David Ireland (colonel)
Encyclopedia
David Ireland was a colonel
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. Commanding the 137th New York Infantry Regiment, he played a key defensive role on Culp's Hill
in the Battle of Gettysburg
.
, Scotland
. His family emigrated to New York in 1840. David was apprenticed to his father Charles, a tailor in New York City
. In 1858 he joined a regiment of militia, the 79th Cameron Highlanders, officially recognized by New York State on June 9, 1859. Listed in the 1860 census as "Clerk in Express", living at Washington and Gansevoort Street in lower Manhattan. Ireland was named Adjutant of the 79th NY, serving under Col. James Cameron. The regiment was mustered in to Federal Service on May 29, 1861, keeping their designation of 79th New York Volunteers.
's Third Brigade in the First Battle of Bull Run
. With James Cameron killed in action, and many of the unit's officers resigning, a number of the men mutinied. Gen. McClellan
put down the mutiny and took away the unit colors. Command of the 79th NY fell to Lt. Ireland. On Sep. 11, 1861, he led the regiment in an ambush of Confederate troops at Lewinsville
, near Falls Church, Virginia
. In recognition of this victory, Gen. McClellan restored the regiment's colors, and promoted David Ireland to Captain, 15th U.S. Infantry, a regular army regiment—an unusual honor for a volunteer officer. He was transferred to Newport Barracks
(Covington, Kentucky), to train new regiments for General Sherman's Department of the Ohio. In December, he was ordered back to New York to recruit for the 15th U.S., first in New York City
in January, then in upstate New York, based in Binghamton
, where he had rail and canal access to the surrounding counties.
Capt. Ireland was the mustering officer for new regiments training in Binghamton (e.g., the 109th NY) in the summer of 1862. Recruiting for the new regiment designated the 137th NY, he was appointed as colonel of the regiment by the governor, citing his "his military experience and ability"—"we know him to be a kind and gentlemanly officer and a brave soldier". Col. Ireland trained his new regiment rigorously at Camp Susquehanna in Binghamton. The 137th NY left by train for Washington, D.C., on September 27, 1862.
From Washington, Col. Ireland and his regiment were sent directly to join McClellan's Army of the Potomac, in camp near Frederick, Maryland
, after the Battle of Antietam
. The 137th NY was assigned to XII Corps, then led by Brig. Gen.
Alpheus Williams. The corps was part of the Reserve at the time of the Battle of Fredericksburg
and remained so to the end of 1862.
Led by Col. Ireland, the regiment made several forays from its camp (at Bolivar Heights above Harpers Ferry
) into northern Virginia in late 1862. Its first major combat service was in the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. George S. Greene
, in 2nd Division, XII Corps
, at the Battle of Chancellorsville
. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Ireland's regiment was at the far right of the Union line, defending the trenches on Culp's Hill on July 2, 1863. They withstood numerous attacks by the superior Confederate
forces of Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson
, holding a vital position. Units from other Union corps aided Ireland's regiment, but it retained its dangerous post until after the last Confederate assault on July 2, after 10 p.m. The battle that night ended when the 137th made two bayonet charges, stopping the Confederate advance. Regimental losses were reported as 40 killed, 87 wounded, and 10 missing, including 4 officers dead.
In the fall of 1863, the XII Corps was sent to relieve the besieged Union army at Chattanooga, Tennessee
. When Greene was wounded at the Battle of Wauhatchie
, Ireland succeeded to command of his brigade. Ireland's brigade served under Brig. Gen. John W. Geary
in Maj. Gen.
Joseph Hooker
's attack during the Battle of Lookout Mountain
of the Chattanooga Campaign
. During the pursuit of the Confederate Army of Tennessee
, Ireland's brigade attacked Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne
's position during the Battle of Ringgold Gap
, completing the expulsion of the Confederates into north Georgia for the winter.
When the XI Corps
and XII Corps were combined into the XX Corps
, Col. Ireland retained command of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division under Brig. Gen. Geary. On May 15, 1864, Ireland was wounded by a shell fragment at the Battle of Resaca
. Col. George A. Cobham, Jr.
