Conclusion
There were many personal incidents that might be interesting if I had space to relate them, for with all our hardships we had lots of fun and often tried to keep up our spirits with practical jokes. I have kept a running memorando of number of miles (see last diary) travelled--how many chickens we confiscated and after some of our raids there was nothing left to tell, but the bee stings, how much honey we captured. If the mules we took from the Rebs did sometimes balk US generally go them into working trim in a short time. We had also many sorrowful times losing kindred, friends and tent mates, but all this is but a memory now and may all who survive still keep in step together and work other interests as well as their own till right prevails and every one gets their proper dessert is the wish of yours etc.

Henry Ketzle
Lat Co. "A" 37th Ills. Vet. Vol Infantry
Reynolds, Ills.

Biographical Information
Henry (Carl) Ketzle was born in Stuttgart, Germany, October 6, 1834, a son of Carl August and Henrietta Bachmeir Ketzle. After high school he took a course in agriculture at Hohenheim University. He came to America in 1854, lived in New Jersey, three years working in the oyster beds. In 1858 he became a USA citizen. he homesteaded in Minnesota for three years--then moved to Preemption, Illinois. Answering Lincoln's call for volunteers, he enlisted at Rock Island, IL August 14, 1861 in Company A 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry for three years. At the end of that time, he reenlisted, came home and recruited men from Preemption, Bowling, and Richland Grove townships in Mercer County. Among the recruits was Henry B. Clark who died at Carrolton, Mississippi, August 27, 1863. Company A was mustered out at Houston, Texas May 15, 1866. He bought an 80 acre farm in Perry township in 1866, was married Feb. 16, 1867 to May Elizabeth Clarke of Preemption, IL. A home was made for two sons, Paul C. and Henry Benjamin--five daughters, Henrietta, Augusta (Mrs. Marion Wait) Florence, Eleanor (Mrs. James A. Grimm) and Marguerite (Mrs. John Wesley Neaman) were born.

In 1869--Sterling Honeycutt, Lee Holiday and Henry Ketzle, as building committee, a Methodist Church cost $2,100 was erected one mile east of Hamlet. Membership was 36. In 1870 the village of Reynolds (named in honor of Elisha P. Reynolds, railroad contractor) was laid out and a larger church built and dedicated October 14, 1877. June 7, 1914 the present Methodist Church was dedicated. The fourth generation of Ketzles still worship there. Henry Ketzle died February 18, 1917.

David A. Clark was President and Henry Ketzle Secretary of Hamlet Mutual Insurace Co. from its organization until shortly before his death.

Civil War Enlisted Men from Preemption Township Mercer County, Illinois: 

William F. Little               Parley West
Henry B. Clarke                 John Rodgers
Henry Ketzle                    John Hay
Chas. Lipencott                 Silas Hay
Wm. Welsh                       Nathaniel Gray
W.H. Gilmore                    L.O. Gray
James Gauley                    Michael Conway
Andrew Wilson                   Thomas O'Day
Henry Trego                     James Johnson
Watson Trego                    Montgomery Boone
James Sample                    Manford Willard
J.W. Sample                     Lewis Willard
Levi Sample                     Ned Harris
R.L. Carver                     Beecher Bristol
Robt. Whan                      Wilfred Pitman
Francis Whan                    Lewis Gardner
Charles Barry                   William Pitman
L.B. Morey                      Thomas Gauley
Frank Cannon                    John Wilkinson
Lawrence McManus                Frank Warren
Daniel Mack                     Jack Warren
John Waugh                      Henry Piper
Alexander Waugh                 Lee Officer
M.Y. Hunting                    Jess Rodgers
Alanson Lake                    Robert Briggs
Alman Wilbur                    Sylvester Vivian
Alonzo Keniston                 Thomas Briggs
S.H. Rodgers                    Peter Redmond
Thomas West                     William Barnes
Joseph Tidball                  John Docherty
John Clay                       J.B. Vance
John Cassenburg                 Fred Jacobson
W.F. Johnson





                                                Miles by
                                        Steam           Foot
1861
Sep. and Oct.                                           450
Nov. and Dec.                                           360

1862
Jan. and Feb.                                           325
Mar and Apr.                                            95
May and June                                            335
Jul. and Aug.                                           146
Sep. and Oct.                                           300
Nov. and Dec.                                           365

1863
Jan. and Feb.                                           115
Mar. and Apr.                           280             365
May and June                            225             1100
Jul. and Aug.                           100             800
Sep. and Oct.                            75             1000
Nov. and Dec.                            85             310

1864
Jan. and Feb.                            50             550
Mar. and Apr.   (2300 Brownsville to Chicago and back   to Memphis)
May and June                            235             860
Jul. and Aug.                           1200             60
Sep. and Oct.                            50             100
Nov. and Dec.

1865
Jan. and Feb.                           1280
Mar. and Apr.                           150             425
May and June                            800
Jul. and Aug.                           400
Sep. and Oct.                           130              50
Nov. and Dec.                            86              30

1866 Jan. / June  By steam from Brownsville to Springfield

Total                              14560                3286  (*)
Compiled by H. Ketzle
Co. A. 37th Ills. Vol. Infantry

Note: Totals as provided in original copy of diary, actual totals per the miles provided are: Steam 10196 Foot 7691