"The Greatest Brigade"

[James N.]

Forgive me if this book has been discussed elsewhere, but I recently finished reading it and have just written a panning review of it on Amazon. It purports to be a history of the Union's famous Irish Brigade, but other than the chapters on the background of prewar Irish immigration and mini-biographies of Thomas Francis Meagher and Michael Corcoran it has very little to offer. Since the actual accounts of the brigade's actions as part of the Army of the Potomac are so indifferently researched and poorly written they cast doubts on the veracity and reliability of the rest. It's an attractive tome that would only be of use to a complete Civil War novice; there are much better accounts available.

 

[chellers]

Forgive me if this book has been discussed elsewhere, but I recently finished reading it and have just written a panning review of it on Amazon. It purports to be a history of the Union's famous Irish Brigade, but other than the chapters on the background of prewar Irish immigration and mini-biographies of Thomas Francis Meagher and James Corcoran it has very little to offer. Since the actual accounts of the brigade's actions as part of the Army of the Potomac are so indifferently researched and poorly written they cast doubts on the veracity and reliability of the rest. It's an attractive tome that would only be of use to a complete Civil War novice; there are much better accounts available.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Pat Young]

Forgive me if this book has been discussed elsewhere, but I recently finished reading it and have just written a panning review of it on Amazon. It purports to be a history of the Union's famous Irish Brigade, but other than the chapters on the background of prewar Irish immigration and mini-biographies of Thomas Francis Meagher and James Corcoran it has very little to offer. Since the actual accounts of the brigade's actions as part of the Army of the Potomac are so indifferently researched and poorly written they cast doubts on the veracity and reliability of the rest. It's an attractive tome that would only be of use to a complete Civil War novice; there are much better accounts available.

It has a cool cover though. Lol. I am going to post a bit on suggested reading on the Irish Brigade, but I would love to know what you like James N

 

[James N.]

It has a cool cover though. Lol. I am going to post a bit on suggested reading on the Irish Brigade, but I would love to know what you like James N

Pat, unfortunately I have NO recommendations! I'd hoped more from this ( and I liked the cover too ) because my particular knowledge is limited to old articles in Civil War Times Illustrated and books and visits to places like Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. I was disappointed in this mainly because the battle accounts are merely a rehash with almost NO emphasis on the actions of the brigade itself. I know there are classic accounts of the brigade and memoirs by its members though. If you have any knowledge about this book I'd like to know what you thought about its accounts of the tribulations leading to immigration as to accuracy because I thought maybe that was its only saving grace; the military side certainly wasn't.

 

[frontrank2]

I highly recommend Remember Fontenoy! The 69th New York and the Irish Brigade in the Civil War, by Joe Bilby. Extremely well written with lots of photos and illustrations. Even the quarterly regimental ordnance reports.

 

[Pat Young]

Pat, unfortunately I have NO recommendations! I'd hoped more from this ( and I liked the cover too ) because my particular knowledge is limited to old articles in Civil War Times Illustrated and books and visits to places like Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. I was disappointed in this mainly because the battle accounts are merely a rehash with almost NO emphasis on the actions of the brigade itself. I know there are classic accounts of the brigade and memoirs by its members though. If you have any knowledge about this book I'd like to know what you thought about its accounts of the tribulations leading to immigration as to accuracy because I thought maybe that was its only saving grace; the military side certainly wasn't.

I used the Bilby book a few times, it has some good research in it, but I have some real problems with it. I am encouraging the Irish historian Damian Shiels to do a full history of the Irish Brigade since he has done a lot of research on it over the last three years.

I would heartily recommend Irish Green and Union Blue: The Civil War Letters of Peter Welsh, Color Sergeant, 28th Massachusetts edited by Lawrence Kohl and Margaret Cosse Richard published by Fordham University (1986). However, these letters are often more concerned with why he fought rather than with the battles themselves. I believe Welsh may be the most quoted immigrant of the war as his letters have been quoted by just about every major historian who touches on the subject.

William McCarter's memoir My Life in the Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memoirs of Private William McCarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry is wonderfully written by an Irish Brigade recruit who was badly wounded at Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, his service with the Brigade only lasted four months. But if you want a real look at the soldiers point of view during that one battle, this is it.

The Story of the 116th Regiment: Pennsylvania Volunteers in the War of Rebellion by St. Clair A. Mulholland (1903) is well written by an officer of the Brigade. It has a limited focus because the 116th missed the first half-year of the Brigade's existence. Mulholland himself is a good writer and he commanded the regiment after the death of its first colonel. You can read it here for free online http://www.archive.org/stream/storyof116thregi02mulho#page/n9/mode/2up

Many of the stories you read in most histories of the Brigade come from the 1867 Irish Brigade history by David Power Conyngham's The Irish Brigade and its Campaigns (1st Edition 1867). If you follow that link you can read it for free. The problem with it is that the author did not join the Brigade until 1863 and so his early accounts are written from others reports.

 

[James N.]

It has a cool cover though. Lol. I am going to post a bit on suggested reading on the Irish Brigade, but I would love to know what you like James N

...William McCarter's memoir My Life in the Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memoirs of Private William McCarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry is wonderfully written by an Irish Brigade recruit who was badly wounded at Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, his service with the Brigade only lasted four months. But if you want a real look at the soldiers point of view during that one battle, this is it..

I'm currently reading the William McCarter memoir and find it to be the most informative thing I've yet read on the Irish Brigade. (I liked its cover too!) I especially liked his assessment of Gen. Meagher and his particular "problem".

 

[rpkennedy]

I read Conyngham's book about 20 years ago and generally liked it.

For a comprehensive look at the brigade at Antietam, Joe Bilby and Stephen O'Neill's My Sons Were Faithful and They Fought is a very good short anthology.

R

 

[Pat Young]

I'm currently reading the William McCarter memoir and find it to be the most informative thing I've yet read on the Irish Brigade. (I liked its cover too!) I especially liked his assessment of Gen. Meagher and his particular "problem".

McCarter's description of Fredericksburg is particularly interesting. He was wounded in the Irish Brigade attack and he lay on the field until night. A really horrifying account of being wounded in between two armies.

 

[James N.]

McCarter's description of Fredericksburg is particularly interesting. He was wounded in the Irish Brigade attack and he lay on the field until night. A really horrifying account of being wounded in between two armies.

That's right before where I am now - on the fourth floor of the house "hospital" in Fredericksburg. There are only a couple of dozen pages left in his amazing memoir.

 

[Rio Bravo]

Forgive me if this book has been discussed elsewhere, but I recently finished reading it and have just written a panning review of it on Amazon. It purports to be a history of the Union's famous Irish Brigade, but other than the chapters on the background of prewar Irish immigration and mini-biographies of Thomas Francis Meagher and James Corcoran it has very little to offer. Since the actual accounts of the brigade's actions as part of the Army of the Potomac are so indifferently researched and poorly written they cast doubts on the veracity and reliability of the rest. It's an attractive tome that would only be of use to a complete Civil War novice; there are much better accounts available.

James N - You quote James Corcoran but do you mean Michael Corcoran, Brig Gen 1827-1863, who commanded the Corcoran Legion/ 69th New York / Irish Brigade ? Sorry if I am wrong about this ! Rio

 

[James N.]

James N - You quote James Corcoran but do you mean Michael Corcoran, Brig Gen 1827-1863, who commanded the Corcoran Legion/ 69th New York / Irish Brigade ? Sorry if I am wrong about this ! Rio

Fixed; thanks!