This proud New York Militia Regiment has its origin dating back to 1847 in the heart of what we today call Brooklyn Heights. The unique uniform you see in this painting was adopted in 1860 and modeled on the French pattern Chasseur-a-pede uniform. At the 14th's request, President Lincoln himself, acting as commander in chief, ordered the regiment into action. The 14th was baptized by fire at the Battle of First Bull Run. As the men charged up Henry Hill on that hot July day in Manassas, Virginia, they were given their moniker when General Thomas Jonathan Jackson commented "here come those red legged devils again". After the Union debacle at First Bull Run, Lt. Colonel Fowler drilled the men "night and day to the end of making the regiment what it afterwards became in the field - one of the most efficient, best drilled and disciplined in the service."

Their skirmish drill was so good that the 14th were often
used as skirmishers and flankers for their Division. This is
the theme military artist, Mark Maritato, has chosen for his painting of the Brooklyn Fourteenth. In the Fall of 1861, the regiment was engaged in a skirmish at Falls Church, Virginia. In Confederate Lieutenant Colonel Fitzhugh Lee's report to JEB Stuart, he wrote the following of the 14th Brooklyn: "The enemy were a portion of the Fourteenth New York State Militia, of Brooklyn, and fought with much more bravery than the Federal troops usually exhibit. It is the same regiment that so thickly dotted the field of Manassas upon the 21st with red." A spirit of enthusiastic comradeship, which has come to signally characterize the Fourteenth was evident through its three year enlistemnt in the Civil War.

Afer capturing Davis' Brigade at the railroad cut on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the regiment was assigned to Culp's Hill. Harry W. Pfanz wrote the following of the 14th Brooklyn in his book entitled "Gettysburg - Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill": "While positioned there, the 149th New York Volunteers had heard that the 14th was "a bully fighting regiment" and studied its warriors closely. A man in the 149th NY wrote that when the word of command came to the boys of Brooklyn, their lips tightened, the eyes flashed, every nerve was strained, and they moved forward with almost mechanical ease and firmness. As they advanced, a thousand men, observing their heroic conduct in sympathy and admiration, rose in their places and cheered, while their prayers ascended to God that he would spare those young men possessed of so much courage and manliness."

This painting faithfully captures this spirit of the Fighting Fourteenth. Furthermore, Mark Maritato's painstaking attention to historic detail accurately depicts the unique chasseur uniform and the accoutrements of this famous regiment.

Historical Description By Anthony G. Mollo