Francis Erdelmeyer
Francis "'Frank" W. Erdelmeyer' was a German-American Turner, businessman, upholsterer, pharmacist, and American Civil War veteran who lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. During his service from 1861 to 1864 in the Union Army, Erdelmeyer served in both the 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment under Lew Wallace and later commanded the 32nd Indiana Infantry Regiment. Erdelmeyer was later involved in the creation of the German-English School Society of Indianapolis and was elected as the treasurer of Marion County in 1869.
Early life
Francis W. Erdelmeyer was born on November 2, 1835, in Herrnsheim in the German city of Worms, then part of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. Erdelmeyer emigrated to New York in 1852 before later settling in Indianapolis by 1858. While in Indianapolis he worked in the upholstery trade under John Ott Sr. of the Ott Lounge Company and belonged to the local Turner club, the Turngemeinde. The Turngemeinde was one of the two major Turner Halls in Indianapolis alongside the Indianapolis Socialistisher Turnverein.Military service
At the outbreak of the American Civil War Erdelmeyer volunteered for service as a Sergeant in the 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment initially only for 3-months service. Erdelmeyer served in Company E of the 11th Indiana under Captain Dewitt Clinton Rugg. Rugg was later the commander of the 48th Indiana Infantry Regiment. The 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment was initially nicknamed "Wallace's Zouaves" after the regiment's Colonel and commander Lew Wallace.At the expiration of his initial enlistment in July 1861, Erdelmeyer re-enlisted into the Union Army after raising a company of infantry in Indianapolis nicknamed the "Turner Company" on August 24, 1861, from the local Turnverein. Erdelmeyer's company would form the bulk of Company A of the newly raised 32nd Indiana Infantry Regiment – also known as the "1st German" regiment – under the command of the German Revolutionary and Forty-eighter, August Willich.
Erdelmeyer was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 20, 1862. Following Willich's promotion to Brigadier General, Heinrich "Henry" von Trebra would replace Willich as commander. Trebra later died on August 7, 1863, in Arcola, Illinois, from typhoid fever. Erdelmeyer was promoted to the rank of Colonel the following day.
Erdelmeyer would command the regiment until the end of the war through some of the regiment's bloodiest actions including; the Battle of Chickamauga, Orchard Knob, the Battle of Missionary Ridge, the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, the Battle of Resaca, the Battle of Adairsville, the Battle of New Hope Church, the Battle of Dallas, the Battle of Pickett's Mill, the Battle of Marietta, the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, the Battle of Peachtree Creek, the Battle of Atlanta, the Battle of Jonesborough, and the Battle of Lovejoy's Station. Erdelmeyer mustered out with the rest of the regiment on September 7, 1864.