Monday, July 07, 2008

Herman Dietrich

Herman Dietrich, also known as “Diederick”, was born in 1840, probably in Germany.

Herman immigrated to the United States before the war broke out, and eventually settled in western Michigan.

He was 21 years old and probably living in Muskegon County when he enlisted on May 23, 1861, in Company C; he was possibly related to Leonard Dietrich; also of Company C who was probably living in Muskegon in 1861. (Company C was made up largely of German and Dutch immigrants, many of whom lived on the west side of the Grand River in Grand Rapids. This company was the descendant of the old Grand Rapids Rifles, also known as the “German Rifles”, a prewar local militia company composed solely of German troopers.)

Herman was wounded severely on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, and died of his wounds on June 2, 1862. He was presumably buried among the unknown soldiers near Fair Oaks, Virginia and reinterred in Seven Pines National Cemetery.

No pension seems to be available.

No comments: