Formed in 1851 by Irish immigrants, the Fighting Sixty-Ninth has served with distinction since the Civil War. This is a complete, illustrated history of the regiment’s service in the Irish Brigade and the Rainbow Division.
Functioning as the 1st Regiment, Irish Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac throughout the Civil War, the regiment made history at Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Appomatox. According to legend, an exasperated General Jackson cursed them as part of “that damn brigade.”
Functioning as the 165th Infantry, 42nd Division (Rainbow Division) throughout World War I, the regiment helped turn back the last German offensive, counterattacked at the Ourq river, spearheaded one of Pershing’s pincers at St. Mihiel, and helped break the Hindenburg Line in the Argonne Forest. Today, the regiment is known as 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry (Mechanized), New York Army National Guard.

John Mahon, a retired veteran, lives in Florida.

John Mahon
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 276
Bibliographic Info: 57 photos, maps, tables, notes, bibliographies, index
Copyright Date: 2011 [2004]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6104-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0444-2
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1
Unit Insignia      5
Introduction      7

1. Beginning      15
2. Civil War, 1861      20
3. 1862      32
4. 1863      43
5. 1864      56
6. 1865      77
7. Contribution of the Irish Brigade and 69th NYV      87
8. World War I      89
9. America Enters the War      105
10. American Expeditionary Force      111
11. American Expeditionary Force Arrives in France      125
12. American Divisions Enter the Trenches      133
13. Ludendorff’s Offensives of 1918      143
14. Champagne Defensive      147
15. Aisne-Marne Offensive      155
16. St. Mihiel Offensive      174
17. Meuse-Argonne Offensive      182
18. Race for Sedan      209
19. Armistice      213
20. Homecoming, April 1919      219
21. Combat Effectiveness      227

Epilogue      238
Notes      241
Bibliography of Works Cited      251
Reference Bibliography      255
Index      257

“well-crafted writing style…Mahon vividly details the campaigns and camp life…thoughtful…highly recommended…straightforward approach”—The Civil War News; “well-written”—The Civil War Courier; “exceptional…invaluable…compelling”—Colorado Libraries; “this regimental history spans over nearly a century…originally formed by Irish immigrants in 1851”—Civil War Book Review.