What did the Irish do in the American Civil War?

During the American Civil War (1861-1865) some 170,000 Irish-born soldiers fought for both the Union and the Confederacy. In this video I'll explore the stories of Irish-Americans who fought in the American Civil War.
Music Used:
Sunday Dub - Kevin MacLeod
Raid the Merch Market:
teespring.com/en-GB/stores/hi...
Go Fund My Windmills (Patreon):
/ historywithhilbert
Join in the Banter on Twitter:
/ historywhilbert
Enter the Fray on Facebook:
/ historywhilbert
Indulge in some Instagram..?(the alliteration needs to stop):
/ historywithhilbert
Send me an email if you'd be interested in doing a collaboration! [e-mail]
#Irish #USA #history

[@peculiarpangolin4638]

The Irish in The American Civil War has always been a topic that has interested me ever since I saw the memorial at Gettysburg; Thanks for covering it!

[@nivlacsenoj6264]

They were massacred by the Union army in New York, after they went on a rampage serves them right.

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

I completely agree with you on that because I am also interested in the Irish in the American civil war especially since I have Irish DNA.

[@williampotts3727]

@@chasechristophermurraydola9314 everyone is Irish. The potato heads only did 3 things when they got here drink fight and f*ck

[@williamromine5715]

The Irishman, Meagher, had a colorful life. I am from Montana, and a statue of Meagher is on the front lawn of our State Capitol. One of our counties is named Meagher. You pronounced his name absolutely correct. Most people, even those living in Montana, missprounce his name. His death is somewhat controversial. He drowned in the Missouri River, while on a river paddle boat, under suspicious circumstances.

[@5.56_Media]

Speak brother! 👏

[@tankc6474]

Respect from County Wexford Ireland, a film should be made about this great man ❤ 🇮🇪

[@peteraldridge5210]

It'd pronounced Marr

[@gerardmangan5870]

Maherr in limerick

[@LiamHickey2967]

​@@tankc6474 no truer word as ever been spoken sir

[@briandennis7081]

One interesting thing is that the New York 69th infantry division and the Louisiana Tigers were famous for their rivalry in the Civil War. Even after the war both units survived in the modern day never fighting side by side until the Iraq war where they were stationed together

[@i.willacceptfood9352]

Both units fought in the same trenches in the Aisne-Marne campaign in WW1 led by Douglas MacArthur and featuring Irish Americans “Wild” Bill Donovan future founder of the CIA and father Duffy, the most decorated Cleric in American military history. The units’ Irish heritage has faded considerably since ww2.

[@furrywarriors]

@@i.willacceptfood9352 … Desegregation of the military explicitly prevents the intentional creation of an ethnic based unit like that

[@markbeckens]

nn nn When was that signed and when did WWI take place.

[@i.willacceptfood9352]

@@markbeckens desegregation took me lace after ww2 during the Truman administration. Korea was the first war fought with integrated units

[@markbeckens]

@@i.willacceptfood9352 his comment is either ignorant or misplaced. I'm guessing ignorance.

[@finn9606]

I always appreciate that you take the time to learn the pronunciation of Irish counties and names unlike other youtubers that just butcher them😂

[@JMM33RanMA]

It's not like Irish Americans don't use distinctly Sassenach pronunciation of their own names, like James instead of Seamus, and as to my own name I've heard the original pronunciation(s) and can't reproduce them.

[@Fatblue246]

@@JMM33RanMA this definitely depends on your family and where you live etc. Not that it matters anyway, we migrated to a majority english speaking country where until very recently it was frowned upon to speak anything else, not surprising people anglicized their names etc if they weren’t ALREADY anglicized from when the english fucked around over in Ireland. That being said, my name is as gaeilge as was my father’s and many of my cousins so it’s not always the case. I understand why people avoid it though, my cousin Siobhan has a hard time w people misspelling or mispronouncing her name etc. Would imagine it gets grating having one’s name mispronounced often.

[@JMM33RanMA]

@@Fatblue246 All true. As one grandmother was born on the boat from Cork to the US, on the dock as sometimes said, She qualified as a native born citizen, and always claimed that there was no anti-Irish prejudice such as signs like "Help wanted--No Irish." Of course she grew up in the 1890s in Massachusetts. She married into a Colonial [1760's] English family that already included one or more Germans. So you are very right about the area being important. Massachusetts was well on its way to the Irish Catholic predominance that gave us Kennedy senators, representatives, state and local, and a US President. The Boston Statistical area has more people of full or partial Irish blood than Dublin. The right-wingers' fears of retribution if the minorities achieve equality are baseless. We didn't exterminate the Sassenach or abolish Protestantism [except teaching it in the public schools]. We didn't persecute the Portuguese or French Huguenots [who were here before we came in numbers], nor did we try to keep the Italians Greeks and others out or suppress them. Boston today [though not, unfortunately, always] is a cosmopolitan place where immigrants contribute to a much richer and more diverse population. There are national/ethnic festivals at Boston City Hall enjoyed by almost everyone.

