The Clump of Trees at Gettysburg with the 69th Pennsylvania Monument at the Stone Wall in front (Brief History of the 69th)

24 years previously such a scene would have been unimaginable to the men of both sides. The 69th Pennsylvania and their comrades had arrived on the field at Gettysburg on the evening of the first days fighting, 1st July. Shortly after sunrise on the morning of the 2nd the 258 men of the regiment took position in the centre of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. They were placed ‘a little below the crest on the decline facing the enemy and behind a low stone wall, the right resting within about thirty paces of what is now designated as the “Bloody Angle,” the left extending about the same distance below, or south of a clump of trees of umbrella shape’. This clump of trees was soon to become perhaps the most famous natural landmark in the Civil War, as it became the objective point for ‘Pickett’s Charge’. That advance was a still a day away, however. The Irishmen’s position was attacked on the evening of 2nd July, when a Rebel brigade was driven back with great loss by the combined weight of infantry and artillery fire, though not without casualties among the Irishmen. (2)

Survivors of the 69th Pennsylvania at their old position in Gettysburg in 1887 (Brief History of the 69th)

Aside from picket firing, all was relatively quiet on the 69th’s front on the morning of 3rd July. Then, around 1pm, a single Confederate artillery piece discharged across the battlefield. Suddenly all hell broke loose as volley after volley of Rebel artillery arced between the lines, with over 150 guns concentrated on Cemetery Ridge. The Irishmen lay flat on the ground behind their stone wall to escape the blasts. The air filled with the ‘whirring, shrieking, hissing sounds of  the solid shot and the bursting shell… striking the ground in front and ricochetting over us, to be imbedded in some object to the rear; others strike the wall, scattering the stones around.’ After over an hour the barrage finally lifted, but now the men faced a new threat. Out in front, somewhere between 12-15,000 Confederates in divisions under the command of James Pettigrew, George Pickett and Isaac Trimble began their purposeful advance towards Union lines and the 69th Pennsylvania’s position. (3)

Confederate Veterans of Pickett’s Charge shake hands across the Stone Wall with Veterans of the 69th in 1887 (Brief History of the 69th)

The Rebels took heavy artillery fire as they advanced in two lines towards their objective. Colonel Dennis O’Kane was in command of the 69th that day, and he ordered his men to hold their fire until they could see the whites of their enemies eyes. He reminded them that they were fighting on Pennsylvania soil, telling the men ‘let your work this day be for victory or to the death’. By now the Confederates had crossed the Emmitsburg Pike in front, where they obliqued to the left, continuing to advance through a storm of fire. The 69th waited until the Rebels were only 30 paces from their position before firing a devastating volley into their ranks. Still the enemy came on. The Irishmen’s position was overlapped on their right, and men of Confederate Brigadier-General Lewis Armistead’s brigade sought to exploit this gap. Companies I, A and F of the 69th were ordered to change front to face this threat. The latter two companies executed the move, but the commander of Company F, Captain George Thompson, had fallen before the instruction could be given- his men stayed at the wall. This created a gap through which the Confederate’s poured, and which threatened the entire regiment. Company F was consumed by Rebel attackers, and almost all of their number were forced to surrender. (4)

Colonel Dennis O’Kane, 69th Pennsylvania, Mortally Wounded at Gettysburg, July 3rd 1863

Fighting became hand to hand as the desperate struggle intensified, with men used their weapons as clubs. Hugh Bradley of Company D went down, his skull crushed by a Rebel musket. Corporal McKeever of the 69th admitted that ‘we thought we were all gone’. Robert Whittick of Company C described how ‘a fellow was taken in with me and I knocked him over and took him prisoner, and took him in over the stone wall. We were fighting both sides on the front and rear of us at that time.’  For a moment it seemed the men would be forced to give up their position, but eventually the Confederates began to pull back. Armistead had fallen mortally wounded to the 69th’s right, and the entire Confederate advance had been enfiladed on both the left and right flanks, dooming it to failure. The Irishmen had held on. In time the charge would become legendary, and would retrospectively be termed the ‘High-water mark of the Confederacy’ in the war. (5)

Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Tschudy, 69th Pennsylvania, killed at Gettysburg July 3rd 1863

The cost the 69th paid for participating in this historic struggle was severe. Colonel O’Kane fell mortally wounded, and Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Tschudy went down while rallying the right. Four line officers were killed, six wounded and two captured. 39 of the other ranks were killed, with 80 wounded and 16 made prisoners. (6)

69th veteran Anthony McDermott in A Brief History of the 69th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers documents those of his comrades who fell at Gettysburg. They are:

Field and Staff: Colonel Dennis O’Kane (July 3), Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Tschudy (July 3)

