ABSTRACT
Thousands of immigrants participated in the Civil War as soldiers and supporters. In many ways, they experienced the war in the same way as native-born soldiers and civilians. Immigrants debated the issues of slavery and state sovereignty. They fought and died on military and home fronts. But they also felt the war’s impact differently. Nativism and outright hostility to ethnic and religious differences impacted how both Northerners and Southerners treated immigrants, who faced discrimination, segregation, and violence. Cognizant of their differences, immigrants endeavored to demonstrate their patriotism throughout the war while preserving their own ethnic identities and communities.
