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The American Jew As Patriot, Soldier And Citizen

Simon Wolf

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THE AMERICAN JEW AS Patriot, Soldier and Citizen

THE AMERICAN JEW AS Patriot, Soldier and Citizen

BY SIMON WOLF EDITED BY LOUIS EDWARD LEVY PHILADELPHIA THE LEVYTYPE COMPANY PUBLISHERS NEW YORK—CHICAGO—WASHINGTON BRENTANO'S 1895 "And Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free."—John, viii, 32. It were an error to suppose that prejudice is always the offspring of ignorance, inasmuch as the reverse is very frequently true. Not seldom is ignorance the result of prejudice, through a willful refusal to recognize such facts as run counter to the latter. A more accurate simile would,

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ERRATA.

ERRATA.

[ Of the various errors inevitably incident to a work of this character, the following are noted as especially requiring correction. ] Page 4 , line 20, instead of "Charles RAUM," read "Charles BAUM." Page 26 , line 14 from bottom of page, instead of "Isaac MORRIS," read, "Isaac MOSES." Page 200 , line 2, instead of "WASHINGTON," read "BALTIMORE." Page 424 , under "STATISTICAL," "Other Soldiers (indicated in Addenda)," should be "13" instead of "12," making the total "8258," instead of "8257." P

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B'NAI B'RITH ORPHANS' HOME, ATLANTA, GA.

B'NAI B'RITH ORPHANS' HOME, ATLANTA, GA.

The Orphan Home of the Order of B'nai B'rith at Atlanta, Ga., for the benefit of which Mr. Wolf has devoted the net income of the present publication was instituted in 1876, under the auspices of District Grand Lodge No. 5, comprising the States of Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, and the District of Columbia. The present building was dedicated in 1889. Its benefits are not restricted to the membership of the Order which maintains it, children of all Jews residing within

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INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION.

In December, 1891, there was printed in the North American Review a letter in reply to certain statements of a contributor to a previous number of the same magazine regarding the services of American Jewish citizens as soldiers in the Civil War. Under the caption "Jewish Soldiers in the Union Army," the writer, after denying the statement that Generals Rosecrans and Lyon were of Jewish birth, proceeds as follows: — "I had served in the field about eighteen months before being permanently disable

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Bibliographical Note.

Bibliographical Note.

Little of the mass of original material at one time in existence relative to the life and activity of Haym Salomon can now be located. Mr. William Salomon, of New York, a great-grandson of Haym Salomon, writes in response to a recent inquiry as follows: "I am under the impression that all the papers bearing on the services of Haym Salomon in the cause of the Revolution which were not lost when he died intestate (and a few months before Haym M. Salomon was born) came into Haym M. Salomon's posses

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OTHER JEWISH CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COLONIAL TREASURY.

OTHER JEWISH CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COLONIAL TREASURY.

The monetary contribution by Haym Salomon to the successful issue of the Revolutionary struggle was doubtless the largest made by any individual, but while it is the most signal instance of its kind, it does not stand alone. Haym Salomon was not the only Jew who showed his earnestness in behalf of freedom by a jeopardy or sacrifice of fortune. Among the signers of the Bills of Credit for the Continental Congress in 1776 were Benjamin Levy, of Philadelphia and Benjamin Jacobs, of New York; and Sa

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I. Colonel David S. Franks.

I. Colonel David S. Franks.

Members have no doubt still fresh in mind the interesting items relating to Col. Franks, set forth by Dr. Herbert Friedenwald and Prof. M. Jastrow in No. 1 of our "Proceedings." Since then other data have been collected and published in regard to the Franks family, to which I will merely refer; (see the very interesting article on the History of the Jews of Montreal, prepared for the Montreal Daily Star , December 30, 1893, and repeated in the American Israelite in January, 1894, which has been

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II. Chevalier de Levis.

II. Chevalier de Levis.

The student of Canadian history is very familiar with the name of Levis, which bids fair to be perpetuated in several geographical names in that country. The name was borne by Henri de Levis, Duke of Vontadour, Viceroy of Canada for some time after 1626, but was rendered more famous through the brilliant career of his relative, the Chevalier de Levis, Montcalm's able lieutenant, subsequently his successor as commander of the French forces in Canada, and still later Marshal of France. Numerous st

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III. Lopez and Hart, of Newport.

