When Abraham Lincoln kissed the Irish flag and praised the Irish

"So we gave them hearty cheers, me boys, which was greeted with a smile Singing here's to the boys that fear no noise, We're the Fighting Sixty Ninth" as the song goes. Lincolns decision to raise the Irish Militia's into the Union paid off. Those days are long gone believe that.

I,m retired searlit everyday is a holiday, Still duking it out my friend I hope you enjoy the Christmas break(or the holiday) .Personally i don't really care what it's called not an issue for me. Take care

@seanomelb, are you the same man who I called a swashbuckler? You were always duking it out with a few blatant trolls around these pages. That's interesting about your g/grandfather. Happy Christmas, seanomelb, if you like the holidays.

Makes me more proud of my g/grandfather who fought for the union

handsome: Maybe one of the problems is that the Irish in the CSA tended to be incorporated into units with men of other backgrounds. Still, there were identifiably Irish units in the CSA from places such as Charleston South Carolina, Savannah Georgia, New Orlans LA, Mobile Alabama, to mention just a few. I think the Irish contribution to the cause of the Bonny Blue Flag has yet to be fully researched and chronicled. Maybe billionaire CHuck Feeney will put some of his money to this worthy cause, instead of trying to change the way of life of people in Ireland.

Slainte9 mentions the many soldiers of Irish birth who were in the Grand Army of the Republic (the Union) army, but there were also a significant number in the Confederate cause. Balance, please.

Terrible. 130 plus Irish immigrants were awarded the Medal of Honor, probably as many more to their children. Over 200,000 Irish immigrants served in the Union armed forces, and as many more of their children. There were Irish in most of the Union army's 3,000 regiments, not just 20.