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God Help the Irish!: The History of the Irish Brigade
The Civil War continues to fascinate historians and general readers. Contemporary Civil War scholarship has brought to light the important roles certain ethnic groups played during that tumultuous time in our nation's history. Adding to that genre of literature is this brief but informative history of the Irish Brigade.
While the famed fighting prowess of the Irish Brigade at Antietam and Gettysburg is well known, in "God Help the Irish! " historian Phillip T. Tucker emphasizes the lives and experiences of the individual Irish soldiers fighting in the ranks of the Brigade, supplying a better understanding of the Irish Brigade and why it became one of the elite combat units of the Civil War.
While the famed fighting prowess of the Irish Brigade at Antietam and Gettysburg is well known, in "God Help the Irish! " historian Phillip T. Tucker emphasizes the lives and experiences of the individual Irish soldiers fighting in the ranks of the Brigade, supplying a better understanding of the Irish Brigade and why it became one of the elite combat units of the Civil War.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2007
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Thomas Tucker
225 books56 followersPhillip Thomas Tucker, Ph.D. has been recognized today as "the Stephen King of History," and the most groundbreaking historian in America, because of his great productivity of high-quality books (more than 185 books of history) in many field of history, including the American Revolution, Women's History, Civil War History, African American History, etc.
A winner of national and state book awards, Tucker has recently optioned out three books--Cathy Williams, Anne Bonny, and Mia Leimberg--for Hollywood films.
No American historian has authored more history books than Dr. Tucker. America's most prolific and innovative of historians has won international acclaim for breaking much new ground in history by authoring more than 180 history books of unique distinction. In total, he is the author of more than 225 works in history, including both books and scholarly articles.
Significantly, the vast majority of these groundbreaking books have a distinctive "New Look" focus, including five volumes of the Harriet Tubman Series and Haitian Revolutionary Women Series. An award-winning scholar of highly-original and uniquely human history, he has most often explored the remarkable lives of forgotten men and women in powerful historical narratives long ignored by other historians.
Most important, Dr. Tucker has emerged as one of America's leading Revolutionary War historians. He has authored groundbreaking Revolutionary war books, including "How the Irish Won the American Revolution"; "George Washington's Surprise Attack": "Saving Washington's Army"; "Brothers in Liberty"; "Kings Mountain"; "Alexander Hamilton's Revolution"; "Alexander Hamilton and the Battle of Yorktown"; "Captain Alexander Hamilton and His Forgotten Contributions at the Decisive Battle of Trenton"; and others no less distinguished.
The author has also written four books about female Buffalo Soldier Cathy Williams. In addition, he has completed groundbreaking New Look Glory 54th Massachusetts Regimental Series of four volumes. This important series has focused on the heroic story of the first black regiment from the North during the Civil War.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Tucker has revealed some of the most overlooked chapters of America's hidden history to present new insights and fresh perspectives. The author's books have most often broken historical boundaries, while going well beyond traditional history in bold "New Look" narratives.
As America's leading myth-busting historian with three degrees in American history, including a Ph.D. from prestigious St. Louis University where he graduated summa cum laude, America's most prolific author has mined American history's obscure depths to present unique historical narratives long unexplored and forgotten. Tucker has long focused on illuminating the previously untold stories of forgotten women (black and white), who have been long overlooked. By revealing their distinguished hidden history that had been previously lost to the American public, the author has paid long-overdue tributes to these remarkable women of great courage and outstanding character. Ahead of their time, these dynamic women defied the odds in carving out their own unique destines with their hard work, enduring faith, and perseverance.
Dr. Tucker has authored groundbreaking books in many fields of study: African American, Women's, Irish, American Revolutionary War, Buffalo Soldiers, Civil War, Tuskegee Airmen, Little Bighorn, Caribbean, Private, Spanish American War, Second World War, George Armstrong Custer, and Southern history. He has long focused on telling the forgotten stories of lost souls, outcasts, renegades, misfits, rebels, deserters (like Buffalo Soldier David Fagen), iconoclasts, refugees, nonconformists, and outliers, whose unique lives deserve attention at this late day.
The author's award-winning books have often focused on iconic turning point moments in American
A winner of national and state book awards, Tucker has recently optioned out three books--Cathy Williams, Anne Bonny, and Mia Leimberg--for Hollywood films.
No American historian has authored more history books than Dr. Tucker. America's most prolific and innovative of historians has won international acclaim for breaking much new ground in history by authoring more than 180 history books of unique distinction. In total, he is the author of more than 225 works in history, including both books and scholarly articles.
