“The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, published: Chicago:  
Western Historical Company.   1879.


JOHN MESSERSCHMIDT,  proprietor of the Commercial House, and 
liveryman of Palmyra; born near Halle, Germany, Dec. 27, 1842; came 
to America and to Palmyra in 1858, and opened the Commercial House 
the same year.  He enlisted in the 1st W.V.C., Dec. 20, 1860; the 
regiment was defeated in a daring raid at Madison, Ark., where Mr. M. 
was badly wounded and taken prisoner; was abandoned as a dying man 
and rescued by his comrades; he recovered in time to fight at Cape 
Girardeau, Mo.; regiment was transferred to the Army of the Tennessee, 
and was in battles of Shelbyville, Fayette, Chickamauga, etc.; they 
fought Longstreet all winter in East Tennessee, in 1863, and joined 
Sherman; the subject of this sketch was commissioned Captain in front 
of Resaca, Ga., for bravery on the field in saving a part of his 
detachment from an overwhelming force of cavalry, infantry and 
artillery, under the rebel Gen. Wheeler; he was also presented with a 
horse and revolver; was wounded and captured in a charge on Atlanta 
July 22, when his brother Fred was killed; Capt. M. was held two 
months in Andersonville, and experienced all the horrors of that prison-
pen; he escaped by tunneling out and was recaptured eighteen miles 
from Charleston and kept one month in the city jail; from Charleston he 
was taken to Florence, S.C., where he was kept until February, 1865, 
when he again escaped; reached Wilmington, N.C., Feb. 20, and hid in a 
cellar two days; Feb. 22, 1865, the city was taken by Gen. Schofield, and 
Capt. M. says it was a happy anniversary of Washington’s birthday; 
worn out by hardship and captivity, he received a furlough and was 
home unfit for duty at the close of the war.  He married Miss Caroline 
Haage, of Whitewater, Wis., in 1867; they have five children – Albert, 
Freddy, Emma, Nellie and a babe.  Mr. M. is a Democrat, and a member 
of the Palmyra Lodge, I.O.O.F.


Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)