Second Friday Lecture: Irish Americans During the American Civil War

Friday, February 13  |  12pm – 1pm  |  Presented by: Mr. Dennis Doyle

Starting during the Irish Famine of the 1840’s, millions of Irish citizens immigrated to the United States to escape British Unionist political rule and economic poverty.

Despite their lack of wealth and education, low social status, and discrimination, Irish-Americans distinguished themselves in their new home and during the American Civil War.

As many as 145,000 volunteered to serve in the Federal Army and over 40,000 would serve the Confederacy during the Civil War. These soldiers served on many battlefields and suffered heavy casualties. Seventy Irish-American Union soldiers received the Medal of Honor. Some of the outstanding Irish-American generals were notably Phil Sheridan for the North and Cleburne for the South.

Doyle’s program will focus on the motivation of Irish-Americans to serve during the Civil War and whether their hopes for a better position and social status was realized in post Civil War America.  He will also explore how some Irish immigrants hoped to participate in a post-war uprising to liberate Ireland from British rule, which was not realized until 1922 when a Democratic Ireland was created.

A native of Chicago, Professor Doyle grew up in Joliet, where he resides. He has a master’s degree in history from American University in Washington, D.C.; a master’s degree in sociology from DePaul University in Chicago; and a bachelor’s degree in history from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.  Doyle recently retired from teaching history and sociology at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Illinois  He is the current president of the 300-member Civil War Round Table of Chicago.