Chattanooga Campaign
When the American Civil War began Sutermeister joined the Union army as Captain of the 11th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery on December 17, 1861. Serving in the Western Theater he participated in the Siege of Corinth, the Battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga Campaign. During the Atlanta Campaign he commanded the siege artillery of the Army of the Cumberland. Sutermeister was mustered out with his unit on January 7, 1865.