The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Federal Capt. Henry Windmuller at Massacre?

Another character in the plot.

Windmuller's muster out card show he resigned Fulton MO, shows last paid Aug 26, 1862. Special order 201 signed by Lewis Merrill of all people "accepted" the resignation effective immediately, Nov 7, 1862. What caught my eye is that it is on Adjutant General Letter head. I'll send you a copy. It is found here https://www.fold3.com/image/201248887

Windmuller has an interesting record before this. It appears he raised a company called Windmuller's Company (K) of the Missouri Home Guard. This unit was listed as entered into service July 10, 1861, disbanded Aug 9, 1861. This at Point Prairie MO. Then he is listed as Capt Co A, 1st Battn MO Cav US Reserve Corp until January 1862 when he becomes Capt. Co A 1st Battn Cav State Militia

The first muster cards for July and Aug 61 are labeled as Windmuller's Company 1st State Militia Cav. enlisted St. Charles MO. It then gets the label as Company A in Oct 61 What I really wonder is did this get translated (assumed?) to be the same as MSM? Is it or is it Kreckel's Home Guard unit federalized by Fremont and Lyon and NOT Missouri State Militia.

Remember Merrill had nothing good to say about Kreckel's leadership.

From History of St. Charles County:
"The Germans of the county were not less active in organizing for the Union than the Americans were for the South. Judge Arnold Krekel, now of the United States District Court, was their leader in preparing them for holding St. Charles county to the Union cause. About the time Col. Emmons was swearing in the Southern company of artillery, or shortly afterwards, a company of Home Guards for the Union service was formed, composed almost exclusively of Germans. This was organized soon after the fall of Camp Jackson, and those principally instrumental in organizing it were Gustave Bruere, then editor of the St. Charles Democrat, John Bruere, Judge Gatzweiler, E. F. Gut, Henry Machens, G. Hoover, and one or two other prominent Germans of St. Charles, including Judge Krekel. Mr. Hoover was elected captain of the company. A week later another company was organized in the county and afterwards, aggregation over 1,300 men. Judge Arnold Krekel was elected colonel of the regiment; F. W. Gatzweiler, major, and Edward F. Gut, quartermaster.

The regiment went into camp near Cottleville, at what was named Camp Krekel, where they remained for some time engaged in drilling, and doing home guard duty. It was known as the St. Charles County Regiment of Home Guards, and was armed from the government arsenal at St. Louis by order of Gen. Lyon. It was not regularly accepted into service, however, until July, 1861. At that time the following were the three principal officers of the respective companies: Co. A -- Captain, Jacob New; first-lieutenant, Henry Damann; second-lieutenant, Richard Vogt. Co. B -- Captain, Stephen Jeude; first-lieutenant, Adam Schweizer; second-lieutenant, Frederick Lotte. Co. D -- Captain, John Fuchs; first-lieutenant, John Holtman; second-lieutenant, Herman Weinshagen. Co. E -- Captain, Henry Schemmer; first-lieutenant, Jobst Paso; second-lieutenant, Herman Schemmer. Co. F -- Captain, Henry Stratman; first-lieutenant, Charles Schlootman; second-lieutenant, Casper Deiman. Co. G -- Captain, Charles Lumber; first-lieutenant, Lisfer Nicklaus; second-lieutenant, Roth Nicklaus. Co. H -- Captain, Moritz Neustaetter; first-lieutenant, Franz Ruster; second-lieutenant, Joseph Boecker. Co. I -- Captain, Robert Bailey, Jr.; first-lieutenant, Mathew Zimmermann; second-lieutenant, John E. Dirkee. Co. K -- Captain, Henry Windmuller; first-lieutenant, Herman Wilke; second-lieutenant, Jobst Broecker. Co. M -- Captain, John D. Holrah; first-lieutenant, Frederick Wolf; second-lieutenant, J. C. Kuhlhoff. Co. N -- Captain, Gustave Heven; first-lieutenant, Gottfried Muke; second-lieutenant, Henry Denker. Co. O -- Captain, Franz Martin; first-lieutenant, Herman Kuhlman; second-lieutenant, Franz Kaferkamp.

