Yes, my maternal 5x great-grandfather, Jacob Vertz, moved from Canada to the states in 1847, and settled in Egg Harbor, WI. But when the war broke out, he was a hardcore Democrats, and left his family and took the Mississippi down to New Orleans, where he enlisted in Co. C, Chalmette Regiment, Louisiana Militia, Confederate States of America, they even had a missing poster in his town for him. His three sons, Charles (my 4x great-grandfather), Jacob Jr., and David Vertz all fought for the Union, not suspecting anything about it, especially not that they are fighting against his father. Jacob returned to Wisconsin after the war and was reunited with his family. They lived their lived like nothing happened, and he died in 1899 at the age 82. His son Charles fought with the Co. H, 4th Wisconsin Infantry, which later became 4th Wisconsin Cavalry, and served for five years before his regiment disbanded in 1866. That was on my mother’s side, on my father’s side, my 3x great grandfather, William Yates Claflin served in Co. F, 32nd Wisconsin Infantry, Union Army of Volunteers from 1862 to 1865. His two brothers, Albert and Charles also both served in the same regiment, except Albert died from disease caught while at camp in 1864, and Charles was discharged in 1863 due to consumption, and died two years later just before the wars end. The cool coincidence is that Jacob Vertz and William Yates Claflin father’s both served in the War of 1812, Jacob’s father, also Jacob, served as a Swiss Mercenary in the De Meuron Regiment under the British Crown, and was wounded at the Battle of Plattsburgh, and later used his land grant in Quebec, Canada. William’s father, Increase, served with the 13th New York Regiment, New York State Militia, alongside his brother Cornelius, in the War of 1812, and later used his land grant in New Orleans, and later moved to Northeastern Wisconsin. This is my family history to the Civil War and some fun facts along with the information, would love to join the group!
Cheers, Austin
