Comments:

Rastede was a private in the band of the 4th United States Artillery Regiment.  The 4th Artillery had been organized in 1821 and took part in fighting against Native Americans and in the Mexican War before the Civil War began.  The 4th saw heavy service during the Civil War.  After that conflict, the 4th was sent to San Francisco in late 1872 and its companies were divided between posts in California and the newly acquired territory of Alaska.  The regiment also fought against the Native American tribes of the Far West, before it was recalled to the East Coast in 1881.  The 4th's regimental headquarters and band were posted to Angel Island at the time of Rastede's death... however, according to notes taken from the National Archives Rastede was on Alcatraz at the time of his death.