In my research on the history of the 28^th Massachusetts Volunteers, a Boston Irish regiment raised to be a part of Thomas Meagher’s Irish Brigade, the most surprising find was the identification of three Jewish soldiers who served in its ranks.  The three were included in a 19^th century effort by Jewish activist Simon Wolf to create and publish a directory of Jewish veterans of the American Civil War.  That directory can now be read online at http://www.jewish-history.com/database.html

By date of their enlistment in the 28^th Massachusetts Volunteers, the three are:

* Bernard Hart enlisted and was mustered into Company D, 28^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, on August 13, 1862, as a private.  Recorded as born in New York City but residing in Boston at the time of his enlistment at the age of 38, he was reportedly working as a laborer.  He was wounded on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. He would be discharged due to those wounds on February 20, 1864, probably from the Satterlee General Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  After the war, he joined Paul Revere Post (Massachusetts Post No. 88) of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in Quincy, Massachusetts.

* Charles Waterman enlisted August 11, 1863, joining Company H.  This was some five weeks after the Battle of Gettysburg, making it unlikely that he met Private Hart.  Waterman reportedly resided in New York at the time of his enlistment, at age 21, working as a farmer.  He was wounded on May 31, 1864, at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and promoted to sergeant May 25, 1865.  He mustered out from the 28^th Massachusetts Volunteers on June 30,1865, at Washington, D.C., from Company D of the then five-company battalion.

* Albert Lehmann enlisted April 21, 1864, as a private in Company K.  Twenty-two years old at the time of his enlistment, he reported his residence as Detroit, Michigan, and his trade as silver plater. He was wounded at Petersburg, Virginia, on June 16, 1864, and again at Hatcher’s Run, Virginia, on March 25, 1865. He would be discharged due to his wounds on July 6 1865 (possibly from hospital as the regiment had already mustered out in Washington City a week earlier).