The 7th Missouri Infantry Regiment, commonly known as the "Irish Seventh", was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. In 1864 a battalion of veteran volunteers of the "Irish Seventh was consolidated with a sister Irish regiment, the 30th Missouri Volunteer Infantry (the "Shamrock Regiment") and operated as a "demi-brigade" known popularly as the "Missouri Irish Brigade"

Service

The 7th Missouri Infantry Regiment was organized at

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, in June 1861 and mustered in for three years service. It was often referred to as the "Irish Seventh" given the large number of Irish immigrants who were enlisted in its ranks. The regiment was a special project supported by the Federal commanders in Missouri,

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

William S. Harney and Brigadier General

Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...

. Most of the volunteers in Missouri's early regiments were German immigrants, and Lyon supported the creation of a regiment recruited from St. Louis' Irish-American population to demonstrate that the Union cause in Missouri had support beyond the German-American community. Many St. Louis Irish (the second largest immigrant community in the city) were ambivalent about the new Republican Party and Federal military action against seceding states. In addition, Irish Americans were strong participants in the pre-war

Missouri Volunteer Militia The Missouri Volunteer Militia (MVM) was the state militia organization of Missouri, before the formation of the Missouri State Guard in the American Civil War. Prior to the Civil War, Missouri had an informal state militia that could be called up ...

, and many resented the May 10, 1861 Federal arrest of the Militia for suspected secession activity. The 7th Missouri was intended to attract ethnic-Irish support by focusing on the Irish community's "ownership" of the regiment, and make a public political statement by demonstrating that there were Irish Unionists in Missouri. Like other ethnically Irish regiments during the Civil War, the "Irish Seventh" carried a distinctive green regimental color. An article in the July 12, 1862 ''Boston Pilot'' described the flag, stating that on one side the flag featured the: "Irish harp, guarded by a savage-looking wolf dog, surrounded by a wreath of shamrocks, surmounted by an American eagle, and supported on either side by flags and other implements of war. A golden halo shoots out and over the whole. On the other side is a 'sunburst' in all its glory, with the Irish war cry as a motto - 'Faj an Bealac! icThe motto on the Seventh Missouri's colors is a variant transliteration of the Gaelic war cry

Faugh A Ballagh ''Faugh a Ballagh'' ( ; also written ''Faugh an Beallach'') is a battle cry of Irish origin, meaning "clear the way". The spelling is an 18th-century anglicization of the Irish language phrase ''Fág an Bealach'' , also written ''Fág a' Beal ...

which is usually translated as "Clear the Way!" and was used by numerous Irish-American units on both sides of the Civil War. The regiment was attached to Boonville, Missouri, to September 1861. Fremont's Army of the West to February 1862. Lexington, Missouri,

Department of the Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...

, to July 1862. Unattached,

Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee Pittsburg Landing is a river landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee. It was named for "Pitts" Tucker who operated a tavern at the site in the years preceding the Civil War. It is located at latitude 35.15222 ...

Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, to September 1862. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, District of Jackson

Jackson, Tennessee Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Tennessee, United States. Located east of Memphis, it is a regional center of trade for West Tennessee. Its total population was 68,205 as of the 2020 United States census. Jackson ...

, to November 1862. 4th Brigade, 3rd Division, Left Wing, XIII Corps,

Department of the Tennessee Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, to December 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVII Corps, to April 1864. Maltby's Brigade, District of Vicksburg, Mississippi, to June 1864. 1st Brigade, District of

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, XVI Corps, to August 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, XIX Corps,

Department of the Gulf The Department of the Gulf was a command of the United States Army in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. History United States Army (Civil War) Creation The department was co ...

, to December 1864. The 7th Missouri Volunteer Infantry ceased to exist on December 17, 1864, when it was consolidated with the 30th Missouri Infantry.

