Legacy matters

Elizabeth Wetzler Ruediger

Dummer, NH

Apparently, there has been a surge in discussion regarding the American Civil War as of late. There is a sense of irony for this writer that those spouting their version of what the war means and its impact on today’s society have no legacy to the war, most often due to being what many have coined as “fresh off the boat”. We are all immigrants here, don’t get your dander up. Legacy matters to some and is a lofty goal for others.

However, I am steeped in a lineage that participated in nearly every American conflict ever waged: foreign and domestic since the nation’s founding. My cousin, Kris Brimm, happens to be quite the ancestry sleuth and recently sent me a newspaper article from the Osceola Sentinel dated 1899 regarding my great great grandfather, Henry Koble, and his service in the Union Army. It is a fascinating tale of devotion to family, country and perseverance beyond human comprehension.

Henry served in the 9th Pennsylvania regiment, not once, but twice. After enlisting, he was captured from the Army of the Potomac in 1863. Henry was held prisoner at Belle Island Prison, South Carolina. While incarcerated at Belle Island, the Confederates treated the prisoners horribly and tragically many died in captivity. For seven months, he remained among 13,000 prisoners on six acres. The men were fed parasite infested pea soup and “corn dodgers” that caused their bellies to blow up as if they were “with child”. POWs were exposed to the elements and disease, and for many it was their hell on earth. There was a murder almost every night and 25 died every day from starvation. They were actual “hostages”.In 1864, Henry was exchanged for some “graybacks” and returned to Pennsylvania as literally half the man he was when he left. This did not dissuade Henry from nurturing his body back to health and returning to enlist for another bout with the rebel army just prior to the war’s end.

Henry marched with General William Tecumseh Sherman on his quest to burn his way through Georgia on his “March to the Sea”. I could not be prouder and will never shed a tear for the Secessionists’ loss. So, when others sugar coat the American Civil War or describe it as a “war of Northern Aggression”, I smile. I feel that fire and fury in my veins. A true patriot knows the truth of the cause of the conflict. It is not a speculation nor a dissertation on Economics or States’ Rights. It could not be negotiated.

The blood of many paved the way for the fecklessness of a few. No word salad required. Just a lineage of heroes who saved this great nation from imploding upon itself. I am proud of Henry Koble and he would be rolling over in his grave at the audacity of today’s leaders’ inability to understand the impact their words have on America’s legacy, as they trifle with its future.