Bruce Springsteen's song Ms. McGrath (Seger) discusses a boy who joins the navy. What war is this?

The song I believe is from the 1800's, it is Irish in origin, and the song references two nations, one that Ted would wear "a red coat" (British), and that the mother wants her boy back as he was, and wouldn't trade it for "the king of America, and its whole navy". It talks about a having the man's legs cut by a cannon ball. Any ideas?