The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-16

True there also Irish organizations in tho
armies Of the Coniederaies; but this tact only Illus
loyal ana true the freshman 10 the com.
munny which gives him protection with liberty and
how thoroughly and completely he Identifies hims elf
flag We moro readily forgive them for by their
side fought many native born officers educated by
oath 10 support It. Besides something is 10 be par
doncd our friends OF foreign extraction IRON fact
Erin ever kept out Of fair tight which was taking
TIKI NORTHERN REGIMENTS
The Now York Sixty-ninth, under the gallant and
lamented Corcoran, was earliest In the held Within
less than ten days from tho lImo of the cali OF the
President assembled al the first tap vi the drum, Q
thousand strong, they were guarding the road that
was opened for the troops tho North from Annapolis
Nor was it the fault of the gallant Irshmen or Mas
sachusets that their brethren OF New York before
them, Tho State OF New York, with cosmopol-
titan lberality aud soderlike appreciation OF their
celence for war, had permitted distinctive Irish
CARNATIONS In their State militia, while Massachusetts,
with singular had six years before by the Gov
ernor OF u shortved party, acting under an unwise
and unjust prejudice, disbanded every OF her Irish
farther sighted military men, one OF whom hs pun
sned TO tho extent OF his power for opposing this
why THE NEW Yosx sIxrY.yISrH WAS DELAYED
But New York was not without her prejudice against
the freshman, and the Sixty-ninlh would have been
still earlier IN the field, but ITS colonel this
anniversary, under arrest and order for MARTIAL
because with true Irish ovc OF home and nation,
membering the wrongs oil the country OF tho parent
age OF himself and his regiment, he had refused to
parade bis command and don tho green plume and
low or the green flag before Prince Albert howard of
England on the OF his visit 10 America as If
condoning the many expressions and fragrant injustice
which lrshmen had suffered AT tho hands OF tho
crowned heads Of his family
COLONEL coRcoRAN
had also tho good fortune to command the only Irish
regiment that took part IN the first battle OF Bull Rum
and after series OF gallant and we'll sustained charges,
made by order OF the brigade COMMANDER, now the
general commanding the armies Of the United States
upon the batteries the enemy In which he lost his
lieutenant colonel and $50 OF his men, was personally
thanked on the Held by General Mcdowell, who was
When the fortune OF the day turned against our
forces Corcoran's rcgimcn forming part Of the rear
guard OF the lying troops left the field IN good ORDER
their colors nyng, and twice repulsed the charge OF
the enemys cavalry. In the latter Of which their CON-
mander wounded. and with two OF his officers
Captain Mclvor and Lieutenant Connolly, and some
thirty prvates fell into tho hands oi the enemy, and
as prisoners OF had still further honor being
the first recipients OF the courtesy OF the rebels in
Libby Prison
why ARE THE IRISH GOOD soLprERsP
What are the peculiar elements Of the Irish charac-
ter which enable them from general to private, I'll
to distinguish themselves as sodIersy
have already commented upon and shown their de-
voton TO every cause and under every banner for
which they have enlisted but even this has added
idiosyncrasy. An Irishman always TO ieSi, in
whatever army he Is enlisted, II IN some way he
was lighting the battles OF old Ireland and is always
cndeavoring TO put "the green above the red," tor
whether the nag to which he gives his allegiance bears
the red cross Of England the feur-de-ts tho tri-
color OF Franco, tho doubleheaded eagle OF AUSTRIA
pillars OF Spain gorgeous with gold or the stars and
stripes OF America, the freshman always manages, In
spite Of army regulations, in spite Of rule sol up
the golden harp OF Erin with Its green surroundings
his native hills seems ever present with him. Az u
rule, an Irish regiment never breaks. They always
sess naturally the first element which It is the Office Of
discipline to supply 10 the army.