[@johnpatterson4816]

@@JMM33RanMA I'm Scots-Irish.Meaning my ancestors came from Ulster. As far as that goes,I was once asked what my family and home life was like and I told her "Well fairly normal.Had the same mom and dad. I'm of Irish descent.My mother was English and Irish and Mt dad was Scots-Irish.". I was then asked "What was it like growing up Irish??". Well contrary to popular belief,not every Irish American is Catholic. Also not all Irish Americans were Cops;Firefighters;Gangsters or Priests. Let alone live in Boston,Chicago;New York or Philadphia.

[@JMM33RanMA]

@@johnpatterson4816 I know that not all Irish are Catholic, some of the independence leaders were Protestant. My family was mixed. Until my brother and I were born the males were raised Protestant and the girls were raised Catholic. It wasn't like the folk song "The Orange and the Green," but religion wasn't mentioned at home and no meal, including Thanksgiving, had a prayer. The public schools still had a prayer and Bible reading, both Protestant, required by law. The classes were 60% Catholic and they refused to say the prayer. The Supreme Court ruling against prayer in public schools was a relief. Massachusetts is too mixed and secular for that nonsense now. Within a few miles of me there is a Coptic Orthodox church, a Jewish Center, a Hindu Center, Muslim and Buddhist places of worship, the usual assortment of Protestant and Catholic churches, a Mormon church, a Kingdom Hall and a large number of Nones.

[@brianprice2665]

Currently, reading a book called "When the Irish invaded Canada." The true story of when Civil War veterans fought for Irish freedom. Invaded Canada to hold it for ransom against England. It's an exciting read. It was written by Christopher Klein.

[@StuckInPeg]

Guy Vanderhaeghe's historical novel A Good Man, set in 1866, also touches on the Fenian incursion into Southern Ontario. A good read.

[@__mindflayer__]

They are known as the Fenian Raids.

[@dallastiger1]

Great Book !

[@fenianbastard6226]

“The Immortal Irishman; The Irish Revolutionary who became an American Hero” is a great book on Thomas Francis Meagher. Written by Timothy Egan

[@H-aruspex]

Lots of fascinating stories or Irishmen fighting across the world, love stories of people like John MacBride who fought the English in South Africa

[@fyrdman2185]

*British, the bulk of the British Army was made up of Scots during Boer War.

[@davidhall875]

Think you'll find it was the British in South Africa

[@Kevc00]

And fought for an apartheid state, there is nuance in every story.

[@fincorrigan7139]

@@Kevc00 And fought against fellow Irishmen like those in the Dublin Fusiliers. Want complexity? Well you got it with Irish history :)

[@samaval9920]

Bernardo O’Huggins was the Liberator of Chile during the 1810 to 1820 independence war. Ernesto Che Guevara y Lynch was equally? famous Argentine-Cuban revolutionary was part Irish, part Basque (& Castilian?) in mid 20th century.

[@CnutStolen]

If you were going to explore the odd diaspora groups that are involved in the American Civil War I would encourage you to look into the Norwegian speaking regiment that fought under Colonel Hans Christian Heg. I have letters from a great grand uncle (who was from Frisia - cue the anthem) and a great grandfather who fought in that regiment

[@iginheo]

That's pretty niche. You could probably write on book on it

[@johnpatterson4816]

As far as the Confederacy goes,there were quite a number of Jews,Mexican and Native Americans who fought for the south. Among the Mexicans who fought for the south was General Santos Benavides and among Native Americans was the Cherokee General Stand Watie. Speaking of Patrick Cleburne,the County Seat of Johnson County,Texas is named after him.

[@samaval9920]

For Chinese Americans on both sides, see website of Chinese Scottish American ethnic studies historian & novelist Ruthanne alum McCune. She documents 54? Chinese fought fir North, 3 for South.

[@MrTohawk]

Try looking for the Irish in the Mexican-American war. Saint Patrick's Battalion fought on the Mexican side

[@yankeepapa304]

To this day the Mexican government once a year sends notice of appreciation to the Irish Republic for its sons who fought gallantly for Mexico. Many had been in the American Army, but had been treated like enemies by ignorant officers in the earliest days of the conflict. Scene in Gettysburg movie where Winfield Scott Hancock and his staff ride up to Irish/American soldiers at Catholic service and respectfully doff their hats...showed how much some of the American brass had learned from the story of the San Patricio's... -YP-

[@MCKevin289]

General Meagher designed an early version of the modern Irish flag! I lived in Ireland a few years back and it’ll always be my second home to me.

[@shadowrunner2510]

Yet more reasons to be proud of my Irish-American heritage

[@SilentEire]

🫡🇮🇪🍀

[@Ricky_Evans1611]

Me too! I'm proud my Irish ancestors fought for their freedom from the tyrannical Lincoln regime for the Southland of America. Deo Vindice!

