28th Massachusetts Infantry

"The 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was organized at Cambridge, Massachusetts during the autumn of 1861. Once initial recruiting was completed, most of the men of the regiment mustered into service on December 13, 1861 for a term of three years. The regiment also had a full scale brass band comprised of 24 enlisted men who were mustered into service in October, 1861. However, this unit was disbanded and mustered out of the service on August 17, 1862. "

The original commander, Colonel William Monteith resigned effective 3 August 1862 and was later court-martialled "for his excessive drinking and numerous violations of army regulations". His Lt Colonel, McLelland Moore, appointed to replace him resigned in July 1862, and was replaced by (former Major) Lt. Colonel George W. Cartwright. Cartright was wounded at 2nd Bull Run in August 1862, and command fell to Captain Caraher, Company A, for the Maryland Campaign.

Before Antietam, the regiment had served in operations in the Carolinas in 1861, and along the coast as far as Georgia by mid-1862. They joined Gen Burnside's IX Corps, Army of the Potomac in July 1862, and were on the Bull Run campaign.

They were mostly in the reserve of the 9th Corps in the assault on Turner's Gap, 14 September, but saw significant action above the Lower Bridege on the afternoon of 17 September.

Initial Strength: not known; Killed in Action (KIA): 18; Wounded (WIA): 40; Missing in Action (MIA): 1;

Detail Map #7: Burnside Attacks the Lower Bridge (10 am-1 pm)
Detail Map #12: Burnside's Ninth Corps Climbs Toward Sharpsburg (3-4 pm)
Detail Map #13: AP Hill's Division Hits Burnside's Flank (4-5 pm)
Detail Map #14: Sykes' Regulars Near Sharpsburg (4-5 pm)

Tablet #56: Ninth Army Corps - 15 Sep, 7 AM to 16 Sep, 3 PM
Tablet #62: Willcox's Division, Ninth Army Corps - 16 Sep, 9 PM to 18 Sep, 6 PM
Tablet #122: Army of the Potomac - 17 Sep, 10 AM to 17 Sep, 6 PM
Tablet #99: Willcox's Division, Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 2 PM to 18 Sep, 9 AM
Tablet #70, cont: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 3 PM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #70: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 3 PM
Tablet #57: Ninth Army Corps - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 17 Sep, 5 PM
Tablet #63: Christ's Brigade, Willcox's Division - 17 Sep, 7 AM to 18 Sep, 5 PM

On 23 November 1862 they were transferred to the "Irish Brigade", and became the "Fourth Irish Regiment" of the Second Brigade, First Division, II Corps. They were at Fredericksburg (December 1862), Chancellorsville , Gettysburg, the Wilderness, on the 'Overland' Campaign, and at Petersburg.

Although most enlistments expired in December 1864, a sufficient number of soldiers re-enlisted by January 1, 1864 to form a five-company battalion, the 28th Battalion Massachusetts Volunteers, who served to the end of the war, mustering out on June 30, 1865.

See the most excellent 28th Massachusetts Infantry history site - from reenactors of that unit - source of much of the information above, and much more.

Note: "Faugh-A-Ballaugh" is from the Gaelic: "clear the way", and is probably correctly spelled "Fág an Bealach".