, succeeded temporarily to command of the brigade.
Col. Ireland returned to his brigade on June 6, 1864, and served until his health gave out on September 9. Thus he was back in command at the Battle of Peachtree Creek
, in which Col. Cobham was killed. After leading his brigade into Atlanta on Sep. 2, 1864, Ireland fell ill with dysentery, dying on September 10. His passing was noted with regret by Maj. Gen. Geary in his report on the Atlanta Campaign. Col. Ireland's fellow officers, meeting on September 10, expressed their regret for "his untimely death, as it were, "On the field of his fame and glory".
Ireland is buried in Binghamton at Spring Forest Cemetery. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
named Camp 137 in Binghamton the Col. David Ireland Camp. On August 26, 1863, Ireland had married Sara Phelps in Binghamton. They had no children.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Commanding the 137th New York Infantry Regiment, he played a key defensive role on Culp's Hill
Culp's Hill
Culps Hill is a Battle of Gettysburg landform south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with a heavily wooded summit of . The east slope is to Rock Creek , 160 feet lower in elevation, and the west slope is to a saddle with Stevens Knoll with a summit lower than the Culps Hill summit...
in the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
.
Early life
Ireland was born on May 9, 1832, in ForfarForfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His family emigrated to New York in 1840. David was apprenticed to his father Charles, a tailor in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1858 he joined a regiment of militia, the 79th Cameron Highlanders, officially recognized by New York State on June 9, 1859. Listed in the 1860 census as "Clerk in Express", living at Washington and Gansevoort Street in lower Manhattan. Ireland was named Adjutant of the 79th NY, serving under Col. James Cameron. The regiment was mustered in to Federal Service on May 29, 1861, keeping their designation of 79th New York Volunteers.
Civil War
As Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 79th NY Volunteers, he fought with the regiment in W. T. ShermanWilliam Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's Third Brigade in the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. With James Cameron killed in action, and many of the unit's officers resigning, a number of the men mutinied. Gen. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
put down the mutiny and took away the unit colors. Command of the 79th NY fell to Lt. Ireland. On Sep. 11, 1861, he led the regiment in an ambush of Confederate troops at Lewinsville
Lewinsville, Virginia
Lewinsville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Traditionally, the center of Lewinsville has been located at the crossroads of Lewinsville and Chain Bridge Roads. Together with Langley, Lewinsville forms the census-designated place of McLean....
, near Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. In recognition of this victory, Gen. McClellan restored the regiment's colors, and promoted David Ireland to Captain, 15th U.S. Infantry, a regular army regiment—an unusual honor for a volunteer officer. He was transferred to Newport Barracks
Newport Barracks
Newport Barracks was a military barracks on the Ohio River, across from Cincinnati, Ohio in Newport, Kentucky. It was operational from 1803 until 1894.-History:In 1803, James Taylor Jr. solicited the help of his cousin, James Madison, who was then U.S...
(Covington, Kentucky), to train new regiments for General Sherman's Department of the Ohio. In December, he was ordered back to New York to recruit for the 15th U.S., first in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in January, then in upstate New York, based in Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, where he had rail and canal access to the surrounding counties.
Capt. Ireland was the mustering officer for new regiments training in Binghamton (e.g., the 109th NY) in the summer of 1862. Recruiting for the new regiment designated the 137th NY, he was appointed as colonel of the regiment by the governor, citing his "his military experience and ability"—"we know him to be a kind and gentlemanly officer and a brave soldier". Col. Ireland trained his new regiment rigorously at Camp Susquehanna in Binghamton. The 137th NY left by train for Washington, D.C., on September 27, 1862.
From Washington, Col. Ireland and his regiment were sent directly to join McClellan's Army of the Potomac, in camp near Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, after the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
. The 137th NY was assigned to XII Corps, then led by Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Alpheus Williams. The corps was part of the Reserve at the time of the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
and remained so to the end of 1862.
Led by Col. Ireland, the regiment made several forays from its camp (at Bolivar Heights above Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
) into northern Virginia in late 1862. Its first major combat service was in the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. George S. Greene
George S. Greene
George Sears Greene was a civil engineer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He was part of the Greene family of Rhode Island, which had a distinguished military record for the United States. His greatest contribution during the war was his defense of the Union right flank at Culp's...