[@baneofbanes]

@@Ricky_Evans1611 ah yes the tyranny of not being able to own people anymore.

[@King_Cova]

Irish-american? Sounds made up that's because it is. You are American with no Irish culture. You never will have Irish culture.

[@shadowrunner2510]

@@King_Cova lol learn about how American was founded everyone came from somewhere else. Yes I am an American but,an American who's family immigrated from Ireland a long time ago.

[@SamAronow]

There were quite a lot of these, since most units were created from scratch just for the war and immigrants were being recruited straight off the boat (until the 1864 Immigration Act, which exempted them from conscription in order to replenish the labor pool for wartime industry). The 82nd Illinois Infantry Regiment was an all-immigrant regiment from Chicago which included all-German, all-Jewish, and all-Swedish companies and was originally headed by an exiled German Revolutionary, Friedrich Hecker. There were a shocking number of ex-1848 revolutionaries who served as officers in the war, and it must be said that the sentiments of Meagher and the 69th New York were very much shared by the 82nd Illinois.

[@samaval9920]

Also, see (James) Connolly Column for Spanish Republic in International Brigades vs.pro fascist Blueshirts also Irish.

[@correr96]

Excellent video. My Irish ancestors arrived in Charleston, South Carolina around 1760. Over the years they migrated to Georgia and eventually fought for The Confederacy.

[@LordBitememan]

Correction: the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all the slaves in North America. It very specifically only freed those in states that were in rebellion against the Union. The slaves in the border states that remained loyal to the Union were exempted.

[@darrencox2424]

So were the slaves in northern states. There was some north of dixie

[@hippyjoe]

@@darrencox2424 Thems the ones he was talking about

[@LordBitememan]

@@darrencox2424 No, they were freed by the 13th Amendment. The Emancipation Proclamation specified in its text that it only freed slaves in states and territories that were in rebellion against the Union. It goes one step further and names the states in rebellion against the Union. It does not name slave states that remained loyal to the Union, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. It also specifically exempted the portions of Virginia that would break off to form West Virginia, and also exempted portions of Louisiana that had come under Union control. All of this can be found simply by reading the document which is available free to read on the web at the National Archives website.

[@MGTOWPaladin]

No slaves were freed by the Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. It was no different than what the English did during the Revolutionary War. Lincoln had no authority over the legally seceded States. And, since slavery was legal under the Constitution, as Lincoln even quoted the Constitution's Fugitive Slave Clause, in his first inaugural (paragraph 8/9), he knew it was a scam! That is why the 13th Amendment was illegally created under the unconstitutional Reconstruction.

[@darrencox2424]

@@LordBitememan I agree with you

[@MSterling27]

I'm Irish. It's not something I've thought about too much before and thanks for bringing this to my attention. Very informative video.

[@jacknooney8988]

I first heard about the Irish involved in the American civil war through such songs like "The fighting 69th" by The wolfe tones and "The Irish volunteer" by David Kincaid, Kincaid actually has many songs about the Irish during the civil war and i highly recommend giving him a listen

[@Jobe-13]

Irish and Scotts make up a good portion of American predominant groups of the country.

[@julianshepherd2038]

Scott is a surname. We are Scots.

[@sneedmando186]

The area of my home state is surrounded by Scottish and Irish descendants, lots of influence on towns too

[@CinCee-]

🇮🇪 > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@finolaomurchu8217]

@Black Lesbian Poet Bottles of scotch, for the Scot.

[@Ricky_Evans1611]

"They're all white to me." ~Every Black Person Ever 😂

[@tadsklallamn8v]

It is interesting to note that a lot of New Orleans Irishmen were Unionists and would later be very involved in Reconstruction, before it was overthrown by jim crow apartheid

[@MGTOWPaladin]

You mean "unconstitutional" Reconstruction? Well, since Lincoln's whole invasion of Dixie was unconstitutional, why should that be any different?

[@arat2757]

@@MGTOWPaladin You left out how the Southern states leaving the Union was unconstitutional.

[@MGTOWPaladin]

@A rat *REALLY?* You could have fooled Abraham Lincoln. Especially since we celebrate SECESSION every 4th of July. You need to read the FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS of the DECLARATION OF SECESSION! Abraham Lincoln, Lawyer and US Congressman, 12 January 1848 on the floor of the US House of Representatives: "Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and for a new one that suits them better. *THIS IS A MOST VALUABLE, - A MOST SACRED RIGHT - a RIGHT,* which we hope and believe is to liberate the world. Nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it." So, where in the Constitution is secession illegal? Article, Section and Clause needed, please! Here's a little hint: Article 1, Section 10, Clauses 1-3 lists the restrictions placed on the States but SECESSION isn't listed.

[@snoozeyoulose9416]

@@arat2757 Technically it wasn't unconstitutional for states to secede and no I am not a neo Confederate. I looked into the issue and it's murky at best. This, at least as some academics had argued was the reason why the Southern leadership wasn't tried for treason as it would open up this issue to scrutiny. Good or bad, the US constitution didn't have a full answer on this issue.

