Due to the number of Irish immigrants to the Industrial Revolution-era United States, Irish-American participation in the American Civil War was commonplace.
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Although Irish immigration to the United States has taken place since colonial times (Six Declaration of Independence signers were of Irish descent and Andrew Jackson was partially Irish),[1] worsening conditions (under British rule) in Ireland-especially the Great Potato Famine-caused many Irish to emigrate in the mid-19th century.
An Irish immigrant, having suffered through an arduous overseas journey,[1] would have been thrust into a terrible situation, as many were poor and unused to American customs.
Soon, however, the number of Irish-Americans in some cities grew so great that immigrant Patrick Murphy stated "New York is a grand handsome city. But you would hardly know you had left Ireland."[1] American customs, once utterly foreign to the immigrants, became blended with traditional ones, forming a distinct Irish-American culture.
Most Irish-Americans had settled in the northern, anti-slavery American states [1] and were thus called up to service when southern, slaveholding states seceded and formed the Confederacy in 1861.
Many Irish-Americans formed their own units, which embraced Irish customs such as Catholic masses and priests.
The first two casualties of the Civil War were Irish, as well.[2]
The northern states remained loyal to the United States government, which was led by President Abraham Lincoln. Irish-Americans living in the Union states often formed their own regiments, notably the 69th New York State Volunteers. The Volunteers flew a green flag with a golden harp on it, symbolizing Ireland.[1]
Seven Union generals were Irish-born[2] and 150,000 Irish-Americans fought for the Union during the war. At the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, the Union Irish Brigade charged up Marye's Heights, suffering 41.4% casualties.[3] During the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, the Irish Brigade heard a Catholic mass before battling Confederate troops.
Although significantly fewer Irish lived in the Confederate States of America,[2] six Confederate generals were Irish-born. Units such as the Charleston Irish Volunteers[4] attracted Confederate Irish-Americans in South Carolina, while Irish Tennesseans could join the 10th Infantry Regiment, called "the Sons of Erin."
Many Irish-Americans died in the Civil War, but the number of Irish immigrants did not stop after the Union's eventual victory. As early as the 1860s, while the war was raging, immigrants dared to cross the Atlantic. Among them was former US president Ronald Reagan's grandfather.[2]