USA > Maryland > Annual report of the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland, 13th-14th, Vol. II > Part 9
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It cannot be disputed that Jews have been foremost among the foreign-born population of Virginia in advocating the secession-movement, - being interested in the "Negro trade." The largest auction-house in Richmond for the sale of slaves was owned by a Jew. Although slaves were considered a neces- sity by the planters and slave property being legitimate, the Negro-trader was looked upon with contempt, and therefore it reflected to a disadvantage on the Jews that several of them were engaged in this detested trade. However, the cheerful alacrity with which they entered the Confederate service in the hour of need, is evidence of their devotion to the southern cause. In a number of southern Jewish families all the male members able to bear arms were enrolled in the southern army. In Virginia three brothers: Leopold, Samson and Solomon Levy enlisted, and the last-named died of wounds received in battle.
Hon. Simon Wolf gives in his interesting history: "The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen," the following German- Virginian names of Jewish officers and soldiers in the Confederate army :
Adler, Henry, Company E, Ist and 14th Inf. Regmt.
Abrams, Isaac, Company Gi, 1st Inf. Regmt.
Angle, Meyer, Company D, 12th Inf. Regmt.
Angle, M., Company E, 46th Inf. Regmt.
Angle, B., Company -, 46th Inf. Regmt.
Angle, Joseph, Company E, 59th Inf. Regmt.
Adler, A., Company A, 1st Artillery.
Bear, Alexander, Lieutenant and subsequently, Surgeon Company D, 4th Infantry. Bacharach, M.
Bacarach S.
Baach, Siegmund, Longstreet's Corps.
Baach, Seligman, : do.
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Baach, Solomon HI, Longstreet's Corps.
Bernheim, Samuel, Sergt .- Major, City Battalion. Cohen, Jacob, Company B, 12th Infantry. Cohen, David, Richmond Hussars.
Cohen, M., do.
Dogen, Samuel, Company A, 19th Infantry.
Dreyfus, Leon, Company A, 10th Cavalry.
Deichs, Wm., Norfolk Blues.
Ezekiel, E. M., Company A, 1st Infantry.
Ezekiel, Joseph K., Company B, 46th Infantry. Eiseman, Louis, Wise's Brigade. Ezekiel, Jacob, 1st Militia.
Ezekiel, Moses, Lieutenant of Cadets Va. Institute. Frankenthal, Simon, Company B, 46th Infantry.
Friedenwald, Isaac, ". A, 53d יל
Friedland, A., Richmond Light Inf. Blues.
Goldstein, B., Company E, 46th Infantry.
Guggenheim, Simon, Company E, 46th Infantry. Gunst, Michael, E, 46th
Goldstein, J., (
E, 46th
Gunst, Henry,
E, - Cavalry.
Gersberg, Henry.
Hirschberg, Joseph, 66
A, 1st Infantry.
Hutzler, Siegmund L.,
A, 1st
Hexter, Simon, .
E, 1st
Hessburg, Julius,
3d
Heilbroner, Henry,
H, 27th
Hesser, S.,
E, 46th
Hirsch, Herman,
A, 1st Cavalry.
Hessburg, M.,
Isaacs, Abrh.,
E, 46th Infantry.
Kuh, E. L.,
H, 8th
Kull, M. E.,
· A, 12th
Kadden, A., A, 10th Cavalry.
Kalten, Aaron, Wise's Legion.
Lichtenstein, Isidore, Company II, 1st Infantry. Lowenstein, William, Richmond Light Infantry Blues. Levy, Lewis, Company A, 12th Infantry. Lowenstein, Isidore, “ A, 12th
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Lorsch, Henry, Company A, 19th Infantry.
Levy, Ezekiel, .
E, 46th
Levy, Isaac .J.,
E, 46th
Levy, Alexander II., "
E, 46th
Levy, Alexander, Lieutenant, Staff of General Magruder.
Levy, Joseph, Company E, 46th Infantry.
