Frederick had originally hoped to become a doctor and had studied medicine. Fred, however, developed a problem with alcoholism. When Fred enlisted in the Civil War, his parents were very worried about his ability to withstand the stress of battle. Fred was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg (1863). After his injury, his alcoholism became much worse. In early 1868 he was in a mental asylum. After many unsuccessful attempts to conquer his addiction, Fred went to California in 1870 and was never heard from again. Most historians believe that he died shortly after arriving on the West Coast, but no one will ever know for sure. Fred was the inspiration for the character of Tom Bolton in "We and Our Neighbors and My Wife and I". In these books his mother described alcoholism as an illness. Her attitude was very modern since, at that time, most people believed that alcoholism was a moral failure.