Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th WI Infantry
Enlisted: May 4, 1861 as a Private from Manitowoc, WI,
36 years old, 5'8", dark hair.
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
July 10, 1863 from Company C to Company A.
January 2, 1864 from Company A to Company C.
Mustered Out: July 11, 1865 at Madison, WI
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Manitowoc Lake Shore Times
June 24, 1884, page 3.
"SUICIDE OF A VETERAN
On Wednesday evening last in the town of Franklin, Frank Kelser an old man well known in that locality killed himself. He deliberately took off his coat and vest and placed the muzzle of a gun against his heart, gave the trigger a push and in a few minutes was dead. Frank Keiser was one of the first to volunteer from Manitowoc Co., at the outbreak of the war, and served all through it in Co. A. 5th, Wis. Vols. And many of the survivors of the old regiment will regret the sad death of "Old Keiser." He was as brave as a lion, a thorough soldier. He was wounded several times and at Winchester was tossed up in the air by a solid shot and left for dead on the field. He was picked up with broken ribs, lung ruptured and body covered with bruises. He was ordered to the General Hospital and was offered his discharge but full of grit and true German stubbornness refused to go. He did light duty after that but always was in line when there was a battle. After the war he supported himself by working when able. A few years ago his old comrades got him a pension. He had one besetting sin, whiskey. It is said that some time ago, some envious busybody took it upon himself to write to the pension department that his pension was fraudulent, and after an examination by some skipjack surgeon it was stopped. The old man cursed by a blighting appetite, without a relative in the wide word, unable longer to work, abandoned by the government he had so bravely fought to preserve, in despair put a bullet through his own heart. Perhaps it was the best he could do. "Judge not ye, that ye be not judged." Peace to your ashes old comrade."
***************************
Der Nord Westen
26 June 1884
"An old soldier, Frank Kaiser, took his own life with a gun on Wed. evening last week in Franklin. He had been a drummer in Co. A, 5th Wisc. Inft., the first company to march from here during the war. The old man had no relatives here and wandered from here to there."
Enlisted: May 4, 1861 as a Private from Manitowoc, WI,
36 years old, 5'8", dark hair.
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
July 10, 1863 from Company C to Company A.
January 2, 1864 from Company A to Company C.
Mustered Out: July 11, 1865 at Madison, WI
*************************
Manitowoc Lake Shore Times
June 24, 1884, page 3.
"SUICIDE OF A VETERAN
On Wednesday evening last in the town of Franklin, Frank Kelser an old man well known in that locality killed himself. He deliberately took off his coat and vest and placed the muzzle of a gun against his heart, gave the trigger a push and in a few minutes was dead. Frank Keiser was one of the first to volunteer from Manitowoc Co., at the outbreak of the war, and served all through it in Co. A. 5th, Wis. Vols. And many of the survivors of the old regiment will regret the sad death of "Old Keiser." He was as brave as a lion, a thorough soldier. He was wounded several times and at Winchester was tossed up in the air by a solid shot and left for dead on the field. He was picked up with broken ribs, lung ruptured and body covered with bruises. He was ordered to the General Hospital and was offered his discharge but full of grit and true German stubbornness refused to go. He did light duty after that but always was in line when there was a battle. After the war he supported himself by working when able. A few years ago his old comrades got him a pension. He had one besetting sin, whiskey. It is said that some time ago, some envious busybody took it upon himself to write to the pension department that his pension was fraudulent, and after an examination by some skipjack surgeon it was stopped. The old man cursed by a blighting appetite, without a relative in the wide word, unable longer to work, abandoned by the government he had so bravely fought to preserve, in despair put a bullet through his own heart. Perhaps it was the best he could do. "Judge not ye, that ye be not judged." Peace to your ashes old comrade."
***************************
Der Nord Westen
26 June 1884
"An old soldier, Frank Kaiser, took his own life with a gun on Wed. evening last week in Franklin. He had been a drummer in Co. A, 5th Wisc. Inft., the first company to march from here during the war. The old man had no relatives here and wandered from here to there."
