The Irish in the American Civil War

Twenty-four stories of the Irish in the U.S. Civil War—true tales of sacrifice, gallantry, and chance



This is the story of the forgotten role of the 200,000 Irish men and women who were involved in various ways in the U.S. Civil War. It includes the story of James Shields, who challenged Abraham Lincoln to a duel in Illinois before the war began, and James O'Beirne, whose job was to hunt Lincoln's assassin. The stories are divided into "beginnings," "realities," "the wider war," and "aftermath." Each section contains six true stories of gallantry, sacrifice, and bravery, from the flag bearer who saved his regimental colors at the cost of his arms, to the story of Jennie Hodgers, who successfully passed as a man to serve throughout the war in the 95th. All photos come from the Library of Congress.