My Life In The Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memoirs Of Private William Mccarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry [Paperback]

William McCarter (Author), Kevin E. O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2003

The first full-length memoir published by an enlisted man in the Irish Brigade, from the Seven Day's Battles to the charge up Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg-a no-holds-barred firsthand account.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kevin E. O'Brien received his his Juris Doctorate from American University, has published widely on the Irish Brigade in the Civil War, and lives in Arizona.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (December 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306813238
• ISBN-13: 978-0306813238
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #601,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enlisted man's memoirs on the glorious Irish Brigade, March 14, 2001

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: My Life In The Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memories Of Private William Mccarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry (Hardcover)

William McCarter was a twenty-one year old Irish immigrant when he enlisted in the 116th Pennsylvania Infantry in August 1862. The unit soon became part of the Second Brigade, First Division, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, better known as the fabled Irish Brigade and Carter's memoirs, "My Life in the Irish Brigade" has the distinction of being the first full-length memoir published by an enlisted man in the Irish Brigade. McCarter's account covers the brigade from the Seven Day's Battles in which it made its battlefield reputation, to its assault against the Bloody Lane at Antietam, to the charge up Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg where McCarter was gravely wounded and forced to leave the army. Because he was detailed as the personal scribe to General Thomas F. Meagher, commander of the Irish Brigade, McCarter was able to meet and judge the famous generals of the Union Army such as Ambrose Burnside and Winfield Scott Hancock. Kevin E. O'Brien, who has written widely on the Irish Brigade, edits the volume and in addition to his Endnotes he has included several interesting items in the Appendixes, such as the poem "The Irish Dead on Fredericksburg Heights" which was printed in the "Irish-American" in 1863. McCarter's recollections are quite engaging, and his description of the Brigade's actions at the fateful battle of Fredericksburg, where the vast majority of its 1,200 men were killed or wounded, is the best part of the book. If you have more than a passing familiarity with the history of the Irish Brigade, this is an excellent book to give you a unique and fascinating perspective on their glory days during the Civil War. It is also one of the better written memoirs, by enlisted man or general, you will find.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was great reading!, February 20, 2000

By 

"cowboyted" - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Life In The Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memories Of Private William Mccarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry (Hardcover)

The Civil War has always been of great interest to me. Consequently, when I find a book that tells of real-life experiences coming directly from the pen of the man who experienced the things he wrote about, I am automatically interested. Private McCarter wrote candidly of what he witnessed, felt and thought while in the Irish Brigade. His book is easy to understand and evokes vivid mental pictures of the scenes he describes. He seemed to be an educated, good-hearted man who, if he was alive today, I would love to meet.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, February 11, 2004

By 

Todd E. Newman (Valparaiso, IN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: My Life In The Irish Brigade: The Civil War Memoirs Of Private William Mccarter, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry (Paperback)

William McCarter's book is quite an interesting tale of his involvment as a private for the famous Irish Brigade. McCarter's vivid descriptions of soldier life, marching, camping, facing cold weather, hard living and the Battle of Fredericksburg was very well done. McCarter missed Antietam although his regiment did face the Confederates at the heights of Fredericksburg. McCarter tells such a facinating, informative, sad, happy, yet chilling story at times during his soldier career that it was hard to put this book down. His vivid story of Fredericksburg and how the brigade battled it out, how he was injured and how he escaped death while suffering upon the battlefield was certainly the best part of the book. I wish more soldier accounts were written as well as this one as this book is one of the better books I've read that tells a soldier's story. 5 STARS!