William Deutsch

Name: William Deutsch Company: D Veteran; enlisted January 3, 1862; Sergeant March 15, 1862; wounded at Nashville.
Birth Date: about 1827 Place: Unknown	Mustered In Date: January 3, 1862 Rank: Private Age: 35 Residence prior to military service: Unknown Vocation prior to military service: Unknown
Death Date: Unknown Place: Unknown Burial: Unknown	Mustered Out Date: September 6, 1865 Rank: First Lieutenant Age: about 38 Residence following military service: Unknown Vocation following military service: Unknown

William Deutsch Biography and Civil War Narrative

William Deutsch enlisted in Company D of the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment on January 3, 1862. As the regiment was organizing, he was promoted to Sergeant on March 15, 1862.

From their home base of Fort Snelling, Sergeant William Deutsch and Company D under the leadership of Captain John Vander Horck were assigned to Fort Abercrombie on the Minnesota and North Dakota border. They arrived at Fort Abercrombie on March 29, 1862. After several months of dull outpost duty at the fort, Company D received news of Indian warfare in Minnesota. In addition to the men of Company D, about 80 residents of the area gathered at the fort. Soldiers and citizens worked together to reinforce the fort defenses.

On August 30th, a small band of Dakota Indians raided, driving off the cattle from around the fort. About fifty of the cattle were recovered the next day. At daybreak on September 3rd, about 400 Indians attacked the post. The fight lasted until about 3:00 pm when the Indians were finally run off. After scattered fire on September 4th and 5th, the Indians attacked fiercely on September 6th. This time two men from the fort were killed and one was wounded. A relief expedition was sent to the fort by Governor Alexander Ramsey on September 6th. The reinforcements finally arrived on September 23rd.

Company D rejoined the rest of the 5th Minnesota Regiment at Germantown, Tennessee, on February 14, 1863. In 1863 Sergeant Deutsch and the 5th Minnesota participated in the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi (May 18 - July 4).

Early in 1864, William Deutsch re-enlisted as a veteran in the 5th Minnesota and then participated in the Red River Campaign (March 10 - May 22). After receiving a veteran's furlough from June 17 to August 17, Sergeant Deutsch rejoined the regiment which then participated in Mower's expedition to Brownsville, Arkansas (September 2-10), a pursuit of Confederate General Price across the state of Missouri (September 17-November 15), and the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16). While fighting in the Battle of Nashville, First Sergeant William Deutsch was slightly wounded in the face.

Deutsch was able to continue his service in the 5th Minnesota Volunteers, who concluded their service by participating in the Campaign against Mobile, Alabama and its Defenses under General Canby from March 7 to April 12, 1865, and serving garrison duty at Montgomery, Selma, and Demopolis, Alabama, until August. Having been promoted to First Lieutenant, William Deutsch was mustered out with the regiment on September 6, 1865.

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