Role of Immigrants in the American Civil War :: American America History

Role of Immigrants in the American Civil War For minorities, as for opposite Americans, the Civil War was anopportunity to prove their valor and loyalty. Among the basic musteredinto the Union Army were a De Kalb regiment of German American clerks, theGaribakdi Guards made up of Italian Americans, a Polish Legion, andhundreds of Irish American youths form Boston and New York. But in Ohioand Washington, D.C., African American volunteers were turned away fromrecruiting stations and told, This is a white mans war. Some citizensquestioned the loyalty of immigrants who lived in crowded city tenementsuntil an Italian American from Brooklyn turned that around. In the NewYork Senate, Democrat Francis Spinola had been a vigorous antagonist ofRepublican policies and Lincoln. But now he swore his loyalty withstirring words, This is my flag, which I will follow and defend. Thisspeech gave spectacular assurance that the masses in the great cities weredevoted to the Union and read y to enlist for its defense. More than 400,000 European immigrants fought for the Union,including more(prenominal) than 170,00 Germans and more than 150,00 Irish. Many sawtheir services as a proud sacrifice. The first officer to die for theUnion was Captain Constatin Blandowski, one of many immigrants who earlierhad fought for freedom in Europe and then joined Lincolns army. Born in stop number Silesia and trained at Dresden, Germany, he was a veteran ofdemocratic struggles - a Polish revolt at Krakow, the Polish Legionsbattles against Austria, and the Hungarian fight for independence. Somenationalities contributed more than their share of Union soldiers. Some immigrants realise the Congressional Medal of Honor. ItalianAmerican officer Louis di Cesnola, was the Colonel of the 4th CavalryRegiment. At Aldie, Virginia, in 1863, he earned the Medal of Honor andwas appointed a general. He charged unarmed at the foe, read his citation,rallied his men ...until desper ately wounded and taken prisoner inaction. In 1879 Cesnola became director of New Yorks MetropolitanMuseum of Art. The museum then became, wrote a critic, a monument to hisenergy, enterprise, and rare executive skill. Italian American privates also won the Medal of Honor. JosephSova of the 8th Cavalry earned it for capturing the Confederate flag atAppomattox. Private Orlando Caruana of the 51st Infantry won it at