The Irish Brigade and the Civil War

The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History · Sep 7, 2026 · 7m · transcript

While most Americans study the American Civil War through the lens of Union and Confederate armies, there is another powerful force on the battlefield: the Irish Brigade. This episode explores the story of Thomas Francis Meagher and the 69th Infantry Regiment, a unit composed largely of recent Irish immigrants who sought to prove their loyalty to the United States by fighting for the Union. We trace their journey from the streets of New York to the blood-soaked fields of Fredericksburg, where they launched a suicidal assault up Marye's Heights that became legendary in both military…