1861
This pocket manual is a translation of selections from Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, the standard drill manual written in 1855 for the U.S. Army. It was published in German in St. Louis for the many Union soldiers of German descent recruited in Missouri in 1861. German-born military officers, such as Franz Sigel, who escaped to the United States after the failed 1848 Revolutions and joined the Union Army during the American Civil War, used this manual to train recruits in American military tactics. German immigrants filled the ranks of the Union army in Missouri, a reality not lost on many pro-southern Missourians. German-born soldiers saw action at many of the major battles fought in Missouri and elsewhere in the South. They also played a major role in safeguarding Missouri for the Union against threats from invading Confederate forces and local pro-southern guerrilla units through their service in home guard units. Many pro-Confederate Missourians despised German Missourians due to their anti-slavery sentiments and their close association with the Union cause and Republican politics, derisively calling them the “Dirty Dutch.”
Object Details
Categories: War & Conflict
Date: 1861
Subject: German Americans; Civil War, 1861-1865
Contributing Institution: Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Accession Number: WICR 00631
Copy Request: Contact Wilson's Creek National Battlefield at: (417)-732-2662; 6424 West Farm Road 182 Republic, MO 65738.
Rights: The Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Civil War Museum is providing access to these materials for educational and research purposes only. The written permission of the copyright owner(s) and/or other right holder(s) (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected images(s) beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an image(s) and securing any necessary permission ultimately rests with person(s) desiring to use the image(s). Images that are the property of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield should be cited as: Image Credit: Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Civil War Museum.
Region: St. Louis Metro
Type: Book
Language: German
Latitude: 37.115683
Longitude: -93.419417