Approximately one in four soldiers who enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War were immigrants to the United States. They came to America looking for a better life, with many escaping political strife, famine, and persecution. America was viewed as a land of opportunity, offering freedom and a place to begin a new life. Most European immigrants arrived in New York and settled in northern states, where they found greater job opportunities. Thus, when the Civil War broke out, immigrants generally enlisted in the Union Army, with far fewer enlisting in the Confederate Army. The contributions of immigrant soldiers played a pivotal role in a Union victory.
Germany and Ireland supplied most immigrant enlistees to the Union Army, though soldiers came from other countries, including Italy, Poland, China, Hungary, the Philippines, and Japan. They enlisted for various reasons, but for some, it was an opportunity to gain acceptance by showing allegiance to their newly adopted country.
James McGaffigan was born in Ireland and immigrated to New York. When President Lincoln called for volunteers in April 1861, military officials set up a recruitment office on the corner of Broadway and Walker Street in New York City. The building was adorned with Irish shamrock banners flying alongside the stars and stripes. It was the headquarters of the Irish Brigade (a group of regiments consisting of Irish volunteers). On August 7, 1861, McGaffigan, a 46-year-old husband and father of five, enlisted as a private in the NY 63rd Infantry, Company A.
In February 1862, while stationed at Camp California outside Alexandria, Virginia, McGaffigan wrote a letter home. “I was glad to hear that you and the children were in good health… tell Patrick to be a good boy till I come home again, and I will make him a present from some pretty things that I shall bring from the south for him…” Seven months later, in September 1862, the NY 63rd showed its mettle during intense fighting at Antietam. While trying to secure a sunken road, later known as The Bloody Lane, the 63rd endured appalling casualties. Nearly 60% of the regiment were killed, wounded, or missing. Among those who died that day was James McGaffigan.
Another Union Army immigrant was Gottfried Fink. Fink immigrated with his family from Wurttemberg in 1854. Their 30-day Atlantic crossing was fraught with storms and heavy seas, and the ship ahead of theirs sank, claiming 700 lives. Fink recalled that his mother made enough dry toast to last the entire voyage, and they ate some each day. After arriving in New York, the Fink family settled in Delaware County, Ohio. When war broke out, Fink enlisted in the 180th Infantry, Company G. He was 19 years old and served throughout the war until he was mustered out at Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1865. He then enlisted in the 5th U.S. Infantry and served another three years in Colorado and New Mexico. He was always proud of his service and was active in the G.A.R. until his death in 1937 at 92.
Do you have immigrant ancestors who served in the Civil War? Learn more about their service and impact on history by searching our Civil War records collection today on Fold3®.
corporal richard callender renounced allegiance to great britain and then served in the wisconsin 31st infantry. the wisconsin 31st marched under sherman in his “march to the sea” campaign which ended in savannah. this division was then called to washington d.c. to defend the capitol against southern troops. on the way north they participated in the battle of averyborough in eastern north carolina.
My ancestor Gerrit Hendrik Vennink (1819-1912) enlisted in the militia in The Netherlands at age 13 in 1831. At age 19, in 1838, he was required to register in the militie (military). He registered in the 10th Militie-kanton (Gelderland) in the 5th Department Infantry. I have his complete Netherlands military records. He left that service in 1844, and sailed from Rotterdam to America.
Records of his Civil War service show that he went by the name of Henry Vennink, although he signed his name Henri. On Sep 28, 1861, he was mustered-in at Davenport, Iowa and his name appeared on the Nov 5, 1861 muster-in roll. He served as a regimental baker until he was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing, TN) on Apr 6, 1862. I have his complete medical records, which are outlined in his biography.
Best of all, my grandmother Charlotte Marguerite Vennink (Gerrit’s granddaughter) told me war stories related by him to her. So, as a child talking to my grandmother, I got Civil War history 2nd hand as a child in the 1950’s.
His detailed biography is posted on http://www.findagrave.com
Col. Larry P. Cornwell, USAF-Ret.
Genealogist General, 2011-2014
National Society, Sons of the American Revolution
Sir, this is a wonderful family history story. You were so blessed to hear the stories from your grandmother.
