Saint Patrick's Day in the Army of the Potomac by JC Sullivan

In his Civil War diary, a young Clevelander, “Captain Brevet” Thomas F. Galwey, described Saint Patrick’s Day in the Army of the Potomac. Published as “The Valiant Hours,” the diary described the great preparations for the day made by the Irish Brigade. 

General Thomas F. Meagher’s headquarters was adorned with an arbor of cedar and pine branches, which bore resemblance to a vestibule. On either side was a table with an immense pile of cakes. “In the middle, elevated on a pedestal, is a huge tub made of pork barrels, and painted green. It is surrounded with a festoon of flowers and shamrocks. This tub is full of good usquebaugh (sic), and a ladle hangs temptingly at its side.”

Saint Patrick’s morning began with sack races, mule races, pig chases and other activities. Meagher presided over events with other senior officers present, Generals Hooker, Butterfield and Meade. Meagher  “wore a white hat, blue swallow-tail coat with immense metal buttons, buckskin knee breeches and top boots and he carried a heavy dog whip, with the air of one used to the sport.”  Beginning at noon, steeplechase races were staged until darkness overtook the track.

Galwey, taking a page from future fashion magazines, described a colorful steeplechase jockey, Captain Jack Gossin of General Meagher’s staff. Gossin had served as an officer of Prince Lichtenstein’s Hussars of the Austrian Cavalry. He had resigned to fight in America under the green banner.  Gossin rode with the easy grace of horsemanship and was “the model of an Irish soldier-of-fortune – tall, splendidly shaped, with a pleasant if not handsome face. He wore a green silk vest, with white sleeves, a green skull cap, white breeches, and top boots.”

That evening, Lt. Fitz Harris, of the 39^th New York (the Tammany Regiment), introduced Galwey to Captain Downing of his Company, who invited him to supper in their tent. “It was elegant,” wrote Galwey, “even if was a soldier’s supper.” Also in attendance was one Mr. Froantree, from Ireland, who was an agent of the Fenian Brotherhood. Galwey was a member of a Fenian ‘circle’.

After dinner in the 39^th’s tent, Galwey and company smoked cigars and had a “grand bowl of rare ould Irish whiskey.”

General Hooker apparently became alarmed at the assemblage of such a large number of troops and their officers, who were far away from their commands. An alarm was sounded, which later proved false, that the enemy was preparing to attack. “Meanwhile from all sides came the clear tones of bugle and rattle of drums, and within a few minutes we were all on the way back to our various camps.”