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Civil War Blog

A project of PA Historian

William H. H. Sieg – Pennsylvania Wartime Secret Service Agent

| November 29, 2014

Not all those who served during the Civil War were members of the military.  In an obituary that appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot on 20 December 1916, the wartime record of William H. H. Sieg was given as “in the secret service under Governor Curtin.” Following a lingering illness, William H. H. Sieg, former postmaster […]

More on Fort Jackson

| November 28, 2014

Fort Jackson was on land of forty-one acres, fifty-five perches, in Gratz Borough, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and was part of 350 acres of land owned by Solomon Laudenslager, who inherited it from his father Jacob Laudenslager who had received the original patent in 1807.  In 1862, a sheriff’s sale transferred ownership from Solomon Laudenslager to […]

The Death of Isaac Umholtz at Five Forks, Virginia

| November 26, 2014

Isaac Umholtz of Gratz and Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was only 17 years old when he enrolled in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, as a Private on 9 August 1862, although he claimed his age was 21.  His older brother Emanuel Umholtz stayed at home on the family farm helping the father, Samuel […]

Jacob Dietz – Draftee in 177th Pennsylvania Infantry

| November 24, 2014

Jacob Dietz (or Jacob Deitz) was born 8 May 1833 in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Johannes “John” Deitz (1793-1859) and Catharine [Stein] Deitz (1799-1873).  He died on 1 December 1907 at Ralpho Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and is buried at St. Peter’s Church Cemetery, Paxinos, Northumberland County.  He never married.  During […]

Obituary of John K. McGann of Enders

| November 23, 2014

Enders, 22 July 1909 — John K. McGann, an aged veteran of the Civil War and a highly esteemed gentleman of this community, died at his home at Wheatland Farm on Wednesday night after a lingering illness of several months, aged seventy-four years.  Mr. McGann spent most of his life in this community, having taught […]