Friday, February 20, 2009

Hispanics for the Union in San Francisco during the Civil War

I found this very interesting article about Hispanics rallying for the Union during the Civil War in San Francisco.

http://egpnews.com/?p=7032

A quote from the article:

Finally on the night of October 16, 1864, the pro-Lincoln parade was to begin. Excitedly, members of the Club Unionista crowded into the rooms of the Terpsichore Hall. At the command of Captain Guillen, the Artilleros marched forward. Behind them, four abreast, the Club Unionista members marched out into the street, holding their flaming torches aloft. The mounted officers came behind, astride their spirited horses.The banners and signs carried by Club Unionista members bore evidence of their bi-lingual and bi-cultural heritage. One bilingual sign that tied together the American Civil War and the French Intervention in Mexico read:

“Honest Abe is our man—Muera Maximiliano” (Death to Maximilian)

Another banner listed the civil and military heroes of the war on both fronts, Mexico and the Atlantic coast: “Lincoln—Juarez, Grant—Negrete

Yet another gave a decidedly negative opinion of the leaders of the Confederacy and the French in Mexico: “Maximiliano el usurpador — Davis el traidor” (Maximilian the usurper, [Jefferson] Davis the traitor).

And still another banner made reference to Lincoln’s emancipation of the slaves: “Dios hizo al hombre y Lincoln lo declaró libre.” (God created man, and Lincoln declared him free)

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