[@alrh3674]

Iv often wondered what the hell are the Irish doing in the south? as the Irish knew the British was helping the CSA, So my thinking is they were either protestant Irish or they got on the wrong boat. Most of the Union Army died of Fever & decease.

[@brendanodaly7318]

Never knew about Irish fighting in the American Civil War and I'm Irish. Thanks for the great information, really good video.

[@mjraposa89]

The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin has a wing devoted to Irishmen who fought abroad, including the American Civil War.

[@christopherduble2839]

I knew about it prior to this US History class i’m taking, but learned a bit more in the class but we didn’t focus much on it so I looked into it more. Very cool to see someone bring it to full light!

[@robertmclernon4836]

The Irish Brigade was, probably, the best known of any brigade organization, it having made an unusual reputation for dash and gallantry. The remarkable precision of its evolutions under fire; its desperate attack on the impregnable wall at Mary's Heights, it's never failing promptness on every field, and it's long continuous service, made for it a name inseparable from the history of the war. 63rd, 69th, 88th New York, 28th Massachusetts, 116th Pennsylvania. Loss of 961 men, third on a list of all Union brigades. 69 NY, 28 MA in 6th, and 7th place in a list of all Union regiments for killed and mortally wounded. "...it rushed into the fight with it's well-known gallantry." Monument at Antietam and Gettysburg. Statue of Fr. Corby at Gettysburg, copy at Notre Dame University.

[@tankc6474]

Respect from county Wexford Ireland 🇮🇪

[@snbks4ever]

Awesome video, love hearing details like this

[@FurFoxSakeFML]

I learned of the Irish participation in the American Civil War through Dropkick Murphy's songs on KZbin around 2010. The algorithm of that time would recommend related songs and not long after listening to "The Fighting 69th" I introduced to Irish tunes from the Sothern side of the conflict. God be with those bygone algorithms.

[@AK-lg8fj]

Fascinating work, thanks. A few of these were my ancestors. I love your history and current event videos, always happy to see more.

[@johnpatterson4816]

True.Southern Unionists in Kentucky;Maryland and Missouri who kept their slaves could point at their Virginia;Tennessee. and Arkansas counterparts who were forced to emancipate their slaves and go "HAHA!!" like Nelson Muntz on "The Simpsons".

[@crazyboris1625]

Great video, I'd love to see more about foreign volunteers in the civil war, I know there were quite a few British, Germans, and Canadians fought, as well as some Poles, Italians, Bermudans, Mexicans, Chinese, Hawaiians, Spaniards, and others, it would be interesting to hear their stories.

[@MGTOWPaladin]

May God bless them all for their efforts against the Yankee invaders!

[@KevinMulholland]

excellent presentation indeed

[@irishman2539]

Wow that was interesting good work

[@TheBlommel76]

My great, great grandfather came over from Galway to Richmond, VA i think in 1858 or 1859. He was in the 1st VA infantry, but was discharged in 1862 to repair muskets in Richmond. One he was working on exploded and he lost his arm as a result. However, if he had stayed with his regiment he would have participated in Pickett's charge.

[@rickonline777]

My Great Great Grandfather James McPeak from Newbridge Co Derry volunteered for the 69th PA and the fought in a lot of battles including at Gettysburg where they stood against Picketts charge while the other Union regiments ran. The monument to the 69th PA at Gettysburg is placed further Infront of the other monuments in recognition of their decisive part in the battle. My GG Grandfather was one of only two volunteers from the 69th PA who made it back to Ireland and he is buried in Newbridge and his compatriot is buried in Ballyronan Co Derry - Doire Abu 😁

[@emiliomartinez1332]

Hilbert, this is an excellent video about the American Civil War, it was meticulously researched and you took your time to learn the name of places where the battles took place. The history of Irish in America is the history of America.

[@newsaxonyproductions7871]

I also appreciate his continued to work to non-English pronunciations correct, but it would be nice if you did the same for English ones. Saying "or-lē-ans" for New Orleans and "lū-ē" for St. Louis grated on my ears lol. I don't care if those might be the traditional French ways of pronouncing them, as it would be correct for him to respect the native way of saying those places' names. Edit: and then later on, at about 12:30, his use of the British English spelling of "Honor" is blatantly disrespectful, since the award is a very honored symbol in the US, and is also just officially named the "Medal of Honor", which would invite him to properly write its name in order to present a fully nonfiction piece.

[@leopoldbloom100]

This was very interesting. I am generally familiar with this history but learned a lot from your presentation. One episode you did not mention, but which has moved me, is Notre Dame's Father Corby saying mass at Gettysburg. Thank you.

[@Abornazine]

Very educational. Thank you.

[@cerberaodollam]

When they met Kelly's Irish Brigade, my boys....

[@kerrywang2789]

Very Interesting Video!

