Week 24: Handed Down #52Ancestors

As my regular readers know, I am a family memento hoarder.[1] I took anything and everything my grandmothers had (which no one else wanted back in the day) and stored them away for safe-keeping. One of those items was a letter written in German from Charles Preiss to his brother-in-law and sister on 9 June 1862. When I received the letter, I had no idea who Charles was, but since the letter was written during the Civil War from a camp near Richmond, Virginia, I thought it “so cool” (the extent of my teenage thinking). My Nana who gave me the letter passed away in 1975, so I had it for over forty years before I decided to delve into the who, what, when, where, and how of this letter. 

First things first: there is no Charles Preiss in my family tree nor anyone with that last name so who the heck was he? Back in the 1970’s there was no “easy” way to figure this out (even if I had wanted to then or had the time). As more and more records have become digitized and accessible, researching Charles became vastly more do-able. My initial step was to get the letter translated. Thank goodness for the marvelous volunteers at the old Facebook group “Genealogy Translations.” Sadly, that particular group no longer exists, but a couple of years ago I posted the letter and a kind volunteer translated it. The letter tells about the battle that had just concluded but mentions little else about his family other than the fact that his parents were moving.[2] It doesn’t even name the recipients of the letter, so no clues there. 

 My next step was to build a family tree for Charles on Ancestry.com. While I am not fully satisfied with the tree, I have enough to answer some of the questions I have about Charles.

 Charles was one of five children born to August Preiss and Julia Leicing in Prussia. The family emigrated to the United States likely around 1852-1860, although I suspect not all of them came at the same time. The family appears to have settled in New York City and vicinity. On August 28, 1861 at New Dorp, Staten Island, twenty-year-old Charles enlisted in Company H of the 55th Regiment of the New York State Militia for a three-year term of service.[3] The 55th Regiment was under the command of Colonel Baron Philippe Regis de Trobiand.[4] De Trobiand deserves a quick mention here. He was a French aristocrat, lawyer, poet, and novelist who emigrated to New York on a dare.[5] His father had been a general in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and de Trobiand achieved the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. He married the heiress of a prominent New York banker and retired to the French Quarter of New Orleans.[6]

 Anyway, the 55th was called “La Fayette’s Guard,” because it allegedly was composed of mostly of men with French origins.[7]However, all but one of the men who enlisted in Company H on Staten Island appear to have German names. 

 The 55th left New York on August 31 for Maryland where it became a part of Buell’s Division, Army of the Potomac. In March of 1862, the 55th joined McClellan’s army and participated in the siege of Yorktown and the battle of Williamsburg.[8]They then took part in the Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks (six-miles from Richmond) which took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862.[9] This was the largest battle in the “Eastern Theater” up to that time, although the result was inconclusive. The most historically significant event during the battle was the injury sustained by Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston which lead to the appointment of Robert E. Lee as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.[10] Because of Lee’s aggressiveness and McClellan’s incompetence, Lee drove the Union army away from Richmond and nearly to Washington, D.C., the capital of the Union forces. It would take the Union army two years to get that close to Richmond again.[11]

 Charles’ letter was addressed to his brother-in-law and sister and is dated a week after the Battle of Fair Oaks In it, he recounts his experiences during the battle. He is supremely proud of the regiment claiming they got “fame and congratulations by the Generals, not often has such a small regiment has such great success.”[12] He acknowledges that it was a “bloodbath” for both sides and says it was the first time that they used their “horrendous bayonets.” He goes on:

 But the enemy was too strong for us and one brigade after another was sent against them. Finally, we had to go back, because it was already dark and so we lost the first day. And the fine rebels got the honor to sleep in our camp under our Blankets and eat our crackers, but they hadn’t this fun for long, because we got the whole day reinforcement and attacked them in daybreak. And we drift them before us like a bunch of sheep under horrible loss and they left their wounded behind. By the way, dear brother-in-law! It were (sic) two shockingly day and the death laid in heaps around and all houses were full with wounded. Our losses were huge, but the loses of the Rebels must have been more than ours. Thanks God I escaped without a harm but I lost many of my best comrades….

 Charles estimated that the regiment lost about 120 men, which is pretty close to the official figure of 103.[13] While he didn’t mention this in his letter, he was promoted from Private to Sergeant after the first day of battle.[14] Charles speculates (hopefully?) that their regiment is too small for another battle, but the 55th goes on to fight in the Seven Days’ Battles in June and July of 1862 and in Fredericksburg, December 11 to 15, 1862. 

 On 21 December 1862, command of the 55th was transferred to the 38th New York Infantry and all the soldiers who had not completed their term were now part of the 38th. By that time, Charles was a First Sergeant, having been promoted again in October of 1862.[15] If Charles thought he’d seen the worst of the fighting he was wrong.

