The Irish standard., 1893-08-05
THE IRISH IN WAR.
A Writer in the Illustrated Ameri-
can Dwells Upon the Glory
of Celtic Valor.
THE BATTLE OF CREMONA.
The Austrians under Prince Eugene
Repulsed by Major O'Mahoney
and His Heroic Band.

It is a favorite coudeecension Of Sas-
senach spe kers at St. Patrick's baEquets]
to stihe the celebrating Celts with the
yelled sarcasm: "You have conquered
every country but your own, how strange
that you have never turned your great
powers to lre]and!" lrishmen listen to
this faint praise, this hardly civil leer,
year after year, and cheer the satiiist to
the bottom Of the bottle, says writer in
the Illustrated American. When Rome
had made civilization trust and held
all kL own lands under the rod, it was q
favorite amenity at feasts a d in social
circles to laud the Greeks and confess the
superiority Of Hellas to all existing peo-
pies. just before great wars-or wars in
which the Briton finds that his purse is
going to be tiiled-the heroism Of the
Irish is topic exploded With cynical
fervor. The wonders they performed
under the flag of'St. George are recount
ed, and the names Of battles and places
arrayed in long lines that involve a new
study of the earth's surface.
Recently there was an animated, vehe-
ment discussion going on in metropoli-
tan journal as to the presence and num-
ber of the distinctively Irish engaged in
Buruside's blundering onslaught upon
st. Mary's Hill, at Fredericksburg, in
1868. Not long ago some querulous
"American" secuted the inspiring Incl
dent that preceded the immolation Of the
Irish Brigade near the Devils Den at
Gettysburg. The lending regiments
were aligning to make charge or to-
meet the swarming ranks in motion be-
fore them. As if by instinct, priest
fed ahead OF the forming phalanx, mo-
tioning the leading color-sergeant to
raise the flag; then, holding up his hands
in the attitude of benediction, he dropped
on his knees and raised his voice in prayer.
So careful an historian as the writer of
the Count of Paris's history of our civil
conflict declares that the line Of battle
sank silently upon it's knees and for one
iLexpressible moment war and piety
stood face to face. But next moment
full half the devont solaiery were laid
low; but they had not prayed in vain,
died in vain. The rebel hosts, fired by
an equal love, equal valor, a serener con-
fidence--for' they had the prestige OF un-
checked victory-were battled, withered,
scattered. The Irish who couldn't win
a conquest at home could destroy the
Texan daredevils of the audacious Hood.
This, like all other evidences of the Irish
devotion to alien interests, is now, like a
hundred score others, questioned, CO.
gently disproved, and readily denied.
THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH ARMIES.
There are three hundred years of just
such denial. In 1860 there we're from
"a, 900 to 10000 Irish refugees in the ar
mics Of France, while 10000 other Irish
unfortunates swelled the armies of Eng
land or King James. After the treaty of
Limerick the official existence Of "The
Irish Brigade IS recorded in state papers
and the actual glory Of the body attested
in scores IF historical papers. OF the
hundred battles and the fifty years cam
paiens in which this astonishing pha-
lanx took part, it would require vol
ume to tell in full Two or three cpl
sodes, which even in an age of military
dared eviltry rang through Europe, will
prove that the disputed intrepidity of
the Irish in the war between the States
was heritage, not an accident to men of
Irish blood. 6
THE STORY OF CREMoNA.
In 1902 the city of Cremona was the
headquarters of the French army. The
town, like all cities in those days, was
commanded by citadel. The Austri-
ans under the renowned Prince Eugene,
we're completely checked while the
French held Cremona. Marshall Vii
leroy, the commander-in-chief of the
French, was fribble who knew little Of
war and the Germans made little ac-
count Of him. Arthur Dillon and Wal
ter Bourke, in command Of 600 men of
the Irish Brigade, held the principal
gate Of the city opening to the bridge
across the Po.
Prince Eugene, who never desplsed
treason or arifice to gain his ends, cor
rupted friar to open passage between
the cellar Of his house and q sewer that
emptied into the Po Villeroy main
tanned no discipline. Before daylight on