JOHN O'BRIAN -- 16th and 121stINFANTRYSO MANY JOHN O\'BRIANS - In the winter of 1862, a handful of men,including John O\'Brian, enlisted in the 16th Infantry in Plattsburgh --two in January and the rest in February and March. They traveled toWashington and found their regiment camped near Fairfax Seminary on thesouth side of the Potomac. Before the men were marched to Ship Point toget on the steamer, "Daniel Webster," in mid-April, they sufferedgreatly with the weather and the constant rain and snow. The steamer had820 officers and men on board an towed four supply barges. By the timethey got to Fort Monroe, it was very dirty and on April 24th theydebarked and set up camp. On May 4th they took boats across the river tomarch to start their march toward Richmond.After the Seven Days' Battles in June, they withdrew to Harrison'sLanding. By September 13th, the regiment was at Crampton's Pass inMaryland where with General Slocum's Division, they "carried the Pass bystorm." They led the advance up South Mountain and captured a rebelflag. The battle at Antietam on September 17th was considered a draw,but the Union claimed the victory after the Confederates left and lefttheir dead and wounded on the field.In December the 16th was at Fredericksburg and in May of 1863, they hadover 150 casualties just south of the city near Chancellorsville. Onthis battlefield, the 16th was put under the temporary command of the2nd U. S. Artillery and then the 121st Infantry.John decided not to re-enlist after his three years were up and wasmustered out on January 30, 1864. The last eight months of hisenlistment were spent in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, but the121st suffered very few casualties.As with many soldiers of Irish descent, John seems to disappear afterthe war, because there are so many men with that name and so manyspelling variations. However, in 1906, with the publication of, "FromBull Run to Chancellorsville," the history of the 16th, the author,Newton Martin Curtis, adds one word to John's description -- Dead.
