Civil War Memorial Event Honoring Captain (Brevet Colonel) Myer Asch

By Bruce Form · Originally published June 2018 · p. 27

On Sunday, April 22, the culmination of an over twenty-year quest to find the grave of Philadelphian Myer Asch who served in the Civil War came to an end. It ended in a way that honored him in a special memorial ceremony for a Civil War Veteran, at his grave site, in Beth Olam Cemetery in Queens, N.Y.

CDV of Colonel Myer Asch.

(L to R) Dr. Andy Waskie, Judge Jay Jorgenson and Bruce Form as Captain Myer Asch. Back row: Honor Guard of the Veterans Corps of the Artillery of the State of New York.

Sexton Zachary Edinger reading the memorial prayer at the grave site of Myer Asch showing the GAR Meade Post #1 Marker and flag.

The grave side ceremony included the unveiling of a special Civil War veteran’s marker for former members of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Meade Post #1 in Philadelphia in which Colonel Asch was member #11 and also one of the post’s commanders. After a brief greeting and introduction by Zachary Edinger, Sexton of Congregation Shearith Israel, sponsor of the event, a brief biography and eulogy of Colonel Asch was delivered by Bruce Form, who was dressed in period military attire as Captain Myer Asch. Mr. Form is a living historian, who for over twenty years, has been portraying Captain Myer Asch. In researching and learning about him, one of the key bits of information had been where he was buried. His death occurred on Feb. 16, 1890. The death certificate stated he was buried in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, not Queens. It was only through the assistance of Mr. Form’s good friend Steve Stein of the Jewish

Genealogy Society of New York that Myer Asch’s grave site in Beth Olam Cemetery was located in Queens. Following Colonel Asch’s eulogy, Dr. Anthony Waskie of Temple University, Civil War and GAR historian and scholar, dressed in period attire as a Commander of the GAR Meade Post #1, delivered a brief address. His words enlightened the guests about the significance of GAR posts for veterans. He also talked of the prestige of being a member of the Meade Post #1 in Philadelphia, which was recognized as our nations’ top GAR Post. Dr. Waskie read a memorial prayer from the original GAR Post Commander’s Handbook which Myer Asch would have used while Commander of Post #1. He then unveiled the special GAR marker signifying that Colonel Myer Asch was truly an honored member of the Meade Post. Dr. Waskie, representing not only the Meade Post, but the Meade Society, MOLLUS, and Union League of Philadelphia, followed the Jewish tradition of placing stones (one from each location in Philadelphia) on the grave stone. The ceremony’s next guest speaker was noted Civil War author and historian, President Emeritus and founder of the Robert E. Lee Civil War Round Table of Central New Jersey and New Jersey Superior Court Judge, Jay Jorgensen. Judge Jorgenson spoke on the importance of veterans’ organization focusing on MOLLUS, the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of The United States; a post-war organization made up of officers who served in the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps. Myer Asch was a member in both the Philadelphia and New York Commanderies of MOLLUS. In addition to the speakers, there was an honor guard that consisted of living historians representing the 39th New York “Garibaldi Guards” Infantry Regiment, Sons of Union Veterans, MOLLUS of Philadelphia and members of the Veterans Corps of the Artillery of the State of New York. The national anthem was sung by Major Lou DiLeo of the 11th New York Regiment of Sons of Union Veterans. Sexton Zachary Edinger led the Sephardic Hebrew Memorial Prayer, Hashcabah, which was followed by taps, played by Major DiLeo, to end the formal ceremony. In the memorial ceremony that unveiled the special veteran’s maker it was noted that Colonel Myer Asch was only one of over 10,000 Jewish Americans who fought in the Civil War. Like so many others in the country at the time, his life was affected and changed by the start of the Civil War. Myer Asch left his studies in Europe to come home to Philadelphia, the place of his birth, and help defend the Union. Following the memorial ceremony, an organized tour of Beth Olam Cemetery was led by Sexton Edinger. He pointed out several Civil War veterans of note buried in the cemetery including Commodore Uriah Levy, the highest ranking Naval Officer at the start of the Civil War and Abraham Cohen, one of six Jewish Civil War Medal of Honor recipients. The memorial program for Colonel Myer Asch was jointly designed by Sexton Zachary Edinger of Congregation Shearith Israel, The Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue in New York City, sponsors of the event, and Bruce Form, President of Officers for The Union Living History Organization centered in Gettysburg, Penn.