Many Immigrants, Few Southerners

[Diane Merkel]

From a website visitor:

I am surprised to notice that many foreigners (a few German, English, French and so many Irishmen) fought at Little Big Horn. Does it have anything to do with the big Irish-immigration during the period portrayed in the movie "Gangs of New York" when, as the movie shows, people were enrolled as soon as they set foot in America in order to become American faster? Any other reason? I noticed also that very few cavalrymen were from the southern states.

[El Crab]

I would think a lot of the reason why there weren't very many southerners was the Civil War. Those who fought for or supported the Confederacy unwillingly rejoined the United States. I'm sure the prospect of serving in the Army, even 11 years later, was not very enticing to them.

What's ironic about the Germans, some of them may have left to avoid mandatory service in Germany, yet they eventually found themselves serving in the US Army. I guess when its a choice...

The Army would have been a good way to learn English, get paid and not have to pay for food or housing or clothing. A good first job if you just came to the US and have so little.

[bigpond]

I would also suggest that many used the army as a stepping stone to get to wherever they wanted to go.
Some of these guys also had very dodgy pastlife's and where wanted men,maybe the army in the west was akin to the French Foreign.
West,CSS why didn't you enlist

[Diane Merkel]

I think West and CSS have left us since I put CSS into Time Out last week!

[crzhrs]

I doubt we have seen the last of CSS & West . . . kinda quite hear lately, though. Nothing wrong with a little agitation every now and then.

[Diane Merkel]

Be careful what you wish for!

[fred]

Diane--

Here's your "Southerners" breakdown for the men at the battle:

Kentucky 15 (2.6%)
Virginia 6 (1.0%)
West Virginia 2 (0.3%)
Georgia 2 (0.3%)
North Carolina 2 (0.3%)
Louisiana 2 (0.3%)
Tennessee 2 (0.3%)
South Carolina 1 (0.2%)
Texas 1 (0.2%)

And if memory serves me correctly, Kentucky didn't even secede.

As for Prussia/Germany & the British Empire:
1. Ireland 96 (16.8%)
2. Prussia/ Germany 76 (13.2%)
3. England 27 (4.6%)
4. Canada 11 (1.9%)
5. Scotland 7 (1.2%)
12. Wales 1 (0.2%) (Probably spoke English as well.)
12. Australia 1 (0.2%)

What was the deal w/ CSS? I miss those guys. We need a little spice, a little controversy without going over the line. They straddled it beautifully. I wonder if they're the same guy or roommates. Maybe they're... Nah!

Best wishes,
Fred.

[Diane Merkel]

Thanks for the stats, Fred.

I warned CSS, he didn't heed the warning, so I put him into "Time Out" (banned him from posting for three days). He hasn't reappeared, and West, his defender, also vanished.

In my opinion, CSS did take it over the line. He is probably the reason you haven't seen twomoons and some others around here lately. I don't miss CSS at all. I like the peace.

[fred]

Diane--

Well, truth be known, I miss them all & I think you are right about Twomoons. I have some sympathy, however, for our Swiss buddies. Take a look at the latest fiasco involving European governments, the business about the cartoons in the Danish newspapers. It all ties in; when does it stop? I have my own opinions-- which I cannot get into here-- but I'm a big believer in freedom of the press.

Best wishes,
Fred.

[Diane Merkel]

I am, too, Fred. I didn't take the action lightly, but CSS displayed something worse than censorship: intolerance for the views of others with a nasty attitude. I don't sympathize with that sort of behavior because that's exactly what's going on in the world now: intolerance. The Swiss are supposed to be neutral, peaceful people. I think CSS skipped school that day!

I wrote to twomoons but never heard back.

[fred]

Diane--

I was a bit non-plussed when I read your last comment. Believe me when I tell you I never meant "freedom of the press" referring to these pages or what you did w/ CSS. "Freedom of the press" is strictly that & has nothing whatsoever to do w/ these pages. This is a whole different forum. Sensitivities & feelings do[/b] need to be taken into consideration here; newspapers & news programs are different altogether. Besides, this is your[/b] arena, your ballpark, so to speak. We're playing w/ your[/b] bat, ball, & glove.

I like & appreciate the way you control it, so please, there was no criticism from me on what you did. When I have something to say, there will be no obtuse allusions; I think you know that of me by now. Also, I remember "George." That whole incident was just a waste of time, so I'm sure CSS must have crossed the line.

See ya, kiddo.

Best wishes,
Fritz der Grosser

PS-- I'd dearly love to hear from Twomoons. What a shame.
FCW

[markland]

To add some more stats to Fred's contribution. Based upon the enlistment registers of those soldiers who died on the western frontier who I have enumerated, here are the stats for birth state if they stated that they were U.S. citizens.

Total men = 664 (predominately in the recruiting year of 1866)

AL=9
AR=1
CT=15
DC=3
DE=2
FL=1
GA=6
IA=3
IL=22
IN=23
KY=44
LA=25
MA=46
MD=28
ME=20
MO=20
MS=8
NC=4
NH=8
NJ=21
NY=114
OH=45
PA=117
RI=6
SC=6
TN=15
VA=25
VT=7
WI=4
WV=2

A large number of those who enlisted from LA, KY, MS, & MO were blacks joining the Army. If I have time I will exclude the 9th & 10th Cav. and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry. That will exclude the majority of the black soldiers from the results-I will have to dig and find the sub-cooks who normally were black enlisted men carried on the rosters of a "white" regiment.

Billy

[fred]

Ah-h-h, those New Yawkas! Look at that, will you? And they call us a "blue" state!

[guidon7]

Looking at the U.S. 7th Cavalry in 1876 from an ethnic standpoint:

50% Anglo-Saxon (native born or immigrants)
25% Irish (native born or immigrants) 23% German (native born or immigrants) and a smattering of others, i.e., Swiss, French, Scots, etc., even an Australian and two part- Indians, as I recall.