Sketch of the Irish Brigade’s 28th Massachusetts at Gettysburg
Original Post on CivIl War Talk
Author: Tom Elmore – 25 Jan 2024
As part of Colonel Patrick Kelly’s “Irish Brigade” of the Second Corps, apparently a majority of soldiers in the 28th Massachusetts had been born in Ireland, along with a handful from other countries (see below). Company A recruited from among the footwear manufacturing factories of Lynn. Most of Companies B, C, D, E, F, G and I came from Boston and the surrounding area. Company H hailed from Worcester, Haverhill and Boston, while many in Company K had been employed in the shoe/boot factories of Milford. The regiment, led by Colonel Richard Byrnes, brought an estimated 17 officers and 204 enlisted men into the fight at Gettysburg on July 2. By the end of the day nearly half of them (107) had been killed, wounded or captured. (Sources: https://www.28thmass.org/; Compiled service records, Fold3)
On the second day, when Caldwell’s division moved southward, Kelly’s brigade was sent into action across the Wheatfield toward Stony Hill and directly confronted Kershaw’s 7th South Carolina. Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw recalled that he reached the 7th “just as the advancing column of Federals had arrived at a point some two hundred yards off, whence they poured into us a volley from their whole line, and advanced to the charge.” The right wing of the 7th gradually bent back under the pressure until it finally broke and retired. The 28th Massachusetts then pressed ahead and fought the 3rd South Carolina for a time. Lieutenant John B. Noyes, who led Company F of the 28th, described the attack in a letter to his father: “We advanced upon a rocky ridge covered with huge boulders, which made a regular line of battle impossible. The men took cover behind the rocks, some to fire and some to lie down. It was the duty of the officers to see that the men kept deployed and deliver their fire. This they did. We repeatedly advanced and were on the ridge holding our ground splendidly, taking prisoners at every step.” (Kershaw’s Brigade at Gettysburg, by J. B. Kershaw, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, 3:336; Official report of Colonel Richard Byrnes; John Buttrick Noyes, Civil War Letters, Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA)
However, while Kelly’s brigade achieved success in their front against Kershaw, the overall threat did not diminish. Before long, Wofford’s fresh brigade approached from the direction of the Peach Orchard, compelling the Federals to retreat from Stony Hill, under fire. Toward the close of the day, a head count revealed 108 guns left in the 28th Massachusetts, and Corporal Peter Welsh of Company K remarked that the entire brigade was reduced to the size of three full companies (300 men). (Noyes, op. cit.; Irish Green and Union Blue, The Civil War Letters of Peter Welsh, ed. by Lawrence F. Kohl with Margaret C. Richard, NY: Fordham University Press, 1986)
On July 3, an early morning shelling by enemy guns prompted the remnant of Kelly’s brigade to build breastworks at their position on southern Cemetery Ridge, which would prove very useful during the afternoon artillery bombardment. The 28th Massachusetts suffered no loss this day (according to Colonel Byrnes) and were bystanders to the great charge. When it was over and victory was assured, General George G. Meade rode southward along his line toward Little Round Top, passing just in front of the 28th Massachusetts as they cheered him. (Statement by Col. R. Byrnes, Fold3; Noyes, op. cit.)
Birthplaces, from a sample size of 48 soldiers in the regiment:
Born in Massachusetts, U.S.: 6 – Sergeant James Allendorf (I); Corporals John F. Goodwin (I), John Leary (F); Privates John Donnelly (H), John Hickey (C), William Sullivan (C).
Born in Ireland: 35 – Colonel Richard Byrnes (County Cavan), Major Andrew P. Caraher; Sergeants John Cooley (A, County Galway) Thomas Duffy (I), Andrew Garvey (H, County Roscommon), Daniel O’Grady (D), Thomas Ronan (G, County Kilkenny), Patrick Stokes (F), James Sweeney (H); Corporals Peter Brock (K), Thomas Cook (G), Jeremiah Driscoll (E), Patrick Powderly (D), John M. White (A); Privates John Barrett (C, County Cork), Osmond Bennett (D, County Cork), John Caswell (G, County Tyrone), Michael Coyle (F, County Roscommon), Thomas Curley (K, Ballinasloe, County Galway), John Doherty (G, County Cork), Willliam Doherty (A, County Donegal), Henry Fairley (I), James Hatton (C), Bernard Hart (D), Patrick Maguire (I, County Tyrone), Michael Milan (K), Robert Mullen (K), Owen Murphy (H), Michael Ryan (K), Peter Sheehy (H), John Sullivan (H), Mark Sullivan (A), Patrick Sullivan (A), Terrence Riley (E), Florence Sullivan (E).
