Peter Eixenberger: A Double Bereavement

Peter Eixenberger was a member of the U.S. 7th Cavalry mounted band. He enlisted on November 15, 1875, in New York City. He listed his previous occupation as musician.  He was discharged on November 14, 1880, at Fort Meade, Dakota, upon expiration of service, as a private of excellent character. He was not present at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  He was on detached service from June 14, 1876, at Yellowstone Depot, Montana Territory, with the rest of the band members.

Custer wanted his band with him in battle. General Terry would not allow this so the band members were left behind when the 7th Cavalry marched off to the Little Big Horn. Custer did however take the band member’s white horses with him to the battle.

World famous Little Big Horn researcher, Walter Mason Camp, stopped off in Lead, South Dakota, to interview Charles Windolph, who had been with Benteen’s Company H at the Little Big Horn battle. While in the area, he also interviewed Peter Eixenberger along with former 7th troopers John Mahoney and Max Hoehn.

Peter Eixenberger died on September 12, 1917, and is buried in St. Aloysius Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. Buried alongside him are his wife, Mary (died December 8, 1940), and two of their three children, Peter, Jr. and Gladys. Both Peter, Jr. and Gladys died on October 31, 1918, after becoming ill with the Spanish flu and pneumonia. They died less than a half hour apart.

The following appeared in the Sturgis Weekly Record of Thursday, November 7, 1918:

A Double Bereavement

The hand of misfortune rests heavily on Mrs. Peter Eixenberger of Sturgis in the loss of two of her children, Peter, Jr., aged twenty-four years and ten months and Gladys aged eighteen years and eleven months.  They both passed away, after a severe siege of Spanish influenza followed by pneumonia, on Thursday night of last week, less than a half hour apart.

Words are inadequate to assuage the grief over this double loss, but the tenderest sympathy of the entire community is extended to the bereaved mother and brothers and sister who survive them, in this dark hour of bereavement.

The funeral took place last Saturday morning and the services were conducted by the Rev. Father Columban at the grave in the Catholic cemetery.

Both the young people were favorites among their many friends in this vicinity, and their so sudden passing away will not soon be forgotten.

** The next issue of the Sturgis Weekly Record (November 14, 1918) carried the front page headline, END OF THE WAR HAS COME!, announcing the end of World War I.

Peter Eixenberger Page