John Adolph Singer was born in Prussia [1] about 1839.

He enlisted in the 20th New York Infantry at age 22 in New York City on the 9 May 1861 as Arthur Senger. [2] He was mustered in as a Private in Company C on the same date. He mustered out with his company in New York City as Adolph Singer on 1 Jun 1863.

Four months later he again enlisted on 8 Oct 1863 in New York only this time he signed with the 16th New York Cavalry. He was enrolled in Company M as a Sergeant only to be reduced in rank to Corporal on 14 May 1864. On 12 Nov 1864 his rank was reduced to Private.

The 16th Cavalry spent most of their time patrolling the Virginia countryside until the night when the President was shot. On that memorable night of April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth fired the shot which killed President Lincoln, and, leaping to the stage of Ford's theatre, escaped, John was a member of one of the army detachments which were sent in pursuit and which took the assassin from the burning barn in Fredericksburg, after he had refused to surrender. The 26 volunteers from the 16th New York Cavalry became known as Lincoln’s Avengers.

He was transferred to the 3rd Provisional New York Cavalry on 17 Aug 1865, Company G. And mustered out with Company on 21 Oct 1865 at Camp Barry in Washington D.C.

In 1866 he received $1,653.84 in reward money for his part in the capture of Booth and Herold.