Probably the most famous single corps in Washingtons army was the formidable "Pennsylvania Line." and it was so solidly Hibernian that Light Horse Harry Lee renamed it "the Line to Ireland." The Irish helped fire the spirit of Independence. too. as well as muskets. Four signers of the Declaration of Independence were born in Ireland. and 5 others had Irish parents or grandparents. It is no wonder that when the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown was announced to the British parliament. one Lord Mountjoy groaned: England has lost America through the exertions of Irish immigrants. At Fredericksburg 1.200 men of the storied Irish Brigade stormed the Confederate held heights. green sprigs in their hats to take the place of their Irish banners too tattered to carry. 282 survived. "Never." said General Robert E. Lee. "were men so brave." In World War I and World War II. the Irish continued to add chapters to the book of valorand names to the muster of the dead.
Keywords matched
immigrants