[LNewman]

The full article will be available in Parade Magazine online archives on October 11, 2004. The author's new book "Born Fighting" chronicles the history of the Scots-Irish in America.

In the "about the author" blurp it reads: "Combat Marine, novelist and Emmy-award winning journalist, Parade Contributing Editor James Webb was Navy Secretary under President Reagan. This article is adapted from his book "Born Fighting," copyright 2004, published by Broadway Books.

Am off to get a copy as soon as I tear myself away from Free Republic.

[MikefromOhio]

Scots-Irishman here!!!!

[jocon307]

Those are my people! Along with the plain old Irish-Irish and some German. I too was "Born Fighting", and I've loved every minute so far.

[M007]

English-Irishwoman here!!!

[M007]

I was born fighting. My mother's maiden name was Dempsey.

[clintonh8r]

Thanks for posting this.

Nice to read some things about my heritage....and by one of my favorite people, Jim Webb, a truly great American. I will definitely buy the book.

[Turbo Pig]

James Webb has written several great fiction books. My favorites by far are "Fields Of Fire" and "A Sense Of Honor". Both set during the Vietnam era, and more beleivable that Kerry's "Christmas in Cambodia" story.

[eyespysomething]

Why You Need to Know the Scots-Irish ping

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Bump for the Scots-Irish!

And bump for William Wallace's real last word. It wasn't "Freedom!" It was...

"SCOTLAND!"

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a397351b419af.htm

[debboo]

Thanks for posting this info, I will be sure to buy the book.

[Freepdonia]

Irish, Italian, Scots-Irish, and English.

Yes, I'm very confused. :-)

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[djf]

I absolutely love the Scotch-Irish!

Good Scotch whiskey and bad Irish women!!!

[sheikdetailfeather]

Did someone call????

[Lady Jag]

Scot Irish with a splash of Brit.

I love a good fight so much that when people see me brighten up they run away!

[MonroeDNA]

Scot-Irish man checking in. Born fighting, for sure.

12th generation American...see user name for hint.

[marsh2]

Scot-Irish-German here! (Plus a bit if the Welsh for drama.)

[x]

It's not clear how many of the Scots-Irish arriving on our shores were descended from the Scots Protestant settlers of Ulster and how many may have been Protestants or Catholics from other parts of Ireland or with deeper Irish roots. There's some speculation that at least some of them were Irish Catholics who were forbidden to practice their religion or who just didn't have access to priests, and gradually adapted to the Protestantism around them. Such was also true of many Highland Scots who emigrated to America. Nominally Catholic, it was hard for them to find priests in the Highlands or in America, so they gradually assimilated to a Protestant enviromnent.

I don't have any knowledge to prove such claims, though. Ulster estimates are that the great mass of those who came from Ireland to America from 1717 to 1800 were Scots-Irish Presbyterians, but at least 20,000 of 250,000 were Gaelic Catholics (and 20,000 Anglican Anglo-Irish). Whatever the actual numbers were it's long been said that throughout the colonial period there were Irish Catholics who became deracinated and assimilated into Protestant America.

[Godebert]

No Nesmith, nor Scott, nor Witherspoon, nor Gregg of the "straitest sect," would tell the foregoing tales of royal lines and loyal service, save to their own sons, when a look would seal the story within the family circle. ---History of Williamsburg, SC.

[Matchett-PI]

My ancesters (on my father's side) - the Presbyterian Scots-Irish - were the ones spoken of here: "Go West, young man."

The genealogy records show that many, many Scots-Irishmen, Germans and Englishmen settled in Pennsylvania - my home state.

The Germans and English stayed put right there. For the most part, it was the Scots-Irish that ventured beyond there and settled the west.

[Swede Girl]

Very interesting article.