On the afternoon of July 2, 1863, before the Irish Brigade advanced into the Wheatfield at Gettysburg, the brigade's Catholic chaplain Father William Corby — a Holy Cross priest from Notre Dame — climbed onto a boulder in front of the formation, raised his right hand, and pronounced general absolution. Hundreds of Irish-American soldiers knelt in ranks with heads bowed while Confederate artillery fell around them. It was the only time in American military history a Catholic priest granted general absolution to an entire unit in the field. Three minutes later the brigade advanced into the Wheatfield. An hour later, the brigade had lost roughly two hundred of the five hundred men it had taken in.

This W. Britain figure depicts an Irish Brigade soldier mid-advance, rifle held forward and ready for loading or firing — the moment a soldier crossing open ground between formations had to keep his weapon prepared without falling out of step. He wears the standard Federal infantry kit: dark blue blouse, light blue trousers, dark forage cap, the rolled blanket across his chest, the cartridge box on his belt. The bayonet is fixed. The advancing-loading pose captures the mid-charge moment that defined Civil War infantry tactics — get to the enemy as fast as possible while keeping the weapon loaded. This is a natural centerpiece figure for a Gettysburg Day 2 or Fredericksburg-charge diorama. Pair this figure with Irish Brigade Standing Firing No.1 for the contact moment; with Irish Brigade Drummer, the drum calls keeping the line in step; or with Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, the II Corps commander under whom the Irish Brigade served.

Scale: 1/30 (60mm). Matte-painted metal. W. Britain model 31382. From the American Civil War range. Single foot figure, supplied painted and ready for display.