DEATH OF A HERO: SERGEANT HERMANN ZIEGNER~ 7TH CAVALRY AND 71ST NEW YORK VOLUNTEER INFANTRY

"VVILLIAM R. PA!¥SON

While pursuing research for my family history project, Building. He went out with the Seventy-first Regiment I was surfing the Internet for certain key words when I as First Sergeant of Company E, and suffered all the clicked a link that took me to a website containing extracts privation and hardship endured by the members of the from the old Brooklyn Daily Star. As I was scrolling Seventy-first in the Santiago campaign. down to the article I was interested in, my eye caught Mr. Ziegner was married four years ago. He left no the headline "Death of a Hero." My curiosity piqued, I children, but his widow will soon become a mother. stopped to read the following account:~ They lived on One Hundred and Twenty-fourth street, between Seventh and Lenox avenues, New York. Mr. Death of a Hero Ziegner’s salary was not continued after he left his First Sergeant Hermann Ziegner of the regiment, and Mrs. Ziegner was obliged to give up Seventy-first Passes Away her house. Mrs. E. Bracken of 86 Seventh street, Long Island City, who has known the family for years gave Another Seventy-first Regiment hero died at St. John’s up her house and Sergeant Ziegner was there until he Hospital on Friday evening. He was First Sergeant went in the hospital. He hoped to go back to his work Hermann Ziegner, a native of Germany, but one of on the 15th inst. Those who knew Sergeant Ziegner the first to enlist when volunteers were called for. He speak of him in the highest terms as a man. He was a sacrificed his position and his home was broken up in fine specimen of manhood, over six feet in height and order that he rnight serve his adopted country. Two possessing a splendid physique. "After the battle was weeks after the regiment landed at Montauk he came to over I had no fears for him," said Mrs. Ziegner. "He was Long Island City on a furlough suffering from pernicious so strong I felt certain he would come back all right." malaria. For a day or two he was able to sit up and The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon from the since his arrival two weeks ago he has been able to sit house at 86 Seventh street, and the interment will be in up now and then for a day, but gradually grew worse. Calvary Cemetery. Dr. Brennan attended him during the two weeks he was in Long Island City, not only free of charge, but he Several details in the article only increased my interest. also furnished the medicine. He gave the case the most First, of course, was reference to "a " careful attention and on Tuesday assisted Mrs. Ziegner presented by the Congress. The inscription stated "for in finding a place for his admission to a private hospital the Sioux Campaign," but what exactly did he do to earn in New York. The hospital has no ambulance, liverymen the Medal of Honor (Figure 1). Ever the researcher, I were afraid to allow the use of their carriages for a then wondered what could be discovered about the part fever patient, and the Red Cross anabulance had more to do than could be attended to. When a carriage was Sergeant Ziegner played in the Spanish American War. finally secured Sergeant Ziegner was too weak to ride The genealogist in me was also curious what could be in one. On Thursday evening he was taken to St. John’s found out about his life and particularly his wife and any Hospital. Mrs. Ziegner accompanied her husband to the other family members. hospital and was permitted to sit by his side until death, which occurred at 8 o’clock Friday evening. I quickly did a Google search of the terms "Ziegner" and "Medal of Honor." The results revealed a number of The sergeant was born in Germany thirty-two years ago. websites discussing the Battle of Wounded Knee. I read He came to America when fourteen years old. Several a good number of these articles, which varied in degree years ago he enlisted in Troop E of the Seventh Cavalry of quality, content, detail, and point of view ranging the and was stationed out on the frontier for several years serving in Indian wars. In ! 890 he was presented with spectrum from contemporary newspaper stories and a medal of honor by Congress for bravery. On the back military reports to traditional and revisionist. of the medal is inscribed the words: "The Congress Presented to Hermann Ziegner, Troop E, Seventh It is not the purpose of this article to examine closely, Cavalry, Sioux Campaign." After eight years service he nor debate, the details of the incident at Wounded Knee. was honorably discharged and came to New York. At Much has been published in the recent past and can be the breaking out of the war he was employed as a night found in libraries and websites, and the many screenings watchman at the safe deposit vaults in the Equitable of the motion picture Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

