University of Wyoming
Gerhard Luke Luhn (1831-1920) was born in Elbergen, Hanover, Germany, and immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1845. He joined the Army's 6th Infantry in 1853 and saw service on the northern plains prior to the Civil War. In 1863 he became a second lieutanant in the 4th Infantry and was present at the Gettysburg Battle. He remained in the Army until his retirement in 1895. Among the forts he served at were Forts Laramie (1868), Bridger (1857, 1873, 1879), Fetterman (1874), Sanders (1877), and D.A. Russell (1878). He was with General William S. Harney's 1856 Sioux campaign and General George Crook's 1876 expedition and fought in the Battle of the Rosebud against Sitting Bull.
The collection includes four autobiographical accounts by Luhn covering various time spans from 1831-1918. The correspondence (1864, 1876, 1880, 1882), is addressed to his wife and children, except for one 1880 letter to General Crook, and deals chiefly with his day to day experiences as a soldier on the western frontier and in the Civil War. There are diaries (1863, 1876); photos of Forts Bridger, Fetterman, Laramie, and Sanders; military decorations; and miscellaneous materials. Typed transcriptions have been made of the handwritten originals.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by Gerhard Luke Luhn at the date of processing.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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