Moesch Monument
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Colonel Joseph A. Moesch
Moesch Monument
Moesch Monument
NY Muster Roll showing Moesch mustered into the 83rd NY in May 1861 as 1st Sergeant and promoted to Captain of Co. B in October. This roll also shows he was wounded at Fredericksburg in December 1862.
NY Muster roll showing Moesch's promotions to Lt. Colonel and then Colonel in 1863, as well as his death in action May 6, 1864.
Moesch's widow was able to apply for a pension for herself and their child after his 1864 death.
Pension file, page 1
Pension file, page 2
Brief in the pension case for Moesch's two daughters, Melanie and Josephine. Once Moesch's widow remarried, the family had to file for a Minor's Pension for the two girls. (Pension file, page 3)
Adjutant General's Report for James Moesch (November 1, 1864) (pension file, page 6)
John A Kohl appointed guardian of Melanie and Josephine Moesch (February 9, 1865) (pension file, page 24)
Guardianship paperwork, page 2 (pension file, page 25)
Guardianship paperwork, page 3 (pension file, page 26)
Declaration of Minor Children for Pension filed by the Moesch children's' guardian John A. Kohl (April 28, 1865) (pension file, page 4)
Pension file, page 5 (back of Declaration)
Birth and Baptism record for Margaret Josephine Moesch, born in 1856 (May 1, 1865) (pension file, page 18)
Back of birth and baptism record (pension file, page 19)
Notary on 1864 marriage certificate (pension file, page 15)
Verine (Rau) Moesch remarried in August 1864 to George Lichte (August 1, 1864, record September 15, 1865) (pension file, page 16)
Back of marriage certificate (pension file, page 17)
Surgeon General's Report, March 28, 1866 (pension file, page 7)
Evidence of birth for Melanie Moesch, born February 20, 1852 (March/April 1867) (pension file, page 12)
Birth record, page 2 (pension file, page 13)
Notary from the U.S. Consulate in Switzerland verifying the previous records (April 8, 1867) (pension file, page 14)
Evidence of Marriage for Joseph and Verine Moesch (March 20, 1868) (pension file, page 8)
Evidence of marriage, page 2 (pension file, page 9)
Possibly a second record of Melanie Moesch's birth (same date-February 20, 1852) (March 1868) (pension file, page 10)
Birth record, page 2 (pension file, page 11)
Pension file, page 20
Pension file, page 21
Pension file, page 22
Pension file, page 23
Deposition of John A Kohl confirming that Joseph and Verena Moesch were husband and wife (February 7, 1865) (pension file, page 27)
Back of Kohl deposition (pension file, page 28)
"Proof that there are no other heirs" submitted by Verena (Moesch) Lichte (September 15, 1865) (pension file, page 29)
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Colonel Joseph Moesch is honored by one of the few privately funded headstones in the cemetery. Colonel Moesch commanded the 83rd New York, and is the 2nd highest ranking officer buried in the cemetery. The thirty-two year old officer was killed at the Wilderness May 6, 1864 while leading his regiment. His body was carried to the division hospital, placed in a rude coffin, and originally buried in the cemetery at Ellwood. The two men who buried him remembered the location of his grave and he was reinterred in the National Cemetery in 1887. Cemetery Superintendent Andrew Birdsall oversaw the interment of Moesch’s remains into the National Cemetery on October 10, 1887 in grave #6618. Shortly afterwards, veterans of his regiment planned to place a monument on his grave. These plans were delayed because the regiment was also raising funds for its monument at Gettysburg, but once the Gettysburg monument was finished they turned their attention back to the Moesch monument. The monument was dedicated on September 24, 1890 in a ceremony largely attended by regiment veterans.
Fredericksburg National Cemetery is a soldier’s cemetery. There are no generals buried here and only a few field officers. The vast majority of the soldiers interred here are enlisted men or company-grade officers who are not represented by a monument like that dedicated to Humphreys’ men. Their memories are honored by a simple stone marker of which you will mainly see two types. Those shaped like a headstone mark the gravesites of identified soldiers. The smaller, square stones mark the graves of the unknown. These stone carry two numbers: the top number identifies the plot, the bottom number tells the number of bodies in that plot. There are also larger white headstones which mark the graves of soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. Of the 15,00 Union soldiers buried here, 85%--17 out of every 20—are unknown.
Sources
Pfanz, Donald C. "Where Valor Proudly Sleeps: A History of Fredericksburg National Cemetery, 1866-1933." National Park Service, 2007. (Available at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP)
Hussey, George A. History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M.--N.G.S.N.Y. (Eighty-third N.Y. Volunteers) 1845-1888. Edited by William Todd. New York: Published under the auspices of veterans of the Regiment, 1889. Accessed February 22, 2021. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008730201.
Photo by Kathleen Thompson
Photo by Kathleen Thompson
New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900. New York State Archives. 14-020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900. New York State Archives. 14-020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900, compiled 1949 - 1949, documenting the period 1861-1942. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 2588825. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Veterans of the Army and Navy Who Served Mainly in the Civil War and the War With Spain, compiled 1861 - 1934. NARA Record Group 15, Catalog ID 300020. Accessed through Fold3, March 23, 2021.