The Irish standard., 1894-05-05
WAR NJ E NJ ORIES
Survivors of the Irish Brigade
Legion and Various Other
Sister Commands

1
CELEBRATE IN NEW YORK,
Archbishop Ireland Addresses the
Veterans of the Gallant
| Sixty-Ninth.
The Sixty-ninth Regiment Veteran
Corps, in which are included survivors
Of the Irish Brigade, Irish Legion and
| various other sister commands which
fought with and were born Of that fam.
GUS lighting regiment, celebrated the
thirty-third anniversary of their march
down Broadway for the front, on Mon
day evening, april 23), at the Colum1
bia banquet hall, Union Square, says the
Irish World. The occasion was memoir
sble because of the presence of His
Grace, Most Rev. John Ireland, d. D.,
of st. Paul, and on account of the pre-.
sentation of the veterans by ex-Judge
Richard OGorman Of the old colors,
which have been in his possession since
the close of the war. The record of the
regiment is long and glorious one. y
was first organized and commissioned il
the National Guard of the State of New
York Nov. i, 1852, with Col. Bowe al
commander, and Col. Michael Doherty
of 48 fame lieutenant commander, It
was then entirely supported by the men.
In 1855 Col. James r. Ryan took charge,
and under him it participated in the
Quarantine War" dnring the cholera.
Col. Michael Corcoran, who had been a
captain, succeeded Ryan, and under
him the regiment sprang into national
Importance. It had attained very fine
standard when the Prince OF Wales
came here in 1860, and being called up.
on by the Governor to join IN welcoming
the heir to the English throne, there was
nothing left for Corcoran to do consiat,,,
emily, but refuse. This refusal caused
his arrest, and the excitement over it
was intense. He was still in prison
when Sumter was fred on. With the
news of Major Anderson's surrender
came call from President Lincoln for
$4,000 militia to aid him Gin suppressing
combinations against the law, too pow
erful to be suppressed by the ordinary
course OF judicial proceedings" Public
meetings were held in every hamlet in
the loyal States-the determination to
avepge TIE insult to the flag was univer-
sal, and the sixty-ninth, with whom the
feeling was as intense as with the rest
was placed in peculiarly trying position
The misunderstanding between Col.
Corcoran and the Governor was quickly
settled by an understanding between the
former and the National Defense Com
mittee, of which Thurl Weed was
chairman, by which the committee re.
commended the squashing Of proceed
ings and the release of Oorcoran in the
face of the graver crisis in which was
involved the furtunes of the Union The
effect of Corcoran's release was electric
The regiment had never exceeded 600
members. In less than two days the
roster contained the names OF 1900
able-bodied men-1,0O0 being the full
quota-the surplus being got rid Of by a
system of tickets distributed much the
same as in lottery. There was never
such 23d of April in New York as was
that of thirty.three years ago. The Six
ty-ninth formed on Great Jones street,
the men who could not go because the
ranks we're crowded, actually weeping.
Judge Charles P. DAILY, the same who
was present and spoke at Monday night e
commemoration, just before the order to
march was given, presented Col. Corco-
ran with two fags-one made by his wife
and the other from the Irishmen of San
Francisco, and with these waving proud
~, amid the cheers of the multitudes,
the men marched down Broadway. The
departure as we'll as the return has been
made the subject Of historic painting
At Broadway and Canal street Archbish-
op Hughes gave his benediction. Flow
ers strewed the path. Behind Col. Cor
coran marched men like Captain (now
colonel) James Cavanagh, Capt. Thomas
Francis Meagher with his Irish Zouavee,
Capt. Charles g. Halpine miles O'Reil
ly), Capt. lnow Col) Thomas Lynch, and
Eothers like Coils. Coonan and Quinlan,
whose heroic records are the heritage Of
the irish race.
Col. Corcoran was the hero, of course,
No oonquerer ever received such an ova-
tion for the Irish heart beat in sympathy
for and with him because Of his recent
trials rs well as for the cause he repre-
sented that day. The subsequent history
Of Oorcoran is practically that Of theregi-
ment.
The first forward movement into Vii.
ginia took plaoe On the Gath of May,
The5 Siixty.nin ~ posted at Arlington