Sons of Leitrim
Shanley
John
Soldier Profile: John Shanley
Co. D, 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
John served in the 28th Massachusetts, a pillar of the famed Irish Brigade. His war was a relentless journey through the most iconic and devastating landscapes of the rebellion, from the heights of Fredericksburg to the grim stockades of Richmond.
From Ireland to the Spindle City
Born: Circa 1822 in Ireland.
Parents: Father: Patrick Shanley Mother: Ellen Roche
Lowell Roots: By the mid-1840s, John had established himself in Lowell, Massachusetts. On October 19, 1846, he married Mary Donnelly.
The Laborer’s Life: In the 1850s and 60s, John supported a growing family—Thomas, Bridget, Ellen, John, James, Mary, and Michael—working as a laborer. By 1860, the family had moved to Boston’s Ward 12, seeking the promise of a better life that the coming war would soon threaten.
The Call of the Irish Brigade
On January 23, 1862, at forty years of age, John traveled to Boston to enlist. Standing 5' 9" with blue eyes and a dark complexion, he joined the 28th Massachusetts for a three-year term.
Wounded at Chantilly: On September 1, 1862, amidst the chaos of the Battle of Chantilly, John was struck in the leg by a gunshot. He spent months recovering in hospitals in Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania.
The Shadow of Desertion: During his long convalescence and the administrative fog of war, John was erroneously labeled a deserter. It took until 1878 for the Adjutant General’s Office to clear his name and restore his full pay to his grieving heirs.
The Two Johns: Complicating his record was another John Shanley in Company D—a man who did desert—creating a bureaucratic nightmare that would later haunt his widow’s pension application.
Capture and the Last Letters
John returned to his unit in December 1862, fighting through the bloody year of 1863 until the Battle of Bristoe Station on October 14, where he was captured by Confederate forces.
A Soldier's Hope: Just five days before his capture, John wrote to Mary, telling her "all was well."
Belle Isle: John was taken to the notorious Belle Isle prison in Richmond. His final letter, dated December 27, 1863, reached Mary from behind the Confederate lines—a final goodbye she could not yet know was his last.
Final Muster: Weakened by the brutal conditions of the camp, John was admitted to the hospital on January 8, 1864, suffering from chronic diarrhea. He passed away on January 17, 1864.
The Widow’s Obstacles: Mary Shanley
Mary applied for a widow’s pension on January 22, 1865, from her home at 137 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston.
Proving the Dead: Because of the "other" John Shanley, Mary had to undergo an grueling process to prove her husband was the hero who died in Richmond, not the man who had fled the ranks. Her case was bolstered by the clear records of her children’s American births.
The Final Chapter: Mary raised her children alone until her death on February 15, 1873, at age 52. Following her passing, a guardian, Richard Welsh, secured the final unpaid portions of her pension for the minor children she left behind.
The 1870 Census: A Widow's Household
By 1870, Mary was living in Cambridge Ward 2, Massachusetts. She was fifty years old, working as a housekeeper. Four of her children lived with her:
Thomas Shanley, 21
Ellen Shanley, 16
John Shanley, 14
James Shanley, 11
Final Resting Place
John Shanley rests today in the Richmond National Cemetery in Henrico County, Virginia. He lies far from the streets of Lowell and the green fields of Ireland, a silent sentry in the land where he gave his "last full measure of devotion."
Service & Family Timeline
Date Event Detail
Oct 19, 1846 Marriage To Mary Donnelly, Lowell, MA
Jan 23, 1862 Enlistment 28th Massachusetts Infantry
Sept 1, 1862 Wounded Battle of Chantilly, VA
Oct 14, 1863 Captured Battle of Bristoe Station, VA
Jan 17, 1864 Deceased POW Hospital, Richmond, VA
June 5, 1878 Posthumous Honor Name cleared of desertion charges