I enjoyed reading your grandfather’s biography on Find-A-Grave. What a gift to hear those stories from your grandmother.
Both great grandparents were 19 when they joined the Iowa effort. They were buddies, and lasted the duration.
I am very proud to read these letters from the (now) Union Soldiers.
I have never found those in my Ancestry search but I will pass them to a relative to see if he has found any in his search. Good luck and Blessings, Nancy Hurst
My husband’s great grandfather served in Meagher’s Irish brigade. I also worked with a great grandson of Thomas Meagher. All fine people. As someone from Kentucky, I was astonished to learn about the Irish involvement in the Civil Way.
I think it was in Gangs of New York, a guy was enlisting soldiers right on the dock as they arrived. My 2nd great Grandfather John J Carey was born in 1833 in Desertserges, Knock, CO Cork. He was a resident of Brooklyn until he died in 1902. If anyone can find him in the Civil War records I will be eternally grateful!
I was surprised to find out my great-grandfather, an Irish immigrant, had enlisted with the Confederate Army. He survived the war. I don’t blame him, I’m sure it was one of the few jobs available to him.
Blame him?! He likely made his decision based on his perception and understanding of then current events, which could have influenced him to fight to protect his newfound country from the Yankee invasion.
From my dad’s family, the last branch to cross “The Pond” was a family of 9 (Father, mother & 7 children), who in 1854, sailed from western England to N.Y. Thankfully all 9 of the Tidswells remained healthy & survived the trip. By 1861 the family had a farm in Missouri, a few miles west of St. Louis. My ancestor who was an older son enlisted in the Union Army in 1861. Documentation was passed down to my father stating that while all the men were away, some Confederates marched into the area onto the Tidswell’s farm. The mother told her daughter to hide in a secret spot below a set of stairs. The daughter did, and after the soldiers came into their home, raped the mother. The daughter later wrote she listened to her mother’s screams while she hid. (Mind you, Missouri was a “Boarder State” with troops from both armies, neighbor against neighbor, brothers against each other due to differences of opinions.) I have documentation on several of my ancestors, some of which fought for The Confederacy. The woman who was raped was my GGGG-Grandmother. Her son who is my direct ancestor was assigned to be an assistant to a General. He had what I would call a cushy assignment as he never saw battle & as far as I know never left MO. The family stayed in MO. although moved to Independence, MO., the last name at some point was changed to Tidwell, and my ancestor went on to be a highly respected, educated man who in 1910 was buried in a historic cemetery in Independence.
My great grandfather was a Canadian immigrant who enlisted with the Union army out of RI. Thanks to Ancestry and Folds3 I was able to find his documents in the Civil War Pension Index.
Please read the history on Michael Wiedrich’s Wiedrich’s Battery. His all German artillery Italian played a major role in the battle of Gettysburg, and there is a monument to their honor in saving the high ground of battle. They ran out of ammunition and fought hand to hand with the Louisiana tigers and drove them off. These were men who fought freedom and democracy, and had fought in their old country for such and now we’re fighting for their new country that they had so much hope for. :
https://buffalonews.com/news/local/heroes-from-home-led-by-buffalo-captain-wiedrichs-battery-helped-turn-tide-of-war/article_54d77ce0-34c7-5fc9-93c6-7a7e06047224.html
My great great great grandfather, Heinrich (Henry) Wittenberg immigrated from Hamburg, Germany in 1849 and settled in Ripley Co., Indiana along with his new wife. When war broke out, at age 41, he volunteered for the 83rd Indiana Infantry Reg. He was in the movements towards and the siege of Vicksburg. A few weeks after the surrender, he died from disease there and most likely is one of the many unknowns buried at the Vicksburg National Cemetary.
I’ve been trying to find a list of Swedish and Finnish immigrant soldiers. Any direction would be appreciated.
We’ve never verified the family legend that our Italian-born great-great grandfather served in an Italian speaking Louisiana regiment of the Confederate army. Sounds far-fetched, but there were Italians in New Orleans and in several rural regions before the war. If true, I doubt he had much choice.
Andrew, check out muster rolls of Minnesota, Wisconsin and other places they may have been living.
