In 1860 ethnic Germans in the United States numbered about 1.3 million, the large majority of whom lived in Northern urban areas, and many thousands of whom were recent immigrants. The substantial and visible participation of German Americans in the Civil War helped to unite the German-speaking communities in many cities and contributed substantially to the preservation of the German identity in America.
Perhaps the largest impetus in the formation of allGerman military units in the Union was the persuasion of ethnic political leaders, although language, social ties, community spirit, and location surely contributed. Immigrants who were not actually from Germany but who spoke German or Germanic languages (such as Swiss, Austrians, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs) had similar experiences or participated in the larger “German” context. German-American sports clubs, or Turnvereine, were particularly active in the formation of ethnic German units. “Turners,” as members were called, were well geared for the task; they were men of youthful vigor, used to physical training, organized, and involved. Some all-German units were composed solely of Turners.
The vast majority (85 percent) of ethnic Germans who served the Union cause fought in nonethnic units under American officers. However, at least 145 units were either all German or nearly so. They were formed mostly in Northern American cities, namely New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis. Of the approximately 200,000 Germans who participated in the Civil War for the Union, about 5,000 were known as “48ers.” These men had fought for German unification and democracy in Europe during insurrections of 1848-49. Several 48ers rose through the ranks of the Union army and led all-German regiments. Friedrich Hecker led the 24th and 82nd Illinois Infantries, raised in Chicago. August Willich commanded the 32nd Indiana, possibly the most distinguished German unit. Franz Sigel led the Third Missouri Infantry and
Eventually rose to the rank of brigadier general. He was a hero to the ethnic Germans, who often sang, “I fights mit Sigel.” Peter Osterhaus’s 12th Infantry, perhaps the most distinguished of the 18 German units of Missouri, included Henry Kircher, who left LETTERS written in German and English revealing daily life in a German unit.
Although Germans were the second-largest ethnic group in the Confederacy, behind the Irish, there were no all-German Confederate units. However, many units, especially from New Orleans, Charleston, Richmond, and Memphis, contained large numbers of Germans.
The ethnic German units of the Union received both criticism and praise. At Chancellorsville, two-thirds of the XI Corps were German or “mixed nationality” regiments and, when routed, they were tagged the “Flying Dutchmen,” non-Germans included. The New York Times credited German soldiers from preventing a total rout at the Second Battle of Bull Run by remaining to fight amidst a chaotic retreat, and William T. Sherman singled out the 32nd Indiana at the Battle Of Shiloh for its valiant efforts.
See also immigration.
Further reading: William L. Burton, Mel-ting Pot Soldiers: The Union’s Ethnic Regiments (New York: Fordham University Press, 1988).
—Richard J. Roder
World History
