Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-10

II was tHeu proposed TO recruit vOlun-
have Jewish companies. and possibly haf-
talions or regiments. prominent Jew
s Ga{zen WeRi SO far as e telegraph to
ready at his call in New York City alone.
But the movement was not encourar zen
W sad aaa sa JEWISH ies ssws.
be un-American, and as much out OF
place as q Catholic. a Methodist or
presbyte en1, ,, military body. But they
but as American citizens and in thai
way they joined the army. and every reg
iment which left New York had Jews
either in its ranks or among its officers. :
Among those who enlisted were MANY
who belonged to the ultra-orthOdox class.
Some people wondered how they wO,lid
manage to exist on ratiOns cOmD3scd K,
part of pork. which Is considered nnciaan.
according acc, to the ancient dietary laws:
IN securing the fu:loush order Sad Oh
There are. no laws IA the Jewish fa'th
no matter where the Jew may live. it III
land. and being in The army. II IS his duty
The Observance Of he SABBATH Is not cosn.
..ulsory when It's observance conflicts
with the Jews duties as "a citizen, ana
nus point was decided In the time Of the
Although there are no Jewish chaplalns
IN the army. there have been Jewish re-
on occasions when soldiers wished to eel.
citrate death anniversary or when the
last rites for the dead were read. 49,.
Max Cohen. the secretary Of the Ortho.
dOx Jewish Congrega tionai Union Iof
1.-THE Jews had large representation
Ing disbanded, and the history OF mod
ern wars shows that wherever the Jews
have the rights Of citizens they become
soldiers. During the Franco-0erman war
services were held on an important holi-
day in the field. at which hundreds 0f
Jewish soldiers .worshipped. and the re-
held IN the South during the War Of the
Rebellion Many of the Jews who were
members of the present volunteer army
mat the names will be reported, SO thar
the fact may be established that the jew,
did his share of the fighting
IT was the assertion on the part of 4
ell-knoWn writer that the Jews took no
part in the Civil War that caused Simon
Wolf TO gather statistics on the subject,
read with great interest In this work II
was shown that the Jews We're identified
with the first steps which led toward In
They not only risked their lives in the
war for independence, but aided ma
maintain the armies of the Revolution.
That they took part in the earliest stages
or resistance TO the encroachments of the
mother country is proved by the sigma
lures TO the non-importation resolutions
of 1865. Nine Jews were among the sign
ers OF these resolutions. the adoption of
IN the agitation which eventually led to
the Independence of the colonies. The
original document is still preserved in
following are the names of the Jews on
fhat eSrly roll of PATRIOTS: Benjamt
Levy samson Ley, Joseph Jacobs. Hy-
Bush. Michael Gratz, Barnard Gratz and
Moses Mordecai.
signer is Colonel Mordecai. who is now
Arsenal. at watervliet, n. Y. ""'er'''et
The number of Jews in this country a,
the time of the Revolutionary War was
small. but even from the scant conyrcgu-
ton there was a liberal representa- ton in
prepared by Mr.. Wolf show that Their.
were many Jewish officers of high rank
under Washington; Among these were
bloomfield. Surgeon Moses Bloomfield.
Major Lewis Bush; Colonel Isaac Franks.
Colonel David S. Franks, Quartermastef
Jacob de la Motta, Major Benjamin
Nones and many others, besides a large
number Of enlisted men. -
When the war was over the Jewish con-
sreSations of Savannah Ga, and New
port. r. l., sent addresses to General
Washington, who said in one OF his am
May the children of the stock of Abra-
ham who dwell in this land continue to
merit and enjoy the goodwill of the other
safety under his own vine and fig tree.
ana there shall be none to make him
When the war OF 1872 began the Jewish
population of the United States was es-
timated at 5000. The muster-rolls OF that
period show the names of many Jews.
bloomfield: The officer in command OF
the port Of New York was a Jew. Colonel
Nathan Myers, and there were Jews IN
iavH a pvAr - thsa
mi,ny jews who fought on the American
SIDE IN the Mexican war were General
DAY David De1.s"n, Colonel Leon Dyer. Col,
Israel Moses and Surgeon Henry ii.
On the roster of the regular army there
were up to 1895 the. names Of ninety-sik
Jews: The list includes the names OF
with distinguished and all OF them With
an honorable record. M i{s5
The record Of the Jews In the United
States navy is also an honorable one amt
shows that they were represented In all
grades. from the man before the mast
to flag officer, and y is due TO. a Jew.
poral punishment was abolished in the {,
United States navy. and Of the five names
inscribed on the Tripoli monument, n the
Israel. Is that of a Jew.
Tho following list gives the number Of
Jews who served in the various wars:
In the Continental Army. IL
In the War of 1872. 4
lii the Mexican War; "a
In the United States Regular Army 81
In The United States Navy. rs
In the Civil War:
STAFF officers In the Union Army, 1e
In the Confederate Army, "a
Officers In the Confederate Navy. II
Soldiers In the Union and the Confed-
crate armies, al
The largest number of Jews enlisted
from New York, where 1896 were enrolled
and went to the front. Ohio came next
with 1904, and Illinois next with 7R
Louisiana furnished the confederacy with
~ Jewish soldiers. which was more than
balanced by little New Jerseys list OF "a
In the Union army -
The proposition to have parade OF the
Jewish soldiers has been spoken OF, but
men of standing in the Jewish community
laugh at the idea and say that they will
not encourage the scheme. Ut
I'VE are proud TO have the men come to
our places of Worship said a member or
the Orthodox Society. land the field uni
form Of "A United States soldier look.
well in synagogue. and there he may
be q jew. but ca parade he can be only
a soldier. and no one should question hts
religion, nor should he make show OF !.
IT,"