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Emigrants arrival

Belgians in America

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C.W. Soldiers

Belgian REGULARS in the U.S. ARMY

§  Thomas Boboy a farmer from Antwerp, enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 32, in Utica, New York on March 11, 1854. The only trace of emigration I found is in the passenger list of the Peter Hattrick from Antwerp, arriving September 30, 1850 in New York with on board a Thomas Beabois, 23 year old.

He enlisted in the 2^nd Infantry, Co. C for 5 years and reenlisted in the same company at Fort Abercrombie, Dakota territory on February 11, 1859. The fort, constructed in 1858 was the first permanent military settlement in what became North Dakota.

Companies C and K of the 2^nd Infantry followed the same scheme (see Edward F. Wagner  in this article). The two companies were sent to Washington in time for the battle of Bull Run and all the subsequent battle of the army of the Potomac. He was listed as wounded at Second Bull Run battle, but only slightly I suppose.

Thomas Boboy was discharged of the service January 11, 1864, still a Private and went back to Utica, New York. He soon married Julia St. Leger of Irish origin already the mother of five children: Sarah, George, Hensey, Casper and Marion. She gave him two children: John C. born in March 1865 and Mary A; born in 1867.

From that time I found traces of Thomas in the Utica city directories, Park Avenue nr 71, first as a laborer and later in life as a “watchman”. He died around the end of 1895 as her widow sent an application for a Civil War pension in February 1896.

§  The Wagner family(ies). A lot of Wagner emigrated to the United States. Those coming from Belgium are not easy to find. Those I’m interested here, are from the Arlon area and three of them enlisted in the U.S. Army. I don’t even know if they are brothers, they are maybe only cousins or unrelated. But all came from Arlon in their registered papers and all enlisted first in Buffalo N.Y. were was a Belgian/Luxemburger settlement in the 1840s.

More than four thousand Wagner lived in the U.S.A. in 1850. In the United States Federal Census of that year, there is families in Sheldon, Wyoming county or Buffalo, Erie county who can be from Arlon, Belgium. I’m unable to find the right one, asserting the people I’ll write here are of the same family.

By guest, their most likely family, if they are of the same family, arrived in New York on August 10, 1849 coming from Antwerp on ship Harbeck with on board: Marie Wagner  50 y.o. with her children : Jean 22 y.o., Jeanette 19 y.o., Joseph 17 y.o, Jean 13 y.o., Edward 10 y.o. and Marie 7 y.o. all, with all the passengers of that ship, declared as laborers coming from Germany.

Information[1] from Arlon confirms that origin. About twenty families emigrated to the States from that area and, amongst them, we find: Jean-Francois WAGNER from Arlon and his wife Marie-Christine LICHTERBERG from Wiltz, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, a midwife and their children, all born in Arlon :
Antoine, born circa 1820
Ferdinand, born circa 1829
Jean-Pierre, born circa 1827 or 1829
Jeannette, born circa 1830
Joseph, born circa 1828 or 1832
Francois, born circa 1834
Edouard-Francois, born circa 1837
Fernande, born circa 1841

Edward F., Jean P. and Joseph A. enlisted in the U.S. army in the following order :

§  Jean P Wagner 22 y.o., born Arlon, Belgium, a laborer, enlisted January 7, 1851 in Buffalo in the 8th Infantry Co. G. and sent West as the regiment was distributed among the forts and camps of Texas. Discharged 7 Jan. 1856, at expiration of service, at Fort Davis , Texas, a Sergeant, he reenlisted May 3 of the same year in the 2^nd Infantry Co. K. as a Private. With him, in the same company, enlisted at the same date Joseph A. Wagner, 23 y.o., also from Arlon, a carpenter. The companies were stationed along the Missouri River and as far west as Forts Kearny and Laramie. Among the posts occupied were Ridgeley, Pierre, Abercrombie, Randall and Miller. They were joined on May 18, 1858 by Edward F. Wagner, 21 y. o. born Arlon, Belgium, also a carpenter. 

Discharged 3 May 1861, expiration of service, at Fort Ridgely, Minnesota, Jean P. and Joseph A. reenlisted in the 12th Infantry organized by direction of the President in a proclamation dated May 4, 1861. The regiment was assigned at Ft Hamilton, N.Y. Fort Hamilton during the latter part of 1861 and through the whole of 1862 was the principal depot for prisoners of state who were confined in Fort Lafayette, which was included in the post. It's there, at Fort Hamilton, that Joseph A Wagner  Died Dec. 12, 1861. He is buried in the Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.[2] 

Spring of 1862 brought marching orders to join the Army of the Potomac and the 12th Infantry was involved in the ensuing battles till the end of the war. Jean P. Wagner  was promoted to first Sergeant, March 10, 1863 second Lieutenant, 10 March 1863 and to Full 1st Lieutenant on 17 July 1863, after the battle of Gettysburg.

