A Galaxy Of Nations

[bill_torrens]

In this thread I intend to post the stories of Civil War soldiers or sailors from as many countries as possible. We start with Poland, and an unenthusiastic Confederate who bore the anglicised name of Philip Whitlock. His memoirs can be found at http://216.247.171.108/philip_whitlock.html

Many of you will recognise the photo of Whitlock and other members of the Richmond Grays which is on this webpage. It was one of the first Civil War-era photos I ever remember seeing, at the age of 11. I always imagined that Whitlock was a member of a distinguished F.F.V., and I envisaged him growing up on a spectacular plantation. Bravo for life's little ironies.

In the 1880 census Whitlock is listed as a cigar maker in Richmond. (His place of birth in the census is given as Russia because, at that date, Poland had been entirely subsumed within the Russian Empire.)

[bill_torrens]

And here's a Confederate from Hungary:

ADLER, Adolphus H. Born in Hungary in c.1823. Had served on Garibaldi's staff. Assigned as engineer in chief to Wise's Brigade. According to Ella Lonn, he “rendered some real service in the line of his engineering duty but insisted on airing unfavorable opinions of his superior's military talents, declaring him 'no soljare, no soljare'. He was thrown into Libby Prison under suspicion of northern sympathies. When informed that he would be hung, he tried to cut his throat and lived in constant dread of an ignominious end until he effected his escape north after ten month's imprisonment." Wise himself was initially enthusiastic about Adler, writing on 19 July 1861: "I have employed Colonel Adler - a Hungarian - a man of consumate ability, science and bravery..." He challenged the editor of the Richmond Examiner to a duel over an anti-Semitic article which appeared in that newspaper. He was arrested in Cincinnati on 18th December 1862. Took the oath and was released in April 1863. [Krick, Staff Officers In Gray, p.59; Lonn, Foreigners In The Confederacy, pp.177-178; Official Records, I, Vol.2, p.289.]

[bill_torrens]

And here we have a review of "Cuban Confederate Colonel:
The Life of Ambrosio José Gonzales"

http://www.sc.edu/uscpress/2003/3496.html

[johan_steele]

<u>Civil War Book of Lists</u>by Castle Books

Nationalities of 179 Foreign Born Lt's in the CS Army
Irish: 63
German: 59
French: 8
Mexican: 5
English: 4
Canadian: 3
Scottish: 3
West Indies: 2
Welsh: 1
Spanish: 1
Greek: 1
Danish: 1
Hungarian: 1

175,000 German immigrants, 150,000 Irish, 50,000 English, 50,000 Canadian &amp; 75,000 "other" totaling 500,000 or approx 25% of those under arms for the Union.

The CS 1st Louisiana had men of 37 nationalities in it's ranks.

39th NY had men if 15 so that 7 languages were in common use: English, French, Italian, German, Hungarian, Spanish &amp; Portugese.

[scone]

On one of trips to the carter House. The Military Historian there David Fraley had a book on generals of The Civil War Someone had lent The Book was wonderfull though it named all the places of birth and death and where they were buried for both armies.. Book was close to $80 or $90 but worth it it you were doing some heavy researching.

The people buried all over the world and I recall someone was born on one of the Hawaiian islands. course it wasnt called that then .

steven

[unionblue]

Bill,

I have read and been informed that the American Civil War could be called the very first 'World' war, as it included almost all nations and races within the ranks of both sides. I have even seen a site which documents Chinese and Indians from India, serving about Union naval ships during the war.

Unionblue

[bill_torrens]

Abram Baptista Vaccaro was born in Genoa, Italy, on 27th January 1838. In 1851 his family emigrated to America and settled in Memphis, Tenn. On 10th March 1862 he enlisted in Company H, 3rd Tennessee Cavalry. His photo is reproduced in the 1983 Confederate Calendar, with this accompanying text:

“In this Melainotype, Private Vaccaro is dressed in what appears to be an expensive, tailor-made uniform. The eight-button cavalry shell jacket is gray with gold braid trim. He also wears the extremely rare rectangular two-piece ‘CS’ belt plate, manufactured by the Memphis firm of Leech and Rigdon. His saber is a Leech and Rigdon cavalry officer’s saber, also manufactured in Memphis.

Less than a month after his enlistment, Private Vaccaro fought with his regiment at the Battle of Shiloh. He also participated in the subsequent series of engagements at Farmington, Mississippi. Primarily because he was a well-educated young man, Vaccaro was detailed by personal order of General Beuregard as company clerk in the Quartermaster’s Department on June 16, 1862. He served in this capacity for the duration of the war.

Vaccaro was paroled with the Army of Tennessee on April 26, 1865 near Durham Station, North Carolina. Returning to Memphis, he married and fathered three daughters. He worked as a salesman and was active in Confederate veterans’ affairs. A postwar image shows him wearing four of his Forrest Cavalry Corps reunion badges. Incapacitated by a stroke in 1907, Abraham Vaccaro lived until May 2, 1919. He is buried in Memphis, the city he adopted as a young Italian immigrant.”