Millions of immigrants came -in the decade before the war. While most remained in the New York and Philadelphia area, by 1861, they were spread out throughout the states. So, though the large majority fought for the North, there were immigrants fighting for both sides during the war.. My great grandfather, Jakob Treuthart , immigrated from Switzerland around 1850, and was in Ohio at the start of the war. He enlisted in the Union Army( I had three other great grandfathers in the war, one a Confederate). An interesting example of how the immigrants spread comes from a group of prison guards at Fort Delaware called Ahl’s Independent Heavy Artillery. Captain George W. Ahl had a unit of about 200 men. At least 150 of them were Confederate prisoners who signed the oath of allegiance prior to becoming prison guards, with the duty of guarding their former comrades! Nearly all of the ex Confederates, known as “galvanized Yankees “, were immigrant’s, and they had served in over 70 companies, representing every Confederate state. The bulk of the immigrant Confederates turned Yankees had been captured in the Battle of Champion Hill, east of Vicksburg, in May of 1863. They were routed through Irving Block prison in Memphis, to Camp Morton in Indianapolis, then clear across country to Fort Delaware. Disillusioned, perhaps, some of the 4,000 or so prisoners signed the oath of allegiance.
My great-grandfather Nicholas Blank immigrated from Bolligen, Bern Kanton, Switzerland, in 1863. He served in Company G, 1st Regiment, of the Delaware Infantry as a substitute for Levern (?) W. Smith, enlisting on November 14, 1864. His company took part in the Appomattox Campaign and was present at Petersburg. He was injured there. After the War, he moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he married and fathered 3 children. He became a citizen on August 10, 1880, in Chester County. After his wife and oldest son died, he and his two younger children moved to Kingman County, Kansas, where he died in 1913. Three of his younger brothers immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1870. My grandfather was his youngest child Harry N. Blank.
Patrick Cleburne was born in Ireland and served in the British Army before immigrating to the United States and settling in Arkansas. He joined an Arkansas military unit, then the Confederate Army and rose to division commanding major general. He was smart, determined and very brave, but served under mostly incompetent superiors participating in unsuccessful campaigns. Was killed Nov. 30, 1864 on the front line at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.
One of my g-grandfathers, Marquis de Lafayette (Pal) Price (1840-1923) served under Gen. Cleburne in the 17th Texas Cavalry (dismounted). In the late summer of 1863, Cleburne created a sharpshooter unit composed of around 50 troops. Pal won a regimental shooting contest related to this and became a member. Cleburne’s strategy was that these sharpshooters would always be out front of any move … attack, retreat, or just a maneuver. Pal saw an incredible amount of combat for about 18 months and miraculously survived.
My great-grandmother’s uncle, Dietrich Leubben, an immigrant from Oldenburg, was killed in Franklin, TN in 1864. He, and many other immigrants, paid the price of freedom.
One of the things that I find fascinating about immigration during wartime is distinctly non-military: the introduction of new foods to the troops. I’ve read many a letter that mentioned new food, strange-but-good food, strange-but-bad food, etc. And soldiers from far and wide then took this knowledge and these opinions back home with them after the war.
My Belgian gggrandfather served in the Union army. He was captured after Chickamauga, taken first to Libbey Prison…then to Andersonville, where he died of starvation-related disease in August of 1864.
The United States was built upon a foundation of Jesus Christ by Protestant Christians from England beginning at Jamestowne in 1607. The Catholic Spanish and Catholic French had a 115 years headstart, but the Protestants prevailed with their victory in the American Revolution. I have read where only 1% of the population in America was Catholic during the Revolution. The population of the North exploded prior to the Civil War due to unbridled immigration. The South had provided near 85% of the Presidency years and seats in the House of Representatives from Washington to Lincoln based on the population leverage provided for in the Constitution of 3/5ths of a person for each slave when determining apportionment. It was a population race, based on race, that grew the population of the North to 21.5 million vs 5.5 million whites in the South. 800,000 slaves were owned in the Northern states of NJ, DE, MD, WV, KY, TN, and MO in 1860 as per the Slave Schedules of 1860 while 3,000,000 slaves were owned in the Southern states. We know there were many immigrants who filled the ranks of Lincoln’s army. We know the potato famine brought millions of Irish immigrants across the Atlantic Ocean to America. My question is this, “What percentage of Union Soldiers were Protestant Christians?” My other question is, “Why hasn’t FOLD3.com digitized and made available all the Union Soldier muster rolls?”
