Hispanics in the American Civil War
Hispanic is an ethnic term employed to categorize any citizen or resident of the United States, of any racial background, of any country, and of any religion, who has at least one ancestor from the people of Spain or is of non-Hispanic origin, but has an ancestor from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central or South America, or some other Hispanic origin.
It was to consist of a large provisional force to exist only in time of war and a small permanent regular army.
Hispanic women also participated, such was the case of Loreta Janeta Velazquez, a Cuban woman who disguised as a male, fought and spied for the Confederacy.
The battalion participated in the pursuit of General Robert E. Lee's army and performed various routine duties in the vicinity of Richmond until July 1, 1865, when it was mustered out at Alexandria.
[4] Mustered in August 1861, the New Mexico Volunteer Infantry Regiment was the Union Unit with the most officers of Hispanic background.
B. Cassanova, 2nd Lt. Eduardo Deu, 2nd Lt. Juan Fernandez, 2nd Lt. A. Fornaris, 2nd Lt. Valentin Hamsen, 2nd Lt. Juan Parra, 2nd Lt. Antonio Mercadal, 2nd Lt. R. Martinez, 3rd Lt.[note 2] Antonio Barrera, 3rd Lt. Edward Bermudez, 3rd Lt. Jose Bernal, 3rd Lt. Candelario Caceres, 3rd Lt. C. Garcia, 3rd Lt. Bernardo Heres, 3rd Lt. Bernardo Rodriguez, 3rd Lt. Jose Salor and 3rd Lt. F.
Even though it was disbanded on April 12, 1865, many of its men joined the other Confederate forces and surrendered with General Richard Taylor, at Citronelle, Alabama, on May 4, 1865.
[6] The following Hispanic officers served with the Alabama forces: Maj. F. A. Moreno, 1st Lt. Andrew J. Pou, 2nd Lt. Jerome Eslava and 2nd Lt,.
Some Tejanos marched across the deserts of West Texas to secure the Mesilla Valley as members of Charles L. Pyron's company which were later incorporated into Gen. Henry Hopkins Sibley's Confederate Army of New Mexico and fought at the battle of Valverde.
[49] This is a unique flag flown by Maltby's company, a unit that was officially part of the 8th Texas Infantry Regiment.
In 1861, William Maltby, a journalist from Corpus Christi, raised a company of eighty men to defend Mustang Island and Aransas Pass.
The unit, composed of about two-thirds Anglo and German recruits and one-third Mexican, was tired of Union landing parties continually attacking the Texas coast.
This beautiful flag was presented to Captain William H. Maltby and his company on the steps of the old Corpus Christi City Courthouse in 1861 by Miss Mary Woessner.
The flag was constructed from two layers of light red wool cloth displaying a blue St. Andrew's cross.
In mid-1863, Confederate authorities assigned Maltby's company the unenviable task of defending a primitive earthen fortification on the northern tip of Mustang Island, known as Fort Semmes.
More than two thousand well-equipped Yankee troops, supported by a powerful fleet, attacked the one hundred hapless defenders of the fort.
One of the Union regiments, the Fifteenth Maine, captured the unusual flag flying over the fort and returned it to its home state, where it remained until 1927.
Both brothers resigned their positions upon the Cuban insurrection against Spanish rule that became known as Cuba's Ten Years' War (1868–1878).
[20] Together they joined the insurgents and Federico was named General for the District of Trinidad, Commander in Chief of the Cinco Villas.
[51] On December 18, 1871, Adolfo Fernández Cavada was killed in battle at the coffee estate "La Adelaida" near Santiago de Cuba.
[51] Captain Stephen Vincent Benet was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on June 23, 1874, and named Chief of Ordnance.
[26] Among the veterans who entered politics were Brigadier General Diego Archuleta, who was named Indian Agent by President Abraham Lincoln and later served in the Mexico Legislature.
Lieutenant Augusto Rodríguez became a firefighter in New Haven, proprietor of a cigar store, a bartender and saloon keeper.
Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Joseph H. De Castro was employed by the NY Barge Office when on May 8, 1892, he died in his home at 244 West 22nd Street.
[36] Colonel Ambrosio José Gonzales pursued a variety of vocations, all of which were marginally successful but, like many others, he never provided the security he sought for his extended family.
He returned to the United States at the request of President Ulysses S. Grant and settled in New Mexico, where he practiced medicine and wrote for medical journals.
