A CAPTAIN IN THE 11TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS WHO NEVER MADE IT TO THE BATTLEFIELD

Marcus Beresford Monck was born in Banagher, County Offaly in 1832 to a wealthy land owning family. The Monck family were members of the aristocracy whose previous generations included a Viscount, a Governor of Canada, a General in the British army and a Church of Ireland rector in the diocese of Waterford, Ireland.

Marcus moved to the US in the mid 1850s and joined the Unites States Army where he eventually achieved the rank of Captain. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 would see Marcus gaining permission from the Governor of New York to raise a regiment which would be connected to the 11th New York Volunteers. To advertise the creation of this regiment posters were printed and newspapers advertisements published urgently looking for men to join Captain Marcus Beresford Monck and the 11th New York Volunteers.

Marcus Beresford Monck was successful in raising a company of men to add to the ranks of the 11th New York Regiment but fate would mean this Banagher man would never get the opportunity to lead his men into battle. As he was marching his new recruits to what would be their training base in Staten Island the men were made aware of a fire that was taking hold at the nearby Rainbow Hotel. Marcus Monck immediately volunteered to help in trying to bring the blaze under control and was joined by his new recruits as they made their way to the site of the fire. The blaze had spread to several adjoining buildings when the men from the 11th Regiment arrived but they quickly began trying to bring it under control. At some stage Marcus was made aware of a woman and child trapped inside the Rainbow Hotel and, showing little thought for his own safety, made his way into the burning building. Reports in the newspapers state that the woman and child were safely rescued from the building but that Captain Marcus Monck “has sustained serious burns as a result of his brave and daring rescue”.

Marcus Beresford Monck would die two days later as a result of injuries received at only 30 year of age. Reports of his funeral tell of a huge turn out of members of the 11th New York Regiment and of the local community at his service. The coffin of Captain Monck was draped in the American flag and the a silver plate of his coffin bore the inscription :

“Captain Marcus Monck, 11th Regiment (Stantons) New York Volunteers – Died 11th August 1862 Aged 30 Years“

Reading about the remarkable bravery of this man from Banagher it seems very likely that Marcus Beresford Monck, had he lived, would have proved to be a very brave and valuable soldier for the Union cause. It is sad how his life ended but it seems nothing would have stopped Marcus Monck from entering that building in August on 1862 and his brave nature was his ultimate downfall.

On a cold Saturday morning in December 2024 Danny Leavy, a fellow Offaly man of Marcus Beresford Monck, made his way to Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn to pay his respects to the man whose story he had helped to uncover. In his hand Danny held the flag of County Offaly and carefully placed it on to the grave of Captain Marcus Beresford Monck from Banagher. It is just one of the remarkable stories we have uncovered of these forgotten soldiers from the distant past but hopefully this particular mans bravery has been properly recognised once again.

GREENWOOD CEMETERY, BROOKLYN – GRAVE OF MARCUS MONCK