Captain Balthasar Mundwiller, Co.E 4th MO Inf. USV (Gasconade Co., MO)


Photo: Captain Baltasar Mundwiller, Company E, 4th Missouri Infantry.Circa 1862

 Balthasar Mundwiller, was born January 6, 1827 in Wensville, Alsace, on the border of Germany and France, the son of Joseph Mundwiller Sr. Joseph Mundwiller Sr., born December 23, 1798 in Alsace and died October 24, 1870. Joseph Sr.'s mother Katherina (Vorten) Mundwiller was born April 28, 1774 in France, and died April 11, 1858 in Hermann. They are both buried in The Apprill- Mundwiller Cemetery. They came to America through The Port in New Orleans in 1832. Balthasar's twin brother Joseph Jr. contacted polio that crippled his leg while in New Orleans. Joseph Jr. was a private in Capt. Bernard Stoucklin's Co. D, Gasconade Co, Battalion, Mo. Home Guards and a member of Col Hassendeubel Post No.13, G.A.R., St. Louis, Mo.. He died August 9, 1906 in St. Louis. He is buried in St. Peter and Paul Cemetery in St. Louis.

Balthasar came to America with his parents and other German families, including the Fritz family, in 1832 and were all among the first settlers of Gasconade Co, MO. He married Magdelena Fritz, November 11, 1847 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in St. Louis, MO and settled about six miles south of Hermann where they lived their entire lives. Magdelena, was born January 22, 1829 in Alsace, on the border of Germany and France, the daughter of ?(Joseph) Fritz (a Joseph Fritz 60 bp.France is living with them in 1860).

Balthasar was a farmer, a member of the wide-awakes, took an active interest in schools, roads, and other improvements was a farmer and served as magistrate. He and Magdelena helped organize the first Catholic congregation and helped build the first Catholic Church in Hermann, MO. They later helped with the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Little Berger, MO.

During the Civil War Balthasar was one of the first to take up arms in answer to his country's call, joining the 1st Gasconade County Battalion (a 3 month Home Guard unit) and served as 1st Lt. of Co.E (June 1861-Oct 1861). This battalion was organized in June, 1861, with a total of 473 men, and its services accepted by Gen. Lyon. These services consisted of guarding bridges on the Pacific Railroad, and in escorting provision trains from Hermann to Montgomery City, MO. It also participated in the expedition from Miller's Landing to Georgetown, in Franklin Co., MO. The 1st Gasconade County Battalion disbanded October 1, 1861, and reorganized as Hunhausen' Battalion USRC (3 years) in January, 1862 (also known as the Gasconade County Battalion Reserve Corps). In this battalion, Balthasar served as Capt. of Co.C (Jan 7, 1862-Jan 18, 1862). The Gasconade County Battalion Reserve Corps was limited from the nature of its organization to services within the State. It was consolidated with the 3rd MO USRC by order of the adjutant general, dated January 18, 1862 as the 4th MO Inf. USV. It was one of the regiments entertaining no idea of compromise with those attempting to destroy the Government. Balthasar raised Co.E of the 4th MO Inf. USV and served as Capt. of Co.E (commissioned Jun 7, 1862 from Nov 5, 1861-mustered out). The 4th MO Inf. USV was employed chiefly within the State, and performed valuable service to the cause including duty in Districts of Southwest Missouri and St. Louis at Pacific City and St. Louis till February, 1863. It was mustered out of the service under Special Orders No.13, February 1, 1863.

Balthasar died November 2, 1878 after a protracted illness and Magdelena died November 13, 1916. They are buried in Roark Twp #97, S20 T45N R4W, known as the Apprill-Mundwiller Cemetery (formerly Little Berger Catholic Cemetery, located on Berkemeyer Road off of Highway H, 6 miles south of Hermann). MO MOLLUS Companion Gene Thomas Beals , a great(3x)grandnephew of Balthasar Mundwiller, placed a new tombstone on his grave a1995, the cemetery was rededicated in May of 1998, and there are also two other Union officers buried in the small cemetery (2nd Lt. Johann Jacob Stoecklin, Co. E 4th Mo. Inf., born May 19, 1828 and died Feb. 21, 1912; and Capt. Bernard Stoucklin, Co. D, Mo. H.G., born Feb. 18, 1832 and died April 18, 1862.). S/1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Children of Balthasar and Magdelena (Fritz) Mundwiller (12 total):



Photo: Mundwiller Family Taken After Death of Balthasar, Nov 1878
L-R Back Row - Ed, Alvin,Theophilus,Gus,Felix & Arthur
L-R Front Row Sitting, A.B.P, Lizzie & Magdalena

Sources:

    1) "Annual Report of the Adjutant General of Missouri for the Year Ending December 31, 1865", Jefferson City: Emory S. Foster, Public Printer, c1866, p.88 & 108-109
    2) "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford, and Gasconade Cos., MO", by Goodspeed, c1888, p.653-654, 655-657, & 1108
    3) "Gasconade County History, Owensville, Missouri", V.1, by the Gasconade County Historical Society, c1979, p.246-247
    4) 1860 Census MO Gasconade Co. p.479 Roark Twp
    5) "Gasconade County Cemetery Survey", by the Gasconade County Historical Society, c1985, p.404,407,410,521,524
    6) 1870 Census MO Gasconade Co. p.503 Roark Twp
    7) 1880 Census MO Gasconade Co. p.357A-B Roark Twp
    8) Input from Gene Beals

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