Cashel Library Summer Lecture Series

13th August 2013

Damian Shiels (www.irishamericancivilwar.com)

• Causes of the American Civil War

• The Irish in the United States before 1861

• Why Did the Irish Fight?

• Theatres of War

• The Union Irish

• The Confederate Irish

• Tipperary and the American Civil War

• Irish Stories

• The American Civil War and Ireland

• Aftermath and Memory

• Irish American Civil War Trail

• The American Civil War was caused by slavery

• Three-Fifths Clause 1787

• The Cotton Gin Invented 1793

• The Missouri Compromise 1820 (36 degrees 30 north)

• Compromise of 1850 (Mexican War/Fugitive Slave Act)

• Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854 (Popular Sovereignty)

• Dred-Scott Decision1857 (Panic of 1857)

• John Brown’s Raid 1859

• Election of Abraham Lincoln 1860

• Immigration of c 1.5 million Irish before 1860

• Concentration in the Industrial North- ghettoisation

• Rise of the American Party ‘Know Nothings’

• Preservation of the Union/Republic

• Adventure

• Money

• Preservation of the Republic as a Refuge for Irish Emigrants

• Preservation of one of Britain’s Enemies

• Desire to be seen as ‘Doing their Bit’/Integration

• Destruction of the Aristocratic Southern Society

• Gain Military Experience for a Potential Irish Invasion

• The North was their Home

• Preservation of States Rights

• Preservation of a Small Country Oppressed by a Large Country

• Preservation of a more tolerant society for the Irish

• Preservation of the Institution of Slavery

• Adventure

• Money

• The South was their Home

• The Eastern Theater

• The Western Theater

• The Naval War

• c 150,000 Irish served in Union forces

• Two all Irish Brigades were formed, the Irish Brigade and Corcoran’s Irish Legion

• A number of ethnic Irish Union regiments were formed

• The majority of Irish served in non-Irish units

• Large Presence in Union navy

• 12 Irish born attained rank of General

• 32 Irish born attained rank of Brevet General

• At least 146 Irish born received the Medal of Honor

• Disillusionment with war from late 1862 onwards

• c 20,000 served in Confederate forces

• Much fewer ‘Irish’ regiments, the majority served as companies

• The highest rank attained by any Irishman in the war was with the Confederacy

• 6 Irish born attained the rank of General

Secession’s First Victim

To His Excellency, President Johnson:

Sir: The N.Y. Journal of Commerce in a recent issue, published the name of the first man who was killed in this war, Daniel Howe.

His father’s name was Timothy Howe; his mother’s maiden name was Catharine Lacey; his birthplace was the town of Nenagh, county of Tipperary, Ireland. Daniel was killed at Fort Sumter (in 1861) and there interred in the presence of then Major (now Brigadier-Gen.) Anderson, and of Beauregard.

The writer of this is a brother of the above-mentioned Daniel, and is a humble and comparatively obscure citizen of these United States, a man of limited pecuniary means; and one object of this communication is to express a desire to have the remains of his brother removed from Sumter to Calvary Cemetery, on Long Island.

It might not be deemed presumptious to suggest to your Excellency that the United States Government could consistently defray the expenses of such desired removal, and possibly induced to go a step further and erect a suitable monument over the last resting place in Calvary of the remains of Daniel Howe.

It will not be presumptious to add that the writer feels some pride in calling your Excellency’s attention to the above statement, and also in giving it this publicity.

Should your Excellency be disposed to think favorably of this “expressed desire,” the writer would feel proud and happy to be allowed to superintend the arrangements necessary to carry it out, and forever be Your most grateful and obedient servant,

William Howe,

Westchester House, corner Bowery and Brooms-st., New York City, June 15, 1865.

• Born in Parkstown, 1835

• Colonel of the 9th Massachusetts Infantry

• Breveted on 13th March 1865

• Born in Borrisoleigh in 1838

• Served in Papal Battalion

• Private at Bull Run in 69th NYSM

• Lieutenant-Colonel of 63rd New York

• Fenian

Creed, John. Private, Company D, 23rd Illinois Infantry.

Action at Fishers Hill, Virginia, 22 September 1864. Medal issued 6 October 1864.

Lonergan, John. Captain, Company A, 13th Vermont Infantry.

Action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 2 July 1863. Medal issued 28 October 1893.

Quinlan, James. Major, 88th New York Infantry.

Action at Savage Station, Virginia, 29 June 1862. Medal issued 18 February 1891.

Urell, M. Emmet. Private, Company E, 82nd New York Infantry.

Action at Bristoe Station, Virginia, 14 October 1863. Medal issued 6 June 1870.

Walsh, John. Corporal, Company D, 5th New York Cavalry.

Action at Cedar Creek, Virginia, 19 October 1864. Medal issued 26 October 1864.

Donoghue, Timothy. Private, Company B, 69th New York Infantry.

Action at Fredericksburg, Virginia, 13 December 1862. Medal issued 17 January 1894.

• Born in 1837, St. John’s Road, Carrick-on-Suir

• Emigrated 1848

• Active as a Fenian

• Served in Company A, 13th Vermont Infantry

• July 2nd, Gettysburg, rescued artillery and captured enemy

• Received the Medal of Honor

• Born Killenaule, c. 1825

• Author and Journalist

• Served as volunteer aide in Irish Brigade 1862/1863

• Correspondent on Sherman’s Campaigns

• Author of History of the Irish Brigade

• Captain William Hogan, Irish Brigade Battery and Thomas Francis Meagher Staff- Nenagh

• Captain Luther, Papal Brigade and 164th New York, Corcoran’s Irish Legion- Clonmel

• The work of Will Butler on 2nd North Tipperary Artillery Militia

• John Mitchel, an (almost) Tipperary MP

• Sara Nylund

• Rubicon Heritage Services

• Cashel Summer History Lecture Series