Green and Blue

“Damian Shiels makes a substantial contribution to the literature on Irish participation in the Civil War. His examination of a large body of fresh evidence illuminates the attitudes and actions of common soldiers who served the Union cause in a range of theaters and units. Green and Blue is the obvious first place to explore the topic.” ~Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Enduring Civil War: Reflections on the Great American Crisis

“Green and Blue provides an exceptionally rich portrait of Irish American soldiers and sailors beyond the ‘ethnic’ units that have garnered most of the attention of historians. By surveying these men’s prewar lives, motivations to enlist, and what they and their families endured, this study adds to our broader appreciation of the Civil War soldier experience.” ~Lesley J. Gordon, author of A Broken Regiment: The 16th Connecticut’s Civil War

“Through an extraordinary feat of archival research, Shiels has transformed our understanding of the Irish contribution to the Union war effort. Moving past the familiar narrative of ethnic regiments, he tells the story of the enlisted rank-and-file men, why they fought, and what they thought about race and politics. An original addition to Civil War studies and the history of the Irish diaspora.” ~Kevin Kenny, author of The American Irish: A History

“A powerhouse study housed in a compact and highly accessible package. . . . In addition to being the first of its kind in terms of providing a comprehensive profile and analysis of Irish volunteers, Damian Shiels's deeply impressive Green and Blue ranks as one of the most important of all Civil War ethnic soldier studies. One might hope it could be used as a model for studying other large groups of ethnic volunteers such as German American soldiers, both for intrinsic value and for comparative purposes. This book is very highly recommended.” ~Civil War Books and Authors