USA > Virginia > History of the German element in Virginia, Vol. II > Part 8
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Richmond were heard in the streets of the city. Many pre- pared to leave and there were cries of treason and disloyalty. The foreign born inhabitants and especially such that kept away from the army were objects of suspicion and all possible influence was urged to force them into service. The Germans in Richmond who were not citizens and therefore claimed ex- emption from military duty were in a difficult situation. No powerful German Empire then existed to protect and shield them, only the ".Free City of Bremen " was represented in Richmond by a Consul appointed to take care of her commer- cial interests. To this Consul, Edw. W. de Voss, all those alarmed and suspected Germans hastened to seek protection. Upon oath that they had not obtained American citizenship and paying a fee of one dollar they received a certificate worded as follows :
Consulate of the Free City of Bremen, Richmond, Va.
I, - E. W. de Voss, Consul of the free City of Bremen, declare and certify that the bearer, - has taken oath that he is a native of - -, Germany, and that he has never taken the oath of allegiance to the United States or the Con- federate States of America, or to any other foreign nation.
Given under my hand and seal of office, -
EDW. W. DE Voss, Consul.
For some time these certificates were respected by the Confederate police and military authorities, but they also in- tensified the ill-feeling towards the foreigners.
The close of the summer of 1862 found the soil of Virginia again almost cleared of the invading enemy, who had been defeated around Richmond, at Cedar mountain, at Manassas and in Kentucky. These victories and the battle of Sharps- burg or Antietam had cost great loss of life. Maryland and Kentucky failed to come to the support of the Confederate armies. Disastrous events followed then in the Southwest : the defcat of Corinth, the capture of Galveston, etc., and on the 22nd of September, 1862, President Lincoln issued his pro- clamation of the Emancipation of the Slaves. The scarcity of all supplies, the enormous prices and the depreciation of the
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Confederate currency seriously added to the calamities and disheartened the people. In fact the depreciation of the Con- federate currency did more to demoralize the South than anything else. The advance in prices was enhanced by greedy speculation. Although it was no secret that southern planters were eager to smuggle and sell cotton, sugar and tobacco to the North, the animosity of the natives accused the German Jews and foreign adventurers to speculate on the misfortunes of the South. However the truth was occasionally acknow- ledged. Edw. A. Pollard for instance says in his book224), written at the time: "Whatever diminution of spirit there may have been in the South since the commencement of the struggle it has been on the part of those pretentious classes of the wealthy, who in peace were at once the most zealous · secessionists' and the best customers of the Yankees, and who now in war are naturally the sneaks and tools of the enemy. The cotton and sugar planters of the extreme South who prior to the war were loudest for secession, were at the same time known to buy every article of their consumption in Yankee markets and to cherish an ambition of shining in the society of northern hotels. It is not surprising that many of these affected patriots have found congenial occupation in this war in planting in co-partnership with the enemy or in smuggling cotton into his lines." This criticism certainly is to some extent too severe in its general form of expression. The devotion of the southern people to their cause is too well known to be discredited, but it is equally unjust to accuse the Jews and foreigners without distinction to have been corrupt and unpatriotic. The large number of Germans who served in the southern army and dared their lives on the battle fields are strong proof against such spiteful accusation.
"In the South, during the dark and trying days of the Confederacy," says Hon. Simon Wolf, Washington city225), "the Jewish citizens of that section displayed to the full their devo- tion to the cause which they held at heart. The Jewish South-
224.) "The Second Year of the War," by Edw. A. Pollard, p. 305. Richmond, Va., 1863.
225.) "The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen," by Simon Wolf, p. 429. Philadelphia, Pa.
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erners were as zealous in their efforts as were their neighbors all about them, and however mistaken was their contention they adhered to it tenaciously. A Jew, it is said, fired the first gun against Fort Sumter, and another Jew gave the last shelter to the fleeing President and Cabinet of the fallen Con- federacy."
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, 1st and 14th Inf. Regmt. Abrams, Isaac, Company G, 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. ('ohen, 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
Friedland, A., Richmond Light Inf. Blues.
Goldstein, B., Company E, 46th Infantry.
Guggenheim, Simon, Company E, 46th Infantry. Gunst, Michael, E, 46th 66
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., 6
E, 46th
Hirsch, Herman.
A, 1st Cavalry.
Hessburg, M.,
Isaacs, Abrh.,
E, 46th Infantry.
Kuh, E. L.,
HI, 8th
Kull, M. E.,
A, 12th
Kadden, _1.,
A, 10th Cavalry.
Kalten, Aaron, Wise's Legion.
Lichtenstein, Isidore, Company H, 1st Infantry. Lowenstein, William, Richmond Light Infantry Blues. Levy, Lewis, Company A, 12th Infantry. Lowenstein, Isidore, " A, 12th
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1
Lorsch, Henry, Company A, 19th Infantry.
Levy, Ezekiel,
E, 46th
Levy, Isaac J.,
E, 46th
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Levy, Alexander H.,
E, 46th
Levy, Alexander, Lieutenant, Staff of General Magruder.
Levy, Joseph, Company E, 46th Infantry.
Levy, Emanuel G., E, 46th
Levy, Leopold,
G, 1st Cavalry.
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Levy, Solomon,
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, Ist Infantry.
Myers, Marks, 12th
Myer, Max,
B, 12th 6.
Middledorfer, Chas ,
E, 12th
Myers, A.,
66
- 18th 66
Myers, C.,
E, 46th 66
Myers, Lewis, 66
- 46th
66
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,
6.
B, 12th
Rosenheim, Henry,
E, 46th
Rosenberg, Michael, Norfolk Blues Infantry.
- 17th
Myers, Solomon,
E, 46th
Moses, J. C.,
Levy, Sampson, 66
brothers.
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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 Hussars.
Simon, Nathan, Richmond Hussars.
Smith, Henry, Otoy's Battery.
Seligman, HI., 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.,
H, 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."
ILe 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 H. 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 follows226): "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- takings 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. Jordan227). The song closes :
227.) "War Songs of the South," p. 216, Richmond, Va., West & Johnston, 1862.
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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 leave228). 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. Dabney229), 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 conie ?"
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. 633-624 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 Hill, 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 taken 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 gov-
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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 H and M), 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 slaves 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 besieged 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- erales coull 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 Lincohi 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 schenie. 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, 1855, near Appomattox Court House with the remnant of the army of Northern Virginia, numbering only 28,355 men, and the other Confederate Generals, Johnson, Diek 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 2nd, 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 Spassvogel," 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
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