Mary Catherine (Kretsinger)Harbaugh (daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Spessard) Kretsinger) and her oldest daughter carried water to the boys in the front lines of Gettysburg. The daughter must have been Virginia Harbaugh who m. Otillian Stouffer. They were Ogle co., people but, I have not done a 'follow up' on them. Maybe there will be some info with their descendants...Did Mary Catherine's husband, George Jacob Harbaugh fight? If Mary Catherine and the oldest girl carried water to the soldiers on the front line...then, her husband must have been around there fighting somewhere… Before they came to Ogle co., IL...They lived in what they called then "Harbaugh Valley". It was the land Yost Harbaugh, (the original immigrant) settled. It was spread all over...an as he had kids and the kids had kids and county lines moved, etc...it gradually sifted away. But...during the battle of Gettysburg, the Harbaughs were VERY close...the house was VERY close. But, the women and children carried water to the soldiers, some were on the front line.
William Otterbien Kretsinger enrolled as a volunteer & private on 16 July 1861 at Ft. Leavenworth in Co. A 10th Regiment Kansas Infantry & was a sergeant when he was discharged Aug. 31, 1863 to receive a commission in 56th U.S. Colored Regt. as a 2nd Lt. He was then honorably discharged at Helena, Arkansas on the 7th of Aug. 1865 as a 1st Lt. This picture was taken after the war, medals proudly displayed.
David Lewis Kretsinger was actually called Lew. David enrolled in Capt. Haye's Co. C. 4th Reg. KS Volunteers on July 16, 1861. He was in Co. A 10th KS Infantry from March or April 1862 to July 4, 1864 when he transferred to Co. G 56th U.S.Colored as a 2nd Lt. and became a 1st Lt. Nov. 4, 1864. He was discharged Nov. 10, 1865 at Helena, Ark. He was wounded slightly in the face at the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark. Dec. 7, 1862. The coonskin hat in this picture was not regulation uniform for the Kansas Infantry.
Isaac Wesley Kretsinger enlisted in Co. D, 9th Reg. KS Cavalry Jan 21, 1864 as a private. Discharged July 7, 1865 at Duvalla Bluff, Ark. as a corporal. He was thrown from his horse & trampled on which caused curvature of his spine & he never completely recovered from it. He developed a tumor on his spine which caused his death in a Veteran's Hospital in Omaha, NE Jan. 30, 1889.
Samuel Albert Kretsinger was rumored to have run away from home to join his brothers, but was only 11 years old at the time. He came close to one of the battles, lost his resolve, and returned home.