The American Civil War: Ethnicity

Figure 1.--Here we see 'The return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment, N.Y.S.M. from the Seat of War, 1863' It was painted by Louis Lang in 1886. We see uniformed soldiers marching through the crowd of exuberent civilians as they return home from the Civil War. you can see the New York Harbor in the background. All around them you can see New York Irish city life. New York had developed a majorf Irish community since large scale immigration began as a result of the Potato Famine (1840s). The Irish Brigadewas one of many ethnicity-based Civil War units that fought during the Civil War. These men fought for their country, but also on their mind was a greater acceptance and equality in their new country. Some also had in mind Irish independence and the need to acquire military skills. The Irish Brigade fought the important battles of the Eastern Theater from Bull Run to Gettysburg. They earned a reputation for both toughness and dependability--at a heavy price. Very few of the regiment’s original volunteers survived the War. The original volunteers from the same Irish neighborhoods and ghettos in New York City. The New York Draft Riots in part resulted from drafting inNew York's ethnic neighborhoods (1863). The Irish were the first large-scale Catholic immigrant group. Here we see the central npart of the painting with the soldiers. The left section and right section offer fascinating details of the Irish in New York at the time.

Etnicity is a topic not often considered in the Civil War, except for the obvious -- African Americanss and slavery. It can, however, not be avoided in any discussion of the War. The role Blacks played in the War, both in laubching the war because of slavery and in the Federal victory is the most obvious ehnic consideration. It was, however, not the only one. The Scotts-Irish played a critical role in the American Revolution. We are not entirely sure yet about the role in the Civil War. We beliece they were better integrated into American society than was the case at the time of the Revolution. We believe, however, that they were less likely to be slave holders than other Americans. The experience of indentured servitude may have been a factor as well their economic situation. The Scotts-Irish were certainly a factor in support for the union in western Virginia and the eventul creation of the state of West Virginia. German Americans were another importabnt ethnic group. And came to America both for economic opportunity and to avoid military conscription. We are not entirely sure about the impact on the Civil War. There were Germans in both the North d South, but the larger munber were in the north, especially the Midwest. America in the mid-19th century was a much less diverse country both than is the case today and was the case at the time of the Revolution. Many of the various groups at the Time of the Revolution (Dutch, Germans, Scotts, Scotts-Irish, and others) had merged into a more generalized American culture based largely on an English base. Two groups besides Afro-Americans, however, stood up, in part because they were recently arrived in large numbers--the Irish and some Germans. This is not to say that these two groups did not fight, but they were less committed than most other Americans. The motivating force for Irish emigration was of course the Potato Famine (1840s). America at the time did not have an immogration policy or even immigrationm laws of any importance. The Irish came as refugees from the Famine. At the time few Catholics came to largely Protestant America, but hunger was aowerful force. They fled British dominated Ireland here thedy had few rights and were starving and experienced disrimination in America. Both Catholicism and the lack of education as well as simple prejudice were factors. The Irish were by no means committed to the Union cause or abolition at the time the War broke out. Most had been in America for a relatively short time. The great bulk of the Irish lived in the major cities of the Northeast, especially Boston and New York. The Irish formed, however, one of the most notable units in the Federal Army--the Irish Brigade. Some 7,000 men served over the course of the War and casualties totaled about 4,000 men. They played a key role in many of the major battles of the War: Antitem, Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and Appapmatox. It was the Irish Brigade that drove the Confederates out of the Sucken Road at Antitem--a critical action in the War. Despite the casualties, some Irish flocked to the colors, in part because at the time it was the only military unit in America and Britain where Irish men served under Irish officers. [Craughwell] There were also a substantial population of recently arrived Germans. Unlike the Irish they were not a new emigrant group and for the most part were not Catholic. The attitide of German-Americans varies in part on how long the families had been in America. The most recent emigrants were fleeing the Revolutions of 1848 and the repression that followed. Many were not enclined to volunteer as many have evaded military conscription in Germany. Thus they were less inclined to accept conscription to a country with which they were not yet attached.

African Americans

Etnicity is a topic not often considered in the Civil War, except for the obvious -- African Americanss and slavery. It can, however, not be avoided in any discussion of the War. The role Blacks played in the War, both in laubching the war because of slavery and in the Federal victory is the most obvious ehnic consideration. It was, however, not the only one.

Scotts-Irish

The Scotts-Irish played a critical role in the American Revolution. We are not entirely sure yet about the role in the Civil War. We beliece they were better integrated into American society than was the case at the time of the Revolution. We believe, however, that they were less likely to be slave holders than other Americans. The experience of indentured servitude may have been a factor as well their economic situation. The Scotts-Irish were certainly a factor in support for the union in western Virginia and the eventul creation of the state of West Virginia.

Protestant Establishment

German Americans were another important ethnic group. And came to America both for economic opportunity and to avoid military conscription. We are not entirely sure about the impact on the Civil War. There were Germans in both the North d South, but the larger munber were in the north, especially the Midwest. America in the mid-19th century was a much less diverse country both than is the case today and was the case at the time of the Revolution.
Many of the various groups at the time of the Revolution (Dutch, Germans, Scotts, Scotts-Irish, and others) had merged into a more generalized American culture based largely on an English base.

