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Quiz about Clear the Way Its the Irish Brigade

Clear the Way: It's the Irish Brigade Quiz

The green flags of the Irish Brigade flew over many of bloodiest battles of the Civil War. So "Faugh a ballaugh" and charge into a brief look at their heroic time on history's stage.

A multiple-choice quiz by fenian1213. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
fenian1213

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
336,937

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
587

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of these men was NOT a brigade commander during the war? Hint

Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher

Col. Thomas Smyth

Col. Patrick Kelly

Gen. Thomas J. Jackson

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Question 2 of 10

2. At the first major battle of the Civil War two legends were born, as the Irish Brigade charged Henry House Hill where Stonewall Jackson earned his nickname. Where did this battle take place? Hint

Manassas/Bull Run

Mine Run

Antietam/Sharpsburg

Petersburg

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Question 3 of 10

3. The Irish Brigade is noted for never losing one of its flags in battle.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. Father William Corby ,the chaplain of the 88th New York, left a professorship to serve with the Catholic Irish. Most noted for his pre-battle absolution at Gettysburg, he returned to which Midwest school where he served as president? Hint

Northwestern

Saint Mary's

Notre Dame

Marquette

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Question 5 of 10

5. At Fredricksburg the heroic charge of the Irish Brigade so impressed one Confederate general wrote home "why, my darling, we forgot they were fighting us, and cheer after cheer at their fearlessness went up all along our lines." What famous Virginian was it?
Hint

Blackjack Pershing

Dan Sickles

George Pickett

Patrick Cleburne

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Question 6 of 10

6. The last Union General to die in battle at one time led the Irish Brigade.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. The Irish Brigade spent most of the war attached to the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Coincidentally, the Corps badge was shaped like what?
Hint

heart

shamrock

diamond

cross

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Question 8 of 10

8. The idea of an Irish Brigade was nothing new. Irish units had fought under many different flags for generations. Which of these nations is NOT known to have employed Irish troops? Hint

Mexico

The Ottoman Empire

France

Spain

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Question 9 of 10

9. At Fredericksburg the Fighting Irish found an unguarded ford on the Rappahannock River which if used the entire battle could have been avoided.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Whenever there was bloody fighting ahead the Fighting Irish were called upon. Like Bloody Lane at Antietam or the Wheatfield at Gettysburg the Muleshoe was no exception. At which battle would we find the Muleshoe? Hint

Frankllin Tennessee

Spotsylvania Courthouse

Atlanta

Appomattox Courthouse

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these men was NOT a brigade commander during the war?

Answer: Gen. Thomas J. Jackson

Thomas Jackson was one of the most brilliant tacticians in American history. Unfortunately, he was a Confederate general.

2. At the first major battle of the Civil War two legends were born, as the Irish Brigade charged Henry House Hill where Stonewall Jackson earned his nickname. Where did this battle take place?

Answer: Manassas/Bull Run

At this time only the 69th New York had been formed. They were placed in a brigade under the command of William Tecumseh Sherman.

3. The Irish Brigade is noted for never losing one of its flags in battle.

Answer: True

One motto of the Brigade is "47 times to the line of battle and never a flag to lose". Losing one's unit flag was a major disgrace in that era.

Answer: Notre Dame

Corby's statute at Gettysburg was the first to a non-soldier. However, he was not the first priest to give absolution under fire. Father James Dillon did it on the Peninsula Campaign. Corby's became part of history because General Winfield Scott Hancock and his staff were on hand for the blessing.

Answer: George Pickett

Unfortunately for Pickett, he led that equally ill fated charge at Gettysburg where his troops were greeted with chants of "Fredricksburg, Fredricksburg."

6. The last Union General to die in battle at one time led the Irish Brigade.

Answer: True

Brigadier General Thomas Smyth led the Irish Brigade from February through May 1864. On April 7th 1865 he was shot through the chest at Farmville, Virginia. He died two days later while the rest of the army celebrated Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

7. The Irish Brigade spent most of the war attached to the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Coincidentally, the Corps badge was shaped like what?

Answer: shamrock

That the Irishmen were in the corps had nothing to do with the choice. When General Hooker ordered the symbols added to uniforms to ease confusion during battle they needed 25 different shapes. Different colors signified the division within the corps. A really simple plan which worked surprisingly well.

8. The idea of an Irish Brigade was nothing new. Irish units had fought under many different flags for generations. Which of these nations is NOT known to have employed Irish troops?

Answer: The Ottoman Empire

The San Patricios are still honored in Mexico. The Irish Brigades of France were General Meagher's model and Irishmen were volunteering in Spain right up to the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.

9. At Fredericksburg the Fighting Irish found an unguarded ford on the Rappahannock River which if used the entire battle could have been avoided.

Answer: True

Several brigade members stumbled across it while chasing stray cattle. The Confederate forces were not yet in place. Burnside chose to wait for the pontoon bridges to arrive to make the crossing. Lee's troops arrived first and the Federal forces were decimated.

Answer: Spotsylvania Courthouse

The Muleshoe has a well dug in fortification built by the Confederate troops. It did not stand up to the onslaught of the Fighting Irish and the rest of the 2nd Corps.

Source: Author fenian1213

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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