14th Brooklyn (84th New York Volunteer Infantry) "Red Legged Devils"-Not Just a Cool Uniform

Officers of the 14th Brooklyn:

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Civil War uniform artists love them and illustrate them often. Note the poor Irish-American soldier is retreating in the wrong direction. Not a bad illustration by Darby Erd from the book The United Stats Infantry by Gregory J.W. Urwin.

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The jacket of Sgt. Alexander Barnie of the 14th Brooklyn. I took the photo at the New York State Military Museum at Saratoga.


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14th Brooklyn by Keith Rocco.

The 14th Brooklyn is one of the most easily recognized regiments of the Civil War because of their distinctive uniform, which they wore throughout the conflict. They were not a Zouave unit, as many mistakenly believe. Instead their uniform was patterned on the French Chasseurs a Pied uniform.

The 14th was a militia company that was headquartered at Henry and Cranberry Streets. in Brooklyn Heights, in the heart of Abolitionist Brooklyn. Here are the raw facts about the regiment:

The following is taken from The Union army: a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs of commanders and soldiers. Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908. volume II.
Eighty-fourth Infantry.—Cols., Alfred M. Wood, Edward B. Fowler; Lieut.-Cols., Edward B. Fowler, William H. DeBevoice, Robert B. Jourdan; Majs., James Jourdan, William H. DeBevoice, Charles F. Baldwin, Robert B. Jourdan, Henry T. Head. The 84th (the 14th militia), recruited in Brooklyn, left the state for Washington, May 18, 1861; was there joined by Cos. K and I in July, and between May and August was mustered into the U. S. service for three years. The regiment served in the vicinity of Washington until the battle of Bull Run, in which it fought gallantly in Porter's brigade, with a total loss of 142 killed, wounded or missing. It then served near Ball's crossroads and Upton's hill, Va., and in March, 1862, was assigned to the 1st brigade, King's division, 1st corps, with which it served in northern Virginia, while the campaign on the Peninsula was carried on under Gen. McClellan. Active in the fighting which culminated in the battle of the second Bull Run, the regiment lost. 129 men. It was engaged at South mountain, Antietam and Fredericks-burg with the 1st brigade, 1st division, 1st corps, to which it was attached on Sept. 12, 1862. After passing the winter in camp near Falmouth, the regiment was active at Chancellorsville in May, 1863, and was prominently engaged in the battle of Gettysburg, where it received the highest official praise for its gallantry in action. It served during this battle with the 2nd brigade, 1st division, 1st corps, and suffered a total loss of 217. It then moved southward with the Army of the Potomac, shared in the Mine Run movement, wintered near Culpeper and at the opening of the Wilderness campaign, was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 4th division, 5th corps. On May 21 the term of service expired. It was mustered out at New York city, June 14, 1864, when the veterans and recruits were transferred to the 5th N. Y. veteran infantry. The total enrollment of the regiment was 1,305, of whom 153 died from wounds and 74 from other causes. Few regiments could boast such a distinguished reputation as the 84th, which served with unfailing bravery through the most severe tests of courage.
That is a very handsome Uniform.
 
If anyone is interested in a fictional company of the 14th Brooklyn, I have to recommend a historical novel by Thomas Dyja, Play for a Kingdom. I'm only 3/4 of the way through it, but this author really did his homework on the Overland Campaign and, man oh man, can he write. You'll like it even more if you're a baseball fan, since the plot involves a company of the 14th Brooklyn and a Reb company of the 12th Alabama who get together secretly to play baseball. The characters are magnificently drawn and developed; Dyja really knows human beings, and he really knows this war -- how it changed over time, and changed the people who fought it. Don't be fooled by the baseball angle into thinking the book will be fun and games; he shows the war in all its horror and gruesomeness. The clandestine baseball games provide some relief, but even the games are fraught with complications. Sorry to recommend a book I haven't finished yet, but you can bet I'll be finishing it soon. It's hard to put down!
 
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