German Americans in the American Civil War

• 1. Demographic Scale And Origins

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  More than 200,000 native-born Germans served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Another 250,000 first-generation German-Americans also joined the fight for the North. This group formed the largest ethnic contingent to support the Union cause. Approximately 516,000 Union soldiers were immigrants, representing 23.4% of all Union troops. About 216,000 of these immigrants came directly from Germany. New York supplied the highest number with 36,000 native-born Germans. Wisconsin followed closely behind with 30,000 men. Ohio contributed another 20,000 soldiers to the Union ranks. These numbers reflect a massive mobilization of German communities across key states. The scale of their participation shaped the demographic landscape of the war.

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• 2. Ethnic Regiments And Recruitment

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  Scores of individual regiments consisted entirely of German Americans. The 52nd New York and the 9th Ohio were among these all-German units. The 74th Pennsylvania and the 32nd Indiana also bore this distinction. The 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 9th Wisconsin completed the list of major formations. Major recruiting efforts targeted cities like Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Milwaukee. These campaigns aimed specifically at German-American populations to boost enlistment numbers. Commonly referred to as Dutchmen by other Union soldiers, these units earned a reputation for discipline. Some members had previously served in European armies before crossing the Atlantic. They brought valuable military experience to the Union Army. Their presence transformed local recruitment drives into organized ethnic battalions.

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• 3. German Commanders And Leadership

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  Major General Franz Sigel was the highest ranking German-American officer in the Union Army. He was a native German who commanded many troops during the conflict. President Abraham Lincoln appointed him politically to win votes from the German population. Sigel's immense popularity encouraged many Germans to enlist under his command. He belonged to the Forty-Eighters movement of revolutionaries from German states. Other prominent officers included Maj. Gen. Carl Schurz and Brig. Gen. August Willich. Louis Blenker, Max Weber, and Alexander Schimmelfennig also rose through the ranks. The Turners provided bodyguards at Lincoln's inauguration on the 4th of March 1861. They guarded the president again at his funeral in April 1865. Hundreds of German-born officers led regiments throughout the war. Col. Gustav Tafel and Col. Paul A. Frank were among them. Capt. Hubert Dilger trained at the Karlsruhe Military Academy and became one of the best artillerists.

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• 4. Medal Of Honor Recipients

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  Among those German immigrants who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the war include Pvt. Frederick Alber. Cpl. William J. Archinal and Pvt. Frederick Ballen also earned this distinction. Pvt. Charles Bieger and Sgt. Richard Binder were recognized for their actions. Cpl. Charles Blucher and Pvt. August F. Bronner served with great courage. Sgt. Maj. Abraham Cohn and Cpt. Hubert Dilger were honored for their service. Musician Richard Enderlin and Pvt. Frank E. Fesq contributed to the effort. Civilian Martin Freeman and 1Sgt. Frederick Füger displayed exceptional bravery. Cpt. M. R. William Grebe and Cpl. Ignatz Gresser were decorated for their deeds. Pvt. George Grueb and Sgt. Henry A. Hammel fought with determination. Cpl. Heinrich Hoffman and Cpl. Luther Kaltenbach were awarded medals for their actions. Pvt. Peter Kappesser and Cpl. August Kauss served with honor. Pvt. Henry Klein and Pvt. J. C. Julius Langbein were recognized for their service. Sgt. Andrew Miller and Pvt. John Miller were among the recipients. Sgt. Conrad Noll and Pvt. David Orbansky demonstrated great valor. Chief Bugler Ferdinand F. Rohm and Sgt. Valentine Rossbach were honored. Pvt. John Schiller and 1Sgt. Conrad Schmidt received recognition. 1Lt. Theodore Schwan and Sgt. Martin Schwenk were decorated. Cpl. Charles Shambaugh and Chief Quartermaster Robert Sommers were awarded. Seaman Henry Thielberg and Sgt. Ernst Torgler were honored. Sgt. George Uhrl and Pvt. Martin Wambsgan were recognized. 1Lt. William Westerhold was among those who earned the Medal of Honor.

• 5. Confederate Service And Resistance

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  Only one German-born soldier reached general officer rank in the Confederate Army. General John A. Wagener of South Carolina held this distinction. Colonel Adolphus Heiman commanded the 10th Tennessee Infantry and later a brigade. Colonel Augustus Buchel led the 1st Texas Cavalry as a native of Hesse. Lt. Col. Heros von Borcke served on the staff of Maj. Gen. Jeb Stuart. Von Borcke slipped through the Union blockade into Charleston Harbor. He became one of Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's closest confidants. In 1866, he returned to Prussia to fight in the Austro-Prussian War. German immigrant Simon Baruch served three years as a Confederate army surgeon. His son became famous Presidential advisor Bernard Baruch. Most German born residents of the Confederacy lived in Louisiana and Texas. Many others were third- and fourth-generation Germans whose ancestors migrated to Virginia and the Carolinas in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Several thousand also fought for the Confederacy despite their numbers being much smaller than Union forces.

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• 6. The Camp Jackson Affair

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  In neutral Missouri on the 9th of May 1861, Union Capt. Nathaniel Lyon engaged in a covert operation. Disguised as a woman, Captain Lyon scoured Camp Jackson searching for evidence of any secessionist threat. Lyon and his agents discovered falsely labeled crates containing siege guns sent by Confederate President Jefferson Davis himself. On the 10th of May 1861, Lyon marched pro-southern Missouri militia prisoners-of-war through St. Louis streets. The men had been captured by a large force composed mostly of German volunteers during an unsuccessful attempt to seize the Federal arsenal. The prisoners were guarded by two lines of German-American Union soldiers unpopular with many native-born Missourians. Tensions quickly mounted as civilians hurled fruit, rocks, paving stones, and insults at Lyon's Germans. Shots rang out killing three militiamen. The soldiers fired into the nearby crowd injuring or killing numerous civilians. Angry mobs rioted throughout the city burning buildings for the next two days. At least seven more civilians were shot by Federal troops patrolling the streets. The final death toll reached 28 people.

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