Prussia and the American Civil War facts for kids

Prussia, a powerful country in Europe long ago, did not officially join the American Civil War. This was because Prussia was busy trying to unite different German states under its own rule. However, many people from Prussia did take part in the war. Some Prussian soldiers and officers fought for both the Union and the Confederacy.

Prussia also sent military experts to North America. These experts watched how both armies fought. They studied the tactics used, which means how the armies moved and planned their battles. What they learned was very important for future military leaders in Prussia and later, in a united Germany.

One way Prussia influenced the war was through a new type of saddle for horses. The Union cavalry, which was the army's horse-riding soldiers, used a new saddle. A Union General named George McClellan had studied saddles used in Prussia. He then used these ideas to create his own design, which became known as the McClellan saddle.

Prussian People in the War

Many brave individuals from Prussia played a role in the American Civil War. They fought on both sides of the conflict.

Union Heroes from Prussia

Six generals who fought for the Union army were born in Prussia.

• The highest-ranking Prussian general for the Union was Peter J. Osterhaus. He was a corps commander, which is a very senior leader. He served under General William Tecumseh Sherman during the famous March to the Sea.
• Carl Schurz was a well-known political leader. He later became the Secretary of the Interior, a top government job.
• Karl Leopold Matthies was part of a brave charge at the Battle of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was wounded during this battle.
• Alexander Schimmelfennig managed to avoid being captured for two days during the Battle of Gettysburg. He hid in a pigsty to stay safe!
• August Willich was captured by the enemy at the Battle of Stones River. He was also wounded later at the Battle of Resaca.
• The last Prussian general for the Union was Frederick Salomon. His brother, Edward Salomon, was the governor of Wisconsin during the war.

Confederate Figures from Prussia

Some Prussians also fought for the Confederacy.

• The most famous Prussian on the Confederate side was Heros von Borcke. He was an officer who worked with the famous cavalry commander Jeb Stuart.
• The highest-ranking Prussian immigrant in the Confederate States Army was Adolphus Heiman. He had fought in the Mexican–American War before. He became a colonel and likely a brigadier general before he passed away in 1862.
• Baron Robert von Massow was the son of a high-ranking official for the King of Prussia. He served under John S. Mosby in the 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion. This group was known as Mosby's Rangers. Massow later became a commander in the German army before World War I.
• Justus Scheibert was a Prussian military observer. For seven months in 1863, he followed General Robert E. Lee and watched his actions in battles. These included the Battle of Chancellorsville and the Battle of Gettysburg. When Scheibert returned to Prussia in 1864, he wrote down everything he had seen. His observations were placed in important libraries. What Scheibert learned helped Prussia, and later a united Germany, in five different wars.

Prussia's Official View

Most of the smaller German states were very focused on what was happening in Europe. They did not pay much attention to the American war. However, they generally supported the Union's goal to defeat the Confederacy.

Prussia and its rival, the Austrian Empire, were more interested in the war because they were major powers. Still, they were not as involved as countries like the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland or the Second French Empire.

In 1862, the British Foreign Secretary, Lord John Russell, tried to get Prussia to help end the war. He wanted Prussia, France, and Russia to work together to suggest a ceasefire. However, this attempt was not successful.