Company A: Corporal William Donovan (July 3), Corporal F.J. McGovern (July 3), Private Frederick Beavenstead (of wounds received July 2), Private John Harvey Jr. (July 3), Private Robert Morrison (July 3), Private Patrick O’Brien (July 3), Private William O’Brien (of wounded received July 3)

Company B: Sergeant Jas. F. Shea (July 3), Private Timothy Gallagher (July 2), Private Andrew McGuckin (July 3), Private Jas. O’Neill (July 3)

Company C: Sergeant William Coogan (of wounds received July 3), Private Jas. McNulty (of wounds received July 2)

Company D: Sergeant James McCabe (July 3), Sergeant Jerry Gallagher (July 3), Sergeant James Hand (July 3), Corporal Patrick Kearney (July 3), Corporal James McCann (July 3), Private Hugh Bradley (July 3), Private Chas. Jenkins (July 3), Private John McWilliams (July 3)

Company F: Captain George C. Thompson (July 3), Corporal Thomas Henry (of wounds received July 3), Private Neal McCaffery (July 3), Corporal Henry Thomas (of wounds received July 3)

Company G: Second Lieutenant Michael Mullin (July 3), Sergeant Hugh Kelly (July 3), Sergeant John O’Connor (July 3), Corporal John Wogan (July 3), Private James Clay (July 3), Private James Coyle (July 3), Private Samuel Fike (July 3), Private James McIntire (July 3), Private Richard McErlane (July 3), Private James Rice (July 3)

Company H: Second Lieutenant Charles F. Kelly (July 3), Sergeant Jerry Boyle (July 3), Private John Cassidy (July 3), Private John Hurley (July 2), Private Daniel Miles (of wounds received July 3)

Company I: Captain Michael Duffy (July 2), Private John F. Boyle (July 3), Private Thomas C. Diver (July 3), Private Edward Head (July 3), Private Francis Kelly (of wounds received July 3), Private Michael Logan (July 3), Private Chris Rohlfing (July 3), Private Henry Souders (July 3)

Company K: Private Frank P. Gleason (of wounds received July 3), Private John Harrington (July 3), Private Patrick O’Conner (July 3), Private James H. Todd (July 2)

The 69th Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg as it appears today (Photo by Jen Goellnitz http://www.goellnitz.org)

(1) McDermott 1889: 53;  (2) McDermott 1889: 28, 29, 33; (3) McDermott 1889: 29, 30, Bicheno 2001: 167; (4) McDermott 1889: 31; (5) McDermott 1889: 32, Boyle 1996: 289; (6) McDermott 1889: 33;

References & Further Reading

Bicheno, Hugh 2001. Gettysburg

Boyle, Frank 1996. A Party of Mad Fellows: The Story of the Irish Regiments in the Army of the Potomac

Ernsberger, Don 2006. At the Wall: The 69th Pennsylvania at Gettysburg

McDermott, Anthony W. 1889. A Brief History of the 69th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers 

Civil War Trust Gettysburg Page

Gettysburg National Military Park

The bayonet charge of the 69th Pennsylvania at Glendale, as portrayed in McDermott's 'Brief History' of the Regiment

The 69th Pennsylvania had its genesis in the pre-war Second Regiment, Philadelphia County Militia, a largely Irish unit. The militiamen recruited additional numbers and under the command of Welshman Colonel Joshua T. Owen of Philadelphia, mustered into service for three months as the 24th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers on 15th April 1861. On the expiration of their term, the regiment was reorganised for a period of three years, mustering into service dating from 19th August 1861. They were initially designated the 2nd California, but before long became the 69th Pennsylvania, the name under which they would fight in the Army of the Potomac. The 69th Pennsylvania would never achieve the fame that was enjoyed by their namesakes in the 69th New York, the first regiment of the Irish Brigade. Despite this, they quickly earned a fighting reputation that was the equal of any of the units under Meagher’s command. (2)

The Battle of Glendale was fought as one of Seven Days’ Battles during Major-General George B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. On 30th June the Army of the Potomac was on the retreat, as McClellan attempted to redeploy his forces from around the Chickahominy River southwards to the James River. Confederate General Robert E. Lee planned to smash portions of his Army of Northern Virginia through the Army of the Potomac at Glendale while McClellan’s forces were still on the march, with the aim of splitting the Union force in two. George McCall’s Pennsylvania Reserves were now facing this onslaught, and elements of his force were about to collapse under its weight.

