Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-07-15
THE IRISH BRIGADE.
Their Bravery when in the Military
service eff france.

The story of the Irish Brigade is one
of the most interesting episodes in the
history of the Irish people. Their ar.
dent military spirit, which was one Of
the results of their Celtic origin, had
been wasted through many centuries, in
savage feuds among themselves, or in
fruitless resistance to their invaders,
and when at length it had become dis
ciplined, under Sarsfeld and st. Ruth,
and acquired force which might have
yielded England the greatest service in
her ensuing wars, it was lost to her
through the intolerance which prescribed
the religion of a nation.
The laws of the period, which forbade
Catholics to bear arms under the En-
glish crown, blindly renounced all the
advantages to be derived from their de-
votion, and compelled the army of
James ii, when disbanded at the peace
of Limerick, to pass over to the conti-
nent and enroll under its various mon
archs. Almost every throne of Europe
profted by the bold hearts and stalwart
frames Of the buoyant sons of the
Emerald Isle, except only the one that
still nominally claimed their allegiance
while repudiating their services. 1t was
in France, however, that James army
was found principally to reassemble,
owing, probably, to the greater sympa-
thy of the Hibernian and the Celtic
temperaments, and there formed them
selves into a body, which soon became
distinguished under the title of the
Irish Brigade"
These gallant emigrants, who left be-
hind them all their social aud domestic
ties, carried abroad, with their untarn-
ished honor and their indomitable cour-
age, all their unconquersble gayety and
their undying love for their native
country. Almost as deep, however,
perhaps was their love for their native
music. So strong was it indeed, that
they refused to march to the French
tunes, and on all military occasions in
sisted on the use of their national airs,
a qualification that was conceded to them
though the same favor was denied the
Swiss. : For, this, however, there was
reason. The music of the RAM des
Vaches awoke in the breast of the lat
ter such passionate longing for home,
that it often led to desertion; while in
the poor Irishman, whose home was lost
to him, no such danger was to be appre-
hended.
During the course Of almost century
the brigade was enrolled in the French
army, and had an honorable share in all
the latters brightest achievements in
Flanders, Spain and Italy. Many in
stances of its staunch fidelity and its
daring, decisive courage might be quo
ted from the military records Of those
days; but one especially may be selec-
ted which, in its singular combination of
the heroic and grotesque, must be re.
garded as very nstional:
Cremona, besieged by Prince Eugene,
and defended by the French, was sur
prised one morning before dawn, and
would inevitably have been lost but for
the promptitude of the Irish. While the
punctilious aud ornate Frenehmen we're
deliberately buttoning up their regi-
mentals, the former, at the sound Of
their trumpets, jumped out of bed. and
simply staying to buckle on their cross
belts and cartouch boxes, seized their
guns and hurried to the square, where,
on forming in fighting order, their com
mander's words, Haltl-dressl" we're,
at least in one respect, superhuous.
Their Indifference to appearances on
this occasion was all the greater that the
period was midwinter, and the city was
near the Alps. In this condition they
we're charged by the Austrian cuiras-
siers. It was steel coats against night
shirts; but the linen trade Of Ireland
proved the more formidable Of the two.
The Austriaus were driven back, and