Notes:

Arrived in New York on 17 Sep 1852 aboard the ship "Espindola".
When still a teenager he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. After the outbreak of the Civil War he joined the Kentucky Cavalry (Union). After the war he moved back to Indianapolis, and spent most of his later life in Veteran Homes in Ohio, Indiana, and finally Kansas.

(Research):(Carl) Friedrich Ferdinand
Sponser was Carl Bruns of Meinsen #29

5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall
light complexion
dark eyes
Mate of a steamboat

2nd Kentucky Infantry:
Campaign in West Virginia July to October, 1861. Red House July 13 (Cos. "A," "B," "D," "F" and "K"). Barboursville July 16. Scarrytown July 17. Gauley's Bridge September 1. Operations in Kanawha Valley October 19-November 16. Attack on Gauley by Floyd's Batteries November 1-9. Gauley Bridge November 10. At Charlestown, W. Va., December 4 to January 24, 1862. Moved to Louisville, Ky.; thence to Bardstown February 5. March to Nashville, Tenn., February 14-March 12. March to Savannah, Tenn., March 13-April 5. Battle of Shiloh April 6-7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Phillips' Creek, Widow Serratt's, May 21. Bridge Creek, before Corinth, May 28. Occupation of Corinth May 30. Pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 6. Buell's Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee June to August, March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 25. Pursuit of Bragg to Loudon, Ky., October 1-22. Battle of Perryville October 8. Camp Wild Cat October 17. Destruction of Salt Works at Goose Creek October 23-24. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 24-November 9. Duty at Nashville until December 26. While at Camp in Nashville on Dec 24th Ferdinand entered the hospital, where according to muster rolls of his company, he remained until March 1864 (1 year 4 months). In Mar 1864 he is again listed as present with his company. Regimant at Ooltewah, Ga. from the end of February until May 17, and at Resaca until June 3. Ordered home June 3. Operations against Morgan in Kentucky until June 19. Mt. Sterling June 9. Mustered out June 19, 1864.

See also: http://www.geocities.com/inkyger/indkygermans.html which deals with IN and KY German-Americans in the Civil War.

Buried in the National Cemetery at Leavenworth Kansas. Section 23, Row 3, Site 5.

At the time of his death the closest they could find to a next of kin was Margrt. Durrough (friend) of Cincinnati, OH. A check of the 1900 Census finds Ferdinand Rafert as a boarder at the home of John and Margaret Durrough in Fairfield, Butler County, OH.