Significantly, the vast majority of these groundbreaking books have a distinctive "New Look" focus, including five volumes of the Harriet Tubman Series and Haitian Revolutionary Women Series. An award-winning scholar of highly-original and uniquely human history, he has most often explored the remarkable lives of forgotten men and women in powerful historical narratives long ignored by other historians.
Most important, Dr. Tucker has emerged as one of America's leading Revolutionary War historians. He has authored groundbreaking Revolutionary war books, including "How the Irish Won the American Revolution"; "George Washington's Surprise Attack": "Saving Washington's Army"; "Brothers in Liberty"; "Kings Mountain"; "Alexander Hamilton's Revolution"; "Alexander Hamilton and the Battle of Yorktown"; "Captain Alexander Hamilton and His Forgotten Contributions at the Decisive Battle of Trenton"; and others no less distinguished.
The author has also written four books about female Buffalo Soldier Cathy Williams. In addition, he has completed groundbreaking New Look Glory 54th Massachusetts Regimental Series of four volumes. This important series has focused on the heroic story of the first black regiment from the North during the Civil War.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Tucker has revealed some of the most overlooked chapters of America's hidden history to present new insights and fresh perspectives. The author's books have most often broken historical boundaries, while going well beyond traditional history in bold "New Look" narratives.
As America's leading myth-busting historian with three degrees in American history, including a Ph.D. from prestigious St. Louis University where he graduated summa cum laude, America's most prolific author has mined American history's obscure depths to present unique historical narratives long unexplored and forgotten. Tucker has long focused on illuminating the previously untold stories of forgotten women (black and white), who have been long overlooked. By revealing their distinguished hidden history that had been previously lost to the American public, the author has paid long-overdue tributes to these remarkable women of great courage and outstanding character. Ahead of their time, these dynamic women defied the odds in carving out their own unique destines with their hard work, enduring faith, and perseverance.
Dr. Tucker has authored groundbreaking books in many fields of study: African American, Women's, Irish, American Revolutionary War, Buffalo Soldiers, Civil War, Tuskegee Airmen, Little Bighorn, Caribbean, Private, Spanish American War, Second World War, George Armstrong Custer, and Southern history. He has long focused on telling the forgotten stories of lost souls, outcasts, renegades, misfits, rebels, deserters (like Buffalo Soldier David Fagen), iconoclasts, refugees, nonconformists, and outliers, whose unique lives deserve attention at this late day.
The author's award-winning books have often focused on iconic turning point moments in American
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 18, 2013
I read this book to obtain an introduction to the Irish Brigade and, most importantly, General Thomas Francis Meagher. I question if it served this purpose which does not bode well.
Tucker's writing style annoyed me throughout and he attributes too much to the Irish fighting bravado.
Perhaps the best use of the book was to glean from the biography a better book to read - maybe.
Tucker's writing style annoyed me throughout and he attributes too much to the Irish fighting bravado.
Perhaps the best use of the book was to glean from the biography a better book to read - maybe.
May 6, 2020
Phillip Thomas Tucker is back at it with “God Help the Irish!: The History of the Irish Brigade.” As always, Tucker delivers a real account of the legends we know from history. Tucker cites personal accounts of the lives of those people involved in the Irish Brigade.
To anyone interested in the Civil War, the Irish Brigade will be a familiar group. Their role in the battle of Gettysburg is a legend within the Civil War crowd. But to know OF them and to know them are two separate things.
Tucker uses personal accounts to introduce us to the men who made up the famed Irish Brigade. The brigade was made up of almost 150,000 Irish-Americans. The majority of these men were American-born, children of the Irish immigrants who came over in the 1840s during the famine in Ireland. Though it sounds like a large number, there were, at the time, a much larger population of Irishmen in the north and the 150,000 who served made up a minority of the Irish-American population. Many Irishmen at the time saw the war as being very similar to the one fought only years before in Ireland, and as such, saw it the Union as trying to force the Confederates to rejoin the nation unwillingly, as The English had done to them.
Of the 150,000 Irish-Americans who fought for the Union, the ones remembered in history are those who fought in the Army of the Potomac, the brigade known as the Irish Brigade. Many other Irish men fought for the Union, but this specific brigade rose to the top and became one of the Union’s most valuable troops.
