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John Keil
Private
Pennsylvania 102nd Regiment, Co. K


     Little is known about John Keil. He was the eldest son of nine children. John was born December 8th, 1838. He grew up in Pittsburgh and was a grocer prior to enlisting in August of 1861. His military card described him as 5’ 4”, light hair with having gray eyes.  John had written home to his parents on many occasions including a time during the Yorktown campaign of April of 1862.

 

 

    



     John was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5th during the part of battle that took place at Brock & Orange Plank Roads.  His wound was to the face, and by the medical descriptions, it was to the eye/nose region. The wound was described as entering by the corner of the left eye, hitting and removing a molar and lodging in the sinus.  He was transported to a field hospital near the Wilderness Tavern. From there he was transferred to Stanton Hospital in Washington DC on the 11th of May. He had received 2 operations trying to heal his wound. One was to close the wound the other was to remove the bullet and bone fragment that was lodged in his sinus cavity. John’s wounds were written in the Medical & Surgical History of the Civil War volume VIII pages 366 and 398. The bone fragment is specimen #3374 in the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, DC. He was discharged from Stanton Hospital on September of 1864 at the end of his enlistment.

     John moved back to Pittsburgh and returned to his job as a grocer. He married Magdalene (Mattie) B. Sharon on December 19th, 1869. They had seven children together they were John A, Anna C. Edward A, Walter F., Robert H., Mary E. ands Oliveretta . Only one child married, his daughter Anna C.. John was pensioned from the army due to his war wounds, collecting $12 per month. He died on May 11th, 1908 at his home in Pittsburgh.  According to his records his doctor was treating him for 2 days and his death can be related to his wound.  His widow then collected his pension of $30 per month until her death. John was laid to rest in the First German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Oakland, PA. After 1930, it was renamed to First Trinity Cemetery. The cemetery was closed in the 1970’s to make room for a new Dorm for the University of Pittsburgh. Many of the interments were moved to Mount Royal Cemetery in Glenshaw, Pa, on the north side of Pittsburgh. John is laid to rest with his wife and 6 of his seven children. The only child that married, Anna is laid to rest in Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh, with her husband.

 
 

     Additional information has been submitted by Gregg which I am sure will interest our descendants and visitors to our website:  A pdf file has been provided below containing the biography above, photographs & the NARA records of Private John Keil;   information and a photograph of Stanton Hospital;  a description of John Keil's wound. ( John's case was briefly written in The Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War, Vol. VIII, pgs. 366 & 367 specimen is No. 3374, Sect. II. A. M. M.) The contact person for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine is Terry Reimer, Director of Research/Public Relations Coordinator at:  info@civilwarmed.org.     
In addition here is a link to the Library of Congress,  Military Battles and Campaigns  for more information on the Wilderness Battle.

Pdf links:  (these files are rather large)
Printable copy of the biography, photographs, letter & NARA records
                        & brief information of The Wilderness Battle
Stanton Hospital
Civil War Medicine Reference
 

A note of interest:   Warren Mertens, while reviewing the estate of his uncle, Russell Thoerner, the son of Anna, found the above-mentioned letter in 1963. Warren proudly displayed the letter in his home for everyone to see. Warren would tell a story that was told to him by John’s son, of writing home while eating an orange during his recovery. Warren was an avid Civil War follower. Not only did he read and own numerous books he visited many battlefields on the Mertens family vacations. Prior to his death, Warren gave the letter to his son, Gregg.    

This information has been graciously provided by Gregg Mertens.  John Keil is Gregg's great great uncle.