Frederick Cuzner

Frederick Cuzner, 21, enrolled at Brooklyn on September 15, 1862, for three years, and was mustered in as a private in Company G of the 176th New York. He was promoted first sergeant, commissioned second lieutenant on October 19, 1863, and mustered in as second lieutenant of Company E on November 2, 1863. He became captain on December 21, 1863, was wounded at Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, and was discharged for disability on December 19, 1864 (176th roster, p. 896).

In September 1863 Willie wrote that a detail had been sent “to proceed to New York after the conscripts”, and that “two of them live in the Burgh. Fred Cueernes lives on Power St, I believe near Leonard” (Willie, September 4, 1863). In October the family went to Riker’s Island to see “Curner”, and when the conscripts reached camp Willie wrote: “I saw Curner & Coxson and got those handkerchiefs” (Willie, October 22, 1863).

No Cueernes or Curner appears on the regiment’s roster. Frederick Cuzner was a Brooklyn man of the right first name, and a sergeant promoted to lieutenant that very autumn, so both spellings probably mean him. After the war he was still in Williamsburgh: in 1890 Frederick Cuzner was officer of the day of Henry Lee Post No. 21 of the Grand Army of the Republic, the post whose surgeon was James D. Wade (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 14, 1890, p. 4). A Cuzner household lived on Powers Street: the city directory for 1863 lists Joseph Cuzner, wiremaker, at 54 Powers, in the Eastern District (1863 Brooklyn City Directory).

Mentioned in 2

1863 Sep 4 Oct 22 & 25