Germans in the American Civil War

DANK ‘00 Gannon University

Die Deutschen im Die Deutschen im amerikanischen amerikanischen BürgerkriegeBürgerkriege

Stephen T. FrezzaElectrical & Computer EngrGannon [email protected]


Sezessionskrieg 1861-Sezessionskrieg 1861-18651865

The Story of Germans The Story of Germans in The War...in The War...

The Story of The The Story of The WarWar

– 216,000 German-born 216,000 German-born Union SoldiersUnion Soldiers

– Nearly every Union Army Nearly every Union Army CorpsCorps

– Every Major Campaign & Every Major Campaign & BattleBattle Pvt. Alexander Zang, c. 1862


German Americans in German Americans in ACWACW

• Most marked events in the history Most marked events in the history of German-Americansof German-Americans

• Loyal to the Union Loyal to the Union • Virtually Virtually nono German... German...

– promoters of successionpromoters of succession– slaveholdersslaveholders

• Provided significantly more Provided significantly more volunteers than other ethnic volunteers than other ethnic groupsgroups– double the rate of other groupsdouble the rate of other groups


An Overlooked HistoryAn Overlooked History• Few sources available Few sources available • Most inaccessible to modern Most inaccessible to modern

historianshistorians

Central Text:Central Text:• Kaufmann, Wilhelm, “Die Deutschen im Kaufmann, Wilhelm, “Die Deutschen im

Amerikanischen Bürgerkriege,” Verlag R. Amerikanischen Bürgerkriege,” Verlag R. Oldenbourg, München, 1911Oldenbourg, München, 1911

• Kaufmann, Wilhelm, “The Germans in the Kaufmann, Wilhelm, “The Germans in the American Civil War,” translated by S. Rowan, John American Civil War,” translated by S. Rowan, John Kallman Publishers, Carlisle PA, 1999Kallman Publishers, Carlisle PA, 1999


German-Born German-Born AmericansAmericans

10% of Union Army:10% of Union Army:– 2,150,000 Union Soldiers (White)2,150,000 Union Soldiers (White)– 216,000 German-born 216,000 German-born (vs. 144,000 Irish)(vs. 144,000 Irish)

~ 300,000 American-born~ 300,000 American-born

~ 250,000 ‘Old Germans’~ 250,000 ‘Old Germans’

High volunteer rate:High volunteer rate:Northern population of 1.6 million (1860-64)Northern population of 1.6 million (1860-64)

~ 72,000 in rebellious states~ 72,000 in rebellious states


German EnlisteesGerman Enlistees• Considered / emigrated Considered / emigrated

from then-nations of: from then-nations of: – DenmarkDenmark– AustriaAustria– SwitzerlandSwitzerland– BelgiumBelgium– LuxembourgLuxembourg– AlsaceAlsace– HollandHolland– CanadaCanada

Pvt. Conrad HoltzhaurCo A 2nd MI Inf

DOW Malvern Hill


36%

20%20%

12%11%11%

14%14%

6.2%6.2%

9.2%9.2%

7.7%7.7%8.4%

6.5%

6.3%6.3%

6.2%6.2%

Where they EnlistedWhere they Enlisted


German RegimentsGerman Regiments• 36,000 of 216,00036,000 of 216,000• New York:New York:

7th Infantry7th Infantry




41st Infantry41st Infantry



52nd Infantry52nd Infantry


103rd Infantry103rd Infantry

9.2%9.2%


German RegimentsGerman Regiments• Pennsylvania:Pennsylvania:

– 27th Infantry27th Infantry– 73rd Infantry73rd Infantry– 74th Infantry74th Infantry– 75th Infantry75th Infantry

• New JerseyNew Jersey– 3rd Cavalry3rd Cavalry– A, 1st NJ Light A, 1st NJ Light

ArtilleryArtillery

• OhioOhio– 9th (Turner) 9th (Turner)

InfantryInfantry– 28th Infantry28th Infantry– 37th Infantry37th Infantry– 107th Infantry107th Infantry– 3rd OH Cavalry3rd OH Cavalry

• WisconsinWisconsin– 9th Infantry9th Infantry– 26th Infantry26th Infantry

6.3%6.3%7.7%7.7%

12%

20%20%


German RegimentsGerman Regiments• Missouri:Missouri:

– 1st Infantry1st Infantry– 2nd Infantry2nd Infantry– 3rd Infantry3rd Infantry– 4th Infantry4th Infantry– 5th Infantry5th Infantry– 12th Infantry12th Infantry– 15th Infantry 15th Infantry

(Swiss)(Swiss)– 17th Infantry 17th Infantry

(Turner)(Turner)

• IllinoisIllinois– 43rd Infantry43rd Infantry– 82nd Infantry82nd Infantry– 37th Ohio37th Ohio– 107th Ohio107th Ohio– 3rd OH Cavalry3rd OH Cavalry

• IndianaIndiana– 32nd Infantry32nd Infantry

36%8.4%

4.6%4.6%


Half-German RegimentsHalf-German Regiments• New York:New York: 39th, 58th, 68th, 119th39th, 58th, 68th, 119th

• Pennsylvania:Pennsylvania: 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 48th, 50th, 51st, 56th, 65th, 79th, 15th, 16th, 48th, 50th, 51st, 56th, 65th, 79th, 88th, 96th, 98th88th, 96th, 98th

• Ohio:Ohio: 7th, 47th, 58th, 74th, 106th, 108th, 165th7th, 47th, 58th, 74th, 106th, 108th, 165th