 The 38th (also called the “Second Scott’s Lifeguard”) was another New York City Regiment and fought at the same battles as the 55th under the command of Col. J. H. Hobart Ward.[16] Ward was a career army soldier from a family of soldiers; his grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War and his father fought in the War of 1812.[17] Wounded several times during the war, he rose to the rank of general. After the war, he served as a clerk for the Superior Court of New York City and died after having been struck by a train when he was eighty.[18]

 Charles was with the 38th for about six months and fought with the company at Chancellorsville in April and May of 1863. Despite being twice the size of the Confederate forces, the Union lost in a stunning Confederate victory known as Lee’s “perfect battle.”[19] The fighting on May 3rd was the second bloodiest day of the Civil war causing heavy losses on both sides – about 25,000 killed or wounded.[20] Charles survived that battle and shortly thereafter was transferred to Company A of the 40th Infantry Regiment, another New York regiment, aka Mozart Regiment and United States Constitution Guard.[21]

 Immediately after Charles joined the 40th, it marched to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A turning-point in the war, the Battle of Gettysburg involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war, including Charles who was injured on the first day of the battle.[22] He was discharged from service due to disability six months later in New York City.[23] While I understand he received a pension, I don’t have his file, so don’t know the extent of his injuries, but they must have been pretty severe. I also don’t know of any medals he received for his service; the Purple Heart was not awarded until after World War I.[24]

 After the war, Charles married Caroline Marie Dorothy Schaal, another German immigrant.[25] They settled Kleindeutchland, or “Little Germany” where Charles ran a saloon, one on East 4th Street and then one on First Avenue.[26] Charles and Caroline had four children, but life was not kind to Charles or Caroline. As near as I can tell, all of their children died well before reaching their majority. And in February of 1880, Charles was adjudged a “lunatic.”[27] From what I can piece together, Charles received a severe head wound at Gettysburg which made him unstable and at one point at dinner, he went after his wife with a carving knife.[28] It is interesting to me that as a part of the 1880 U.S. census, there was a separate schedule for “Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes.” This schedule shows Charles had been committed to the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and that his dementia first came on when he was twenty-four, i.e. about the time of his injury at Gettysburg.[29] Charles lived at the asylum for almost twenty years and died there in April of 1899.[30] Caroline died less than a year later on January 16, 1900.[31]

 A sad ending to the story of a brave soldier.

 But wait, how does Charles letter get to my Nana who was born in New Jersey twenty-six years after the end of the Civil War? 

 The sad ending of Charles was made more depressing when I discovered a lawsuit was filed four months after Caroline’s death disputing which descendants were entitled to their house on East 30th St. in New York City.[32]  I mentioned that none of their children survived them, so who were these heirs? Turns out Charles’ sisters thought that Caroline had mismanaged Charles’ money and business before he died and that even though she died after Charles, none of her heirs should inherit the house. The Complaint filed by the sisters had to name everyone who might have a claim on this estate including his sisters and the grandchildren of his deceased brother and sister. So, while this is all very sad, having all those names and relationships was a boon to my research.

 The letter in question was addressed to Charles’ “dear brother-in-law and sister,” Since I now know that Charles had three sisters: Caroline, Julia, and Theresa I eliminate them one by one until I determine that the recipients were William and Julia (Preiss) Brockman. 

 Just like her siblings, Julia married a German immigrant, Albert F. W. (William) Brockmann.[33] While they were married in Manhattan, New York, they lived in Newark, New Jersey where William was a sewing machine agent and machinist.[34] The city directories for Newark show that from about 1877 to 1900, they lived in an apartment building at 48 Tichenor St. in Newark.[35] Hmmm, the name of that street sounded so very familiar to me. Sure enough, at the same time, my Nana and her parents lived on Tichenor and a couple of other apartments about two blocks away.[36] In fact, my Nana’s family moved to that same apartment building in 1908 although the Brockmann’s had left by then.

 My great-grandparents were of English and Irish descent and the Brockmanns were German. My great-grandparents had three children but the Brockmanns had none. My family was Catholic and although I don’t know what faith the Brockmanns practiced, even if it was Catholic they likely would have gone to different churches.[37] I can only imagine that as neighbors (and maybe friends) my great-grandfather may have shared his stories of the Civil War with William and/or Julia and maybe that is what lead them to give him this letter? It’s the only logical conclusion I can come to. 

 An informal poll for my readers: Should I offer this letter to Preiss ancestors I have located on Ancestry.com?

[1] And you know who you are, SJ.

[2] More about the battle follows.

[3] “Muster-In Roll of Captain –‘s Company (H,) in the 55th Regiment,” A Record of the Commissioned Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, of the Regiments Which Were Organized in the State of New York and Called Into the Service of the United States to Assist in Suppressing the Rebellion, vol. II (Albany, New York: Comstock & Cassidy,1864), ; digital image, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/312101147/?terms=Preiss&xid=1945 :accessed 18 June 2020).

[4] “55th Infantry Regiment,” “Unit History Project,” New York State Military History Museum(https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/55thInf/55thInfMain.htm : accessed 18 June 2020).

[5] Wikipedia.org, “Regis DeTrobiand,” rev. 22:02, 27 March 2020.

