IV.

SOME NEW YORK JEWISH PATRIOTS.

The number of New York Jews who served their country by risking life or fortune in its behalf is well-nigh legion. Hundreds upon hundreds of instances have been set forth from time to time, covering a time from the early colonial period, as appears particularly from another paper by the present writer, through the Revolutionary struggle down to our own day. But little cause can be assigned for distinguishing a few from the many in the present article unless it be the probability that the instances to be referred to herein are but little known. It should be of interest to notice, for instance, that the decision reached in 1770 to make more stringent the Non-Importation Agreement, which the colonists adopted to bring England to terms on the taxation question, had among its signers Samuel Judah, Hayman Levy, Jacob Moses, Jacob Myers, Jonas Phillips, and Isaac Seixas (_New York Gazette_ and _Weekly Post Boy_, July 23, 1770).

The victory won by the Jewish Patriots over the loyalists in the New York Jewish Congregation at the outbreak of the Revolution, which induced the majority to determine to disband the congregation for country's sake, has been well described in a former article in our Society's periodicals and the names of the patriots who, in consequence, fled to Philadelphia on the approach of the British to New York are known. In another paper, the writer hereof enumerates some of the less known but possibly equally patriotic Jewish Loyalists, who remained in the city. It appears, however, that even the Jewish cemetery was to witness the strife and struggles of war, for we read that a battery to overlook the East River and prevent British ships from entering into it "is planned in some forwardness at the foot of the Jews' Burying Ground," in March, 1776. (N. Y. Hist. Soc. Collection Pub. Fund Series, Vol. III, pp. 354, 355).

During the war of 1812, the New York Jews appear to have again manifested their love of country, and one of their number, Col. Nathan Myers, was even in command of a brigade stationed near the City of New York in the beginning of the war. (Guernsey; "New York City during the War of 1812," pp. 86, 436-7). Others manifested their patriotism by bringing pecuniary sacrifices, as did Herman Hendricks in 1813. In February of that year, Congress passed an act authorizing a loan of $16,000,000, but less than $4,000,000 were subscribed. It was then that New York merchants came to the rescue by subscribing for the bonds, in spite of the sacrifices that were made in view of the fact that the government could not obtain money except at a discount of 15 per cent. Hendricks subscribed for $40,000 of the bonds, being one of the largest individual subscribers. (Scoville: The Old Merchant of New York City. First Series, pp. 329-333.)

Among those who served under Col. Myers in this War, was probably Samuel Noah, a cousin of Mordecai M. Noah, who led a most eventful life, which has been chronicled in a very interesting way by Gen. George W. Cullom in his "Biographical Sketches of Deceased Graduates of the United States Military Academy." We quote the account in full:

"SAMUEL NOAH.

"Class of 1807. "Died March 10, 1871, at Mount Pulaski, Ill., aged 92.

"Samuel Noah, who was born July 19, 1779, in the City of London, died March 10, 1871, at Mount Pulaski, Logan county, Illinois, at the advanced age of nearly 92, he having been for several years the senior surviving graduate of the United States Military Academy. He was of Jewish descent, and was a cousin of Mordecai M. Noah, formerly consul to Tunis, and for many years the editor of various New York journals.

"When twenty years old he emigrated to this country, and after a residence of several years in New York City, solicited a midshipman's appointment, but not succeeding, accepted, May 5, 1805, that of a cadet in the First Regiment of Artillery. Being intelligent and a good penman, he was often selected as amanuensis to the Superintendent of the Military Academy, and frequently acted as Judge Advocate or Recorder of Courts at West Point. Upon graduation, Dec. 9, 1807, preferring the Infantry arm, he was promoted an ensign in the Second Regiment, which, after a tedious journey, he joined at Cantonment, Columbia Springs, in the rear of Fort Adams, Miss. Here he devoted his leisure hours to the study of the early campaigns of Napoleon, who was then the military prodigy of the world; but this fascinating occupation was soon interrupted by his having to watch smugglers on the Florida frontier and march from one unhealthy camp to another in the Gulf States. During these migrations he met Captain Winfield Scott just after his duel near Natchez with Dr. Upshur (brother of the Secretary of State blown up on board the Princeton), Lieutenant James Gibson, subsequently killed at the sortie from Fort Erie, Gen. James Wilkinson, Captain Edmond P. Gaines, Gen. Wade Hampton, and other since famous officers of whom he had many anecdotes to relate. Wearied finally with slow promotion, and disgusted that ignorant civilians were appointed to rank him, he resigned March 13, 1811, his commission of First Lieutenant in the Army.

"Soon after this period a Mexican deputation from the Junta of Coahuila, Gen. Bernado Guiteras and Captain Manscac arrived at Natchitoches, where Lieutenant Magee, a graduate of 1809, was stationed, and offered him the command with the rank of Colonel of the combined forces there assembled of Mexicans and Anglo-Americans. After Magee assumed the command, Noah, allured by visions of a golden future, joined, as First Lieutenant, this little undisciplined Falstaffian regiment on the Brazos river, while on its march to Fort Bahia, which it entered Nov. 14, 1812; but no sooner was the fort in possession of the Patriot Army than the Spanish royalists besieged it with a force of five times the strength of the garrison. In this struggle poor Col. Magee sickened and died, and was buried with the honors of war during the enemy's cannonade, a six-pounder ball lodging close to the grave. After the siege was raised, March 28, 1813, and the patriots reinforced, this little army, with Noah in command of its rear guard, pursued and routed the Royalists, April 4, 1813, in a sharp combat near San Antonio, and three days later entered the capital of Texas, Salcido, the governor, surrendering at discretion with his entire force.

"Informed soon after of the declaration of war by the United States against Great Britain, Noah, true to the flag of his adopted country, left Texas, and, escaping through many perils by flood and field, reached the city of Washington, where he was most sadly disappointed in not being re-commissioned by President Madison in the United States Army. Nothing daunted, however, he proceeded to New York, and volunteered his services as a private soldier with Captain Benjamin Dunning's company for the defence of Brooklyn, then being fortified by Gen. Joseph G. Swift, to repel an anticipated descent of the British on Long Island at Sag Harbor. His services here and at Harlem Heights, to the close of the war, in aid of the militia force, were most zealous and untiring, his military education, practical knowledge and quick intelligence proving powerful auxiliaries to his patriotic devotion to duty. After the termination of Noah's military career, he taught school near Goshen, New York, till 1820; then for two years was in England, being present at the trial of Queen Caroline and the Coronation of George the Fourth; resumed school teaching and was employed in various academies in Virginia until May 24, 1848; and subsequently resided with a faithful friend at Mount Pulaski, Logan county, Ill., where he died. The romantic record of Samuel Noah's early life is full of wild adventure and thrilling incidents; his after history was a curious medley, almost the very counterpart of the vicissitudes to which Gil Blas was exposed; and his declining years were an old age of poverty, with little relief even from sources upon which he confidently counted to ease his weary journey to the grave."

In this connection reference would also seem to be in order to some New York Jews who served in the Mexican War, one of them with

## particular distinction and honor. This list includes Sergeant Jacob

David, Sergeant Samuel Henry, and Private Abraham Adler (killed); Corporal Jacob Hirshhorn and Private Otto Neubauer, Phillip Myers, and Jacob Lema, Mark Kahn, Alexander Simm, John Myers, James Hart and William Hart, ---- Myers, Marx M. Hart, Henry Phillips, Joseph Henriques, and Jacob C. Somers. (See article by the present writer in _American Hebrew_, February 9, 1894.)