★  Egan, Thomas W.

Thomas Wilberforce Egan

Born: June 14, 1834
Egan 1.jpg


Birthplace:
Watervliet, New York

Wife: May have been an actress

Children: 1

Occupation before War:

Prior to the War extraordinarily little is known about Egan​

Civil War Career:

1861: Enlisted as Private 40th New York Infantry Regiment – (Mozart)​
1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Arrested the Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Served in the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia​
1862 – 1864: Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Served in the Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1862: Served in the Battle of Chantilly, Virginia​
1863: Acting Brigade Commander at Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia​
1863: Wounded in the leg on July 2nd in Devils Den’s at Gettysburg​
1863: Led his regiment during the Mine Run Campaign​
1864: Brigade Commander during the Battle of Spotsylvania, Virginia​
1864: Brigade Commander at the Battle of North Anna, Virginia​
1864: Brigade Commander at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia​
1864: Wounded in the right kidney Second Battle of Petersburg​
1864: His Wound resulted in slight Paralysis of his legs​
1864 – 1866: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1864: Division Commander during Battle of Boydton Plank Road
Egan.jpg
1864: Wounded in right forearm at Petersburg, Virginia​
1864 – 1866: Suffered from Partial Paralysis of his right arm​
1864: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry at Boydton Plank Road​
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th

Occupation after War:

1866 – 1881: Deputy Collector of Customs in New York City, New York​
Member of the Grand Army of the Republic​

Died: February 24, 1887

Place of Death: Charity Hospital, New York City, New York

Cause of Death: Bad Health

Age at time of Death: 52 years old

Burial Place: Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
 
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Thomas Wilberforce Egan

Born: June 14, 1834View attachment 362337

Birthplace:
Watervliet, New York

Wife: May have been an actress

Children: 1

Occupation before War:

Prior to the War extraordinarily little is known about Egan​

Civil War Career:

1861: Enlisted as Private 40th New York Infantry Regiment – (Mozart)​
1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Arrested the Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Served in the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia​
1862 – 1864: Colonel of 40th New York Infantry Regiment​
1862: Served in the Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1862: Served in the Battle of Chantilly, Virginia​
1863: Acting Brigade Commander at Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia​
1863: Wounded in the leg on July 2nd in Devils Den’s at Gettysburg​
1863: Led his regiment during the Mine Run Campaign​
1864: Brigade Commander during the Battle of Spotsylvania, Virginia​
1864: Brigade Commander at the Battle of North Anna, Virginia​
1864: Brigade Commander at the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia​
1864: Wounded in the right kidney Second Battle of Petersburg​
1864: His Wound resulted in slight Paralysis of his legs​
1864 – 1866: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1864: Division Commander during Battle of Boydton Plank RoadView attachment 362338
1864: Wounded in right forearm at Petersburg, Virginia​
1864 – 1866: Suffered from Partial Paralysis of his right arm​
1864: Brevetted Major General for Gallantry at Boydton Plank Road​
1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th

Occupation after War:

1866 – 1881: Deputy Collector of Customs in New York City, New York​
Member of the Grand Army of the Republic​

Died: February 24, 1887

Place of Death: Charity Hospital, New York City, New York

Cause of Death: Bad Health

Age at time of Death: 52 years old

Burial Place: Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
Egan took command of Hobart Ward's brigade after Ward was removed for incompetence at Spotsylvania. He proceeded to serve excellently (compared to Ward, anyone would have done better) and would eventually lead Gibbon's 2nd Division after Gibbon moved to take command of 24th Corps.
 
The brigade he was commanding was made up of a consolidation of 5 regiments. Any idea of when this happened?
The 40th New York was a motley collection right from the beginning. It was originally recruited as the 2nd Zouves but was only partially formed when New York stopped its recruiting drive so that the Zouaves only had 4 companies. They were augmented by 4 companies from Massachusetts as well as 2 companies from Pennsylvania and thus became the 40th New York Infantry Regiment in August 1861. On September 6, 1862, the enlisted members of the 87th New York were consolidated into Companies E and F. On May 25, 1863, the 40th New York's veterans were themselves consolidated into 5 companies (B, C, D, F, G) when three-year enlistees in several two-year regiments were transferred en masse. The 37th New York became Companies I and K while the 38th New York became Companies A, E, and H. To make things more confusing, the 37th New York had previously been consolidated with the 101st New York on December 24, 1862 and the 38th New York had been consolidated with the 55th New York on December 22, 1862). The new Company H was made up of old members of the 55th New York. So, going into the Gettysburg Campaign, the 40th New York had in its ranks members of 6 different regiments from 3 states.

As a point of interest, Colonel P. Regis de Trobriand was the former colonel of both the 55th New York and the 38th New York before they were folded into the 40th New York. At Gettysburg, he was the senior colonel leading the brigade in spite of the fact that he no longer had a regiment to command (he was still technically the commander of the 38th New York until he was promoted to brigadier general in November 1863).

Ryan
 
The long list of his battles is missing Antietam and Fredricksburg. This must have been the time he was assigned to Washington as Defenses.

The Third Corps was recovering from the Seven Days and Second Manassas in Washington during Antietam and Egan personally missed Fredericksburg although his regiment did not. They would suffer more than 120 casualties there and was commanded by their lt. colonel, Nelson A. Gesner, who was wounded.

Ryan
 
The 40th New York was a motley collection right from the beginning. It was originally recruited as the 2nd Zouves but was only partially formed when New York stopped its recruiting drive so that the Zouaves only had 4 companies. They were augmented by 4 companies from Massachusetts as well as 2 companies from Pennsylvania and thus became the 40th New York Infantry Regiment in August 1861. On September 6, 1862, the enlisted members of the 87th New York were consolidated into Companies E and F. On May 25, 1863, the 40th New York's veterans were themselves consolidated into 5 companies (B, C, D, F, G) when three-year enlistees in several two-year regiments were transferred en masse. The 37th New York became Companies I and K while the 38th New York became Companies A, E, and H. To make things more confusing, the 37th New York had previously been consolidated with the 101st New York on December 24, 1862 and the 38th New York had been consolidated with the 55th New York on December 22, 1862). The new Company H was made up of old members of the 55th New York. So, going into the Gettysburg Campaign, the 40th New York had in its ranks members of 6 different regiments from 3 states.

As a point of interest, Colonel P. Regis de Trobriand was the former colonel of both the 55th New York and the 38th New York before they were folded into the 40th New York. At Gettysburg, he was the senior colonel leading the brigade in spite of the fact that he no longer had a regiment to command (he was still technically the commander of the 38th New York until he was promoted to brigadier general in November 1863).

Ryan
The Union be like...
In all seriousness though, interesting notes. 40th New York always seemed like an interesting unit. I've been looking more into regimental histories recently, maybe I should look for good databases for Northern units.
 
That was the "Mozart" unit wasn't it?
It was. When they first began recruiting, they took the name United States Constitution Guard. They were joined by the incomplete 2nd Zouaves and, after being solicited by the Mozart Hall Committee, they redesignated themselves the Mozart Regiment.

Ryan
 
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I am looking for a list of Gen. Egan's staff officers in early 1865 - can anyone help me out or point me in a direction to search?
Thank you!
I'd say read through the Official Records volume of that period ... I believe it's Volume 47 or 48 ... and see if there's any correspondence with Egan, as most correspondence was written by staff officers of the actual general.
-Stryker
 
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