I'm intrigued by the Zouave letterhead on the hand-written in German original of Herman Wiechert's letter from the battlefield to his mother and the Prudential Insurance letterhead used for the transcription and presumably the translation of that same letter. I also note that your summary seems to reference Henry more often than it does Herman. One Henry is Henry Langebrake, second husband of Louise (Schafer) Wreck. Another Henry, Wendt, has a signature on what appears to be the reverse side of a Marriage Bond, signed by Herman Wiereck and co-signed by someone named Schimmelpfennig. Is that the same Schimmelpfennig who fought at Chancellorsville and allegedly disgraced himself at Gettysburg? Alexander Schimmelpfennig was one of the most prominent German 48ers in the Union Army's officer corps. He was born and served the Prussian Army east of the Oder prior to the 1848 Revolution. Herman Wiereck's Marriage Bond was signed in 1865, the same year that Schimmelpfennig died of tuberculosis. What exactly does a hundred dollar Marriage Bond do?
All good questions that I hope to explore in the near future. I am particularly interested in identifying the Schimmelpfennig referenced in the Marriage Bond.
Thanks for this clarification. My German wife had a great deal of difficulty reading the letter.
I'm intrigued by the Zouave letterhead on the hand-written in German original of Herman Wiechert's letter from the battlefield to his mother and the Prudential Insurance letterhead used for the transcription and presumably the translation of that same letter. I also note that your summary seems to reference Henry more often than it does Herman. One Henry is Henry Langebrake, second husband of Louise (Schafer) Wreck. Another Henry, Wendt, has a signature on what appears to be the reverse side of a Marriage Bond, signed by Herman Wiereck and co-signed by someone named Schimmelpfennig. Is that the same Schimmelpfennig who fought at Chancellorsville and allegedly disgraced himself at Gettysburg? Alexander Schimmelpfennig was one of the most prominent German 48ers in the Union Army's officer corps. He was born and served the Prussian Army east of the Oder prior to the 1848 Revolution. Herman Wiereck's Marriage Bond was signed in 1865, the same year that Schimmelpfennig died of tuberculosis. What exactly does a hundred dollar Marriage Bond do?
Hi Craig,
All good questions that I hope to explore in the near future. I am particularly interested in identifying the Schimmelpfennig referenced in the Marriage Bond.