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.
Thomas J. Craughwell is the author of more than twenty books on history, religion, and popular culture. He has written articles for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, American Spectator, U.S. News & World Report, Emmy magazine, and Inside the Vatican. He has appeared on CNN, BBC, FOX, EWTN and the Discovery Channel.