The majority of the military donors handed over anything between $1 and $5 for the Relief of the Irish Poor, with officers generally contributing greater amounts. All would have been forgiven for concentrating on their own situation, rather than concerning themselves with the plight of those still in Ireland. The desire for units to have their contribution recorded in newspapers such as the Irish-American allows us to examine the profile of some of these men, and explore what became of them during the war. This is an undertaking not without limitations; for example further work is required to discover what became of those men of the 4th United State Infantry and the sailors of the USS Kennebec.

Thousands of military personnel gave funds to assist the destitute poor of Ireland during the American Civil War (Image via Wikipedia)

The men recorded here predominantly served in the Eastern Theater, with notable exceptions being units such as the 10th Ohio and the telegraph builders from the Army of the Cumberland. It also highlights the high numbers of Irish in non-Irish formations, such as the regulars of the 4th U.S. Infantry, although traditional Irish regiments such as the 63rd and 88th New York of the Irish Brigade are also present. The Fenians clearly played a major part in organising some of these fund raising efforts, particularly those that took place in 1862 (such as the collection among the 10th Ohio Infantry). Elsewhere the drive appears to have been taken up at Company level, and it may be the case that in such situations almost everyone was expected to contribute something. The fact that a number of non-Irish names are included among the contributors demonstrates that it was not only emigrants from Ireland who felt a need to help out those they perceived as less fortunate.

The table below looks at 871 of the donations made by serving military in 1862 and 1863. Together they made a contribution to the Irish poor well in excess of $2,500. Although far from a complete list of those who contributed, it does provide a snapshot of some of the men who put their hands in their pockets to help hungry people across the Atlantic.

By attempting to cross-reference each name with available unit rosters, it has been possible to uncover some further detail of the service of many of the men listed. At least 78 did not survive the war- some fell on battlefields such as Gettysburg and Petersburg, while others perished in prison camps like Andersonville. Given the difficulty of tracking information on units like the 4th United States Infantry, the mortality rate amongst the donors is certainly much higher. Of those who did survive, more than 120 were wounded at some point during the conflict. At least 62 of the men saw desertion as their only escape from the carnage. More than fifty of them experienced life in Rebel hands, having been captured at some point during the war.

The majority of the money was collected only a few short weeks before the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg Campaigns. It is likely that the funds had not even arrived in Ireland before those two great battles had wounded 39 of the men, caused 14 to become prisoners, left a further two missing, and ended the lives of 29. Of the 182 men of the 42nd New York Infantry (Tammany Regiment) who made contributions, at least 35 subsequently died during the war- 13 of them as a result of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Two of the donors would go on to receive the Medal of Honor. Second Lieutenant Edward M. Knox of the 15th Independent New York Light Artillery, who contributed $20 for the Irish poor, earned his award for his actions at Gettysburg on 2nd July 1863. Private Michael Madden of the 42nd New York, who had given $5, would receive his award in recognition of the gallantry he had displayed at Mason’s Island, Maryland, on 3rd September 1861.

The contributions made by these men undoubtedly made a difference in the efforts to assist the destitute in Ireland. Many of them ended up in early graves, victims of a fate that through financial aid they had sought to spare others. Today the contributions they made in 1862 and 1863 are virtually forgotten. These men deserve to have their names remembered, and to be recognised for the help they provided at a time of great need.

Key: (W)- Wounded; (D)- Died; Disability- Discharged for Disability; (KIA)- Killed in Action; (MW)- Mortally Wounded; (POW)- Prisoner of War; (MIA)- Missing in Action; (DD)- Died of Disease.

References

Rosters of New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania

Irish American Weekly 2nd August 1862 ‘Aid for Father Lavelle’

Irish American Weekly 14th February 1863 ‘Impending Famine in Ireland’

Daily National Intelligencer 9th April 1863 ‘The Suffering Poor of Ireland. Relief Meeting- Speech of Gen McClellan’

New York Herald 29th April 1863 ‘The Irish Relief Fund’

Irish American Weekly 2nd May 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland from the Army of Rosecranz’

Irish American Weekly 2nd May 1863 ‘Relief from the Irish Brigade’

New York Irish American 9th May 1863 ‘Relief From the Tammany Regiment’

Irish American Weekly 9th May 1863 ‘Irish Relief Fund. Charity in the Camp’

Freeman’s Journal 15th May 1863 ‘American Sympathy for Irish Distress’

Irish American Weekly 23rd May 1863 ‘Irish Relief Fund’

Irish American Weekly 23rd May 1863 ‘Fourth United States Infantry’

Irish American Weekly 6th June 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland, from the Irish Brigade and 94th N.Y. Vols.’