[@The_Republic_of_Ireland]

My favourite type of videos

[@aikidragonpiper71]

Lots of Scot/Irish (Ulster Scots) fought for the south. I have an ancestor that was last seen carrying the Confederate battle flag in General Lee’s army in the battle of Gettysburg.

[@fearmorpiercemacmaghnais7186]

Tbh The Ulster Scots Were Mainly Wealthy British Protestants Who where Planted on Native Irish Lands Confiscated By the Crown . And the Ulster Scots were part of the Protestant Ascendancy . So it would be in line that they joined the Confederacy to opress other humans but just in a diff continent

[@aikidragonpiper71]

@@fearmorpiercemacmaghnais7186 Most Scots/Irish weren't wealthy in America. They settle in the mountains of Appalachia and the Ozarks. Most of them didn't own nor could they afford slaves. The wealthy English settled the big southern cities . The Scots/Irish became poor Hillbillies and fought for the confederacy not for the sin of slavery but for their homes in the mountains of the southern USA. Actually only a small wealthy few owned most of the slaves and they were probably of wealthy English ancestry.

[@MrRatlicker]

​@@aikidragonpiper71 They had a lot of Scots-Irish that fought on both sides: McClellan and Grant were both prominent generals for the union, and Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, Jubal Early are a few of the more famous Confederate generals who were Scots-Irish. It really was a war that saw brother against brother..

[@3Midlo]

I was absolutely tickled by you correcting your pronunciation of Appomattox.

[@c.h.ingate5271]

My great-grandfather, Patrick Donnelly, was in the U.S. regular army throughout the war. His unit was Battery L, 1st U.S. Artillery. I have copies of the muster roll from the entire period and about 1/2 of the enlisted men were from Ireland. Ironically, in 1866, his unit was sent to Buffalo, N.Y. to cut off reinforcements and supplies that were being sent to the Irish Civil War veterans engaged in the Fenian Invasion of Canada. A little known incident in U.S. history.

[@alansmithee8831]

Hello Hilbert. As I have commented before, I had an interest from childhood, having wargames figures, in this case Airfix ACW figures. I later read accounts from military history books and found the distinctive uniforms interesting for particular regiments. I later watched the TV series on BBC when they showed it alongside How Wars Begin with AJP Taylor. I taped both to watch again and again. A friend from work claimed AJP dragged him into a game of chess when he was wain for someone he visited at university. In the 1990s I toured US by Greyhound and was able to spend half a day in the library in Richmond reading up on ACW topics. My girlfriend is half Irish, but her Irish ancestors tried to make their living out in the British Empire, which was their empire too at the time. They came "home" to England rather than Ireland, being from that WW1 generation that you mentioned. Ireland had in places become polarised much more after that war than the ACW as previous videos from you have explained and she would not know much of the history of this side of her family as a result. Maybe you could do a video on how, after the Crimean War, the US took the fashion of French uniform, even copying Zouave uniform, that some wargamers used Airfix French Foreign Legion figures to represent.

[@codybailey855]

The emancipation proclamation actually only “freed” slaves in those states that were involved in secession. It was a symbolic gesture, born of political expediency and compromise.

[@baneofbanes]

Eh it became less symbolic the deeper the Union pushed into the South.

[@midsouthirish1680]

Indeed both Ireland and USA should always remember and be taught about these brave men that made such a sacrifice. Great video

[@osazeelegemah2354]

I love this. Gang of New York and the fighting 69th is a big reason I’m interesting in the Irish during the civil war.

[@averagedemographic8933]

The Irish Volunteers song goes hard

[@DATA-qt3nb]

ahh yes, you might have played war of rights

[@andreascovano7742]

They made some of the best civil war songs ever, that's what they did!

[@seankane7374]

Had no idea so many Irish men were in the union army in 1860 and at fort summer. Also how many won the Congretional medel of honour. Very informative, thank you.

[@haraldwerner9778]

Very well done! I‘d like for you to continue with the theme by looking at other ethnic groups who fought on both sides. IE: Germans, French etc.

[@averagetexan9930]

My two ancestors both were from Ireland and served in the union, one who was born in Ireland served in the seventh New York infantry and the other who’s parents where born in Ireland served as the artillery lieutenant of the 3rd California infantry

[@averagetexan9930]

@@cyberwar4111 that’s only the ones from Ireland that fought in the civil war

[@andrewmetz9267]

Whoah! People in Ireland still remember their relatives in the States, and their family history connections there, and they are always cognizant.

[@callu947]

No it’s just the yanks that remind us constantly 😂

[@ferrjuan]

Hopefully you talk about the San Patricios (St. Patrick’s Battalion) which was a very crucial unit in the Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War.

[@samaval9920]

See websites & videos about St. Patrick’s Battalion, including a Battalion song. See also book & film, Shamrock & the Sword.

[@huntclanhunt9697]

There's an amazing book about the Irish Brigade called "The Immortal Irishman"

[@jaydunno8266]

An often overlooked contribution of the Irish was their involvement in industry. The DuPont company made the lion's share of the gunpowder used by the union forces. DuPont's work force was heavily Irish, because the work was so dangerous. Coincidently, the last Union General killed in the civil war, Thomas Smythe, is buried in Wilmington, Delaware, not too far from where the powder was manufactured.