Why should we care?
Why should we care? About your first question, that is. Why is this important?
Jeremiah Cotter, born 1839 Shull, Cork, Ireland. Arrived New York 1857. Was living in Memphis, TN when the war broke out. Went to Cincinnati, Ohio and enlisted in Battery D 2nd United States Artillery. Died 1914 in Washington D.C. and is buried at the Soldiers Home there.
My great-great Grandfather and his siblings (all less than 10 years old) had come to the US from Sweden in 1847. By 1851 their father had died. Their mother gathered them together on an Iowa homestead in 1855. Six years later, my ancestor and two of his siblings were serving in the Iowa 4th Infantry.
The 10th Tennessee Infantry was a Confederate unit consisting of Irish immigrants primarily from Illinois. The history of this unusual unit is the subject of a regimental history by EdcGleeson, “Rebel Sons of Erin.”
My 3rd great grandfather – John Goodwin – immigrated to OH from Tyrone County Ireland sometime in the 1820-30’s. At age 50 he enlisted in August 1861 in the OH Volunteers. He was an ambulance driver and was thrown from a wagon in Alabama in June of 1862 and was disability discharged in March of 1863 but re-enlisted in June of 1863 and served in Company A 18th infantry as Heavy Artillery soldier. He finished his duty as the rank of Corporal to be discharged in July of 1865. Not bad for an illiterate Irishman, old, by any standards, but especially during that period of our country.
My third great-grandfather, John Fishbourne, was born in Folkstone in Kent in 1812.Arrivimg in the U.S. sometime before 1834, he enlisted in the Navy. He was lost at sea in 1846, when the survey vessel he served aboard sank in a storm off North Carolina.
His son Joseph served in the 165th Infantry, a Pennsylvania regiment, from 1862 until the end of the war. He was wounded in Louisiana and officially mustered out as a corporal in April of 1865.
My mother’s father, my Dad and I all served in the Navy.
I have many Civil War veterans in my family. In fact more in the Civil War than almost any other war (family members have served in every war from the Revolutionary War forward).
My great grandfather Frederick Zhe who fought in the West.
His uncle Nicholas Zhe who fought in the East.
My great uncle Christian Jackson who immigrated from Norway in 1863, enlisted the same year and died in 1864 of disease. He served primarily along the Mississippi.
My great-great grandfather Francis Dighton who served in the Wisconsin volunteers from 1864 to the end of the war including at Appomattox.
I have letters from Francis to his wife and children from the CW. I treasure those letters.
My great great grandfather was John Peters fought in the 4th cavalry Illinois. Wounded 3 times he returned home to become a well off farmer in Illinois. He was an immigrant from Prussia
James O’Donnell, my great-great-grandfather, came to the US (from Co. Galway, I think) in the late 1850s or early 1860s to get settled so he could send back to Ireland for his wife, Elizabeth (nee Ryan) and their first and only child John J, born in 1857. Family history states that he became a member of the Union Army and was killed before the war ended. We have no solid information about where or how he died. I did some research on line and found quite a few Irish immigrants named James O’Donnell who died during the war and were around his age, which made the whole search process unfruitful and discouraging.
As far as we know, James’ widow Elizabeth never came to America, but their son John did make the trip. After getting married in Ireland, He and his wife Rose resided mostly in Brooklyn. They had three children, but sadly, only of the three (my grandmother Elizabeth) lived past the age of thirty.
My great great grandfather applied for citizenship 24Mar1859. Enrolled in Company E 106th Ohio [German speaking] 22Apr 1862. Served 3 years. Discharged 29Jun 1865. Citizenship granted 9Oct 1865 after renouncing fidelity to the King of Wurttemberg. We have photo copies of citizenship paper, discharge paper & passport from 1857.