Irish American Weekly 27th June 1863 ‘The Central Relief Committee’

Boston Herald 5th August 1863 ‘Soldiers’ Contribution for the Relief of Ireland’

Irish American Weekly 1st August 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland’

Irish American Weekly 8th August 1863 ‘Contributions in the Diocese of Boston’

Irish American Weekly 29th August 1863 ‘Irish Central Relief Committee. Full and Final Report of Its Operations’

The USS Hetzel. The crew donated $25 to the Irish Relief Fund during the American Civil War (United States Navy)

Irish soldiers were also quick to put their hands in their pockets to help out those less fortunate. Irishmen in the British army of India collected rupees for the appeal, while those soldiers stationed in Shanghai, China sent on £108 sterling. The Irishmen in Union blue were no different to their red-coated brethren. Even so, it is remarkable that despite the ongoing hardships of life at the front, thousands were willing to contribute to ease the suffering of the Irish poor.

The 1863 efforts were unfortunately not unique, as conditions in Ireland in 1862 had also seen the need for assistance for the most impoverished. In that year the Fenian movement played a leading role in coordinating collections across the U.S., with the money being passed to the clergy to ensure that it reached those who needed it most. However the relief efforts of 1863 were coordinated on a grand scale, and vast sums were gathered. By the time the central Irish Relief Committee in Ireland took stock of the contributions it had received at the end of August that year, the contribution of the Irish in America was clear:

Table 1. Contributions to the Irish Relief Fund by country as of August 1863.

The Irish in the United States, perhaps because they were so aware of the consequences of Famine, were by far the biggest respondents. The Irish-American community made sure that they used their Democratic Party connections to pull in some big attractions in support of the relief efforts, and they didn’t come much bigger than George McClellan. In April 1863 the former commander of the Army of the Potomac and future Presidential candidate addressed a crowd at New York’s Academy of Music on the topic. The charismatic leader knew how to please his audience:

I knew that you had assembled for the noblest of all purposes- that of charity towards suffering brethren in a distant land. I came here simply to evince my sympathy in your cause; for I have strong and peculiar reasons for feeling an intense sympathy for and interest in all that relates to Ireland and the Irish [Great applause.] I sprung myself from a kindred race. I have often seen the loyalty of the Irish to their Government and to their General proved . I have seen the green flag of Erin borne side by side with our own Stars and Stripes through the din of battle. [Cheers.] I have witnessed the bravery, the chivalry, the devotion of the Irish race, while I was a boy, on the fields of Mexico, and in maturer years on the fields of Maryland and Virginia. [Loud cheers] It has often been my sad lot, pleasant withal, to watch the cheering , smiling patience of the Irish soldier while suffering from disease or ghastly wounds; and I have ever found the Irish heart warm and true. [Cheers].

Many of the relief fund donations were recorded in contemporary American newspapers, identifying the individuals and groups within the community that had contributed. This record also allows us to build a picture of the different military units who made donations, and how much they were able to give. The table below provides a list of some of these military contributions as recorded in publications such as the New York Irish-American Weekly.*

Table 2. Military Contributions to the Irish Relief Fund by military group (identified to date).

This information provides a fascinating insight into the distribution of Irishmen throughout the Union military, and undoubtedly represents just a small portion of the actual contributions made by the North’s armed forces. One of the typical letters accompanying these donations was that compiled by the 4th United States Infantry:

Camp of the Fourth U.S. Infantry,

Near Falmouth, Va., May 8, 1863

To the Editors of the Irish-American

Gentlemen- You will very much oblige the members of this regiment by publishing in your next issue of the Irish-American the enclosed list of contributors to the Irish Relief Fund, with the amount contributed by each party opposite their respective names. The money was transmitted some time since, by the Treasurer, to Archbishop Hughes, and has by this time, I presume, been handed to the proper parties appointed to receive it in New York. The sum of $318.50 was collected by Sergeants John Riley, P.H. McCarthy, Dennis Kelly, and John W. Rolands. Hoping you will grant the desired favor. I remain, very respectfully yours,

Thomas F. Quinn

Drum-Major 4th Infantry, Secretary.

The 42nd New York ‘Tammany Regiment’ memorial at Gettysburg. Of the 182 men who contributed to the Irish Relief Fund only two months before, 13 would die as a result of this battle (Photo: J. Stephen Conn)

Such letters clearly show the strong Irish character that remained a characteristic of the regular regiments of the United States army during the Civil War. They also form important historical documents, as included with the letter are the names of the 114 soldiers of the regiment who contributed, together with the amount each put forward. Interestingly these men were not all Irish, or even members of the Irish-American community. A number of those who donated bore German names, and clearly felt empathy for the suffering of their fellow Europeans.

These men who handed over anything between $1 and $10 would have been forgiven for not concerning themselves with the plight of those still in Ireland. They were in a position where death could come at almost any time, and indeed many of them would not live to hear of the contribution they had collectively made to the Relief Fund. Of the 182 men of the 42nd New York Infantry (Tammany Regiment) who made contributions, at least 35 of subsequently died during the war- 13 of them as a result of the Battle of Gettysburg fought that very summer.