Levy, Emanuel G., E, 46th
Levy, Leopold, Levy, Solomon, 1 Levy, Sampson, . brothers. "
G, 1st Cavalry.
G, 1st
23d Infantry.
Levy, E., Captain, Richmond Light Infantry Blues.
Lichtenstein, K., 19th Reserves.
Lowenstein, I., Richmond Grays.
Literman, Simeon, Young's Battery.
Myers, Wm., Company A, 1st Infantry.
Myers, Marks,
12th
Myer, Max,
B, 12th
Middledorfer, Chas,
E, 12th
6€
Myers, A.,
- 17th
Myers, Solomon,
- 18th
Moses, J. C.,
E, 46th
Myers, C.,
E, 46th 66
Myers, Lewis, -
- 46th
Myers, Herman,
- 1st Cavalry.
Myers, Benjamin,
C, Wise's Legion.
Middledorfer, Max, Fayette Artillery.
Newman, Joseph, Company K, 20th Infantry.
Newman, Isaac, 46th
Newman, Jacob, 59th
Obermayer, H., 2nd
Oethenger, David, Company B, 18th
Oberndorfer, B., Young's Battery.
Plaut, Hugo, Sergeant on General Henry A. Wise's Staff.
Rosenberg, M., Company G, 6th Infantry.
Rosenfeld, Simon,
A, 12th ¥
Reinach, A. S.,
B, 12th
Reinach, Isidore,
B, 12th
Rosenheim, Henry,
E, 46th
Rosenberg, Michael, Norfolk Blues Infantry.
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Reinach, M., Petersburg Grays.
Seldner, Isaac, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry.
Schwartz, - , 17th Infantry.
Semon, Jacob S., Company E, 46th Infantry. Schoenthal, Joseph, Company E. 46th Infantry.
Strauss, David, 7th Cavalry.
Simon, Isaac, Richmond Ilussars.
Simon, Nathan, Richmond Hussars.
Smith, Henry, Otoy's Battery.
Seligman, II., Petersburg Grays.
Triesdorfer, G., Company B, 14th Infantry.
Tucker, - Lieutenant, Caskey's Riders.
Unstadter, M., Company A, 6th Infantry.
Whitlock, P.,
A, 12th
Wilzinsky, L., + HI, 12th
Wolf, W. M., Lieutenant 25th Infantry.
Wasseman, Levy, Company E, 46th Infantry.
Wamback, Leopold, Norfolk Blues Infantry, and several uncertain names.
The losses of the Confederate armies had to be repaired in some way and the conscription laws were now carried out with extreme rigor. The Confederate government took the police authority from the State of Virginia and appointed Gen. J. Winder " provost marshall of Virginia."
Hle originated from Baltimore, had been a Colonel in the Union army and was promoted by the Confederate govern- ment to the rank of Brigadier-General. It probably was his intention and orders to enforce the law and to guard the safety of the city, but he did so in an almost savage manner. He organized a secret police force of men, who for the most part ought rather to have been put under police control, and a detestable system of espionage and denunciation was inaugu- rated. A reign of terror began in Richmond. Arrests upon the charge of political disloyalty or secret connection with the enemy were daily occurrences. Several respectable German citizens who were known to have opposed secession-like II. L. Wiegand-were imprisoned in the ill-famed " Castle Thun- der," and frequently had to wait there several months before
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the charge against them was investigated. Armed patrols marched the streets of Richmond and arrested anyone who had no passport of Gen. Winder to show. If the prisoner could not give other satisfactory legitimation he was sent to the army.
