Explanation: Many German-Americans, heavily influenced by the failed liberal and socialist Revolutions of 1848 (infighting was involved) and the exile community that sprung from it, were heavily abolitionist, and not at all a fan of the Confederacy's plan to secede in the name of slavery. One particularly celebrated exile from the Revolutions of 1848, Franz Sigel, was a Union general, and an astounding recruiting tool - many German immigrants were said (perhaps somewhat tongue in cheek) to speak not a lick of English, except enough to tell the recruiter - "I want to fight mit Sigel!"