John Gustave Rakowsky
Era: Civil War
Military Branch: Army
RAKOWSKY, John Gustave
John Gustave Rakowsky was born in on March 24th 1824 to John & Dorothy E. [Tuman] Rakowsky in Königsberg, Hesse, Germany, (Prussia).
Mr. Rakowsky emmigrated to the U.S., in 1855 after both of his parrents had passed away. He moved west to the Duluth, Minnesota area. He was one of the original handfull of European settlers in the region.
Mr. Rakowsky was one of 18 locals of the St. Louis County area that served with the Union during the Civil War. Having had war experience in his home country, he made his way out to Washington DC and enlisted with the 8th New York Infantry. He mustered in and out as a Private (PVT). His unit fought in the 1st Battle of Bull Run (Manassas). When his term expired he re-enlisted with the 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry for the balance of the Civil War.
PVT Rakowsky was assigned Company G / B of the 58th Ohio at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. The 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered mustered in for three years service on January 28th 1862. The regiment was attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of Tennessee. Several prominent battles they participated in were Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, and the Siege of Vicksburg.
PVT Rakowsky was honorably discharged on February 2nd 1865 as a Sergeant (SGT). After the war he returned home to the Duluth area and he married Mary Marie [Krause] in 1866 and they started a family. He was also a lifetime member of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of The Republic).
Mr. Rakowsky died on April 280th 1914 at 90 years of age in Duluth. He is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. The obolisk reads of the Krause family which is is parents back in Prussia.
He is also featured on the SLCHS/VMH traveling exhibit, "The 18". The exhibit honors the 18 local Veterans known to have left everything to go off and fight for the Union in the Civil War. These 18 men, their characters forged in the rugged wilds of northern Minnesota, served the nation and helped build St. Louis County.
Source(s):
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Rakowsky, John G. - Civil War Pensions Index - Fold3
John G Rakowski (1824-1914) - Find a Grave Memorial
Ancestry.com - 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census
Collection: John G. Rakowsky papers | University of Minnesota Archival Collections Guides (umn.edu)