III. Lopez and Hart, of Newport.

In the last volume of our "Proceedings" and also in Judge Daly's work, numerous references are to be found to the interesting career of Aaron Lopez, of Newport, whom the present writer has described as probably the richest and most successful Jewish man of affairs who lived in this country before the Revolution. It may be remembered that Lopez was one of a number of Jewish residents of Newport who found it necessary to flee from that city at the beginning of the war, when the British forces move

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IV. Some New York Jewish Patriots.

IV. Some New York Jewish Patriots.

The number of New York Jews who served their country by risking life or fortune in its behalf is well-nigh legion. Hundreds upon hundreds of instances have been set forth from time to time, covering a time from the early colonial period, as appears particularly from another paper by the present writer, through the Revolutionary struggle down to our own day. But little cause can be assigned for distinguishing a few from the many in the present article unless it be the probability that the instanc

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V. Some Baltimore Jews.

V. Some Baltimore Jews.

Turning next to Baltimore, two interesting incidents are in point. The one carries us back to Revolutionary times, and is to be connected with the name of Jacob Hart, one of a number of patriotic merchants of Baltimore; whether he was the only Jew in the group is unknown. The incident is briefly referred to as follows, in a letter written by Lafayette to Washington, April 18, 1781. (Memoirs, Correspondence and Manuscripts of General Lafayette, Vol. I, page 403.) "To these measures for punishing

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VI. South Carolina Jewish Patriots.

VI. South Carolina Jewish Patriots.

The following item from an article by Rev. Isaac Leeser, in The Occident , Vol. XVI, p. 142 (1858) gives in some little detail a story since then oft repeated; the primary authorities for the incident are still unknown to the writer thereof: "A company of soldiers who did good service in the defence of Charleston Harbor were nearly all, if not all Jews. The names of Daniel W. Cardozo, Jacob I. Cohen, Sr., and Isaiah Isaacs, we think, must have been on the roll of that company. Relations or desce

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VII. Mordecai Sheftall, of Savannah, Georgia.

VII. Mordecai Sheftall, of Savannah, Georgia.

We may fittingly close this paper with an account of a Jewish patriot of the Revolution who held important and responsible positions under both Congressional and Georgia State control, and who had occasion to find that the Sovereign will often decline to pay even the most bona fide debts, where powerful influence to force bills for their payment through Congress is wanting. One of the witnesses in the Court Martial Proceedings, of Major General Howe, in 1780, (N. Y. Hist. Soc. Collections, 1879,

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JEWISH SOLDIERS IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMIES.

JEWISH SOLDIERS IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMIES.

Scant and unsatisfactory as are the army records of the Revolutionary period, enough of an authentic character has been preserved to fully sustain the statement of Solomon Etting, who, writing in Baltimore in 1824, notes that among the soldiers of the Revolution "were many Hebrews who were always at their post and always foremost in all hazardous enterprises." This almost contemporary notice emanates from a Jew whose father had served in the Continental army from the beginning of the Revolution

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Bunker Hill Monument,

Bunker Hill Monument,

The commemoration of the first battle field of the Revolutionary War by a monument was made possible through a liberal contribution by Judah Touro. The proceedings of the Committee charged with the erection on Bunker Hill of a memorial to the patriots and heroes who laid the foundation of the Union, include a grateful acknowledgment of Touro's assistance. The history of the monument, published by George Washington Warren, contains the following statement (page 283): "It was confidentially commun

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Statue of Religious Liberty, Centennial Celebration, 1876.

Statue of Religious Liberty, Centennial Celebration, 1876.

One hundred years elapse, with their cares and joys, jeopardy and success, and America celebrates the centennial year of its existence by a grand exhibition in the city where is deposited the liberty bell that proclaimed "liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." The massive engine that moves obedient machinery sings a pæan to the Republic! The nimble shuttle and the agile loom weave chaplets and trophies! Lightning-flashes leap from fathomless seas and speak with living fir

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RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

It was executed in Rome, by one of their own people, Moses Ezekiel, a native of Richmond, Virginia. Upon the pedestal is an inscription, neither narrow in scope nor sectarian in spirit. The promoters of this tribute felt the eloquence of the Bill of Human Rights they desired to typify, and simply transcribed the clause of the Constitution which reads: An eminent and thoughtful foreigner, a statesman of world-wide fame, passing through Fairmount Park, earnestly gazed at the marble group, and excl

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WAR OF 1812.