The 1880 census lists him as a liquor dealer. He was married to Ida Bradford, a native of Tennessee, and at that date had four daughters. He clearly tried to persuade his neighbours to convert to the civilised drinking habits of the Old World, since the Memphis Daily Avalanch on 31st May 1877 ran the advertising headline “Vaccaro Recommends Claret For Good Health”. In smaller print it continued: “Drink good Claret Wine during the summer and avoid doctors’ bills. A. Vaccaro &amp; Co. have the best.”

[dawna]

Philippe de Trobriand was born outside Tours, France on June 4, 1816, at the Loire chateau of his father. Philippe as educated in Paris, graduated from the College de Tours, and went on to receive a degree in law from the Poitiers in 1837.

In 1841, de Trobriand came to the United States, and during a tour of America, met and became engaged to Mary Mason Jones, a New York heiress. Two years later in 1843, they were married in Paris, and settled in Venice, Italy. In 1847, the couple returned to the U.S., settling in New York. While here, de Trobriand worked as the editor to the Revue de nouveau monde from 1849 to 1850, and contributed his writings to the Le courrier des Etats Unis. When the Civil War began in 1861, he volunteered and became a colonel in the Gardes Lafayette, a Franco-American unit attached to the New York Militia.

During the war, Philippe was a gallant and inventive officer, who took part in the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. He first commanded brigades during the Peninsula Campaign, then went on to command at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. It was de Trobriand who held the center of Major George E. Pickett's Union line at the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg.

When Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, de Trobriand was present, being promoted to major general that same day. After the war, in July 1866, he was commissioned a colonel in the Regular Army. However, he was in Paris at the time of this commission, so he remained there to finish writing his book titled: Quatre ans a l'armee du Potomac. This book resulted in a two volume set, published in 1867-1868. Upon his book being translated into English, it won high praise.

Returning to America, he again served in the army in the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. These duties were distributed between the U.S. and frequent duties in France. In 1874, his cousin died, so he succeeded to the title of count.

During the last week of Reconstruction, he again held an army command in Louisiana. Retiring from the military in 1879, he made his home in Louisiana. Philippe de Trobriand died in Bayport New York on July 15, 1897.

[dawna]

HEG, Hans Christian

WI 15th Inf. Residence: Waterford, Racine County, Wisconsin. Born Lier, near Drammen, Norway, on 21 Dec 1829, son of Even Hansen Heg, an innkeeper, and Siri Olsdatter Heg. To US 1840. Settled at Muskego, Wisconsin.

Hans was married, 1851, to Gunhild Einung, who was born in Tinn, Telemark, in 1834, and who came to America at age 8 in 1842. She lived until 1923. Civil War: Age 32. Hans Heg was commissioned Colonel on 30 Sep 1861. He began recruiting men for his Regiment. Mustered 13 Feb 1862 at Madison, Wisconsin. Organized and commanded the Fifteenth Wisconsin Regiment.

In September 1862, the Regiment was ordered to Tennessee. Heg was left sick on 30 Oct 1862 at Cave City, Kentucky. Promoted 28 Feb 1863 to command the 2nd Brigade, Davis' Division, 1st Division, 20th Corps, Army of the Cumberland. Mortally wounded in Battle at Chickamauga, Georgia, 19 Sep 1863, and died the next morning. Heg is buried in the Muskego Cemetery, Racine County, Wisconsin.

[dawna]

Edward Day Cohota, Shanghai, China


On December 27, 1845, Captain Silas S. Day left Shanghai, China, on his ship Cohota. Two days later two small Chinese boys were discovered aboard the ship. They were half starved and did not know their names. This left Captain Day in a dilemma. He decided not to turn back, rather to raise the boys as his own. They were about six and four years old. The eldest boy died a few days later and was buried at sea.

Captain Day named the little survivor Edward Day and brought him up aboard the Cohota and in his home. Edward became interested in the sea, and when old enough he became a cabin boy.

When the captain retired he took Edward to his home at Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he grew up. And when Edward wanted another name, he was named after the ship on which he was found; Edward Day Cohota. December 27, the day he was found aboard ship, was taken as his birthday.

In February of 1864, Edward joined the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry and served his adopted country through the rest of the Civil War. Part of his time was served under General Ulysses S. Grant. At the battle of Cold Harbor, a bullet grazed his head which left a permanent part in his hair. At the end of the war in 1865 he was mustered out at New Bern, North Carolina.

Returning to Gloucester he could find no work so he returned to the sea. While in Boston he met a recruiting sergeant whom he had known in the service. In the fall of 1866, he re-enlisted and was soon on his way to Texas. He said his longest walk was when his outfit marched from Kit Carson, Kansas, to San Antonio, Texas. Blisters formed on his shoulder from carrying a heavy rifle and blisters covered his feet from shoes too large.

Edward served in Texas; New Mexico; Fort Sheridan, Illinois; Fort Randall, South Dakota; and Fort Niobrara, near Valentine, Nebraska. While at Fort Randall he said he stood guard over Indian chief Sitting Bull and spoke of him as a friendly chief.

In 1883 Edward and Anna Halstensen were married in the Episcopal Church at Fort Randall, a large church built in 1875 of native chalk rock by the soldiers and pioneer settlers.