Nicholas Greusel (July 4, 1817 – April 25, 1896) commanded the
36th Illinois Infantry Regiment
The 36th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was mustered into service in September 1861. The regiment fought at the battles of Pea Ridge, Perry ...
during the early part of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. As a teenager, he emigrated from the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Later moving to
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, he was elected to political office for two years. He led a Michigan volunteer company during the
Mexican-American War
Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexicans, Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% ...
and later moved to
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. At the start of the Civil War he joined a three-month Illinois regiment, rising to
field officer
A senior officer is an officer of a more senior grade in military or other uniformed services. In military organisations, the term may refer to any officer above junior officer rank, but usually specifically refers to the middle-ranking group of ...
rank before the state governor appointed him
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
of the 36th Illinois. He led a brigade at the battles of
Pea Ridge and
Perryville and at the
Siege of Corinth
The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...
. At the
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
he assumed command of the brigade when its commander was killed. He resigned because of poor health soon after Stones River and worked for the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
. He espoused
pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
in his later years.
Early career
Nicholas Greusel was born on July 4, 1817 in
Blieskastel
Blieskastel () is a city in the Saarpfalz (Saar-Palatinate) district, in Saarland, Germany which is divided into villages. It is situated on the river Blies, approximately southwest of Homburg (Saar), west of Zweibrücken, and east of Saarbrüc ...
which then belonged to the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
. He received an education in the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
and
French language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
s. In 1833, his parents and siblings emigrated to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. His father told the eight older children, including Nicholas that they were on their own. Nicholas found employment for a year with the mother of
Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish (August 3, 1808September 7, 1893) was an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York from 1849 to 1850, a United States Senator from New York from 1851 to 1857 and the 26th United States Secretary of State fro ...
, and for a second year worked in a brickyard. His entire family moved again, arriving in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan. Detroit w ...
on November 1, 1836. Greusel got a job in the lumbering business which he kept for the next decade. During this time he became
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of a
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
company and later
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in the Frontier Guards. Greusel married Jane Doumens in 1839; they would have 12 children of whom eight were living in 1888. In 1844, he was elected
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
of the Fourth Ward of Detroit as a member of the
Whig Party and served for two years.
When the Mexican-American War broke out, Greusel raised a company of volunteers. He was elected captain of what became Company D of the 1st
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Regiment. The company marched to
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County, Ohio, Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, approxim ...
, then went by railroad to
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, and by boat to
. The regiment landed in
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
ten days after the conclusion of the
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz during the Mexican–American War. Lasting from March 9–29, 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States ...
. The regiment served under
James Bankhead's command in the area around
Orizaba
Orizaba () is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is located 20 km west of its sister city Córdoba, and is adjacent to Río Blanco and Ixtaczoquitlán, on Federal Highways 180 and 190. The city had a 2005 census ...
and
Córdoba, skirmishing with guerillas and small groups of Mexican regulars. At the war's end, the regiment went home, arriving in Detroit on July 12, 1847. Of D Company's 105 soldiers who began the war, 85 returned home, which represented fewer losses than suffered by the other companies. By good management of company funds, Greusel saved $300 which he used to buy new shirts and shoes for his soldiers. The regiment's colonel placed sharp-looking Company D in the front of the homecoming parade.
Soon after, Greusel was elected major and then
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
of the city guards. In 1849 he was appointed superintendent of the city water works and in 1850–1852 he became
Inspector General
An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general".
Australia
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...
of lumber for Michigan. At this time, Greusel made a bad investment, which cost him his life savings. He spent the following years working as a conductor for the
Michigan Central Railroad
The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in ...
. He later moved to
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is a city in the Chicago metropolitan area located partially in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage, Kane County, Illinois, Kane, Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall, and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Locat ...
and took a job with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. On April 18, 1861, after the
Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12–13, 1861) was the bombardment of Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina by the South Carolina militia. It ended with the surrender by the United States Army, beginning the American Civil War.
Follo ...