Born in Canada: 3 – Corporal William T. Riley (A, Halifax, Nova Scotia); Privates Simeon Walsh (G, Prince Edward Island), William Troy (B, St. Johns, Newfoundland).
Born in England: 3 – Privates George H. Farmiloe (F, Gloucestershire), Charles Gilbert (H, Plymouth), John Marshall (A, London).
Born in Scotland: 1 – Private Robert Watson (C, Tipshire)
Casualties, identified by type of wound:
-Sergeant James Allendorf, I, gunshot wound right forearm (amputated).
-Corporal Peter Brock, K, gunshot wound left shoulder, lost 5 inches of left humerus.
-Private Edward Burns, A, gunshot upper part of left humerus.
-Private John Caswell, G, mortally wounded by gunshot, died July 17.
-Private Dennis Curren, D, gunshot fleshy part of left knee.
-Private Charles Doherty, A, gunshot or shell piece struck under left eye.
-Private Henry Fairley, I, gunshot fracture of left leg.
-Private Andrew Fitzsimmons, K, ball through the palm of hand.
-Private Daniel Foley, gunshot in arm.
-Private Charles Gilbert, minie ball shattered ulna and radius of left arm, amputated July 10.
-Private Bernard Hart, D, gunshot right hand.
-Private James Hatton, C, gunshot wound.
-Private John Hickey, C, gunshot in leg.
-Private Owen Horgan, C, ball divided scalp for 2 1/2 inches but did not injure the skull.
-Private Maurice Lane, K, gunshot in both arms.
-Captain James Magner, I, gunshot in lower part of left forearm over ulna.
-Sergeant Michael McGowan, G, minie ball in buttock, passed out through thigh.
-Corporal William Nicholson, I, gunshot in arm.
-Private Terrence Riley, E, ball in forearm 2 inches from elbow.
-Private Emerson Shepard, gunshot in arm/shoulder.
-Private William Sullivan, C, gunshot through both ankles.
-Private William Troy, B, gunshot or shell piece lacerated penis nearly tearing it away at base; could not pass urine or retain urine in bladder.
-Private George C. White, I, conical (minie) ball through upper part of right foot.
Map reflects the situation at 6:40 p.m. on July 2, when the 28th Massachusetts helped break the 7th South Carolina.
Known casualties from the 28th Massachusetts: Data from RP Kennedy, comment to above post on 25 Jan 2024).
