Italian Americans in the Civil War
Encyclopedia
Italian Americans in the Civil War are the people of Italian
descent, living in the United States, who served and fought in the American Civil War
on both the Union
and Confederate
sides.
Most of the Italians who joined the Union Army
were recruited from New York City
. The Garibaldi Guard was the name of the 39th New York Infantry
.
Between 5,000 and 10,000 Italians fought in the Civil War for both the Union and the Confederacy. Four were Union generals, including General Luigi Palma di Cesnola
, who was wounded, and who received the Medal of Honor and was later the first director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
.
commander; Francesco Spinola recruited four regiments in New York, and was soon appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
to be their general. Also, Enrico Fardella and Eduardo Ferrero, of the 51st New York Regiment, were generals in the Civil War.
General Ferrero of the 51st New York Regiment, was among the first Union officers to command black troops.
Colonel Luigi Palma di Cesnola
(July 29, 1832 – November 20, 1904), an Italian-American
soldier and amateur archaeologist
, commander of the 4th NY Cavalry, was born in Rivarolo Canavese
, near Turin
. He received the Medal of Honor
for his actions during the American Civil War
. It was awarded in 1897.
A veteran of the Crimean War
, di Cesnola established a military academy in New York City, where many young Italians were trained and later served in the Union army.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War
(in 1861), Giuseppe Garibaldi
volunteered his services to President Abraham Lincoln
. Garibaldi was offered a Major General's commission in the U. S. Army through the letter from Secretary of State William H. Seward
to H. S. Sanford, the U. S. Minister at Brussels
, July 17, 1861. On September 18, 1861, Sanford sent the following reply to Seward:
According to Italian historian Petacco, "Garibaldi was ready to accept Lincoln's 1862 offer but on one condition: that the war's objective be declared as the abolition of slavery. But at that stage Lincoln was unwilling to make such a statement lest he worsen an agricultural crisis." Although the aging Garibaldi respectfully declined Lincoln's offer, Washington D.C. recruited many of Garibaldi's former officers. On August 6, 1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation
had been issued, Garibaldi wrote to Lincoln: "Posterity will call you the great emancipator, a more enviable title than any crown could be, and greater than any merely mundane treasure."
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
descent, living in the United States, who served and fought in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
on both the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
and Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
sides.
Most of the Italians who joined the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
were recruited from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Garibaldi Guard was the name of the 39th New York Infantry
39th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 39th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the "Garibaldi Guard", was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
.
Between 5,000 and 10,000 Italians fought in the Civil War for both the Union and the Confederacy. Four were Union generals, including General Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola , an Italian-American soldier and amateur archaeologist, was born in Rivarolo Canavese, near Turin...
, who was wounded, and who received the Medal of Honor and was later the first director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
.
Generals
Italians of note who were interested in the war, and joined, and who had positions of authority, were Francesco Casale, who led the formation of an Italian Legion, and later was also involved in the forming of the Italian Garibaldi Guard; Luigi Tinelli, an international politician and industrialist, had experience as a militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
commander; Francesco Spinola recruited four regiments in New York, and was soon appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to be their general. Also, Enrico Fardella and Eduardo Ferrero, of the 51st New York Regiment, were generals in the Civil War.
General Ferrero of the 51st New York Regiment, was among the first Union officers to command black troops.
Colonel Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola , an Italian-American soldier and amateur archaeologist, was born in Rivarolo Canavese, near Turin...
(July 29, 1832 – November 20, 1904), an Italian-American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
soldier and amateur archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, commander of the 4th NY Cavalry, was born in Rivarolo Canavese
Rivarolo Canavese
Rivarolo Canavese is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 30 km north of Turin.-Main sights:...
, near Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. He received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was awarded in 1897.
A veteran of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, di Cesnola established a military academy in New York City, where many young Italians were trained and later served in the Union army.
Giuseppe Garibaldi
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(in 1861), Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
volunteered his services to President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Garibaldi was offered a Major General's commission in the U. S. Army through the letter from Secretary of State William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
to H. S. Sanford, the U. S. Minister at Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, July 17, 1861. On September 18, 1861, Sanford sent the following reply to Seward:
According to Italian historian Petacco, "Garibaldi was ready to accept Lincoln's 1862 offer but on one condition: that the war's objective be declared as the abolition of slavery. But at that stage Lincoln was unwilling to make such a statement lest he worsen an agricultural crisis." Although the aging Garibaldi respectfully declined Lincoln's offer, Washington D.C. recruited many of Garibaldi's former officers. On August 6, 1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
had been issued, Garibaldi wrote to Lincoln: "Posterity will call you the great emancipator, a more enviable title than any crown could be, and greater than any merely mundane treasure."
External links
- "Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a political, social, and military history" - Italian-Americans by David Stephen Heidler, Jeanne T. Heidler, David J. Coles - W. W. Norton & Company, 2002, Page 1050.