[@burebor9940]

0:20 nice

[@whiskeybravo6284]

My 3rd Great Grandfather was an Irish Immigrant who fought with the 2nd Connecticut. This video summed him up perfectly, left Ireland cause of the potato famine and worked as a day laborer.

[@thomasmeagher8941]

6:02 I got into a History With Hilbert video!

[@philgreen815]

There was a vast European influence in the Civil War, predominantly Irish. But also many English, I have ancestors who moved to New York from Hull England, they set up an engravers shop, The son Alfred Bellard enlisted in the Union Army, fought during the war and was wounded. Many years later his diary was found in a loft, his diary was converted to a book, Gone For A Soldier by Alfred Bellard.

[@MewxPro]

Many Irish men also participated in the Texas Revolution. I was at the Alamo years ago and remember seeing signs and rows of state and national flags representing the groups of people who have fought and died in the Revolution. “Will you come to the bower”, an Irish song, was played at the final battle of the Revolution, the Battle of San Jacinto.

[@High_rise12]

Absolutely,Davy Crockett was of Irish descent as well

[@Legionnaire7777]

@@High_rise12 He was of Ulster decent if I'm not mistaken.

[@High_rise12]

@@Legionnaire7777 yes that’s my point

[@fyrdman2185]

@@High_rise12 He's not of irish descent, he's of French Huguenot and Ulster-Scots descent.

[@High_rise12]

@@fyrdman2185 you just contradicted yourself

[@pinchevulpes]

The British manufactured the potato famine, what a shame to gloss over that fact so lightly

[@yvonnefarrell1029]

Thanks for this from a descendant of one of the Union soldiers, who was a son of Irish immigrants!

[@samaval9920]

How about a video on Irish volunteers on both sides in Spanish Civil War-(James) Connolly Column vs. Blueshirts.?

[@JMM33RanMA]

Thanks for another great and very informative video, I knew only some of the information and benefited greatly from it. I knew about the Irish brigade because of the flag preserved in the State House in Boston. From being 2nd class citizens to being politically important was a trajectory followed by my Irish forebears in Massachusetts, firstly and even today being very prominent in the police, fire and EMS here in Massachusetts, and eventually replacing the Anglo Americans at the top of the political sphere. Not being particularly saintly, the Irish had their own rather infamous mafia. It should be noted that the Irish and Scots Irish didn't get along with each other particularly well, though better here than in Northern Ireland. The Fenians actually launched raids against Canada, and the Canadian government allowed Confederate support, and did not punish the raiders from Canadian soil against St. Albans, VT, Oct. 19, 1864. The present amity between the US, Canada, UK and Ireland was hard to come by, and some Irish Americans continued to support IRA activities until Sen. Edward Kennedy took a principled stand against it. Of course, as the Irish have blended in to the larger society, my ancestry includes Anglo American people who fought to expel the redcoats in the 1770's as well as German and Eastern European immigrants. You are right that even in America, many Irish descendents have only some knowledge of Irish participation in the Civil War, though they may eat Irish soda bread, drink beer or whisky and celebrate St. Patrick's Day, they are only dimly aware of being Irish, for the most part. The assimilation is almost complete now, whereas in my parents' generation wearing orange was still an offense and some neighborhoods were known to break stoplights unless the Green was above the red and orange.

[@diarmuidbuckley6638]

Umm Whiskey = Irish. Whisky = Scotch. Yup, it's a slow news day...

[@ericcolbear2373]

One of my Ancestors was one of these Irish born Union soldiers. I believe he served in the 29th Connecticut volunteer regiment. Fought in 2 battles before being a POW, but was freed in an exchange program.

[@smithsonian2464]

Hello, I'm actually continuing a college project from my Fall 2023 semester for Spring. The project was over Union Soldiers who were Prisoners of War to the Confederacy. The soldier that I researched was a Irish-American Union artillery officer who was captured at Drewry's Bluff in 1864. He escaped in December of '64. I was wondering if you had any other sources, Primary or Secondary, about Irish American involvement in the Civil War that I could potentially look over and use for my project? Great video btw

[@kirkmorrison6131]

The most interesting part is that two Irish Brigades fought each other at Fredericksburg, Virginia in December 1862. They cursed and prayed for the other side. It was so, sad and pitiful.

