Trivia 12-3-15 Nein!

[Trivia Master]

The French Foreign Legions was founded in 1831 expressly to employ foreigners as a fighting force for France. The same idea occurred to the Confederate government in late 1864; why not employ non-U.S. citizens amongst captured Union troops to fight for the Confederacy? The original idea was to form a German-born regiment and was presented by a German officer in the rebel army. Eventually it was decided not to accept any German-born Union soldiers. Also barred were citizens of the United States, especially those native-born.

A) What was the name of the first unit of so-called "galvanized" soldiers to be formed (the name of its commander is part of this answer)?

Bonus: @hoosier may award more point if he chooses, or he may just decide to award you with fictional cookies

B) The unit was to be restricted to men of only two nationalities. What were the two permitted nationalities?

credit: @MajGenl.Meade

Edit - Ami and I decided a while ago that it was unfair to credit those who submitted weekend bonus questions with only two points, since they presumably worked just as hard to prepare those questions as those who submitted questions that counted ten points. That's why all questions are now worth ten points.

For similar reasons, I wouldn't want to credit bonus points for answering part B of this question, since then I would either have to (a) give the submitter an advantage over those who submitted other questions by crediting him with ten points plus a bonus or (b) penalize the submitter by crediting him with only ten points while those who answered correctly could get more.

Those who get the correct answer to part A of this question will get 10 points. Those who get the bonus part of this question correct will get fictional cookies.

Hoosier

 

[MRB1863]

Wiki sez: The term "galvanized" has also been applied to former Union soldiers enlisting in the Confederate Army, including the use of "galvanized Yankees" to designate them.At least 1,600 former Union prisoners of war enlisted in Confederate service in late 1864 and early 1865, most of them recent German or Irish immigrants who had been drafted into Union regiments. The practice of recruiting from prisoners of war began in 1862 at Camp Douglas at Chicago, with attempts to enlist Confederate prisoners who expressed reluctance to exchange following their capture at Fort Donelson. Some 228 prisoners of mostly Irish extraction were enlisted by Col. James A. Mulligan before the War Department banned further recruitment March 15. The ban continued until the fall of 1863, except for a few enlistments of foreign-born Confederates into largely ethnic regiments. Commanded by Lt. Col. Garrett Andrews, Jr., formerly a major on the staff of Maj. Gen. Arnold Elzey. Andrews raised the battalion himself from foreigners among the Union POWs
***********************************************************************************************************
Bonus Question: Irish and German

Edit - Tucker's Regiment was referred to as the First Foreign Battalion. Andrews' Battalion was referred to as the Second Foreign Battalion, because it was organized subsequent to Tucker's.

Hoosier

 

[GELongstreet]

Think the first was Brook's Battalion of Foreigners.

The restriction, which was seemingly not followed very closely, permitted Germans and Irish.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Source:
https://twelvekey.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/m2156-final.pdf

 

[DickWilliams]

Tucker's Infantry Regiment aka First Foreign Battalion was commanded by LTC Julius Tucker


Ireland, for sure, but then there is lots of conflicting information. While Germans were not desired, there were German companies, as well as Scotch, Swiss, and French soldiers. Once source mentioned the US-born soldiers enlisting as Brits. The question seems to eliminate Germany, so I will go with Great Britain.

 

[Brenal]

A) Brooks' Battalion, Confederate Regular Infantry aka "Brooks' Battalion of Foreigners,"

B) Irish and German

 

[MaryDee]

(A) Per the Wikipedia article, "Galvanized Yankees"--page way down to "Confederate forces composed of "galvanized Yankees":

"Brooks' Battalion of Foreigners" was organized Oct. 10, 1864. It would appear that this was the first, but by only 6 days. By Dec. 18, 1864, the unit had so much trouble with desertions and mutiny that it was returned to the Florence, SC prison camp from whence it had come. It was first, just barely, but it didn't last long.

"First Battalion of Foreigners," or "Tucker's Confederate Regiment" was organized Oct. 16, 1864. It was later renamed the "First Foreign Legion," "...then was re-designated February 28, 1865 as Tucker's Confederate Regiment. It had 72 men serving as pioneer troops at the surrender April 26, 1865." Considering the short life and poor history of Brooks' Battalion, Tucker's could be called the first effective unit.

The second or third, depending on how you want to treat Brooks':the "8th Confederate Battalion" was orgnized Dec. 26, 1864; it was later known as the "Second Foreign Legion."

