Irish-American Identity, Memory, and Americanism During the Eras of the Civil War and First World War John French Marquette University
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Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations (2009 -) Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Projects Irish-American Identity, Memory, and Americanism During the Eras of the Civil War and First World War John French Marquette University Recommended Citation French, John, "Irish-American Identity, Memory, and Americanism During the Eras of the Civil War and First World War" (2012). Dissertations (2009 -). Paper 195. http://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/195 IRISH-AMERICAN IDENTITY, MEMORY, AND AMERICANISM DURING THE ERAS OF THE CIVIL WAR AND FIRST WORLD WAR by John A. French A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 2012 ABSTRACT IRISH-AMERICAN IDENTITY, MEMORY, AND AMERICANISM DURING THE ERAS OF THE CIVIL WAR AND FIRST WORLD WAR John A. French Marquette University, 2012 This dissertation connects the well-documented history of the repression of wartime dissent in the United States with the complex relationship between Americans and immigrants. The study focuses specifically on Irish-American efforts to insulate themselves from accusations of unpatriotic and un-American attitudes and behaviors by highlighting their uniquely American contributions and principles. The Civil War and First World War eras provide ideal time frames for such an evaluation. Marked by xenophobia and institutionalized nativism, each era found many Americans and government officials accusing the American Irish of disloyalty because of their opposition to the prosecution of the war. In order to justify their positions, Irish- American leaders (prominent newspaper editors, historians, and those involved in Irish- American nationalistic organizations who consciously sought to sway both mainstream American and Irish-American sensibilities) propagated the notion that the American Irish were in fact the most American citizens. They turned the tables on nativists by labeling them and their politics as un-American . They used their memory of the American Revolution to sanction these ideas, tailoring their interpretation of American history to fit the circumstances they faced. During the Civil War, this meant adapting Revolutionary rhetoric to justify their Copperhead politics and unfavorably contrast Republicans with the Founding Fathers. During the First World War, Irish-American notables equated the American Revolution with the contemporary situation in Ireland, arguing for absolute Irish autonomy. Furthermore, Irish-American champions asserted that it had actually been Irish Catholics that dominated the ranks of the Continental Army and thus were primarily responsible for freeing the American colonies from British dominion. By promulgating this collective memory, Irish-American luminaries simultaneously positioned themselves as especially American and argued that the United States owed the Irish people an Irish republic modeled on the United States. My study, therefore, expands on traditional paradigms for understanding assimilation and Americanization. Analyzing how immigrants responded to accusations of disloyalty during distinct American wars not only informs our understanding of the immigrant experience in the United States but also elucidates what it has meant to be an American in these times of crisis. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS John A. French One does not complete a dissertation without incurring substantial debts, both professional and personal. I will begin by thanking those without whom this project would never have been possible. Librarians, archivists, and curators too numerous to name (and often anonymous anyway) greatly assisted me in my research, and generous financial assistance from my Smith Family Fellowship allowed me to conduct archival research in New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C. I thank Dr. Cheryl Wells, my M.A. adviser at the University of Wyoming, for initially peaking my interest in the Irish role in the American Civil War and for being a good friend and source of encouragement through the years. Most germane to the dissertation itself, however, has been the role of my dissertation committee and especially my adviser, Dr. James Marten. To him I owe a tremendous professional obligation. This project humbly began as a seminar paper in analyzing how the Irish-American press reported on the American Civil War. Dr. Marten then helped me expand my focus and formulate an intriguing and challenging dissertation topic. He then aided me greatly as I molded (and in some ways, transformed) it from a project on Irish-American national identity into one on the conjunction of Irish-American wartime dissent, identity politics, and historical memory. Dr. Marten