WAR OF 1812.

Private Jacob Appel , served in Captain Samuel Borden's Company, 4th Detachment, Pennsylvania. Private Jacob Bachman and Private Samuel Bachman , served in Captain Peter Nungesser's Company, 2nd Regiment, Volunteer Light Infantry, Pennsylvania. Brigadier-General Joseph Bloomfield , in command of Military District No. 4, embracing Pennsylvania, Delaware and Western New Jersey. [ His military record is included in the list of Jewish soldiers in the American Revolutionary War ]. Israel I. Cohen was

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MEXICAN WAR.

MEXICAN WAR.

Sergeant Abraham Adler , New York Volunteers; killed in action. Samuel Bein. First Lieutenant Levi Benjamin , Maryland Militia, 1846. Eugene Joseph Chimene , served with Sam Houston, in the Texan War. Sergeant Jacob David , New York Volunteers. Joseph Davis , Co. D, 12th Regiment. General David De Leon was born in South Carolina in 1822. In the Mexican War he twice took the places of commanding officers who had been killed or disabled by wounds. He acted with such gallantry and ability as to twi

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UNITED STATES REGULAR ARMY.

UNITED STATES REGULAR ARMY.

The following list comprises names of Jewish soldiers on the rolls of the standing army of the United States, from the earliest period of the Republic to our present time. It is more or less incomplete, as only those have been included whose identity has been sufficiently established. The roster includes the names of men in every branch of the service, many with a distinguished and all of them with honorable records. E. Abraham , Co. H, 16th Regiment. Surgeon Morris Joseph Asch , brevetted Capta

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UNITED STATES NAVY.

UNITED STATES NAVY.

The spirit of devotion to this country and its interests always manifested by its Jewish inhabitants has not failed to leave its impress on the rolls of the United States Navy. From the time of the organization of that branch of the national defense many Jews have been present in the service. That they did their full duty the records indisputably show, and from the man before the mast to flag officer, from stoker to chief engineer, sons of Israel have given their efforts in behalf of the America

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A PAGE FROM THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR.

A PAGE FROM THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR.

As a fitting prelude to the record of Jewish activity in the War of the Rebellion, there may be cited here an episode in its history which has had no counterpart in the course of the world's affairs. Recondite and romantic incidents are present in the annals of all nations, and the history of the Jewish people especially is fraught with many striking instances of unhoped and unexpected deliverance from impending calamity, but they were largely the outcome of times and conditions widely at varian

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A REMARKABLE EPISODE.

A REMARKABLE EPISODE.

(Chapter XXV, Pages 197-203. N. Y., Harper &amp; Brothers, 1891.) Mr. Charles Francis Adams (our minister) had for several weeks been aware, and had communicated the fact to his government, that the Messrs. Laird, extensive ship builders, were building at their yards in Birkenhead, near Liverpool, two armored vessels for the Confederate government. They were to be furnished with powerful engines, and capable of great speed. When completed they were to proceed to a small unfrequented British

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MEDALS OF HONOR.

MEDALS OF HONOR.

(From a paper read by the present author before the American Jewish Historical Society, Washington, D. C., December 26, 1894.) On the 12th day of July, 1862, President Lincoln gave his approval to an Act of Congress, authorizing the President to cause to be prepared 2,000 "Medals of Honor," to be presented to such non-commissioned officers and privates as would especially distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and by other soldierly qualities during the war then in progress. While

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FAMILIES OF "BROTHERS-IN-ARMS."

FAMILIES OF "BROTHERS-IN-ARMS."

[Compiled from a paper read by the present author before the American Jewish Historical Society, Washington, D. C., December 26, 1894.] One of the most remarkable facts developed by the records of our Civil War, and especially gratifying because unsurpassed, if equalled, is the spontaneous and cheerful alacrity with which our citizens of Hebrew faith entered their country's service in the hour of its need. In a number of families all the male members able to bear arms were enrolled in the army.

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JEWISH STAFF OFFICERS IN THE UNION ARMY.

JEWISH STAFF OFFICERS IN THE UNION ARMY.