The survival of these documents provide us with the names of hundreds of soldiers and sailors who gave money to the Irish Relief Fund. Part 2 of this post will look at these names and attempt to identify the ultimate fate of some of these men, who took time during the bloody year of 1863 to think not of the war that surrounded them, but of the potential Famine that loomed across the Atlantic, and those they perceived to be less fortunate than themselves.

*The paper articles looked at for the compilation of this list are shown below. Please note that there were undoubtedly many other military contributions- it is intended that this information will form part of the ‘Resources’ section on the site and will be added to over time.

**Names have been transcribed using spellings as they appeared in the contemporary newspapers. Given the vagaries of print in 1863 some of the names and sums donated were difficult to discern, making some errors unavoidable.

References

Irish American Weekly 2nd August 1862 ‘Aid for Father Lavelle’

Irish American Weekly 14th February 1863 ‘Impending Famine in Ireland’

Daily National Intelligencer 9th April 1863 ‘The Suffering Poor of Ireland. Relief Meeting- Speech of Gen McClellan’

New York Herald 29th April 1863 ‘The Irish Relief Fund’

Irish American Weekly 2nd May 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland from the Army of Rosecranz’

Irish American Weekly 2nd May 1863 ‘Relief from the Irish Brigade’

New York Irish American 9th May 1863 ‘Relief From the Tammany Regiment’

Irish American Weekly 9th May 1863 ‘Irish Relief Fund. Charity in the Camp’

Freeman’s Journal 15th May 1863 ‘American Sympathy for Irish Distress’

Irish American Weekly 23rd May 1863 ‘Irish Relief Fund’

Irish American Weekly 23rd May 1863 ‘Fourth United States Infantry’

Irish American Weekly 6th June 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland, from the Irish Brigade and 94th N.Y. Vols.’

Irish American Weekly 27th June 1863 ‘The Central Relief Committee’

Boston Herald 5th August 1863 ‘Soldiers’ Contribution for the Relief of Ireland’

Irish American Weekly 1st August 1863 ‘Relief for Ireland’

Irish American Weekly 8th August 1863 ‘Contributions in the Diocese of Boston’

Irish American Weekly 29th August 1863 ‘Irish Central Relief Committee. Full and Final Report of Its Operations’

Robert Atkins was the son of the local Episcopal clergyman in Mallow, the Reverend Mr. Atkins. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War he had been interested in military affairs, serving as an officer in the Royal Cork City Artillery in the 1850s. With the advent of the Italian War in 1860 he joined the ‘British Legion’, a group of volunteers who fought for Garibaldi’s Republicans. While there he struck up a friendship with an American called Chatham Roberdeau Wheat, a Southern adventurer who had been born in Virginia but had grown up in the State of Louisiana. The fateful encounter brought Robert to the United States, where civil war loomed. (1)

In New Orleans, Wheat organised the 1st Louisiana Special Battalion, a motley group of natives and immigrants (including many Irish) who would prove extraordinarily ill-disciplined but courageous in a fight. They soon took on the moniker of the ‘Louisiana Tigers.’ Robert Atkins became a Captain in the outfit, and served with them in the first major battle of the war at Bull Run. One colourful account of the Irishman’s service in that engagement claimed that:  ’It was Captain Atkin’s who led Wheat’s Battalion at Manassas, after the noble Wheat fell wounded, leading the celebrated charge of the Louisiana Tigers with a bare shillalah. ‘ (2)

Firville House, Mallow. Robert Atkins wrote his letter to the Bishop of Kerry and resigned from the Confederate States Army from here. (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage- http://www.niah.ie)

After his service with the Tigers Atkins went on to become Aide de Camp on the staff of Major-General Arnold Elzey, who commanded the Department of Richmond. It was while in this position that he returned to Ireland on personal business; from his Mallow home in early 1864 he decided to assist the Southern cause from afar by addressing the Bishop of Kerry about Irish emigration to America and their subsequent enlistment in Union armies. The perceived swelling of Northern ranks by immigrants was an issue close to the Southern press’ hearts, and they frequently reported on it, particularly as the war dragged on in late 1863 and 1864. Robert’s letter was published in the Irish Tralee Chronicle and was soon picked up and reprinted in Southern papers such as the The Richmond Dispatch (Virginia), Daily Constitutionalist (Georgia) and Charleston Mercury (South Carolina). It read as follows:

FIRVILLE, MALLOW, County Cork,

January 9th, 1864

My Lord,

The enclosed letter from the Rev. John Teeling, of Richmond, Va., Confederate States of America, must be my introduction to your lordship. I had the pleasure of making that gentleman’s acquaintance before the first battle of Manassas, July 21st, 1861, and have the highest satisfaction in stating that he enjoys the reputation among a vast number of admiring friends (of every religious denomination) of being an upright honorable man, and a zealous Christian Minister. During the first year of this unfortunate conflict, my friend, Mr. Teeling, acted Chaplain to “Wheat’s Louisiana Battalion,” from New Orleans, (in which Corps I had the honor to serve as Captain for eighteen months,) composed almost exclusively of Irishmen, and nobly did he do his duty in camp and on the battle-field. On the presentation of new colors to the command, our worthy chaplain consecrated the standard, and on many a hard fought field of Southern independence has its silken folds floated on the breeze- when the victorious shout of “Stonewall Jackson’s corp’s” proclaimed that the minions of a despot had recoiled, baffled and dismayed, before the impetuous advance of Southern troops.

“Is it not sad, my Lord, to witness the flower of our peasantry, at this moment in America, imbruing their hands in each others blood?- Why does the Irishman, who craves for liberty at home, and who complains of mis-government here, support, at the risk of his life, the most degraded despotism the world has yet seen? and why does he (becoming forsooth fascinating with the flowery rhetoric and persuasive powers of Mr. Ward Beecher, et hoc genus omne) enrol himself under the “abolition banners” of Abraham Lincoln, and congratulate himself that he is on a crusade, to grant an unsolicited freedom to three millions of “Africans,” who are better clothed, better lodged, and beyond all better fed then he is himself? I shall answer these questions briefly. No feeling of animosity against a people gallantly struggling for liberty, influences the mind of the Irish peasant, when he sails to America, no sympathy with despotism actuates him to enlist in the Northern army; no hatred of the institution of slavery prompts him to join the fanatical legions of the invader, and makes it the greatest object of his life to carry fire and sword, lust and rapine into every Southern home.

What reasons then actuate him to fight for a despotism which his soul abhors? His own adventurous spirit- the distressed condition of his native land, and then by far the greatest inducement- the enormous bounty paid by the Yankee Government for fighting material. What spirited young fellow, who perhaps never made (-) note in his life, can stand the golden bait of seven hundred and seventy-seven dollars. As seven was a favorite number in Holy Writ, it is to be inferred that the legitimate descendants of the Canting Puritans of England regard that number with a sort of religious reverence. The cotton, tobacco and corn-fields of the South must, indeed, must be a much coveted prize to the consistent worshippers of the “almighty dollar” when seven hundred and seventy-seven “shinplasters” are to be the reward of the Irishman who “undertakes” to “serve an ejectment.” Why does not the Red Republican of New England, abandoning the shelter of his counting house or factory, lead bravely to the field of carnage these hordes of Irish, Dutch, Germans and free niggers whom he so persistently treats to the sound of that music which has no harmony for him- that is, the whistle of Southern bullets? or actuated by the same spirit of liberality with which he started- why does he no remunerate with a pension his unhappy substitute, who returns from the field with a shattered constitution or minus a limb? No, my lord! the men whom I have described are coolly speculating in the life blood of our gallant countrymen, who are the abject dupes of those who hesitate to immolate them by thousands for the accomplishment of their selfish purposes and bloody ends.

On several battlefields in America I can bear testimony to the gallant fighting and esprit de corps of the Irish regiments engaged on both sides. The history of this war will attest the fact that on the bloody field of Fredericksburg no troops ever surpassed in deeds or daring that “Irish brigade” who, selected to storm the key of the Confederate position, (an impregnable range of hills,) was only finally repulsed when four-fifths of its number lay in front of the bloody parapet from which belched forth the converging fire of our victorious artillery.

In the reply of His Holiness, Pius IX., to the letter of Mr. Jefferson Davis, (which appeared in the public journals,) the Sovereign Pontiff thus proves himself, my Lord, the worthy apostle of Him who taught “peace on earth and good will towards men.” He says, “it is particularly agreeable to us to see that you, illustrious and honorable President, and your people, are animated with the same desires of peace and tranquillity with which we have in our letters inculcated upon our venerable brothers. May it please God, at the same time, to make the other peoples of America and their rulers, reflecting seriously how terrible is civil war, and what calamities it engenders, listen to the inspirations of a calmer spirit, and adopt resolutely the path of peace.” Such are the sentiments of His Holiness, and such ought to be the feelings of all who wish to see this unhallowed conflict brought to a termination. I trust, my Lord, that you participate in my views, and hope that you, in the high position in which has pleased Providence to place you, use all the exertions in your power to dissuade the peasantry of your diocese from emigrating to the shores of America, there either to imbue their hands with the blood of their kindred, or crippled and maimed, like houseless warriors dependent on the public charity of some great Northern city. 

I am, my Lord, with assurances of high consideration, your Lordship’s obedient servant,

R. GOING ATKINS,

Captain and A.D.C., C.S. Army.

