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Soldiers’ And Citizens’ Album
Biographical Record
Grand Army Of The Republic
1888
Pages 589-590:
WILLIAM H. HEMSCHEMEYER, a resident at Manitowoc, Wis., and a member of G.A.R. Post No. 18, was born May 19, 1833, in Hanover, Germany. When he was 14 years old he came to America with his parents, C. H. and Sophia (Rickmann) Hemschemeyer, and they located on a farm in Manitowoc county, Wis., where he assisted his father until he was 19 years old, with the exception of winter seasons, when he attended school.
In 1852 he engaged in business, in which he operated until the second call of the President for troops in the first year of the civil war. August 21, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, 26th Wisconsin Infantry, at Manitowoc for three years. He passed through the several non-commissioned grades and was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of Company I of the same command, April 13, 1864. Oct. 19th of the same year he was promoted to the Captaincy of Company I and was mustered out as such.
He was in the first regiment raised for Sigel’s command in Wisconsin and left the State for Washington, October 6th. He was in the movements to Gainesville, and afterwards to Falmouth, and did not miss the “Mud Campaign” at a later date. He was in the disastrous battle of Chancellorsville, fought afterwards at Gettysburg, and
went with the command to join the troops in the West and was in the action at Wauhatchie on the Tennessee. He fought at Mission Ridge and went thence to Knoxville and back to Lookout, and in May was in the reconnoissance and skirmishing at Buzzard Roost. He was in the fight at Resaca, Pumpkin Vine Creek, in the movements at Kenesaw Mountain and in the fight at Peach Tree Creek, in the siege of Atlanta and started with Sherman in November for the march to the sea and traveled through Georgia 34 days, engaged in the varied operation which marked the progress of the triumphal march. He was in the fight at Averysboro in March and was under fire at Bentonville, three days later, going thence to Goldsboro and Raleigh, where the command delayed until the surrender of General Johnston, when he again took up the line of march and journeyed for weary days through heat and dust to Washington, where he was a participant in the Grand Review. The regiment left Washington June 13th and reached Milwaukee on the 17th, where it was welcomed by the German citizens, and was soon after paid off and discharged.
After his return home Mr. Hemschemeyer was engaged in the sale of groceries and afterward in the management of a hotel in which he was occupied 10 years. In 1886 he opened a hotel at Silver Lake, four miles from Manitowoc, at a point which is rapidly becoming noted and popular as a summer resort.
He was married August 20, 1856, to Wilhelmina Storch at New Bremen, Ohio. They have three children, a son and two daughters, all of whom are deceased. Mr. Hemschemeyr has officiated as City Clerk of Manitowoc and as Register of Deeds of the county. He has acted in the capacity of Justice of the Peace and Deputy Revenue collector and
served his District in the State Assembly in 1879 and 1880. He is a citizen of recognized ability and is esteemed and respected for the quality of his service in every public capacity.
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Events of close relatives
