Meagher's Irish Brigade

The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

September 9, 1861, Governor Morgan accepted the proposal of Capt. Thomas Francis Meagher, late 69th Militia, who was later appointed Brigadier-General of the United States Volunteers, to raise a brigade, and authority was granted to Col. Robert Nugent to recruit the 1st Regiment, taking in the men already enlisted by him under the authority of the War Department; this regiment was known as the 69th Volunteers.

Capt. Thomas Francis Meagher, as temporary Colonel, to recruit the 2d Regiment; this was consolidated with the 4th Regiment, and was known as and formed part of the 88th Volunteers.

Col. R. C. Enright, to recruit the 3d Regiment; the organization was completed, and the regiment received the State designation and served as the 63d Volunteers.

Col. Henry M. Baker, to recruit the 4th Regiment, the organization of which was not completed; it was consolidated with the 2d Regiment, and formed part of the 88th Volunteers.

These three regiments served in the field to the close of the war, in the 2d Corps, Army of Potomac, as the Irish Brigade along with the 28th Massachusetts and the 116th Pennsylvania.

Besides these regiments of infantry there was also organized a battalion of artillery as the 5th Regiment, which received the State designation of 2d Battalion of Light Artillery, and later became the 14th and 15th Batteries of Artillery.

2ndBrig1stDiv2ndCorpsAOP2012.48.jpg

2nd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps | Designating Flag | Civil War

This triangular-shaped wool designating flag with a reverse appliquéd red cotton trefoil corps badge in the center and blue wool band along the hoist…

NYSMM Online Resources

Civil War Humor - Compiled by Robert McLernon *link*


Subordinate Units

69th Regiment of Volunteers

88th Regiment of Volunteers

63d Regiment of Volunteers

14th Independent Battery Regiment

15th Independent Battery Regiment

Other Resources

This is meant to be a comprehensive list. If, however, you know of a resource that is not listed below, please send an email to ng.ny.nyarng.list.historians@army.mil with the name of the resource and where it is located. This can include photographs, letters, articles and other non-book materials. Also, if you have any materials in your possession that you would like to donate, the museum is always looking for items specific to New York's military heritage. Thank you.

Bruce, Susannah U. The Harp and the Eagle: Irish Volunteers in the Union Army, 1861-1865. Under contract with New York University Press, Forthcoming 2005.

Bruce, Susannah U. "Remember Your Country and Keep Up Its Credit': Irish-Americans and the Union War Effort, 1861-1865." The Journal of Military History 69 (April 2005): 331-359. [E493.5 I683 B 2005]

Conyngham, David P. The Irish brigade and its campaigns: with some account of the Corcoran legion, and sketches of the principal officers. New York, W. McSorley & co., 1867.

Cox, Eleanor Rogers. "Veterans of Fredericksburg." Irish-American, Dec. 13, 1912. 

McLernon, Robert. 'Irish Brigade: “…It Rushed Into The Fight With Its Well-known Gallantry  … ”' 2013. (Updated May 2014)

McLernon, Robert. "The Very Rev. William Corby, C. S. C." 2010.
 

Items in the museum collection are in bold.