South Slavs in the American Civil War

Maki · Jan 4, 2019

Some of you may know me from many threads about the American Civil War and from my avatar I think it is quite clear that I am a Serb. So, why not combine the two? I have been unable to find much about the Serbs or other South Slavs in the ACW, but I found something. We know that a certain Anthony Cognevich (Antonije Konjević) from New Orleans organized his own company and became its captain. Since he was from Louisiana, this company fought for the South. This Cognevich Company was part of the Fourth Regiment of the European Brigade which was part of Louisiana Militia. Other South Slavs formed the Slavonian Rifles I and Slavonian Rifles II which also fought for the South. Slavonian Rifles I had 118 members as reported by the Daily Crescent. Apparently, many of the Southern South Slavs migrated West after the defeat of the Confederacy. As for the actual participation of South Slavs in the war, we have examples of Nikola Danilovich (Nikola Danilović) and George Petrovich (Đorđe Petrović). Danilovich was captured during the battle of Gettysburg and later defected to the Union, while Petrovich lost his life at Gettysburg. There was also Mario Grozovich (Mario Grozović) who served in 10th Lousiana Infantry and survived the war.

This is the known roster of the Cognevich Company:

So, I guess I should honor my ancestory and their contribution to the cause of the Confederate States of America and their fight to preserve ~~slavery~~ states' rights.

Futurist · Jan 6, 2019

Very interesting!

I didn't expect there to be so many South Slavs who fought in the ACW simply because I wasn't aware of any significant South Slav immigration to the US before 1865.

Chlodio · Jan 7, 2019

I would also not expect to find them in the Confederate Army. Most of the ports of entry for European immigrants were in the North: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Very surprising to find them in New Orleans.

MAGolding · Jan 9, 2019

Chlodio said:
I would also not expect to find them in the Confederate Army. Most of the ports of entry for European immigrants were in the North: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Very surprising to find them in New Orleans.

People who entered in Northern ports could travel to anyplace in the USA they wanted to, though the farther they traveled the more they would have to spend on transportation. And the North was more welcoming to immigrants than the South. So the majority of immigrants to the USA stayed in the North instead of the South. But there would still be many foreign immigrants who went to the South, even if they were a small minority of foreign immigrants..

betgo · Jan 9, 2019

New Orleans was a port and most of those Serbs or whatever probably came directly there from Europe. It was a longer trip. It was multiethnic from the beginning and majority Catholic. I guess the Serbs were Orthodox Christians though. It also had a booming economy and was a decent place to look for work.

The slave system in the south did not create good conditions for immigrant unskilled workers or those looking to own small farms.

At Each Kilometer · Jan 9, 2019

These mentioned in OP were Croats by ethnicity ergo Catholics. I am aware of XIXth anti-Catholicism movement in US, antebellum American Nativist party and their attitude towards European catholic migrants in general. A question: Was the South more religiously tolerant towards the Catholics than the North? Either that or the mere fact that their port of arrival was New Orleans was the reason for them being Confederates. The only Orthodox Christians migrants that participated in ACW on the side of the North and the South i am aware of were Greeks.

Maki · Jan 9, 2019

At Each Kilometer said:
These mentioned in OP were Croats by ethnicity ergo Catholics. I am aware of XIXth anti-Catholicism movement in US, antebellum American Nativist party and their attitude towards European catholic migrants in general. A question: Was the South more religiously tolerant towards the Catholics than the North? Either that or the mere fact that their port of arrival was New Orleans was the reason for them being Confederates. The only Orthodox Christians migrants that participated in ACW on the side of the North and the South i am aware of were Greeks.

I wouldn't say they were all Croats. There are some clear Serb names in the list, names like Lazar, Bogdan, Stefo, Špiro, Stanislav etc.

At Each Kilometer · Jan 9, 2019

@Maki By this logic i can claim that these are Bulgarians because these names are also common in my area. I found this list of Johnny Reb/ovichi Confederate Soldiers, which is almost identical to yours. During the ACW many Croatians served as individuals & in organized Croatian companies and fought for the South etc.

