Posted Mar. 3, 2023
I suppose that we will have to give up that our pore and beloved brother is dead ”
O nFebruary 26, 1865, a grieving Kate Derenberger sat down to write a letter to her sister Mary, informing her of their brother’s death at the infamous Andersonville prison in Georgia. Nineteen-year-old George Derenberger had been a private in the 9th West Virginia infantry.
Wounded and left on the field at Cloyd’s Mountain, Virginia on May 9th, 1864, he was captured by the Confederates and sent to Andersonville as a prisoner of war. He recovered from his wound but fell ill and died on August 28, 1864, just 3 days shy of his 20th birthday.
it is awful to thinck that our pore brother had to die away there in the hands of the awful traiters ”
According to his service record, he was a farmer, born in Meigs County, Ohio. He was described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a light complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair.
George’s sister Kate, eighteen years old at the time and living in Middleport, Ohio, only learned of his death the following year. In her letter, she states that he died on the 27th of August, 1864, but the Andersonville register of prisoner deaths lists his death date as the 28th.
I doe not wonder at him not liveing any longer for he had to lay out of doars not A thing to cover or shelter him ”
Officially known as Camp Sumter, Andersonville was the largest and most famous of the Civil War prisons. At its most overcrowded it held more than 32,000 men, and nearly 13,000 of the 45,000 Union soldiers imprisoned there died. The most deaths came from diarrhea, scurvy, and dysentery as a result of poor sanitation, malnutrition, and overcrowded conditions. Men also suffered and died from disease and lack of shelter.
George Derenberger’s cause of death was listed as “Dysteria” in the register of prisoner deaths. He is one of the nearly 13,000 soldiers buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery.
1865
Middleport Ohio, Feb 26thDear Sister
I sit down to write you A few lines to let you now that I am well and hope that you are enjoying the same helth. I suppose that we will have to give up that our pore and beloved brother is dead I did not hardly beleav it at first but now I have to I receaved A letter A few days agow that told me that he was dead he dide at Andersonville Georga he dide August 27th 1864
He had got well of his Wound and then he took A feaver and onely lived two or thre day I doe not wonder at him not liveing any longer for he had to lay out of doars not A thing to cover or shelter him
Oh dear I doe thinck that it is awful to thinck that our pore brother had to die away there in the hands of the awful traiters. I never will forget the last time that I saw George when he was Home and when he bid me good by I stood on the banck and looked after him as far as I could se him and said to my self that I never would se him again. Pore fellow he dide in A good Caus in the Caus of his Cuntry, it is hard Mary but I suppose that we have to bearit I hope that He is Better of I hope that he has a home with our Father and Mother in the Kingdom of Heaven
he wrote me stch a good letter once he said that if we never meat again on earth he hoped that we would meat in Heaven. we have not A thing to remember him by.
I receaved a letter from Lib a few days agow she was well and liked her new home verry well. Mary I doe not thinck that you have not treated me very well you told me that you write to me when you got home but you never have riten and and told me that you had moved or any thing and I did not no where to write to you but I got others letters that told me that you had moved and so I thought that I would write whether you would or not. I am stil gowing to school this is the last week of school
I exspect that you have bin to aunt Marys and aunt Janes before this time I hope that they are all well. now Mary doe try and write sune now more at presant so good night
Miss Kate Derenberger
To Miss Mary J Derenberger
References
- Find a Grave, database and images: accessed 03 March 2023), memorial page for Katherine Margaret “Kate” Dernberger Dolsen (12 Apr 1847–14 Feb 1902), Find a Grave Memorial ID 83987748, citing Sandoval Cemetery, Sandoval, Marion County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Larry & Susan M. (contributor 47684522).
- Find a Grave, database and images: accessed 03 March 2023), memorial page for George Dumberger (unknown–28 Aug 1864), Find a Grave Memorial ID 51154110, citing Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville National Historic Site, Macon County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by John C. Anderson (contributor 47208015).- 1860 Federal Census lists Eveline Johnston, age 18, living in White Plains, Alabama: "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (24 March 2017), Alabama > Calhoun > Ranges no 8 and 9 > image 62 of 133; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population", database, Fold3.com< (n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
- Details about George Derenberger's service record from Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of West Virginia, accessed at Fold3
- Additional details about George Derenberger's service record from Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of West Virginia, accessed at Fold3
- National Park Service: Camp Sumter / Andersonville Prison
- "Georgia, Andersonville Prison Records, 1862-1865," images, FamilySearch: 20 May 2014), Deaths and burials > vol 116 Prisoner deaths and burial registers 1862 Aug 22-Sep 16, no 6507-8929 > image 16 of 58; citing NARA microfilm publication M1303 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
- Image: Andersonville Prison, Ga., August 17, 1864. Southwest view of stockade showing the dead-line, Civil war photographs, 1861-1865, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
- Image: Gravestones, Andersonville National Cemetery