However an Englishman, a correspondent of the " Cornhill Magazine," contrasting the rival capitals, sketched Gen. Winder rather favorably as follows?26): "Gen. Winder, the provost marshall, every sojourner in the city knows full well. Gen. Butler would rejoice in the possession of so vigilant an officer. While Washington is overrun with the intriguing and the disappointed, Richmond has ears for every whisper, and there can come no stranger to the city whose movements are not watched and his mission understood. To Gen. Winder the whole government of the city is entrusted. Offenders are marched singly before the provost ; he sits absolute and imper- turbable, erect, prompt and positive. He has small searching eyes, a beaked nose and white bristly hair, which suggests the unapproachable porcupine. He adopts a harsh voice with pris- oners of war and with his justice may blend just a little retal- iation ; for his brother has long been shut up in Fort Warren by Federal gaolers."
Not any less embarrassing was the situation of foreigners or foreign-born citizens in other cities and towns, but partic- ularly of those living isolated in the country. Bands of masked and armed men harassed foreigners and tried to compel them to leave the country.
The depot agent at Trevillians, Louisa county, Mr. Han- cock, related to the author the following incident, sounding almost like a romance :
" Some years before the war a German and his wife, rela- tives of the Rueger and Loehr families in Richmond, settled at Trevillian and opened a store. The industrious couple pros- pered and thereby they awakened the envy of several less successful neighbors. After the outbreak of hostilities they were by these persons accused to be "Abolitionists" and to
226.) "The Record," p. 42, July 16th, 1863, publ, by West & Johnston, Richmond, Va.
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have sold merchandise to negroes, thereby offending against the Virginia code. In consequence of these incitements a band of masked men on horseback, headed by one of the spiteful neighbors, approached their house in nighttime and ordered them : "to leave the country within three days or their house would be burnt." In the third following night the horsemen Reappeared to carry out their threat, but the brave wife of the German stood at the door of her dwelling armed with a gun and told them that she would shoot anyone who dared to destroy her husband's property. The disguised men hesitated . and held a short consultation, and finally they turned their backs to the house and disappeared in the darkness. The German storekeeper and his wife, in dread of further moles- tations hereafter, removed to Richmond until the reestablish- ment of peace and order. Although successful in their under- sakings in the city, they returned to Trevillians and reopened their store. Their son and the daughter of the leader of their assailants visited the same little country school, became at- tached to each other and after years they were married. At present the son of the German and the daughter of the "Ku- Klux " are a happy couple and the proprietors of a much enlarged storehouse."
In spite of distrust and sufferings the Germans, and even those who seriously regretted the separation from the Union, competed with the Anglo-Americans in the endurance of severe trials. The long war had entangled by its consequences all the different parties; all had finally but one material interest and entertained but one hope: victory and peace. Defeat appeared to every inhabitant of Virginia, suffering most of all the Confederate States and liable to undergo dreadful hardships in case of being vanquished, as identical with ruin.
This sentiment, especially felt by the descendants of the German pioneers, is closely shown in " Virginia!" a battle song, composed by Mrs. C. J. M. Jordan=""). The song closes :
. 227.) "War Songs of the South," p. 216, Richmond, Va., West & Johnston, 1868.
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" Hark, hark ! o'er mountain, vale and glen The distant thunders rattle ; The foe, the foe is at our door, Up, brothers, to the battle! He comes, - above our native hills His flaunting banners wave ;- Up, brothers, to a Victor's palm Or to a Freeman's grave.
CHORUS :
Up, noble Queen, the brave, the free, Thou'ld bow thee to none other ; God will thy shield and buckler be, Virginia, oh, my mother!"
There was now one great danger threatening the Confed- eracy. The army suffered heavy losses sustained and by ab- sentees. Already in 1862 Gen. (Stonewall) Jackson complained about the absence of officers and men from the ranks without leave224). One of his brigades reported at that time twelve hundred absentees. This state of affairs naturally began to disgust the men doing faithful service, the armies grew feeble and in a great measure disorganized.
The death of Gen. Jackson on May 10th, 1863, was also very discouraging to the soldiers as well as to all the people. The entire South was in mourning and the Germans looked upon this sad event as the foreshadow of subjugation.