Croatian Soldiers in American CIvil War 1861-1865 genealogy project

Maki · Jan 9, 2019

At Each Kilometer said:
@Maki By this logic i can claim that these are Bulgarians because these names are also common in my area. I found this list of Johnny Reb/ovichi Confederate Soldiers, which is almost identical to yours. During the ACW many Croatians served as individuals & in organized Croatian companies and fought for the South etc.

Croatian Soldiers in American CIvil War 1861-1865 genealogy project

Except their last names end in -ić which is not something that is common among Bulgarians. Besides, names like Lazar and Stanislav are very clearly Serb names.

Tulun · Jan 10, 2019

i'm not sure if it was also necessary true in the 19th century, i mean Lazar and Stanislav are also catholic saint names, but in the list you posted the only Stanislav (Calugerovich) i see could only obviously be of Serb or other orthodox extraction. Calugerovich=Kaludjerovic= son of a kaludjer(= orthodox monk).

Maki · Jan 10, 2019

Maybe, but most Yugoslav Lazars are named after Lazar Hrebeljanović. Lazar is a very uncommon Croat name. There are some clear Croats in the list. Cognevich was most likely a Croat, but there are some clear Serbs as well.

At Each Kilometer · Jan 10, 2019

This guy Calugerovich served in 4th Regiment European Brigade, Louisiana Militia.

Calugerovich, Stanislas › Page 1 - Fold3.com

Maki · Jan 10, 2019

I am wondering if anyone has been able to find a list of South Slavs that fought for the Union.

Edric Streona · Jan 10, 2019

Interesting.
My inclination would have been that you’d find a New York regiment of Slavs as there seemed to be New York regiments of many others.. English, Irish, Scottish, German, Italian, Polish etc.

Maki · Jan 10, 2019

There is a doctor called Vincent Gelcich who served as a surgeon in the Union Army.

Edric Streona · Jan 10, 2019

58th New York - Polish.
79th New York - Scottish.
36th New York- English/Irish.
39th New York - Italians.
55th New York - French.

But I wasn’t aware of there being a heavy Slavic presence. Very interesting.

At Each Kilometer · Jan 10, 2019

Interesting, Stanislav or Stanislaus is a Roman Catholic martyr. That's why 'Horrible Histories' team picked this name for their Polish RAF pilot. You know ''Binky, Stinky, Squiffy Frantishek and Stanislav'

Maki · Jan 10, 2019

Well, there is apparently some discrepancy regarding his name. StanislaV or StanislaS? If it is Stanislas, then I would be inclined to assume that he wasn't a South Slav at all, but then again his surname Kaluđerović points to South Slav ancestry.

betgo · Jan 10, 2019

At Each Kilometer said:
These mentioned in OP were Croats by ethnicity ergo Catholics. I am aware of XIXth anti-Catholicism movement in US, antebellum American Nativist party and their attitude towards European catholic migrants in general. A question: Was the South more religiously tolerant towards the Catholics than the North? Either that or the mere fact that their port of arrival was New Orleans was the reason for them being Confederates. The only Orthodox Christians migrants that participated in ACW on the side of the North and the South i am aware of were Greeks.

New Orleans was originally French and had a large Catholic population to begin with, so that might have been part of the reason Croats went there. In general, immigrants did not venture into the rural south. There was already a supply of cheap labor and it wasn't a good place to obtain marginal farm land, as most was taken in large estates.

Immigrants in the north and south generally fought for the local side and it didn't have much to do with how they were treated.

At Each Kilometer · Jan 10, 2019

betgo said:
New Orleans was originally French and had a large Catholic population to begin with, so that might have been part of the reason Croats went there. In general, immigrants did not venture into the rural south. There was already a supply of cheap labor and it wasn't a good place to obtain marginal farm land, as most was taken in large estates.

Immigrants in the north and south generally fought for the local side and it didn't have much to do with how they were treated.

I watched a powerful movie recently with Tom Berenger as a leader of the Irish San Patricio Battalion of the Mexican army and the plight of mostly Irish catholic soldiers who deserted after encountering religious prejudice in antebellum USA and fought against American army during Mexican-American War. That's why I asked you this question.

One Man's Hero - Wikipedia

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South Slavs in the American Civil War

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