JEWISH SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF 1812, AND IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
Reading edition
It is questionable whether the Jewish population of the American Union kept pace with the general increase during the time from the close of the Revolutionary struggle to the middle of the present century. Certain it is that at a comparatively developed period, in 1824, Solomon Etting estimated the Jewish population of Maryland as "at least 150," and that of the United States as "at least 6000,"[24] while another experienced publicist, Isaac Harby, estimates it, as we have seen, (note, page 12), at "not over 6000" in 1826. Up to the close of the Eighteenth Century the Jewish immigrants to this side of the Atlantic were derived almost entirely from the Sephardic stock, mainly indeed from England and Holland and their colonial dependencies, and these, from the comparative paucity of numbers at their source, could not, in the very nature of things, have been very numerous. Of the Jewish colonists of the time of the Revolution, some, who had remained loyal to the mother country, went back to England or to the West Indies after the war was over, and the number of these, though quite limited, was but little overbalanced by the new arrivals. The emigration of the German Jews remained altogether sporadic throughout the period of the Napoleonic wars, because of the almost insuperable obstacles which hindered their departure, and for a time thereafter they were content to remain at home in view of the great political concessions which they had gained from the German rulers in return for their valor and heroic sacrifices in defense of the fatherland. The increase of the Jewish population in this country was thus limited mainly to the surplus of births over deaths until some time after the close of the War of 1812. In the course of the reaction against the innovations of liberalism which ensued after 1820, the hardly-gained political rights of the German Jews were gradually curtailed or entirely withdrawn, and at this time the Jews of the German maritime cities began to emigrate to the United States in increasing numbers. It was not, however, until after the revolution of 1848 and the beginning of steam navigation on the Atlantic, that any considerable exodus took place. At the time of the Mexican War, in 1846, the Jewish population of the United States was probably not greater in proportion than that estimated for the period of the Revolutionary War. In point of fact, at the time of the second war with Great Britain, and likewise also at the date of the Mexican War, the Jewish element composed as yet only a minute fraction of the general population, and no very considerable number of Jewish names are to be looked for in the army lists of those two wars. At the same time it remains to be added that the lists here given for both the wars referred to are not at all complete, comprising for the most part only the names of such individuals as left notable evidence of their presence in the ranks.
WAR OF 1812.
Private Jacob Appel,
served in Captain Samuel Borden's Company, 4th Detachment, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Bachman and
Private Samuel Bachman,
served in Captain Peter Nungesser's Company, 2nd Regiment, Volunteer Light Infantry, Pennsylvania.
Brigadier-General Joseph Bloomfield,
in command of Military District No. 4, embracing Pennsylvania, Delaware and Western New Jersey.
[His military record is included in the list of Jewish soldiers in the American Revolutionary War].
Israel I. Cohen
was a member of Captain Nicholson's Company of Maryland Fencibles, and served in the defense of Fort McHenry.
Mendes I. Cohen,
brother of the above, volunteered for the defense of Baltimore and also served at Fort McHenry during the memorable bombardment.
Sergeant Samuel Goodman,
served in Captain George Zieber's Company, 1st Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jeremiah Shappel.
Second Lieutenant Benjamin Gratz
served in company of Pennsylvania Volunteers commanded by Captain John Swift, 1813.
Corporal Abraham Gunsenhouser,
served in Captain Jacob Wentz's Company—3d Company, 52d Regiment, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Haas
served in Captain George Dinckey's Company, 18th Section of Riflemen from Pennsylvania.
Jacob Hays, } father and son served in N. Y. commands. Benjamin Hays, }
Private Ezekiel Jacobs
served in Captain Florence Cotter's Company, 1st Detachment, 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania.
Private Henry Loeb.
served in Captain Jacob Ashey's Company, 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania.
First Lieutenant Isaac Mertz
served in Captain Middleswarth's Company, Battalion of Riflemen from Pennsylvania.
Lieutenant David Metzler
Corporal Daniel Metzler
served in Captain Nicholas Beckwith's (Fifth Battalion) Company from Pennsylvania.
Private Joseph Metzgar
served in Captain Adam Diller's Company, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania.
Ensign Samuel Meyer
served in Captain George Hess's Company of Riflemen from Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Miller
served in Captain Nickolaus Derr's Company, 101st Regiment, from Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Miller
served in Captain John Christian's Company, 2nd Regiment from Pennsylvania.
Private Abraham Mitchell
served in the Pennsylvania line.
Myer Mordecai
served among Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Private Isaac Moser
served in Captain John Christian's Company, 2nd Regiment from Pennsylvania.
Sergeant Jacob Moser
served in Captain J. Bakeoven's Company, 2nd Brigade, from Pennsylvania.
Captain Myer Moses
was commissioned from South Carolina.
Captain Mordecai Myers,
13th Pennsylvania Infantry; wounded at Chrysler's Field.
Colonel Nathan Myers
was in command of a brigade stationed near the City of New York.
Adjutant Isaac Myers
served in 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania.
Jonas Phillips
served in Captain John Linton's Company in the Battalion of Philadelphia Militia, under Colonel William Bradford, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Phillips
served in the Pennsylvania line.
Private Samuel Phillips
served in Captain Florence Cotter's Company, 1st Detachment of 1st Brigade, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Rosensteel
served in Captain John Williamson's Company, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, under Brigadier-General Richard Crooks.
David G. Seixas
served from Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in founding the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and won esteem by his philanthropy. [A sketch of his career is published elsewhere in this work.]
Private Abraham Shatz
served in Captain George Zieber's Company, 1st Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jeremiah Shappel.
Private Sigfried Solomon
served in Captain George Dinckey's Company, 18th Section of Riflemen, from Pennsylvania.