26 JOMSA currently available on certain cable channels will provide In the aftermath of the battle 20 Medals of Honor were those with a deeper interest in this event with information awarded (several of the articles I read claim this to be from various viewpoints. the most ever awarded for one battle in the history of the Army, but this seems a rather specious assertion.)3 The recipients were:

Sergeant William Grafton Austin, Company E Musician John E. Clancy, 1 st Artillery Private Mosheim Feaster, Company E 1 st Lieutenant Ernest Albert Garlington 1 st Lieutenant John Chowning Gresham Private Mathew H. Hamilton, Company G Private Joshua Byron Hartzog, 1st Artillery 2nd Lieutenant Harry Leroy Hawthorne, 2nd Artillery Private Marvin C. Hillock, Company B Private George Hobday, Company A Sergeant Bernhard Jetter, Company K Sergeant George Lloyd, Company I Sergeant Albert Walter McMillan, Company E Private Adam Neder, Company A Private Thomas Sullivan, Company E 1 st Sergeant. Frederick Ernest Toy, Company C 1 st Sergeant Jacob Trautman, Company I Sergeant James H. Ward, Company B Corporal Paul H. Weinert, 1 st Artillery Private Hermann Ziegner, Company E

Hermann Ziegner was born in Germany, in the town of Apolda in Saxony,4 in 1864. He was the son of Hugo and Lena (Hoene) Ziegner.5 Most likely, he emigrated to the Figure 1: Obverse ofa Type IArmy Medal ofHonor United States sometime after 1880 (but not later than early as awarded to Sergeant Hermann Ziegner. 1886).6 Stating his age as 22, he enlisted in the for five years on May 21, 1886, in Baltimore, The bottom line is that on December 29, 1890, elements Maryland, and served in Companies L, I, and E of the 7th of the United States 7th Cavalry, commanded by Cavalry. He is described as 5’ 10" tall, with brown eyes, James Forsyth, supported by four rapid fire black hair and dark complexion. In addition to a brown Hotchkiss guns, were intent on disarming and escorting birthmark on his left forearm, he had tattoos of the letters an encampment of about 350 Miniconjou and Hunkpapa "H Z" and two hearts and a wreath. He was employed as Sioux, under the leadership of Chief Big Foot, to a a hostler. Ziegner was discharged as a corporal on May railhead for transportation to Omaha, Nebraska. It is 20, 1891, at Fort Riley, Kansas, upon completion of his unclear who fired the first shot that precipitated the term of service. His character was rated Excellent. He ensuing fight. However, when the smoke cleared less than reenlisted for an additional five years, but was discharged an hour latel; 26 troopers and an Indian scout were dead just three years later on August 20, 1894 with the rank and another 36 wounded (plus Father Kraft, a Catholic of sergeant.7 He was serving in Company E during the priest stationed at the Pine Ridge Agency),2 while some action for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. 180 Indians, including men, women and children, also Exact details of the act for which he was awarded the lay dead. It is thought that perhaps another 150 Sioux, medal are sorely lacking. His citation merely says "for many of whom were wounded, fled the encampment but conspicuous bravery.’’~ perished due to exposure during a blizzard that swept into the area following the battle. About 50 Sioux wounded At some time following his discharge from the Army, were carried by Army wagon to Pine Ridge, where Ziegner moved to New York City. On December 16, several died. 1894, he married Margaret Kenard, a daughter of Patrick

