Four identified soldiers from the Netherlands (Holland) who served at Gettysburg (July 1863):
USA:
- Private Nicholas Hoyks, Company C, 82nd New York, born in Holland, killed on July 2. The 82nd was worsted just north of the Codori buildings on the Emmitsburg Road by the 3rd and 48th Georgia of Ambrose Wright's brigade. Hoyks enlisted on June 17, 1861 at New York City, listing his occupation as a butcher.
- Private Daniel Schout, Company F, 108th New York, born in Holland on February 6, 1841 and came to the U.S. in 1857. He enlisted on August 8, 1862 and was badly wounded on July 3 at Gettysburg (his regiment supported Woodruff's Battery I, 1st U.S. Artillery in Ziegler's Grove). He was discharged in Baltimore on June 10, 1865, for disability.
CSA:
- Private Jacob R. Polack (also spelled Polak), 1st Virginia Infantry, born in Holland and educated at the University of Leyden. He was 23 years old and working as a clerk in Richmond when he enlisted on April 21, 1861. He was promoted to Color Bearer in June 1862 and was wounded at 2nd Manassas that August. Apparently he was reduced to the ranks prior to Gettysburg, where he received an arm wound while attempting to carry the colors of the regiment after the bearer and guard were shot down during Pickett's charge on July 3. Perhaps for such demonstrated gallantry he was promoted to the prestigious position of Sergeant Major of the regiment on September 9, 1863. Discharged on August 1, 1864, he resided in Atlanta after the war.
- Private John H. Walters was born near Amsterdam on January 12, 1835. He came to America as a young man and first lived in Albany, New York, working for a time in an office of the New York State legislature. He then moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where he was impressed with the kindness of the people, and became a bookbinder. When war came, he joined the Norfolk Artillery Blues, which became known as Capt. Grandy's battery. Walters' diary forms the basis of a fine book edited by Ken Wiley called Norfolk Blues: The Civil War Diary of the Norfolk Light Artillery Blues (Shippensburg, PA: Burd Street Press, 1997). During the war, communications were cut off with Norfolk, so that on March 23, 1863 Walters received a letter from home dated July 12, 1862 - over eight months later. On September 14, 1864 he received a letter from Holland, dated June 4 of that year, which "only" took three months and 10 days to arrive. At Gettysburg, Grandy's battery was posted on Seminary Ridge near David McMillan's residence, but Walters' howitzer section was not engaged during the battle.
By the way, the Norfolk Artillery Blues have a long and distinguished history. They were formed as a militia unit in 1829. Following the Civil War they were reestablished (1877) and are still in existence to this day, having fought in World War I, World War II (with the 29th Division on D-Day), and more recently in Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery Regiment, Virginia National Guard.