Augusto Rodríguez

Lieutenant Augusto Rodríguez (1841 – March 22, 1880), was a Puerto Rican who served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Rodríguez served in the defenses of Washington, D.C., and led his men in the Battles of Fredericksburg and Wyse Fork.

Early years Augusto Rodríguez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when the island was a Spanish province. He emigrated with his family to the United States in the 1850s. The 1860 census of New Haven, Connecticut, shows there were 10 Puerto Ricans living there, amongst them Augusto Rodríguez, who resided in Columbus Ave. On August 20, 1862, Rodríguez, whose name was misspelled as Rodreques, married Miss. Eliza Hickox in New Haven; they had a daughter, Clara A.

19th century Puerto Rican diaspora During the 19th century, commerce existed between the ports of the eastern coast of the United States and Puerto Rico. Ship records show that many Puerto Ricans traveled on ships that sailed from and to the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Many of them settled in places such as New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Upon the outbreak of the American Civil War, many Puerto Ricans joined the ranks of the military armed forces. However, since Puerto Ricans were still Spanish subjects, they were inscribed as Spaniards. He originally held the rank of First Sergeant of Company I. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on April 12, 1864.

The 15th Connecticut was organized on August 25, 1862, in New Haven, The Regiment left Connecticut for Washington, D.C., on August 28, and was attached to Casey's Provisional Brigade, Military District of Washington, serving in the defenses of Washington until September 17, 1862.

Battles of Fredericksburg and Wyse Fork

In December 1 through 6, the 15th Connecticut Infantry marched to Fredericksburg, Virginia, and was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, IX Corps, Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside. Lieutenant Rodríguez led his men in the Battle of Fredericksburg Burnside attempted to make an offensive movement on January 20, 1863, in which Lt. Rodríguez and the men of the 15th Connecticut Regiment were involved. However the offensive, which became known as the Mud March, was aborted because of constant rain. The final outcome of the battle resulted in a Union victory.

In the closing months of the war, the 15th Connecticut Infantry was assigned to provost duty as part of the garrison upon the occupation of Kinston, North Carolina, by Union forces. The regiment remained at Kinston until June 6, when it was ordered to New Bern, North Carolina, to prepare for muster-out.

Later years

The regiment was mustered out on June 27, 1865, and Rodríguez was discharged in New Haven on July 12, 1865. After the war Rodríguez became the proprietor of a cigar store, a bartender and saloon keeper. He was also a firefighter in New Haven.

He died in his home in New Haven on March 22, 1880, and was buried under the name of "Gustave Rodrique" in grave #2 in the Firefighters Pantheon at the Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

On Veterans Day, November 11, 2013, Rafael Cruz Miller and a group representing the Puerto Rican community in Connecticut placed a floral arrangement in a ceremony which recognized Rodriguez as Puerto Rico’s first known U.S. Armed Forces veteran.

On August 14 of 2019, Lt. Augusto Rodríguez earthly remains were exhumed from his gravesite at Firefighters Pantheon at the Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut. On the 15th, at one o clock in the afternoon, his earthly remains where honored with full military honor by the Puerto Rico National Guard and interred at The Puerto Rico National Cemetery. The remains where entombed in a special section of the cemetery.

A New Haven notable mural of Lt. Augusto Rodríguez could be found on Park Street, New Haven.

In 2018 Augusto Rodríguez was posthumously inducted to the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame.

Awards and decorations Augusto Rodríguez and the members of the Union Army were awarded the Army Civil War Campaign Medal for their service in the American Civil War.