Reception by the People of New York of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment, N. Y. S. M., on Their Return from the Seat of War, Escorted by the New York Seventh Regiment.
The return home of the gallant Sixty-ninth Regiment–composed entirely of Irish citizens–on Saturday. July 27th, 1861, was an ovation as warm and enthusiastic as their endurance and bravery deserved. Their service of three months had been of infinite value to their country and honor to themselves and their State. The Sixty-ninth had rendered good service at Arlington Heights, and especially distinguished itself at the battle of Bull Run. On the morning of their arrival the streets were crowded with people, and the gallant fellows were greeted with shouts of applause along the whole line of march.
(from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated History of the Civil War…, edited by Louis Shepheard Moat, Published by Mrs. Frank Leslie, New York, 1895)