Eggleston ’61 Publishes “The Irish Brigade and the Corcoran Legion in the Civil War”

Mike Eggleston ’61 has published a new book entitled The Irish Brigade and the Corcoran Legion in the Civil War. This history tells the story of two brigades that fought in the American Civil War: the Irish Brigade and the Corcoran Legion. Most of the soldiers in these units were Irish immigrants who left Ireland as a result of the Great Famine (1845-1849). This book covers the Civil War battles fought by these brigades where they served in the eastern theater of the war. Their campaigns are described in the Civil War battles (1861-1865). At  times the brigades served in different campaigns, but in the final years of the war they were together in the same corps. Each relevant Civil War battle is summarized including details of the specific participation of the Irish Brigade and the Corcoran Legion. The history also describes the participation of discharged Irish soldiers after the war from both the North and the South who participated in raids and uprising to free Ireland from British rule. The initial chapters also provide the history of earlier risings against the British such as the New Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Finally, biographies of key participants are included.