Sons of Leitrim: Honoring Those Who Survived One Tragedy Only to Face Another

Sons of Leitrim honors the memory of men born in County Leitrim who survived the catastrophic Great Hunger (An Gorta Mór) of 1845-1852, emigrated to America seeking a new life, and found themselves caught up in the bloodiest conflict in American history—the Civil War (1861-1865).
 

This website presents the results of extensive historical research conducted by Ben Wrafter to identify and document the lives of Leitrim-born men who served in both the Union and Confederate armies. Through painstaking investigation of military records, pension files, census data, and other primary sources, 196 men have been definitively identified as Leitrim natives who fought in the American Civil War. Many more undoubtedly served, but establishing their Leitrim origins remains challenging due to incomplete or inconsistent record-keeping. Research continues, and this site will be  updated as new information emerges.
 

The foundation of this research lies in the remarkable holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C., which houses the military service records, pension applications, and related documentation that bring these forgotten soldiers back to life. These records reveal not just names and regiments, but fragments of personal histories: the townlands they left behind, the ships they sailed on, the battles they survived, the wounds they carried, and—for too many—the graves far from home where they now rest.
 

These men represent a unique chapter in both Irish and American history. They escaped starvation and disease in Leitrim only to face grapeshot and minié balls on American battlefields. They are sons of two worlds, shaped by two tragedies, and their stories deserve to be remembered.
 

The Scale of Irish Sacrifice

The Irish contribution to the American Civil War was immense. An estimated 200,000 Irish-born men served during the conflict, with historical consensus suggesting that between 30,000 and 35,000 of these individuals lost their lives.

Understanding the magnitude of this loss requires looking at the evolving scholarship regarding the war’s total human cost:

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​                            Historical    Modern

                            Estimate       Estimate

Union                360,000        400,000

Confederate     260,000        300,000

Total                   620,000        700,000

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Our Mission and Research

Our objective is to elevate public awareness of the extraordinary sacrifices made by these Leitrim-born soldiers in a conflict that defined the nineteenth century.

The preservation of the Union was a pivotal moment in global history.  The world we inhabit today was forged by the service and resilience of those who fought to ensure its survival.