Right Rev. D. Moriarty, D.D., R.C., Bishop of Kerry, Killarney (3)

Robert Going Atkins letter of resignation from the Confederate States Army, written from ‘Firville, Mallow, Ireland’ (Fold3)

Robert Atkins did not get an opportunity to return to the Confederacy, as family reasons forced his resignation in February 1864. It is unclear if his letter had any effect on Irish emigration and subsequent enlistment, but there was undoubtedly one person who was strongly influenced by his views. Robert’s younger brother John decided that he would champion the cause of the Confederacy. In March 1864 John arrived in the South and took up arms with the famed ‘Gray Ghost’, John Singleton Mosby. The Richmond Examiner of the 3rd December 1864 revealed his fate:

In a charge upon the enemy made by Mosby’s band at Upperville, on the 29th October, fell mortally wounded JOHN ATKINS, a private trooper, the son of the Rev. Mr. Atkins, an eminent Episcopal Clergyman of Mallow, in the County of Cork, Ireland…John Atkins was the younger brother- a young man of high connections in his own country, of good education and great gallantry, who arrived in the Confederacy in the month of March last, with the purpose of throwing himself into our struggle for independence, and at once purchased a horse and joined Mosby, under whose command he has participated in all the dashing exploits of that noble partisan leader. Thus has fallen another of the gallant young soldiers whom European countries have contributed to our devoted armies. (4)

Following the war’s conclusion Robert maintained his love for the South. In early 1870 he returned to America to participate in a hunting trip in Arkansas. The visit would be his last; his death while in the Natural State was recorded by the Irish American of 19th February 1870, at the age of just 39. The final surviving brother, Phillip, was now heir to Firville. He had reputedly served as a surgeon in the Union forces, but did not return to Ireland in 1865. By the time of Robert’s death five years later, he had been out of touch with his family for several years. Despite its geographical remoteness from the battlefields of the conflict, Firville House and it’s occupants in Mallow had felt the personal and tragic touch of the American Civil War just a strongly as many thousands of families across the Atlantic. (5)

(1) Edinburgh Gazette: 17th August 1855, Personne 1864: 99; (2) Personne 1864: 99; (3) Robert Going Atkins Service Record, Daily Constitutionalist: 13th April 1864; (4) Richmond Examiner: 3rd December 1864; (5) Irish American: 19th February 1870;

References

Personne. 1864. Marginalia; Or Gleanings From An Army Notebook

Robert Going Atkins Military Service Record

The Daily Constitutionalist 13th April 1864. Enlistments in Ireland

The Edinburgh Gazette 17th August 1855. Commissions

The Irish American 19th February 1870. Munster

The Richmond Examiner 3rd December 1864. Death of a Gallant Gentleman

The first event forms a part of the Irish Tricolour Weekend in Waterford, where History Ireland magazine are running a Hedge School  on the Irish in the American Civil War. I have been invited to participate in the panel discussion along with my former colleague in the National Museum of Ireland Lar Joye, Professor Tom Bartlett of the University of Aberdeen, and local historian Jack Burtchill. It will take place at 3pm on Saturday 10th March, in the Tapestry Room of Waterford’s Granville Hotel (which is on the site where Thomas Francis Meagher was born). Tickets are available at the door on the day for €8.

The second event is on Tuesday 17th April, and takes the form of a lecture to the South Tipperary Military History Society on the Irish in the American Civil War. The talk will start at 8pm in the Irish United Nations Veteran Association House at Clonmel Railway Station. Admittance is €2 for members of the society and €5 for non-members. For anyone who happens to be around either location at the time, I hope you will pop along for a look!

Granville Hotel, The Quays, Waterford. The site of Thomas Francis Meagher's birth

Llewellyn Traherne Bassett Saunderson, or ‘Welly’ to his friends, was a member of the Anglo-Irish gentry. His family owned Castle Saunderson in Co. Cavan, the county from which this adventurous Irishman hailed. Determined to try his hand with the Confederacy, he arrived in the South late in the war, with the intention of serving on the staff of one of the Rebel Generals. As the Confederacy entered its dying days, the veteran of the British 11th Hussars gained a position on the staff of cavalry General Fitzhugh Lee, the nephew of Robert E. Lee. To keep track of his brief service he kept a diary between 17th March and 14th April 1865. (1)

The grave of Llewellyn Traherne Bassett Saunderson, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin (Photo: Eamonn McLoughlin)

With the Confederacy collapsing, Welly recorded on the 31st March that he had to rise at 3.30 a.m. in the morning and ‘after a rough breakfast we all went down to General Pickett’s headquarters where a Council of War took place. We remained here for 3 hours or so, smoking and telling stories in a downfall of rain the whole time.’ On 1st April he noted that there was ‘bad news from Pickett’ as ‘he has lost 5,000 men out of 8,000, and the remainder are cut off from us.’ When their position was attacked by Sheridan, he wrote that ‘we had no idea that the enemy were so close to us…when all of a sudden about 250 Yankees let drive at us, it was so sudden that nobody could help being startled. I looked round and the whole regiment had disappeared.’ (2)

