On March 17, 1863, Irish Brigade commander Thomas Francis Meagher hosted elaborate festivities to mark St. Patrick’s Day. The celebration featured a number of races and prizes—and, as one Union soldier in attendance, Josiah Marshall Favill, noted, “the strongest punch I ever tasted.” Among those in attendance was Edwin Forbes, special artist for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. Forbes made six sketches to record the day, which are below. The day was a great success, as Favill noted. “All were invited to partake and such a gathering of jolly, handsomely dressed fellows, I never saw before. The Irish brigade was in its glory. It understood the situation, was master of it, and quite immortalized itself.” (All images courtesy of the Library of Congress.)