"Other countries and ages," said R. L. Dabney?29), may have witnessed such a national sorrow, but the men of this generation never saw so profound and universal grief as that which throbbed in the heart of the Confederate people at the death of Jackson. Men were everywhere speculating with solemn anxiety upon the meaning of his death. They asked themselves: " has God taken the good man away from the evil to come ?"
The fall of Vicksburg and the result of the battle of Gettysburg in the beginning of July, 1863, were : fatal and
228 and 229.) "Life and Campaigns of Lieutenant General (Stonewall) Jackson," pp. 833-624 and 726-727, by R. L .. Dabney.
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considered as a reverse in the general fortunes of the contest. The news of these disasters reached Richmond on the same day and despair took the place of the hope of an early peace. Dissatisfaction, distrust, want of discipline and desertion stead- ily increased.
The author is still in possession of a diary he kept in those days, and an extract from it may find room here to illustrate the low spirit prevalent in the army.
"Near Brandy Station, Va., August 5th, 1863 .- After our victorious fight of yesterday we passed the night in readiness to march. Everyone tied the bridle of his horse to his wrist and laid down in the grass. Now we are ordered to relieve the picket line on Miller's IIill, near Brandy Station, and I remain . in command of Companies D and H, (14th Va. Cavalry). My wounded men from yesterday are doing well and are to be taker to Culpeper. Men and horses suffer for want of rations and I am almost broken down by rendering constant service. The dispositions from headquarters of our brigade frequently appear to be rash and thoughtless. Want of military know- ledge and experience cause the troops many useless exertions and hardships and create therefore much complaint. Desertion is increasing, every night the gaps in our reduced brigade are widened. Yesterday the first desertion occurred from our regiment, hitherto honorably exempted. Unfortunately even officers listen, ignoring duty and honor, to the peevish con- versation of their men about the capitulation of Vicksburg, our retreat from Maryland, our gloomy prospects, etc., and likewise to quite unconcealed provocations to desert the army. Such indifference is almost equal to sanctioning treason, and such occurrences are very alarming. It is true that the desert- ers do not join the enemy, but hide in the woods and mountains near their homes, but every one of them reduces our number and leaves a vacancy in his company which cannot be filled."
The Governor of Virginia now ordered 8,000 militia under arms for home defence and in order to relieve the regulars from guarding the prisoners. All foreigners still exempted from service were called upon to join. The Confederate goy-
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ernment also organized a Brigade of Officials and Mechanics, employed in the offices and workshops, for like purposes. The Virginian forces were placed under command of Governor Gen. W. Smith and the Confederate brigade in charge of Gen. C. Lee. The 19th Regiment of Va. Reserved Forces was chiefly composed of foreigners :
Germans (Companies II and MI), Frenchmen, Italians, etc. Very soon these forces were also ordered to the field about Richmond, but the members enjoyed the privilege of following their occupation if not on duty and to draw rations from the government magazine for their fam- ilies at government prices. This permission was the more valuable as all supplies commanded enormous prices, for in- stance : One barrel flour, $300 to $600; one dozen eggs, $10; one glass whisky $5; one cigar, $5; board per month, $450-$500; a furnished room per month, $100-$125, etc. However the above mentioned measure to strengthen the army was ruinous, it demonstrated : that the South was exhausted. One Richmond regiment of the Confederate brigade under Gen. C. Lee was called with harsh sarcasm the: "Silver Grays," the men being aged and with gray sprinkled hair. By these desperate cir- cumstances the North was much encouraged and the Union armies were at the same time heavily reinforced. The Federal Government gave the order to employ all liberated slures to work on fortifications or to be enrolled in separate regiments. In the beginning of 1864 the Northern armies numbered about 500,000 men and 65,000 negro troops, and the United States Navy was very strong. The Confederacy had only 150,000 to 200,000 soldiers left and the best part of the Southern Navy was cap- tured by Admiral Farragut on August 5th, 1864, in the Bay of Mobile. Disaster followed disaster, many important places were taken by the Union army and on November 12th Gen. Sherman commenced his famous march through Georgia to the Atlantic coast, cutting the Confederacy in two, while Gen. Grant with his mighty army of the Potomac obliged Gen. Lee to fall back upon Richmond, bravely contesting foot by foot the advance on the capital of the Confederate States. Lee defeated Grant once more at Cold Harbor, a few miles from the city, and Grant transferred his army to the south side of James river and besjeged Petersburg. Gen. Early, after an unsuc-
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cessful invasion of Maryland, was obliged to give up the Shenandoah valley to Gen. Sheridan. Sherman invaded the Carolinas and Wilmington, N. C., was captured. The Confed- crates could no longer offer effectual resistance; they were losing their strongholds one after the other, and the end of the bloody drama was drawing near. On the other side the reelection of Lincoln to the presidency of the United States and the call for 300,000 men to strengthen the Union armies, increased the confidence and determination of the North to finally over- whelm the South.
