In the U.S. Civil War, otherwise known as the "War of the Rebellion" here in the North, New York State provided approximately 400,000 soldiers to the Grand Army of the Republic, more than any other. This is not wholly inappropriate, as New York was the most populous state in the Union. The towns of Civil War era-North Hempstead: Great Neck, Manhasset, Roslyn, Westbury, Flower Hill, Glenwood Landing, Lakeville, Port Washington, Sea Cliff, and Searingtown, sent its share of soldiers into battle. Through my research, I have found 167 men who enlisted into the Union army; who lived in North Hempstead (according to U.S. Census Records) either before or after the War. Official records show that of 400,000 New Yorkers soldiers, 52,000, or 13%, died during their service. Out of the 167 North Hempstead soldiers who served, 23 or 14%, died.
I began my research about three years ago with a simple question: how many Great Neckers fought in the Civil War? It quickly expanded to North Hempstead, then still the eastern part of Queens County. As my list grew, and I began to dig deeper into the military experiences and backgrounds of the soldiers in larger and larger contexts, I realized that I had so much more than a list of names. First of all, I am now able to put our home towns into the greater historical continuum of American history: I know that people who lived in the towns I drive through every day fought and died at these now-mythical battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bull Run, Harper's Ferry, or among the horrors of the POW camp at Andersonville. A soldiers from Great Neck, for example, even helped carry President Lincoln's mortally-wounded body from Ford's Theatre to the his death bed.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I have found that these 167 soldiers, taken as a group, are an amazing microcosm of the War itself. Through their lives and experiences, we touch on the great memes of the War: why Northerners went to war (for Union or to abolition); who went to war (rich and poor, whites and blacks); desertion; and others. By studying these 167 men, one could find links to nearly every political, social, and military aspect of the entire War. That's what I found so fascinating about my research.
Finally, through my journal back to mid-century North Hempstead, I learned a great deal about those who did not fight on the battlefield, yet who contributed enormously to the War effort. Evidence shows how prominent North Hempsteaders, including William Cullen Bryant, donated money to soldiers' families. Of course, as we will see, woman, who began to assert themselves politically and socially in the mid-19th century, played major roles in affecting the health and welfare of Union soldiers both in the hospitals and in the ranks.
While the number of North Hempsteaders who fought for Union and freedom may seem small, their sacrifice certainly was not. We can look back 150 years later not only learn from their experiences, but more importantly, to honor them.
Matthew Moshen
Great Neck, NY
I began my research about three years ago with a simple question: how many Great Neckers fought in the Civil War? It quickly expanded to North Hempstead, then still the eastern part of Queens County. As my list grew, and I began to dig deeper into the military experiences and backgrounds of the soldiers in larger and larger contexts, I realized that I had so much more than a list of names. First of all, I am now able to put our home towns into the greater historical continuum of American history: I know that people who lived in the towns I drive through every day fought and died at these now-mythical battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bull Run, Harper's Ferry, or among the horrors of the POW camp at Andersonville. A soldiers from Great Neck, for example, even helped carry President Lincoln's mortally-wounded body from Ford's Theatre to the his death bed.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I have found that these 167 soldiers, taken as a group, are an amazing microcosm of the War itself. Through their lives and experiences, we touch on the great memes of the War: why Northerners went to war (for Union or to abolition); who went to war (rich and poor, whites and blacks); desertion; and others. By studying these 167 men, one could find links to nearly every political, social, and military aspect of the entire War. That's what I found so fascinating about my research.
Finally, through my journal back to mid-century North Hempstead, I learned a great deal about those who did not fight on the battlefield, yet who contributed enormously to the War effort. Evidence shows how prominent North Hempsteaders, including William Cullen Bryant, donated money to soldiers' families. Of course, as we will see, woman, who began to assert themselves politically and socially in the mid-19th century, played major roles in affecting the health and welfare of Union soldiers both in the hospitals and in the ranks.
While the number of North Hempsteaders who fought for Union and freedom may seem small, their sacrifice certainly was not. We can look back 150 years later not only learn from their experiences, but more importantly, to honor them.
Matthew Moshen
Great Neck, NY