Macheca enlists as Confederate private

On this date in 1861: Joseph P. Macheca, a Louisiana native, enlisted in the Confederate Army. (Some legends incorrectly state that Macheca was foreign-born and sat out the Civil War.)

Signed up by Lieutenant John Devereaux of the Louisiana Artillery, Macheca became a private in Gomez's Company of the 22 Louisiana Infantry, Camp Lewis near New Orleans. At that time, it was thought that the war would be over quickly. Macheca's enlistment was for just nine months.

Macheca's term of service concluded just after the federal capture of New Orleans and just before the 22nd Regiment saw serious action. After leaving the army, he is known to have participated in black market activities during the federal occupation of the city and is believed to have helped run the Union blockade of southern ports.

148 years ago: Macheca and the black market

One hundred and forty eight years ago on this date, young Joseph P. Macheca of New Orleans was tried and convicted before a Union military court of selling stolen army rations.

Macheca, by then a veteran of Confederate service in Louisiana, was found selling U.S. Army-labeled barrels of pork and beef through his stepfather's produce store. He and some conspirators were tried before a military tribunal on Aug. 28, 1863. While Macheca's conspirators - members of the Union occupying force in New Orleans - were sentenced to prison time, Macheca was subjected only to a $50 fine.

Soon after, Macheca left New Orleans for Texas, where he gathered a small fortune as a smuggler.