Major Jeremiah Andrew Sullivan was an Irish American hero of the Civil War. His distinguished career as an officer in the Union Army earned him a legacy as an American patriot and loyal son of his Irish roots. Jeremiah A. Sullivan was born near Killarney Ireland around 1839[1]. Jeremiah, his parents and two brothers emigrated from Ireland during the famine.

They eventually settled in Rochester New York. Before the war Jeremiah lived in Brooklyn and worked for Philips & Co. He would later move back to Rochester. Jeremiah was the chief provider for his family, since his father was debilitated by age and an old work injury. After the war broke out, Sullivan enlisted on April 25^th, 1861, his brother Cornelius would enlist the same day. Both men would become members of the 13^th New York infantry (Their brother Patrick would later serve in the 140th NY). Jeremiah would be commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant in “I” Co. on May 14^th, 1861.[2] Sullivan and the 13^th were engaged at first Bull Run. Here they “crossed Bull Run creek, about 10 a. m. (at this time the rations were exhausted), and immediately engaged the enemy in a heavy force until 5 p. m. when the whole line fell back on the fortifications near Washington. The strength of the regiment in the first battle of Bull Run, was 600, loss 12 killed, 26 wounded, 27 missing”[3].

They would continue to fight at Yorktown, Gaines’ Mill, Savage’s Station, Malvern Hill, 2nd Bull Run, and Antietam. Here “the Thirteenth were held in the reserve under General Porter. At nightfall on the 18th were deployed as pickets in front of General Burnside’s position—the next morning advancing as skirmishers through Shepardstown, taking some prisoners from the rear guard of the enemy” [4].  At Fredericksburg, Sullivan and the thirteenth began “Coming under fire immediately on reaching Fredericksburg bank of the river, we were advanced through the north end of the town, across the open ground beyond the railroad, taking our position to the extreme front, our line facing the stone wall and rifle pits occupied by the enemy, and within close range of their artillery on the immediate heights beyond and to the right and left. The men were obliged, from the exposure of the position, to fire lying down, thus taking advantage of a slight rise of ground running parallel to the front of our line. The fire of the enemy was very severe, both from artillery and musketry, especially during our advance to position. The Thirteenth were engaged receiving and returning fire until nightfall, and remaining in their position that night and the day following, and were only relieved about 10 o’clock p. m. Our loss was quite severe, out of 298 officers and men five were killed, sixty-three wounded, and seventeen taken prisoners”[5].

They would continue to Chancellorsville before the unit was mustered out of service. Jeremiah Andrew Sullivan would later be commissioned a Major into the Field & Staff of the 1^st New York Veteran Cavalry.

Major Sullivan was with them at; Upperville, Snicker’s Ford, Snicker’s Gap, and Snickersville, before being “killed by a shot form the enemy at Cabletown”[6] West Virginia.

Since Major Sullivan’s income was the backbone of the family his mother would apply for and receive a mothers pension of $25 a month, the equivalent of $464.92 in 2023. Jeremiah’s brothers would both survive the war Cornelius however, was wounded during 2^nd Bull Run. This family and its sacrifice give new meaning to the phrase “Fighting Irish”.

---

[1] “1850 United States Federal Census for Jeremiah Sullivan.” Ancestry. Accessed November 23, 2023. https://tinyurl.com/4jpd2eya.

[2] “Page 1 US, New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900.” Fold3. Accessed November 23, 2023. https://www.fold3.com/image/315943080?terms=jeremiah%2Cwar%2Cyork%2Cus%2Csullivan%2Ccivil%2Cnew%2Cunited%2Camerica%2Cstates.

[3] CAZEAU, THEODORE. Thirteenth New York state volunteer regiment. Accessed November 24, 2023. http://libraryweb.org/~digitized/books/Brief_Account_of_the_13th_New_York_State_Volunteers.pdf.

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] “Sullivan, Jeremiah A – Fold3 – Us, Civil War ‘Widows’ Pensions’, 1861-1910.” Fold3. Accessed November 23, 2023. https://www.fold3.com/file/264752448/sullivan-jeremiah-a-us-civil-war-widows-pensions-1861-1910?terms=jeremiah%2Cwar%2Cyork%2Cus%2Csullivan%2Ccivil%2Cnew%2Cunited%2Camerica%2Cstates.