Duty, Sacrifice, and Strength: The Coffey Story

 

Col. Michael Corcoran leading the 'Gallant Sixty Ninth'
in a, "desperate and bloody charge on the Rebel batteries,"
during the battle of First Bull Run
(1861 Currier & Ives lithograph print) 

The refugees seeking haven in America were poor and disease-ridden. They were accused of taking jobs, straining welfare budgets, and bringing crime. They practiced an alien religion and pledged allegiance to a foreign leader. [1]

These undesirable immigrants were the Irish.

Patrick Coffey was one of them. A laborer in his 30s, his journey to that moment had been shaped by his family’s gradual step-migration—a story shared by many Irish Americans. Patrick’s parents married in Ireland in 1815, later settling in Manchester, England, where his father passed away in 1852. Seeking a fresh start, Patrick and his mother emigrated to New York City amidst a tidal wave of other Irish immigrants escaping famine and British exploitation.[2]

In New York, Patrick met and married Bridget Gilligan, a fellow Irish immigrant, on March 1, 1859, at Manhattan’s St. James’s Church. Their life together began against a backdrop of intense anti-immigrant sentiment. Groups like the Know-Nothings, America’s first anti-immigrant political party, vilified the Irish for their Catholic faith and impoverished status. Tensions spilled into violence nativist factions such as the Bowery Boys clashed with immigrant gangs like the Dead Rabbits.[2] [1]

Amid the turbulence, the all-Irish 69th New York Militia Regiment emerged as a proud symbol of resilience and patriotism. Founded in 1851, it evolved into a bastion of unity by the outbreak of the Civil War, offering Irish immigrants the opportunity to prove their loyalty to their adopted nation. [2] 

In April 1861, Patrick answered President Lincoln's call to arms, and joined the "Fitzgerald Guard", one of the companies of the renowned 69th. When he and his comrades departed New York for the war, they carried not only their muskets but also the weight of their dreams for acceptance and purpose.

The regiment’s journey began in Washington, D.C., where they helped construct Fort Corcoran in Virginia as part of the defensive ring around Washington, D.C. against the Confederate threats. Patrick wrote to Bridget from Georgetown College nearby on May 10, 1861, vividly capturing the hardships of camp life—hard boards for beds, scarce meals, and the camaraderie that united the soldiers. His letter also revealed an unwavering sense of duty, describing a solemn oath-taking where reluctant soldiers were dismissed—a testament to his commitment to his new country and to the Union cause. [2]

The ultimate test, however, came in July 1861 at the Battle of Bull Run. Assigned to Sherman’s Brigade, the 69th fought valiantly - attacking a battery of cannons head on and then holding the line as the Union forces were routed and chaos enveloped the battlefield. Patrick was wounded in the melee and taken prisoner, eventually succumbing to his injuries on August 17, 1861, in Richmond's infamous Libby Prison. [2]

Patrick Coffey's story is one of grit, sacrifice, and unbreakable devotion—to his wife, his comrades, and the principles of his adopted nation. From the tenements of New York to the killing fields of Virginia, Patrick’s story reflects the broader struggles of Irish immigrants seeking a place and a purpose in a fractured America. 

Patrick’s sacrifice left behind a legacy that Bridget, his widow, would carry forward. Following his death, Bridget—often known as Delia—faced grief and the rough, gritty realities of life in New York's notorious Five Points. Living in a tenement at 35 Mott Street, she navigated both poverty and family tensions. Patrick’s mother, Margaret, contested Bridget’s pension claim, insisting her son had no wife. The dispute suspended Bridget’s pension for nearly two years, until her persistence—and the production of Patrick’s letter—secured its reinstatement. It was a small triumph in a life marked by upheaval. [2]

But Bridget’s story did not end there. In 1869, she remarried and boldly turned her gaze westward, leaving the chaos of Five Points behind. With a spirit forged by hardship, she embraced the sweeping tides of a nation on the move, venturing into the vast and uncharted promise of Westward Expansion—a journey not just across geography, but into a new chapter of resilience and reinvention. 

The Coffey story stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of those Irish immigrants.

The Civil War was a patchwork of torn loyalties, whispered dreams, and strange events—those forgotten moments, people, and stories that shaped a nation. This was one of them.

Mac

═══ ⚔ 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 ⚑ ═══  

What resonates most with you about the Coffeys' story?

Works Cited

[1] Klein, Christopher. "When America Despised the Irish: The 19th Century’s Refugee Crisis". History.com. Retrieved March 21, 2025.

[2] Shiels, Damian. "The Last Letter of Patrick Coffey, 69th New York State Militia, Before Bull Run". Irish American Civil War - February 22, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2025.