Colonel Owen’s Irishmen were positioned in a ravine at the base of a hill, where they formed line of battle. To their front two Union batteries under the command of Captain Otto Diederichs and Captain John Knieriem were engaged, and the soldiers of the 69th lay down to avoid enemy artillery fire. As McCall’s men succumbed to the pressure of the attack they began streaming to the rear, dashing past the Union batteries which were also forced to retreat, abandoning some of their guns. The broken regiments passed through the lines of the 69th, who now knew they had nothing to their front but victorious Rebel troops. The Confederates were on the heels of the routed men, and made attempts to turn the abandoned artillery pieces on the Irishmen’s line. The 69th laid down a galling fire to prevent this, and decided that it was necessary to retake the cannon. 69th veteran Anthony W. McDermott takes up the story: ‘…taking advantage of the position that the rise of ground gave to us, the regiment instinctively jumped to their feet and advancing in wedge shape, charged up the hill with a cheer, met the enemy at close quarters, drove them from the captured guns and hurled them back on their supporting lines, changing what had been but a short time before seemed to be a disastrous defeat to a glorious victory.’ (3)

The Civil War Trails / Civil War Trust marker describing the charge of the 69th Pennsylvania at Glendale (Photo by Rob Shenk http://www.robertshenk.com)

The bayonet charge of the 69th Pennsylvania in combination with heavy fire from a number of other regiments helped to force back the Confederate attack. Brigadier-General Hooker noted that as the enemy gave way ‘the Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, heroically led by Owen, advanced in the open field on their flank with almost reckless daring.’ Hooker’s gratitude for the actions of the 69th is made clear in his after action report, in which he thanked Colonel Owen by expressing a ‘high appreciation of his services, and my acknowledgements to his chief for having tendered me so gallant a regiment.’ According to McDermott, Hooker approached the 69th on the field and told them that they had made the ‘first successful bayonet charge of the war, and saved the Army of the Potomac from probable disaster.’ The 69th’s brigade commander Brigadier-General Burns was equally impressed with the Irishmen’s performance: ‘Colonel Owen, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, unsupported, pursued the victorious rebels back over the ground through which they were passing and crowned the crest of the hill where McCall had lost his artillery. Gallant Sixty-ninth! The line followed this noble example, and McCall’s position was held and the enemy discomfited.’ (4)

The 69th Pennsylvania had begun to build the reputation they would enjoy throughout the war, and future actions by the Irishmen, perhaps most notably at Gettysburg, would add to their laurels. However, their success at Glendale came at a price. 13 men of the regiment were listed as killed, with 36 wounded and 5 missing. McDermott lists 8 of the fallen in his Brief History of the 69th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. They are as follows:

Company B: Corporal Arthur McFadden, Private John Gallagher, Private Charles Ledger

Company C: Sergeant Bernard Waters, Corporal William Toner

Company H: Private James Devin, Private Tim McNamara

Company I: Private William Gartman

In 2010, 148 years after the Battle of Glendale, the bayonet charge of the Irishmen was honoured by the 69th Pennsylvania ‘Irish Volunteer’ Civil War Reenactors Organisation, which sponsored a historical marker that was placed on a portion of the battlefield acquired by the Civil War Trust. (5)

(1) Official Records Series 1, Volume 11 (Part 2): 111, McDermott 1889: 15; (2) McDermott 1889: 5-7, Boyle 1996: 75- 76; (3) McDermott 1889: 14-15; (4) Official Records Series 1, Volume 11 (Part 2): 111, 112, McDermott 1889: 15; Official Records Series 1, Volume 11 (Part 2): 92; (5) McDermott 1889: 15-16, 89-97;

References & Further Reading

Boyle, Frank 1996. A Party of Mad Fellows: The Story of the Irish Regiments in the Army of the Potomac

Ernsberger, Don 2004 (2 Vols.). Paddy Owen’s Regulars: A History of the 69th Pennsylvania “Irish Volunteers”

McDermott, Anthony W. 1889. A Brief History of the 69th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers

Official Records Series 1, Volume 11 (Part 2), Chapter 23. Report of Brig. Gen. William W. Burns, U.S. Army, commanding Second Brigade, of engagement at Peach Orchard, or Allen’s Farm, and battles of Savage Station, Glendale, or Nelson’s Farm (Frazier’s Farm), and Malvern Hill

Official Records Series 1, Volume 11 (Part 2), Chapter 23. Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph Hooker, U.S. Army, commanding Second Division, of the engagement at Oak Grove, or King’s School-House, and battles of Glendale, or Nelson’s Farm (Frazier’s Farm), with resulting correspondence, and Malvern Hill

69th Pennsylvania ‘Irish Volunteer’ Civil War Reenactors Organisation

Civil War Trust Battle of Glendale Page

Among the Union troops that day were the 69th Pennsylvania ‘Irish Volunteers’ who on June 26th next will have their service at the battle honoured with the unveiling of a historic marker at the  site. The marker was sponsored by the 69th Pennsylvania ‘Irish Volunteer’ Civil War Reenactors Organisation and commemorates the Irishmen’s bayonet charge which recaptured a Federal battery that had been lost earlier in the fighting. It is to be placed on a portion of the battlefield recently acquired by the Civil War Preservation Trust, who have issued a press release in advance of the ceremony.