COMPANY A
Sergeant John Cooley, killed
Sergeant Michael Coughlin, captured (died of disease in Richmond, 11/1/63)
Corporal Charles Doherty, wounded (slightly head)
Corporal William T. Riley, captured
Edward Burns, wounded
William Doherty, wounded & captured (slightly arm)
John Marshall, captured (died of disease in Danville, VA, 12/18/63)
Michael Paine, wounded & captured
Mark Sullivan, captured (died of disease in Richmond, 3/11/64)
Patrick Sullivan, wounded
John M. White, wounded
COMPANY B
Corporal John Cusick, captured
John Bowen, wounded
Patrick Foley, killed
John Mahar, wounded (slightly hand)
Patrick O’Flaherty, wounded (severely side)
William Troy, wounded
COMPANY C
1st Sergeant James Hatton, wounded
Sergeant Peter W. Price, killed, buried southeast side of Rose Woods, reinterred in plot D-33 of Massachusetts section
John Barrett, wounded (thigh)
Henry Barton, wounded (shoulder)
Edward Dwyer, wounded (thigh)
John Hickey, wounded (leg), died 8/16, buried in Bricker’s field along the county road, reinterred in plot D-17 of Massachusetts section
Owen Horgan, wounded (leg)
Jeremiah Noonan, captured
John Ryan, captured
Owen Smith, wounded
William Sullivan, wounded (feet)
James Walton, wounded (shoulder)
Robert Watson, wounded (hand)
COMPANY D
1st Sergeant Andrew Corrigan, wounded (severely eye)
Sergeant Andrew Grady, wounded (severely back)
Sergeant Edward Mooney, killed, buried on Klingel farm on the left side of Wheatfield Road, reinterred in plot D-19 of Massachusetts section
Sergeant Edward O’Beirne, captured
Sergeant Daniel O’Grady, wounded
Corporal Patrick Powderly, wounded (slightly leg)
Corporal William Regan, captured
Corporal John Sheehy, killed
Osmond Bennett, captured
Edward Burke, wounded
Edward Carey, wounded
Stephen Cronin, wounded
Michael Crowley, captured (died in Richmond, 12/11/63)
Dennis Curran, wounded (severely knee)
Bernard Hart, wounded (severely)
George Mills, wounded
Bernard O’Beirne, captured
John O’Grady, captured
William O’Grady, killed
John Shanley, captured (died in Richmond, 1/17/64)
COMPANY E
Sergeant Joseph E. Sheedy, killed
Corporal Jeremiah Driscoll, wounded (severely foot)
Corporal Patrick C. Dwyer, wounded & captured (severely head)
John Devlin, captured
Thomas Eagan, captured
Stephen Reagan, captured
Terrence Riley, wounded (severely arm)
Emerson Shepard, wounded (severely shoulder)
Florence Sullivan, captured
COMPANY F
Sergeant John Coger, wounded (right forearm amputated)
Sergeant Patrick Stokes, wounded (side)
Corporal John Leary, killed
Michael Coyle, wounded (side)
John Daley, captured (died of disease in Andersonville, 4/28/64)
George H. Farmiloe, wounded (mouth and arm)
COMPANY G
Sergeant Michael McGowan, wounded (slightly thigh)
Sergeant Thomas Ronan, killed
Corporal Thomas Cook, wounded (severely hand)
John Caswell, wounded (severely thighs), died 7/29 and buried on Schwartz’s farm, reinterred in plot D-18 of Massachusetts section
John Doherty, captured
Simeon Walsh, wounded
COMPANY H
Sergeant Andrew Garvey, wounded & captured (died of disease in Richmond, 10/21/63)
Sergeant James Sweeney, captured (died of disease, 3/13/64)
John Butman, wounded (slightly arm)
Michael Dolan, wounded
John Donnelly, wounded (slightly hand)
Daniel Foley, wounded (slightly arm)
Denis Ford, captured
Charles Gilbert, wounded (left arm amputated)
Patrick Kelley, killed
John McCarty, captured
Owen Murphy, wounded
Peter Shehan, captured
John Sullivan, captured
COMPANY I
Captain James Magner, wounded (wrist)
Sergeant James Allendorf, wounded (right forearm amputated)
Sergeant Thomas Duffy, captured
Corporal John F. Goodwin, captured (died of disease in Richmond, 10/29/63)
Corporal William Nicholson, wounded (slightly arm)
Henry Fairley, wounded (leg amputated)
Maurice Fitzgerald, captured
Dennis Harrington, wounded (severely arm and hand)
John Maguire, wounded (slightly arm)
Patrick Maguire, wounded (died 8/15)
Patrick McGuerty, captured (died of disease in Richmond, 12/28/63)
COMPANY K
Corporal Peter Brock, wounded (severely shoulder)
James Cannon, captured (died of disease in Richmond, 12/1/63)
Thomas Curley, wounded (severely hand)
James Ferguson, wounded
Andrew Fitzsimmons, wounded
Edward Kane, wounded
Maurice Lane, wounded (severely arms)
Michael Milan, wounded (severely leg)
Robert Mullen, wounded (severely head)
Michael Ryan, wounded
George C. White, wounded & captured