06/19/2026
Remember-Honor-Teach
Remembering Those That Served
Honoring 250 Years of American Heroes
Culpeper National Cemetery
Today we remember Private Caspar (or Casper) Pfister. Caspar was born in Germany in 1830 and immigrated to the United States in 1853, arriving in New York City from Liverpool, England, on May 3. Settling in Brooklyn, he worked as a tailor and in August 1860 married Susanna Keller. Susanna was also from Germany and the couple had three children, Francis Sebastian (born 1861), Mary Eva (born 1863) and Adam (born 1864). As the Civil War neared its end Caspar enlisted for one year on February 24, 1865, in Company F of the 96th New York Volunteer Infantry. The 96th had originally been organized in early 1862 and had fought both in Virginia and along the coast of North Carolina. By early 1865 it was assigned to the Army of the James and involved in the siege of Petersburg. Following the end of the war in April 1865 Caspar and the 96th remained near Richmond on garrison duty. Soon after, Caspar was diagnosed with chronic dysentery and transferred to a hospital near Culpeper. Dysentery, often resulting in severe diarrhea and fever, was a major killer during the Civil War and usually caused by contaminated food or water. Sadly, Caspar died on July 18, 1865. Buried in a temporary grave, his remains were moved to Culpeper National Cemetery after the cemetery was established in 1867. Susanna filed for a widow’s pension and was awarded $8 per month, plus $2 for each of her three children. In 1869 she married Sebastion Schmid, a German immigrant who had served in the 98th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Susanna died in 1891 and of her three children with Caspar the longest living was Mary Eva, who passed away in 1953 at the age of 90.
Private Caspar Pfister rests in Section A1, Site 136, of Culpeper National Cemetery.
Submitted by: Jeff Joyce
WAA Volunteer
