Synopses & Reviews
Between 1861 and 1865, 7,000 Irishmen, virtually all of them immigrants, enlisted in the Irish Brigade, and 4,000 of them were killed or wounded. This book is the story of their heroism, sacrifice, and faith. Although most of the Irish in America were consigned to squalid slums, given only the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs, and almost universally looked down upon by native born Americans, they recognized that America promised freedom unknown in Europe and opportunities unimaginable in Ireland--and the men of the Irish brigade were willing to fight to defend those opportunities and that freedom.
Synopsis
This book reveals the reasons why thousands of Irish Catholics -- the most despised immigrant group in America at the time--rallied to the Union cause and proved themselves to be among the most ferocious fighters of the war.
About the Author
Thomas J. Craughwell is the author of more than a dozen books, including Failures of the Presidents, Stealing Lincoln's Body, The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History, and The Greatest Brigade. He has written articles on history, religion, politics, and popular culture for the Wall Street Journal, The American Spectator, and U.S. News & World Report. He lives in Bethel, Connecticut.
Praise for Stealing Lincoln’s Body by Thomas Craughwell:
“Thomas J. Craughwell has given us a richly detailed, highly entertaining, and broad slice of our history.”—The American Spectator
“There is no end of fascinating context and detail in this engrossing, often zany, yet poignant tale.” —Chicago Tribune