This regiment did valuable service for the Union cause in the early part of the war by holding St. Charles county and not only preventing the enlistment of Southern volunteers here, but keeping down Southern organizations and enlistments further north. "Krekel's Dutch," as they were called, stood a dreaded menace to the active Southern element in all this part of the country, and gave loyal men the assurance of protection and encouragement.

From this regiment of Home Guards, after the necessity for their active service in the county had passed, other organizations were formed, though many of the older men, and other not eligible for regular military duty, continued for some time afterwards to perform Home Guard service, and were very valuable in this line of duty. The volunteers in the St. Charles County United States Reserve Corps were principally from the old Home Guard regiment. There were six companies of volunteers in this county for the Reserve Corps. They were organized in August, 1861, and continued to serve until January, 1862. Capt. G. Hoover was captain of Co. A, Capt. Gatzweiler of Co. B, and Capt. Schmalzinger of Co. C. The names of the captains of the other three companies are not now recalled. Their duty was mainly local, consisting of guarding the railroad bridges, preventing raids into the country, and so forth. They were succeeded by four companies of Missouri State militia, which were organized early in 1862, the time of the latter had served in the companies of the Reserve Corps, which had been organized under the authority of the general government for home service, and were paid by the government.

The four companies of the Missouri State militia were formed into the First Battalion, M.S.M., and served as members of that battalion until December, 1862, or for about a year. Altogether they numbered about 400 men, and were commanded by Lieut.-Col. Arnold Krekel. Ferdinand Hess was adjutant of the battalion, and Dr. John Bruere, surgeon. The four companies were commanded, respectively, as follows: Co. A -- Captain, Henry Windmuller; first-lieutenant, Theodore Hegeman; second-lieutenant, Charles Growe. Co. B -- Captain, Adolph Hufschmidt; first-lieutenant, George Struben; second-lieutenant, Charles Bruere. Co. C -- Captain, George Muller; first-lieutenant, Fred. Graberherst; second-lieutenant, Frederick August. Co. D -- Captain, Frederick Heign; first-lieutenant, Joseph Linkogel; second-lieutenant, August Hildeberndt. Three of the above companies were cavalry and one infantry, the latter being Co. B, under Capt. Hufschmidt. In November, 1862, the cavalry companies were honorably discharged from the service at Fulton, Missouri. but the infantry company was ordered to St. Louis, and there attached to the First Missouri State militia infantry, in which it served for three years. The latter regiment was principally engaged in guard service at the St. Louis and on the Iron Mountain Railroad. Before the First battalion was dissolved, however, they participated in one or two fights in this section of the state -- one at Box Springs, which was sharp and hotly contested. The enemy was driven out of the country tributary to Mexico, which he had been infesting for some time previous."

This leads me to believe that Merrill had enough of Kreckel in Fulton and the unit was disbanded late Nov 1862, 2 weeks or so after Windmuller's resignation.

Windmuller was born in Germany and appears in the 1850 census
Name: Heinr Windmueller
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Year: abt 1826
Birthplace: Germany
Home in 1850: St Louis Ward 1, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri, USA
Married Within the Year: Y
Occupation: Laborer
Industry: Industry not reported
Line Number: 11
Dwelling Number: 1279
Family Number: 1964
Household Members:
Name Age
Heinr Windmueller 24
Henr Windmueller 21
Lorenz Windmueller 28
Marg Windmueller 29
Fritz Windmueller 2

1860 census
Name: Henry Windmiller
Age: 35
Birth Year: abt 1825
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Preußen
Home in 1860: Portage Des Sioux, St Charles, Missouri
Post Office: Portage Des Sioux
Dwelling Number: 1218
Family Number: 1215
Occupation: Farmer
Personal Estate Value: 1200
Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Windmiller 35
Henrietta Windmiller 25
Bettie Gephart 10
Peter Younger 35

and his death record from City Hospital, St. Louis
Name: Henry Windmoeller
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 75
Birth Date: abt 1824
Death Date: 23 Sep 1899
Death Place: St Louis, Missouri, USA

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