The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-06-23
DAUGHTER OF
MEXICAN CAPT.
Writes An Interesting Let
ter of "reminiscences
Touching Especially
Early History, Personal
Experience, etc.
An old Mexican captains daughter
writes an interesting letter


writes an interesting letter.
Daneville, Ky, June 10. 1910.
Rev X. j. Gracely, Marion, Ohio.
My Dear Nephew.-I received
your most kind and welcome letter
ana was particularly glad TO learn |
you are enjoying good health. No
one knows fully how to appreciate |
health unless he has passed through |
severe spell of sickness I hear the |
ola Mexican survivors will have an
other reunion In the city of Marion
ONO very shortly. My father. Captain |
Otto Zirkel always had a desire To
see Mexico, when therefore the Mexi-
can war broke out an opportunitv
was opened and he gathered a com
pany of German soldiers in Column
bus, Ohio and went with them as
their captain to Mexico.
The only Englishman that was I'm
that company was a brother of nv
mothers by the name of Wilmer Sim
mons. He returned safely, married
and went to Des Moines, Iowa When
the Civil war broke out he again
took up arms Joined the army and
was made captain, coming through
the war without getting as much as
a scratch. When he Joined the Mexi-
can war he was a mere lad of twenty
years. He lived to be SO years old
| and died only recently April 3Oth.
at Columbus, Ohio. He was also with
Sherman in his march to the sea.
was only acquainted with a couple
of the soldiers besides my uncle one
was tailor tall and slender by the
name of Rickenbacher, the other was
| stone mason named Reinhard.
never forgot the day that the
| soldiers started off for Columbus
| The city was full of people all day.
| An English company went at the
same time. The captain was a man
| by the name of Lilly.
| Well as there were no railroads
nearer In those days than Dayton, the
soldiers all rode in those old four
horse stages to take the cars from
Cincinnati 1t was surely sight to
see so many old stages In long line
The people had never seen the like
before nor after. When they left
friends and relatives gather around
to bid each other long perhaps a
last farewell
III | understand right there were
however only two who did not re-
turn home. one was overcome with
heat and the other died with joy to
think OF getting back again when
peace was declared. Well, when the
soldiers got back they were honored
with a big celebration at Columbus.
was child then but | paid parti-
GUAR attention to everything. | can
not fully make out the name of that
old Mexican veteran who you wrote
ABOUT. | know l would enjoy a chat
with him Immensely, but IL Is not to
De IL seems The writer refers ia
Comrade Jacob Schoenlaub of Mar
ION, County, Ohio. My father Can
tain zirkel Kept a diary as long as
was down In Mexico and since IL was
so interesting he had IL printed I'm
pook form at Lelpsig. Germany. He
sent copy to the Prince of Prussia.
lie wrote all about his march
through Mexico as well as what oc-
cured while they were quartered
through the winter In the city of
Pueblo.
on Christmas day father gathered
bouquet of flowers from some o,
the walls there, had them pressed
J and sent them to mother.
The very interesting books he
wrote are gone many years ago
This person then that person wanted
one until finally only a sample re-
NAMED which was also lost This
work, "The Prospect of Cultured Ger
mans In America" | send you with
today's mail. 1t Is the last copy and
looks as II It had been in the dreis-
sig-jalige Kreig. $50 years war;
Fathers father fought In the aw-
full war under Napoleon Bonaparte
as did also your grandfather Graetz
often thought of how the poor sol
dlers had to hunger and freeze In
that dreadful march to Moscow, Rus
sia.
Father brought sword along
which his father carried with him on
his march TO Russia Then father
brought II from Germany and wore
II In Mexico 1t Is now In possession
of his great grandchild, Herman
Graetz at Princeton, Ind. Father
seemed happy when he could wear
his uniform. The last time he wore
his uniform and carried his sword
I'm parade was at Columbus, Ohio
when he was aged so,
l will close for this time, hoping
this will find you all well, a farewell
to one and all l am your affectionate
aunt.
Clara Zirkel Graetz.