Appenzeller, George

George Appenzeller

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company B, 44th Illinois Infantry

Place of Birth:

Germany

Date of Birth:

1834

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, TN

Date of Death:

December 31st, 1864

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, TN

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

George Appenzeller was born in 1834 in Germany. He immigrated to Hittle's Grove, Illinois and became a farmer. He enlisted into the Union army on August 1st, 1861 in Chicago, Illinois. A little over a month later, he mustered in on September 13th into Company B of the 44th Illinois Infantry regiment. He was a private upon enlistment. The Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive rolls describe him as being 5' 5" and having a red complexion with blue eyes and blond hair.

The 44th Illinois Infantry was put under the command of Brigadier General Schaefer, Division General Sheridan, and in McCook's Corps at the battle of Stones River. They spent time in Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kentucky, before ending up in Tennessee in November of 1862. On December 26th, 1862, they were sent to Murfreesboro to pursue General Bragg further south. The journey was four days long in frozen rain and mud, and they arrived on December 30th and set up camp.

Their position functioned as reserves on the first day of fighting, waiting behind General Sill's brigade. The Confederate objective in the area was to create a J-shaped movement and collapse the Union army's right flank. They began this maneuver early on December 31st, and started to push Union forces northward. The men in the 44th Illinois were among the first line of defense when it came to this early morning fighting.

For two hours, they held the position before being pushed back along the Wilkinson Pike into a V-shaped position. The 44th Illinois was among the right flank of this position, holding as long as they could. Eventually, they had to give way to a retreat because of a lack of ammunition and the extreme loss of life that the regiment experienced. The 44th Illinois lost more than half of their soldiers during this phase of fighting at the battle of Stones River. Private Appenzeller was among those that lost his life, December 31st, 1862.

George Appenzeller is laid to rest in the Stones River National Cemetery in plot N-5570.