Burke received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action at Hanover, Pennsylvania on June 30, 1863.
After the defeat, Burke and his regiment spent the next six months in the defenses of Washington and ranging from there to the Blue Ridge Mountains in anti-guerilla warfre against, among others, Mosby's Rangers, who were under the command of John S.
After close fighting, the Confederates withdrew to the cover of their artillery in the hills leaving the streets full of dead and wounded men and horses.
[16] For the Bristoe campaign beginning October 10, Burke's regiment was in the First Brigade of Kilpatrick's 3rd Division commanded by Brigadier General Davies.
[18] Without the brigade's skill and daring the "entire command would have been annihilated,"[19] and the Union cavalry escaped with Burke's unit fighting off attacking infantry.
[21] The regiment faced artillery duels and cold, wet weather,[22] and one of its battalions held off the enemy at Raccoon Ford for six days.
[25] There was some controversy over some papers allegedly found on Dahlgren's body that discussed killing Jefferson Davis and burning Richmond.
[32] While the regiment ate breakfast at Parker's Store, Company I probed west and made contact with Confederate infantry.
[32] Burke's regiment, only about 500 men,[33] fought dismounted in a skirmish line using their Spencer carbines' greater firepower in a slow, delaying retreat east beyond the Orange Plank Road[34] until relieved by infantry from Getty's 2nd Division of VI Corps.
Nearly out of ammunition, Burke's regiment was sent about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the rear to resupply[35] after a desperate five-hour engagement against a much larger force suffering significant casualties.
[31] This delaying action prevented Hill from cutting off Hancock's II Corps,[36] and the fire from the Spencers led the Confederates to believe they had been fighting an entire brigade.
"[42][43] Wilson's division used lesser-traveled roads to move south and west to "avoid the observation of the enemy", and targets included the rail line that ran from Petersburg to Lynchburg and the Richmond and Danville Railroad.
[44] By June 26, the force could not capture the Staunton River bridge near Roanoke Station, and could not continue southward along the rail line.
On the return trip, Wilson lost two battles and found his path back blocked by Confederate troops.
[45][46] In the desperate escape, artillery was spiked, supply wagons burned, and ambulances were abandoned with wounded that would become prisoners.
The dismounted men were sent to a camp in the District of Columbia and eventually fought at Maryland Heights, Rockville, Toll Gate, Poolesville, Snicker's Ferry, and Kernstown.
[51] In early October, Custer replaced Wilson as division commander[52] as it retreated down the valley burning anything the Confederate army could use.
On October 9, near Toms Brook, Custer personally led the Burke's unit in a highly successful attack[54] leading to victory and causing a quick Confederate retreat some called the "Woodstock Races".
[56] The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Thomas Burke, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 30 June 1863, while serving with Company A, 5th New York Cavalry, in action at Hanover Courthouse (Gettysburg Battle), Virginia, for capture of battle flag.
[11][57][58][59]Burke returned to New York,[60] and in 1870, he married fellow Irish immigrant, Sarah Cavanaugh from Offaly[61] but had no children.
[65] By the 1900 census, the childless[66] couple housed the 18-year-old teamster son one his wife's brother Charles,[61] Henry "Harry" Cavanagh, who was born in Manchester, England[67] and had immigrated the year before.