On April 30th, 1864, the 12th Infantry joined the offensive against Lee's army. The forward movement was through Bealton Station, across the Rappahannock and Rapidan, thence along the Orange and Alexandria turnpike, until the morning of May 5th, when the skirmishers of Ewell's Corps were engaged near the old Wilderness tavern. About noon an advance was made in line of battle, the regiment being in the front on the extreme right, through dense undergrowth in a forest of large trees, until the enemy's main line was sighted, when fire was opened. As the 6th Corps was supposed to be on the right within supporting distance, the presence of troops in that direction excited no remark until it was discovered that a division of the enemy, had completely enveloped that flank. Retreat was made in confusion, but all were soon rallied. The enemy made no further advance that day. The official loss, killed, wounded and missing, was 110, but it is believed to have been greater. Lieutenant Jean P. Wagner  was wounded, and promoted to Brevet Captain that day, 5 May 1864. He died on 16 May 1864 at Fredericksburg Va, from the wounds received in the Wilderness.

§  Edward F Wagner was still with the 2nd Infantry. In January, 1861, he was stationed at Fort Ripley but his company was sent to Washington in time to be engaged at the battle of Bull Run, July 21.

In December the regiment was concentrated around Washington. It remained there on provost duty until it moved to Fortress Monroe in March, 1862 for the Peninsular Campaign. At the end of that campaign, the regiment formed a portion of the rear guard and took part in the action at Malvern Hill, suffering no loss. He left to join Pope's army in front of Washington, arriving in time to take an important part in the second battle of Bull Run.

The regiment left camp at Centerville September 2, and marched to Antietam Creek, near the village of Sharpsburg, Md., where it arrived September 15 and went into position, remaining there two days exposed to the enemy's artillery and sharpshooters. On the 17th it crossed the creek and went into action. After the battle, the regiment camped at Sharpsburg, obtaining a much needed rest and reequipment, until October 28, but Edward F Wagner , now a Sergeant, was discharged 23 Oct 1862 at Philadelphia, Pa, for disability following a shoulder shot. He reenlisted in the Veteran Reserve Corps in March 1863 and was definitively discharged from the army in August 1864.

Edward F Wagner  went back to Buffalo and renewed is trade as carpenter and married there. He died Oct 10 1894 at age 58 and is buried in the cemetery of Pine Hill, Buffalo, lot 20 section KK united Ger&Fr. He was survived by his wife Cresynthia and seven of his height children.

§  Charles Vertongen : between 1850 and 1870 I found only one Vertongen in the USA and it’s a “Charles Vertongen” but the path followed is rather awkward.

A Charles Vertongen, from Termonde, born about 1830, went to St Louis as a student in Theology in 1848, arriving in New York, May 8, 1848, on ship Tennessee. Still in St Louis in 1850, he went back at some point as he came anew in the USA in 1854, arriving in New York on ship Universe on September 30 still a student in the St Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, and with nationality “Belgium U.S.”.

In 1860, no mention of taking the priesthood. His age in this census, only 26 years old, is not corresponding with 1830 as his birth year. The Charles Vertongen listed in the census of Louisville, Kentucky, is a married one, with wife Elizabeth and a girl, Mary, 2 years old. His occupation “school teacher” nevertheless fit well with one schooled.

1864 is another story. One (the only?) Charles Vertongen enlisted in company K of the 108 Ohio on February 15, 1864. The Ohio roster only mention is: Company mustered in at Cincinnati, Ohio. Charles was mustered out with company July 22, 1865.

But a Charles Vertongen, age 34, from Termonde, a printer, enlisted November 11, 1864 in Newport, Kentucky in the 2^nd Infantry, Co. G and was discharged in August 9, 1868, expiration of service at Danville, Kentucky, only to reenlist in the same Unit on September 2,1868. He was finally discharged on January 2, 1870 for disability at Nashville, Tennessee.

Not trace of any Vertongen in the following censuses, no Charles, no Elizabeth, and no Mary. All of this is very intriguing. I still cannot say if I’m writing about the same man in all those facts, of if I ‘m writing about more than one man!