John Vander Horck

Name: John Vander Horck Company: D Enlisted Feb. 1, 1862; wounded in battle with Indians at Fort Abercrombie September 3, 1862; resigned.
Birth Date: about 1830-31 Place: Prussia (Germany)	Mustered In Date: March 15, 1862 Rank: Lieutenant Age: 31 Residence prior to military service: Prussia; Illinois; West St. Paul and St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota Vocation prior to military service: Merchant, grocer, and village treasurer for the city of St. Paul
Death Date: unknown	Mustered Out Date: April 10, 1863 Rank: Captain Age: 32

John Vander Horck in the Civil War

John Vander Horck was born about 1830-1831 in Germany. Before the Civil War he was a grocer and village treasurer in St. Paul, Minnesota. The 1860 U.S. Census shows 30-year-old John living in West St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, and working as a "Merchant." He lived with his wife, Eliza (age 27, born in Prussia), two sons and one daughter. His sons were Alexander (age 6, born in Illinois) and Charles (age 2, born in Minnesota), and his daughter was Amelia (age 6 months, born in Minnesota).

When he enlisted in the 5th Minnesota as a lieutenant at age 31, he was soon made captain of Company D. From their home base of Fort Snelling, Vander Horck and Company D 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, Vander Horck received news of Indian warfare in Minnesota. In addition to the men of Company C, about 80 residents of the area gathered at the fort. Soldiers and citizens worked together to reinforce the fort defenses.

On August 23rd, Vander Horck requested reinforcements and ammunition. (Upon arriving at Abercrombie in March, the company had discovered that the stock of cartridges was the wrong size ammunition for their .69 caliber muskets. Repeated requests for the correct ammunition had resulted in promises, but not ammunition.)

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.

Early on September 3rd, Captain Vander Horck and his orderly were inspecting the outside picket guard of the fort. The guard on duty mistook them for Indians and fired at them, wounding Vander Horck in the arm. At daybreak, while the post physician was bandaging the wound, 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.

When Company D of the Fifth Minnesota was sent to join other Minnesota units fighting in the Civil War, Vander Horck remained at Fort Abercrombie to oversee improvements being made. Vander Horck resigned his position and was mustered out on April 10, 1863, his service in the 5th Minnesota having lasted about a year and being confined to Minnesota.

In 1872, J. Van Der Horck of Minneapolis is listed as the Quartermaster of the Second Regiment Minnesota National Guards.

More detailed information about Fort Abercrombie may be found at The Siege of Fort Abercrombie.

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