The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-01-22
HIS MILITARY CAREER BEGAN As
COL OF THE \. Y. GOTH.
he ANSWERS The CALL OF LINCOLN
MS REGIMENT AT BULL run THANK.
ED BY GEN. M'DOWELL,
The HERO IN A SOUTHERN PRISON
PRESIDENT LINCOLN MADE HIM !,
BRlGADIER GENERAL.


Gen. Michael Coreoran, the fearless
and dashing lrish-American officer of
the Union army, was born in Sligo
county, Ireland His father, Thomas
Corcoran, was an officer in the British,
army, and on his mothers side he was
a descendant of the Earl Of I.ucan
whose title and estates were conilscated
on account OF the Earl's noble defense
OF Limerick in the Seventeenth Century.
When 10 years old he received an ap-
polntment on the Irish Constabulary
but his love for his native country
burned SO strong in him that he could
not brook the thought of wearing the
livery Of the oppressor, and he resigned
his commission in 1S49 and came to the
United States. He made many friends
IN New York City, and after becoming !;
citizen received an appointment in the
postofflce and afterwards In the Regis
ter's office. The military career OF Gen
Corcoran may be dated from the time
he united with the gallant Sixty-linth
He developed unusual military talcns
and was promoted rapidly. In August
1853, he was chosen colonel of the Sixty
ninth regiment. Since that time his
name was closely allied with that of his
regiment; indeed they were, synony-
nous.
An incident soon occurred which made
Gen. Corcoran famous all over the co,ln-
try. The Prince of Wales paid a visit
to this country in 1860, and toadyisM
was paying enthusiastic court to roy.
atty. Receptions and reviews were the
| order of the day, and among other feat
ures of the celebration when Albert visit
| ed New York City the militia was or,
| derd out. The colonel of the Sixty
ninth received orders to parade with Is
| regiment in honor of the heir to Eng-
lands throne. But Col. Corcoran re-
| called the long centuries of oppression
endured by his native land at the hands
of England. and, doubtless, also the con
f1scation Of the estates OF his patriotic
ancestry for the crime of defending the
dasC StrGIglNld of lrelands power
INST the oppressors. To the aston.
ishmcnt of his military sureriors hl4!
the ineXpressbl, scandal Of the Prince
worshiping toadics, Corcoran refused 20
parade. He had not forgotten" s,ys
the Annual Encyclopaedia, chow Mig
land had prosecuted and oppressed his
conntrymen, and declined to do homage
to the son of a sovereign under whose
rule some OF the most worthy sons oi
Ireland had been banshcd. In this he
was consistent with the spirit and prin-
ciples of those heroes of Limerick from
whom he had descended and was fully
sustained by the gallant corps he com
manded."
For this treason" he was subjected
to trial by court martial, which was
long and contested upon his part with
true Irish spirit and Independence, and
was still pending when tho civil war
broke out.
When Fort Sumter waB fired upon
Col. Corcoran wrote Il letter calling upon
1rishmGn to stand by the flag of tho
Union and the sacred principles It in.
volvcd. On April IS, 1861, two day1
after the firing on Fort Sumter, Prcs-
dent Lincoln issued a proclamation caIl,
ing for $4,000 volunteers to suppress the
rebellion. The ranks Of the Sixty ninth
at this time were not full. Col. Cor,
cor;tn's letter acted as magic. Irish
Americans by the thousands fockcd tc
Col. Corcorans standard, and so great
was the number that thousands had tc
be refused enlistment in the Sixty-ninth
On April %, eight days after Prcsi-
dent Lincolns proclamation, the Sixty
ninth, 1,13O strong, marched down
Broadway to the Battery, cheercd by
half million of New York City's innui,.
itants, and with the Stars and Stripes
beside the green flag (prcscnich short
time previously by the citizens of New
York to the Sixty-ninth in apprccia-
ton of his action in declining to parade
before the Prince Of Walcs), and en-.
barked on board the james Alger and
sailed for Annapolis, Md. They reached
Annapolis on the 2Gth and were assigned
quarters in the Naval Academy. Twt
days after ward they received orders K
march for Washington by way OF the
railroad, which had been destroyed, and
which it was their mission to repair ana
defend as they marched over 1t to tho
capital.
Their services were so well apprcci.
ated by the government officials that
on the day Of thnir arrival in the city
Cen Spinner, af:crward treasurer of 1h'
United States, addressed the following
letter on their behalf to the secretary
Of war:
THE SiXty-ninth New York Regiment
will be here today MAY 2). The resi-
ment has, as you know, been on active
here to Annapolis, and has, Of course
, - 4 4 - NJ : ~