Zimmerman, Johann Melchior

Johann Zimmerman

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company C, 15th Missouri Infantry

Place of Birth:

St. Gallen, Switzerland

Date of Birth:

1819

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, TN

Date of Death:

12/31/1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, TN

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Battlefield

Johann Melchior Zimmerman was born in 1819 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to America and ended up in Missouri. At the age of 42, Zimmerman decided to enlist into the Union Army on July 16th, 1861. He was assigned to Company C of the 15th Missouri Infantry Regiment as a Captain under the command of Briagier General Schaefer and Division General Sheridan.

At the Battle of Stones River, General Schaefer's brigade was positioned along Wilkinson Pike as the Confederate forces in the area swept around their right flank. By 10am, the Confederates had pushed Shaefer's brigade along with countless others, into a vulnerable, V-shaped position. This position was poorly fortified because all the Confederates had to do was push on either side until they collapsed into a retreat. The men in the 15th Missouri Infantry held for as long as they could, but with the amounting losses they were experiencing by the minute, they were forced into a retreat through the area. It was during this fighting on December 31st, 1862 that Captain Zimmerman lost his life serving his country.

Johann Melchior Zimmerman is buried in plot F-2235 in the Stones River National Cemetery. The inscription on his headstone is incorrectly inscribed and reads "M. Zimmerman," dropping his first name.