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Irish Brigade Monument
Monument

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Irish Brigade Monument

Birth
Death
unknown
Monument
Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, USA
Plot
Bloody Lane
Memorial ID
View Source
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Dedicated in October 1997, this monument honors the famed "Irish Brigade" of the Union Army of the Potomac and their sacrifice at the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam. Consisting of the 63rd New York Volunteer Infantry, 69th New York Volunteer Infantry, 88th New York Volunteer Infantry, and 29th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiments (each of which consisted mostly of first-and second generation Irishmen), the brigade was designated 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, and was commanded by Brigadier General Thomas F. Meagher. In the middle phase of the battle it was part of the Union assault against Confederate positions at what became known as the Bloody Lane, and lost a total of 422 wounded and 113 killed. General Meagher was wounded in the action, and the brigade was commanded by Colonel John T. Burke of the 63rd New York Infantry at the end of the engagement. In four years of fighting in the American Civil War, the Irish Brigade lost over 4,000 men killed, wounded and missing.
Dedicated in October 1997, this monument honors the famed "Irish Brigade" of the Union Army of the Potomac and their sacrifice at the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam. Consisting of the 63rd New York Volunteer Infantry, 69th New York Volunteer Infantry, 88th New York Volunteer Infantry, and 29th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiments (each of which consisted mostly of first-and second generation Irishmen), the brigade was designated 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, II Corps, and was commanded by Brigadier General Thomas F. Meagher. In the middle phase of the battle it was part of the Union assault against Confederate positions at what became known as the Bloody Lane, and lost a total of 422 wounded and 113 killed. General Meagher was wounded in the action, and the brigade was commanded by Colonel John T. Burke of the 63rd New York Infantry at the end of the engagement. In four years of fighting in the American Civil War, the Irish Brigade lost over 4,000 men killed, wounded and missing.

Bio by: Albert Ledoux

Inscription

IRISH BRIGADE
Formed in November 1861, the Brigade was largely recruited in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Its initial regiments were the 69th, 88th and 63rd New York State Volunteers. Other units identified as part of the Brigade included the 29th Massachusetts, 116th Pennsylvania and 25th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiments. The Brigade fought in all of the major campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. It lost over 4,000 men during the war. This total is larger than the number of soldiers who served in the Brigade at any single time. Eleven Brigade members were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Of the Five Officers who commanded the Brigade, three were killed or mortally wounded. Colonel Richard Byrnes (Cold Harbor), Colonel Patrick Kelly (Petersburg), and Brigadier General Thomas A. Smyth (Farmville). The Brigade was mustered out in June 1865.

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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Albert Ledoux
  • Added: Aug 10, 2004
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9301023/irish_brigade_monument: accessed ), memorial page for Irish Brigade Monument (unknown–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 9301023, citing Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.