Staff photo by Fritz Busch A Last Union Soldier Ceremony in New Ulm City Cemetery Saturday recognized Private Jacob Klossner Jr. of Company L, 1st Minnesota Cavalry, who died in 1944 as the Last Union Soldier buried in Brown County. The ceremony including a grave marker placed near Klossner’s gravestone. From left, Bryce Stenzel of Mankato, acting as President Abraham Lincoln, a 1st Minnesota Infantry chaplain re-enactor and Mike Huttner of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

NEW ULM — As a sub-zero degree wind blew from the prairie countryside northwest of town Saturday, Jacob Klossner Jr. was recognized as the Last Union Soldier buried in Brown County at the New Ulm City Cemetery.

Klossner wore many hats.

He was the last Brown County Civil War Veteran, a state legislator, acting New Ulm mayor, city councilor, vice president of the Brown County Agricultural Society, New Ulm Savings & Loan Association director, farmer and merchant, died at age 97 Jan. 31, 1944.

Mike Huttner of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War described the sacrifices made by Civil War soldiers.

“The price paid by that generation was not just in shattered limbs, wasted forms, and horrid memories; but also in desolate hopes, ruined homes and broken hearts,” said Huttner. “In the shadow of 750,000 graves, there are those who returned diseased and broken down from the hell holes of Libby Prison, Belle Island, Salisbury, Millen, and Andersonville.”

“We proclaim a roll of honor of the Grand Army of the Republic. That roll was made and completed in days of old. It was written with the red blood from human hearts, its letters more bright and more precious than were they writ in the purest gold and they were indelibly burned on the pages of life,” he added.

Klossner was born in Switzerland Dec. 23, 1846. He moved to New Ulm at age four with his family after they heard glowing reports about it.

At age 16, he enlisted as a private in Company L, First Minnesota Cavalry Nov. 7, 1862, the same day General Sibley passed through New Ulm enroute to Mankato with 303 Dakota Sioux prisoners. Klossner was assigned to guard frontier lines against Indian attacks during the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. He was honorably discharged from military service Dec. 2, 1863.

Jacob Klossner bought a hardware and implement business in New Ulm in 1884.

He and a good friend, Civil War veteran John Laudon, who lived to nearly 102 years of age, often marched with buddies and soldier friends in the New Ulm Memorial Day Parade. In their later years, they rode in a car in the parade.

Denis Warta of New Ulm attended the Last

Union Soldier ceremony Saturday. As a high school

freshman, Warta was a “street captain” in charge of St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch morning and

afternoon newspaper carriers who delivered papers to Klossner and Laudon.

“They both loved to talk about Memorial Day, often in German,” Warta said.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).