• Missouri:Missouri: 1st,39th, 40th, 41st, 4th Cav1st,39th, 40th, 41st, 4th Cav

• Illinois:Illinois: 9th, 24th, 36th, 44th, 45th, 57th, 58th, 9th, 24th, 36th, 44th, 45th, 57th, 58th, 13th Cav, 16th Cav13th Cav, 16th Cav


Half-German RegimentsHalf-German Regiments• Indiana:Indiana: 24th, 136th24th, 136th

• Minnesota:Minnesota: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th,

• TexasTexas: 1st (Loyal) : 1st (Loyal)

• KansasKansas: 1st, 2nd: 1st, 2nd

• NebraskaNebraska: 1st Cav: 1st Cav

• KentuckyKentucky: 5th, 6th, 2nd Cav : 5th, 6th, 2nd Cav

• MarylandMaryland: 5th: 5th


Why they enlistedWhy they enlisted• Strongly influenced by the Strongly influenced by the

ideals of the 1848 revolutionideals of the 1848 revolution

UnionUnion• Value and importance of Value and importance of

Republican IdealsRepublican Ideals

SlaverySlavery

““All für Lincoln und Sie Freiheit”All für Lincoln und Sie Freiheit” • FreedomFreedom


German SupportGerman Support• Frankfurt great market for Frankfurt great market for

Union BondsUnion Bonds– Small savers, not speculatorsSmall savers, not speculators– Bismark, Moltke & King Wilhelm: all Bismark, Moltke & King Wilhelm: all

decisive opponents of successiondecisive opponents of succession

• Organized American Organized American CommunitiesCommunities– Leaders like Lieber, Stallo, SchurzLeaders like Lieber, Stallo, Schurz– Forthy-Eighters - once unitedForthy-Eighters - once united


The War - 1861The War - 1861

1st Bull Run 1st Bull Run Camp JacksonCamp Jackson

Wilson’s CreekWilson’s CreekPea RidgePea Ridge

Franz SigelFranz Sigel


Early BlowsEarly Blows• May: Saving St. LouisMay: Saving St. Louis

– German Loyalist rush to flagGerman Loyalist rush to flag– Armory Held, Camp Jackson takenArmory Held, Camp Jackson taken

• July: 1st Bull RunJuly: 1st Bull Run– Blenker’s German Division Blenker’s German Division

• held in reserveheld in reserve• mistaken For U.S. Regularsmistaken For U.S. Regulars

• Wilson’s CreekWilson’s Creek• Pea RidgePea Ridge Louis Blenker


South-West Texas: South-West Texas: Little GermanyLittle Germany

• 1/5 of all whites - over 22,000 German-1/5 of all whites - over 22,000 German-bornborn

• Pro-Union, anti-slave, German-speaking Pro-Union, anti-slave, German-speaking communitiescommunities

• February - Twiggs surrenders, February - Twiggs surrenders, Commanches attackCommanches attack

• August - Banishment Law, Law of August - Banishment Law, Law of ConfiscationConfiscation– Moved, or Pro-Union property confiscatedMoved, or Pro-Union property confiscated

Four years of Murder, Man-hunts, Four years of Murder, Man-hunts, Imprisonments, LynchingImprisonments, Lynching



Henry & DonelsonHenry & Donelson

Stones RiverStones River

CorinthCorinthShilohShiloh

Cross KeysCross KeysBull Run Bull Run Antietam Antietam

Fredricksburg Fredricksburg

August Willich

Seven Days Seven Days


Conrad HoltzhaurConrad HoltzhaurKilled at Malvern HillKilled at Malvern Hill

Year of Year of DissapointmentsDissapointmentsWestWest

• Henry & Henry & Donelson Donelson

• ShilohShiloh• 1st Corinth1st Corinth• PerryvillePerryville• 2nd Corinth2nd Corinth• Stones RiverStones River

EastEast• Cross Keys/ Cross Keys/

Port RepublicPort Republic• Seven DaysSeven Days• AntietamAntietam• Mud MarchMud March• FredricksburgFredricksburg



VicksburgVicksburg

ChickamaugaChickamauga

Chancellorsville Chancellorsville

Gettysburg Gettysburg

Chattanooga Chattanooga

Peter OsterhausPeter Osterhaus


The Turning PointThe Turning PointWestWest

• VicksburgVicksburg• TullahomaTullahoma• ChickamaugaChickamauga• ChattanoogaChattanooga

EastEast

• ChancellorsvChancellorsvilleille

• Brandy Brandy StationStation

• GettysburgGettysburg• Mine RunMine Run

Carl Schurz



AtlantaAtlanta

Petersburg Petersburg

Kennesaw Kennesaw March to the SeaMarch to the Sea

Spottsylvania Spottsylvania Wilderness Wilderness

Nashville Nashville


The Long YearThe Long YearWestWest

• ResecaReseca• Kennesaw Kennesaw

MountainMountain• AtlantaAtlanta• March to the SeaMarch to the Sea

• FranklinFranklin• NashvilleNashville

EastEast

• WildernessWilderness• SpottsylvaniaSpottsylvania• Cold HarborCold Harbor• MonocacyMonocacy• PetersburgPetersburg• Valley Valley

CampaignCampaign


The EndThe EndSouthSouth

• GoldsboroGoldsboro• BentonvilleBentonville

EastEast

• PetersburPetersburgg

• Saylors Saylors CreekCreek

• AppomatoAppomatoxx


SummarySummary• Germans Germans

– Played a significant rolePlayed a significant role– Helped train the Union ArmyHelped train the Union Army– Received little recognitionReceived little recognition– Suffered for their Union SentimentsSuffered for their Union Sentiments

Education

Germans in the American Civil War