Assistant Adjutant-General Myer Asch , entered the service September 19, 1861, as 2d Lieutenant Company H, 1st New Jersey Cavalry Volunteers; promoted to 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, December 29, 1861, and Captain, March 24, 1862; served on staff of Major-General John Pope, subsequently appointed Assistant Adjutant-General to Major-General Kautz; also distinguished in other ways; held civic honors, particularly during the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 at Philadelphia. Doctor Morris J. Asch , on

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JEWISH STAFF OFFICERS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.

JEWISH STAFF OFFICERS IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.

Jacob Abrams , on staff of General Elzey. Doctor I. Baruch , Assistant Surgeon-General. Marcus Baum , on the staff of General Kershaw; enlisted as private; wounded at first Battle of Manassas; mentioned in general orders for distinguished bravery; killed at the Battle of the Wilderness. Captain H. L. Benjamin , General Staff. Honorable Judah P. Benjamin , Secretary of War. General David de Leon , Surgeon-General. The first surgeon-general of the Confederate Army. He was born in South Carolina in

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JEWISH OFFICERS IN THE CONFEDERATE NAVY.

JEWISH OFFICERS IN THE CONFEDERATE NAVY.

Lieutenant Barnham . Perry de Leon , South Carolina. Captain L. C. Harby , South Carolina. When South Carolina seceded he resigned his commission in the United States Navy and entered the Confederate service with the rank of Commodore in the Navy and afterwards distinguished himself in the defence of Galveston, when he commanded the Neptune at the capture of the Harriet Lane, and later on when in command of a fleet of gunboats on the Sabine river. Louis P. Levy , Gunboat Chicora, Virginia; A mid

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CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA.

An officer of distinction made the following remarks concerning this gallant soldier: "Personally I know several Hebrews who served in the California regiments known as the 'California Column' but in the long years that have elapsed I have forgotten their names. They were all good, faithful soldiers to the flag they enlisted to defend. One I remember, by name, Solomon Davidson. Comrade Davidson belonged to a cavalry regiment; I think it was the 1st California, ordered for service in Arizona, Tex

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GEORGIA.

GEORGIA.

At the outbreak of the Civil War there existed in Macon, Georgia, an Artillery Company named "The Macon, Georgia, German Artillery," composed entirely of American citizens, of German birth, about one-third being of Hebrew faith. We give the names and positions of a few only, remembered by a survivor. 1st Camp, Harrison, between Savannah and Brunswick. 2nd Camp, Satilla, near Brunswick, Georgia. 3d Camp, Failfair, near Savannah, Georgia. Under Brigadier-General Capers. The Company was subsequentl

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ILLINOIS.

ILLINOIS.

Enlisted at Chicago; was elected Lieutenant of Company C of the 82nd Regiment, in which he served about two years, when he was promoted to Captain. He was at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg from first to last. Subsequently he was appointed Brigade Inspector and ordered West. He took part in the battle of Wauhatchie and at Missionary Ridge, commanding the 80th. He went with Sherman to Knoxville to relieve Burnside. Captain Frank's deeds entitle him to a place among the bravest Captains in the ser

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INDIANA.

INDIANA.

Attained the highest rank of any Israelite who served during the Civil War. He enlisted as a private in the 79th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and rose step by step until he was promoted to the Colonelcy of his Regiment. Subsequently he was appointed Brigadier-General, then Brevet Major-General for meritorious conduct at Chickamauga. He participated in the principal battles of the Army of the Cumberland under Generals Rosecrans, Thomas, Sherman, and Grant, and took part in the engagements under

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IOWA.

IOWA.

Distinguished for saving regimental colors at Pittsburg Landing; enlisted as private; promoted for gallantry. For fifteen years a member of George G. Meade Post, of the Grand Army of the Republic, honored with the election as Post Commander and in 1893 appointed Assistant Inspector of G. A. R. Posts....

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LOUISIANA.

LOUISIANA.

"Joined a company of Confederate soldiers which became Company F of 12th Infantry. No braver man ever fired a gun. At the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, when there was not a commissioned officer to lead, he as Sergeant, led his company, and passed over the parapet into the Federal intrenchments, and with James A. Platt, a comrade, he was captured and sent to Camp Douglas, in Illinois, and was kept a prisoner until the expiration of the war."— From a newspaper clipping. Promoted from Non-Commissi

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MARYLAND.

MARYLAND.

