The Irish standard., 1898-01-22
Capt. Michael Whelan.

Michael Whelan. communicated Of
Levi Butler Post, G. A. r., was one of
the boy soldiers of the union army. He
served throughout the rebellion. having
enlisted in September, 1861; and, the day
after Lee surrendered at Appomattox,
he was only 20 years old He was a
member of the famous fighting, Twenty
fourth Massachusetts and has the hon
or of being one Of the fororn hope of $50
men that made the night attack which
led to the capture Of Fort Wagner, in
1863.
After many narrow escapes he was
wounded in the left thigh at the battle
of Druary's Bluff. May H. 1864, and was
for eight months confined to the hospi-
tai and hobbled about on crutchcS.
After his recovery he was transferred
to the Veteran Reserve corps and was
discharged No. Is, 1865.
Commander Whelnn was born April
10, 1S45. at Bristol. England, where he
spent his boyhood, coming to the Unit
ed States in 1857 at the age of H. lie
attended the grammar schools Of Bos-
ton until 1861, when, a lad of l6 years,
we'll grown, he was mustered into the
United States service. He became a pri-
vato In Company I, Twcnty-fourth
Massachusetts infantry. Sept. 81. 1861,
and went with his regiment to Join The
nf Rnr Sf, Ia
In gaining a foothold on the Atlantic
scabonw Of the confederacy. Command
or Whelan was with the Burnside OK
petition to Roanoke Island and New
in the siege OF Folly and Morris Islands,
S. c., and, after the two failures of the
Third New Hampshire and the Ona-
hundredth New York to effect a lodg-
ment. he was one Of the twenty-five Sc
lected from Company |. Twenty-fourth
Massachusetts. to join the forlorn hope
of $50 picked men of that regiment de-
tailed to capture a little sand dune,
upon which the union forces waldcd to
plant gun. The attack was ordered
at twilight, Aug. 2G. 1863; of the twenty
five men who jumped ovqr tho union
breastworks to run that famous race
under IL murdcrous fire of shot and
shell, eight of his comrades were killed
before they had struck the ground They
had less than thirty yards TO run, but
one-third of these brave $50 men fell
before they reached the desired goal.
Commander Whelan was one Of the
fifty men who led the attack and c.
men who reached the top Of the sand
dune had carried with them shovel
for each man and no sooner had they
reached the desired SPOT when they
Wcro commanded to shovel fer their
lives In IA trlcc each man had dug him
self a hole in the sand. These were
soon united and formed quite an extend
cd hrcastwork. The Twenty fourth
Massachusetts held the field in spite Of
a wicked fire from the enemy, and the
gun was planted which forced the final
evacuation of the terrible stronghold
that had withstood the siege of army
and navy for over two years.
In 1863 the regiment to which
Commander WhcIan belonged re-
enlisted at st. Augustine, Fla,
and in January, 1864, after 80 days,
f,rlough, it Joined Gen. ButIor's forces
at Yorktown. Va. 1t took part In tho
capture of Bermuda Hundred in May,
1864, and during the same campaign,
May ID, 1864, in an attack In Drury'a
Bluff, Commander Whclan received The
severe wound which practically ended
his military career Over half year
in the hospital and on crutches was
followed by a short service in the Vet
cran Reserve corps.
Commander Whclan joined Washing
ton post. No. 80. G. A. r., at Boston, il
1870 and in 1887 became Il member Of
Levi Butler post, of which he is now
commander He was senior vice-cOm-
mandcr last year Commander Whclan
IS at present deputy collector Of The
United States internal revenue in The
district embracing EIcnnupin, Anoka,
Wright and Mecker counties, Of this
state.