George Gewinner

File:George Gewinner and Victoria Schneider.jpg

Gewinner was born on May 27, 1814, in Bayreuth, BavariaBirth certificate, Evangalich-Luthern church registry, Bayreuth Stadkirche, Kirchenbuchamt, 9 Jan 1974 to Johann Heinrich GewinnerMarriage certificate, Evangalich-Luthern church registry, Bayreuth Stadkirche, Kirchenbuchamt, 9 Jan 1974.Death certificate, Evangalich-Luthern church registry, Bayreuth Stadtkirche, Kirchenbuchamt, 21 Jan 1974. and Anna Margaretha (née Schrödel).Death certificate, Evangalich-Luthern church registry, Bayreuth Stadtkirche, Kirchenbuchamt, 21 Jan 1974. After completing his basic education in Bayreuth, Gewinner set out in 1832 for Munich and completed an eight-year degree program in music. In 1847, Gewinner married Victoria Schneider in Landau-in-der-Pfalz, Germany, after which, in 1848, they emigrated to the United States.

Gewinner began his new life in America working multiple jobs, in this case as a clock maker1860 US Census, 9th Ward, Boston, Suffolk, Mass - occupation 'Watchmaker'. and as a performing musician.{{Cite web|last=Gewinner|first=Georg|date=19 July 1850|title=1850 US Census, New York City|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCB4-C6C|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=FamilySearch}} From 1848 to 1858, the Gewinner family lived in New York City, Providence Rhode Island and Boston Massachusetts, where in Boston in the late 1850s, Gewinner was conductor of the 'New Bedford Brass Band'.Oberlin College & Conservatory Library, Special Collections item # FRS-689 Gewinner met Patrick Gilmore in Boston and joined his new Gilmore Band.Omaha Daily Bee obituary, January 20, 1894, see image below. Gewinner and Gilmore lived just 6 miles apart, Gewinner in Malden Mass and Patrick in Boston.1860 US Census, 1865 Massachusetts Census Boston Ward 10 They had both immigrated to the US in 1848, both were active musicians in the Boston area in the late 1850s, and they reportedly became fast friends, a friendship that endured many decades.Omaha Daily Bee obituary, January 20, 1894, see image below.

With the onset of the American Civil War in April 1861, Gewinner was drawn to service. His close friend Patrick Gilmore was tasked by John Albion Andrew of Massachusetts to reorganize "military music-making" and named 'Bandmaster-general' by General Nathaniel P. Banks. On 3 October 1861, Patrick Gilmore enlisted full-time as Band Leader of the 24th Infantry regiment,Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. and likely due to the strong friendship between the two men, Gewinner enlisted exactly one week later on 10 Oct 1861 as 'Bandmaster and Chief Musician' with the 99th Infantry regiment.{{Cite web|last=Gewinner|first=George|date=1861|title=Geo Gewinner service with NY 99th Infantry|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSD4-7MD|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=FamilySearch}}{{Cite web|last=Gewinner|first=George|date=1861|title=Geo Gewinner, Civil War Band Leader|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG49-532S|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=FamilySearch}}

The 99th, known as the "Union Coast Guard", or "Bartlett's Naval Brigade", was initially organized by Colonel William A. Bartlett in New York City, though it included many men from Massachusetts. Gewinner served one year and mustered out of the 99th Infantry in August 1862, volunteering again with the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry,{{Cite web|last=Gewinner|first=George|date=1862|title=Geo Gewinner service in 4th Mass Cavalry|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG49-532S|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=FamilySearch}} where he served as band leader through 1865. Campaigns engaged by this unit during Gewinner's time include; Appomattox Campaign, 3rd Battle of Petersburg, Battle of High Bridge, and the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. It was reported that Gewinner's band played at the surrender of Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant at the McLean House near Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. A few months after the surrender, Gewinner mustered out of service again in Boston, Massachusetts Sep 1865.

After the Civil War ended, Gewinner returned to 'private practice', but in March 1870 at the age of 55 he volunteered once more to serve the Army, this time enlisting in the 6th Infantry Regiment along with two of his sons, Oscar and Otto Gewinner. Gewinner was again named 'Bandmaster' and 'Chief Musician'. During the 1870s the 6th Infantry Regiment was deployed as a protective force to Ft. Buford where they saw action during the Indian Wars in the Dakota and Montana Territories. When mustering out in August 1873, Gewinner found he had to defend himself again, but this time not from marauding native warriors - the threat came from his own leadership!

In August 1873, Gewinner was charged with "disobedience to orders in violation of the 9th article of war",1873 Courts Martial proceedings, Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Army), ARC Identifier 1916526 / Local Identifier PP-3393. and a courts martial was convened at Fort Buford in the Dakota Territory. According to the original courts martial transcript, Gewinner had been ordered by Lt. Col D. Huston Jr to turn his band music over to principal musician Henry Hellmich, but refused to do so on the grounds the music was his own personal property.

Below is the argument Gewinner made to assert his personal property rights, in his own words:

"31 July 1873. I have respectfully to state to the members of the Court that the music I was called upon by Colonel Huston my then commanding officer to give up was my own property composed long before I ever served in the 6th Infantry. It was my property as much so as the money in my purse. I was not called upon to loan it but to surrender it. This music is of my own selection, arrangement and composition, written upon my own paper and arranged in books all my own, and believing that from my then disability I would eventually be discharged, I considered it an aid or means to future support. Therefore, I especially felt opposed to letting it go from my custody so that it might be, as it certainly would have been, copied. The Court is therefore, called upon to decide whether I can be protected in my private and personal rights and property as against the assumed authority of my Commanding Officer to deprive me of both; an authority which I then believed and still hold to be unlawful and oppressive. Gewinner, Chief Musician, Band of the 6th Infantry"1873 Courts Martial proceedings, Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (Army), ARC Identifier 1916526 / Local Identifier PP-3393.

When the courts martial proceedings were over, Gewinner was found 'not guilty' by commanding Brigadier General Alfred Terry for the reason that he could not be ordered to surrender his personal property to the US Government. Gewinner went on to serve 2 more years, mustering out of military service for the last time in June 1875 for disability.

After his military service, Gewinner focused on teaching a new generation of music students in Omaha, Nebraska, until his death on January 18, 1894. He was buried 23 January 1894 in Mount Hope Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gewinner, George}}

Category:1814 births

Category:1894 deaths

Category:19th-century conductors (music)

Category:Immigrants to the United States

Category:American bandleaders

Category:Union army soldiers

Category:People from Bayreuth

Category:19th-century American conductors (music)