The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-04-03
ceasingly exerted to incite resistance
against Great Britain. It was Byron

against uitdt DIlIdlus ~ WdS oyAOA
who wrote:
And If we do but watch the hour
There never yet was human power
Which could invade if unforgiven,
The patient search and vigil long
OF him who treasures up a wrong.
The distress, anger and shattered 10y
atty of the colonists presented to the ex-
fled Irishmen in America the coveted
opportunity for vengeance against their
British .oppressor. The day for retribu-
tive justice was at hand. The massa-
cres of Cromwell, the destruction OF
Irish trade and the cruel penal laws
that disgraced England's government of
Ireland during the eighteenth century
had driven to the colonies tens of thous-
ands of hardy Irishmen, every man OF
them a rebel at heart, intensely devoted
to the cause of liberty and to the politi''
cal interests of his new-found country.
This army of exiles, ready, with their
sons, to do battle against their heredi-
tary foe, were an inalculable source of
encouragement and strength to the fee
BILE but determined colonies. In every
engagement from Concord to Yorktown
the Irish exiles sealed with their blood
their love for the land Of their adoption
and their hatred of the common op
pressor. Well might Lord Montjoy,
many years after, in moving for the re-
peal of the Irish penal code, startle tho
British parliament with this bitter ex
clamation: "You lost America by the
Irish"
The Revolutionary War was precipi-
tated at Lexington April 10, 1775. Even
| among the little band Of "embattled
farmers" who ""ired the shot heard
round the world was Hugh Cargill, a
native of Ballyshannon. He had emf
grated just one year before. Together
with a citizen named Bullock, he saved
the records of the town from the Eng
lish soldiers. But even before this date
Major, afterward General, John Sulli-
van, had won fame by daring exploit.
Having heard that the export of gun
powder from England to America had
been prohibited, Sullivan, in company
with John Langdon, led successful ex
pedition against Fort William and
Mary, near Portsmouth, N. H., and
seized one hundred barrels of gunpow
der, fifteen cannon and many small
arms, which within a year We're used
with deadly effect against the English
at Bunker Hill. Sullivan deserves a
high place among the Irish officers who
served in the colonial army. He took
part in the siege of Boston, and was
made a brigadier general in 1775; he
was a major general a year later, and
distinguished himself at Germantown
and Brandywine; in 177S he held the
chief command in Rhode Island, and in
| 1879 he led the expedition against the
! Six Nations, which resulted in the over
| throw of the most complete organiza-
ton of Indians ever affected on this
continent This exploit averted the pos
sibility of future horrors like the mas
sacres Of Wyoming and Cherry Valley.
| In this State of New York we have four
monuments, marking the route of his
| troops in that celebrated campaign, and
| one. of our counties is named in his
honor. The thanks of Washington and
the Continental congress-, embalmed in
our records, attest the magnificent serv-
ices of Sullivan to the American colo
nies.
| And now we must glance for a mo-
ment at a more tragic and pathetic pic
ture.. In revolutionary history there is
no more thrilling chapter than that
which tells the story of our ill-starred
invasion of Canada and the death of
Gen. Richard Montgomery, which re-
counts his capture of Montreal, his
march in the dead of winter down the
st. Lawrence with a comparatively
handful of men, and his assault upon
the frowning citadel of Quebec, the Can
adian Gibraltar. It was at the dawn of
the new year, 1776, that a cannon shot
extinguished this heroic life. OF the
many sons that Ireland contributed to
the patriotic army none is more affec-
tionately remembered by the American
people than the intrepid Montgomery, a
native of Donegal.
| Gen. Daniel Morgan, the hero of the
Cowpens, was a native of Ballinascreen,
County Derry. His victory over Tarle-
ton was one of the most striking incl
dents of the war. With 500 troops,
largely recruited of Irish-Americans, he
defeated 1000 English soldiers, and each
| of his men brought home prisoner.
Other Irish officers were Major Steph-
en- Moylan, a native of Cork, command
er of Moylan's dragons; Gen. Edward
Hand, a native of Kerry, one of Wash
ington's most trusted officers; Gen. Will
liam Irvine, of County Glare; Gen. An
drew Lewis, of Donegal; an able and
! conspicuous soldier; Gen. William Max
| field, of County Longford; Gen. Rich
ard Butler, OF Kilkenny; Gen. John Rut-
ledge, a brother of the signer of the
Declaration Of Independence; Gen. Wal
ter Stewart and Gen. Pichens. And
this by no means exhausts the list.
Turning from the land to- the sea, we