1st Lt. James Foley Co. H 69th N.Y.S.N.G.A Presentation Field & Staff Sword

Description

This listing is for the middle sword in the first picture only. The other two are sold. Staff and field officer's sword presented to 1st. Lieut. James Foley Co. H. 69th N.Y.S.N.G.A. by the Members of his Company as a mark of their Esteem March 8th 1865. The period inscribed presentation is inside an engraved shield on the German silver scabbard.
This regiment became the nucleus 182nd New York infantry. It was one of the famous Corcoran brigades that made up Corcoran's Irish Legion. The sword and scabbard are an Eisenhauer import. The blade has nice etching that has stood the test of time extremely well. The very tip of the blade has some spots of moisture exposure, probably from storage in the scabbard. The grip is fancy brass with fancy wire wrap and has remnants of silver wash. The hand guard has a cut out US. Field and staff swords were supposed to be for majors and higher, but this was a presentation sword. The hand guard has a few bends and is a bit out of shape in a couple spots. The scabbard mounts have fancy floral and scroll work and are missing the screws but are solidly attached. The sword has been polished at some point. James Foley enlisted as a private on 9/24/1862, he was promoted to 2nd Lt. 10/31/1864, he was promoted to 1st. Lt. 12/20/1864. The history of the 69th and why they had to change to the 182nd is fascinating. Why the Irish Legion formed and what their intended purpose originally was is also quite interesting. Many of the Irish soldiers traveled back to Ireland, after the War, to try to free Northern Ireland from the British. This is a great historic sword. It is not mint by any means, but displays well. I copied this info:
NEW YORK
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SECOND INFANTRY
(Three Years)
One Hundred and Eighty-second Infantry.-Cols., Matthew Murphy, John Coonan; Lieut.-Cols., Thomas M. Reid, William Butler, John Coonan, Robert Heggart; Majs., Theodore Kelly, William Butler, Dennis L. Sullivan, Robert Heggart, Michael McGuire. The 182nd, the 69th National Guard artillery, was one of the famous brigade of Irish regiments known as the Corcoran Legion, and was organized as the first regiment of the Corcoran brigade, in New York city late in the summer of 1862. Its nucleus was the old 69th regiment National Guard, just returned from three months' service in the defenses of Washington. It left the state on Nov. 10, 1862, for Newport News, Va., where its organization was completed by adding to it the men enlisted for the 6th regiment of the Corcoran Legion, except those of Co. D, and as thus reorganized was mustered into the U. S. service on Nov. 17, 1862, for three years. The companies were recruited in New York city and the regiment was designated the 182nd volunteer infantry by the war department. On Jan. 29, 1863, with the rest of the brigade, commanded by Col. Murphy, Gen. Corcoran commanding the division, it started on the Blackwater expedition and participated in its first fight at the affair of the Deserted House the following day, meeting with a loss of 17 killed, wounded and missing. After a few weeks' service on the Peninsula it went to Suffolk and was actively engaged in the defense of that place in the spring of 1863. It was next engaged in the skirmish at Carrsville, and remained on duty in that vicinity until July, when the Legion (Gen. Corcoran commanding) was ordered to Washington, where it performed garrison and outpost duty until May, 1864. It was then ordered to join the Army of the Potomac and was placed in the 2nd division (Gibbon's), 2nd corps, the Legion, under command of Col. Murphy, arriving just in time to share in the closing battles around Spottsylvania, where the loss was 30 killed, wounded and missing. It suffered severely at the North Anna river, where it encountered a severe fire, losing 40 killed, wounded and missing-one of the heaviest casualty lists incurred by any regiment in that fight. The regiment was actively engaged in the second assault at Cold Harbor, where it again lost heavily, its casualties amounting to 89 killed, wounded and missing. Capts. Edward K. Butler and John H. Nugent were both killed in that assault. Crossing the James river, the 182nd took part in various battles around Petersburg, including the first assaults in June, and at the Weldon railroad. Its casualty list once more tells the story of frightful sacrifice, aggregating 19 killed, 75 wounded and 10 missing, a total of 104. Maj. Butler fell mortally wounded during the assault of June 16. From June 26 to the close of the war the Legion, together with the 8th N. Y. heavy artillery formed the 2nd brigade of the 2nd division, 2nd corps. A list of its engagements during this period includes Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Reams' station, Boydton plank road, Hatcher's run, the assault on the Petersburg works, March 25, 1865, and in the Appomattox campaign, White Oak ridge, and Farmville. The regiment sustained a loss of 58 killed, wounded and missing at the battle of Reams' Station, where Capt. Francis Welpley and 2nd Lieut. Daniel Sweeney were both killed. Col. Murphy was mortally wounded during the engagement at Hatcher's run, Feb. 5, 1865, and Col. John Coonan succeeded to the command of the regiment. Under him, the 182nd was mustered out near Washington, D. C., July 15, 1865. It lost by death during service 8 officers and 79 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded; 53 enlisted men died of disease and other causes; total deaths, 140.
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