The Irish Brigade’s first taste of active campaigning arrived in the summer of 1862, when Union forces advanced along the Peninsula towards Richmond. They had yet to experience serious action when they settled into ‘Camp Winfield Scott’, near Yorktown in April. Despite the absence of the enemy, death arrived in unexpected circumstances for one member [...]
James Wall Scully’s Unpublished Letters: Field of Shiloh, April 1862
Two previous posts on the site have reproduced unpublished letters relating to Kilkenny native James Wall Scully. The first dealt with the Battle of Mill Springs while the second gave account of his experiences at Shiloh. Anthony McCan who has conducted the research on Scully has kindly provided further letters which carry the story forward [...]
Irish Colonels: Henry F. O’Brien, 11th New York Infantry
Over 25 Irishmen served as Colonels in units raised in the State of New York. Many are well-known, having served in ethnic Irish regiments such as those of the Irish Brigade and Corcoran’s Legion. Perhaps one of the least recognisable, and certainly one of the most tragic, is Colonel Henry F. O’Brien. He took over [...]
Fighting Mike Lawler: Abe Lincoln’s Lilywhite General
As part of continued efforts to raise awareness in Ireland of the Irish contribution during the American Civil War, members of the Irish American Civil War Trail team have been attempting to highlight local figures across the country. This piece on Kildare man General Michael Kelly Lawler was prepared by Robert Doyle, and appeared in this [...]
Upcoming Speaking Engagements
As I am an archaeologist by profession, the vast majority of public presentations I give are related to that subject, principally my area of expertise which is conflict archaeology. It is therefore very gratifying for me to have two upcoming engagements which have arisen as a result of the Irish in the American Civil War site. I [...]
Medal of Honor: Landsman Thomas E. Corcoran, USS Cincinnati
At 12.20 pm on 27th May 1863, Admiral David Dixon Porter sent a brief message to General William Tecumseh Sherman. It stated simply ‘Cincinnati is sunk.’ Sherman already knew, as he had witnessed the luckless ships final moments. He replied to Porter at 2.15 pm: ‘The boat ran close to the batteries, rounded upstream, caught several [...]
The Confederate Cavalryman Buried in Co. Dublin
The cemetery at Deansgrange, Co. Dublin is one of the largest in Ireland. Amongst the multitude of burials to be found, there is one headstone that relates to a family called the Saundersons. One of the individuals interred here is Llewellyn Traherne Bassett Saunderson, who died here on 30th March 1913 at the age of [...]
Spreading Fenianism in the Army of the Potomac
This site has touched briefly on the Fenian movement a number of times in the past, and it is a topic worthy of further exploration. Who were the members, and how did they maintain their involvement with the cause while away in the field during the American Civil War? Michael H. Kane is an expert on the Fenian [...]
Irish American Civil War Trail Logo Design
Some of you will be familiar with efforts that I and a number of colleagues in Ireland are making with regard to an American Civil War trail in Ireland, hopefully to be accompanied by some form of all-island memorial. For any of you interested in reading a little more about this project check out our [...]
Irish American Civil War Trail
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