"The substantial number of immigrants in the Union army gave rise to
longstanding southern myth that “the majority of Yankee soldiers were
foreign hirelings.” But in fact quite the opposite was true. Immigrants
were proportionally under-represented in the Union’s armed services. Of
some two million white soldiers and sailors, half a million had been
born abroad. While immigrants therefore constituted 25 percent of the
servicemen, 30 percent of the males of military age in the Union states
were foreign-born. Despite the fighting reputation of the Irish Brigade,
the Irish were the most under-represented group in proportion to
population, followed by German Catholics. Other immigrant groups
enlisted in rough proportion to their share of the population." 
—McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, pp 607-608

Take care,

Bob

Judy and Bob Huddleston
10643 Sperry Street
Northglenn, CO  80234-3612
303.451.6276   [log in to unmask] 

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