ANCESTORS

My great granduncle, Ludwig Roth, died in the Andersonville, Georgia Prisoner of War Camp.  He was captured by the Confederacy at Mine Run, VA in 1863 and died in 1864 of scurvy.  He was an immigrant, arriving from Germany in 1852.  He enlisted in NY’s 39th Infantry, “The Garibaldi Guards,” also known as “Lincoln’s Foreign Legion” in 1861.  I wrote the following to honor his service:

 ANCESTORS

Copyright © 2010 by Robert A. Roth

An uncivil war

mustering New York’s rabble.

Sending them to Hell.

German immigrants,

Italians and the Spanish.

“Lincoln’s Legionnaires.”

Fodder for cannons-

An alien regiment

of new patriots.

Untrained volunteers

risking all to free black slaves,

and save the Union.

Surprised, caught by Rebs;

herded south from Virginia

to Andersonville.

Some battled and died;

lead was faster and cleaner

than being captured.

Forgotten ‘til now,

my great uncle, a private,

a hearty blacksmith,

with belly once full

of wieners and lager, soon

emaciated.

No Georgia peaches,

southern comfort nor water.

Only scurvy’s slow death.