Destinct Groups

Two groups besides Afro-Americans, however, stood up, in part because they were recently arrived in large numbers--the Irish and some Germans. This is not to say that these two groups did not fight, but they were less committed than most other Americans.

Irish

The motivating force for Irish emigration was of course the Potato Famine (1840s). America at the time did not have an immogration policy or even immigrationm laws of any importance. The Irish came as refugees from the Famine. At the time few Catholics came to largely Protestant America, but hunger was a powerful force. They fled British dominated Ireland here thedy had few rights and were starving and experienced disrimination in America. Both Catholicism and the lack of education as well as simple prejudice were factors. The Irish were by no means committed to the Union cause or abolition at the time the War broke out. Most had been in America for a relatively short time. The great bulk of the Irish lived in the major cities of the Northeast, especially Boston and New York. The Irish formed, however, one of the most notable units in the Federal Army--the Irish Brigade. Some 7,000 men served over the course of the War and casualties totaled about 4,000 men. They played a key role in many of the major battles of the War: Antitem, Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and Appapmatox. It was the Irish Brigade that drove the Confederates out of the Sucken Road at Antitem--a critical action in the War. Despite the casualties, some Irish flocked to the colors, in part because at the time it was the only military unit in America and Britain where Irish men served under Irish officers. [Craughwell]

Newly arrived Germans

There were also a substantial population of recently arrived Germans. Unlike the Irish they were not a new emigrant group and for the most part were not Catholic. The attitide of German-Americans varies in part on how long the families had been in America. The most recent emigrants were fleeing the Revolutions of 1848 and the repression that followed. Many were not enclined to volunteer as many have evaded military conscription in Germany. Thus they were less inclined to accept conscription to a country with which they were not yet attached.

Ethnic-based Units

Ethnic Composition of the Military Forces

There was considerable ethnic diversity in the Federal Army. And this was not just the U.S. Colored Troops that came to reptesent about 10 percent of the Federal Army. Immigrants to America primarily in northeaster ports. So most of the thnic communities which develped were in the big northeastern cities and rising industrial cities of the Midwest. The Confederate Army was much less ethnically diverse and not just because African Americans did not serve in the Confederate Army. There were far fewer economic conmmunities in the South.

Federal Army

It is difficult to believe, but when the American Civil War began with the firing on Fort Sumterb in Caharleston Harbor, thee were a mere 16,000 men in the U.S. Army (April 1961). Amnd manof the officers and nen were from the southern slave satrs. Most of gthe siuthners resigned and joined the Confederate States Army. From that small vcore, President Lincoln would form the Federal Army of sme 2.2 million men. Initially the Federal Army was all white. With the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans were allowed to enlist forming the U.S. Colored Troops-- USCT (1963). The USCT woiuld be over 0.2 million men (nearly 10 percent) of the Federal Army. Half were freedmen who lived in the North, and half were ex-slaves or escaped slaves from the South. They served in more than 160 colored regiments. The best known colored regiment was the 54th Massachusetts. It is dramatized in the film 'Glory'. They served under white officers. Of the White soldiers in the Federal Army, about 25 percent of the soldiers were foreign-born. The largest segment, some 1 million (45 percent), were native-born Americans of British ancestry. The next largest segment, about 0.5 million (23 percent) were of German ancestry. A little less than half (0.2 milliomn) were immigrants born in Germany. The next largest group was Irish, some 200,000 (9 percent). The smaller groups were Dutch 90,000 (4 percent), Canadian 50,000 (2 percent), English 50,000 (2 percent), and French/French Canadian 40,000 (2 percent) [About half of the French were born in the United Statesa, the other half in Quebec], and Scandinavian 20,000 (1 percent). There were also several small groups: Italian (7,000), Jewish (7,000), Mexican (6,000), Polish (5,000), Native Americans (4,000), and several hundred of other various nationalities. [Anderson] These numbers were fairly small because large scale immigration from Poland, Italy, and many other countries only began after the Civil War.

Confederate Army

The Confederate Army was much less ethnically diverse and not just because African Americans did not serve in the Confederate Army. There were far fewer economic conmmunities in the South. Over 90 percent of the Confederate Army were native born Americans. Of the less than 10 percent of foreign born soldiers, the major group was Irish. Other s included Germans, French, Mexicans (mostly born in the former Mexican territory of the southwest), and British. Confederate propaganda charged that all the Germns w in the Federal Army were Hessians as in the American Revolution. There were also some Native Americans (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek). [Anderson]

Sources

Anderson, David. " Civil War casualties and troop ethnicities," Wadena Pioneer Journal (May 9, 2016).

Craughwell, Thomas J. Greatest Brigade: How the Irish Brigade Cleared the Way for Victory in the American Civil War (2012).

Created: 8:35 PM 1/30/2021
Last updated: 8:35 PM 1/30/2021