The Irish adventurer was present at the Battle of Sayler’s Creek on 6th April. Welly’s view of the conflict in which he had participated for only a few days was no doubt very different from the vast majority who witnessed the Army of Northern Virginia’s death throes:

‘Shells screaming, passed us, some bursting a few feet off us, volley of bullets coming in every direction. Every now and then, I heard bullets go with a thud into some unfortunate soldier, who would give a scream and all was over. I had a very narrow escape by a Parrot shell passing within 2 inches of my head and bursting within a foot of me, by coming in contact with a tree, a piece of it killing a man about a hundred yards off. It certainly was very exciting. People may talk about hunting, but a good battle is a 100 times more exciting.’ (3)

'Confederate War Veteran' marker at the grave of Llewellyn Traherne Bassett Saunderson, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin (Photo: Eamonn McLoughlin)

As the war drew to a close Fitzhugh Lee acknowledged the assistance he had received from the Cavan native. Following the surrender, the cavalry commander wrote to his uncle Robert E. Lee on 22nd April, commending his staff officers, including ‘Captain Llewellyn Saunderson, who, having just arrived from his native country, Ireland, joined me previously to the fall of Petersburg, and remained with me to the last.’ (4)

Llewellyn Traherne Bassett Saunderson returned to Ireland following his brief time in the Confederacy, forming part of the establishment in his home county. His brief Rebel service was clearly a source of great pride to him, and he certainly found the thrills he hoped for in war-torn Virginia. He is today one of the very few Confederate Irishmen who returned after the war, to ultimately being buried in the land of his birth.

*Special thanks to Eamonn McLoughlin for bringing this grave to light and for permission to use his photographs of the grave.

(1) Foreman 2010:758 (2) Ibid:761 (3) Ibid:770 (4) Ibid:777

References & Further Reading

Foreman, Amanda 2010. A World On Fire: An Epic History of Two Nations Divided

Civil War Trust Battle of Sayler’s Creek Page

Irish American Civil War Trail Logo

It was important for us that the logo represented Irish who were based in both the Northern and Southern States, and we wanted to avoid the traditional stars and stripes/stars and bars approach. The result sees as its central theme the Maid of Erin harp, a motif common among Irish communities in the mid-nineteenth century, and one that was utilised on the banners of both Union and Confederate Irish units. The harp has 32 strings, one for each of the counties on the island of Ireland. A laurel of shamrocks is another contemporary device, and on the logo is used to wreath the harp; rather than green the shamrock is blue for the Union on one side and grey for the Confederacy on the other.

We are hopeful that people will respond positively to the logo, and that it will provide us with a further tool to enhance knowledge of Irish involvement in the American Civil War in Ireland. Let us know what you think, and make sure to check out www.irishacwtrail.com to find out more about what we are up to!

Colonel James Mallon, 42nd New York ‘Tammany Regiment’. Killed in Action on 14th October 1863 at Bristoe Station. (National Archives)

Camp of the “Tammany Regiment.”

Near Falmouth, Va.

April 21, 1863

John O’Mahony, Esq.:

We, of the Tammany Regiment, aware of the present distress existing in Ireland, beg you to transmit to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Keane, Bishop of Cloyne, the following amount. We hope it may contribute, if only in a small degree, to stop the stream of Irish emigration, and to keep our friends from starvation, so that, this war in which we are engaged being ended, there may be some our race left at home whom we can aid in placing beyond fear of recurrence both the miseries of famine and the horrors of landlordism.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Keane being the first to acknowledge, by his reception of the remains of the patriot McManus, the right of the exile to a resting-place with his kindred in the land for which he struggled, and for whose welfare his last sigh was offered, we select him as the dispenser of our contribution towards the immediate relief of our suffering kindred in Ireland.

The soldiers requested that the list of contributors in the regiment who had given towards the ‘relief of the destitute poor of our native land’ be published in the Irish-American as it had such an extensive circulation in the Army of the Potomac. An impressive 176 soldiers in The Tammany Regiment raised a total of $493.50 for their brethren across the Atlantic.

Undoubtedly the organisational skills one might expect of a unit connected with the Tammany political machine played a role in the collection; it would be interesting to know if all the donations were made voluntarily or if any pressure had to be applied for some of the men to feel charitable. It is also notable given the surnames of the donors that some may not have formed a part of the Irish-American community. Whatever the specific details, it is a testament to the 42nd New York that despite being in the midst of a bloody conflict, with a new campaign expected to begin any day, many of the soldiers still found the welfare of those in their homeland a cause of major concern. The names and contributions provided by the Tammany men as recorded by the Irish American are listed below, and provide us with evidence for the strong Irish presence within the unit.

