug. 1863 re death of Ferdinand Eberlain
Name: Skip Murray
This letter was sent to Christopher & Katherine (Frebel) Eberlein. They lived in Portage, Columbia Co., Wisconsin, USA. Ferdinand owned a farm in Faribault Co., Minnesota, USA – just outside of the town of Blue Earth. Ferdinand’s brother, Eduard, was helping Ferdinand with his farm when Ferdinand joined the war efforts. Eduard joined the MN Mounted Rangers. Another brother, Georg, also fought in the war. Ferdinand, Georg, and Eduard were 3 of 13, children. 2 of the children died in Germany. Some of the children were born in Herrenbreitungen, Hesse-Kassel, Germany. Their mother was pregnant with twins when the family sailed to America in June 1853 on the ship Peter. The rest of the children were born in Columbia Co., WI. Christopher, Katherine, and their children moved to Faribault Co., MN after Ferdinand died in the war. They took over Ferdinand’s farm. Ferdinand is buried at the Vicksburg national cemetery