Monday, April 01, 2013

Alois Babo and Reinhold Wesselhoeft, 20th., Mass.

Alois Babo, 1st., Lieutenant; Residence Boston; Age 30; Clerk; Commissioned July 10, 1861; CO. C., 20th., Massachusetts Infantry; Mustered July 26, 1861; Commissioned Captain October 12, 1861, but not mustered.  Killed at Bull's Bluff Virginia, as a 1st., lieutenant.

Reinhold Wesselhoeft, 2nd., Lieutenant; Residence Dorchester; Age 25; Clerk; Commissioned July 10, 1861; Co. C., 20th., Massachusetts Infantry; Mustered July 31, 1861; Reported killed at Bull,s Bluff, Virginia.

The following was taken from the 20th., Regimental History.

Captain Alois Babo and Lieutenant Reinhold Wesselhoeft under took to swim the river without taking off their uniforms, their shoes, or their equipments, even pistols. Nevertheless they seemed to be doing well until, immediately after a volley was fired, one of them was heard to exclaim in German that he was shot, and that was the last that was seen of either of them until Lieutenant Wesselhoeft s body was discovered thirteen days afterwards in the river some twenty miles below. As there was no wound upon it, it is probable that Captain Babo was the one shot, and his devoted friend had lost his life in trying to save him.

Authors note; There is a lot more information and pictures on both of these men at the site of Find a Grave.

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