NY The Irish "Fighting 69th" Regiment Monument at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, N.Y.

Pat Young

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Location
Long Island, NY
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On a rainy day in December I visited the monument erected by the veterans of the most famous Irish American regiment of the Civil War, the Fighting 69th (69th NYVI) at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, N.Y.C. Although the cemetery is a Catholic institution, during the Civil War, the City of New York bought a small plot within it to bury Irish Catholic soldiers. 21 Civil War soldiers are buried on the plot and a large monument to those who served in the war is behind the 69th monument. You can see the obelisk from the city monument in the background.
 
The 69th Regiment remains active as a National Guard unit, having most recenly been deployed to Iraq ("Route Irish"). Since many current and former members of the regiment live within a couple of hours of the monument, it is not unusual to see them visiting it with their families. This is why you see flags at the monument.
 
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The 69th Monument is also used to commemorate the Civil War service of two brigades that grew out of the old 69th NYSM-The Irish Brigade and Corcoran's Legion. Corcoran had led the 69th before the war and he led it at First Bull Run. Meagher joined the 69th after Fort Sumter and commanded a company during the battle. Corcoran was captured at Bull Run. Meagher began organizing the Irish Brigade almost immediately. A second Irish Brigade regiment, the 88th NY, survives today as the New York Guard's 88th Area Command.

Corcoran's Legion was formed after Corcoran's release.
 
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Here is a photo of the Fredericksburg commemoration in December, 2018. The tall monument on the left is the NYC Civil War memorial. Standing in front of it is the 69th NYVI color guard. The soldiers in camo are from the 88th (also Irish Brigade). Behind them, on the right, is the back of the 69th NY monument.
 
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In 2017, Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn debuted a bust of Meagher next to the grave of his wife. Meagher commanded the Irish Brigade.

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Here is a photo of the Fredericksburg commemoration in December, 2018. The tall monument on the left is the NYC Civil War memorial. Standing in front of it is the 69th NYVI color guard. The soldiers in camo are from the 88th (also Irish Brigade). Behind them, on the right, is the back of the 69th NY monument.
That picture is really weird, Pat! The camo uniforms make them look almost ghostly, as if all the wraiths of the Irish Brigade had gathered at the monument. It gave me "a turn", as they used to say. Maybe I need to have my eyes tested.
 
That picture is really weird, Pat! The camo uniforms make them look almost ghostly, as if all the wraiths of the Irish Brigade had gathered at the monument. It gave me "a turn", as they used to say. Maybe I need to have my eyes tested.
Yes, and when you consider that the unit (88th Area Group) is the successor to the 88th NYVI, the "Third Irish Brigade Regiment" it is a little haunting.
 
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