A bit OT but its about the CW and Indian war period

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

On breaking ground for a new courthouse in Tucson five soldiers were discovered in a 19th century graveyard and have been identified.

Sgt. John C. Mquaide, Company B 2nd California Infantry. Arrived in Tucson May 1862, died July 12 1862 from diseases

Cpl Rerny of Cologne Prussia. Company D 23rd U.S. Infantry, died in Tucson May 11 1872 from acute dysentry.

Farrier John Foley from County Wexford, Ireland. Company D, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Died May 11 1872 from trauma from a fall from his horse

Pvt. Peter Bus of Delfshaven Holland, Company K 21st U.S. Infantry died Feb 19 1872 from accidental gunshot to his right arm

Cpl John English of Ireland, Company A 32nd U.S. Infantry. died July 16 1867 of acute dysentry.

The Arizona department of veterans affairs says they will be reburied in a specialy consructed 19th century cemetary near Ft. Huachuca with full military honors along with the remains of 58 other soldiers buried at the original location of Ft. Lowell in down town Tucson

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[jon_norstog]

John,

This is pretty typical. 4 out of 5 of them were immigrants. Did they have prior home-country military service? A lot of men soldiered their lives away in those days, and a lot of them ended up in the U.S. military. A lot of them ended up as company commanders - the 2 best companies of the 71st NY Volunteers, the companies that could be relied on for some tough assignments at San Juan Hill, were both commanded by Englishmen. Lt Parnell, who helped hold the 1st Cav together at the White Bird fight was a trooper in HRH Lancers. The 2 companies that fought at White Bird had troopers from 8 different countries.

They came halfway 'round the world to die in the US service.

jn

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Let's not forget Custer's bugler who was Italian.
I should think a lot of the Irish in the army were the result of the Potato Famine.

[jon_norstog]

John,

Those were tough times - 1845-52, the worst of the Hunger, was also the aftermath of the 1848 revolutions. The children of refugee families would have been "of age" during the period covered by the Tucson graves.

The soldiering life was the other factor that brought experienced military men to the US. A humble lancer like Parnell comes to the US and becomes an officer. And a good one. The Italian bugler - was he one of Garibaldi's men?

The period when soldiering was a profession you could pursue without regard to national allegiance was coming to an end. Bismarck and Louis Napoleon promoted ideas of citizenship linked to universal military service and the other powers followed suit. All of a sudden it seemed, well, treasonous to serve in another country's army. And maybe it was. The mother country needed **all** her sons, age 17 to 60, for the wars she was planning. World War I was what happened when every country got the same idea about mass mobilization to overwhelm the enemy.

Well,that's a lot to draw out of the graves of a few poor troopers. I hope theyhad some fun in old Tucson before they cashhed it all in.

jn