An undated portrait of Franklin “Frank” Bressler in his Grand Army of the Republic (G. A. R.) uniform.
Frank was born in Hubley Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, on February 8, 1847, the son of Joseph Bressler and Elizabeth [Clark] Bressler (1847-1913).
During the Civil War he served in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company A, as a Private, mustered into service on February 29, 1864, and served through his honorable discharge on July 30, 1865, at Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia.
On June 4, 1880, he applied for a disability pension, which he received and collected until his death, which occurred on January 16, 1913, at Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. On January 18, 1913, Frank’s widow, Elizabeth [Dull] Bressler applied for pension benefits, which she received and collected until her death.
In 1880, Franklin was living in Tremont, Schuylkill County, and was working as a clerk in a store. In 1890, when he reported his Civil War service to the census, he was living in Shamokin, and did not state any war-related disabilities. In 1900, still living in Shamokin, he was working as a coal miner.
On July 24, 1975, in its “Down Memory Lane” feature, the Pine Grove Press Herald profiled Franklin Bressler, by reprinting a story of his military service that had previously appeared in a Shamokin newspaper in October 1910:
Franklin Bressler enlisted in the Union Army on February 29, 1864, at the age of 17 years at Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, as a private in the Company A, 50th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Colonel Benjamin Christ of Minersville was the colonel of the regiment and Henry Brodt of Llewellyn was the captain of the company.
On February 29, 1864, the company went to Philadelphia and stopped there two days. At the expiration of this time they were sent to Camp Curtin at Harrisburg, where they remained in camp in the snow for three days. From there they took the cars to Baltimore and crossed the Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis, Maryland. There they drilled and prepared. They then marched until they reached the wilderness in the forepart of May 6 and 7th, 1864, and met the enemy and had a hard fight for hours from 2 p. m. until dark on May 8th, also engaged in struggles with the enemy from the 8th until the 17th of May, 1864. Then they marched us to Spottsylvania where we met the enemy again on May 12th.
On May, 1864, while marching along the Fredericksburg road came upon the enemy at Nye River and were immediately engaged Colonel Christ’s Brigade with Roeer’s and Twitchel’s batteries of artillery, were attacked by the enemy, who were in superior numbers but our forces drove them back with a loss of 188 killed and wounded. A brave act was accomplished by the brigade and regiment.
On May 12, 1864, we met the enemy at the Spottsylvania Court House again and a desperate hand to hand conflict took place in which the bayonets and muskets were freely used. Father was wounded in the leg in this battle.
On June 1, 1864, at Bethel Church, Virginia, the enemy made an attack on our lines and several of our men were wounded. Sharp shooting was kept up continually by both sides on June 1st and 2nd, 1864.
When the flank movement was made in the night at Cold Harbor, the 50th Regiment was selected to do rear guard duty. The regiment succeeded in getting out of the rifle pits at 9 p. m. without being discovered and had no special work to do. This was an honor for our regiment.
We again met the enemy at Petersburg, Virginia, and due to heroic efforts the enemy was held in check, although our rank was thinned.
New York Herald correspondent said: “Colonel Christ’s brigade did excellent work in this battle.” He was a cool man but was wounded.
The severity of this engagement will be appreciated from the fact that our brigade changed commanders three times and at the end of the engagement 150 men only were fit for duty.
On June 19, 1864, we were relieved and marched back a distance and rested until the 21st when we moved near the front line of Burnside Mine and on the 27th to the left flank.
About 9 o’clock on June 29th, 1864, we moved to General Warren’s headquarters and were sent to the front to engage in the explosion of the mine. Immediately after the explosion on July 30, 1864, we pushed forward with Wilson’s division until we reached the crater. For several hours, with other troops of the corps we endured a most remarkable shower of shot and shell with a loss of one killed and 30 wounded. We were defeated in this explosion.
After this we crossed the river to Danville, Virginia.
On July 30, 1865, we received orders to return to Delancey House in Washington, D. C.
After the war I was discharged and I returned to my parents home in Donaldson, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
FAMILY RECORD
On July 29, 1869, I was married to Miss Elizabeth Dull of Tremont, by the Rev. Daniel Sanner, pastor of the German Lutheran Church, Tremont, Pennsylvania. My family consists of the following children at present: William Bressler, of Oakland, California; Charles Bressler of Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Emma Bartholomew, Middleburg, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Stella Williams, Tremont, Pennsylvania; Carrie Bressler, George Bressler, and Florence Bressler, of Shamokin. Deceased: Harry Bressler and Jennie Bressler, and Mrs. Ida Houser.
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The portrait of Franklin Bressler is colorized and framed from the one that appeared with the article in the Pine Grove Press Herald, July 31, 1975.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
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