Patrick Ginley

One Gun, Three Charges, and a Stand at Reams' Station

Patrick J. Ginley (1822 – April 5, 1917) was an Irish-born American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient who distinguished himself during the Second Battle of Reams' Station, Virginia, on August 25, 1864. Serving as a private in Battery G of the 1st New York Light Artillery, he remained between opposing forces after Union troops had abandoned their defensive position. He returned to an artillery piece, fired upon advancing Confederate soldiers, and helped rally his command to retake its position. His actions earned him the Medal of Honor on October 31, 1890.

Ginley was born in Ireland in December 1822. Historical accounts associate his origins with Connacht in western Ireland, although his precise birthplace has not been conclusively established. Little is known about his childhood or education, but his later recollections describe a period of military service before his arrival in the United States.

In a newspaper interview published in 1883, Ginley stated that he had served with British forces during the Crimean War, participating in the engagements at Balaklava, Inkerman, and Sevastopol. He also described volunteering for service with the 18th Royal Irish Infantry during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, including operations at Delhi and Lucknow. These details survive principally through his own account rather than independently verified British service records.

According to the same interview, Ginley completed his British military service at Aldershot in 1858 and emigrated to the United States in 1859. After arriving in New York, he found employment with Dr. Pierre Van Wyck, with whom he remained until the outbreak of the American Civil War.

When the conflict began in April 1861, Ginley entered Union military service. He initially joined Company K of the 69th New York State Militia, an Irish-American regiment organized for three months of federal service. Historical accounts place him with the regiment during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861.

After completing this initial period of service, Ginley enlisted for a longer term in the Union artillery. New York's official military roster records his enlistment at Troy on September 28, 1861, as a private in the organization that subsequently became the 14th New York Independent Battery of Light Artillery.

The battery was organized from elements of the 2nd Battalion of New York Light Artillery and served with the Army of the Potomac. During 1862, its sections were assigned to other artillery batteries operating with Union forces in Virginia.

The 14th Independent Battery's history included operations during the Peninsula Campaign and the fighting around Richmond. Its sections also served during subsequent Army of the Potomac campaigns, including engagements at Antietam and Fredericksburg.

On September 7, 1863, the War Department made permanent the transfer of the battery's remaining personnel to other artillery organizations. Ginley's individual military roster records his transfer to Battery G of the 1st New York Light Artillery on that date.

Battery G served primarily with the Union Second Corps. As a member of this artillery organization, Ginley continued his military service during the Army of the Potomac's operations in Virginia.

By the summer of 1864, Union forces under Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant were conducting an extended campaign against Petersburg. The city was protected by Confederate fortifications and depended upon railroad connections for essential supplies.

One of these transportation routes was the Weldon Railroad, which connected Petersburg with points farther south. Union commanders attempted to disrupt the line through raids and the destruction of railroad tracks.

In August 1864, elements of the Union Second Corps under Major General Winfield Scott Hancock advanced toward Reams' Station, south of Petersburg. Federal troops occupied defensive works near the railroad while details destroyed sections of the track.

Confederate forces moved against the Union position, and on August 25 a major engagement developed around the station. Confederate infantry and artillery attacked the Federal defenses, eventually breaking portions of the Union line.

As the fighting intensified, Union troops began withdrawing from their earthworks. Artillery pieces were left exposed as Confederate soldiers advanced toward the abandoned position.

During this confused withdrawal, Private Ginley found himself isolated between the opposing lines. Rather than immediately retreating, he moved back into the threatened works, where one of the Union guns remained.

Ginley loaded the artillery piece with three charges of canister, ammunition designed to scatter numerous metal projectiles over a short distance. He then fired directly into Confederate troops who were advancing to occupy the works.

His decision placed him in immediate danger, but the shot disrupted the enemy's approach at a critical moment.

After firing the gun, Ginley returned toward his own command. He seized the colors and advanced toward the Confederate position, encouraging nearby Union soldiers to follow him.

The men responded by moving forward, and the renewed advance succeeded in temporarily recovering the works and artillery pieces that had been abandoned during the earlier withdrawal.

Ginley's conduct was also recorded by Captain A. Judson Clark, who commanded the Second Corps artillery brigade during the engagement. In his official report dated October 18, 1864, Clark specifically identified Ginley as a private of Battery G who had acted as a mounted orderly during the battle.

Clark described Ginley drawing his saber, riding among retreating soldiers, and successfully rallying a considerable number of men to resume the fighting. The report provides contemporary recognition of his battlefield leadership.

Although Ginley's actions helped recover the immediate position, the larger Battle of Reams' Station ended in a Confederate victory. Union forces ultimately withdrew, and several Federal artillery pieces were lost during the engagement.

Ginley survived the battle and continued his military service. His performance at Reams' Station remained part of the historical record through the official report and subsequent accounts of the engagement.

After the Civil War, Ginley returned to New York City and entered civilian employment. He worked for approximately two years as a watchman at federal public stores before becoming a keeper at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York.

In 1869, he left prison employment to join the New York Police Department. His previous military experience and distinctive manner contributed to his reputation among fellow officers and residents of the city. He became widely known by the nickname "Paddy the Horse."

Contemporary newspaper accounts describe several incidents from his police career, including his intervention against a man accused of threatening his family. In recognition of that incident, local residents reportedly presented Ginley with a gold watch and chain.

His police service was not without controversy. In January 1883, he faced departmental disciplinary proceedings involving allegations of intoxication. By 1890, he had left the police force and was working as a messenger at the New York Custom House.

More than twenty-six years after his actions at Reams' Station, Ginley received formal recognition for his wartime gallantry. On October 31, 1890, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

His citation specifically recognized his return to an abandoned artillery position, his use of a gun against advancing Confederate soldiers, and his subsequent leadership in rallying Union troops to retake their works.

On November 25, 1890, Ginley was honored during an Irish Brigade reunion at the Riccadonna Hotel in New York City. The gathering included a ceremonial presentation recognizing his Medal of Honor service.

Ginley continued living in New York during his later years. Historical accounts indicate that he retained newspaper clippings concerning his military service and police career, preserving records of events that had shaped his life.

Patrick J. Ginley died in New York City on April 5, 1917, at approximately ninety-four years of age. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens, New York, in Third Calvary, Section 17, Plot 46, Grave 9.

Ginley's documented American military career included service with the 69th New York State Militia, the 14th New York Independent Battery, and Battery G of the 1st New York Light Artillery. His Medal of Honor commemorates his actions on August 25, 1864, when he returned to an artillery piece under enemy pressure and helped rally Union soldiers during the fighting at Reams' Station.