The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-07-31
SOUND TAPS FOR
CIVIL WAR HERO
B. F. DeDiemar Died at
His Home on South
Street Saturday.

LONG RESIDENT HERE
Served Three Years In Union
Army and Twice Wounded in
Service of His Country.
Benjamin Franklin DeDiemar, aged
80 years, one of the oldest and best
known of Kenosha veterans of the
Civil war died at his home on South
street just after two o'clock Saturday
afternoon. Death came as a result
of a general breaking down due to
the infrmities of age. Mr.. DeDiemar
had been confined to his home for a
month and members of the family
were at the bedside when the final
summons came on Saturday.
Few men in this section of Wlscon-
sin saw more service in the war OF
the rebellion and few men were more
widely known in Kenosha county. He
had spent practically all of his life
within the confines of the county.
A Native of Canada.
'Frank" DeDiemar was born at Tor
onto, Canada, April %, 1912. He was
son of Benjamin Franklin DeDiemar
who was one of the earliest settlers
in the town of Somers. The. family
came to this county in 1916 and To-
Gated on a farm near what is now the
village of Berryville and Mr.. DeDie-
mar resided on the farm until 1871
when he came to Kenosha to make his
home.\ He was educated in the schools
of the town of Somers. He spent his
youth on the farm until the call came
for volunteers for the Union Army in
1861. He was one of the first CT the
''Kenosha County Boys" to offer him
self for service in the union army.
Runs Away to Join.
He ran away from the farm home
and made an effort to join the first
contingent of soldiers leaving Wiscon-
sin for the front but he was turned
down on account of his age. He kept
right at it and was finally accepted by
a cavalry officer in Northern Illinois
and was ready to start to the front
when he was discovered and found to
be under age and sent back home. On
August %, 1862, he was enlisted and
accepted as member of Company G.,
First Wisconsin Volunteer infantry.
He went off to war under the command
of Captain D. C. McVean and Colonel
a., I ho+h foY in
sha's share Of the history of the civil
war. The regiment was mustered in
at Madison and assigned to the First
Brigade of The First District of the
Eleventh Army corps of the Army of
the Cumberland.
. Mr. DeDiemar saw hard service DUR
ing the over three years that he
marched with the army. He had part
in the bloody battle at Perryville, KY,
where L. N. DeDiemar, a brother, for
mer keeper of the Kenosha lighthouse,
had his arm shot away. He was I'M
der fire at Nolensville, Tenn, at Stone
River, at Hoover's Gap, at Chicka
manga, at Orchard Knob and Buzzard's
Roost way down in Georgia. He had
part in the famous engagement at
Kenesaw Mountain June 9Th to Both
in 1864. Later on he was transferred
to Company B of the 21st Wisconsin
and took part in the long list of Skin
mishes and guerilla warfare in the
Carolinas. He spent the last months
of his service in the army near Ra
leigh in North Carolina.
Twice Wounded in Service.
Mr.. De Diemar was twice wounded
in the service, being shot in the ankle
at Perryville and in the shoulder an
left hand at Kenesaw Mountain. He
was honorably discharged at Washing
ton on June II, 1865.
His long and active service with
the Union army made him great
favorite with the members of the
Grand Army of the Republic and for
many years he had been one of the
most active members of the Fred S.
Lowell Post. Few survivors of the
Civil war ever showed a greater in
terest in the maintaining of the ira
ditions Of the Union soldier and the
protection of the wives and children
Of the soldiers.
After the war was over Mr.. DeDie
mar returned to the farm in Somers
and he remained there until 1871 when
he came to Kenosha. On August %
of that year he was married to Har-
riet Jane Hall, daughter of David
Hall, widely known as Methodist
minister in Kenosha and one time su-
perintendent of the schools of the
city. Mrs. DeDiemars died in 1915.
Surviving are one daughter. Mrs.
Grace Robinson, and one son, Ben
iamin NJ. DeDiemar, both of Kenosha.
For many years Mr.. Diemar was a
dealer in wood in Kenosha but for
twenty-five years he was an employee
of the Northwestern Railway company
and he was retired by the company on
q pension in 1922.
The funeral services will be held at
the Hansen funeral home at two
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon and the
members of the Fred S. Lowell Post
of the Grand Army of the Republic
will he in CHARGE of tho sarvieas-