Overland Irish Brigade officers in the Overland Campaign

(Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor)

rpkennedy

Colonel
Member of the Year
Joined
May 18, 2011
Location
Carlisle, PA
Since I've been putting together officer rosters for previous battles, I thought I'd continue after Gettysburg.

63rd New York at the Wilderness

Major Thomas Touhy (WIA, died 5/30/64)
Adjutant Miles McDonald
Quartermaster James J. McCormick

Company A: 1st Lt. Patrick Chambers, 2nd Lt. Thomas K. Joyce
Company B: Captain James D. Brady, 1st Lt. Edward Lee, 2nd Lt. Dominick Connolly
Company C: Captain Peter T. Boyle (KIA), 1st Lt. Alexander Watts, 2nd Lt. James M. Smart
Company D: Captain John H. Gleason, 1st Lt. Charles J. Quinn, 2nd Lt. Joseph Gleason
Company E: Captain Selah V. Reeves, 1st Lt. George J. Benjamin, 2nd Lt. Ambrose S. Gilchrist
Company F: Captain Michael Kenneally, 1st Lt. Enoch Harrison, 2nd Lt. Charles E. Lewis

Ryan
 
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69th New York at the Wilderness

Lieutenant Colonel James E. McGee
Major John Garrett
Adjutant James J. Smith
Quartermaster Dennis F. Sullivan

Company A: Captain Richard A. Kelly, 2nd Lt. David Lynch
Company B: Captain Richard Moroney, 1st Lt. John Dillon Mulhall, 2nd Lt. Soucoth Mansergh
Company C: Captain Bernard S. O'Neill, 1st Lt. Peter H. Sweeney, 2nd Lt. Henry McQuade
Company F: Captain Maurice W. Wall, 1st Lt. John C. Foley, 2nd Lt. Luke Brennan
Company G: Captain Robert H. Milliken, 1st Lt. Murtha Murphy, 2nd Lt. Edward F. O'Connor
Company K: Captain John J. Blake, 2nd Lt. Richard P. King

Colonel William Wilson was commissioned as the commander of the regiment in April 1864 and declined the appointment but remained on the books as colonel until the end of the war.

Ryan
 
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88th New York at the Wilderness

Colonel Patrick Kelly (commanding the brigade)
Adjutant John W. Byron
Quartermaster Patrick M. Haverty

Company A: Captain Dennis F. Burke
Company B: Captain Patrick Ryder (KIA), 1st Lt. Charles M. Grainger, 2nd Lt. Robert J. Kelly
Company C: Captain John Smith, 1st Lt. James E. Byrnes, 2nd Lt. John Sparks (KIA)
Company D: 2nd Lt. John Shea

Captain Dennis F. Burke commanded the battalion.

Ryan
 
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116th Pennsylvania at the Wilderness

Colonel St. Clair A. Mulholland (WIA)
Lieutenant Colonel Richard C. Dale
Major John Teed
Adjutant Louis J. Sacriste
Quartermaster Richard H. Wade

Company A: Captain William M. Hobart
Company B: Captain Francis E. Crawford, 1st Lt. Thomas McKnight
Company C: Captain Henry D. Price, 1st Lt. Abraham L. Detweiler
Company D: Captain Garrett Nowlen, 1st Lt. Eugene Brady
Company E: Captain Michael Schoales, 1st Lt. Robert J. Grogan, 2nd Lt. Charles Cosslett (WIA)
Company F: Captain Wellington Jones, 1st Lt. Peter H. Frailey, 2nd Lt. William A. Shoener
Company G: Captain Frank R. Leib, 1st Lt. Francis McGuigan, 2nd Lt. S.G. Vanderheyden
Company H: Captain David W. Megraw, 1st Lt. Robert J. Alston, 2nd Lt. Thompson W. Smith
Company I: Captain Samuel Taggart, 1st Lt. William O'Callaghan, 2nd Lt. Joseph W. Yocum
Company K: Captain John R. Weltner, 1st Lt. James D. Cope, 2nd Lt. Zadock B. Springer

Ryan
 
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63rd New York at Spotsylvania Court House

