From our good friend Damian Shiels' blog on the Irish in the American Civil war comes this interesting story on an illustration. The piece dealt with the Irish Brigade’s role in the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863 and was published on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of that engagement. The image is centred on Brigadier-General Thomas Francis Meagher (Chancellorsville would be the last fight in which he would command the brigade) and also portrays the rescue of a Union battery by the Irishmen. What is most fascinating is the depiction in the bottom right hand corner. Here the artist has chosen not to present an incident of the battle, but rather a line of Irish Brigade soldiers putting their hands in their pockets and placing money in a box nailed to a tree. On the box is marked ‘Cause of Ireland.’ You can read the rest of the story on his blog: HERE.