The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-09

French had well night B exhausted their
strength in vain efforts to check the steady
and destructive advance Of the Englishvet-
erans upon the village Of Fontenoy. DUO
Richelieu hurled mass upon mass OF in
fantry upon the steadily advancing English
column under the Duke OF Cumberland,
but all to no effect So hopeless seemed
the effort to check their progress that Louis
had decided to leave the field. But then:
it was that Gen. SAKE ordered up his last
reserve-the Irisn Brigade. This was the
signal for Dame Fortune to turn the
scales. The great bravery of the Irish
corps sealed the fate Of England's S army and
won the day for France. The Irish brigade.
on this memorable occasion consisted Of the.
regiments OF Clare, Lally, Dillon, Berwick,
Roth, Buckley, O'Brien and Fitz James
horse. After the French had failed to check
the onward march Of the British column,
the IRISH were ordered to charge them; and
charge they did with right good will; bear
ing. down everything before them IN their
mad rush to avenge their countrys wrongs.
An historian describing the struggle relates:
t''They were led to immediate action, and
the. stimulating cry Of sCu!mhnigiah ar Lu-
imneac argus ar pheile ma Laesunvch. Re;
member Limerick and British faita) was
echoed from man to man. The fortune OF
the field was no longer doubtful and victo-
sry most decisive crowned the arms Of
France. The English broke before the Irish;
bayonets and tumbled down the side OF the
hill, dsorganized. hopeless and falling by
hundreds. The Irish pursued them until
the victory was bloody and complete It
z. kteok %fo& "
Louis rode down to the Irish hivnuac and
personally thanked the Irish for their BRAY
cry. And it is related that George III, on
hearing Of the defeat Of the English. ex-
claimed: "Cursed be the laws which de-
pr;ye me Of such subjects" !" ',ris true the
victory was bloody one and cost many
true Irish lives, but 1t was glorious VIC
tory and has taught the world the true cal
ibre of the Irish soldiers. Well might the
poet exclaim:
"On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, like eagles iry
the sun,
With bloody plumes the Irish stand-the
field is fought and won.''
These are only few of the blilliant achiev-
ments Of Irishmen abroad, and were we to
attempt to render due homage to each and
every "soldier of fortune" who won dis
,tirct;on in foreign lands, our task would be
rather lengthy one.
But some of the names which adorn the
pages OF history claim our special atten-
ton. and it would be unpardonable to pass
them by unnot.ced.
First among those whose memory has
been revered, and the subject Of whose
deeds has been the inspiration of gifted po-
cts, is the great Sarsfield. His very name
has become a household word in every Irish
family. The remembrance Of his exploits
and heroic death causes thrill OF exulta-
ton to yibrate in the bosom of every true
Celt Yes! Irishmen can point to him with
pride and exclain1: There was q warrior!
There was soldier whose eminent qualities
fitted him for the manifold duties Of militia
ry life After the fatal termination of the
English revolution, Sarsfeld, at the head of
numbers of Irishmen, entered the service Of
France, and there for three years this noble
exile fought tile battles of Louis, winning
the unbOunded admiration OF the French
people.
Following in the footsteps of Sarsfeld
ccme the great Lally. Who has not heard
Of this Irish martyr in the servise of France?
His wonderful military career has been the
theme of numbers of Irish bards It is SAID
that at the early age of s years his father
brought him to the military camp at Girona
that she might at least smell powder in
order to gain his first step in the service.
For amusement during college vacation his
indulgent parent caused him to mount the
trenches at Barcelona :n 1714. AS was to
lie expected this sort Of early training de-
ye.oped iii the young Lally an extreme
taste for. the military profession. And it's
not to be wondered at, when In later years
we find him winning such distinction as TO
be styled "the very soul Of an army" by
Frederick the Great.
Of the renown Of the Longs and Richard
Talbot Earl of Tyrconnell, history has re-
corded much Their wonderful achieve-
ments both in the world Of diplomacy and
on the field of battle are familiar to all.
Coming down to our own day 1t is not as
tonishing to find so many eminent Irish
men standing high in command in the great
armies of the world? Marshal MacMahOn,
who died so recently in France, is an; illus
trious example OF what the descendants of
an Irish exile can achieve. 4 In what strug-.
gle have Irishlnen figured more prominent
" than in the great American Wars?s There
fought side by side Commodore Barry, the
father of the American navy; Sheridan,
Sherman and other distinguished Irish gen
erals. And last but not least the forme-
most commander in the British army, the
noted Genera. Wolsley, lis an Irishman. #
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