The Irish Brigade was part of three of the bloodiest actions in three of the bloodiest battles in the American Civil War: Antietam, Fredricksburg, and Gettysburg. 

At Antietam they faced the center of the Confederate line at an old sunken farm road thereafter referred to as “Bloody Lane.” It cost the Irish Brigade 60% casualties. At Fredericksburg they again assaulted sunken road, this time in front of Marye’s Heights. They lost about 600 men. Lastly, at Gettysburg the Brigade engaged in vicious hand-to-hand combat in The Wheatfield. Of all Union army brigades, none suffered