{"product_id":"the-blue-and-the-green-the-irish-of-portland-maine-during-the-civil-war-paperback","title":"The Blue and the Green: The Irish of Portland, Maine During the Civil War - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMatthew Jude Barker\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Blue and the Green: The Irish of Portland, Maine During the Civil War\u003c\/strong\u003e is the compelling second volume in Matthew Jude Barker's series on the Irish experience in Maine. Following his acclaimed book \u003cem\u003eBecoming American\u003c\/em\u003e, this installment turns to the 1860s, exploring how Portland's Irish community navigated one of the most turbulent periods in American history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the Civil War erupted, Irish immigrants and their American-born children were faced with a difficult choice-remain on the fringes of society or fight for a country that had not yet fully accepted them. Many enlisted in the Union Army, joining Irish regiments and the famed Irish Brigade, seeking both patriotic purpose and social acceptance. Others contributed from the home front, working in the shipyards, organizing in churches, or sending sons and brothers off to war.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarker draws from military records, newspaper accounts, letters, and parish archives to tell a vivid, human story. He introduces us to Irish soldiers from Portland who fought at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, and explores how the trauma and triumph of war shaped the city's Irish neighborhoods, churches, and civic life. We also see the tensions that arose-between nativists and newcomers, between North and South sympathizers, and even within the Irish community itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not just a military history-it is a story of identity, belonging, and transformation. Through war, loss, and resilience, Portland's Irish helped redefine what it meant to be both Irish and American. Their story is one of perseverance and pride, rooted in both \"the Blue\" of Union loyalty and \"the Green\" of Irish heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRich in detail and narrative power, \u003cem\u003eThe Blue and the Green\u003c\/em\u003e fills a crucial gap in Civil War and Irish-American scholarship, making it a must-read for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in Maine's multicultural roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 606\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.35 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 31, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52763087733069,"sku":"9798218628116","price":48.16,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0927\/3304\/7117\/files\/meiwzWhdgW9798218628116.webp?v=1763020263","url":"https:\/\/belfastbooks.us\/products\/the-blue-and-the-green-the-irish-of-portland-maine-during-the-civil-war-paperback","provider":"belfastbooks.us","version":"1.0","type":"link"}