McGuerty

Soldier Profile: Patrick McGuerty

Co. F, 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

Patrick was a soldier of the Irish Brigade who bore the weight of the war in his very bones. Though he could not read or write, his service record speaks volumes, detailing multiple combat wounds and a harrowing experience within the Union’s own disciplinary system.

Baptism of Fire at Fredericksburg

Patrick joined the "Faugh-a-Ballagh" boys on October 23, 1862, at the age of twenty-two.

• The Assault: Just seven weeks after enlisting, he was part of the legendary charge at Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862.

• Double Wounds: As the Brigade moved against the stone wall at Marye's Heights, Patrick was struck by a bullet through the foot and a shell fragment in the right thigh. He spent the next five months in the hospital, not returning to the ranks until April 1863.

The Ordeal of the Washington St. Prison

Despite his injuries, Patrick re-enlisted as a veteran volunteer on New Year’s Day, 1864. However, his commitment was met with a brutal misunderstanding.

• The Arrest: While home on a 35-day furlough in Waltham, Massachusetts, Patrick fell seriously ill. Though his doctor reported his condition to his colonel, he was arrested at his home by local police on July 20, 1864, and taken to Fort Independence in Boston Harbor.

• Alexandria's Brutality: He was eventually transferred to the Washington St. Prison in Alexandria, Virginia. This facility was infamous for the "extreme brutality" of its superintendent, Captain Rufus Dudley Pettit, who was known for his harsh treatment of prisoners.

• The Sentence: Sentenced for desertion, Patrick was ordered to forfeit $10 of his monthly pay for eighteen months—a heavy fine for a man who had already bled for the Union.

Return to the Front: Locust Grove

Patrick did not allow his imprisonment to break his spirit. He returned to the 28th Massachusetts in time for the final push of the war.

• Wounded Again: On March 25, 1865, during the fighting at Locust Grove, Virginia, Patrick was struck a second time in the right thigh by a gunshot.

• Lincoln Hospital: He was evacuated to Ward Seven of Lincoln Hospital in Washington, D.C. This was the same ward where many wounded Irishmen from the late-war campaigns were treated.

• Discharge: His war finally ended on June 16, 1865, when he was discharged for disability, carrying the scars of two major battles and a wrongful imprisonment back to Massachusetts.

Service Timeline

Date Event Location / Detail

Oct 1862 Enlisted Massachusetts

Dec 13, 1862 Wounded in Action Fredericksburg, VA

Jan 1, 1864 Re-enlisted as Veteran Field Re-enlistment

July 20, 1864 Arrested Waltham, MA

Late 1864 Imprisoned Washington St. Prison, VA

Mar 25, 1865 Wounded in Action Locust Grove, VA

June 16, 1865 Disability Discharge Washington, D.C.