Alexander Messersmith

· Mustered in at Camp Curtin, Pa. on September 7, 1864 as a private in Co. K, 208th P.V.I. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 9th Corps
· Fought at the battle of Fort Stedman (Petersburg), Assault on Petersburg, Pursuit of Lee’s Army
· Was honorably discharged on June 1, 1865 at Alexandria, Va.

· Born on February 3, 1823, Parents were from Germany & spoke only German
· My 3rd Great Grandfather on Mother’s side
· Was 43 years of age when enlisted in the army
· Occupation: Farmer
· Descendants of his 2nd wife still own his original forage cap
· Died June 14, 1893
· Buried in Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Cemetery, Bedford County, PA

Alexander was born in Pennsylvania on February 3, 1823. He was married to his first wife Eliza (Elizabeth) Feight on February of 1845 at the age of 22. He had two sons to Eliza – George, born December 20, 1845 and William born in 1847. (George is my great grandfather.) Unfortunately Eliza died on November 7, 1864. Alexander had enlisted in the army on August 18, 1864, and his first wife died while he was gone. Their sons were about 19 and 17 years of age at the time. Alexander had joined Co. K of the 208th Regiment as a private. He was sworn in at Bloody Run (Everett) PA on August 18, 1864. He was mustered in on September 7, 1864, at Camp Curtin, PA, for a one year enlistment. He was 6 feet tall and had blue eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion.

After being mustered in, Alexander and the 208th Regiment, Companies H and K, started for the front in Virginia the first week in September of 1864 and joined up with the entire regiment September 18th. On November 27th the regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. They ultimately became part of the 1st brigade of Hartranft’s 3rd division, 9th army corps. Winter passed in quiet, however on the morning of March 25th, 1865, the Union lines at Fort Steadman were broken and driven back, the fort and several batteries captured. Hartranft’s division was called to advance and poured upon the enemy and held them in check until other Union troops were brought up. They managed to take 100 prisoners in the battery and 250 more on the line. “The attack had been so sudden, and the disaster was so appalling that when it was learned that this single division, almost unaided, had successfully stemmed the current of misfortune, and had retrieved all that was lost, the feeling of exultation knew no bounds, and for his conspicuous gallantry in recapturing Fort Steadman, Brig. Gen. Hartranft was at once brevetted to major-general of the volunteers.” (History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties, PA 1884, p. 166-168.)

Alexander’s unit was at Petersburg close on the heels of the retreating rebel army and was at Nottoway Court House when Lee surrendered, April 9, 1865. The unit then proceeded to Alexandria, VA, and was mustered out June 1, 1865, as a private. A remarkable fact is that every surviving member of this company was honorably discharged, either by general orders, on account of wounds or disability, or at final muster-out.

On his return home from war, Alexander was married a second time, to Tabitha May, on July 26, 1865. They had 8 children and lived in Monroe Township, Bedford County, PA. He was a farmer by trade. Alexander died June 14, 1893, death listed as being caused from his war service.