A CHARACTERISTIC STORY
In speaking OF capabiliIy for discipline by no
means claim for the Irish soldier The acquisition
Of exactness IN the minuti@ Of dress and bearing
which is sought 10 be obtained by the martinez
1t is always very difficult for the freshman
to have every button OF his coat fastened,
his belt with :, the -, breastplate precisely IN
Nobody can enforce that The coat will always be
open, the belt awry and the cap tilted jaunty SIDE
wise or thrown backward-but still the main reQui-
sites OF discipline are in him. The Irishman
be made te touch his hat to his officer with the
cision OF tho German; but he Is polite and deierenal
TO officer II he respects him TOR his justice
him to place OF safety and comfort and nurse him
with the and tenderness OF brother. Indeed, The
Irish soldier seems to scorn all trng details and pre-
csion OF the parade, and makes them frequently
the subject OF his Keenes wit and brilliant reparee
l remember ut ono timc observing Ship Island
Irish captain drilling hs company, being very proud Of
them and their movements Drilling them under the
eye OF his general he was very careful that their line
should be perfectly straight and thor very
precise. Beng In the exercise oil his command their
depioyment as skirmsners the order gwen rally
on the reserve and when they came into line It had
not that precision that the captain would
liked to exhibit Ranging his eye along the front he
detected soldier the lott back half pace
grily, what you about there, Mike Lees Dress up
the lett ~ The order probably obeyed, accom-
ster through the commana Faith Captain 'a am az
well dressed yersili, barring he sword and SASH
Allow me another instance taken from actual lie.
which will illustrate precisely my meaning and show
you what good soldiers good officers may soon make OF
Irish recruits.
STORY OF TmE NINTH CONNECTICUT.
When the New England division was being recruit cd.
organized and disciplined az Camp Chase, Lowell
Governor Buckingham, OF Connecticut had recruited,
bu tn n cficuL
Owing to tho TACT that Its ranks were not flied its OIL.
GERS could not get their commissions, and tho troops
could not be mustered into the service OF the United
States, and special authority could DO exeried
them and they renamed Hartford Tor weeks, with
employ snvo that mischief the proverb tells
s'the devil dengnts 10 lind for idle hands to do" |
suspect they had become almost u terror 10 tho
uberance Of their spirits find vent, and, un
controlled ana undiscipined, they found IN many
roguish prank, which made them exceedingly unde-
srablc ncighbors; and although 10 the New England
division but iegiment had been assigned from Con.
necticut, Governor buckingham wrote 10 the general
commanding, asking him II ne would do him tho favor
TO accept OF the Ninth. "Certanly,r was the reply
81 Will send for them" They came ana their III
neighborhood reputation with them Increased M
disLunce ever magniics. On arriving at the rendez-
vous, near Lowell, tho city government at once
ir large force OF extra policemen TO control them
great was the teri or their presence excited
But once in camp where they were mustered into
the United states service, and obedience, discp pine
further trouble and the force OF policemen AT
disbanded. The lanented Cahll their colonel
made them hnc soldiers and not long aiterward they
removed 10 Ship Island, where, under the pre-
cept and example OF General Phelps, with all his &C.
centricties one Of the best dsciplinarians Of tho
army, they became one OF the best regiments In
Department OF the Cult
Upon the occupation OF tho city Of Now Orleans the
Ninth encampcd in Lafayette square, the midst
OF the fashionable portion OF the city, substantially as 1t
would have been IN Boston to have encampcd them
Chester Park. They renamed there encampcd part
OF the garrison OF the town Tor several months, wnen
IL became but just tho judgment OF the commander
to send them to the front and replace them WIN reg
iments that had been worn down by labors before
Vicssburg and lighting at Baton Rouge As tho high
evidence OF thor dscpI ana tho they
had established TOR sodery bearing and Tor propriey
OF conduct, whom tho order was promulgated Tor The
removal OF the Ninth, TO DO replaced by another New
England regiment, u petition was presented TO the
commanding general, signed by q1ue every house,
holder ot tho dwellings surrounding the square, pray
ing that the Ninth might be retained there because oil
their quiet behavior and soldcry conduct. and tho
safety the Inhabitants felt Tor themselves and families