Gerner, George

George Gerner

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company A, 27th Illinois Infantry

Place of Birth:

Mansinger, Wurtemburg, Germany

Date of Birth:

1822

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, TN

Date of Death:

December 31st, 1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, TN

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

George Gerner was born in Mansinger, Wurtemburg Germany in 1822. He later moved to Quincy, Adams County, Illinois where he worked as a laborer. At the age of 39, he enlisted into the Union army, August 18th, 1861. His enlistment records describe him as being 5'8" with brown hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion.

Gerner was assigned to Company A of the 27th Illinois infantry as a private at Camp Butler, IL. The regiment traveled to Kentucky and along various points of the Mississippi river, fighting in battles as they went. Eventually, they ended up in Nashville in December 1862. There, they were assigned to be commanded by Brigadier General Roberts, Division General Sheridan, and Corps Commander McCook, functioning as part of the right wing of the Union Army of the Cumberland.

On the morning of December 26th, the army moved towards Murfreesboro, TN. The 27th held the role of skirmishing throughout the advance, pushing back the Confederate forces while navigating new terrain and rainy downpour. On the 31st of December, they woke before daylight and were eating breakfast rations when the first strikes of the Confederate Army of Tennessee could be heard to their right.

Eventually, they found that the right wing of the Army of the Cumberland had given way and was driving their direction. Positioned as the leftmost regiment of the brigade and the right wing of the army, they stood in waiting for the Confederate forces to be upon them. After fighting continously all morning, the Confederate forces began to tire and the 27th Illinois gave multiple volleys to keep them back. Despite these successes, the 27th's amminution was dwindling and they were taking an extreme number of losses. Around 12 noon, they began to retreat from the area. Clammering for ammunition and supplies, the regiment regrouped in the rear. It was during the 27th's initial bout of fighting at the battle of Stones River that Private Gerner lost his life due to a gun shot wound, December 31st, 1862. 

George Gerner is buried in the Stones River National Cemetery in plot N-5574.