#OnThisDay 1864 Hundreds of Irishmen from the Irish Brigade & Corcoran’s Irish Legion were killed at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Wexford-born Colonel James McMahon, commander of the 164th New York, reached the Confederate defences, saw that the attack was faltering. He jumped up on top brandishing his sword and his sword calling on his men to advance. But he and over a hundred of his men were shot down by the 17th North Carolinas. The Union soldiers advanced into the Confederate defences & were slaughtered, earning General Grant the nickname “Butcher”. After some years had passed, Grant wrote,
“I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made … no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained.”
