COLONEL JOHN A. HOTTENSTEIN              GRAVESTONE PHOTO                      

Mar. 20, 1880

Obituary

  Died, at Pueblo, Col., Mar. 11, 1880, Col. J. A. Hottenstein, of Humboldt.

  Col. Hottenstein was born in Michigan and was 44 years of age when he died.  From Michigan, when only a small boy, he moved to Illinois.  He enlisted in the regular army in 1855, crossed the plains, and was engaged in the Navajo, and other Indian wars.  He re-crossed the plains in 1859, and helped to establish the western boundary of  "Kansas".  He discharged from the regular army at Ft. Leavenworth in February, 1860, having received the highest non-commissioned rank. --Gen. Magruder, when signing his discharge, remarked that he would much rather sign a recommendation for a commission in the regular army.

  Col. Hottenstein entered the volunteer army as Captain in 1861, and served until the close of the war.  His command, on board the Carondelet, was the first to run the blockade at Island No. 10 on the Mississippi, and then took possession of the Kentucky shore.  After the battle of Shiloh he took part in the siege of Corinth, and was then ordered to Louisville, and shared in the Buell campaign, then going to Tennessee and Georgia.  He took part in the battles of Stone River, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge and Chicamauga.  In the later battle, all the line officers were killed except Col. Hottenstein, and he had two horses shot under him.  He received honorable mention for meritorious conduct, and also a gold medal from the government.  Soon after he was promoted to Colonel, and ordered to Johnsonville on the Tennessee river.  He was in command of this post when Hood made the attack on Nashville, and was ordered to the latter place, and put in command of a brigade, his troops beginning the action, during which they suffered terribly.  His command stormed and captured a fort of six guns, the Colonel capturing a battle flag in a hand to hand contest with the rebel color bearer.  After the battle he was offered the Brevet rank of Brigadier General, which he declined.

  The Colonel left the service at the close of the war and came to Kansas, where he has resided ever since, and has always been known as a just, upright and intelligent man.  He was taken sick last August, but was able to be about until a short time before he died.  In February he was taken to Colorado, where he died March 11, as above stated, just five weeks from the time he left home.  The remains arrived here on Sunday last, and the funeral was held from his late residence, on Monday.  The family and relations desire to return thanks to the many friends who attended.