Frederick Wiest

Name: Frederick Wiest Company: E Wounded at Corinth October 4, 1862; discharged for disability.
Birth Date: July 1843 Place: Bavaria (Germany)	Mustered In Date: February 10, 1862 Rank: Private Age: 23 Residence before military service: Carver County, Minnesota
Death Date: December 23, 1920 Place: Le Sueur County, Minnesota	Mustered Out Date: January 20, 1863 Rank: Private Age: about 24 Residence following military service: Kelso Township, Sibley County, Minnesota; Le Sueur, Le Sueur County, Minnesota Vocation following military service: Farmer

Frederick Wiest Biography and Civil War Narrative

Frederick (or Friedrich) Wiest was born July 1843 in Bavaria (Germany), the son of Johann Michael Wiest. He migrated to the United States in 1847 at about age 4. Around 1860, the family moved to Carver County, Minnesota.

On February 10, 1862, Frederick enlisted in the 5th Minnesota as a Private in Company E. Although a young 18 years of age, military records list his age as 23. Serving in Company E, Private Wiest went through training at Fort Snelling until ordered south in May where his company reported to General John Pope at Corinth, Mississippi. The Company was immediately put into action at the Battle of Farmington (part of the Siege of Corinth) on May 28. They participated in the Battle of Iuka (Mississippi) on September 19, 1862, and then the Battle of Corinth on October 3-4, 1862. On the 2nd day of the Battle of Corinth, Frederick was wounded with a gun shot wound to the left knee. The casualty probably occurred in the afternoon as the 5th Minnesota was advanced from its rear position to fill a gap in the Union line which the Confederates had opened. Wiest was discharged for disability on January 20, 1863.

Frederick then re-enlisted in the Mississippi Marine Brigade. Following the war, Wiest returned to Carver County. In 1869 he moved to Kelso Township, Sibley County, Minnesota. He married Marie Sophie (Charlotte) Behning on March 26, 1870. The 1870 U.S. Census records Friedrich Wiest (age 26) living in Kelso Township, Sibley County, Minnesota, with his 20-year-old wife, Charlotte. Fred and Charlotte had a son, Georg, born June 8, 1871; he died less than a year later on February 28, 1872. Charlotte was killed by lightning on August 8, 1872, at their farm home.

On November 24, 1872, Fred married Auguste Emilie Bethke. She was born October 1848 in Germany and had immigrated to the United States earlier in 1872. Frederick and Augusta had three children. Two of them were sons: F. William (born May 1874 in Minnesota) and Henry J. (born March 1887 in Minnesota). A daughter, Bertha, was born about 1876 in Minnesota.

At the time of the 1880 Census Fred and Augusta were farming in Kelso Township, Sibley County, Minnesota, with two young children, William (age 6) and Bertha (age 4). In 1900, Frederick and Augusta were still living in Kelso Township, and 56-year-old Fred was still farming. Sons F. W. (age 26) and Henry (age 13) were living with them. Son Henry J. continued to live with his parents on the Kelso Township farm in 1910.

By 1920, Fred had retired from farming, and he and Augusta moved to LeSueur, LeSueur County, Minnesota. Living with them was Auguste's cousin, Louisa Schewe. She had lived and worked with Fred and Augusta at least since 1900.

Frederick died December 23, 1920, in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.

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