, Captain Greusel enrolled the Aurora Company in the Illinois militia for three-months service. The company was absorbed into the
7th Illinois Infantry Regiment
The 7th Illinois Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Service 3 month enlistments
The regiment was created in response to Battle of Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln's ...
on April 25. Greusel rose in rank to become
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
of the 7th Illinois. On August 14, Governor
Richard Yates appointed Greusel colonel of the "Fox River Regiment". This unit became the 36th Illinois Infantry.
Civil War
Pea Ridge–Corinth
At the
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...
on March 7–8, 1862, Greusel commanded the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Division under
Peter Joseph Osterhaus
Peter Joseph Osterhaus (January 4, 1823 – January 2, 1917) was a German-American Union Army general in the American Civil War and later served as a diplomat.
Early life
Osterhaus was born in Koblenz, Rhenish Prussia, the son of Eleanora (Kraem ...
. The division formed part of the
Army of the Southwest under
Samuel Ryan Curtis
Samuel Ryan Curtis (February 3, 1805 – December 26, 1866) was an American military officer and one of the first Republicans elected to Congress. He was most famous for his role as a Union Army general in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the ...
. The brigade's units were the 36th Illinois,
12th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and two Illinois cavalry companies under Albert Jenks and Henry A. Smith. By 9:00 am on March 7, Curtis received positive information that
Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) started his military career as a United States Army officer but joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out. He was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict.
A g ...
's Confederate army made a turning movement and was approaching his army's right rear. He ordered Osterhaus to march to Leetown with some cavalry units and Greusel to follow with his brigade and elements of the 3rd Division. The Federal cavalrymen were quickly routed and stampeded past the marching infantry. Greusel shouted at his men, "Officers and men, you have it in your power to make or prevent another Bull Run affair. I want every man to stand to his post". The soldiers did not panic and Osterhaus arrived to find Greusel calmly directing the deployment of the troops along the southern edge of Oberson's field. The position was manned by Greusel's two regiments plus three
M1841 12-pounder howitzer
The M1841 12-pounder howitzer was a bronze smoothbore muzzle-loading artillery piece that was adopted by the United States Army in 1841 and employed during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. It fired a shell up to a distance ...
s of
Martin Welfley's Missouri Battery and the six guns of Louis Hoffman's
4th Ohio Battery
4th Ohio Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Service
The 4th Ohio Battery was organized in Cincinnati, Ohio and mustered in for three years service on August 17, 1861, under Captain Louis ...
. When the
6th Texas Cavalry Regiment
The 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment was a unit of mounted volunteers that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment fought at Chustenahlah in 1861. The following year the unit fought at Pea Ridge, First Corin ...
suddenly burst into Oberson's field, it was quickly taken under fire and compelled to retreat.
Greusel ordered the gunners to lob howitzer shells over the woods and this blind fire proved surprisingly effective, panicking the Confederates' Indian allies. He also sent a skirmish line composed of Silas Miller's Company B and Irving Parkhurst's Company G of the 36th Illinois to the northern edge of the field. Soon afterward, the skirmishers shot dead the Confederate division commander
Benjamin McCulloch
Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...
as he reconnoitered. When Companies B and G came under attack, Greusel ordered the 36th Illinois forward to rescue them. The regiment fired several volleys that killed
James M. McIntosh, the second-in-command. The loss of two leading generals led to a disastrous breakdown in the chain of command and "doomed the Confederate effort at Leetown" that day. On March 8, both armies concentrated their forces near Elkhorn Tavern. That morning
Franz Sigel
Franz Sigel (November 18, 1824 – August 21, 1902) was a German American military officer, revolutionary and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union major general in the American Civil W ...
organized a highly effective bombardment by 21 guns on the Union left flank. Confederate return fire only killed a handful of Union soldiers. A cannon ball narrowly missed Greusel's head, knocking him off his horse, but not seriously injuring him. As the Confederate troops wavered, the Federal left flank infantry swept forward to victory with Greusel's two regiments in the front line on the left. The 36th Illinois lost four killed, 37 wounded, and 34 missing while the 12th Missouri lost three killed, 29 wounded, and two missing.
From June 1 to September 4, 1862, Greusel commanded the 1st Brigade in the 5th Division of the
Army of the Mississippi
Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War.
History 1862
The first army was created on February 23, 1862, with Maj. Gen. ...
