The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Drafting a Confederate Into the Union Army: Eng Bunker

That happened to one Eng Bunker from Mt. Airy, North Carolina late in the war.

From the Association to Commemorate Chinese Serving in the American Civil War.

On April 2, 1865, Union General George Stoneman was in Western North Carolina on an expedition and decided to start drafting locals, regardless of their sympathies. The names of all males over 18 were put in a lottery wheel and names drawn.

One was that of Eng Bunker, a wealthy farmer and devoted Confederate. Stoneman didn't care. However, Eng's brother Chag's name wasn't drawn and since these two were joined together as Siamese twins, Stoneman couldn't take Eng.

They were known as the "Chinese Twins" even though from Siam and had arrived in the US in 1829. Legend has it they were in Boston and took the last name Bunker for the famous hill from the American Revolution.

They toured in a circus and with the money they made, bought 110 acres in Western North Carolina near Mt. Airy (the Mayberry of the Andy Griffith Show). They built a prosperous farm and were among the first in the state to grow "bright leaf" tobacco, especially used in making cigarettes.

Despite the fact that they had been "sold" by their mother, they owned twenty slaves at the outbreak of the war.

Interesting Story. --Old Secesh

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