Civil War Identification Tag. New York--Salina. McClellan. Maier-Stahl 1C. Patrick Fitzgerald, Company M, 1st Veteran Cavalry, New York State Volunteers. Brass. About Good. 30 mm. Pierced for suspension. The back is inscribed PATRICK FITZGERALD / CO. M / 1ST VET CAV / N.Y.S.V. / SALINA. N.Y.<p>Patrick Fitzgerald was likely born in Ireland in 1832, and immigrated to the United States in the 1850s. He enlisted as a private on November 9, 1863, in Syracuse, New York and 10 days later, he mustered into M Company of the New York 1st Veteran Cavalry. The 1st Veteran Cavalry saw extensive action throughout 1864, and engaged in over 20 battles mostly in Virginia and West Virginia. Fitzgerald was transferred to A Company in October 1864. He was mustered out on 20 July, 1865 at Camp Platt, West Virginia. Because Patrick Fitzgerald was a very common name in New York, tracing his activities following the War has proven to be nearly impossible. What appears certain though, is he must have worn or carried this identification tag with pride for a number of years.