Detailed service

Moved to Booneville, Mo., July 1–4, 1861, then to Rolla August 30 and to Syracuse, Mo., October 5–10. Fremont's Campaign against

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimat ...

October 21-November 2. Moved to

Sedalia, Missouri Sedalia is a city located approximately south of the Missouri River and, as the county seat of Pettis County, Missouri, United States, it is the principal city of the Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had ...

November 10–14, then to

Otterville, Missouri Otterville is a city in southwest Cooper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 454 at the 2010 census. History Otterville was originally called Elkton, and under the latter name was platted in 1837. The present name is after nearb ...

December and duty there until February 1862. Expedition to Blue Springs January 20-February 3, 1862 (Companies B, F, and H detached from regiment November 21, 1861, and ordered to Kansas City. Rejoined regiment at Lexington, Mo., February 1862.) Moved to Lexington, Mo., February 3–10, 1862, and duty there until May 9. Reconnaissance from

Greenville, Missouri Greenville is a city located on U.S. Route 67 near the intersection with Route D and E in Wayne County, Missouri, United States, along the St. Francis River. The population was 443 at the 2020 census. Greenville was incorporated and founded as ...

February 23–24 (Company H). Skirmish at Mingo Creek, near St. Francisville, February 24 (Company H). Moved to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., May 9–14, and guard and fatigue duty there until August 15. Moved to Jackson, Tenn., August 15–29, and duty there until October. Medon Station, Mississippi Central Railroad, August 31. Chewalla and Big Hill October 5. Medon Station October 10. Moved to

Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...

with McPherson and to Jackson October 14. To Lagrange November 2. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign November 2, 1862, to January 10, 1863. At Memphis, Tenn., January 17-February 21. Moved to

Lake Providence, Louisiana Lake Providence is a town in, and the parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. ...

, February 21, and duty there until April. Moved to Milliken's Bend, Louisiana., April 12. Passage of Vicksburg batteries April 22 (detachment). Movement on

Bruinsburg, Mississippi Bruinsburg is a ghost town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. It was located on the south bank of Bayou Pierre, east of the Mississippi River. The town's port, Bruinsburg Landing, was located directly on the Mississippi River, jus ...

and turning Grand Gulf April 25–39. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Bayou Pierrie May 2. Battles of Raymond May 12. Champion Hill May 16. Big Black River Bridge May 17. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Provost duty there until June 1864. Stevenson's Expedition from Vicksburg to Monroe, Louisiana, August 20-September 2, 1863. Expedition toward Canton October 14–22. Bogue Chitto Creek October 17. Expedition from Vicksburg to Sunnyside Landing, Ark., January 10–16, 1864.

Meridian Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to Science * Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon * ...

Campaign February 3-March 2. Clinton February 5. Veterans on furlough March to May. Non-veterans mustered out June 14, 1864. Veterans at

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, Tenn., and Vicksburg, Miss., until July 29. Moved to Morganza, La., July 29 and duty there until September 3. Moved to mouth of White River, Ark., September 3–8 and duty there until October 18. Movement to Memphis and return October 18–30. Moved to Duvall's Bluff, Ark., November 9, then to Memphis, Tenn., November 28.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 186 men during service; 4 officers and 52 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 2 officers and 128 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

* Colonel John Dunlap Stevenson * Major Edwin Wakefield - commanded at the battle of Raymond * Captain Robert Buchanan - commanded at the battle of Champion Hill and during the siege of Vicksburg * Captain William B. Collins - commanded during the siege of Vicksburg

Notes

References

* Crouch, Jerry Evan. ''Silencing the Vicksburg Guns: The Story of the 7th Missouri Infantry Regiment as Experienced by John Davis Evans, Union Private and Mormon Pioneer'' (Victoria, BC: Trafford), 2005. * Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution * {{CWR

External links

7th Missouri Infantry living history organization
Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1864 Irish regiments of the United States Army Units and formations of the Union Army from Missouri 1861 establishments in Missouri