The Confederate government, impressed by the imminent danger of the situation, in March, 1865. resolved to arm the slaves, but this last hope failed. Fate outran the realization of this scheme. After several bloody battles around Peters- burg, Gen. Lee was obliged to evacuate Petersburg and Rich- mond, still hoping to be able to force his way through the lines of the Union army and to unite with Gen. Johnson in North Carolina. But the odds surrounding him were too great. Not conquered but overwhelmed, he surrendered April 9th, 1865, near Appomattox Court House with the remnant of the army of Northern Virginia, numbering only 28,355 men, and the other Confederate Generals, Johnson, Dick Taylor and Kirby Smith soon followed his example.
The evacuation of Richmond was accompanied by circum- stances that deprived many German citizens of all they owned and for the moment placed them in a desperate position ; but by diligent labor they quickly succeeded to regain prosperity and wealth.
On Sunday forenoon, April 2ud, President Davis, while attending Divine service at St. Paul's Church, received a mes- sage from Gen. Robert E. Lee, informing him : " that he could no longer hold Petersburg and Richmond." The news of the impending evacuation spread like wild fire and the streets were soon filled with fugitives. The night came, but no one rested. The militia companies received orders to maintain quiet and order, but only few members of these organizations responded. About midnight several hundred barrels of whisky and brandy
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were rolled into the streets and emptied. A number of stragglers from the Confederate army and negro-lurkers possessed them- selves of part of the intoxicating contents, and from that moment law and order were disregarded. Gen. Ewell, before leaving the city, gave order to set fire to the Confederate store- houses, and very soon the conflagration was beyond control. Everything was in confusion ; there were not sufficient means of transportation to save the endangered property. Plunderers and thieves were at work, taking advantage of the calamity, and for some time it seemed as if the whole city would be destroyed. The terror of the scene was increased by the explosions of ammunition in the Confederate magazines and the blowing up of the gunboats. But early the next morning the U. S. Gen. Gottfried Weitzel, born November 1st, 1835, at Winzlen, Rhineprovince, Germany, took possession of the doomed city and at once restored order. Energetic measures were taken by his command to subdue the conflagration and save the endangered property. Col. Benjamin S. Ewell says :
"To the credit of this officer, Gen. Weitzel, it ought to be known that when his command, consisting of two divisions, one white, the other colored troops, the latter being in front, approached the city, he changed the order of his march and put the white soldiers in front when he saw the fire, as being less likely to commit excesses, and being more skilled and ex- perienced in extinguishing fires."
