Background
De Castro was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
De Castro was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, he was among the men who joined the all-volunteer 19th Massachusetts Infantry. bore the Flag of Massachusetts for Company I, 19th Massachusetts Infantry. The unit participated in the Battle of Gettysburg at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania as part of the III Corps, 3rd Brigade, United States. Army under the command of Colonel Norman J. Hall. On July 3, 1863, the third and last day of the battle, his unit participated in what became known as Pickett"s Charge.
The charge was a disastrous infantry assault ordered by Confederate General Robert East. Lee against Major General George G. Meade"s Union positions on Cemetery Ridge.
During the battle, attacked a Confederate flag bearer from the 19th Virginia Infantry regiment, with the staff of his own colors and seized the opposing regiment"s flag, handing the prize over to General Alexander South. Webb. General Webb is quoted as saying, "At the instant a man broke through my lines and thrust a rebel battle flag into my hands.
He never said a word and darted back. lieutenant was, one of my color bearers.
He had knocked down a color bearer in the enemy"s line with the staff of the Massachusetts State colors, seized the falling flag and dashed it to me".
Sergeant After the war entered the regular Army and served for a few years. married Rosalia Rodriguez and in 1882 moved to New York City. He was employed by the New York Barge Office when, on May 8, 1892, he died in his home at 244 West 22nd Street. His funeral was held at the 18th Street Methodist Church and he was buried at Fairmount Cemetery (Section 2, Lot 300, Grave 2) in Newark, New Jersey.
There he was an active member of the Philosophy Kearny Post Number 8 of the Grand Army of the Republic.
