Hugh Brady - the struggling emigrant

Lang,_Louis_-_Return_of_the_69th_(Irish)_Regiment,_N.Y.S.M._from_the_Seat_of_War_-_1862.jp

Louis Lang - Return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment, N.Y.S.M. from the Seat of War

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For one of Ellen’s2 children, there is a lot of documentary evidence. Hugh3 was born just before the disastrous famine hit Ireland, and his early years would have been spent among the desolation and disease it brought in its wake. Only 7 or 8 when he arrived in New York on the Isaac Webb, it seems likely that he grew up in New York’s notorious Five Points, when that crime-infested slum was at its worst.

It appears that he seized the first opportunity to escape, since at the age of 17 or so, he enlisted in the “Fighting Irish”, the 69th Infantry Regiment of New York for about three months, from 20th April to 3rd August 1861. During this period the 69th was engaged in the first major battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Bull Run. It is likely that Hugh took part in this, since “on April 23 1861, after receiving a blessing from Archbishop Hughes at Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mott St, the unit marched proudly to the ferries that conveyed the soldiers on the first leg of their journey to Washington. Having completed their three-month tour of duty, the 69th returned to New York for a heroes’ welcome, commemorated in Louis Lang’s immense painting. Some members reenlisted in a new “Irish Brigade”. Others had had enough of army life.”[Anbinder, 2001 p.308]

Not so for Hugh Brady. At some point soon after his discharge, he undertook the arduous journey across the continent, which would have taken many months. It is possible that he travelled as part of a family group, as his sisters Bridget and Ann also moved to California at some time, but there is no information about this.

However, on 29 July 1862 he enlisted for three years in the 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry. Although the regiment was raised to fight in the Civil War, it spent its entire term of service in the western United States, with most of its companies dispersed to various posts. Its primary objectives were to protect the lines of transportation and communication (the Oregon, Mormon and California Trails, and the fledgling telegraph) between the western States and territories and the rest of the Union states and to ensure that the Native Americans and the Mormons of Utah did not ally with the Confederacy.

There is evidence that many of the volunteers were disgruntled with their current assignment. They had joined to fight the Civil War and felt so strongly about this that they drew up a joint petition to request $30,000 be withheld from their paychecks to pay for passage to the eastern states where the fighting was. They stated that they wished to “serve their country in shooting traitors instead of eating rations and freezing to death around sage brush fires..." and would gladly pay this money "for the privilege of going to the Potomac and getting shot." The request was turned down by the War Department, after some encouragement from the Colonel of the regiment, Patrick Edward Connor, who emphasized that he needed the soldiers where they were at.

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In the army records he is variously called Hugene or Eugene, and is described as 5’6” tall, with hazel eyes and light complexion. He served at various posts, including Fort Douglas and Fort Laramie. At other times, he is “on detached service with Capt. Smith”, “left Camp Douglas March 25, ’63 for Ruby Valley via the mail line” or “on extraordinary duty as cook”. He was discharged from the army on 15th August 1865, on expiry of his term.

He took part in the Battle of Bear River on 29 January 1863 and received a gunshot wound in the nose which resulted in impaired sight of the left eye. As a result of this injury he became entitled to an invalidity pension, and it is through the documents compiled in applying for the pension that we can put together some details of his life.

The Battle of Bear River

This battle is now more often described as a massacre. Up to 500 Shoshone men women and children were killed at a cost of 14 soldiers killed and 49 wounded, 7 mortally. The official description is as follows, though other accounts describe the engagement as wholesale slaughter, rape and murder. See for example

http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/articles/bearriver.aspx

“Shoshoni raids under Chief Bear Hunter during the winter of 1862-63 provoked Federal retaliation. Troops under Col. Patrick E. Connor set out from Ft. Douglas, Utah, in the deep snow of January 1863 towards Chief Bear Hunter's camp, 120 miles north near present-day Preston, Idaho. The Native American camp included about 300 Shoshoni warriors defensively placed in the Battle Creek ravine west of Bear River with high embankments in which the Indians had cut access trails. Shortly after dawn on January 29, Connor's troops appeared across the river and began crossing.

Before all of the men had crossed and Connor had arrived, some troops made an unsuccessful frontal attack which the Indians easily repulsed inflicting numerous casualties. When Connor took over, he sent troops to where the ravine debouched through the bluffs. Some of these men covered the mouth of the ravine to prevent any escape while others moved down the rims, firing on the Indians below. This fire killed many of the warriors, but some attempted to escape by swimming the icy river where other troops shot them. The battle stopped by mid-morning. The troopers had killed most of the warriors plus a number of women, children and old men-and captured many of the women and children.”

http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battles-detail.htm?battleCode=id001

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