Review
"...explores what these Poles were doing in the United States, what motivated them to participate in the war, and why some of them fought on the Confederate and not the Union side...At the heart of the book are detailed profiles of nine sample Polish soldiers, four fought for the North; four for the South.....gives useful insight into an underreported aspect of the war: the experience of Polish immigrants in both Northern and Southern armies."
Civil War News
"...Complementing the well-organized text are a number of photographs and illustrations of the nine subjects and others cited therein...the maps, primarily of the battles where each man fought (Gettysburg, Second Manassas, etc.) but also including one of northern Mississippi where Karge served, are excellent, include scale and specify the location of each man’s unit in the fight...The author has demonstrated an extensive use of primary as well as secondary sources from memoirs and newspapers to the Official Records and contemporary books, journals, and articles. The research is impressive as indicated in the bibliography. The historiography of this unfortunate period of American history has certainly been enhanced by Mark Bielski. It should be incumbent upon others to continue to delve into the origins, backgrounds, and service of other foreign nationals who participated on both sides of the conflict in order to more fully understand their motivations to sacrifice on behalf of their adopted country and set an example for those of their native land. "
New York Journal of Books
"In recent decades, immigrant studies have assumed a much more prominent place in the Civil War literature. However, even after taking into account the comparatively minute scale of their contributions to both armies, the Polish experience has been unduly buried beneath the weight exerted by the far more numerous European ethnic groups. Sons of the White Eagle in the American Civil War not only brings into sharp focus the actions and significance of a number of prominent military figures (and one civilian), it also usefully examines the cultural and political connections between Poland and the United States throughout the turbulent first half of the nineteenth century."
Civil War Books and Authors
“Mark F. Bielski offers a welcome take on the Polish Civil War story in his new book… The author helpfully puts his story into the larger context of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Polish history as well as the previous military service of Polish heroes such as Thaddeus Kościuszko and Casimir Pulaski in the American Revolutionary War.”
The Journal of Southern History
About the Author
Mark F. Bielski is an historian and author and the director at Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours. He also hosts the History with Mark Bielski Podcast, where he and his guests, experts in their field, delve into the characters, backstories, and intrigues that drove events throughout history. Bielski’s first book, Sons of the White Eagle in the American Civil War: Divided Poles in a Divided Nation, describes the fascinating story of nine transplanted Poles who participated in the American Civil War. He received his Ph.D. in History at the University of Birmingham in England. Bielski lives in New Orleans, where he enjoys the city’s historical, cultural, and culinary riches on a daily basis.
