irishamericancivilwar
Private
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2010
- Location
- Cork, Ireland
I have been researching stories for the Irish in the American Civil War blog for quite a few years now, but there is one story that really stands out in terms of the alignment of accounts relating to it. It involves a young Irish-American, Peter Donnelly, who came from a Co. Cavan family and served in the 1st Vermont Heavy Artillery. He was killed in action 150 years ago today. Remarkably, the letters of a friend of his in the regiment survive, and describe his death. Even more incredibly, we actually have an account from the Confederate who killed him, sent to Peter's sister after the war had ended. I don't think I have ever come across quite a unique two-sided account of the death of one ordinary soldier in the Union Army. Although originally posted last year, I thought it worth sharing again on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Peter's death. http://irishamericancivilwar.com/20...ate-reveals-an-irish-americans-final-moments/