John Burke

Age 31, he enrolled in New York City on 27 May 1861 and mustered the next day as Lieutenant Colonel of the 37th New York Infantry - the Irish Rifles. He was discharged on 6 February 1862 to take the commission (dated 31 January) as Colonel of the 63rd New York Infantry.

A splendid tactician who was the chief means of bringing the regiment to the high place it attained as a well-disciplined battalion.

It is not certain where Colonel Burke was at Antietam on 17 September 1862. Lieutenant Colonel Fowler later reported that "after the first advance from the meadow upon the plowed field, the Colonel not being present, as a necessity I, without orders, assumed command." An officer of the 29th Massachusetts later wrote that Colonel Burke fell behind his troops, dismounted, and hid in a 'fold' in the ground.

He was nominally in command of the Brigade after General Meagher was injured and left the field, put not in any practical way.

He was accused of cowardice at Antietam and dismissed from the service at Bolivar Heights near Harpers Ferry, VA on 20 October 1862.

His service from the Adjutant General.1 The quote above from Conyingham.2 His dismissal details from Walker.3 His gravesite is on Findagrave, as John Theodore Burke with birth in 1838. He's seen in some references as John Timothy Burke, and his birthplace is given as Dunmanway.

c. 1830; County Cork, IRELAND

06/23/1913; Oswego, NY; burial in Saint Paul Cemetery, Oswego, NY