My great grandfather Sgt. Ignacio Zamora served in the Civil War with the Union in 1964-1965. He was born in 1835 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas Mexico and died in 1917. He was recruited in Brownsville, Texas by the Union Army for 3 years according to his contract. He died in 1917 in a clinic for veterans in Sam Fordyce, Texas. while seeking medical attention due to pneumonia. The clinic was being used during WWI by the military patrolling the southern border from Browsville, Texas to Rio Grande City’s Fort Ringgold. He served for 22 months because the war ended. He was a descendant of the first Spanish Pioneers of Reynosa’s first settlers of 1749. It was New Spain at the time but became Texas in 1836. All the southern border meant no difference to them.
My maternal Great Grandfather John Davis was born in Meonstoke Hampshire UK on 23/11/1839 in to a poor family and as a young lad ran away to sea on merchant ships. In 1861 he was destitute and penniless in New York. The US Civil War has started and he joined the Union Navy serving on several ships and involved in much conflict. On 11/11/1864 whilst on the USS Tulip, the ship was on the Potomac and was ordered back to Washington Naval Yard to fix a faulty boiler. The Captain fearing attack by Confederate forces ordered the Chief engineer to fire up the faulty boiler which resulted in a massive explosion killing 49 of the 57 crew. There is a monument to the crew of the Tulip in St. Inigoes, Maryland which is the smallest federal cemetery in the US. John Davis survived and resigned his commission as Ensign, having taken US citizenship, at the conclusion of the war. He returned to merchant ships but in 1874 found work in London.He often reflected on his life and in1875 attended an evangelist meeting held by Dwight Moody which changed his life. He became a Christian and found work as a London City Missionary in the slums of dockland, in and around Bermondsey. Visiting workhouses and other veterans of the Civil War he formed The London Branch of American Civil War Veterans and was member No. 1 and first Secretary of this organisation. He worked tirelessly on getting pensions for the veterans from the US Government which changed the course of life for many of these men. He was also Superintendent of the local Ragged School and held Church services in a tunnel under the railway which he packed with people to hear his sermons. He served in this capacity for 37 years before retirement and died on 17/01/1917. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Nunhead, London Cemetery and on 23/07/2016 in collaboration with the US Veterans Association and other interested parties we held a re dedication service to unveil a headstone supplied and shipped from the Veterans Association. It was attended by relatives, guests including Eugene Mortorff, the C in C of the SUVCW, the Naval attache from the US Embassy, Dep. Mayor of Southwark. Also on that day we received a charter from the SUVCW for the Ensign John Davis Camp #10, the first Camp permitted outside of the U.S. John Davis had a biography published in 1899 titled ‘ A Marvel of Mercy the Life Story of John Davis American Naval Officer & London City Missionary’. I’m
very happy that I have the family copy of this book and various medals and artefacts of John Davis.
I am a volunteer at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. There rests a portion of the CSS Chattahoochee a gunboat that patrolled the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Apalachicola river system to defend against attack by Yankees at Apalachicola. I have been working in a project for the museum. I am researching and creating biographies for the men that served with at ship which now includes 40 officers and more than 300 crewmen. Among those crewmen are many immigrants. I have evidence of men from England, France, Germany, Ireland ,Italy, Scotland, Sweden and other locations. Most of those that were immigrants settled in Florida especially the coastal areas and many were mariners thus in demand by the Confederate States Navy.
For those that can’t find their ancestor in the official records, mine fell into this catagory. He was enlisted as he came off the boat from Ireland. BUT, he was paid to take someone else’s place, and all his service records were under that name. It wasn’t until he filed for disability that the enlistment name came to light. It turned into a geneologist’s treasure trove. He had to prove what ship he arrived on and when, get affidavits from all the family members and fellow soldiers, etc. He also had medical exams galore. The file that arrived was almost an inch thick. That enlistment bonus was a gift to his family, who came with very little to start a new life.
My great-great-grandfather, Ernst Muenster, came to the U.S. from Schleswig-Holstein as a child in 1848. He enlisted in the 18th Wisconsin infantry at the start of the Civil War. Shiloh was his first battle. He was also at the Siege of Vicksburg. He mustered out after the war ended, and returned to Wisconsin where he stayed for the rest of his life. I’m proud to call him my ancestor.
I have distant relatives who served in the Union Army in the Civil War. Their surname was McArdle and were Irish immigrants. They settled in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. I would very much like to find out more about them.