Born: October 10, 1835 at Troy NY
Died: March 26, 1915
Buried:
Occupation:
Enlisted: April 18, 1861, at Brooklyn to serve 3 years. Mustered in May 23, 1861 as private
Mustered In:
Company: D
Description:5 Feet 4 Inches. Black Hair, Blue Eyes, Fair Complexion
Muster Out Date: June 6, 1864 at New York City
Promotions:
Wounded/Sick:
Taken Prisoner: September 17, 1862, at Antietam, MD
Details:
Subsequent Service:
Marriage Date and Place: January 26, 1859.
Wife's Maiden Name: Sarah Jane Drake, died June 9, 1906.
Wife's Father's Name:
Wife's Mother's Maiden Name:
Father's Name:
Mother's Maiden Name:
Occupations: Pre War: Butcher
Occupations: Post War: Butcher
Fraternal Organizations: Fourteenth Regiment Veterans Association.
Known Addresses:
1) 1860-11th Ward
2) 1891- 98 Bridge Street, Brooklyn.
3) 361 12th Street, Brooklyn.
Last Pension Rate:
Children:
1) William A. Desmond Born March 8, 1861.
2) Daniel A.Desmond Born March 9, 1865
3) Ellen Desmond Born February 10, 1868
DENNIS DESMOND, WAR HERO, DIES AT 80.
Dennis Desmond, 80 years old, war veteran of the "Fighting Fourteenth" Regiment of Brooklyn, and "grandpa" to all the children of the neighborhood in which he lived, died at his residence, 361 Twelfth Street, today, from heart disease, with his sons and several grandchildren in prayer at his bedside.
Mr. Desmond served throughout the Civil War as a member of Company D, Fourteenth Regiment, and was one of the bravest men in that command, which well earned its title of the "Red-Legged Devils" in the biggest battles of the war. He was in the thick of the fights at Gettysburg and Antietam, and in the latter battle was wounded in the forehead by a confederate bullet. He was also made a prisoner at Antietam, and with several hundred other prisoners was placed under the guard of a few Confederate soldiers.
Desmond and some of his fellow prisoners plotted to escape, started a disturbance which the guards tried to quell, fell to fighting with them, and captured several rifles. Desmond overawed his near by guards before they could be reinforced, and made his escape to the Union lines, with several others of his comrades.
After the war Mr. Desmond lived for many years near the Brooklyn Bridge entrance in Brooklyn, and conducted a butcher business in South Street, Manhattan, where he supplied meats to several of the larger steamship lines. He retired from the business several years ago to enjoy a well earned rest, and his last years were made happy by the love of the children in every house in the vicinity of his home, who affectionately called the old man "grandpa."
Mr. Desmond was a much beloved member of the Fourteenth Regiment War Veterans Association, and every member who is able will attend the funeral at his late home on Sunday afternoon, and be present at "taps" over his grave when the internment follows in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Desmond possessed several medals awarded to him by the United States Government and by military societies in recognition of his bravery in battle, and while he was very proud of them , the things that he loved to exhibit most to his friends when telling tales of the war were a well -preserved service cap of the "Red Legged Devils" and a pair of white gloves which he wore whenever the regiment was on dress parade.
Since the European war broke out Mr. Desmond had been a constant reader of the daily newspapers and kept close watch on the situation from every standpoint. He often compared statistics of the European War with those of the battles of the Rebellion, and said the present conflict overshadowed that of the Civil War tremendously.
Mr. Desmond's wife, formerly Miss Sarah Jane Drake, died several years ago. He is survived by two sons, Daniel and William: nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was a descendant of the old Desmond family of the County Cork, Ireland.