1904. June. Among the articles loaned the collection just mentioned, for the Irish-American exhibit at St. Louis, Mo., was an Irish flag carried by the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts (the “Faugh-A-Ballagh” regiment) in the Civil War. The regiment formed part of Meagher’s Irish Brigade, First Division, Second Corps. The flag was loaned by Capt. John J. Coffey, of Neponset, Mass., a member of the Society, who wrote as follows to Secretary T. H. Murray concerning it: “This flag has a precious history. It was presented to the Twenty-eighth regiment, through the late Patrick Donahoe, by the Irish women of Boston, on Sept. 24, 1861, at the same time Governor Andrew presented the regiment with the flag of the State of Massachusetts. My company [C], was selected as the right centre or color company, and my brother, Michael J., whose height exceeded mine by two inches, was selected as color sergeant of this green flag and carried it until he fell mortally wounded at the second battle of Bull Run, August 30, 1862; after that it went through Chantilly, South Mountain, and Antietam. On the memorable day of the attack on Marye’s Heights, at Fredericksburg, it was the only green flag unfurled—and by this I do not intend to cast any reflections on the four other regiments of the Irish brigade. Sometime before Chancellorsville, in May following, Colonel Byrnes and the other officers of the regiment concluding that it was too cumbersome, subscribed among themselves and procured a flag of lighter fabric (worsted), and laid the old flag (this one) aside, but in safe keeping, and you may rest assured that it has been scrupulously cared for and treasured by the custodian.”