Negative stereotypes surrounded the Irish in America even as they fought for the Union. Other ethnic groups voices opinions of the Irish - that they were likely to be more loyal to their religion (Catholic) and time the Pope in Rome, than to their new home nation. And so the Irish Brigade began a PR campaign of sorts, showing off the sacrifices they were making for the Union, and the contributions they were making to the war efforts, this becoming famous and infamous. Their lethal fighting methods were highlighted and eventually respected and revered.
Using personal accounts from the men involved in the Civil War, Tucker shares what the men felt, both for Ireland and for America. He brings the men back to life, so that we can feel with them how strongly they felt about fighting for the Union and for America.
To anyone interested in the Civil War, the Irish Brigade will be a familiar group. Their role in the battle of Gettysburg is a legend within the Civil War crowd. But to know OF them and to know them are two separate things.
Tucker uses personal accounts to introduce us to the men who made up the famed Irish Brigade. The brigade was made up of almost 150,000 Irish-Americans. The majority of these men were American-born, children of the Irish immigrants who came over in the 1840s during the famine in Ireland. Though it sounds like a large number, there were, at the time, a much larger population of Irishmen in the north and the 150,000 who served made up a minority of the Irish-American population. Many Irishmen at the time saw the war as being very similar to the one fought only years before in Ireland, and as such, saw it the Union as trying to force the Confederates to rejoin the nation unwillingly, as The English had done to them.
Of the 150,000 Irish-Americans who fought for the Union, the ones remembered in history are those who fought in the Army of the Potomac, the brigade known as the Irish Brigade. Many other Irish men fought for the Union, but this specific brigade rose to the top and became one of the Union’s most valuable troops.
Negative stereotypes surrounded the Irish in America even as they fought for the Union. Other ethnic groups voices opinions of the Irish - that they were likely to be more loyal to their religion (Catholic) and time the Pope in Rome, than to their new home nation. And so the Irish Brigade began a PR campaign of sorts, showing off the sacrifices they were making for the Union, and the contributions they were making to the war efforts, this becoming famous and infamous. Their lethal fighting methods were highlighted and eventually respected and revered.
Using personal accounts from the men involved in the Civil War, Tucker shares what the men felt, both for Ireland and for America. He brings the men back to life, so that we can feel with them how strongly they felt about fighting for the Union and for America.
April 8, 2020
Irish Fight for Freedom
"Many Irish viewed the situation in the United States in 1861 as analogous to Protestant England conquering and then ruling the Catholic people of Ireland for centuries."
Irish Immigrants coming to America starting in 1861leaving Ireland to escape famine and religious persecution from England found themselves being drafted into the civil war on both sides, Union and the Confederacy. Against the prejudice of the native Americans, their contribution to the end of the war led to Union success. Irish Brigade was one of the distinctive units of the Civil War. They honestly believed fighting for America was in the best interest of Ireland. If it supported Ireland and their new homes they firmly believe the least they could give was their lives.
Dr. Tucker brings us the Irish immigrant's contribution to American History and the Civil War. His very thorough review of history to share this very unspoken truth of our historical past. He again shows us that our American History is far more diverse than we may have initially believed. I am a big fan of Dr. Tucker's books and have been blessed to read many and I can honestly say this is worth every dime and time and you will not be putting it down. I can say I have recommended this book as well as others to my friends and family because whether you enjoy history or not, nothing can be lost by sharing and reading this book. Finding out about the forgotten heroes will help you appreciate how hard people have fought for all of our freedoms.
"Many Irish viewed the situation in the United States in 1861 as analogous to Protestant England conquering and then ruling the Catholic people of Ireland for centuries."
Irish Immigrants coming to America starting in 1861leaving Ireland to escape famine and religious persecution from England found themselves being drafted into the civil war on both sides, Union and the Confederacy. Against the prejudice of the native Americans, their contribution to the end of the war led to Union success. Irish Brigade was one of the distinctive units of the Civil War. They honestly believed fighting for America was in the best interest of Ireland. If it supported Ireland and their new homes they firmly believe the least they could give was their lives.
Dr. Tucker brings us the Irish immigrant's contribution to American History and the Civil War. His very thorough review of history to share this very unspoken truth of our historical past. He again shows us that our American History is far more diverse than we may have initially believed. I am a big fan of Dr. Tucker's books and have been blessed to read many and I can honestly say this is worth every dime and time and you will not be putting it down. I can say I have recommended this book as well as others to my friends and family because whether you enjoy history or not, nothing can be lost by sharing and reading this book. Finding out about the forgotten heroes will help you appreciate how hard people have fought for all of our freedoms.
July 21, 2019
interesting content, but the writing style was weak
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews