"over 200,000 Union soldiers deserted during the war. Of that number over 44,000 were fron New York alone, the largest number of deserters from any state of the Union. As we are aware many of those New York Union Soldiers came from New York City and were of poor Irish Imagrants in that city."
TR,
I can agree with those numbers. I think that number was higher that 200,000 since the army total was about 2.5 million and I read somewhere that they had a desertion rate of 11+ total. I don't know how many New York furnished but I think they sent the most troops followed by Ohio and then Illinois and I do know that Illinois provied in excess of 350,000 so using the 11 percent number I would think that number for New York would be close. I think you are correct in asuming that a large number were Irish. That would hold true for Illinois as well. You question had to do with why they deserted. was it EP or the Popes statement in regards to the rebellion. As I stated in my other post, there were more desertions in the 90th before that date you quoted than after. I would think that is because of the men who were bounty jumping more than anything. If I have time, I will poll other Illinois Regiments that were not of any particular ethnic group and see if the same applies to them in regards to desertion. I can only do Illinois with any amount of accuracy.
FC