I hope that you all enjoyed a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. But even more, I hope that you took time to pay respect to all the men and women of our armed services who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives so that we might enjoy our freedoms.
1st Nebraska didn’t perform for any of the memorial services yesterday, but several members of our group did. Some of our cornet players sounded taps at area cemeteries, and three of our members performed in the band at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Omaha.
Prospect Hill is the pioneer cemetery for Omaha. Here’ its historical marker.
One of those buried at Prospect Hill is a member of the original 1st Nebraska Regimental Band, Charles Emil Burmester. He was born in Germany on 29 June 1844, and immigrated to the United States along with his parents through the port of New Orleans in 1857. Burmester enlisted in the 1st Nebraska Infantry in June 1861 and was assigned to the Regimental Band where he was a Musician, 3rd Class. He was discharged along with the rest of the band in August 1862 when the Union Army disbanded all regimental bands. He then served in Company K. Following the Civil War, Burmester settled in Omaha, married on 20 May 1871 to Mary Meyer, and eventually became president of the Omaha Barbed Wire Company. Burmester was a member of GAR Posts 7 and 110 in Omaha, and served as state Adjutant General in 1896-1897. Charles E. Burmester died on 17 February 1916.
1st Nebraska Volunteers Brass Band 