. During this period, which included the
Siege of Corinth
The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...
, the 5th Division was led first by
Alexander Asboth
Alexander "Sandor" Asboth ( Hungarian: Asbóth Sándor, December 18, 1811 – January 21, 1868) was a Hungarian military leader best known for his victories as a Union general during the American Civil War. He also served as United States Ambassa ...
and later by
Gordon Granger
Gordon Granger (November 6, 1821 – January 10, 1876) was a career U.S. Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War, where he distinguished himself at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Granger is best remembered for his part in the ...
.
Perryville–Stones River
![Perryville 1600](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Perryville_1600.png)
At the
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the A ...
on October 8, 1862, Greusel commanded the 37th Brigade in
Philip Sheridan
General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...
's 11th Division,
Charles Champion Gilbert
Charles Champion Gilbert (March 1, 1822 – January 17, 1903) was a United States Army officer during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War.
Early life
Gilbert was born in Zanesville, Ohio. He graduated from West Point in the fam ...
's III Corps,
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell (March 23, 1818November 19, 1898) was a United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles— Shiloh and Perr ...
's
Army of the Ohio
The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863.
History
1st Army of the Ohio
General Orders No. 97 appointed Maj. Gen. Do ...
. The brigade included the 36th Illinois,
88th Illinois,
21st Michigan, and
24th Wisconsin Regiments. According to one source, the brigade sustained losses of 15 killed, 124 wounded, and four missing. A second source recorded losses of 12 killed, 61 wounded, and four missing in the 36th Illinois, eight killed and 35 wounded in the 88th Illinois, 22 wounded in the 21st Michigan, and one killed in the 24th Wisconsin. On the late afternoon of October 7, Greusel's brigade was committed to help the Federal cavalrymen, causing the Confederate horsemen under
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler (September 10, 1836 – January 25, 1906) was an American military commander and politician. He was a cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and then a general in ...
to pull back. At 4:00 pm on October 8, three Confederate regiments launched an ill-considered attack on Sheridan's division perched on Peters Hill. They were stopped cold by the 36th Illinois which rose up suddenly and fired a volley. A firefight ensued at range across a cornfield with the 88th Illinois on the right of the 36th Illinois and
Daniel McCook Jr.'s brigade on its left. Presently, the 36th Illinois ran out of ammunition and withdrew, to be replaced one of McCook's regiments. Meanwhile, Sheridan moved the 24th Wisconsin to the far left and the Confederate line soon collapsed after suffering 200–300 casualties. The 21st Michigan remained in support of Charles M. Barnett's
Battery I, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery.
![Stones River Dec31 0800](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Stones_River_Dec31_0800.png)
At the
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
on December 31, 1862–January 2, 1863, Greusel commanded the 36th Illinois in
Joshua W. Sill
Joshua Woodrow Sill (December 6, 1831 – December 31, 1862) was a career officer in the United States Army and brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee. Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was lat ...
's 1st Brigade, Sheridan's 3rd Division,
Alexander McDowell McCook
Alexander McDowell McCook (April 22, 1831June 12, 1903) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War.
Early life
McCook was born in Columbiana County, Ohio. A Scottish family, the McCooks were prominent i ...
's Right Wing,
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was t ...
's
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.
History
The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...
. The regiments were the same as at Perryville. The brigade suffered losses of 104 killed, 365 wounded, and 200 missing. An hour after the Confederates attacked McCook's right flank on the morning of December 31, five Union brigades were fleeing in confusion or panic. At some time after 7:00 am, the last of
Jefferson C. Davis
Jefferson Columbus Davis (March 2, 1828 – November 30, 1879) was a regular officer of the United States Army during the American Civil War, known for the similarity of his name to that of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and for his kil ...
's brigades and Sheridan's division began to come under attack. They were facing east and southeast. The 24th Wisconsin disintegrated at the first blow, leaving a gap on the right of the 36th Illinois. When the
19th Alabama approached within , the Illinoisans blasted them with a volley. For a half hour, the two regiments blazed away at each other before the 19th Alabama began edging backward. Greusel ordered a counterattack with fixed bayonets and routed the Confederates. During the first clash, Sill was shot dead and Greusel assumed leadership of the brigade, with Silas Miller taking command of the 36th Illinois.
