Flying Dutchmen and Drunken Irishmen: The Myths and Realities of Ethnic Civil War Soldiers

During the American Civil War, German- and Irish-Americans fought for both the Union and the Confederacy, serving their respective causes for a variety of reasons and comprising a large percentage of the Union armies, in particular. Anglo-Americans developed myths and misconceptions about these foreign-born soldiers, however, some of which persist today and unfortunately obscure the historical truth about ethnic participation in the war. This essay examines some of the most enduring stereotypes and exposes the realities that lay shrouded behind them.