Green and Blue: Irish Americans in the Union Military, 1861-1865

In _Green and Blue_, Damian Shiels challenges the traditional estimate of 150,000 Irish Americans who fought for the Union, proposing a revised figure of around 250,000. He relies on pension applications and correspondence from nearly 400 Irish American soldiers and sailors, primarily from working-class backgrounds. Shiels also contests stereotypes that Irish Americans fought solely for Irish independence, asserting that many viewed the United States as their future home. These men often expressed patriotic motivations and sent money to Ireland to facilitate further migration.