Captain Christian Riebsame performed by John Bowen

Captain Christian Riebsame (1839-1913) A barber by trade, Christian enrolled in the 116th Illinois Infantry in 1862 and quickly rose from private to company commander. After participating in a multitude of battles and Sherman’s March to the Sea, he proudly led Company G in the Grand Review at Washington D.C. in 1865. Married four years later, his wife "worked and saved while Christian enjoyed life and spent." His flamboyant lifestyle led to his becoming owner of a Bloomington saloon where, as strange as it may seem, he kept a monkey named Count Shoveloff as a regular boarder! Script written by Kathleen Kirk, performed at Evergreen Cemetery Walk in 2015. Directed by Rhys Lovell.