On the House Devils recording I reviewed lately, there's a song called "On the Hush"- about an Irish immigrant conscript advising his compatriots not to emigrate to America. It's brilliantly done - mind haunting- but on reflection I can't help thinking it's actually very well made Confederate propaganda.

Hear's you Boys, take my advice
To Amerikay I'd have ye's not be comin;
For there's nothin' here but war
Where the murderin' cannons roar,
And I wish I was back home in dear old Erin

The subject of the song was conscripted immediately on arrival in the USA- did this happen (legally or otherwise)? And "on the hush" suggests that it was meant to be illicit- what were there laws about "spreading false information" then?

Any historians like to comment?