After the attack on Fort Sumter he helped to organize the 5th regiment, Maryland Volunteers, of which he was appointed Major. He served near Hampton Roads after which he was attached to Mansfield's Corps and participated in the Peninsular Campaign, and subsequently in Maryland, where his regiment was engaged in the battle of Antietam, under his command. Here he was shot in the thigh and confined to his bed for many months. Being disabled for further military duty President Lincoln appointed him

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MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Enlisted September, 1862 in Company A, 46th Regiment. After expiration of service re-enlisted in Company E, 57th Massachusetts, 1865. He was wounded at the Battle of North Anna River (Wilderness), but rejoined his regiment after a short time, though unable to walk without the aid of a cane, and was finally disabled, totally, in December, 1864, at Petersburg. Sergeant Karpeles received a medal of honor from Congress for distinguished services in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 8, 1864, he havin

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MISSOURI.

MISSOURI.

Not being of sufficient measurement his offer to enlist was refused; but determined to fight for his adopted country, he followed his regiment in which many personal friends had enlisted, until finally he was mustered in....

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NEW HAMPSHIRE.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

enlisted as private; promoted for efficiency and distinguished bravery to Sergeant and Adjutant; wounded at Petersburg; the recipient of the Congressional "Medal of Honor;" served until the close of the war. Sir : Herewith I enclose the "Medal of Honor" which has been awarded to you by the Secretary of War, under the resolution of Congress, approved July 12, 1862. To provide for the presentation of "Medals of Honor" to the enlisted men of the army and volunteer forces who have distinguished or m

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NEW MEXICO.

NEW MEXICO.

Promoted for efficiency Inspector-General, and by special appointment of President Lincoln assigned toPennsylvania....

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NEW YORK.

NEW YORK.

Entered as a Private; for his soldier-like qualities, strict discipline and gallantry on the battle-field was promoted in quick succession to Corporal, Sergeant, Sergeant-Major, 2d Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, and Captain of Company E, acting part of the time as Regimental Adjutant. Besides participating in many skirmishes Captain Cohen took part in the battles at Cross Keys, Port Republic, Rappahannock Station, White Sulphur Springs, Slaughter Mountain, Manassas, Bull Run and Chantilly. Being di

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NORTH CAROLINA.

NORTH CAROLINA.

Promoted from Sergeant. At the age of nineteen years he was appointed Lieutenant in a North Carolina Infantry Regiment. He was killed at Seven Pines, in June, 1862, while rallying his Company, having seized the colors falling from the hands of the dying color-bearer. An incident of this brave officer's career is worth recording. At the engagement at Sewell's Point, in May, 1861, an eight-inch shell, with fuse still burning, fell into the Company's gun-pit, and young Albert without a moment's hes

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OHIO.

OHIO.

Enlisted in the 67th Ohio Infantry; was soon promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Captain, Lieutenant-Colonel, and for bravery manifested on the battle-field, was appointed Colonel of the 120th Ohio Infantry. This brave officer was wounded at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and notwithstanding entreaties, rejoined his regiment, but to fall at Snaggy Point, on the Red River, Louisiana. But for his untimely death, Colonel Spiegel would have been promoted to Brigadier-General, for which position he had been recomme

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PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Enlisted as Private; promoted to Regimental Adjutant subsequently Adjutant on staff of General von Steinwehr; mentioned in special orders for gallant conduct at Chancellorsville. Enlisted as a drummer boy while quite young; captured while delivering a dispatch in second Battle of Bull Run; after release appointed "orderly" on staff of General Geary, 2nd Division, 12th Army Corps; served until close of war. Born at Buchau, Wurtemberg, Germany, October 10, 1822; 1st Lieutenant of Washington Guards

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SOUTH CAROLINA.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

One of the heroes of the Civil War was Dr. Marx E. Cohen, Jr., of Charleston. He enlisted at the age of twenty-one. At the battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, towards the close of the war, some shells containing explosive material were thrown into the Confederate lines from the guns of the Union forces. The captain of Hart's Battery called for volunteers to hurl them aside before they should burst and cause destruction to the command. Three men volunteered to undertake the task; Dr. Cohen bei

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WEST VIRGINIA.

WEST VIRGINIA.

