American Jews in uniform > RevWar-1895

[Bluehawk]

My amazing wife, without asking or telling, had the following very important reference book sent to me.

"The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen"
By: Simon Wolf
1895
The Levytype Company, publishers
576 pages

I had read of the existence of this book in other ones having to do with Jews serving during the Civil War, but never imagined I'd ever see, or own, a copy.

Essentially, the great majority of the book consists of alphabetical listings, muster rolls in effect, of Jews who have served in uniform with and for America, by State, by first and last name, rank, company and regiment from the Continental Army, Regular Army and Navy, War of 1812, Mexican War, Union and Confederate Army and Navy, and some in the Armies of Europe up through the late 19th century.

Also included are a number of narrative letters, orders, articles and essays relevant to the topic and periods.

Extraordinary and scarce to find in most private libraries. This copy had been held by the University of Southern California until deaccessioned.

 

[Brian Dentino]

What a cool gift and a very thoughtful wife.  I am sure there are not a ton of copies of this book around and would be a very valuable resource for someone wanting to focus on what was surely a fairly small number of individuals back then that served.

[Bluehawk]

2 hours ago, Brian Dentino said:

What a cool gift and a very thoughtful wife.  I am sure there are not a ton of copies of this book around and would be a very valuable resource for someone wanting to focus on what was surely a fairly small number of individuals back then that served.

Relative to the total number serving it was a small contribution, but I was very surprised to learn how many and how widespread their service had been. For that matter, no doubt hardly anyone outside of military historians even knows they served at all.

Having these muster role equivalents is quite revealing.

[Zack Miller]

I assume they mentioned Uriah Levy. 
 

Born in Philadelphia in 1792, Uriah Phillips Levy with a 5th generation American. According to family stories, Levy left for sea at 10 years of age, returning to Philadelphia to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1805.

Levy served with distinction in the U.S. Navy in the War of 1812, and he became the first Jewish U.S. Navy Commodore, a rank equivalent to Admiral today.

During his 50 year naval career, Levy was court martialed six times and killed a man in a duel, all incidents related to rampant antisemitism. He was dismissed twice from the U.S. Navy, but he was reinstated by President James Monroe and President John Tyler. He commanded the Mediterranean Fleet and was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to lead the U.S. Navy Court Martial Board during the Civil War.

Levy played a key role in helping to repeal the flogging of sailors, making the U.S. Navy the first military organization in the world to abolish physical punishment.

[Bluehawk]

On 8/6/2022 at 10:09 AM, Zack Miller said:

I assume they mentioned Uriah Levy. 
 

Born in Philadelphia in 1792, Uriah Phillips Levy with a 5th generation American. According to family stories, Levy left for sea at 10 years of age, returning to Philadelphia to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1805.

Levy served with distinction in the U.S. Navy in the War of 1812, and he became the first Jewish U.S. Navy Commodore, a rank equivalent to Admiral today.

During his 50 year naval career, Levy was court martialed six times and killed a man in a duel, all incidents related to rampant antisemitism. He was dismissed twice from the U.S. Navy, but he was reinstated by President James Monroe and President John Tyler. He commanded the Mediterranean Fleet and was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to lead the U.S. Navy Court Martial Board during the Civil War.

Levy played a key role in helping to repeal the flogging of sailors, making the U.S. Navy the first military organization in the world to abolish physical punishment.

They do indeed, on pages 62, 63, 81 and 84 apart from rosters.

 

Commodore Levy donated a bronze statue of Jefferson to the US Congress in 1833, not accepted until 1873. The Levy family were personal friends of our 2nd president and his of them. 

[nagmashdriver]

It's utterly impossible to write about Jews in the first century of America's history and ignore Uriah Phillips Levy. I have that book and have read it several times over the years.