New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-05
KIRKER ON LYNCH.

Alr. James ID. INTACT, tIaCt nio D"oh-
seller OF Broadway, dropped US a few lines
yesterday, protesting to contradict previous
statement of ours, that it was exceedingly
ocose for him to pretend 10 bear testimony to
the bravery of Mr.. james Lynch in the vicin.
ity of Bull Run, on the eve Of the battle, when
he himself was miles away from twas, in
fact at the time costly ensconsed in the midst
of his peaceful tracts and other pious publica-
tions. To these few lines Mr. James L..
Kirker with exquisite modesty, signed his
name as "Captain Of the Engineer Corps Of
q" the G9th," and We are mildly informed-Mr
James b. Kirker not being in the least assum.
ing and several thousand degrees from being
at all fictitious and pompous-ihat he did duty
with the gallant 69th at Georgetown College
and Arlington Heights, and accompanied the
regiment on the advance to Manassas until
ordered back by Col. Corcoran. Now, it
grieycs US TO the iomost soul to say, that all
this ia a rosy delusion on the part OF Mr.
James Is. Kirkor, in which he would have our
readers and tho public reciprocally indulge-the
stern reality being that the heroic tract distrib-
utor and eminently religious bookseller did no
duty whatever with the 69th, his angelic visits
to Georgetown College and Arlington Heights
being, not only few and far between, but SIM
py visits of pleasure and as assurances 70 ihe
Colonel, and other officers Of the 69th, OF Mr..
James b. Kiuker's lively interest and distin-
quished consideration. On no occasion was he
on picket duty, or or a scouting party, or at
any post either of honor, labor or danger. In
this respect, Mr.. James u. kirker's military
record is Il virgin blank. In signing himself,
however, as Captain Of The Corps Of Engi-
neers of the 69tb," be does a mean little
Injustice to Capt. james Quinlan, now Major
OF the ith Regiment Of The Irish Brigade, who
acted as Captain Of the said Engineers oil
through the three months campaign, and be-
haved not only with unremitting diligence, but
with decided nerve and pluck on every occa-
sion that required his services. Mr.. James b.
Kirker in fact, is no more entitled to sign
himself " Captain of the Corps Of Engineers OF
/" the Goth than Alderman Baeley is TO sign
himself Major"-both the one and the other
having enjoyed the luxury Of seeing their duties
performed by other gentlemen; Thomas Francis
Meagher, for instance, acting as Major Oh the
march to Centreville and during the battles Of
the 18th and ?lst of July instead Of the de-
mestic Alderman and ex-Csptain Of the
Goth. Nor does Mr.. James b. Krker less in
nocenily endeavor to magnify bis journeying
with the 69th on the road to Manassas. One
would naturally infer, from the style in which
he speaks Of bis accompanying the regiment on
the march until ordered back by the
Colonel, that Mr.. James D. Kirker
had nerved himself for the conflict, and
was prepared to encounter al the hazards
of the advance. How coldly does the stern
reality, in this case also shine beside the illu.
sion in which the imaginative bookseller would
have us to exuberate. MIR. James d. Kirker
accompanied the regiment on the occasion re-
ferred to Just one mile aud half 70 We orc
credibly informed, and having bid farewell 10
his companions, aud covered himself with dust,
betook himself sspeditiously 10 Fort Corcorau,