Adjutant Miles McDonald
Quartermaster James J. McCormick

Company A: 1st Lt. Patrick Chambers, 2nd Lt. Thomas K. Joyce
Company B: Captain James D. Brady, 1st Lt. Edward Lee, 2nd Lt. Dominick Connolly
Company C: 1st Lt. Alexander Watts, 2nd Lt. James M. Smart (KIA)
Company D: Captain John H. Gleason, 1st Lt. Charles J. Quinn, 2nd Lt. Joseph Gleason
Company E: Captain Selah V. Reeves, 1st Lt. George J. Benjamin, 2nd Lt. Ambrose S. Gilchrist
Company F: Captain Michael Kenneally, 1st Lt. Enoch Harrison, 2nd Lt. Charles E. Lewis

Captain John H. Gleason commanded the battalion.

Ryan
 
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69th New York at Spotsylvania Court House

Lieutenant Colonel James E. McGee
Major John Garrett
Adjutant James J. Smith
Quartermaster Dennis F. Sullivan

Company A: Captain Richard A. Kelly (KIA), 2nd Lt. David Lynch
Company B: Captain Richard Moroney, 1st Lt. John Dillon Mulhall, 2nd Lt. Soucoth Mansergh
Company C: Captain Bernard S. O'Neill, 1st Lt. Peter H. Sweeney, 2nd Lt. Henry McQuade
Company F: Captain Maurice W. Wall, 1st Lt. John C. Foley, 2nd Lt. Luke Brennan
Company G: Captain Robert H. Milliken, 1st Lt. Murtha Murphy, 2nd Lt. Edward F. O'Connor (WIA)
Company K: Captain John J. Blake (WIA and captured, died 6/3/64), 2nd Lt. Richard P. King (WIA, died 5/26/64)

Ryan
 
88th New York at Spotsylvania Court House

Colonel Patrick Kelly (commanding the brigade)
Adjutant John W. Byron
Quartermaster Patrick M. Haverty

Company A: Captain Dennis F. Burke
Company B: 1st Lt. Charles M. Grainger, 2nd Lt. Robert J. Kelly
Company C: Captain John Smith, 1st Lt. James E. Byrnes, 2nd Lt. Benedict J. O'Driscoll
Company D: 2nd Lt. John Shea

Captain Dennis F. Burke commanded the battalion.

Ryan
 
116th Pennsylvania at Spotsylvania Court House

Colonel St. Clair A. Mulholland (WIA)
Lieutenant Colonel Richard C. Dale (KIA)
Major John Teed
Adjutant Louis J. Sacriste
Quartermaster Richard H. Wade

Company A: Captain William M. Hobart
Company B: Captain Francis E. Crawford, 1st Lt. Thomas McKnight
Company C: Captain Henry D. Price, 2nd Lt. Abraham L. Detweiler
Company D: Captain Garrett Nowlen, 1st Lt. Eugene Brady
Company E: Captain Michael Shoales, 1st Lt. Robert J. Grogan, 2nd Lt. Charles Cosslett
Company F: Captain Wellington Jones, 1st Lt. Peter H. Frailey, 2nd Lt. William A. Shoener
Company G: Captain Frank R. Leib, 1st Lt. Francis McGuigan, 2nd Lt. S.G. Vanderheyden (WIA)
Company H: Captain David W. Megraw, 1st Lt. Robert J. Alston (WIA), 2nd Lt. Thompson W. Smith
Company I: Captain Samuel Taggart, 1st Lt. William O'Callaghan, 2nd Lt. Joseph W. Yocum
Company K: Captain John R. Weltner, 1st Lt. James D. Cope, 2nd Lt. Zadock B. Springer

Ryan
 
63rd New York at Cold Harbor

Adjutant Miles McDonald
Quartermaster James J. McCormick

Company A: 1st Lt. Patrick Chambers, 2nd Lt. Thomas K. Joyce
Company B: Captain James D. Brady (WIA), 1st Lt. Edward Lee, 2nd Lt. Dominick Connolly
Company C: 1st Lt. Alexander Watts
Company D: Captain John H. Gleason, 1st Lt. Charles J. Quinn, 2nd Lt. Joseph Gleason
Company E: Captain Ambrose S. Gilchrist, 1st Lt. George J. Benjamin, 2nd Lt. David P. Rood (WIA)
Company F: Captain Michael Kenneally, 1st Lt. Michael Grogan

Captain John H. Gleason commanded the battalion.