(B) Irish and French--the only online source I could find for that is http://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-foreign-legion.7904/
Evidently the German-born were too loyal to the Union.

I plan to look for a more thorough treatment of this interesting subject!

 

[FarawayFriend]

A)
Tucker's Regiment, Confederate Infantry aka 1st Foreign Battalion / 1st Foreign Legion
http://www.csawardept.com/genealogy/research/units/PACS.html

B) Irish and French
"...I have given to officers supposed to be competent, in several instances, permits to raise battalions, directing them to prefer Irish and French, and to enlist no citizens of the United States. The latter, especially native born, I hold in great distrust. I preferred to form battalions to regiments, because I doubted the expediency of having so many of this material together as a regiment required. [...]"

Sec. of War Seddon to General Lee, 17 November 1864
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-foreign-legion.7904/

 

[Reb]

Tucker's Regiment

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., No. 38. * * Charleston, S. C., February 14, 1865.
* * * * * VII. By order of Adjutant and Inspector General, Lient Col. J. G. Tucker, commanding First Foreign Battalion, will recruit his command from the prisoners of war. He will increase each company of his regiment to 125 men. In making his selection he will take only men of Irish and French nationality. These men will be used for engineering service.
By command of Lieutenant-General Hardee: H. W. FEILDEN, Assistant Adjutant- General.

 

[lelliott19]

A. Brook's Battalion Confederate Regular Infantry commanded by John Hampden Brooks

B. This extensive and complete very interesting first person account of Brook's Battalion, written by one of the Captains, Vincent F Martin, from Walhalla, SC Dec 25, 1897, states the following with regard to the nationality of those selected from the prison to serve in the Battalion:

"Major Black, of General Hardee's staff, kindly assisted in selecting the men from prison, but a serious mistake was made in allowing a large number of Northern men to enlist, many pretending to be Englishmen. Among those selected were Irishmen, Germans, Spaniards, and Italian, who could scarcely speak English."
https://books.google.com/books?id=H...QgoMAE#v=onepage&q="brooks battalion"&f=false
pp 313-327​

 

[MaryDee]

If I got (B) correct, chocolate chip, please!

Edit - You may have all the fictional chocolate chip cookies that you can fictionally eat.

Hoosier

 

[Package4]

The French Foreign Legions was founded in 1831 expressly to employ foreigners as a fighting force for France. The same idea occurred to the Confederate government in late 1864; why not employ non-U.S. citizens amongst captured Union troops to fight for the Confederacy? The original idea was to form a German-born regiment and was presented by a German officer in the rebel army. Eventually it was decided not to accept any German-born Union soldiers. Also barred were citizens of the United States, especially those native-born.

A) What was the name of the first unit of so-called "galvanized" soldiers to be formed (the name of its commander is part of this answer)?

Bonus: @hoosier may award more point if he chooses, or he may just decide to award you with fictional cookies

B) The unit was to be restricted to men of only two nationalities. What were the two permitted nationalities?

credit: @MajGenl.Meade

All told, the Confederacy recruited more than 1,600 mostly foreign-born Yankee POWs in the final six months of the war. Four provisional army units including: Brooks Battalion of Foreigners, the Confederate 1st Foreign Legion (aka Tucker's Confederate Regiment), and the 2nd Foreign Legion (aka 8th Confederate Battalion). The state of Tennessee replaced losses in at least one of its regiments from the ranks of Yankee prisoners too. The 10th Tennessee Irish Volunteers drew mostly from recent Irish immigrants who had been captured in Union uniform.
Unlike the galvanized Yankees who served almost entirely in the far-flung corners of the continent, the Confederates threw their POW recruits right into action against their former comrades.
In most cases, the volunteers had accepted southern recruitment offers mostly to escape the squalid living conditions in rebel-run POW camps. Once on the battlefield, many deserted, surrendered and in some cases mutinied.


The answer you are looking for is Tucker's Confederate 1st Foreign Legion and the two nationalities were French and Irish, but this regiment was not mustered until Feb 1865.

The first such unit was actually Brooks Battalion of Foreigners mustered in Oct 1864, of mostly German ancestry.

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS, No. 2. * Savannah, December 8, 1864. * * * * * *
III. Brooks foreign battalion is transferred from Cumming�s brigade, MeLaws� division, to Harrison�s brigade, Smith�s division. * * * * * * *
By order of Lieutenant-General Hardee: D. H. POOLE, Assistant Adjutant- General.

SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. OF S. C., GA., AND FLA., No. 38. * * Charleston, S. C., February 14, 1865.
* * * * * VII. By order of Adjutant and Inspector General, Lient Col. J. G. Tucker, commanding First Foreign Battalion, will recruit his command from the prisoners of war. He will increase each company of his regiment to 125 men. In making his selection he will take only men of Irish and French nationality. These men will be used for engineering service.
By command of Lieutenant-General Hardee: H. W. FEILDEN, Assistant Adjutant- General.


Source for Brooks Battalion, excerpt from an officer of the battalion:

the Confederate authorities conceived the idea of forming battalions from federal prisoners of war of foreign birth who would take the oath of allegiance and join our ranks. On the 16th May 1864 at Drewry's Bluff, Capt. J. H. Brooks had been wounded in three places and lost nearly all of his Co. "H", Nelson's (7th) S.C. Battalion and had been mentioned by Genl Hagood (who regarded him as one of his best officers) in his report of the battle for "Conspicuous gallantry". After his recovery from his wounds Capt. Brooks was selected to command one of the foreign battalions authorized to be raised and about the 10th October 1864 proceeded to organize the same at Summerville S.C. under the name of "Brooks' Battalion of Regulars". The Battalion was composed of men of nearly all European Nations (including an Italian who could not speak English) but the Irish and Germans predominated. A large number of men from the Northern States (some pretending to be Englishmen) escaped the vigilance of Maj. Black, of Genl. Hardee's Staff, who enlisted them and became, unfortunately, members of the command..........Vincent F. Martin
Charleston S.C.
Feby 22d 1889

 

[War Horse]

A. The first Galvanized Confederate Unit was commanded by Julius G. Tucker and know as Tuckers Confederate Infantry Regiment. Also known as 1st Foreign Battalion

B. Irish and French. The book Foreigners in the confederacy claims very few or no German prisons accepted the offer and natives of the United States entirely eschewed.

Sources:


https://books.google.com/books?id=E...risoners fighting for the confederacy&f=false


http://breckinridgegreys.org/galvanized1.html

 

[hoosier]

A. Tucker's Regiment

B. Guessing - Irish and English

 

[rhettbutler1865]

The French Foreign Legions was founded in 1831 expressly to employ foreigners as a fighting force for France. The same idea occurred to the Confederate government in late 1864; why not employ non-U.S. citizens amongst captured Union troops to fight for the Confederacy? The original idea was to form a German-born regiment and was presented by a German officer in the rebel army. Eventually it was decided not to accept any German-born Union soldiers. Also barred were citizens of the United States, especially those native-born.

A) What was the name of the first unit of so-called "galvanized" soldiers to be formed (the name of its commander is part of this answer)?

Bonus: @hoosier may award more point if he chooses, or he may just decide to award you with fictional cookies

B) The unit was to be restricted to men of only two nationalities. What were the two permitted nationalities?

credit: @MajGenl.Meade

Edit - Ami and I decided a while ago that it was unfair to credit those who submitted weekend bonus questions with only two points, since they presumably worked just as hard to prepare those questions as those who submitted questions that counted ten points. That's why all questions are now worth ten points.

For similar reasons, I wouldn't want to credit bonus points for answering part B of this question, since then I would either have to (a) give the submitter an advantage over those who submitted other questions by crediting him with ten points plus a bonus or (b) penalize the submitter by crediting him with only ten points while those who answered correctly could get more.

Those who get the correct answer to part A of this question will get 10 points. Those who get the bonus part of this question correct will get fictional cookies.

Hoosier

A) Tucker's Regiment, Confederate Infantry, aka First Foreign Battalion/First Foreign Legion. B) Irish and French.

 

[Copperhead-mi]

A. First Foreign Battalion aka Tucker's Regiment

B. Irish and French

Source: Foreigners in the Confederacy by Ella Lonn

 

[BrrrBRRRR]

Brooks Battalion

 

[sarladaise]

Tucker's Confederate Infantry Regiment
Irish and French

 

[Stony]

Brooks' Battalion, Confederate Regular Infantry-Commanded by J. H. Brooks
Recruited from prisoners held at the stockade in Florence, South Carolina, the unit was organized October 10, 1864 as "Brooks' Battalion of Foreigners," saw brief front-line service in McLaws Division until December 18, 1864, then was returned to Florence because of desertions and mutiny.
bonus-Irish and French
source-http://scdah.blogspot.com/2011/05/walking-into-department-of-archives.html
Of particular note was a compiled Roll of "Brooks' Battalion of
Foreigners". Inside were listed the officers of the Battalion and a
handwritten letter from one of them, describing the amazing story:


