July 1st. 1865.
Leonard Syler mustered out at Munsons Hill Va. with thousands of others. His Civil War over but its memories and injuries inherited. He had last been paid Dec. 31st. 1864. He was due $39 in clothes allowance, the government claimed back $6 for arms and equipment. He also got his $100 bonus and headed home to North Annville Pa. to his wife and children Lydia, John and Leonard (Jnr). Time to settle down again and extend the family. He did so and,
18th. Dec. 1868. George Syler his son was born.
10th. May 10th 1870. Samuel Syler another son was born. He later married Augusta Brinker 1875-1938. Samuel died 4th. July 1940 in Chicago. Augusta his wife was born Chicago 12th. Aug. 1875 and died there 15th April 1938.
10th. March 1875 Katherine Syler his first daughter was born.
10th Dec. 187. Annie Syler his 2nd daughter born.
Feb. 1879.
Leonard and his family moved from North Annville Pa. to Coldhour on what is now east Chicago Ill. He would appear to have got employment with the Iriquois Iron Co. However it is known that in 1880 he and all his family went to a cousins farm in Kansas to help him harvest his crops. They would then appear to have returned to Coldhour and Leonard settled into his long term employment. I kind of think that this re enforces a possibility he wanted to relive his young boyhood days growing up in rural Germany.
14th. June 1883. Minnie Syler his third daughter was born
30th. of Nov. 1889
Leonard aged 55 applies in "Declaration for Original Invalid Pension" form in which he gives all the relevant details of his service, war wounds, hospitalisation and that he is living in Coldhour in Cook Co. Ill. but had lived previously in Lebanon Co. Pa. In his application form he states the facts that he had suffered a broken arm and had contracted rheumatism due to his service in the army. He stated that he had been hospitalised at White House Landing Va. on the the 4th. June 1864, the day after he received his injuries. Thence he was transferred to hospital at Wash. D. C. and after this to hospital in Baltimore and again had treatment from about June 15th. 1886 to the latter part of July 1886. This was two years after the war ended. It would appear he never really recovered properly from his wounds. In his occupation claim sheet the writing seems to state he was a labourer-furnaceman at that time. His application is signed as witness by a John H. Syler. This looks like he has assumed his son could witness his application. This I should think was a very bad idea and the Pension office would see it in a very negative light. The application should have been signed not by a family member but a local attorney or someone not related to him but who knew Leonhard well eg his church pastor. This may well have been the cause of the long delay with the granting of his pension but we shall never know for sure. He at this stage signs his name as Leonhardt Syler but alas he had at the top of the application form had stated his name as Leonhardt Sailer. but alas he signed the document as Leonhardt Syler. This would cause problems for Leonard as the pension department back in Washington would see this as a way to delay payment. Interestingly Leonhardt states that he had been enrolled on Sept. 25th. 1863 into Co. A of the 69th. Pa. by Captain John McHugh no doubt a Derry man. Welcome aboard the 69th! He would get to talk to, live with and fight alongside a lot of Irishmen from counties across Ireland. This would be a regiment with a very different ethos from the 71st. It would have been interesting to eavesdrop on their conversations, Leonard with no doubt his "learned " Pa. English and the English of the guys from the Sperrin hills of Tyrone!!!.
May 28th. 1901.
In a letter dated May 28th. 1901 stamped Wash D.C. Pension Office U.S. specified as a "Declaration of Invalid Pension" and noted with the hand written comment at top of letter "Re-hearing" and an offical legal document of attestation by Edgar T. Gaddis of Wash. D. C. obviously employed by Leonard to act as his attorney in his pension application it is noted that the application is now in the name of Leonhardt Syler as opposed to Sailer. However believe it or not Leonardt again signs his name as Leonhardt Sailer. No doubt more delays back in Washington and still no pension it would appear.
21st June 1901.
A letter from the Department of the Interior in Wash D. C. requests Leonard to again state all his details, where he had lived, what he did, and the obligatory height, colour of eyes etc and if he carried any scars or permanent marks. The letter is noted as being addressed to Leonhardt Sailer Chicago and he is seen as signing his name as Leonhardt Sailer. The letter is witnessed by what appears to be Jacob Brunner and a James S. Ward. It is dated June 29th. 1901. Leonard is now 67 years of age.
Sept.6th. 1910.
John his son and John's son Herbert aged 17 were involved in a boiler explosion at their place of work. Herbert had been born Dec. 26th. 1893. Herbert was killed but John did not die until 4th March 1911. Others were killed and injured in the explosion. Ironic really as most boiler explosions in those days were caused by poor supervision of the water feed to the boilers ie the work of the "water tenders". This was a common problem with the technology that was available at the time. Now boiler water levels and water feed are monitored continously electronically but even now however good the electronic systems rarely would a boiler plant engineer not cast an eye on the water level gauges and steam pressures on his boilers from time to time. It must be realised that even to this day on all industrial plants requiring steam power eg the tyre industry boiler men have a very important role and apart from monitoring the water/steam system they are responsible for all the auxilary services supplying the factory. No doubt Leonard did the same.
