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Cpl. Henry Grob
Company H

Heinrich "Henry" Grob was born 16 September 1841 in Rossau, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. He emigrated to the United States in 1854 with his parents, Heinrich and Fanny Grob, and settled in Brookfield Township, Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Shortly before his 21st birthday he was enlisted in the Sigel Guards by Capt. Trowbridge at Brookfield, and joined Captain Herman Meyer's Co. H of the newly-formed 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Regimental Muster Rolls indicate he was single, 5' 7" tall with blue eyes, auburn hair and pale complexion. He was mustered in 13 October 1862 at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, to serve a three-year term. He was promoted to Corporal on 28 May 1864.

Of his time at Camp Washburn he later wrote, "We were drilled in Camp Washburn near Milwaukee, was laid up for 6 weeks in the hospital with Typhoid fever, was offered a discharge but refused it." Regimental records also indicate he spent time in hospital for unspecified reasons while the regiment was camped at DuVall's Bluff, Arkansas in August 1863. (Military pension records held by the National Archives indicate that Henry Grob attempted to claim permanent injury in 1888-89 from his military duty, but the claim was denied as there were no regimental medical records to back him up.)

He participated in the capture of Spanish Fort, one of the final battles of the Civil War, where his rifle was hit by a piece of shrapnel while he was in the rifle pits. The barrel was badly bent, so Cpl. Grob discarded it in favor of an Amoskeag rifle. In 1866 he wrote of this experience:

"On the 31 of March (1865) while if Riflepits in extreme front was buried alive by the bursting of a large Shell which settled in the imbankment right in front of me, bursting and throwing the whole inbankment on to me. Comrades shoveled me out while doing so two of them got badly wounded through the gap in the works. My musket or rather the barrel of it was bent in a hoop & worthless, took one of a wounded Comrade. Near sundown on same day the Rebs made a Sortie to drive us out of the pits but did not succeed. It was a lively time for about 35 minutes the blue beans flying thick got the skin on my left shoulder cut also the skin on my left leg and right hand and several holes in my blouse and pants."

He was mustered out with his regiment at Madison, Wisconsin on 23 August 1865, and returned to Brookfield. He married Ernestine Marth 8 November 1867 in Cedarburg, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Ernestine and her family had come to the U.S. from Germany just that summer.
Henry Grob's headstone with GAR medal engraved
Henry grob's headstone in Pine Grove Cemetery had a GAR membership badge engraved on the back.
Shortly after their marriage, Henry and Ernestine relocated to Marathon County, Wisconsin, followed shortly thereafter by his parents. Henry tried his hand at farming for a time but soon moved to Wausau, where he was employed as a teamster and drayman.

Six children were born to Henry and Ernestine: Louise, Johann (John), Leo, Ella, Alexander, and Paul.

Henry Grob was active in the Grand Army of the Republic, Lysander Cutler Post 55, Wausau, Wisconsin. He was mustered in on 1 October 1900 and served as Post Adjutant and Sr. Vice Commander. He was also a member of the 28th Regiment's annual reunion society, but apparently never attended any of the reunion events.

Heinrich died 18 December 1914 in Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin, and was buried 22 December 1914 in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau. His grave marker has the G.A.R. logo engraved on the back.



Henry Grob was this Web site author's great-great grandfather. This biography was written from family history research notes.


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