Doheny, Richard O'Gorman and James Huston, (all of whom had participated in the Young Ireland rebellion) and Michael Phelan, who had not, all supported Irish-Americans enlisting in the New York State Militia with the hopes that this training would be useful in future Irish nationalist activities.

[8] The new Irish Catholic regiments caused uneasiness among the nativist Know Nothing Party, whose membership was limited to White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

[9] The outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 was perceived as an opportunity for Irish nationalists to strike against Britain, but disputes between Huston and Doheny led to a lack of action.

After engaging in the assault in the First Battle of Bull Run, the regiment, along with the Fire Zouaves, formed the rear-guard of the Union Army and protected it as it made its retreat towards Washington.

The 69th forced the retreat of the famed Confederate Brigade the Louisiana Tigers, an event for which General Robert E. Lee gave the regiment its nickname, "The Fighting 69th".

[21] The regiment was virtually destroyed in its uphill attack on the well-prepared Confederate positions on Marye's Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg, suffering more casualties than they had at Antietam.

After brief training at Camp Mills, Long Island, NY, the regiment was sent to the Western Front in October 1917 as part of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division in the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) that was commanded by General John J. Pershing.

It had its first combat experience on 26 February 1918 in the nearby trenches of the Rouge Bouquet Chaussilles Sector in the Foret de Parroy near the village of Baccarat.

After participating in numerous raids into German territory and suffering significant casualties from mustard gas attacks, the regiment was placed in reserve in the Baccarat sector.

Having broken the German lines, who were now reluctantly retreating, the 84th Brigade commander, Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur, was looking to press forward.

Meanwhile, General Pershing, commander of the AEF on the Western Front, had finally amassed enough troops to form an autonomous American field army.

Attacking against a well-entrenched enemy in terrible terrain without support from units on its flanks, the regiment suffered heavy casualties while moving forward and captured Hill 252 overlooking the Meuse River on 7 November.

In France, Duffy was always seen in the thick of battle, assisting the litter bearers in recovering the wounded, administering last rites, burying the dead, and encouraging the men, while unarmed, and at great risk to his own life.

The Marines encountered little resistance and the two Army divisions moved rapidly south until they ran headlong into the previously unknown and very strong Manchinato line on 6 April.

[43] From its armory at Lexington Avenue and 25th Street in midtown Manhattan, the 69th was one of the first military units to respond to the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, where it helped to secure Ground Zero.

[4] Two members were killed during rescue operations on the morning of 11 September, 1st Lieutenant Gerard Baptiste (FDNY) & Specialist Thomas Jurgens (NYS Courts).

Following duty at the WTC, 200 soldiers were mobilized to protect the United States Military Academy, West Point, serving for one year.

Numerous other members were on active duty protecting nuclear power plants, airports, bridges, tunnels, and trains throughout the New York area as part of Operation Noble Eagle[4] On 15 May 2004, the regiment was federalized for combat duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom, training at Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Irwin, California, before deploying.

A local sheik in Taji assumed the 69th's curved Rainbow Division insignia was a Special Forces patch because of their aggressiveness, but Lt. Col.

[44] While in Baghdad, the regiment was responsible for finally securing the infamous "Route Irish" (the airport road) that linked the "Green Zone" to BIAP airfield, Camp Victory, and the surrounding neighborhoods including al-Ameriyah.

Hill, Urban warfare training at Fort Knox, providing combat experience briefings to cadets at the United States Military Academy, and sending companies for joint training in Puerto Rico, Canada,[50] to Japan as part of Operation Orient Shield, to Thailand as part of Operation Cobra Gold, and to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for JRTC.

Somewhere in your banquet hall tonight his noble spirit looks down to bless and guide you young soldiers on the narrow path marked with West Point's famous motto—duty, honor, country.

But if its red stream again engulf us, I want you to know that if my flag flies again, I shall hope to have you once more with me, once more to form the brilliant hues of what is lovingly, reverently called by men at arms, the Rainbow.

General Robert E. Lee, the great military leader of the Southern Confederate Forces, said of this group of men after the battle, "The gallant stand which this bold brigade made on the heights of Fredericksburg is well known.

In the fall of 1862, after serving with distinction and gallantry in some of the toughest fighting of this most bloody struggle, the Irish Brigade was presented with a new set of flags.

Beside the gray, stone base is a small chamber set flush with the ground that contains a piece of steel from the World Trade Center donated by the parents of firefighter Michael Lynch, who perished in the attack.

Two memorials to the regiment and its dead as well as the graves of Colonels Mathew Murray, Michael Corcoran, Patrick Kelly, and Richard Byrnes may be found in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside Queens, NY.

Of his own volition, in broad daylight and under direct observation of the enemy and with utter disregard for his own safety, he advanced to the crest of the hill, rescued one of his wounded comrades, and returned under withering fire to his own lines, repeating his splendidly heroic act until he had brought in all the men, 6 in number.

Being again wounded, he was forced by weakness and loss of blood to be evacuated but insisted upon being taken first to the battalion commander in order to transmit to him valuable information relative to enemy positions and the disposition of our men.

Ruiz's heroic conduct, in the face of overwhelming odds, saved the lives of many comrades and eliminated an obstacle that long would have checked his unit's advance.