Thursday, March 25, 2010

Soldiers of the 48th: Lieutenant Henry Rothenberger, Co. D, 48th PA

It is remarkable how much I have discovered about the 48th Pennylvania since first launching this blog in November 2006. Over the past three years and some months, I have received numerous photographs, obituaries, letters, diaries, et cetera, sent in by generous individuals from throughout the country and all relating to the soldiers and veterans of the 48th. Since the war, these items had remained with the families or in private hands and were thus previously unknown to me.
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Last week, I received an e-mail from a gentleman in Georgia. Turns out he had recently purchased an old book in a thrift store and inside was a CDV photograph identified as "Sergeant Henry Rothenberger, Co. D, 48th P.V.V.I." (Yes, I know, how cool is that?) The gentleman was kind enough to scan the image and send it along to me, and for this, I cannot thank him enough.
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Henry Rothenberger was only eighteen years of age when he enlisted into the ranks of Company D, 48th PA, on September 23, 1861. Unlike most of the men who served in the regiment, Rothenberger hailed not from Schuylkill County, but from Hamburg in neighboring Berks County. He stood 5'6" in height, had a Dark Complexion, Dark Hair, and Dark Eyes. He was a brickmaker by trade. Rothenberger was one of those rare individuals who served throughout the war (he re-enlisted in March 1864) and emerged without a stratch. He rose through the ranks, eventually being mustered out as a 'Veteran' in July 1865 as a 1st Lieutenant.

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