The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-28
THE OLD IRISH BRIGADE
THE FLAG THAT WAS GIVEN AS
A TOKEN OF HERoISM.
How the Gallant Sixty-Third Faced
the Victorious Confederates at the
Battle Of Bull Run.


volunteers, that hangs in the larg
west parlor at the university of Notr
Dame. This regiment, commonly know
as the Irish Brigade, and commanded
by Brigadier General Thomas Francis
Meagher, was composed almost en-
tirely Of Irish Catholics from New
York City. In the early battles Of th'
war in West Virginia and Maryland
particularly at the first battle Of Bul
Run, the regiment distinguished itsel.
by such valorous deeds that the atten'
ton Of the whole country was called L
its brilliant work.
After the Union army was routed al
the battle Of Bull Run and the disor-
ganized and panic-stricken men were
pouring along the road leading to the
great bridge that spans the Potomac al
Washington, there were few regiments
that retained sufficient organization 10
be Of any service in preventing the
massacre or capture Of the entire Union
army engaged. One of the regiments
available for the purpose of covering
the retreat was the Irish Brigade. The
order was given to it to bring up the
rear, and the men grimly prepared
themselves for one Of the most brilliant
achievements of the war. Removing
all superfiuous clothing-in fact every
thing from the waist up-the bare
breasted soldiers faced the onslaught
Of the victorious Confederates, and,
when their ammunition was exhausted,
grimly received the charges Of the
enemy on their bayonets.
FLAG GIVEN IN TOKEN OF HERO
ISM
For this heroic work the regiment
was presented with a battle flag, which
it afterward carried into action in
every battle Of Importance fought by
the Army of the Potomac during the
civil war. The flag is five feet square,
of green silk, with a harp of gold liz
the upper left hand corner, and under
the harp the words, Irish Brigade
In the lower left hand corner is the
following:
Presented by the citizens of New
York to the Sixty third New York Vol
unteers Brigadier General Thomas
Francis Meagher, commanding. In
grateful appreciation Of their gallant
and brilliant conduct in the battle
fields of Virginia and Maryland in the
war TO maintain the national domain
and American union. November 1852. ;"
Along the right hand margin of the
flag. so numerous that they occupy the
entire width, are the names of the fol-
lowing battles in which the flag was
carried by the standaTd-bearer of the
regiment:
Fredericksburg. Charlottesville,
Yorktown. Fair Oaks, Gaines Mill,
Aliens Farm, Savage Station, White
Oak Bridge. Glendale, Malvern Hill,
Antietam, Gettysburg, Bristoe's Sta
ton"
The flag is literally shot into ribands;
its edges are torn and serrated,- and
through the body of the flag are in
holes that show the passage
of bullets. The trophy is enclosed in a |
beautiful oaken frame with a glass |
front, and is an object of curiosity and |
interest to hundreds of people who |
visit Notre Dame with the primary |
object of seeing it.
In the battle of Fredericksburg the |
Irish Brigade lost more men killed and !
wounded, in proportion to the number |
Of men engaged in battle. than any |
other brigade, not only in America, but |
in Europe, in a single battle, during /
the last fifty years. One-thifd of the /
men who entered the battle were dis
abled or killed outright.
ABSOLUTION TO A BRIGADE.
The state of New York put forth
great efforts to purchase this flag from
General James Brady, into whose Gus
tody it was given. but he refused, oW
ng to his own inclination and the de-
sires of the survivors of the regiment
TO present the trophy to the Very Rev
William Corby chaplain of the brig
lde during the war. The devotion of
The priest to his men and their ~reat
owe for him made possible one of the
iublimest scenes during the great strife.
At the battle of Gettysburg orders
we're given for the Irish Brigade TO
harge. Amidst the shot and shell of
he enemy. standing on a large rock, a
arget for any stray bullet, Father
1orby gave the entire brigade general
bsolution-the only time that general
dissolution has been given on battle
ield in America.
The brigade stood in column of regi-
nents close in mass. Father CoTby
TODD on a large rock in front Of the
,rigade. Addressing the men he eX- !
,lained what he was about to do, say
lg that each one could receive the ben
fit Of the absolution by making a sim
ere act of contrition and firmly resolv-
1g to embrace the first opportunity of
his sins. urging them to do !
heir duty. and reminding them of the
igh and sacred nature Of their trust
S soldiers and the noble object for
-hich they fought. The brigade was
landing at order arms" AS he closed
is address every man. Catholic and /
on-Catholic, fell on his knees; with
cad toward the brigade Father Corby {
ronounced the words of the absolu- =
on.
The scene was more than impressive
it was awe-inspiring. Near by stood {
brilliant throng of officers who had
to witness this unusual oc- K
Irrence, and while there was pro-
,und silence in the ranks of the Sec
I'D corps. yet over to the left out by II
he Peach Orchard and Little Round
op, where Weed and Vincent and
- u IL. L.
e rose and swelled and re-echoed
trough the woods, making music more
lblime than ever sounded through Il
lthedral aisle. The act seemed to be
harmony with the surroundings =.
here was not a man in the brigade y
no did not offer up some kind Of a
aver. For many it was their last;
ey knelt in their grave clothes. In
IS than half an hour many of them
ere numbered with the dead OF July . \.
A. r. POST IN A RELIGIOUS
ORDER. T
In 1865, after the close of the war, A
3ther Corby was made president
the University of Notre Dame, and
1866 was made president of the uni
.rsity Mostly through his efforts the A
A. r. Post al Notre Dame was ID
ganized. This post is unique among .
rand Army posts, for all of its men,
rs are religious, belonging to the
der of the Holy Cross. Among these
ligious warriors are some who have ~
tanned great distinction The Very ~
~. William Corby was the first COM IN
ander and died shortly after the post
as organized. ii
General William A Omsted. the
esent Commander of Notre Dame D'
,st. has brilliant war record. He r,
tered the service in April. 1861, as
ptain Of Company B, Second In W
ntry, New York Volunteers. He was !.
omoted to be lieutenant colonel of OF
E Second New York infantry on June II
1861, at Big Bethel, and afterward So