The Confederacy and the Papacy
An interesting discussion has developed about the above in response to Jeff Culbreath's thoughts on GODS AND GENERALS. Here are some excerpts:

If you liked Gods and Generals, if you haven't already, check out One Man's Hero. This movie tells the story of Irish Catholics in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War driven to desert to the side of their Mexican co-religionists by Protestant abuse....

I'm intrigued that Pope Pius IX sent Jefferson Davis a crown of thorns....

I read somewhere that Blessed Pius IX also sent Papal Zoaves to fight for the Confederacy, but I’ve never been able to confirm that. I’d guess it was because although the South condoned slavery, it was much less anti-Catholic than the North. I’ve also seen it claimed that the Union Army took special care to burn any Catholic Church they came across.