Vol. 60, No. 2 27 and Johanna (Dooley) Kenard, by Rev. Anthony Kesseler Spanish sharpshooters hidden in the thick brush and trees of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church at 405 West 125th and artillery zeroed in on the road. Efforts to locate the Street. Margaret was born in Tipperary, Ireland, about enemy were hampered by their use of smokeless powder 1867.9 Hermann was employed as a night watchman used by the Volunteers that revealed their positions with at the safe deposit vaults in the Equitable Building each shot). Eventually the regiment arrived at San Juan (for the Mercantile Trust Co, says his widow’s pension Hill and entered the fray. application), according to The Daily Star,1° until he enlisted for service in the Spanish American War. The dismounted Rough Riders, elements of regular United States troops (including Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Hermann Ziegner enlisted as a sergeant in Company and 10th United States Cavatry12 and 24th United States E, 71st New York Volunteer Infantry on May 2, 1898.11 Infantry), and the volunteers of the 71 st engaged in heavy The regiment was one of two volunteer infantry units to fighting with some 750 Spaniards defending the hill and serve in combat alongside Regular Army units in its approaches. The battle for San Juan Hill devolved into - including the Battle of San Juan Hill. The 71st was a series of charges by varying sized units as opportunity mustered into federal service on May 10, 1898. Three arose. Among those to reach the top of the hill first was days later they were embarked on transport ships at Long Company F of the 71 st New York Volunteer Infantry led Island City. Much to the chagrin of the troops, they sat by Malcolm A. Rafferty. 13 in the harbor for several days before being transferred to trains for what proved to be an uneventful trip south. Below is the official after battle report by 1st Lieutenant They arrived in Lakeland, Florida, on May 17, drilling William R. Hill, Commanding Company E, detailing this there for about two weeks before again traveling by train company’s participation in the fight: 14 to Tampa on May 31. Their arrival (like much of the rest of their war) was marked by incidents of chaos and SANTIAGO DE CUBA, August 1, 1898 confusion due to the unpreparedness, incompetence and The ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL corruption on the part of those responsible for quartering, First Division, Fifth Army Corps victualing, transporting, and providing medical care for SIR: I have the honor, in reply to communication from the regiment. A week later, the regiment embarked on division headquarters, Fifth Army Corps, dated July the transport Vigilancia for what proved to be a voyage 28,1898. to state that on the 1st day of July, 1898, at of over two weeks. about 4.30 o’clock a.m., Company E, Seventy-first Regiment Infantry, New York Volunteers, as part of the Arriving at Cuba, the 71 st came ashore near the town of regiment, broke camp at Sevilla and marched in column Siboney on June 23. Each man was issued 100 rounds of files down the road toward Santiago de Cuba and of ammunition and three days rations. The next day forded the San Juan River. they were ordered to support Roosevelt’s Rough Riders (officially the 1 st United States Volunteer Cavalry) Just before reaching the fork of two roads and at about which was pursuing the Spanish troops of the garrison of 8 o’clock in the morning we unslung rolls and prepared to go into battle. While waiting for the order to advance, Siboney into the hills. Arriving on the scene of battle at a number of shots from the enemy came among the Las Guasimas it was soon obvious that the Rough Riders company, one of which struck Private McClelland in did not need support and a disappointed 71 st was ordered the right knee. The company was advanced in column back to Siboney. of files to where General Kent was standing and directed to follow the preceding company into a thick Formed into a brigade with the 6th and 16th United States underbrush. Infantry, they marched toward Santiago on June 27. They traveled some five miles to the town of Savilla along rain- While lying here we were under heavy fire from shot soaked roads that impeded their advance. They remained and shell for about one hour. Privates Pierce, Euster, Schaller, and Joyce were wounded. We then received there until receiving orders on June 30 to advance against orders to advance, and as the left company of the Third the Spanish at Santiago. Battalion we advanced in line of skirmishers up the hill on which the blockhouse stood and reached the brow The Spanish had built a defensive line of blockhouses of the said hill on the left of the blockhouse at about and trenches beginning at San Juan Hill and from thence o’clock p.m. The company then acted as part of the north to the sea. The brigade advanced with difficulty reserve for the Twenty-fourth Infantry. A number of along the poor mountain trail already traversed by the the company sharpshooters was on the firing line, but Rough Riders. They suffered under heavy fire from were ordered to cease firing on account of having the Springfield rifles. The firing ceased at about 5 o’clock

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