The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-15
THE 1R1sH IN THE REvoIUrroM.
Tho revolutionary Arsnieu Largely Composed
or 1rtahunen b. Dirth or Descent.

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To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: New
York In the Revolution" n work recently COM
piled and published by State Comptroller Rob
orts under the auspices OF tho Legislature. which
gives the names OF the soldiers OF the different
regiments and organizations Of the State that
participated in the battles for independence, has
created considerable surprise and comment, In
asmuch as 1t shows n high percentage OF Irish
names In the rank and file that did the fighting.
This surprise. l noed hardly say. is confined only
to those unacquainted with the history OF tho
Army OF tho Revolution, and to that class OF
people whose prejudices seem to be their partic-
ular heirloom.
Evory student of the history Of that stirring
period lie familiar with the fact that there were
good and Trustworthy grounds for Gen. Lee's
reply to Gen. Robertson that half the Cont
mental Rebel Army were from Ireland" 1t is TO
be regretted that the size rolls of the regiments.
in which the places of birth of the soldiers are
given, arc not obtainablc, but In a careful and
conservative examination of tho rolls of tho
separate regiments In Comptroller Roberts's
book II Is found that the percentage Of distinctly
Irish names is over thirty.flvc. New York at
that period was hostile toward the Irish, and
they had boon einigrating more numerously TO
the more Southern States, and in the regiments
from tho latter we find a much higher per.
contagc.
The famous Maryland Line. washington's
favoritc soldiers. whose gallant and heroic ac-
ton at the battle of Brooklyn drew tears OF sor.
row and admiration from the great General,
were almost entirely composed of 1rishmen or
Col. Daniel Morgan's Virginia Rihrmen were
LARGELY composed Of Irishmen. LOSING tells us
in his Field Book" that when they arrived in
boston, in July, ,l7I5,. the New Englanders
their presence on account of their nationality.
These riftemen attracted considerable attention
because OF their stature and their sure ana
deadly aim. On the uniforms covering their
breasts they wore the motto :, Liberty or DEATH"
Col: , organ and his men did yeonanry work.
or them 1t was said: They served everywhere;
W.. T.. I. Safell's Records of the Revolu.
tion gives the names OF 10000 officers and
privates of the Revolutionary Army. and one
need but glance over the list of names to be
convinced that the sons of Ireland did their
share in winning the independence Of our be-
or the soldiers from Pennsylvania n very large
proportion were Irish. excluding tho German
Muhlenberg, whose statue, with that OF Robert
Fulton, the son of the Irish ~laborer. stands
in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washing.
Ruishcd citizens of the Keystone state. The
sizo roll OF the eight companies OF the first
regiment of. the Pennsylvania. Line, taken
from the original book kept by Lieut..Col. Full
l%erton. ,Adjutant of the regiment from 1882 to
December, 1888. now in tho Pennsylvania His.
that composed tho regiment 315 were Irish. 221
native born. 20 English, 55 German. % Scotch.
and tho few o hers from different countries. II
this is an index. certainly half the soldiers of the
Pcnnsylvania Line in the Continental Army
were IRISH.
The patient and truthful research which is
being made by careful and unprecedented men
into all tho historical facts bearing upon tho
Revolution is bringing to light day by day tho
fishing our glorious republic.
NEW YORK, March ~. DANIEL PHELAN.