For 90 minutes, Sheridan's three brigades fought seven Confederate brigades to a deadlock, in what some would call "the most determined stand of the entire war". At 8:00 am, Davis's last brigade was finally bludgeoned into retreat.
Arthur Middleton Manigault
Arthur Middleton Manigault (October 26, 1824 – August 17, 1886) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Early life and career
Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824. His parents wer ...
's Confederate brigade attacked and was repulsed. Out of ammunition and unable to secure 0.67 caliber cartridges (0.58 caliber was standard issue), the 36th Illinois was given permission to withdraw. It had lost 46 killed, 151 wounded, and 15 missing. Sheridan pulled back to a second position, sending the 88th Illinois and 21st Michigan to hold a position near the Harding farm. At 8:30 am, the brigades of Manigault and
George Maney
Brigadier-General George Earl Maney (August 24, 1826 – February 9, 1901) was an American soldier, politician, railroad executive and diplomat. He was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and a postbellum ...
attacked the new position. Taking up a third position, Sheridan swung Greusel's brigade back to the Blanton house where the 24th Wisconsin had rallied. Around 10:00 am, Sheridan was compelled to order a retreat because his soldiers were out of ammunition. By this time, the division was bent into a V with Greusel's brigade facing west. McCook appeared and ordered Greusel to withdraw without consulting Sheridan. This badly-timed command resulted in the Confederate seizure of six guns from Charles Houghtaling's
Battery C, 1st Illinois Light Artillery. At 2:00 pm, the 36th Illinois took a position in reserve near the Round Forest.
On January 2, 1863 after several days of fighting and no sleep, Sheridan and Greusel lay down to sleep in a crude brush shelter. Next morning, they woke covered in snow and Greusel could not move. He resigned from the army due to his
rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including art ...
on February 7, 1863. One source stated that Greusel was breveted
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
after Stones River by the recommendation of
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was t ...
. After the war was over, on October 15, 1865, Sheridan wrote a highly complimentary letter to Greusel, thanking him for his services. However, in the letter Sheridan referred to his rank as colonel. Greusel was awarded a silver-plated revolver for having the best-drilled regiment in the army.
Post-war career
After leaving the army, Greusel resumed his employment as a conductor with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. On September 1, 1866 he moved to
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area, which includes ...
and took a new job as Roadmaster for the
Burlington and Missouri River Railroad
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad (B&MR) or sometimes (B&M) was an American railroad company incorporated in Iowa in 1852, with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. It was developed to build a railroad across the state of Iowa and began oper ...
. In January 1867, he moved again to
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa. The population was 9,274 in the 2020 census, an increase from 8,668 in the 2010 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.
History
The first permanent s ...
. He worked for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad for three years then retired. In 1888, he was a vestryman at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church in Mount Pleasant. Greusel and his wife had 12 children of whom eight were living in 1888. They were E. Stuyvesant, Josephine, Elizabeth, Rachel, John O., Nettie, Susie, and Philip Sheridan. Another son Joseph enlisted in the
27th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was killed in 1863.
In 1876, at the International Peace Union convention at
Carpenters' Hall
Carpenters' Hall is the official birthplace of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a key meeting place in the early history of the United States. Carpenters' Hall is located in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
there was a proposal to convert swords into useful tools. Greusel was the first to step forward and volunteer to donate his own sword. He said it was the sword he carried during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War and that he originally planned to give it to his heirs. Greusel's sword was converted into a pruning hook and presented to the conference on the following day. In the years since the war, Greusel had become "an ardent advocate of peace through disarmament". Greusel died in Mount Pleasant at 1:00 am on April 25, 1896 and was buried in Aurora, Illinois at the Spring Lake Cemetery. His gravestone reads GENERAL N. GREUSEL.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Greusel, Nicholas
1817 births
1896 deaths
Bavarian emigrants to the United States
Detroit City Council members
Michigan Whigs
People from Kane County, Illinois
People of Illinois in the American Civil War
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Union Army colonels