26th Aug. 1914.
In a "Declaration for Pension" form from the Pension Dept. addressed to Leonhardt Syler would appear to eventually have received a pension. The document is stamped "Declaration accepted by a Claim Under the act of 1812. Chief Law Division". The pension number for Leonhardt was 1035.356. He was now 80 years old. Did it really take this long to get his pension?. The documents to hand seem to flag up most certainly the mis-spelling of his name caused him all sorts of problems and delays with his pension. It kind of looks as if he fell between two stools an acting attorney who paid little attention to detail on such things as noting name application and signatures on documents intentionally or otherwise and a Pension Dept in Wash. not too fussed at being efficient in communication especially if the soldiers reached an advanced age. Not the era of the phone or the Internet.
1914-1918
By the beginning of WW1 (1914-1918) the family were living on the south side of Chicago at 10631 Green Bay Ave. No doubt this war brought back memories to Leonard as his homeland was now becoming the enemy of his adopted country and American soldiers would go and fight along with the British their new "enemy" Germany in yet another European war.
11th Aug. 1914.
Nov. 22nd. 1915.
Catherine "Kate" Syler his wife died. No doubt a very sad day for Leonard.
Aug. 11th. 1916.
Leonard Syler dies. He had eventually got his pension and was last paid $27 dollars on July 4th. 1916.
It would appear that Leonard never did make it back home to Hermaringen. It is known that he never did apply to become an American citizen. It is also known that he was an accomplished carpenter and no doubt a man with man skills perhaps learnt back in Germany in his youth.
No doubt that in a graveyard in and around Hermaringen rests his parents and two brothers and many still alive in the village would be relatives.

Heroes are soon forgotten and no doubt as his family grew up and scattered and his wife passed on Leonard was forgotten about. No marker would appear to have been put over his grave. However this would all change some 95 years later when a descendant Bonnie Syler started looking at her family tree and discovered a Leonardt Sailer a Civil War soldier was indeed her Gt. grandfather. With determination she ensured that a marker was put on his grave and the powers that be in Hammond and in the State of Ind. were made aware of his service.
Leonard Syler was honoured by a ceremony at his grave on 21st. April 2006 in which many dignatories and many descendant Sailers from all over the United States took part and also the local re-enactment unit. A flag that had flown over the White House was presented to her. There was much interest by local radio and T.V. companies which ran the story. A video DVD was also made of the ceremony.

NOTES OF INTEREST.
Leonard (Jnr) changed his name to Seiler in 1920. He had married Maltilda Scheurmeir (1867-1916). He died in Chicago 27th. Oct. 1955. I find it interesting that he changed his name from Syler to Seiler. I have found in my research into family trees many similar examples. There are many reasons for this especially here in Europe but one comment I would make is that Leonard (Jnr) growing up probably heard a lot from his father about his name and the why he had to or chose to change it. Did his father change it to make it sound more acceptable Anglo rooted name or was he advised to do so. From what I see in his papers he would appear to have the inherent spelling of the German spelling Sailer in his psyche. Perhaps Leonard (Jnr) wanted to get his surname back to what he perceived was the original German spelling but did not have enough knowledge or documentation at hand. Or was it perhaps better to change it because it sounded too German as Syler as there had in recent past years been confrontation with Germany. A reason no doubt but difficult to find out. However we know this is a specific known name change just like the Irish surnames all other surnames would be subject to variation due to the men who enlisted were in many cases unable to spell their names, it was simply a sound in their head. This coupled with recruiting sergeants writing down what they thought they heard as the soldier's name etc etc. led to numerous variant spellings.
And what of Katherine, Annie and Minnie? Little seems to be known about what happened to them?
It is seen that in the 71st. Pa a William Yeinst joined enlisted on the same day as Leonard Syler. Both enlist at Pottsvi lle for three years. Both state links to Annville. One wonders if he was possibly a brother of Catherine Yeinst. Both survived the war and mustered out at Munsons Hill Va. on the same date. Do you know any links?. Would like to hear from you if so. Thanks.
The surname Sailer as far as I can determine seems to mean a person associated with sailing but more likely a person who is involved in rope making or perhaps sail making, rope making being the more likely. The name has many spelling variants eg Sailer, Syler, Sailor, etc,
The name Sailar is very common in the town of Hermaringen as will be seen from looking up the German on Line phone book and also the Family History Search site of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. For anyone related to Leonhard the Ref. is Index Project C9266-1 Source Film No. 1340168.