Milton Ristenbatt SR., great great grandfather of David Ristenbatt, served as a soldier during the American Civil War. He was in a 9 month regiment, the 173rd PA Infantry, Co. I. Companies A, D, F, G, and H, of this regiment, were from the county of Schuylkill, whereas B, C, and I companies were from Lebanon County, and Company E was from Perry County, while Company K was from Dauphin County. The 173rd Regiment was organized at Camp Curtin during the months of October and November. On the 30th of November, it moved to Washington, where it was ordered to Suffolk, Virginina, but before reaching Fortress Monroe, its destination was changed to Norfolk, Virginia. Various duties were performed in this general area. On July 9, 1863, it was sent with the 177th PA Regiment to Washington, DC and then to Frederick, Maryland, reporting to General Meade, who was moving in pursuit of the Confederate army in its retreat from Gettysburg, PA. Ultimately the 173rd was assigned to the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Eleventh Corps. Now subjected to long and tedious marches to which it was not accustomed, it was finally settled in duty to guard the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The regiment's term of service expired August 13, 1863 and it was ordered to Harrisburg, PA where it was mustered out on the 18th of August, 1863. (Samuel Bates, PA Volunteers)
Milton Ristenbatt is noted as having mustered in November 2, 1862 and mustered out on August 17, 1863. So far, I have found no pension papers for him from the National Archives in Washington, DC, just military records. There is a tombstone for him in the military section of the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Lebanon, PA, but all it has on it is the identity of his Civil War regiment, with no birth or death dates for him. This is apparently standard for many military tombstones.
The office of Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Lebanon, PA has a record for the death and burial of Milton Ristenbatt. Milton died December 31, 1878, his residence given as Lebanon, PA. He died of consumption, the record states. So, this is why he does not appear on the 1880 US Federal Population census, and is apparently why there is no pension record listed for Milton. For further information about Milton, check out the article on Hermanus RISTENBATT and Family.
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