Irish Brigade (US) - Definition and Overview

The Irish Brigade was an infantry brigade that served in the American Civil War, consisting predominantly of Irish immigrants.

The Irish Brigade originally consisted of the 69th New York State Militia commanded by Colonel Michael Corcoran, eventually including the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiments as well as the 116th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and 28th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. In March 1862 the Brigade was assigned to Major General Edwin V. Sumner in the Army of the Potomac as the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division under the command of Brigadier General Thomas Francis Meagher. Made up largely of Irish-Americans, many of whom were recent immigrants, they were noted for their bravery and valor fighting almost entirely at the front of many of the major battles of the war, and as a result suffered over 4,000 casualties during the American Civil War from 1861-1865.

History

• The original Irish Brigade, known as the 69th New York State Milita, first saw action at the First Battle of Bull Run. Its commander Colonel Michael Cocoran was captured by the Confederates and held as a prisoner of war for more then a year. Captain Thomas Francis Meagher took command of the Militia and, returning to New York, began raising a unit of Irish volunteers that would eventually become the official Irish Brigade.
• The Brigade was joined by the 29th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Peninsular Campaign in 1862 as the only non-Irish Regiment to serve in the Irish Brigade.
• Fought at "Bloody Lane" during the Battle of Antietam.
• Fought at "Marye's Heights" during the Battle of Fredericksburg and were decimated by Pickett's division, which ironically included an Irish regiment under Major General Patrick Cleburne.
• Fought at the Battle of Chancellorsville sustaining high casualties.
• Fought at the "Wheatfield" during the Battle of Gettysburg under the command of Colonel Patrick Kelly as the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division of the II Corps, commanded by Brigadier General John C. Caldwell.
• The Irish Brigate suffered particulaly high casualties in Antietem, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. After Chancellorsville, attempts were made to disband the unit and Brigadier General Meagher resigned his commission in protest. While his resignation was later cancelled, General Meagher would not serve again with the Brigade for the remainder of the war.
• While continuing to serve with distinction as casualties continued to increase, the Irish Brigade had been reduced to regimental size by June 1864, forcing the U.S. Army to disband it and incorporate remaining elements of the brigade into the 3rd and 4th Brigades of the 1st Division, II Corps.
• The Second Irish Brigade was reformed from the old Irish Brigade of the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York and 28th Massachusetts Regiments as well as the addition of the 7th New York Heavy Artillery (later replaced by the 4th New York Heavy Artillery in early 1865).

External Links

Irish Volunteers: History of the Irish Brigade (http://irishvolunteers.tripod.com/irish_brigade_history.htm)
Irish Brigade "Fearless Sons of Erin" (http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/FamousUnits/irishbrigade.html)
Civil War Battles of the Irish Brigade (http://88ny.net/Battles.htm)