The following account is related by Capt. William H. Parker, CSN, who had charge of the Confederate treasury in gold, silver and bullion, estimated at about $500,000, as it was transported southward in 1865. The term “Dutchman” was derived from “Deutsch,” or German, which was the language and nativity of many of the North’s soldiers – estimated at 25% by 1864. Secretary of War John C. Breckinridge and Treasury Secretary Judah. P. Benjamin were the only Confederate cabinet members not captured.
More @ Circa 1865
German soldiers in Lincoln's army.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cognative dissonance of these Germans, refugees from oppression. In lesser number, there were a bunch of refugees from the Hapsburg empire who joined Lincoln's army. What were they thinking ? In 1848 they revolted against a government that considered itself invialable and eternal; a government that ruled over them by decrees; a government that took a large portion of their earnings to pay for its own escapades.
They come to the new world, the land of freedom, the land of limited government, and join the army of a government that was very similar in attitude to the government of the Hapsburg empire.
Someone, somewhere made the observation that a good portion of people would sooner die than sit down for five minutes and consider the situation, think it over what they are fighting for.
Someone, somewhere made the observation that a good portion of people would sooner die than sit down for five minutes and consider the situation, think it over what they are fighting for.
DeleteSad.