“History Ireland” Magazine

Posted on September 5, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

 The current issue of the magazine “History Ireland” contains a very good article by Kevin Haddick Flynn on the Irish in the American Civil War. Usually too much emphasis is put on the Northern “Irish Brigade” but good to see that the Confederates get a mention, notably John Mitchel, the Young Irelander (and pro slave racist!!) who lost two sons in the War.

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11 Responses to “History Ireland” Magazine

  1. bangordub's avatar bangordub says:
    September 5, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    Its an excellent Mag Mr Fitz,
    I would recommend “Redemption Falls” by Joseph O’Connor if you’re looking for a good read about the Irish in the American Civil War.
    It’s a fictional novel but closely follows a narrative based upon Thomas Meagher.
    Let me know if you can’t get a copy, I have one. I can post it to you C/O Mrs FJH, FJ Castle, somewhere near Lough Neagh, the North eastern 6 counties, Ireland. 🙂

    Reply
  2. bangordub's avatar bangordub says:
    September 5, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    That would be a pleasure!
    I am awaiting my invitation to speak at the SDLP conference, lol, my speech is ready

    Reply
  3. bangordub's avatar bangordub says:
    September 5, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    Not a problem, my speech is anything but friendly, it is what may be termed (In a bizsapake word I detest) Challenging.

    Reply
  4. Mister_joe's avatar Mister_joe says:
    September 5, 2012 at 8:22 pm

    I’m big into history so this piqued my interest. But 41 euros for a subscription? Pity!

    Reply
  5. Irish Aussie's avatar Irish Aussie says:
    September 6, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    I watched a documentary years ago about the civil war that mentioned two Irish generals one southern the other northern.
    IIRC they didn’t know each other before the war and rose through the ranks and eventually met in battle just months before the end of the war.
    They organised a truce and met before battle and disscussed amongst other things joining forces after the soon to end war to invade Canada, though neither took part in the subsequent failed attempt to invade Canada.
    Deos anyone know their names?
    I seem to remember the southern generals first name was Patrick

    Reply
    • fitzjameshorse's avatar fitzjameshorse says:
      September 6, 2012 at 2:56 pm

      I imagine that the southern general was Patrick Cleburne who was killed at the Battle of Franklin in the Tennessee theatre. He was actually an opponent of Slavery and was marginalised by the Confederate authorities because he advocated freeing slaves to give them a stake in the Confederate State.
      As he was involved in the western theatre, it is unlikely that he would have had any direct contact with senior “northern” Irish figures. Nor did Cleburne have any strong “Irish” sympathies, he had actually served with the British Army before migrating to USA.
      He probably had some Irish sympathies in USA because he certainly shot and killed a member of a nativist faction in Tennessee and he chose to move to the deeper south.
      People like Thomas Meagher in the North and John Mitchel in the South certainly encouraged Irishmen to enlist to learn military skills (I have written about this in my own Wild Geese website) …..but the sheer carnage meant that too many Irish regiments were decimated. I also believe that whatever the reasons for enlisting…..the War itself became the motivating factor for those who were fighting for any length of time.
      There was a series of Fenian Raids into Canada up until about 1874, largely by former northern soldiers.
      I myself have tried to write a book (fiction) about that period. But attempts to write it have floundered as the facts tend to get mixed up with unsubstantiated romanticism.
      Was there Fenian contact across the lines in the Civil War? Certainly. But I think some accounts are over-romanticised.
      In the movie “Gods and Generals” there is a romanticised account of the Battle of Fredericksburg where Cobbs Georgians (a largely Irish manned Brigade) was in direct confrontation with Meaghers Irish Brigade….ironically at Maryes Heights…..a few years previously Captain Marye had sent a shipment of famine aid to Ireland.
      What is believed is that during the Battle, a northern Irish Brigade flag was lost on the field and that it was returned directly to Meagher and that the southern courier was given safe conduct by both sides to deliver it.
      It may not necessarily have happened at Fredericksburg as most Irish re-enactors claim it happened at Chancellorsville because the flags were in New York for repair at the time of Fredericksburg.

      Reply
  6. Irish Aussie's avatar Irish Aussie says:
    September 6, 2012 at 11:03 pm

    Thank you for that Fitzjameshorse, it was Patrick Cleburne and i think the alledged meeting took place before the Battle of Franklin.
    I remember thinking at the time that i found it all bit hard to believe, but then again fact is often stranger than fiction.

    Reply

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