Judah Touro
enlisted as a volunteer in the American Army, under General Andrew Jackson; was severely wounded in the battle of New Orleans, January 1, 1815; rendered many services as patriot and philanthropist, as detailed elsewhere in this work.
Private Samuel Wamser and Private Michael Wolf
served in Captain George Zieber's Company, 1st Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jeremiah Shappel.
Corporal Samuel Weiss
served in Captain John M. Buckius's Company, 2nd Brigade, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Wolf
served in Captain Samuel Wilson's Company of Militia, from Buck's County, Pennsylvania.
Private Jacob Wolf
served in Captain John Christian's Company, 2nd Regiment, from Pennsylvania.
Isaac De Young
Company A, 3d New Jersey Artillery, enlisted when only a boy; wounded in the groin at Lundy's Lane in a bayonet charge.
Private Abraham Yuxsheimer
served in Captain Nickolaus Derr's Company, 101st Regiment, from Pennsylvania.
MEXICAN WAR.
Sergeant Abraham Adler,
New York Volunteers; killed in action.
Samuel Bein.
First Lieutenant Levi Benjamin, Maryland Militia, 1846.
Eugene Joseph Chimene,
served with Sam Houston, in the Texan War.
Sergeant Jacob David, New York Volunteers.
Joseph Davis, Co. D, 12th Regiment.
General David De Leon
was born in South Carolina in 1822. In the Mexican War he twice took the places of commanding officers who had been killed or disabled by wounds. He acted with such gallantry and ability as to twice receive the thanks of the United States Congress. In February, 1861, he resigned his rank as Surgeon and Major in the United States Army and was appointed first Surgeon General of the Armies of the Confederacy.
Colonel Leon Dyer,
Quartermaster-General of the State of Louisiana; subsequently held the same rank under General Winfield Scott.
Gabriel Dropsie, Co. E, 1st Pennsylvania Regiment.
Herman Ehrenberg
fought under Fannin at Goliad.
Albert Emanuel,
in Captain Kimball's Company, 2d Regiment of Texas Volunteer Cavalry.
S. Eytinge, Maryland Militia, 1846.
Marcus Flendrowitz,
wounded in action.
David Friedman.
Third Lieutenant —— Goldsmith, Maryland Militia, 1846.
James Hart, New York Volunteers.
William Hart, New York Volunteers;
lost a leg at Cherubusco.
Sergeant Marx M. Hart, New York Volunteers.
Sergeant Joseph Henriques, New York Volunteers.
Sergeant Samuel Henry, New York Volunteers.
Corporal Jacob Hirschhorn, 1st New York Volunteers.
Surgeon J. Horwitz, Maryland Militia, 1846.
Philip Horwitz.
Colonel S. M. Hyams.
Samuel Isaacs, Texas Army, 1836-1837 (Co. D, 10th Infantry.)
Edward J. Johnson
volunteered in Captain King's Company during Texas revolution; killed at Goliad, March 27, 1836.
Mark Kahn, New York Volunteers.
Davis S. Kauffman,
aide to General Douglas, wounded at the battle of Neches; was Speaker of the Texas Assembly and advocated its annexation; was member of Congress from Texas from date of annexation (1846) to his death in 1851.
Nathan Klugan.
—— Kohn, Texas Spy Company (at San Jacinto).
D. I. Kokernot,
fought at Anahuac; also at the Grass battles, 1835, and in Texan War, 1836.
Jacob Leva, New York Volunteers.
William Malloy Levi.
Surgeon-General Moses Albert Levy,
in Sam Houston's Army, in service throughout the Texas-Mexican War. Colonel Johnson's report of the capture of San Antonio, December 15, 1835, stated: "Doctors Levy and Pollard deserve my warmest praise for their unremitted attention and assiduity."
Doctor Isaac Lyons,
of Charleston, served as Surgeon-General under General Tom Green, in the Texan War of 1836.
Benjamin H. Mordecai,
served under General Fannin.
Lieutenant-Colonel Israel Moses,
promoted from Assistant Surgeon; served also in Civil War.
M. K. Moses,
served under General Fannin.
John Myers, New York Volunteers.
Philip Myers, New York Volunteers.
Sopphe Myers, New York Volunteers.
Otto Neubauer, New York Volunteers.
Henry Phillips, New York Volunteers.
George Riell, New York Volunteers.
Elias Schoenberg.
Lieutenant Henry Seeligson,
Galveston Cadets, was appointed First Lieutenant of that Company when the Mexican invasion of Galveston was threatened. In the Mexican War of 1846 he enlisted in Captain McLean's Company, and subsequently volunteered in Captain Bell's Regiment, which was ordered to join the command of General Taylor, en route for Monterey. He bore so conspicuous a part in the battle at that point that he was sent for by General Taylor and highly complimented; being offered a Lieutenancy in the 2d Dragoons. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Confederate Army, joining a Cavalry Company commanded by Captain Woodward.
Henry Siesel.
Alexander Simm, New York Volunteers.
Second Lieutenant Joseph Simpson, Maryland Militia, 1846.
Jacob C. Somers, New York Volunteers.
Assistant Surgeon Henry H. Steiner,
with rank of Captain.
Adolphus Sterne,
joined the American settlers in their early struggles against the Mexicans; took part in the Fredonian War; he was captured by the Mexicans and sentenced to be shot, but was subsequently released. He served in both lower and upper Houses of the Texas Legislature, previous to annexation.
Seligman Strauss.
Captain Michael Sztyfft,
served on the staff of General Zachary Taylor.
J. Valentine, Palmetto Regiment, South Carolina.
Sergeant Alexander B. Weinberg, New Jersey Battalion.
Henry Wiener,
fought in the battle of Buena Vista.
A. Wolf,
killed at the storming of the Alamo, in the Texan War, December, 1835.