The 42nd New York ‘Tammany Regiment’ memorial at Gettysburg (Photo: J. Stephen Conn)

42nd New York Donors

Officers: Colonel J.E. Mallon $25, Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. A. Lynch $20, Captain Patrick J. Downing $25, Captain Wm. O’Shea $20, Captain Robert C. Wright $10, Captain Thomas Wright $10, Lieutenant Maurice Fitzharris $10, Lieutenant  Francis F. Reynolds $5

Company K: Orderly Sergeant J. Coffey $7, Sergeant James Casey $7, James Fennessy $5, Luke Burns $5, Michael Cuddy $5, James McGeever $5, Peter West $5, Eugene Sullivan $5, John Fitzgerald $4, Michael Madden $5, Francis Gaffney $2, John Noonan $2, William Desmond $2, Andrew Clines $2, John McDonough $2, John Maher $2, Wm. Byrne $1, Denis Calahan $1, Patrick McManus $1, James McNeills $1, John Ritter $1.50, Thomas Murray $1, Michael McCormack $1, Adam Hydenhoff $1, Wm. Wallace $1

Company E: Sergeant Arthur Kenney $5, Sergeant Michael Cunningham $5, Sergeant James Kane $5, Daniel O’Shea $5, Arthur Cosgrove $2, Michael McDonough $5, Denis Colligan $5, Michael Reedy $1, Sergeant John Gillen $5, Edward McNally $1, Patrick McNamara $1, Michael Lynch $1, Jeremiah Gerrin $5, Francis Creely $1, Patrick Fitzgerald $1, Felix Connelly $2, Michael Walsh $2, John Molloy $1, Daniel Leddy $2, William Carey $2, Edward Long $1, Francis Curry $1, John Hudson $5, John Burns $5, Wm. Mulcahy $3

Company D: Sergeant John Cardn $2, Sergeant L. Kenny $2, Owen McDermott $8, Thomas Kepple $5, Joseph Murphy $2, Thomas Banon $2, John Bourke $2, Francis Murphy $1, Charles Moore $1, John Mlloy $1, W. Baxendale $1, Hugh Reilly $1, Patrick Flaherty $2, Richard Allen $1, Cornelius Blackburn $2, Richard Murray $2, Edward Kelly $2, Patrick Kane $1, John Smith $1, Sergeant James Moran $2, Sergeant P. Fitzpatrick $2, John Nash $1, Joseph Bennett $1, Luke Kernen $1

Company F: Sergeant-Major Nllon $1, James Cullen $5, John Raap $1, Hugh Craig $1, Edward Blake $1, John Scanlon $5, John Fallon $2, Patrick Gorman $1, Charles Beck $0.50, Sergeant Quinn $1

Company G: Patrick Kehoe $5, Sergeant Standford $1, Michael McDonnell $1, Michael Flood $1, A. McLoughlan $2, Sergeant Murphy $1, John Nevill $2, Hugh Murphy $2, Patrick Fitzpatrick $5, Peter Flynn $5, Sergeant Daley $2, Bernard Quinn $1, John Quirke $2, Thomas Ramsden $1, Christpher Stone $1, Michael O’Meara $2, Francis Connelly $1, Quartermaster-Sergeant G.B. Ruddy $5, C. Mulholland $2, Francis Kennedy $2, H. Lippincott $2

Company H: Sergeant Wm. Flinn $2.50, Sergeant B. Dolan $2.50, Sergeant John Nugent $2.50, John P. Kelley $2, Richard McGreal $2, Patrick Crosby $1, James Byron $2, Jeremiah McCarthy $1.50, Michael Lynch $2, James Merrick $1, James Boyce $1, Corporal Wm. O’Neill $1, Richard McAuliffe $1, Bernard Reynold $1, Wm. Bushell $5, Edward Kelly $5, Philip Craighton $1, James McNamara $3, John Smithwick $2, Richard Quinan $1, Bernard Menton $2

Company C: Sergeant Molloy $2, Michael Kenney $1, Timothy Horogan $1, Thomas Curly $1, James H. Dougherty $5, Thomas Dunnigan $1, Wm. McKiheny $1, Michael Hayes $1, Wm. Cheeseman $1, Wm. Strip $1, Lewis Peters $1, Daniel Barrett $1, John Moriarty $1, Michael Donovan $1, Thomas Somerville $1, James H. Walsh $2, Garrett Hyde $1, G. Maley $2, Francis Campbell $2, Wm. Jameson $1, Wm. Church $1

Company B: John Smyth $2, John Downs $1, John Boyd $1, John Doyle $1, Edward McDermott $1, Sergeant John Mullin $2, James Scott $1, Joseph Edwards $1, Wm. Curran $1, Wm. Dunkinson $5, Hiram Manton $2

Company I: Sergeant Brandt $1, James Kilduff $2, Thomas Ryan $2, Wm. Lynch $1, Matthew McNally $1, Henry Bird $1, Michael Hickey $1, James Shilton $2, Daniel Kelly $1, Peter Sawer $1

Company A: Thomas James $2, Edward Brice $1, Bernard Hanlon $2, Neil McIvor $2, Thomas Griffin $1, Wm. Rutledge $1

*Names have been transcribed using spellings as they appeared in the Irish-American. Given the vagaries of print in 1863 some of the names and sums donated were difficult to discern, making some errors unavoidable.

