Sons of Leitrim
Hoey
Patrick
Soldier Profile: Patrick Hoey
Corporal, 2nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Patrick was a "scholar" turned soldier. Though he likely lied about his age to join the fight, his leadership qualities were quickly recognized, earning him a promotion to Corporal before the regiment faced its greatest trial at Gettysburg.
Early Life and the Industrial Migration
Born: September 1843 in Annaduff, County Leitrim.
Parents: Thomas Hoey and Anne (Mary Ann Tighe).
Sister Maria Josephine Hoy born in Leitrim 24 Dec 1846 (1846-1911)
The English Years: Like many Leitrim families, the Hoeys first moved to England seeking work.
Sister Bridget born 17 Aug 1848 in Wigan Lancashire England.
The 1851 Census finds them in the St. Bartholomew District of Liverpool, where Patrick is listed as a young "scholar" while his father worked as a laborer.
The Move to America: The family eventually crossed the Atlantic and settled in the textile hub of Lowell, Massachusetts. Before the war, Patrick worked as a carder in the local mills—a physically demanding job preparing fibers for spinning.
Military Service: The 2nd Massachusetts
Patrick was among the first to answer the call, enlisting on May 25, 1861.
The "Young" Volunteer: Although he recorded his age as 20, he was likely only 17 years old at the time of enlistment.
Company A: He was mustered into the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry, a regiment that would become one of the most respected in the Army of the Potomac.
Promotion: His steady nerve under fire led to his promotion to Corporal.
Final Sacrifice at Gettysburg
The 2nd Massachusetts played a pivotal role during the Battle of Gettysburg. On the morning of July 3, 1863, the regiment was ordered to make a near-suicidal charge across Spangler’s Spring.
The Charge: Under a blistering Confederate fire from Culp's Hill, the men of the 2nd rushed across the marshy meadow. During this fierce engagement on the third day of the battle four officers including Colonel Mudge the regiment commander were killed along with forty one enlisted men. Patrick Hoey was one of those who died. A further ninety officers and men were wounded.
Death: Patrick Hoey gave his life at the age of 19, just as the Union was securing its most vital victory of the war.
Legacy and Final Resting Place
Patrick’s mother had passed away in 1859 in Lowell, never seeing her son go to war. His father, Thomas, lived to be 85, eventually applying for a father's pension in 1879 based on Patrick’s service. He passed away in 1891.
Burial: Patrick was not buried in a nameless trench. He rests today in the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the very ground where Lincoln delivered his famous address.
Grave: Plot MA-B-14.
Service Timeline
Date Event Location / Detail
May 25, 1861 Enlisted Lowell, MA
1861–1863 Campaigns Virginia & Maryland
Early 1863 Promoted to Corporal Field Promotion
July 3, 1863 Killed in Action Culp’s Hill, Gettysburg