Genl M. L. Bonham, Jr.,
Adjt + Insp. General of So. Ca.
Sir, During the Summer, or Fall, of 1864 when the Confederate forces had been reduced almost to an army of cripples and there were no more old men or boys from whom to get recruits, and when the Federal authorities, after having arrayed against us men from nearly every race of Europe, had armed the negroes and placed them in their ranks, the Confederate authorities conceived the idea of forming battalions from federal prisoners of war of foreign birth who would take the oath of allegiance and join our ranks. On the 16th May 1864 at Drewry's Bluff, Capt. J. H. Brooks had been wounded in three places and lost nearly all of his Co. "H", Nelson's (7th) S.C. Battalion and had been mentioned by GenlHagood (who regarded him as one of his best officers) in his report of the battle for "Conspicuous gallantry". After his recovery from his wounds Capt. Brooks was selected to command one of the foreign battalions authorized to be raised and about the 10th October 1864 proceeded to organize the same at Summerville S.C. under the name of "Brooks' Battalion of Regulars". The Battalion was composed of men of nearly all European Nations (including an Italian who could not speak English) but the Irish and Germans predominated. A large number of men from the Northern States (some pretending to be Englishmen) escaped the vigilance of Maj. Black, of Genl. Hardee's Staff, who enlisted them and became, unfortunately, members of the command. During Dec. 1864 Companies A, B, C and D, were ordered to Honey Hill but arriving too late to take part in that fight, were sent to Savannah where, most injudiciously, they were placed on most important outposts.
On, or about, the night of Dec. 16th 1864 this command was stationed on one side of a Rice Field with the Federal troops on the other side, a dam on each side of the Encampment connecting the two. On each of these dams were two militia pickets and at the head of one of the dams there were two field pieces commanded by Captain Simkins. About 7¼ O'clock p.m. a Sergeant of Co. "A" called Capt. Martin into a tent and told him that there would be a mutiny at Eight O'clock p.m., that the men had received a message from Genl. Sherman threatening that they would all be killed if he captured Savannah and found them in arms. Consequently they had planned to go over to the enemy in a body and to buck and gag the officers and take them with them. If the officers resisted (which they expected them to do) they were to be killed and taken anyhow. Capt. Brooks, Capt.Minott and Lieut. Goodwin went for assistance with which to capture the men. Capt. Martin, being officer of the day and Second in Command, for an hour and a half, or more, was left in was left in command of the camp, assisted by Captains Wardlaw and Simkins. Lieut Teuten was sent away as being a useless sacrifice. The men became very insubordinate, one company "B" going so far as to buck the stacks of arms in order to commence the mutiny and desertion. By the coolness and address of the officers, however, the rising was delayed until Col. Brooks and Capt.Minott arrived with militia troops and captured the command. The ringleaders were punished in accordance with the provisions of the army regulations and the men were taken to Savannah but the former officers of the Battalion were given a Guard and put in charge of them. Through the kindness of Maj. Black, of Genl Hardee's Staff, who knew the danger to which these officers were exposed, on the night that Savannah was evacuated this Body of men was the first who crossed the pontoon bridge and the men formerly composing companies A, B, C and D, of Brooks' Battalion were taken by captains Martin and Wardlaw back to the prison at Florence.
This will explain why the names of the men are not given but as a this battalion has often been alluded to and was in active service for a short time, in the interest of truth and in justice to the officers who were only providentially prevented from meeting a most tragic end, I hope that you will place the names of the officers above mentioned and the battalion to which they belonged (to-gether with this explanatory note) amont the records of Confederate Organizations now being filed in your offices.
Respectfully,
Vincent F. Martin
Charleston S.C.
Feby 22d 1889

 

[chellers]

Based on the wording of the question, I found several that fit the bill, so I'll just pick one.

Brooks' Battalion, Confederate Regular Infantry[n 25]
Recruited from prisoners held at the stockade in Florence, South Carolina, the unit was organized October 10, 1864 as "Brooks' Battalion of Foreigners," saw brief front-line service in McLaws Division until December 18, 1864, then was returned to Florence because of desertions and mutiny.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Galvanized_Yankees&oldid=687232187