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.