Civil War veteran of Company A, 5th WI Infantry
Enlisted: May 4, 1861 as a Private from Manitowoc, WI,
36 years old, 5'8", dark hair.
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
July 10, 1863 from Company C to Company A.
January 2, 1864 from Company A to Company C.
Mustered Out: July 11, 1865 at Madison, WI
*************************
Manitowoc Lake Shore Times
June 24, 1884, page 3.
"SUICIDE OF A VETERAN
On Wednesday evening last in the town of Franklin, Frank Kelser an old man well known in that locality killed himself. He deliberately took off his coat and vest and placed the muzzle of a gun against his heart, gave the trigger a push and in a few minutes was dead. Frank Keiser was one of the first to volunteer from Manitowoc Co., at the outbreak of the war, and served all through it in Co. A. 5th, Wis. Vols. And many of the survivors of the old regiment will regret the sad death of "Old Keiser." He was as brave as a lion, a thorough soldier. He was wounded several times and at Winchester was tossed up in the air by a solid shot and left for dead on the field. He was picked up with broken ribs, lung ruptured and body covered with bruises. He was ordered to the General Hospital and was offered his discharge but full of grit and true German stubbornness refused to go. He did light duty after that but always was in line when there was a battle. After the war he supported himself by working when able. A few years ago his old comrades got him a pension. He had one besetting sin, whiskey. It is said that some time ago, some envious busybody took it upon himself to write to the pension department that his pension was fraudulent, and after an examination by some skipjack surgeon it was stopped. The old man cursed by a blighting appetite, without a relative in the wide word, unable longer to work, abandoned by the government he had so bravely fought to preserve, in despair put a bullet through his own heart. Perhaps it was the best he could do. "Judge not ye, that ye be not judged." Peace to your ashes old comrade."
***************************
Der Nord Westen
26 June 1884
"An old soldier, Frank Kaiser, took his own life with a gun on Wed. evening last week in Franklin. He had been a drummer in Co. A, 5th Wisc. Inft., the first company to march from here during the war. The old man had no relatives here and wandered from here to there."
Enlisted: May 4, 1861 as a Private from Manitowoc, WI,
36 years old, 5'8", dark hair.
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
July 10, 1863 from Company C to Company A.
January 2, 1864 from Company A to Company C.
Mustered Out: July 11, 1865 at Madison, WI
*************************
Manitowoc Lake Shore Times
June 24, 1884, page 3.
"SUICIDE OF A VETERAN
On Wednesday evening last in the town of Franklin, Frank Kelser an old man well known in that locality killed himself. He deliberately took off his coat and vest and placed the muzzle of a gun against his heart, gave the trigger a push and in a few minutes was dead. Frank Keiser was one of the first to volunteer from Manitowoc Co., at the outbreak of the war, and served all through it in Co. A. 5th, Wis. Vols. And many of the survivors of the old regiment will regret the sad death of "Old Keiser." He was as brave as a lion, a thorough soldier. He was wounded several times and at Winchester was tossed up in the air by a solid shot and left for dead on the field. He was picked up with broken ribs, lung ruptured and body covered with bruises. He was ordered to the General Hospital and was offered his discharge but full of grit and true German stubbornness refused to go. He did light duty after that but always was in line when there was a battle. After the war he supported himself by working when able. A few years ago his old comrades got him a pension. He had one besetting sin, whiskey. It is said that some time ago, some envious busybody took it upon himself to write to the pension department that his pension was fraudulent, and after an examination by some skipjack surgeon it was stopped. The old man cursed by a blighting appetite, without a relative in the wide word, unable longer to work, abandoned by the government he had so bravely fought to preserve, in despair put a bullet through his own heart. Perhaps it was the best he could do. "Judge not ye, that ye be not judged." Peace to your ashes old comrade."
***************************
Der Nord Westen
26 June 1884
"An old soldier, Frank Kaiser, took his own life with a gun on Wed. evening last week in Franklin. He had been a drummer in Co. A, 5th Wisc. Inft., the first company to march from here during the war. The old man had no relatives here and wandered from here to there."
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