, in 2nd Division, XII Corps
XII Corps (ACW)
The XII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.The corps was formed by U.S. War Department General Order of March 13, 1862, under which the corps organization of the Army of the Potomac was first created. By that order, five different corps were constituted: one of...
, at the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Ireland's regiment was at the far right of the Union line, defending the trenches on Culp's Hill on July 2, 1863. They withstood numerous attacks by the superior Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces of Maj. Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson
Edward Johnson (general)
Edward Johnson , also known as Allegheny Johnson , was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, holding a vital position. Units from other Union corps aided Ireland's regiment, but it retained its dangerous post until after the last Confederate assault on July 2, after 10 p.m. The battle that night ended when the 137th made two bayonet charges, stopping the Confederate advance. Regimental losses were reported as 40 killed, 87 wounded, and 10 missing, including 4 officers dead.
In the fall of 1863, the XII Corps was sent to relieve the besieged Union army at Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
. When Greene was wounded at the Battle of Wauhatchie
Battle of Wauhatchie
-References:* Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published 1959 by McKay.* Cozzens, Peter. The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994. ISBN 0-252-01922-9.* Korn, Jerry, and...
, Ireland succeeded to command of his brigade. Ireland's brigade served under Brig. Gen. John W. Geary
John W. Geary
John White Geary was an American lawyer, politician, Freemason, and a Union general in the American Civil War...
in Maj. Gen.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker
Joseph Hooker was a career United States Army officer, achieving the rank of major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Although he served throughout the war, usually with distinction, Hooker is best remembered for his stunning defeat by Confederate General Robert E...
's attack during the Battle of Lookout Mountain
Battle of Lookout Mountain
The Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought November 24, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker assaulted Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and defeated Confederate forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson....
of the Chattanooga Campaign
Chattanooga Campaign
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen...
. During the pursuit of the Confederate Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
, Ireland's brigade attacked Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne
Patrick Cleburne
Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was an Irish American soldier, best known for his service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, where he rose to the rank of major general....
's position during the Battle of Ringgold Gap
Battle of Ringgold Gap
The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, in northwest Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate victory by Maj. Gen...
, completing the expulsion of the Confederates into north Georgia for the winter.
When the XI Corps
XI Corps (ACW)
The XI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its involvement in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863.-Formation and the Valley Campaign:...
and XII Corps were combined into the XX Corps
XX Corps (ACW)
Two corps of the Union Army were called XX Corps during the American Civil War. Though both served in the Union Army of the Cumberland, they were distinct units and should be recognized as such.- McCook's Corps :...
, Col. Ireland retained command of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division under Brig. Gen. Geary. On May 15, 1864, Ireland was wounded by a shell fragment at the Battle of Resaca
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
. Col. George A. Cobham, Jr.
George A. Cobham, Jr.
George Ashworth Cobham, Jr. commanded a regiment in the American Civil War and rose to brigade command before being killed in battle.-Early life:...
, succeeded temporarily to command of the brigade.
Col. Ireland returned to his brigade on June 6, 1864, and served until his health gave out on September 9. Thus he was back in command at the Battle of Peachtree Creek
Battle of Peachtree Creek
The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John B. Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. The attack was against Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's...
, in which Col. Cobham was killed. After leading his brigade into Atlanta on Sep. 2, 1864, Ireland fell ill with dysentery, dying on September 10. His passing was noted with regret by Maj. Gen. Geary in his report on the Atlanta Campaign. Col. Ireland's fellow officers, meeting on September 10, expressed their regret for "his untimely death, as it were, "On the field of his fame and glory".
Ireland is buried in Binghamton at Spring Forest Cemetery. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is an American fraternal organization, the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic . Founded in late 1881, it was originally one of several competing organizations of descendants of Union veterans...
named Camp 137 in Binghamton the Col. David Ireland Camp. On August 26, 1863, Ireland had married Sara Phelps in Binghamton. They had no children.