vivalarevolution-101

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Hispanic Leaders of the Confederacy

Photographer here is Colonel Santos Benavides of the Confederate Army. Colonel Benavides was the highest ever ranking Tejano to serve in the Confederate Army, Colonel Benavides was most famous for this as well as his success in driving away over 200 soldiers of the Texas Union Cavalry in March of 1864. Colonel Benavides helped bring together his community and provided safe passage for shipping of cotton across the Rio Grande. Colonel Benavides continued his role in government after the war by serving three terms in the Texas House of Representatives from 1879 to 1884. 

Title: Colonel Santos Benavides Ramon, highest ranking Hispanic in the Confederate Army

Photographer: Unknown

Publisher: Ursuline Sisters Collection, WCHF

Original: https://www.utrgv.edu/civilwar-trail/civil-war-trail/webb-county/santos-benavides/index.htm

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Spanish Leaders of the Sea

Photographed here is Admiral David Glasgow Farragut. Admiral Farragut is considered to be the most famous Hispanic Union Soldier of the Civil War and was also considered one the most famous naval officers in history. Admiral Farragut was most famous for his victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, primarily because of his incredible success but also for his famously inspiring quote, “Damn the torpedoes! Four bells! Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!”. Because of Admiral Farragut’s incredible success in battle for the Union Congress awarded Admiral Farragut the Official Thanks of Congress not once but twice as well as being the first naval officer to hold the ranks of Vice Admiral, Rear Admiral, and full Admiral in the United States Navy.

Title: Admiral David Farragut of the U.S. Navy in uniform] / C.D. Fredricks & Co., 587 Broadway, New York ; 108 Calle de la Habana, Habana ; 31 Passage du Havre, Paris.

Photographer: Charles D. Fredricks & Co.

Published: [New York] : [C.D. Fredricks & Co., 587 Broadway], [between 1861 and 1865]

Original: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.40658/

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Unsuspecting Confederate Spies

One of the more unique roles played by Hispanics during the Civil War was that of the Maria Dolores “Lola” Sánchez. Sánchez had not become involved in the wars conflicts until they were in her very own home. Sánchez’s father had been wrongly accused of being a Confederate spy by neighboring Union Soldiers that had set up encampments in Sánchez’s hometown of Palatka, Florida, which led to his imprisonment in the Castillo De San Marcos. After many pleas and no justice in sight, Sánchez decided to take matters into her own hands. While Union soldiers were eating and discussing battle strategies, Sánchez listened in to their conversations and took note of their exact plans. Sánchez took this information to the Confederates and helped the Confederate Army by allowing them to know exactly when and where the Union soldiers had planned their next attack. Sánchez continues to offer hospitality to local Union soldiers so that she could gather and deliver sensitive information repeatedly to the local Confederates.

Title: Lola Sánchez, Confederate Spy

Creator/Artist: American Battlefield Trust

Published: Unknown

Original: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/lola-sanchez

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The First Hispanic Recipient of the Medal of Honor

Illustrated here is an image of what the battlefield at Gettysburg was thought to have looked like during Pickett’s Charge. If we look closely we see that in this artwork we can see the image of two flag bearers one from the the Confederate 19th Virginia’s unit and the other from Union 19th Massachusetts Infantry. The flag bearer for the Union seen here was Corporal Joseph H. De Castro, Corporal De Castro defeated the Confederate flag bearer in hand to hand combat because flag bearers did not carry weapons like the rest of the soldiers. After defeating the Confederate flag bearer, Corporal De Castro captured the enemy flag and immediately gave it to his commanding general, immediately after which he returned to the heat of the battle without a second thought. Because of these brave actions Corporal De Castro was awarded the nations highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor. Corporal De Castro was the first of three Hispanic soldiers to earn this award during the Civil Wa and the First to ever be awarder with the nations highest honor.

Title:What happened when two Civil War flag bearers fought each other

Creator/Artist: Blake Stillwell

Published: October 09, 2020

Original: What happened when two Civil War flag bearers fought each other

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Major Jose Ramon Pico

Photographed here is Major Jose Ramon Pico, the commander of Company A of the 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry. Major Pico was one of the most influential and successful Mexicans to fight for the Union. Major Pico’s company primarily had roles in conflicts with the Indigenous peoples of Northern California, but had also been placed in the charge of overseeing many trade routes for the Union throughout California. Major Pico was a Bay Area native and was born and raised in San Jose, California, after his service during the Mexican and Civil Wars he retired and settled down in San Fransisco, California. 

