West Park in Allentown in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

First Defenders Memorial

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

1. First Defenders Memorial

Inscription.

First Defenders Memorial. . Erected 1917 to commemorate the patriotism and courage of the officers and men of Allen Infantry Allentown, Pa. who, with four other companies of Pennsylvania Militia April 18, 1861 rushed to the defense of the national capital and became the First Defenders , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Roll of Allen Infantry Captain Thomas Yeager Lieutenants Joseph T. Wilt, 1^st . Solomon Goeble, 2^nd Sergeants John E. Webster . Charles W. Abbott . John A. Winne William Wagner . Henry W. Sawyer . George Junker Corporals William Wolf . William H. Kress . Ignatz Gresser Daniel Kramer Musician George F. Henry Privates Theodore Anderson . Francis Bach . Henry Cake Norman H. Cole . Charles Dietrich . Wilson Henry Derr Milton H. Dunlap . Ephraim C. Dare . William Early William G. Frame . Matthew R. Fuller . Gideon Frederick Chas. C. Frazer . Edwin Gross . James Geidner Otto P. Greippe . Samuel Garner . John Houk Nathan Hillegass . George Hoxworth . Joseph Hettinger John F. Hoffman . Edwin M. Hittle . Joseph Houser David Jacobs . George W. Keiper . Alexander Kercher Isaac Lapp . Max Lakemeyer . Paul Lieberman Martin W. Leisenring . Franklin Leh . Edwin H. Miller Theodore Mink . Thomas McAllister . Henry McNulty Charles Orbann . Chas. A. Pfeiffer . William S. Ruhe John Romig . Ernest Rothman . George W. Rhoads Jonathan W. Reber . Lewis G. Seip . Henry Storch Marcus H. Sigman . Chas. A. Shiffert . Samuel Schneck Stephen Schwartz . Adolph Sheidler . Enville Sheidler Francis Schaeffer . Charles Spring . Charles Schwartz Adolph Stehfest . John E. Uhler . Martin Veith John Weber . Darius Weiss . Benneville Wiegandt Allen Wetherhold . Joseph Weiss . James M. Wilson Frederick Zuck. On the 13th of April 1861, Fort Sumter fell and Civil War between North and South was begun. Flushed with success, the Secessionists now trained their guns across the Potomac upon the undefended Capital of the country and planned to seize the government, the public buildings, records, stores and moneys at Washington. On the 15th of April, President Lincoln called the militia of the loyal states to its defense. On the 17th, the Allen Infantry, a militia company formed in 1859 by Captain Thomas Yeager, uniformed, armed and partially equipped, composed of Pennsylvania Germans, ever patriotic and always prompt to hasten to their country's defense, proceeded in response to the President's call, 50 rank and file, to Harrisburg, and on the 18th of April, with the National Light Infantry and the Washington Artillerists of Pottsville[,] the Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading and the Logan Guards of Lewiston, were there sworn into the service of the United States. At noon of the same day their march on foot through Baltimore in thin column of twos, from Bolton Station to Camden Station, a distance of two miles, was opposed by a mob of thousands, infuriated at what they regarded an invasion of the sacred soil of Maryland., At 6 o'clock in the evening of the same day, The 18th Day of April 1861, the five companies arrived in Washington to the great joy and relief of the President and all loyal men. They were fully armed and equipped the same evening and barricaded the Capitol buildings in which they were quartered and which were illuminated by order of the President. Rumor exaggerated their numbers; the illuminations and the rumors prevented the threatened seizure of Washington by the Secessionists. These five companies numbering 476 men (later recruited to 538) were the first troops to reach the seat of government at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, and so earned the distinction of being the Nation's First Defenders., Their prompt appearance and occupation of Washington saved the public buildings, records, treasury and the Capitol, and the result of the great conflict would in all probability have been different if the secessionists had succeeded in their plan to take and occupy the Capital., The painful march through hostile Baltimore was accomplished without fatality, although numbers of the men in the five companies bore bruises on their limbs and bodies. In the Allen Infantry, Corporal Gresser, and Privates Derr, Jacobs, Hittle and Wiegandt were struck with stones and bricks and received injuries from which they suffered for weeks., The Allen Infantry became Company G of the Twenty-Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers; continued on guard in Washington for three months and more; and was mustered out of the service on the 23^rd of July, 1861., These soldiers re-enlisted and served during the entire war.

Erected 1917
to commemorate the
patriotism and courage of
the officers and men of
Allen Infantry
Allentown, Pa.
who, with four other companies
of Pennsylvania Militia
April 18, 1861
rushed to the defense of
the national capital
and became the
First Defenders
————————————————
Roll of Allen Infantry
Captain Thomas Yeager
Lieutenants
Joseph T. Wilt, 1^st • Solomon Goeble, 2^nd
Sergeants
John E. Webster • Charles W. Abbott • John A. Winne
William Wagner • Henry W. Sawyer • George Junker
Corporals
William Wolf • William H. Kress • Ignatz Gresser
Daniel Kramer
Musician George F. Henry
Privates
Theodore Anderson • Francis Bach • Henry Cake
Norman H. Cole • Charles Dietrich • Wilson Henry Derr
Milton H. Dunlap • Ephraim C. Dare • William Early
William G. Frame • Matthew R. Fuller • Gideon Frederick
Chas. C. Frazer • Edwin Gross • James Geidner
Otto P. Greippe • Samuel Garner • John Houk
Nathan Hillegass • George Hoxworth • Joseph Hettinger
John F. Hoffman • Edwin M. Hittle • Joseph Houser
David Jacobs • George W. Keiper • Alexander Kercher
Isaac Lapp • Max Lakemeyer • Paul Lieberman
Martin W.

