There was also a good deal of plotting being carried on within the Irish units of the army. Logically it centered in the Irish Brigade. Many of the men were members of the Fenian Brotherhood and thus were dedicated to the overthrow of the British in Ireland. Doctor Reynolds, the surgeon of the 63d New York, was Head Center of the Army of the Potomac Fenian Circle. Meetings were held regularly on the first Sunday of every month in the brigade’s hospital tent. Contributions were sent to the Head Center of the Brotherhood in New York.

Despite the heavy losses, the men of the brigade always tried to maintain friendly relations with the enemy pickets. Sugar, coffee, whisky, and tobacco were freely bartered. In one instance some brigade pickets gave their Confederate counterparts a gift of several “captured sheep.”

Then in the Chancellorsville Campaign the brigade helped round up the XI Corps fugitives after Stonewall Jackson’s famous flank attack, and on May 3 it marched from Scott’s Mills to near the Chancellor House to support the 5th Marine Battery, dragging it off when its gunners were rendered hors de combat.

Meagher by now however, had made himself unpopular with the other high-ranking officers in the army by his constant political speeches and activities. It was also generally believed that he regarded the brigade more as an independent symbol of Irish glory than an effective unit of the army. Consequently, his request to recruit replacements was refused, and instead it was proposed to abolish the brigade by distributing its units among other commands. Highly indignant at this proposal, Meagher resigned his commission May 14, 1863 and went home in disgust. His resignation was accepted. However, he was re-commissioned, commanded the District of Etowah, but again resigned in early 1865.

The reduced brigade was then led into battle at Gettysburg by Colonel Kelly. By this time the three New York regiments had been formed in battalions of two companies each, while the 116th Pennsylvania was one battalion of four companies. During the famous Confederate charge of July 3, one thought kept recurring to the commanding officer of the 116th. “It was Fredericksburg reversed.” A more profound thought, perhaps, occurred to a private when he was informed his regiment would be held in reserve. “In resarve, yis,” he muttered, “resarved for the heavy fightin’.”

There was more “heavy fightin’” and “heavy marchin’,”ahead for the brigade. In the withdrawal from Cedar Run it fought two major engagements and marched seventy-six miles in fifty-six hours, capturing two stands of colors, five guns, and 450 prisoners.

Then on May 3, 1864 the Irish Brigade moved out of its winter encampment with ten field officers. Within six weeks six of these would be dead and the other four seriously wounded. Its losses were so great that it finally disappeared into the so-called Consolidated Brigade (2d and 3d Brigades joined together). But as II Corps historian Walker later wrote, “The Irish Brigade…was to the close of the war one of the most picturesque features of the Second Corps, whether in fight, on the march or in camp.”

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John F. McCormack, Jr., is assistant professor of history and government at the Community College of Delaware County, Pa. He is a member of several historical societies and has written radio programs dealing with U.S. history. As a reading list he suggests the following: Michael Cavanaugh, Memoirs of Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher; David Powers Conyngham, The Irish Brigade and is Campaigns; Thomas F. Galwey, The Valiant Hours; and Francis A. Walker, History of the Second Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac.

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