Title: Jose Ramon Pico

Creator/Artist: Anonymous 

Published: July 13, 2015

Original image: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83190685/jose-ramon-pico/photo

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The Californio Lancers

Illustrated here we see two Mexican Soldiers carrying traditional lances. The 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry was comprised entirely of Native Mexican Soldiers that became Union Soldiers. This specific battalion was one of a kind not because of its Hispanic origins but because unlike any other cavalry unit during the Civil War, the 1st Battalion, Native California Cavalry carried lances with them and even used them in combat as they traditionally did as soldiers of Mexico. 

Title: CALIFORNIO LANCERS: THE 1ST BATTALION OF NATIVE CAVALRY IN THE FAR WEST

Artist: Emil Franzi

Created/Published: 1846

Original: https://voicesofthewest.net/californio-lancers-the-1st-battalion-of-native-cavalry-in-the-far-west-1863-1866-book-review-2/

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The Battle of Glorieta Pass

Illustrated here we see a depiction of the Battle of Glorieta Pass along the Sante Fe Trail near Pigeon Ranch. The Battle of Glorieta Pass was sometimes called the Gettysburg of the West due to its importance in turning away the Confederates from attempting to establish trade routes for the South from ports in Southern California. The Confederates were repelled by Union forces that had been comprised of mostly Mexican American soldiers. 

Title: Battle of Glorieta Pass at Pigeon’s Ranch between Union and Confederate forces southeast of Santa Fe in March 1862

Artist: Roy Andersen

Created/Published: March 22, 2020

Original: https://cdapress.com/news/2020/mar/22/the-people-and-times-of-the-historic-santa-5/

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The Louisiana Tigers

Illustrated here we have a piece titled, “Attack of the Louisiana Tigers on a battery of the 11th Corps”. The Louisiana Tigers were a battalion of the Confederate Army which had become renowned for their ferocity and success on the battlefield. The Gulf of Mexico was a melting pot of nationalities and because of this diversity Louisiana was home for many Hispanic people. The name Louisiana Tigers was coined because of the great diversity of the battalion. Many of the Louisiana Tigers soldiers were comprised of immigrants and citizens that were considered scum and the lowest of the low, which many believe was a driving force for the ferocity on the battlefield. 

Title: Attack of the Louisiana Tigers on a battery of the 11th Corps / A.R. Waud.

Artist: Waud, Alfred R. (Alfred Rudolph), 1828-1891, artist

Created/Published: 1863 July 2

Original: https://www.loc.gov/item/2004660712/

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Colonel D’Utassy 

Pictured here is Colonel Frederick George D’Utassy, Commander of the 39th New York Volunteer Infantry Unit. The 39th New York Volunteer Infantry Unit was also know as the Garibaldi Guard because of its unique composition of men and one of a kind uniforms among Union forces. The Garibaldi Guard was comprised of many different European nationalities was was primarily Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. The Garibaldi Guard was said to have served honorably and was eventually disbanded July 1st 1865, however Colonel D’Utassy was court-martialed in 1863 for fraud and conduct prejudicial to military discipline when he was caught selling the rank of major to undeserving staffers.

Title: Col. D'Utassy, Garibaldi Guard / From photographic negative, from Brady's National Portrait Gallery.

Publication Date: 1861

Creator/Publisher: New York : Published by E. Anthony, 501 Broadway, [1861]

Original: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.54339/

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Castillo De San Marcos

In order for us to understand the role of Spanish Americans during the Civil War we should get a better understanding of how Spanish Americans found themselves near the conflict. Pictured here is the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida. This stone fortress was constructed in 1672 and became the first permanent European settlement in the Continental United States. Some of the Spanish settlers remained in Florida while many continued to journey West and North, as the Spanish expanded to most of the country they established trading posts and settled down. However on July 4th, 1776, while the United States declared its independence from Britain, Spanish Imperialist were celebrating the founding of San Fransisco. Knowing this we cans see how many Spanish were already present and established for many decades prior to the Union and Confederacy waging the Civil War. However with the Spanish Americans and Mexican Americans so vastly established they found themselves on both sides of the conflict and had no choice but to fight for the land in which they lived.

Original: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/thing-to-do/castillo-de-san-marcos

Image Title: Aerial Shot of Castillo de San Marco in St. Augustine, Florida