General John Hassett Gleason (1838-1889)

Today marks the death of General John Hassett Gleason, who served in both the Papal army and the Union army during the Civil War. The following is taken from the Arlington Cemetery website:

John Hassett Gleason (1838-1889) was a Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Born in Tipperary, Ireland, he served in the Papal Army from 1860 to 1861 as part of the Irish Battalion of Saint Patrick. He was one of the veterans of that battalion recruited by John Hughes, the Catholic Bishop of New York City, on behalf of New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan, to fight for the Union cause after the outbreak of the Civil War. After a brief time as a Private in the 69th New York State Militia, he was commissioned as an officer inthe 63rd New York Volunteer Infantry, rising to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment. He was brevetted Brigadier General and Major General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for “gallant and meritorious services during the war.”