Transcript Document

Fighting to Fit In: The
Irish Struggle to Be One
with the Union


Support of the Union
The “Irish Brigade” was part of
the Union Army. It was led by
commander Brig. Gen.
Thomas Francis Meagher.



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 Massachusetts 28th
Regiment was also part of
the Irish Brigade.
The 69th New York State militia (“Irish
Brigade”) fights for the ostensibly defeated
Unionists




Despite the fighting of Irish-Americans in the Civil War, many
returned the post-war America facing the same antiCatholicism that was so prevalent antebellum.
The Irish-Americans were the most politically involved of all
the immigrant groups.
Irish-American soldiers were able to understand and take
action against the same “injustices” as American born soldiers.
How did Irish-Americans share the Unionist soldiers’ sense of
nationalism?
The Irish Brigade at the battle of Antietam (flying their flag
alongside the American flag!)

“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. ”

The Boston Public Library, Copley Place, Boston, MA
Credits:
Slides 3-6 artwork from Wikimedia Commons
Slide 8 & 9 artwork by
Slide 9 quote from
Slides 10-12: at Boston Public Library by Patrick Condon, November
2010