Description
Organized in new york city on august 7 1861. Left state for washington, d.C., november 28, 1861. Attached to meagher’s brigade, sumner’s division, army of the potomac, to march, 1862. 2nd brigade, 1st division, 2nd army corps, army of the potomac, to june, 1864. Consolidated brigade, 1st division, 2nd army corps, to november, 1864. 2nd brigade, 1st division, 2nd army corps, to june, 1865.Battles: advance on manassas, virginia march 10-15,. Ordered to the virginia peninsula. Siege of yorktown, seven pines or fair oaks, seven days before richmond june 25-july 1, gaines’ mill, fair oaks, peach orchard and savage station june 29. White oak swamp bridge, glendale, malvern hill, at harrison’s landing till august 16. Cover retreat of pope’s army to washington, d.C. Maryland campaign september 6-22, antietam, duty at harper’s ferry,. Reconnaissance to charlestown october 16-17. Advance up loudoun valley and movement to falmouth, virginia, battle of fredericksburg, mud march, chancellorsviile campaign april 27-may 6, chancellorsviile, gettysburg campaign june 11-july 24, gettysburg, bristoe campaign october 9-22. Auburn, bristoe, mine run campaign november 26-december 2,. Battles of the wilderness may 5-7, spotsylvania, po river, spotsylvania court house, assault on the salient or “bloody angle” may 12, north anna river, totopotomy, cold harbour, before petersburg june 16-18. Siege of petersburg june 16, 1864 to april 2, 1865, jerusalem plank road, strawberry plains, deep bottom, ream’s station, dabney’s mills, hatcher’s run, watkins’ house, appomattox campaign march 28-april 9. Boydton road, white oak road sutherland station and fall of petersburg april 2, sailor’s creek, high bridge,. Farmville, appomattox court house. Regiment lost during service 15 officers and 141 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 92 enlisted men by disease. A total 249.Men lost. The flags of the 63rd new york adopt the standard national pattern flag of new york state however the green regimental colour is unique for the regiments of the irish brigade and, this organization of flags are not replicated in any other eastern formation. Based on a green silk field the flag is adorned with examples of irish symbolism such as harps and shamrocks. The unit designation appears on a red scroll. With the motto who have never retreated from clash of spears” embroidered in gold and, written in gaelic upon a red scroll. Several examples of flags associated with regiments from the irish brigade are held within the state collections in albany, new york. A single example of a green regimental flag was donated to the irish government by president john f. Kennedy during his term of office.
