HE RETURNED TO IRELAND AFTER HIS US ARMY SERVICE AND WAS A FARMER IN THE CLONAD AREA CLOSE TO DAINGEAN, COUNTY OFFALY.

Hyland, Thomas – US, Civil War Pensions Index, 1861-1900 – Fold3

The discovery of the US military service of Thomas Hyland and his connection to County Offaly in Ireland came to light as a result of a note written on his US pension card. That note confirmed the death of Thomas at Clonad in “Kings County, Ireland” (County Offaly, Ireland) on the 6th August 1914. The document in question also confirmed that he had achieved the rank of Colonel in the 16th Infantry Regiment of the US Regular Army.

ARMY CAREER 1864 – 1867

The fact that he had joined the US Regular Army was helpful as records are available for many of these enlistments and we could locate more documents helping to further verify this Offaly man’s service in the US Army. His enlistment recorded in September 1864 again confirms his membership of the 16th US Infantry and his later rank of Corporal but also adds another few important details to the story. Thomas Hyland enlsited as a “Substitute Soldier.” and was paid by a man named “C. Summer” to take his place in the Union Army.

This system of substitute soldiers became common during the US Civil War after the Enrollment Act of 1863 and it often caused animosity and resentment. Many people at this time saw the conflict as a “Rich Mans War but A Poor Mans Fight” and for those poorer sections of society, which included many thousands of Irish, seeing the wealthy escaping enlistment by paying a fee to a substitute only served to further galvanize this opinion. Substitute soldiers would also become much maligned as many questioned their commitment to the “cause” and this was borne out by the high number of desertions attributed to substitutes. Thomas Hyland was in fact one of those soldiers who deserted for a short period of time soon after his enlistment but was captured quickly and returned to his regiment and it seems that this incident did not have had any adverse affect on his later career in the army.

As part of the 16th Infantry Regiment in late 1864 through to mid 1865 Thomas’s US Civil War service was mostly concentrated in the Western theatre of operations and in particular around the Battle for Atlanta and its later occupation. His regiment was one of those first used in policing the mostly pro Confederate inhabitants of Atlanta after it fell to Union advances.

At the end of the war in May 1865 the 16th Infantry Regiment were moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where the majority of its men were mustered out of service. For Thomas Hyland, who had signed up for 3 years service in late 1864, the close of the Civil War in May 1865 did not signal the end of his contract and he remained in the new US Army until September 1867 when finally discharged from duty while stationed at Paducah, Kentucky.

United States Army Enlistments 1798-1914 Image | findmypast.ie – Thomas Hyland Record

EARLY LIFE:

Further research into the early life of Thomas Hyland reveals that he was born near Philipstown (Now Known As Daingean) in 1840 to parents Edward Hyland and Elizabeth Mooney. Griffith Valuation Records from that period confirm that Edward Hyland and his family were then living in the Clonad area farming on a small property.

Griffith’s Valuation 1847-1864 Image | findmypast.ie

In March of 1862 Thomas Hyland married Alice Colgan and interestingly the record shows that a dispensation was required from the local Bishop before the marriage could proceed. In January 1863 the young couple had their first child, Jeremiah, and shortly after his baptism the Hyland family emigrated to the US arriving in March 1863 and settling in Rennselaer, New York. They would move to nearby Albany soon after and census records confirm the birth of 5 more children over the next 10 years.

After his service in the Army was complete Thomas returned to Albany, New York and is recorded as living with his family in the area up to the year 1890 when a special Census of Civil War Soldiers and Widows recorded his name and his army service. It is from this time period onwards that the life of this soldier takes an unusual turn.

In August 1891 Thomas’s wife Alice died and it seems all of his children, who were then adults, were living and working elsewhere. Sometime soon after the death of his wife Thomas made the decision to return to Ireland and to his Father, Edward Hyland. Maybe Thomas was aware that his elderly Father was ill and not likely to live much longer or he just longed to return to his homeland. Whatever the reason for his return to Ireland we do know that he returned to his native land, alone, leaving the rest of his family to live out their lives in the Albany area of New York.

In July of 1895 Thomas’s Father, Edward Hyland, passed away at the family home in Clonad. He was 86 years of age and the Civil Record confirms that Thomas was actually present at the death of his Father. Thomas Hyland then inherited the family farm in Clonad, Daingean and the 1901 and 1911 Irish Census returns confirm that he lived alone and farmed the land here for the rest of his days.

Thomas Hyland died on the 6th August 1914 at 73 years of age after a short illness and it does seem that no immediate family were with him when he passed away. His death was announced in an article published in the Tullamore & Kings County Independent a few days later and mention is made of his emigration to America and of his service in the Union Army. The article, while difficult to read, confirmed that he had lately received recognition of his service by way of an army pension awarded by the US authorities. It seems ironic for us reading this article all these years later it is that same pension record that helped us to confirm Thomas Hyland was a Union Soldier in the US Civil and that he hailed from Clonad, Daingean, County Offaly.

Offaly Independent 15 August 1914 Page 5 | findmypast.ie

We were very hopeful on being able to locate the burial place of this soldier but after several attempts we are yet to confirm the exact location of his grave. We will continue our search over the next few weeks and will post any updates that we have. But if anyone out there has any information in relation to this Offaly Soldier and in particular, where he might be buried, please contact us.

For More details on this soldier please click – Thomas Hyland – Americasoffalyheroes

Kevin Guing

9th January 2026

***** ACKNOWLEDGEMENT****

We cannot complete this article without acknowledging the huge work being done by Damian Shiels and his team from irishamericancivilwar.com in relation to Irish soldiers from the US Civil War and in particular those who returned to Ireland and applied for US Army pensions.

He and his team have created an amazing interactive digital map which is freely available to all who have an interest in this subject. The Yankee” Pensioners in Ireland 1845-1905 map is easy to use and helped us greatly on this particular story. While he was a soldier on our radar it was Damian’s map which helped us to complete the story of Thomas Hyland. – Yankee Pensioners in Ireland 1845-1905: An Interactive Map

For More on this soldier : Thomas Hyland – Americasoffalyheroes

** If anyone can add more information to the story of Thomas Hyland please do contact us**