References

New York Irish American 9th May 1863: Relief From the Tammany Regiment

American Civil War Recruitment Poster for The Phoenix Regiment (Civil War Treasures from the New York Historical Society, via Library of Congress)

In December 1854, as many as 30,000 Irishmen were embodied to form part of the Militia Regiments for the defence of the United Kingdom during the Crimean War. Many of these units were to remain in this state of embodiment until 1860, meaning that the men in these amateur regiments came to be seen as highly efficient soldiers, and this was particularly the case of the 2nd, North Tipperary Artillery Militia, who were even considered as suitable candidates for conversion to a professional artillery regiment. This was not to be the case and thus the majority of these Tipperary men went back to their locality, many, it would seem, in some frustration.

The unit’s ‘Digest of Service’ records that two years after the end of their embodiment, ‘the Civil War in America, which had now lasted several months, tempted large numbers of men to go to that country, particularly such as were known to be well-drilled soldiers, to whom most tempting inducements were held out by agents who visited Ireland for the purpose, and their efforts had the more success from the want of any kind of employment for labourers in this country’. As a result of this, it is recorded that many men of this militia regiment enlisted to fight in America, some of those returning to once again serve as amateur soldiers in their native land. Similar examples are seen in other Irish Militia units, such as the Westmeath Militia. However, very little official documentation is available, owing to the difficulty in prosecuting anyone under the Foreign Enlistment Act. Owing to this lack of official evidence the author would greatly appreciate any information, or, indeed, other examples of former Irish Militiamen serving in America during the Civil War period.

If you have any information that you think might be of use to Will please email at irishamericancivilwar@gmail.com for his details or leave a comment on this post.

Irish American Civil War Trail Website

The site is still under development and there are many images and locations to be added, particularly concerning the birthplaces of Colonels and Medal of Honor recipients. However it will be added to over time and it is hoped it will act as a catalyst for the development of local interest at these locations. Please drop by and have a look at the site, and feel free to make suggestions as to potential additions, clarifications or to provide further detail on entries. We would also welcome any photographs of any sites in Ireland that could be added. If you would like to contact the group you can do so on the Civil War Trail site or by emailing americancivilwarandireland@gmail.com.

Cobh (formerly Queenstown), Co. Cork. Major emigration port, location of Confederate spies, and anchorage where the USS Kearsarge was accused of illegally recruiting British citizens (Photo by Ralph Rawlinson)

There is perhaps only one other conflict in history in which similar numbers of Irish were involved- World War One. Although recent years have seen a welcome increase in the study and remembrance of Irish participation in the Great War, the American Civil War has yet to achieve similar recognition. The principal reason for this can be attributed to one simple fact; the vast majority of those Irish soldiers and civilians caught up in the maelstrom of 1861-5 never returned to Ireland. Instead they went on to form part of what became the vibrant Irish-American community, and many of their stories did not make it back to the island of their birth.

Bride Park Cottage, Killumney, Co. Cork where Major-General Patrick Cleburne C.S.A., 'Stonewall of the West', was born

The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War provides and opportunity for Ireland to recognise the effect this war had on Irish people. With that in mind a number of like-minded individuals who share an interest in Irish involvement in the Civil War have decided to see what might be achieved to this end over the course of the next four years. Robert Doyle, James Doherty, Ian Kenneally and I have started to work towards the realisation of two outcomes; the creation of a national memorial to the Irish soldiers and civilians, North and South, who were affected by the American Civil War, and the establishment of a Civil War Trail in Ireland highlighting locations with a connection to the conflict.

Sir Peter Tait Clothing Factory, Limerick. Confederate uniforms were made here in 1864 and shipped through the Union Blockade

Thanks to the efforts of James Doherty, The Irish Times ran a piece about our aims in their newspaper on 11th November, which has already provoked a strong response. You can read Frank McNally’s article here. Although work is at an early stage it is hoped that momentum can be built for the project over time. An email has been established at americancivilwarandireland@gmail.com for anyone interested in helping achieve these goals, or indeed for anyone who has any advice. Hopefully at the very least the initiative will lead to a renewed understanding in Ireland of the experience of this ‘lost generation’ of Irish in mind-nineteenth century America.

Derrynane House, 19 The Mall, Waterford. Thomas Francis Meagher, later commander of the Irish Brigade, grew up here