Mr. Flummer was the last surviving Civil War Veteran in Pottawattamie County Iowa.


American Civil War Soldiers about Sylvester Flummer
Name: Sylvester Flummer
Residence: Wabash County, Indiana
Enlistment Date: 2 Sep 1863
Side Served: Union
State Served: Indiana
Service Record: Enlisted in Company K, 118th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 2 Sep 1862.
Enlisted as a Private on 2 September 1863.
Mustered Out Company K, 118th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 3 Mar 1864 at Indianapolis, IN.

Thanks to Collin & Shannon Humble for sending the following obituary.

Last Civil War Veteran at Council Bluffs Was Ninety-Seven
Sylvester Ellis Flummer, 97, the last surviving Civil War veteran of Pottawattamie Co., died at his home in Council Bluffs, March 10 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Bessie Grosvenor. He was the father of William Flummer of Morgan Center. Mr. Flummer left Tuesday of last week to see his father.

Funeral services were held Saturday at Council Bluffs with interment in the Cedar Lawn Cemetery. Miss Josephine Flummer, Albert Flummer and Mrs. Gerald Perkins of near Leon, attended the funeral services of their grandfather.

Mr. Flummer is a past commander and for four years had been the sole surviving member of the Abe Lincoln Post #29, G. A. R. at one time one of the largest posts in the west.

" My Civil War experiences were very unusual due to the fact that I was never in an active battle, " he related at a birthday party held in his honor attended by more than 500 people September 19, 1940, in the national guard armory at Council Bluffs.

He was on the march during the first six months of his service, most of the time with General Sherman. In his second enlistment of three years service he helped hold fort at Gallatin and Chatanooga, Tennessee. Because of improper food, Mr. Flummer's health was impaired. With his health growing worse, he and others who were ill were left practically uncared for at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. Ill, discouraged and homesick, Mr. Flummer left one day, walking and struggling, and arrived at a government post four days later, where a Mr. and Mrs. Ballard nursed him back to health in the attic of their log cabin.

Mr. Flummer leaves another daughter, Mrs. Cora Hailey, Rea, Missouri. He is survived by ten grandchildren, including Pfc. Will S. Flummer of Leon, now in action with the United States Forces in North Africa.

Leon Journal-Reporter