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Leisenring • Franklin Leh • Edwin H. Miller
Theodore Mink • Thomas McAllister • Henry McNulty
Charles Orbann • Chas. A. Pfeiffer • William S. Ruhe
John Romig • Ernest Rothman • George W. Rhoads
Jonathan W. Reber • Lewis G. Seip • Henry Storch
Marcus H. Sigman • Chas. A. Shiffert • Samuel Schneck
Stephen Schwartz • Adolph Sheidler • Enville Sheidler
Francis Schaeffer • Charles Spring • Charles Schwartz
Adolph Stehfest • John E. Uhler • Martin Veith
John Weber • Darius Weiss • Benneville Wiegandt
Allen Wetherhold • Joseph Weiss • James M. Wilson
Frederick Zuck
On the 13th of April 1861, Fort Sumter fell and Civil War between North and South was begun. Flushed with success, the Secessionists now trained their guns across the Potomac upon the undefended Capital of the country and planned to seize the government, the public buildings, records, stores and moneys at Washington. On the 15th of April, President Lincoln called the militia of the loyal states to its defense. On the 17th, the Allen Infantry, a militia company formed in 1859 by Captain Thomas Yeager, uniformed, armed and partially equipped, composed of Pennsylvania

First Defenders Memorial Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

2. First Defenders Memorial Marker

Germans, ever patriotic and always prompt to hasten to their country's defense, proceeded in response to the President's call, 50 rank and file, to Harrisburg, and on the 18th of April, with the National Light Infantry and the Washington Artillerists of Pottsville[,] the Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading and the Logan Guards of Lewiston, were there sworn into the service of the United States. At noon of the same day their march on foot through Baltimore in thin column of twos, from Bolton Station to Camden Station, a distance of two miles, was opposed by a mob of thousands, infuriated at what they regarded an invasion of the sacred soil of Maryland.

At 6 o'clock in the evening of the same day, The 18th Day of April 1861, the five companies arrived in Washington to the great joy and relief of the President and all loyal men. They were fully armed and equipped the same evening and barricaded the Capitol buildings in which they were quartered and which were illuminated by order of the President. Rumor exaggerated their numbers; the illuminations and the rumors prevented the threatened seizure of Washington by the Secessionists. These

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

3. First Defenders Memorial Marker

five companies numbering 476 men (later recruited to 538) were the first troops to reach the seat of government at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, and so earned the distinction of being the Nation's First Defenders.

Their prompt appearance and occupation of Washington saved the public buildings, records, treasury and the Capitol, and the result of the great conflict would in all probability have been different if the secessionists had succeeded in their plan to take and occupy the Capital.

The painful march through hostile Baltimore was accomplished without fatality, although numbers of the men in the five companies bore bruises on their limbs and bodies. In the Allen Infantry, Corporal Gresser, and Privates Derr, Jacobs, Hittle and Wiegandt were struck with stones and bricks and received injuries from which they suffered for weeks.

The Allen Infantry became Company G of the Twenty-Fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers; continued on guard in Washington for three months and more; and was mustered out of the service on the 23^rd of July, 1861.

These soldiers re-enlisted and served during the entire war.

Erected 1917.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

4. First Defenders Memorial Marker

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is April 18, 1861.

Location. 40° 35.977′ N, 75° 29.394′ W. Memorial is in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in Lehigh County. It is in West Park. It can be reached from the intersection of Linden Street and North Fulton Street, on the right when traveling west. Memorial is near the east boundary of West Park, about 250 feet north of the intersection of Linden and Fulton Streets. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Allentown PA 18102, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Lehigh Valley.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ignatz Gresser (here, next to this marker); The Allen Infantry

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

5. First Defenders Memorial Marker

(here, next to this marker); D-Day, June 6 1944 (here, next to this marker); China-Burma-India Memorial (a few steps from this marker); United States Army Ambulance Corps Service (a few steps from this marker); USAACS Sons & Daughters World War II Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Remembering Allentown's Heroes (a few steps from this marker); A Plan for the Plantings (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Allentown.

More about this memorial. Statue and tablets modeled by renowned sculptor George T. Brewster (1862-1943), then a Tottenville, Staten Island, NY resident.

Also see . . .
1. The Union's First Defenders: The Allen Infantry. (Submitted on November 18, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Allen Infantry (“Allen Guards”). (Submitted on November 18, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

6. First Defenders Memorial

At left in photo

First Defenders Memorial Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

7. First Defenders Memorial Statue

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

8. First Defenders Memorial Statue

First Defenders Memorial Sculptor's Mark image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

9. First Defenders Memorial Sculptor's Mark

First Defenders Memorial Statue Foundry Mark image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 16, 2021

10. First Defenders Memorial Statue Foundry Mark

Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 18, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 847 times since then and 71 times this year. Last updated on March 18, 2026, by Tottenville Historical Society of Staten Island, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on November 18, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.