Neff, Joseph

Joseph Neff

Find A Grave Index

Quick Facts

Significance:

Private- Company E, 10th Ohio Cavalry

Place of Birth:

Grafton, Lorain County, Ohio

Date of Birth:

1845

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

April 22, 1863

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Joseph Neff was born in 1845, in Grafton, Lorain County, Ohio. His parents, George and Marie, immigrated to the United States in 1841 from Alsace, France. His father was a cooper — a craftsman that makes casks and barrels — by trade. Joseph had nine siblings.

Joseph enlisted in the United States Army on November 1, 1862. He was assigned to Company E, 10th Ohio Cavalry to serve as a bugler. Joseph’s older brother, Frederick, also served as a bugler, but in Battery D, 1st Ohio Light Artillery. 

During the Civil War, both sides employed buglers as field musicians. Buglers accompanied troops into battle and used their instruments to give signals to their comrades. The call of the bugle could be heard over the roar of battle, unlike the voice of a shouting officer. Some buglers were as young as 12 years old. Joseph Neff was about 18 when he enlisted. 

The 10th Ohio Cavalry was organized in October 1862. On February 27, 1863, the regiment left Cleveland, Ohio, for Nashville, Tennessee. Joseph and his comrades were spared the deadly fighting that took place at the Battle of Stones River. Through Spring 1863, the regiment was on duty in Murfreesboro. 

Although trained to give calls from horseback in the heat of battle, Joseph saw little combat. On April 22, 1863, he died of typhoid fever in Murfreesboro. 

Joseph Neff was laid to rest in Stones River National Cemetery, plot O-5791.  

Tags: stones river national battlefield, stones river national cemetery, american civil war