Irish Brigade Soldier’s Bible Presented to Peter F. Rafferty Of the 69th New York Infantry Recipient of the Medal of Honor for Malvern Hill / SOLD

Irish Brigade Soldier’s Bible Presented to Peter F. Rafferty Of the 69th New York Infantry Recipient of the Medal of Honor for Malvern Hill - Inventory Number: IDE 236 / SOLD

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Peter F. Rafferty, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 1 July 1862, while serving with Company B, 69th New York Infantry, in action at Malvern Hill, Virginia. Having been wounded and directed to the rear, Private Rafferty declined to go, but continued in action, receiving several additional wounds, which resulted in his capture by the enemy and his total disability for military service.

The bible is dated 1858 and has a pair of stenciled identifications with his unit info.  Additionally, a section of a patriotic cover with the image of Corcoran and the legend: “Son of Erin” is mounted to one of the fly pages.  An additional patriotic statement has been glued to the first fly page.  A wonderful, personal relic of an Irish Brigade Medal of honor recipient!

Peter Rafferty was born June 12, 1845, in County Tyrone, Ireland. He moved to the United States as a teenager and would later enlist in the Union Army on October 22, 1861, in New York City. He was attached to the 69th New York Infantry and was a member of the Irish Brigade.

Only July 1st, 1862, his regiment with the 88th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment were at Malvern Hill, Virginia. Their units were ordered to stop an advancing unit of Confederate troops. During the battle he was wounded in the thigh. After regrouping he stayed with his unit, the Irish Brigade. He was wounded a second time and suffered injuries to his foot and to the face by two musket balls. He was captured by the Confederate army but did not receive any medical care for five days. He was later released in a prisoner exchange.

He was discharged on January 5, 1863, due to his injuries which left him with a fractured lower jaw and clavicle. In 1864, he re-enlisted in the Sixth District of Columbia Volunteers and became a lieutenant.

He died on April 30, 1910, and was buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, New York.

Inventory Number: IDE 236 / SOLD