PHC Virtual Program Featuring Professor James S. Pula

The 1860 census recorded only 7,298 people in the United States who were born in Poland — 5,241 in the “free” states and 2,057 in the “slave” states. Compared to the Germans, the Irish, or several other groups, the numbers were almost insignificant; however, their influence on the arguments leading to the Civil War and their prominent participation in the national fratricide were both noteworthy beyond their numbers. This presentation will highlight some of the more important contributions Poles made to the anti-slavery crusade and the Northern and Southern war efforts. It will be accompanied by an illustrated PowerPoint featuring images of the important protagonists, summaries of their accomplishments, comments on the Poles by noteworthy leaders, and information on what became of them following the war. James S. Pula is a Professor of History Emeritus at Purdue University and the former editor of Gettysburg Magazine. His books include For Liberty and Justice: A Biography of Brigadier General Wlodzimierz B. Krzyzanowski; The Sigel Regiment: A History of the 26th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry; the two volume Under the Crescent Moon With the XI Corps in the Civil War; and The Civil War from Its Origins to Reconstruction. He was three times awarded the Oskar Halecki Prize for outstanding books as well as the Gambrinus Prize in History from the Milwaukee County Historical Society, and Honorary Membership in the Iron Brigade Society. His research on Polish immigrants was recognized with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. Most recently his Civil War writing was honored with the U. S. Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award.