The American Civil War was a time of change in the US, and on both sides of the conflict, there were a huge number of men and women who were relatively new to this country. Among them were the Irish, and it is not surprising that many of them fought on both sides. Overall, around 150,000 fought for the Union and 40,000 fought for the Confederacy.

The 'Men-at Arms' series is as much about the units and uniforms/equipment of these soldiers as it is about the conflict itself. Many Irishmen fought in units that were comprised of fellow countrymen. Here these men shared a common background and customs. It probably also made it  easier for them to understand each other. I can just imagine some Union or Confederate officer trying break through the sometimes thick accent of the men under his command.

This particular volume covers the uniforms and units in which these men served on both sides of the war.  Unlike today's uniformed services, the range of acceptable livery was quite broad and undoubtedly adds to the fascination of uniforms of the period.

What you will find in these pages are superb descriptions of these units/dress along with some unique photographs taken of some of the soldiers in their uniforms. This is further enhanced by the outstanding illustrations of Richard Hook which add some real color to these old greyscale images from the distant past.

A book that rightly belongs on the shelf of any US Civil War enthusiast and one that provides a bit more insight into what is called the first modern war. Highly recommended.

September 2008

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