The following letter is of interest: State of West Virginia , Wheeling , May 30th, 1866. Sir : I am directed by his Excellency, the Governor, to present to you the enclosed medal in accordance with a joint resolution of the Legislature of the State of West Virginia, adopted February 1st, 1866, as a slight testimonial of the high appreciation by the State of your devotion, patriotism and services in suppression of the late rebellion....

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WISCONSIN.

WISCONSIN.

Enlisted as a Private in the 20th Wisconsin Volunteers; promoted to Corporal, Sergeant and Major for bravery at Chancellorsville; he was mortally wounded at Gettysburg....

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SOLDIERS OF THE CIVIL WAR UNCLASSIFIED AS TO COMMANDS.

SOLDIERS OF THE CIVIL WAR UNCLASSIFIED AS TO COMMANDS.

Absent from their respective places in the foregoing rolls are the names of a large number of men whose participation in the Civil Conflict is found of record, but of whom the connection with their respective commands remains unnoted. These names are printed in the following list—a supplement to the ample quota of Jewish soldiers who did duty during the Civil War....

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ADDENDA TO LISTS OF SOLDIERS

ADDENDA TO LISTS OF SOLDIERS

[Additional names received after printing of lists, and before close of present form.] Charles Baum served in the 80th Ohio Infantry, during the Civil War. Mr. Baum is now a resident and a leading merchant of Washington, D. C. Solomon Polock and Louis Polock , two brothers, served in the Army during the Mexican War. Lieutenant Lauchheimer , serves as Judge Advocate-general in the Regular Army of the United States. Jacob Lyon enlisted in June, 1854, in Battery E, 2nd Regiment, United States Artil

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IN THE CIVIL WAR.

IN THE CIVIL WAR.

The foregoing lists of Jewish soldiers in the armies of the Civil War may well be supplemented by a review of Jewish activity in civil walks in connection with that momentous struggle. In the political movements for the abolition of slavery there were not lacking many Jews who took an active and at times a leading part in the moulding of public opinion, and the fact that the influence of these men did not become more widespread may be regarded as almost wholly due to their having been but recent

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I Services Rendered to the Dutch by the Jews of Brazil (1623-44).

I Services Rendered to the Dutch by the Jews of Brazil (1623-44).

In 1624, when the Dutch conquered Brazil, several Jews, desirous of joining their co-believers in the newly acquired Dutch dominions, where our brethren flourished for many decades previously in the guise of New Christians or Marranos, enlisted in the Hollandish fleet as volunteers. Encouraged by this show of patriotism on the part of their newly arrived co-religionists, who, under the reign of the United Provinces, enjoyed all the blessings of peace and equality, many Nuevos Christianos openly

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II. Brave Defense of the Jews in Brazil in 1645-1646.

II. Brave Defense of the Jews in Brazil in 1645-1646.

The best evidence of Jewish loyalty to their lenient Dutch rulers was given at a time when the Hollandish Government was contending with the Portuguese for the possession of Brazil. The numerous conspiracies years previous were only a foretaste of what followed and when at last, in the year 1645, war actually broke out, our co-religionists lost no time in siding with their generous patrons, regardless of consequences. Among those that distinguished themselves for their noble patriotism and whose

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III. Samuel Nassy of Surinam.

III. Samuel Nassy of Surinam.

Not all the Jews, who were by royal order expelled from Brazil in 1654, when the Dutch possessions in South America were ceded to Portugal, left their adopted country, where they, for a brief span of years enjoyed all the privileges of their fellowmen. Many were so much attached to American soil that they dared remain, despite the edict of banishment, in Brazil and elsewhere. In Dutch Guiana, a thrifty colony was formed as early as 1644, [55] two years after the influx and settlement of Amsterda

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IV. Defense of the Jews in Surinam Against the French in 1689 and 1712.

IV. Defense of the Jews in Surinam Against the French in 1689 and 1712.

The loyalty of the Jews to their new settlement is unparalleled in American history. Every emergency found them ready to show their allegiance to Holland. Thus, when in 1689, a French fleet, under Admiral Cassard, made a sudden attack on the colony, they were met with brave resistance by the Jews. Van Chattillon, son of the previous governor, displayed great heroism on this occasion. [75] Two Dutch historians make mention of the valor of the Jews. Verburg and Fr. Holf. Merkurius relate in their

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V. Suppression of Negro-Revolts by the Jews of Surinam (1690-1772.)