[@finolaomurchu8217]

That's interesting, cursing and praying, I'd well believe it.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

@@finolaomurchu8217 Me too am Scots, Irish, Welsh and Native American. I've seen it myself under stress

[@HealthyCigarette864]

@@kirkmorrison6131 Where did I ask

[@seank3410]

Hello I’m afraid the Irish vs Irish brigade at Fredericksburg is a total myth. What’s really interesting is the history of the myth, which began with a veteran of the Union Irish Brigade (a very real, very badass unit that was decimated at Mayre’s heights), than appeared in a semi popular poem at the turn of the 20th century, and perhaps most famously, was depicted in the film ‘Gods and Generals’ But the fact is we know who repulsed the Irish brigade. It was, as the film claims, ‘Cobbs’ brigade, but they were made of North Carolinians, were not made up strictly of (or as far as I know particularly) Irish soldiers, and they showed no hesitation or mercy, both recognizing them as the Irish brigade and firing upon them relentlessly

[@thomasnelson6161]

My ancestors are from ireland. They came over about 50 yrs before the famine though. They were living i. Southern georgia by 1800

[@17crowman]

When faced with the prospect of servitude in Ireland, many individuals made the deliberate and oftentimes difficult decision to enlist in the Union Army. Despite the inherent dangers and challenges of military service, the potential for freedom and autonomy proved to be a compelling incentive for those seeking to escape the constraints of their servitude in Ireland. Through their bravery and sacrifice, these soldiers not only secured their own freedom but also contributed to the greater cause of emancipation and equality for all. All US politicians look to the middle-class vote from the Irish diaspora every now 170 yrs later

[@briangriffin9872]

My great grandfather and great uncle both Irish born were in that conflict and my great uncle would have a political carrier

[@rolo8950]

I love a brit talking about our history lolol. Love your videos man

[@robertprice5039]

My great great grandfather, Robert Black, who was from County Derry, was a corporal in the 33rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. His mother was Scots-Irish and his father was Scottish. He was most likely raised Protestant, but converted to Catholicism.

[@King_Cova]

You do realise that in Ireland, those protestants in the north would never consider themselves Irish? They always considered themselves British. Father was a Scot, mother was a Scot/Irish therefore they were Brits and not Irish. Sorry to come along and ruin your delusions, but you don't know anything about Irish history.

[@robertprice5039]

@@King_Cova The New England Swamp Yankees hated them both. Though there was slightly less hatred for the Scots-Irish than the Catholic Irish.

[@King_Cova]

@@robertprice5039 There is no such thing as scots-irish. What you mean is ulster scots and even they are laughable to call themselves scots.

[@ccahill2322]

@@King_Cova , A silly comment. Look at the 1798 Rebellion. The leaders and fighters against the British were one hundred per cent Protestant. You never Heard of Antrim, Saintfield, Killkeel? Never heard of Reverend Warwick, Munroe, Henry Joy McCracken or Tom Russell? You, obviously, have not been taught much. Time to do some reading. Recommend "The Summer Soldiers" by Professor A.T.Q. Stewart. You can get it at a library, if libraries still exist where you live.

[@Rohans_Mad1]

As an Irishman I was only partly aware of the influence the Irish made on the civil war due to me obviously knowing about the Irish famine immigrants but I was not aware of the extreme extent of soldiers who fought on both sides on the American civil war who were Irish. Hilbert thank you for informing me about this I'm glad there is someone on the KZbin who is talking about these obscure moments in Irish history and to other lesser known western European histories like the basque or the Catalonias. I know you have done a video on the Spanish civil war and you briefly mentioned volunteers from other nations but you could possibly mention in maybe a new video of the prominence of Irish on both sides with the blue shirts of Ireland siding with the Spanish facists

[@andreajanota6258]

It’s quite interesting how common this is. One of my Irish lines came to Chicago in the 1850s. My 4th great grand parents were born in Ireland and their older children were born in New York City. I found no evidence that any of my Irish ancestors served in the civil war though.

[@gordonking4360]

My great great Grandfather was a Colonel in the CSA.

[@smusic-vm1zd]

Nice hat 19:11

[@Rohans_Mad1]

Hilbert i also suggest some of the lesser known Celtic diasporas in the Americas like Welsh Patagonia, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland

[@diedonau9843]

Please do one about Germans in the civil war. I have a relative who fought in the second German rifles

[@Skipper.17]

Then there was the uprisings in Australia like the eureka stockade and the rum rebellion that mainly Irish.

[@christiandevey3898]

I would like to see a video on some of the Native American involvement in the civil war

[@mattfrankman]

69th Infantry Corps? Don’t mind if I do.

[@rickonline777]

Check out the 69th PA - Irish regiment with mostly volunteers from Co Derry and surrounding areas - they stood against Picketts charge while the other Union regiments ran and their monument is placed further Infront of the other monuments in recognition of their decisive part in the battle - Doire Abu

[@SulienSulis]

My third great-grandfather fought in the NC Confederate Cavalry, his grandfather was from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. They considered themselves, "Ulster-Scots or Scots-Irish" My soon-to-be wife, her third great-grandfather was Irishborn (County Cork) in the Union Cavalry.

