St. Clair Augustine Mulholland

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St. Clair Augustine Mulholland
United States of America
Union
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861–1865
Rank Colonel
Brevet Major General
Commands heldPennsylvania 116th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Awards Medal of Honor

St. Clair Augustine Mulholland (April 1, 1839 – February 17, 1910) was a colonel in the Union Army in the American Civil War who later received the brevets of brigadier general of volunteers and major general of volunteers and the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville.

Biography

Mulholland was born in

Irish Brigade. When the regiment's size was reduced to a battalion, he accepted a reduction in rank to major
.

He was wounded during the famous charge of the Irish Brigade up Marye's Heights at the

5th Maine Battery that had been abandoned to the enemy. For this he was complimented in general orders and later received the Medal of Honor from Congress. In this campaign he was given the command of the picket line by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock and covered the retreat of the Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock River
.

Although Mulholland later claimed that at the

140th Pennsylvania Infantry and led it into action, this fact is mentioned in neither his own official report of the battle,[1] nor that of the lieutenant colonel commanding the 140th.[2] When the 116th was returned to full strength in early 1864, he was promoted to colonel. He was wounded a second time at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864. At Po River he was wounded a third time, but remained in hospital only ten days. Resuming his command, he was dangerously wounded again at the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek. He recovered rapidly and commanded his brigade in all the actions around Petersburg, particularly distinguishing himself by storming a fort on the Boydton Plank Road. Mulholland was mustered out of the volunteer service on June 3, 1865.[3] After the war was over, he was elected as a compnion the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
.

On May 4, 1866,

U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on May 18, 1866.[4] On January 13, 1869, President Johnson nominated Mulholland for appointment to the brevet grade of major general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for his actions on the Boydton Plank Road and the Senate confirmed the appointment on February 16, 1869.[5] The brevet was issued February 20, 1869; it was the last brevet of major general issued for service during the Civil War.[6]

Postbellum

Returning to civil life after the war, he was appointed

Catholic
affairs of Philadelphia, he was always active and a leader among the best known laymen.

St. Clair Augustin Mulholland died February 17, 1910, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was buried at Old Cathedral Cemetery, Philadelphia.[3]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Major, 116th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Chancellorsville, Va., 4–5 May 1863. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Born: April 1, 1839, Ireland. Date of issue: March 26, 1895.

Citation:

In command of the picket line held the enemy in check all night to cover the retreat of the Army.

In popular culture

Colonel Mulholland was portrayed by actor Timothy O'Hare[7] in the 2003 Civil War film Gods and Generals, in the scene depicting the charge of the Irish Brigade at Marye's Heights.

See also

References

  1. ^ Official Records Series I, Vol. XXVII, p. 392
  2. ^ Official Records Series I, Vol. XXVII, p. 395
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-8047-3641-3
    . p. 401
  4. ^ Eicher, p. 753
  5. ^ Eicher, 2001, p. 714
  6. ISBN 1-56013-002-4
    , p. 436
  7. ^ "Colony Theatre Member Timothy O'Hare". colonytheatre.org.

Sources

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