Richard ByrnesHis surname is sometimes given as "Byrne." (1832 – June 10, 1864) was an Irish-American officer in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

, who rose to command the Union Army's Irish Brigade during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Life

Byrnes was born in

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...

, Ireland, and emigrated to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1844. He enlisted in the regular army of the United States in 1851, joining the

2nd U.S. Cavalry The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, also known as the Second Dragoons, is an active Stryker infantry and cavalry regiment of the United States Army. The Second Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army Europe and Africa, with its garrison at ...

, a regiment then commanded by Colonel

E. V. Sumner Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a Union Army general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American Civil War. His nicknames "Bull" or "B ...

. In this regiment young Byrnes distinguished himself in the Indian campaigns in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and

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. As the

broke out he was, on the recommendation of Colonel Sumner, commissioned as First Lieutenant in the 5th U.S. Cavalry, one of the new regiments authorized by Congress. He remained with the regiment of regulars through the campaigns of 1861 and 1862, then was appointed to an Irish regiment by Governor

John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew (May 31, 1818 – October 30, 1867) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He was elected in 1860 as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts, serving between 1861 and 1866, and led the state's contributions to ...

, Colonel of the 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, of which he took command on October 18, 1862. His new regiment was attached to

Thomas Francis Meagher Thomas Francis Meagher ( ; 3 August 18231 July 1867) was an Irish nationalism, Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sent ...

's Irish Brigade the following November, and with it participated in the fierce fighting in which the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the Union army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the Battle of ...

was subsequently engaged. At its head, Colonel Byrnes charged up the slope of Marye's Heights at the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

, and after it, like the other regiments of the brigade, had been almost wiped out in the sanguinary conflicts at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, he was sent back to

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

to recruit its ranks during the winter and spring of 1863 and 1864. When the campaign reopened in May, he returned to the front and as the senior officer took command of the Irish Brigade. Two weeks after assuming command, on June 3, 1864, Colonel Byrnes fell, mortally wounded, while leading the brigade during the attack on the entrenchments at

Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Army, Union Lieuten ...

, Virginia. He lived long enough to be conveyed to

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, where his wife reached him before he died. His commission as brigadier general had just been made out by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

, but he was dead before it could be officially presented to him, and so the promotion never took effect. His remains were sent to New York and buried in Calvary Cemetery.

References

;Attribution * The entry cites: ** David Power Conyngham, ''The Irish Brigade and its Campaigns'' (Boston, 1869); **''The Emerald'', files (New York, January 8, 1870). {{DEFAULTSORT:Byrnes, Richard 19th-century Irish military personnel 1832 births 1864 deaths Irish soldiers Union army colonels People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Military personnel from County Cavan Irish emigrants to the United States Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War