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

If you don’t mind me asking but can you do a video on what either the Scottish or the Norwegians where doing in the American civil war and I am asking because I am interested in this Norwegian born abolitionist And soldier named Hans Christian Heg and I am also interested in learning more about the 79th New York infantry regiment and also learning if there were bagpipes played in battle during the American civil war but I am also interested in learning about a Scottish born colonel named David Ireland and he is best known for playing a big and key defensive role in the defense of culps hill during the battle of Gettysburg on July 2nd and during the battle his regiment the 137th New York infantry regiment was on the far right of the union line on culps hill defending the trenches there against confederate troops of general George Hume Steuarts brigade of Edward Allegheny Johnson’s division 2nd corps army of northern Virginia and David Ireland and his regiment held these trenches on culps hill until after 10 pm and the regiment along with David Ireland would also take part in the fighting on culps hill in the early morning of the last day of the battle July 3rd and it would hold its breastworks against troops of North Carolina belonging to the brigade of Junius Daniels brigade of Robert Emmett Rodes division also of the previously mentioned second corps army of northern Virginia.

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

The Irish get about. My lot even got to Australia

[@diarmuidbuckley6638]

And your surname us Celtic/Viking, remember?

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

@@diarmuidbuckley6638 Our lot are more Gaelic than Viking mate. Amhlaoibh our surname is also translated as Humphrey

[@walli6388]

Can you maybe make a vid on the st Patrick brigade from the us Mexican war?

[@brokenelectronics3665]

This was a very interesting and informative video, thank you. I do have one quibble. You stated, I believe, that the Emancipation Proclamation, freed "all the slaves in North America". Actually, the Proclamation was a carefully worded political document. It freed only slaves in areas that were in active rebellion against the Untied States. Slaves in the four US slave states (Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware) were unaffected and remained in bondage. Similarly, slaves in parts of the Confederacy occupied by Federal troops were also unaffected and remained in bondage. Actually, the Proclamation feed slaves only in places where Lincoln had no power to free anyone. What it do was to accomplish Lincoln's real purpose in drafting it. It turned world public opinion, which to that point had rather favored the Confederacy, very much against the Confederates. In that sense, it was a truly brilliant document. It caused the wolrd to see the war as a crusade against the evil of slavery, while being careful not to offend the slave holding population that had remained loyal, or, at least, were not in active rebellion.

[@SVEAGARD.]

Can you do sweden?

[@alanmcgowan3457]

I was aware, we did this in school under modern history (1850 - 1950) - it was modern history at that time 🙂

[@rogeliovaldez6594]

Please talk about the the irish battalion

[@patrickhealy2706]

We freed every country except our own

[@relentless1989]

The confederat general said to his men when the signed the surrender was, we did not lose because of our will to fight, but the fact they had more Irish is the reason we lost

[@dundalkbullzboy]

Been interested in my country men's involvement in the civil war since I heard the fighting 69. Always find it funny how for a country that's remained neutral we always seem to have an involvement in so many wars lol

[@TheMilitaryPhilosopher]

Btw, the final “s” in St. Louis is pronounced, not silent

[@thecount1374]

If you want to know more check out the Wild Geese

[@i.willacceptfood9352]

One criticism: The Emancipation Proclamation did not free all the slaves in American. It only freed (captured) slaves in states of rebellion. Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Delaware were slave states who stayed in the union ( though many citizens there fought for the south). It was politically vital to keep them in the Union to win the war, especially since a Maryland secession would have left the Capital Washington DC surrounded by the Confederacy! The Emancipation proclamation was an attempt to rebrand the war as an anti slavery crusade, not just a effort to preserve the Union, but it was a carefully crafted political document taken as a “war measure” that anticipated Democrat (Copperhead) criticism. Earlier in the War Lincoln openly violated the Constitution putting border states under marshall law and meddled in elections because of those states succeeded the war may have been over before the union could even mobilize its Army.

[@webcelt]

A tangent perhaps, but what surprised was that anyone could find the clip of Kennedy presenting the flag. They tended to reuse tape back then.

[@diarmuidbuckley6638]

Plenty on youtube of JFK in Ireland, the week of "ich bin ein Berliner"..I particularly like the speech of the Lord Mayor of Cork, referring to fascism on the Iberian peninsula

[@TheDanieldineen]

Irish Biddy reminded me of The Morrigan rather than a Valykrie,

[@jdan6072]

Next video: What did the minions do in World War 2?

[@oriraykai3610]

As soon as I saw that title, I had to watch to see what those troublemakers were up to...

[@JoRdi-ul4xg]

name of the intro music?

[@rithvikmuthyalapati9754]

It is thanks to the talented music artist David Kincaid that I learnt about the Irish in the American Civil War.

[@AdriLeemput]

Hilbert, de Emancipation Proclamation bevrijdde niet alle slaven in Noord-Amerika! Ik dacht dit eerst ook, gezien het belang vele mensen er aan hechten. Tot ik het effectief ging lezen: Lincoln bevrijdde alle slaven in de staten en counties bezet door de Confederation, en geen enkele in de Union

[@jamesorth6460]

Appomattox (a puh ma tuhks) or Appo Matic