Ryan
 
Thomas A. Smyth, 1st Delaware, was in command of the Irish Brigade at the Wilderness, and at Spotsylvania, until May 18, when Richard Byrnes, 28th Massachusetts, returned.

Robert
 
@rpkennedy Question I have regarding the brigade in this period: What was their field strength in this period? Had they replaced losses suffered at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg? Or were they still understrength? Looking at the Gettysburg numbers, I presume the brigade would have been weaker than a regiment, and would probably have to be merged with another brigade, as was being done throughout the AotP at the time. But this was not the case, the brigade remained a brigade.
I am certain, with the amount of literature on the brigade, there would be numbers for this period.
 
@rpkennedy Question I have regarding the brigade in this period: What was their field strength in this period? Had they replaced losses suffered at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg? Or were they still understrength? Looking at the Gettysburg numbers, I presume the brigade would have been weaker than a regiment, and would probably have to be merged with another brigade, as was being done throughout the AotP at the time. But this was not the case, the brigade remained a brigade.
I am certain, with the amount of literature on the brigade, there would be numbers for this period.

When I get home, I'll look up their numbers but, IIRC, they had made up some of their losses with new recruits who joined in the winter of '63-'64. They were still under strength but not nearly as badly as they had been in the summer of '63.

Ryan
 
When I get home, I'll look up their numbers but, IIRC, they had made up some of their losses with new recruits who joined in the winter of '63-'64. They were still under strength but not nearly as badly as they had been in the summer of '63.

Ryan
I have been looking into the Overland Campaign a lot lately. Reading up on the units involved, I try to get a picture of federal units, their size and scale compared to the Confederates. However, while I have numbers for the Confederates (thanks to Alfred C. Young and user 67th Tigers), I do not have the same for the Federals. It seems the best sources for Union Combat Strength at the time only goes down to the Corps level.
 
I have been looking into the Overland Campaign a lot lately. Reading up on the units involved, I try to get a picture of federal units, their size and scale compared to the Confederates. However, while I have numbers for the Confederates (thanks to Alfred C. Young and user 67th Tigers), I do not have the same for the Federals. It seems the best sources for Union Combat Strength at the time only goes down to the Corps level.

The numbers for the 28th Massachusetts and the 69th New York are explicitly from the ORs. The other numbers are much more difficult to nail down and are my estimates.

28th Massachusetts: 20 officers, 485 enlisted men
63rd New York: probably between 250-300
69th New York: 19 officers, 387 enlisted men
88th New York: probably about 250
116th Pennsylvania: probably between 325-375

I'll see if I can't nail down some more solid figures.

Ryan
 
The numbers for the 28th Massachusetts and the 69th New York are explicitly from the ORs. The other numbers are much more difficult to nail down and are my estimates.

28th Massachusetts: 20 officers, 485 enlisted men
63rd New York: probably between 250-300
69th New York: 19 officers, 387 enlisted men
88th New York: probably about 250
116th Pennsylvania: probably between 325-375

I'll see if I can't nail down some more solid figures.

Ryan
Alright
So, lowball estimate would be 1736 men (Officers and enlisted), high of 1836. That would be a functional brigade at that time period.
 
Alright
So, lowball estimate would be 1736 men (Officers and enlisted), high of 1836. That would be a functional brigade at that time period.

I would also add that I'm about 90% sure that the numbers for the 28th Massachusetts and 69th New York are full strength figures and not combat strength. I'd estimate about 425 Bay Staters and 340 New Yorkers for those regiments.

Ryan
 
Alright
So, lowball estimate would be 1736 men (Officers and enlisted), high of 1836. That would be a functional brigade at that time period.

I wasn't able to find any more hard data on the 88th New York or 116th Pennsylvania but I would say an estimate of about 1800 is in the right ballpark.

From May 4th-May 31st, the brigade suffered 104 killed, 480 wounded, and 149 missing (733 in total) for a loss of about 40% of their initial strength. In addition, these numbers do not count Cold Harbor or the initial assaults on Petersburg in which the brigade suffered at least another 400 casualties.

Ryan
 
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