V. Suppression of Negro-Revolts by the Jews of Surinam (1690-1772.)

Hardly were the colonists freed from the depredations of the French before danger menaced them from another direction. An anonymous writer, cited by Hannah Adams, [80] says: "The great check to the prosperity of Surinam has arisen from the inhabitants being exposed to the invasion and lawlessness of the Maroons, or runaway negroes, who have formed several communities in the inaccessible parts of the woods, and were the most implacable and cruel enemies of the colonists. The Jewish militia have o

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VI. Extracts from a Letter of David Ebron (dated 1597) to King Philip II, Giving an Account of his Discoveries and Services to the State, in South America.

VI. Extracts from a Letter of David Ebron (dated 1597) to King Philip II, Giving an Account of his Discoveries and Services to the State, in South America.

Among the numerous letters, documents and registers of the Albaic archives, [105] which bear special reference to the discovery and colonization of America, is particularly noticeable the culture-historic, perhaps valuable memorial address of David Ebron from Constantine, Algeria (dated December 9th, 1597), to the Emperor, Philip II. The writer introduces himself in the preliminary note as an Israelite, who, at a tender age, fled to Africa, and rendered important services to the King of India an

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VII. Enterprise and Influence of the Gradis Family in the West Indies, and During the Canadian Wars.

VII. Enterprise and Influence of the Gradis Family in the West Indies, and During the Canadian Wars.

This is not to be a series of biographical sketches on the Rothschilds of the Eighteenth Century, for neither the space nor the scope of this work would permit of such an elaborate history. This chapter aims merely to set forth the political prominence attained by the family of Gradis, [108] to whose hands the fortunes of two continents were entrusted, and whose labors of love and patriotic services during the war-times of France in America, deserve to be chronicled in our annals. Reserving the

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VIII. The Civil and Military Status of the Jews in Jamaica.

VIII. The Civil and Military Status of the Jews in Jamaica.

In the West Indies, the Jews, though debarred from public office until late, contributed much to the public good. Their constancy and restless activity in behalf of the Government under which they served are chronicled by many historians. It were useless to give an elaborate account of their influence for good in the islands. It would lead us much too far to recount them, and in fact many things have been recorded of this nature by the present writer elsewhere. [112] If we mention the case of Da

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I. Preface to the Original Work.

I. Preface to the Original Work.

The author of this book is a Christian and a Frenchman. As a Christian, he is one of those who believe that a spirit of intolerance is repugnant to Christianity, and nothing appears to him less consistent with the Gospel than race-hatred. Be it a war of races or a war of classes, popular jealousy can never screen itself behind the robe of Christ. Be it Aryan or Semitic, a nation should never purchase its salvation at the cost of another's rights. As a Frenchman, the author is one of those who ar

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II. Preface to the English Version.

II. Preface to the English Version.

Our age will constitute a critical, a supreme epoch in the long history of Israel. To-day the prophecies of the seers are at last approaching fulfilment, and Israel is really being scattered to the ends of the earth. We are witnessing a new diaspora , the great and final dispersal. The tree of Israel, the ancient vine of Judah, transplanted to the Sarmatian plains, has again been rudely shaken by the blast of persecution; its branches have fallen and its seeds have blown afar, over the hills and

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OFFICIAL DISPATCH OF AMBASSADOR WHITE TO SECRETARY OF STATE GRESHAM.

OFFICIAL DISPATCH OF AMBASSADOR WHITE TO SECRETARY OF STATE GRESHAM.

Sir :—Your telegram, presumably of May 17, was received on the morning of May 18, and answered at once. Since telegraphing you I have made additional inquiries with reference to your question, and am persuaded that there has been no new edict banishing Israelites from Poland, as was stated in some of the papers of Western Europe; but for some time past the old edicts and regulations against them have been enforced in various parts of the Empire with more and more severity. Soon after my arrival

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CONCLUSION.

CONCLUSION.

The project of the present volume had contemplated a lesser number of pages than it now includes, but it has been restricted to its present bounds only by eliminating much that was germane to its subject. The grand fabric of Jewish charity, whose broad expanse extends throughout the land, compassing every element of society, responsive to every call of humanity, expressive of every trait of civilization and conducive to every avenue of culture, has been adverted to but incidentally. In the field

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