Lieutenant Colonel Francis Peteler

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Lieutenant Colonel Francis Peteler

 

Born in Bavaria, Germany, Aril 19, 1828, and came to New York in June, 1840. He enlisted in Company A, Eighth United States Infantry, and was sent to Mexico. His uncle had been in charge of government forests in Bavaria, and he was accustomed to the woods. Although but twenty years of age, he was promoted corporal on the field of Vera Cruz, the adjutant who read the order being Pickett, afterward a Confederate general. Longstreet, another Confederate general, was first lieutenant of Company A. After the war Mr. Peteler lived in New York until 1853, and then came to Minnesota, finding employment in August on the Anoka dam. In the spring of 1854 he took a claim near Round Lake. At the outbreak of the Rebellion he drilled recruits at Anoka in the St. Lawrence Hotel, and soon after received permission from the secretary of war to raise a company of sharpshooters, receiving his appointment as captain Sept. 17, 1861. This was the second body of troops to leave the state, and consisted of the most expert hunters and frontiersmen. It became Company A of the Second Regiment, United States Sharpshooters, of which Captain Peteler was made Lieutenant Colonel. After the second battle of Bull Run Colonel Peteler was granted a furlough on account of the Indian outbreak in Minnesota. During the winter of 1862-63 he was in command of Fort Abercrombie. After the war he purchased a farm in Bloomington, Hennepin Co., where he lived until 1871 he graded the first six miles of the M. & St. L. Railway. He was president and owner of the Peteler Car Works at Minneapolis until Jan. 1, 1905, turning the business over to his sons on that date. Colonel Peteler was married in May, 1853, to Margaret Heines. Children: Edwin, Philip, Frank C. (died Nov. 1, 1903), Minnie (Mrs. Edwin Ellingsen, Bloomington Ferry), and Charles.

source: History of Anoka County by Albert M. Goodrich – published 1905