"Remember my love. I do not face death so that some frivolous institution such as slavery may go on another day. I fight because we did not escape tyranny in order to have tyranny control the lives of our children." My Great Great Grandfather.
I saw this during a movie night a year ago at my university's rec center and about thirty people came to watch (Most brought their own movies to put on but that's beside the point) and every single one was either crying or about to cry during the entire Marye's Heights scene from the Irish Charge to the 20th Maine's Charge. Such a powerful scene.
I cried too...the Irish part was hard...it drew the tears.... :'( Such death and suffering....between 2 of the same mother country....Irishmen all.... :'(
Zach Zier the 20th maine had better luck at keeping there losses down and they stayed put out there in the field and returned fire all day and all night to a exstent. they only withdrew from there all together on orders to do so. the irish not so much in terms of losses.
Zach Zier yep but yea before those assults came the first devision in which hancock himself personally went with and over. then Samuel zook and his whole bergade. but all should be worthy of note by anymeans.
this is singly, the MOST heartbreaking scene from the whole Movie. it always brings a tear to my eye. especially, where they all scream, "Haroo" for their fellow Irishmen, that kills me.
I'm an American of Romanian descent but I tear up when I hear this track or view the scene where the wall is assaulted. We as a nation have blended so many cultures through immigration that we are 'exceptional'. I was born of immigrant parents in IN but raised in NC. Guess I am as much assimilated as anyone can be. Some would say that you never had ancestors that fought in the Civil War. That is true. My family did not arrive here until 1900 or so. But I am an American and I feel its history. To me the United States began in 1776 not when my family first came here.
This is the best comment ive read i was born and raised in NC and i do civil war reenacting so this movie is very touching because you think of all the men who fought indied in what they believed in
And you're right. Being an American is an idea, a belief...more than anything else. The first day your ancestors were here, or even wanted to be, they were as much American as anyone else ever was.
This always makes me tear up a bit thinking about the Irish Soldiers fighting for both the Union and the Confederacy. They came to America for a better life only to fight in our war.
My heart aches for what the first Irish to come to this country had to endure. War, discrimination, enslavement, *hell*. It really makes you stop, and shake your head, and wonder, why? Why do so many bad things happen to so many people who did nothing to deserve it?
+Emper0rH0rde Not only in America. The Irish were discriminated against everywhere they went.. even in their own land for hundreds of years. Such discrimination over a period of time made them the way they are today. Stubborn, cheeky and with bite.
The Irish and the scots Irish have made such an indelible mark on America, it's impossible to imagine America without the big influx of both cultures, one catholic, one mainly Presbyterian. Precious little ethnic differences exist between them, religion still divides them. Washington praised the rebelliousness and steadfastness of the scots Irish to the American independence cause. Irony to the power of a million.
As someone who has Irish blood flowing through my veins, the Irish Charge on Marye’s Heights scene in this movie always makes me tear up 🇮🇪 Long Live Ireland
This song is very moving and melancholy. I've watched the scene from Gods and Generals in which this score is played, and it has made me cry on several occasions.
"Have they learned nothin' at the hands of the British? Don't they know we're fightin' far our independence?" "They're brave Irishmen! They're our brothers! They've been misled to their fates!"
That's the Irish; don't they know we're fightin' for our independence? Have they learned nothin' at all from the hands of the English? They're brave Irishmen; they're our brothers; they've been mislead to their fates.
To me this is by far the most haunting piece of the Gods and Generals soundtrack, especially in conjunction with the image of the men of the Irish brigade getting cut to pieces in that murderous frontal assault.
Respect the fighting Irish and their undying spirit. This song moves me everytime and I'm only half Irish. It is the thought that counts. Remember the fallen!
This score perfectly describes the civil war with music. It makes of think of everything that happened. Jackson’s death, Lincoln’s sacrifice, The burning of Georgia, Pickett’s charge and Robert E Lee looking at what became of his Virginia...
"I must side either with or against my section or country. I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children. I should like, above all things, that our difficulties might be peaceably arranged.... Whatever may be the result of the contest, I foresee that the country will have to pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation perhaps for our national sins" - Robert E. Lee
@RevBillyRayCollins heat of the battle, driving his men forward, being physically dragged from the frontline by his ADC:s. Any man with the least knowledge of the American Revolutionary War (and I´m Swedish!!!) will know to completely disregard The Patriot as instructive of history, unless he himself is a fanatic bent on glorifying American history. American history doesn`t require glorification, it is well enough glorious and honorable as it is.
And what really got me was the smug arrogant demeanor of the Anglo American commanding officers in that scene who just thought they could just up and throw the Irish “volunteers” into the grinder like that thinking it was just going to make their day easier for their own benefit and cause. My last name is Irish and my tears shed Green for the Irishman on both sides.
Brothers fighting in a foreign war. A touching moment in any Irishman's history, where one must fight the other. God Bless those who died in America's Great war.
Unfortunately, this didn't really happen, at least not in the way the movie presents it. Historically, the commanding officer of the 24th Georgia Robert McMillan said this to his to his men as the Irish brigade approached, "That's Meagher brigade, give it to them now boys!" So there really was no sentimentality between them. It makes for a very thought-provoking scene, but it didn't really happen
@Bigmoonproductions it so makes me cry. I'm almost crying just listening to the music, because I can see it happening in my mind. The charge of the Irish Brigade is my favorite part of the entire movie.
And right behind the Irish Brigade.....was Zook's Brigade....the German Boys....who were also along side the Irish Brigade in the middle of the line on the third day at Gettysburg....the WASP-English wanted to get rid of both!!
Had ancestors who immigrated from Ireland and came to America during the civil war that where told to fight for the north and south they left Ireland believing they were coming to America for a better life just to be told they were going to be fighting in the civil war it's truly sad🍀🍀☘☘🇺🇸🇺🇸
May your ancestors find peace in the blessing of the kingdom of God good person God bless the Irish for their bravery and brotherhood tho many died that day many came home I pray yours came home...
@fishsama999 Holy crap! I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach when I found it. Oddly proud as well. I had family on both my mom and dad's side who fought in that war. My Mom told me a long time ago that a member of the family fought in it. I never would have connected the two though. They had always been spoken about separately. The fact there was Irish in the family was pretty much mentioned in passing. Never did they say they was Irish family in the Mexican Army. Thank you so much!
@RevBillyRayCollins The Extended Director's Cut is the print of the film that the audience was meant to see. It is approximatley 1 hour longer then the original. It contains several camp scenes from both sides, a sub plot involving Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, and Harrison from Gettysburg, and, perhaps best of all, the Battle of Antietam, which was cut from the original film. If your a fan of the film its a must have (the Director's Cut of Gettysburg is also being released).
@RevBillyRayCollins The Director's Cut of Gettysburg will include 17 minutes of footage previously seen only on the TNT broadcasts of the film and the Special Edition released in 1994 on VHS. It will also be the first time the film will be remastered and released on Blu-Ray.
"When we got to Yankee Land they shoved a gun into our hands saying Paddy you must go and fight for Lincoln " That's the Irish, always forced to fight for people who hate us.
It was one of the most necessary wars in history. April 12, 1861. 4:30 AM Fort Sumter, South Carolina. THE FLAG HAS BEEN FIRED UPON ! The news raced through the North like a thunderbolt. A farmer was cutting wheat when he heard the news. He dropped his sythe on the field, and went off to enlist.
Yeah....we never wanted war with each other...brothers....sisters...cousins....dads moms everyone was tore up.....now I’m not saying that the south didn’t start the war but they had a right to leave it even said so in the constitution
I am researching to write a piece on Brigadier John Adams would died at the charge of Franklin, perhaps the most courageous of charges in that war, although extremely foolish. I am humbled by the courage and sacrifice that the Irish showed in the ACW. The quality of soldier was incredible. So many generals and officers fought with distinction. Patrick Cleburn is legend.
I learned awile ago that one of my great grandmothers, however far back, on my fathers side lived in Fredericksburg at the time of the war, her house was not far from the stone wall, I visited Fredericksburg National Battlefield Park over the summer and went to where the wall stood, it was very emotional to see where the battle actually took place, the CSA probably had one of their greatest victories there, Im proud to be a southernor!
For those wondering about the cheer the Irish of the South were doing, "Hurra, Hurra, Hurra". Did a look for the script of Gods and Generals and found that scene. Very powerful, yet sad scene between the Irish of the North & South.
I remember when I went to see Gods and Generals in the theater. That scene watching the Irish Brigade being fired on by the Confederate regiment full of Irishmen got me sobbing through the intermission. My ancestry goes back to Ulster. The scene after the Irish Brigade fell back and the Confederate Irish cheered them was powerful. I stood and took off my hat also. Looking around I saw at least a dozen other people do the same.
My family was involved in this conflict. The bryants to the south, and the kellys to the north. Sad to see your brotheren have to fight each other like that
@TheAverageProJoe The Irish here in America are proud to be Irish, but even more prideful of being Irish Americans, helping those in the isle arm and fight themselves. A repayment for all the brave lads who fought so courageously and with distinction in our civil war.
What's even sadder is that 3 months earlier the Irish Brigade did nearly the exact same advance at the Battle of Sharpsburg with just as many casualties. After Fredericksburg the former Irish Brigade which have fought since 1st Manasas were practically reduced to rubble.
you're welcome. i wish i had some irish heritage myself, as i love their myths, lands, and music so much. as it is, i have to content myself with english and scottish heritiage, whic i'm also good with.
I'd love to go to Cheltenham but I have to content myself with sligo race coarse and can't even go there dew to covid but hopefully when it's over I'll be able to go again and maybe someday I might get to Cheltenham
@boerenyoghurt, Being both an Irish-American and a southerner i would say that both sides of north and south of Irishmen deserves respect and gratitude due to their bravery and loyalty to their cause not because of which side they happend to be on because both only wanted freedom and a new start in America.
