Links for 2011-04-13

"One of those on the ramparts peering out into the night was a blue-eyed, dark-haired young Irishman named John Thompson, a private, who left what may be the only surviving description of the battle by a rank-and-file soldier: a long letter that he sent two weeks later to his father back in County Derry, Ireland. Even though he planned to return home to the old country as soon as his enlistment expired in a few months' time, Thompson felt a surge of pride as "we hoisted our colors the glorious 'Star Spangled Banner' and quietly awaited the enemies fire."

As an immigrant who, on his enlistment form, described his occupation as "laborer," Thompson was typical of the men who were now about to risk their lives in defense of Fort Sumter. Some two-thirds of the men in the Union Army in the antebellum years were foreigners, mostly German and Irish."

The sad thing is, I think I'd enjoy some of these more than some actual papers I've gotten.