[6] Ibid. Quite the guy. Some day I’ll read this: Marie Caroline Post, Régis de Trobriand, The Life and Mémoirs of Comte Régis de Trobriand: Major-general in the Army of the United States (New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1910).

[7] “55th Infantry Regiment,” “Unit History Project,” New York State Military History Museum.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Wikipedia.org, “Battle of Seven Pines,” rev. 00:08, 30 May 2020.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Charles Preiss to unknown, 9 June 1862; privately held by author, Overland Park, Kansas.

[13] Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. (Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Co., 1912).

[14] “Charles Priss,” “Fifty-Fifth Infantry,” Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York, Serial No. 25 (Albany, NY: James B. Lyon, 1901), 948; digital image, Google Books (http://www.googlebooks.com : accessed 18 June 2020). 

[15] Ibid.

[16] “Thirty-Eighth Regiment of Infantry, Second Scott’s Life Guard,” Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 2nd ed. (Albany, NY: Weed Parsons and Co., 1890), 401-2; digital image, Google Books (http://www.googlebooks.com : accessed 18 June 2020). 

[17] Wikipedia.org, “J.H. Hobart Ward,” rev. 02:47, 26 June 2019.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Wikipedia.org, “Battle of Chancellorsville,” rev. 01:34, 30 May 2020.

[20] Ibid.

[21] “40th Infantry Regiment,” “Unit History Project,” New York State Military History Museum.

[22] Wikipedia.org, “Battle of Gettysburg,” rev. 18:54, 21 June 2020. 

[23] “Charles Priss,” “Fortieth Infantry,” Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York (Albany, NY: James B. Lyon, 1901), 574; digital image, Google Books (http://www.googlebooks.com : accessed 18 June 2020). 

[24] Wikipedia.org, “Purple Heart,” rev. 08:26, 16 May 2020.

[25] New York, Kings Co., Brooklyn, marriage certificate, Preiss-Schaal, 7 July 1867; “New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940,” FamilySearch, FHL microfilm 1,543,713.

[26] Goulding’s Business Directory of New York (New York: L.G. Goulding, Pub., 1871), 293; also subsequent years by the same title: (1872), 322, (1877) 201; digital images, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020).  Trow’s New York City Directory (New York: Trow City Directory Co., 1878), 1136; also subsequent year by the same title: (1879), 1174; digital images, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020).  

[27] Marcus T. Hun, Reporter, Reports of Cases Heard and Determined in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, (Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Co., 1902), 70:34, Storm, et al. v. McGrover, et al.; digital images, Google Books (http://www.googlebooks.com : accessed 18 June 2020).

[28] Papers on Appeal, In the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division – First Department (publication information unavailable), 104, Storm, et al. v. McGrover, et al., testimony of Minnie Angermiller, p. 104; Google Books (http://www.googlebooks.com : accessed 18 June 2020).

[29] 1880 U.S. census, New York, New York, “Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes,” Bloomingdale Insane Asylum, enumeration district (ED) 529, p. 4, Charles Preiss; image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 June 2020); citing New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education, Albany, New York.

[30] New York, State Department of Health, Death Index, Charles Preiss, 10 April 1899; digital image, Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020). 

[31] New York, State Department of Health, Death Index, Caroline Preiss, 16 January 1900; digital image, Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020).

[32] Storm, et al. v. McGrover, et al.

[33] New York, Kings Co., Manhattan, marriage certificate, Brockman-Priess, 22 April 1855; “New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940,” FamilySearch, FHL microfilm not available.

[34] 1870 U.S. census, Essex County, New Jersey, population schedule, Ward 9, p. 299 (stamped), dwelling 814, family 932, William Brockmann; image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 June 2020); citing National Archives microfilm M593, roll 881. 1880 U.S. census, Essex County, New Jersey, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 59, p. 8 (penned), house no. 48, dwelling 19, William Brockmann; image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 June 2020); citing National Archives microfilm T9, roll not noted.

[35] Holbrook’s City and Business Directory of Newark (Newark: A.M. Holbrook, (1887), 211; also subsequent years by the same title: (1890), 219, (1896), 274, (1899) 294; digital images, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020).

[36] Holbrook’s City and Business Directory of Newark (Newark: A.M. Holbrook, (1896), 850; also subsequent years by the same title: (1897), 933, (1898), 1084, (1908), 1041; digital images, “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” Ancestry, (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 20 June 2020).

[37] St. Columba’s parish was originally built for Irish immigrants and St. Peter’s for German immigants.

Camp of the 55th New York Infantry near Tenleytown, D.C., ca. 1862; digital image, Library of Congress (https://lccn.loc.gov/2012648010 : accessed 20 June 2020).

Stereograph showing Professor Thaddeus S. Lowe observing the battle from his balloon "Intrepid" while soldiers in camp hold the balloon's ropes in Fair Oaks, Virginia; publisher, The War Photograph & Exhibition Co., No. 21 Linden Place, Hartford, Conn., 31 May 1862; digital image, Library of Congress (https://lccn.loc.gov/2011660070 : accessed 20 June 2020). Wonder if Charles is in this picture.