always provided insightful criticism and sagacious advice but never pushed too hard and added any unnecessary stress during the arduous process. His direction was always characterized by firmness, patience, and encouragement. I greatly appreciate all that he has done for me in my time at Marquette. I would also like to thank Dr. Timothy G. McMahon, who introduced me to the awesome and pervasive power of nationalism throughout modern history in a graduate readings course, without which I would have never been able to articulate this topic. Father Steven Avella also sat on my committee, and I would like to thank him for all he did for my professional development. Father Avella is a professional mentor and cherished personal friend. Without the support of all my friends and family, I could never have completed this grueling (and often excruciating) process. While I cannot list everyone who assisted me in this process, I would like to address those closest to me during my time at Marquette. First off, I would like to thank my late grandfather, Ray Karlin, for purchasing me the brand new pickup I used throughout graduate school. His generous gift was crucial in allowing me the financial wherewithal to move out to Milwaukee in the first place. I would like to thank my best friends from back in Wyoming, Mike Phillip and Tyler Murphree (known in most circles affectionately as “Murph”), for their frequent visits to Wisconsin during the past few years and for being the best pals a guy could ask for. I thank my colleagues in graduate school, including Karalee Surface, Charissa Keup, Beth Gabriel and especially Mike Ebel and Paolo Guttadauro, with whom I have fostered close friendships, for always being there for me. Only someone who has been “in the trenches” can truly appreciate and honestly empathize with the rigors and stresses of graduate school. I would like to thank Grete Engel, Kate Szczesniak, Joe ii Sullivan, and Sarah Matula for being such great friends and for keeping me young at heart during this process. Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank my wonderful wife Abbi, to whom I owe a debt that cannot be repaid. It takes a patient and understanding person to date and marry a graduate student, and she has a lot more on her plate than most in handling me. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for being a caring friend, firm and insightful editor, enthusiastic fan (the sole member of the audience at one conference presentation), long-suffering breadwinner, trusted companion, and loving wife. She performed admirably in these roles, which allowed me to focus more clearly on the colossal task at hand. I simply could not have done it without her. It’s not easy conforming to the uneven, unusual, and uncertain lifestyle of a graduate student, and Abbi did so with a smile. This dissertation, as with all other aspects of my life, is dedicated to her. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………………………i TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………...iii CHAPTER I. “WHAT THE HELL DO I HAVE TO DO TO BE CALLED AN AMERICAN?” THE WARTIME IRISH AND AMERICANIZATION...1 Introduction……………………………………..…………...…….1 Irish Assimilation and Americanization…..….….………………20 The Irish and the Concept of Whiteness…....................…………26 American Patriotism…………………….……………………….32 Conclusion……………………………….………………………45 II. “BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS AND HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THE UNION”: IRISH-AMERICAN UNIONISM.........47 Introduction…...……………………………………….………....47 The Irish Blame Secession on Political Extremists…………..….52 The Trent Affair and the Irish Sense of Union...……………..….68 The Irish and the Emancipation Proclamation…………..…...…..73 The New York City Draft Riots and Irish Unionism…...…...…...87 The Last Hope for Irish Unionism: the 1864 Election…...……...94 Reconstruction as Un-American……...………………………...101 Conclusion……………………...………………………………106 III. “VERY UNREPUBLICAN AND ANYTHING BUT AMERICAN”: THE CIVIL WAR IRISH AND THE “UN-AMERICAN”…………….108 Introduction…………………………………………………..…108 Irish-American Universalism………………….………………..114 Lincoln and the Republican Party Un-American…………….....127 Conclusion……………………………………………...……....154 IV. “GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS A ‘COPPERHEAD’”: THE HISTORICAL MEMORY OF THE CIVIL WAR IRISH………..…....156 Introduction…………………………………………………..…156 Irish Assert That Catholics are Especially America…………....158 The Irish and Their Contributions to American History..….…...160 Saving the Union………………………………………….….....170 America as an Irish Sanctuary……………………………….....176 iv American History to Legitimize Copperhead Politics ……....…181 Credit for Winning the Civil War…………..……………….….201 Irish-American Civil War Memory…………………………….205 Conclusion……………………………………………………...213 V. “NOW WHY THE OFFENSIVE TERM ‘ANGLO’ SHOULD