Nearly all the cities and towns throughout Virginia can tell a story of sufferings ; only those occupied by the Union forces soon after the outbreak of hostilities made an exception. Alexandria230) received at the beginning of the war a large influx of Germans and a very busy time began. Musical and singing societies were organized, and although there were many adventurers and tramps among the new comers the majority was made up of able and useful men. Even a German news- paper: "Der Spassrogel," was started, but the publisher was a queer fellow and his paper enjoyed only a short existence. A social club: " Die Eintracht," was founded and it owned its
230,) "Correspondence of Dr. Julius Dienelt, Alexandria, Va,, April 3d, 1892,
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club-building, bar and restaurant. The club rooms were opened every evening and twice a week dances and stage performances took place. All branches of business prospered, in short it was a time still cherished in the memory of the few survivors. At that time too an effort was made to organize a German church, and the endeavor was supported by Rev. Butler, chaplain of the House of Representatives at Washing- ton. The intention was to have an English sermon in the forenoon and a German one in the evening, but for want of concord the project failed. However, the religious spirit was live amid the German Israelites and they erected a pretty and large synagogue on the principal street of the city. Rev. Loe- wensohn, a highly educated and noble-spirited man, was elected rabbi, and under his leadership the first German school was established in Alexandria, attended by children of every faith. Before closing this important chapter the names of some German - Virginians who occupied conspicuous Confederate offices must be mentioned.
Christoph Gustav Memminger"#1), born at Mergentheim in Wuertemberg, came to Charleston, S. C., in 1806, when a little boy. His parents died soon after and he was taken to the Orphan Asylum. His talents awakened the sympathy of Governor Bennet, who took him into his family and enabled him to study law at the University of South Carolina. In 1822 Meninger graduated and in 1825 he was admitted to the bar. He married Governor Bennet's daughter and soon became a prominent figure in political and financial circles. He was a member of the State Legislature from 1836 to 1860, and took great interest in the organization of public schools at Charles- ton. In 1860 he was appointed Treasurer of South Carolina and elected to the first Confederate Congress. In February, 1861, President Davis called on him to be Secretary of Treasury. He accepted and removed to Richmond, Va. Mr. Memminger has been severely criticized for endorsing the illimitable issues of treasury notes. Edw. A. Pollard for instance accused him of "ignorance """"), but contradicting himself says: " When
231.) "Das deutsche Element in den Ver. Staaten," von Gustav Koerner. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1880.
232.) "The Second Year of the War," by Edw, A, Pollard, p. 303 Richmond; Va,, 1863.
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gold was quoted (at the close of 1862) in New York at twenty- five per cent. premium, it was selling in Richmond at nine hundred per cent. premium. Such have been the results of the financial wisdom of the Confederacy, dictated by the Presi- dent." In June 1864 Mr. Memminger resigned this sorrowful position and after the close of the war he returned to ('harles- ton to practice there as attorney. He died on the 7th of March. 1888.
The list of members of the Confederate States Congress presents the following German-Virginian names233) :
Ch. M. Conrad, born in Winchester, Va., 2nd district of Louisiana.
C. C. Herbert, born in Winchester, Va., 2nd district of Texas. L John Goode, Liberty, Bedford Co., Va., 6th district of Virginia.
A. R. Boteler, Shepherdstown, Jefferson Co., Va., 10th dis- trict of Virginia.
Samuel A. Miller, Shenandoah Co., Va., 14th district of Virginia.
233.) "The Record," p. 241, by West & Johnston, Richmond, Va, December 10th, 1963.
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CHAPTER XIV.
THE NEW STATE, WEST VIRGINIA.
ERMANS, and especially Pennsylvania-Germans, largely participated in the settlement of the western mountain region of Virginia, now known as "West Virginia," the "Little Mountain State," or "the Daughter of the Old Dominion." Portions of West Virginia adjoining the Ohio, Potomac, Kanawha and New river show to this day many traces of an early German immigration, reinforced at the close of the last century by the numerous colonization of German prisoners of war. It has already been stated that Gen. Washington valued the Germans as desirable colonists, and donated in 1770 by the English government with 10,000 acres of land south of the Ohio, and by purchase the owner of large estates on the Kanawha and Greenbrier rivers, he intended to colonize these with German settlers. The realization of his plan was delayed by the Revolutionary War; but after its close he invited the German prisoners of war to stay in the New World, and a very large number of them accepted his favorable proposal and built their cabins in Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Nicholas, Fayette and Kanawha counties.
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