Military and Pension Record of John F. Ruedger
Commissary Sgt, Co. B, 13th
Illinois Cavalry
Chicago, IL, Dec. 31, 1861-Sgt. Ruedger, his name misspelled for the rest of his life, enlists for 3 years. He is designated “Comsy. Sgt. 1st Battln.”
Camp Reeves Station, MO, March & April 1862-first indication on the roll of a location-Detachment Muster Roll
September& October 1862, no location—Notes that his name is dropped from subsequent rolls. This was the Field and Staff Muster Roll
Paterson, Wayne Co MO,September & October 1862-On this, the Detachment Muster Roll it is noted John is “Absent sick in Hospital St. Louis Mo. Discharged on recving cer of dis (receiving certificate of disability) Dec. 12, 1862 at St. Louis Mo…
Hospital Muster Roll, Jefferson Barracks, Mo, September & October 1862-Marked present and sick.
Commsy. Sergt. John F. Ruedger of Captain Peters Company B of the 13th Ills Regiment of the United States Cavalry, was enlisted by Lt. Col. Hartman of the 13th Regiment of Ills. Cav, at Chicago on the 17th day of November 1861, to serve 3 years; he was born in Sachsen in the state of Riffershausen, is 27 years of age, Five feet Five inches high, healthy complexion, Blue eyes, Blond hair, and by occupation when enlisted a Merchant. During the past two months said soldier has been unfit for duty 60 days
I certify that I have carefully examined the said John F. Ruedger of Captain Peter’s Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of :
Habitual Constipation, Anemia with Incepient Phthisis and General Debility. Says he has done no duty for Four months. Is in this hospital two months Jefferson Barracks Mo. Dec. 12, 1862
Henry Alunstedt, Colonel, Commanding the Post.
After the preliminaries, stating John’s name, enlistment, and regiment, is the following:
During the summer of 1862 from great and frequent exposures he was taken violently sick with fever and other disease resulting from constipation. Was treated in Hospital at “Court House” at Greenville Missouri & from thence sent to Jefferson Barracks Mo and remained there until discharge.
That prior to enlistment in said service he was strong, hearty, and perfectly healthy, but from the effects of said disability contracted in the service, he has continuously since discharge been in a weak, prostrated and bad condition and his present physical condition is such; that from said diseases & he is unable to do or perform physical or manual labor.
Signed John F. Ruedger
…for five years prior to enlistment his residence was Bremen, Cook County Illinois and his occupation store keeping & postmaster, and since discharge his occupation has been of various character, such as clerking, various other light kinds of work & for the last three years doing light work on farm. His disability first appeared in the summer months of 1862 in southeast Missouri, where as Commissary Sergeant he had to accompany the provision trains from Pilot Knob Mo to the Black River & by being much exposed to inclement weather, he contracted the disability for which he now claims pension. He received medical treatment at Greenville, Missouri, thence to Jefferson Barracks Mo where discharged.
Immediately after discharge he was sick with fever and at periods since has had attacks of rheumatism. He has been unable to employ physicians to treat him, but has used extensively “patent medicines”. His residence since discharge has been Chicago Illinois, Cincinnati Ohio & Roberts Ill.
Signed John F. Ruedger
This document orders John to report for a physical examination at Bloomington Ill. From the document, it is likely that he would have received a pension as soon as the doctor in Bloomington filled out the report.
Margaret applies for John’s pension in this document. The interesting parts are the following:
…her maiden name was Margreatha Gurrad and that she was married to said John F. Ruedger on or about the 16th day of January, 1857, at Chicago…by Rev. J. Hartman…apparently she sent along a copy of the marriage record, but it wasn’t reproduced with the other pension records, which is sad, because the records kept in the courthouse burned in the Great Chicago Fire. She also lists the names of her children under the age of 16 and their dates of birth, as follows: Emma, born Aug 14, 1865; Henry born May 24, 1868; Alexander, born October 18, 1871; John, born November 14, 1874; Litte Ann, born December 25, 1877.
Signed Mareratha Ruedger
Pension Office—April 1, 1882 (or Catch 22 started long
ago)
In a letter addressed to John Ruedger, the commissioner on pensions states: “you should furnish medical testimony show to what extent you have been incapacitated for the performance of manual labor during each year from discharge to the present time by means of the alleged constipation.” This is the last document in the file. Margaret got no pension.