On July 2, 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg, eleven soldiers from Offaly were either killed or wounded, marking a tragic day in the region’s history. Among them, Barney Horan and James Egan were both wounded and died later in a Gettysburg hospital on the same day. Ongoing research continues to uncover more details about Offaly soldiers involved.
Patrick Craven, an Irish immigrant, served in the Union Army during the Civil War but died of yellow fever in 1866. His wife, Mary Kilraine, displayed remarkable determination, appealing to President Lincoln for her husband’s release and later serving as a laundress in the army. She continued her life resiliently after his death.
On June 3, 1864, during the Battle of Cold Harbor, Union General Grant ordered a disastrous frontal assault on Confederate positions, resulting in approximately 7,000 Union casualties. Corporal Thomas Flattery was among the wounded and later died. The attack led to significant criticism of Grant’s tactics and jeopardized Lincoln’s reelection chances.
John J Birmingham, a Civil War soldier from Lusmagh County Offaly, was on duty at Ford’s Theatre when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Birmingham lived until 1939, often reflecting on his experiences of that tragic night and the impact it had on American history.
BY DANNY LEAVY Captain Edward Hopper was born in Banagher in 1826. His father was a Sergeant with the Kings
Mention Is Made of Edenderry’s Colonel Michael Bennett And a Meeting With Abraham Lincoln Memoirs “That same day, which must
