The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-06-30
Flower Of the English Army was
Repeatedly Repulsed.
MEN OF IRISH BLOOD PARTICIPATED
The Conspicuous Bravery Of the
O'Briens from Maine.

The Americana Historical Soci-
ETY. had a notable celebration of Bunker
Hill day on June 18. Exercises were
held in Winthrop square, Charlestown,
at noon, and in the evening there was
banquet in the United States Hotel
AT Winthrop square beautiful wreath
was placed upon the memorial tablet in
honor of the revolutionists of Irish
birth who lost their lives at the battle of
Bunker Hill. An Grafton was delivered
by Attorney Thomas F. O'Malley Of
Somerville, who said in part:
To-day we meet in pious and patriotic
commemoration of great deed per-
formed here 125 years ago. Today we
stand in the midst of great nation,
proud, strong and free. All is Joy around
us. But let us turn back century and
a quarter in the book of time What
a scene was enacted here. The hill
crowned with hastily constructed re-
doubt, and held by an undisciplined and
unframed yeomanry-farmers, with
their fowling pieces and but little ammu-
nition.
"a brilliantly appointed army ad-
vancing to the attack and stor1ning the
works, supported by cooperating ships
and batteries; the blaze Of the burning
town, coursing whole streets or curling
up the spires of public edi6ces; the air
above filled with clouds of dense black
smoke, and the surrounding hills, fields,
roofs and steeples occupied by crowds
of spectators. What strange sounds
came to the ear-the shouts of the con-
tending armies, the crash of fallen build
ings, the roar of ship guns and mortars
and the rattle of musketry.
"On one side we find the high cour-
age of men stalking their lives and repu-
tations on the uncertain issue of a civil
war, and on the other the reflection that
defeat meant the final loss to Britain of
her American empire.
"You know the story of that battle
how the flower of Eng1and's army were
repeatedly repulsed; how in the moment
OF desperation the regulars laid aside
their knapsacks, moved forward, rely
ing on the bayonet and their artillery to
carry the day. The American fire slack
ened, the ammunition was expended,
there were no bayonets, and the oncom-
ing regulars were met with clubbed mus
lkets and stones. The fortunes of the
day were reversed, and, technically
speaking, it was British victory.
"The Americans lost in killed 14o, and
in wounded 271, captured 3o-in all,
AL. The English loss was 226 killed,
1913 wounded-total, 1854.
"In comparison with other battles, so
far as numbers go, Bunker Hill was but
a skirmish. But in results it was of the
utmost importance. Before the engage
ment there was some hope, perhaps
some chance, for peaceful settlement
of existing difficulties; but, after that
memorable day, all were for war and
independence. Bunker Hill was the be-
ginning of the end of British domination
on the western continent.
"The fight Of June II, 1775, was hu-
manity's battle. 1t was fought by men
of all nationalities, but they were none
the less Americans. The Saxon OF Eng
land, the Celt of Ireland and the black
man from Africa poured forth his blood
on that field in order that liberty might
be the heritage of all. Blessed be their
memory, peace to their ashes, and may
we never be unmindful of the sacred
trust given in our care"
There was a representative assem-
blage of the society's members at the
banquet Hon. Thomas ]. Gargan,
president of the society, opened the
after dinner exercises with an address.
He said:
zone hundred and twenty-five years
have passed since the memorable battle
OF Bunker Hill, commemorated by yon-
der tall gray shaft at Charlestown, fa-
miliar to us all from early boyhood.
We knew the story of that fight before
we knew the multiplication table. Nom
inally British victory, yet victory
purchased at such fearful cost to the
victors as to inspire the colonists to be-
lieve that ultimately the triumph would
be theirs.