Fighting to Fit In: The Irish Struggle to Be One with the Union

Day One: Irish in America

Day Two: Irish in the Civil War

Lincoln & the Union; Davis & the Confederacy

The “Irish Brigade” Support of the Union The “Irish Brigade” was a

famous militia group that supported the Unionist cause

The Brigade fought in the first significant, military engagement of the Civil War: the Battle of Bull Run

Notable Local: Colonel Patrick Guiney led the 9th Massachusetts Regiment

The 69th New York State militia (“Irish Brigade”) fights valiantly for the ostensibly

defeated Unionists

Social Impact of Immigrant Enlistment

Despite the valiant fighting of the Irish-Americans in the Civil War, many returned the post-war America facing the same strong anti-Catholic racism that was so prevalent antebellum

Because the Irish-Americans were the most politically involved of all the immigrants groups, soldiers were able to understand and take action against the same “injustices” as American born soldiers

Irish-Americans overcame strong racial prejudices in order to share the Unionist soldier’s sense of nationalism

The Irish Brigade at the battle of Antietam (flying their flag alongside the American flag!)

A possible reason for Irish Allegiance to the Union… “In the beginning of

the [Civil War], many Irish favored the South as they saw the North attempting to act much as the English had in their native land of Ireland. However, when Britain began considering support of the Confederacy, many Irish threw their lot in with the North. ”

Where the MA Irish Regiments can be seen today…

The Boston Public Library, Copley Place, Boston, MA