The Irish standard., 1900-04-21
Crushing Reply to a Writer in
New York Times.
IRISH HEROES OF The REVOLUTION
Brig. Gen. Stephen Moylan and
Gen. Montgomery.

The following interesting letter re-
Gently appeared in the New York Times
from NJ. J.. R. of Philadelphia:
In your issue OF March 2o appears
a remarkable letter, signed "An Amer
ican," which makes sweeping denial OF
the accuracy of some statements made
by Judge O'Gorman in his address at
the recent banquet of the Friendly
Sons of St. Patrick.
In that address President O'Gorman
is reported to have said that "the first
Admiral of the American Navy was
Commodore Jack Barry, an 1rishman, y
and he referred to Generals Knox, Sulli-
van, Moylan, Montgomery, and Wayne
as "Irishmen"
"An American" gravely writes that
"it would be difficult to get more mis-
statements into the same space than are
contained in the words quoted" and
then proceeds to deny that Barry is en-
titled to the honor claimed for him, and
that Montgomery, Wayne, Knox, and
Sullivan are Irish, and caps the climax
by asserting that 'the name of Gen
eral Moylan does not appear in the list
of generals of the War of the Revolu-
ton"
can American" has probably read
his list and learned his American his
tory in England where the school books
contain no mention OF the War of 1872,
or the burning OF the Capitol at Wash
ington by the English in 1874, and
where the children are taught "the rot"
that the war against the colonists was
prosecuted in defiance OF the wishes of
the English people.
For his Information, permit me to
state that Gen. Stephen Moylan, who
was a brother Of the Roman Catholic
Bishop of Cork, emigrated from that
city, of which he was a native, to Phila-
delphia, and in 1771 became the presi-
dent of the Friendly Sons of St. Pat
rick OF Philadelphia, ga society,""
George Washington wrote December
18, 1881, distinguished for the firm ad-
fherence OF its members to the glorious
cause in which we are embarked" (See
Sparks "Life of Washington" Vol. 9,
Page <13) Upon the breaking out of
the Revolution General Moylan volun-
teered for active service and was among
the first Pennsylvanians to join the ar
my at Cambridge.
On March S, 1776, Washington ap-
pointed him as one of his aides, and on
July S, 1916, he was elected by the Con-
tinental Congress Quartermaster Gen
eral of the Continental Army. This Of
flee he relinquished and became COM
mander of "Moylan's Dragons, and
on Nov. 3, 1883, he was made, by vote
OF Congress Brevet Major General.
(See Journals Of Congress, 1776 and
1882 In the list of officers of the
Pennsylvania line, as set forth in "The
Pennsylvania Archives" published by
the Commonwealth, Vol. 10, Page 2oS,
Second Series, Stephen Moylan is
named as one OF the Brigadier- Generals.
AS to Barry: 1t woud be interesting
to learn what justification can Ameri-
can" has for the statement that 'the
probabilities are he was not of Irish
blood" John Barry was native OF
Tac.imslhane, County Wexford, Ireland.
All his life, like Moylan, he was de-
vout Roman Catholic, and, like him, is
buried in the churchyard of St. Mary's
Roman Catholic Church, Fourth Street,
Philadelphia. 1t is true that the title
of Admiral was not created until the
Civil war. AS formal designations Of
rank, both admiral" and "Commo-
dore" did not exist until the act of
1862, and the latter has been entirely
abolished by the act of 1899, but their
equivalent in the sense used by Judge
O'Gorman, Senior Captain, was held by
John Barry. The title Commodore"
was given by courtesy whenever Cap
tain commanded more than one vessel
(See Messages and Papers of the
Presidents" Vol. X, p. 312.)
What are the facts as to Barry? Upon
the organization of the American navy
under the act of March 27, 1894, Pre-
sident Washington issued to John Barry
on July 4, 1894, Commission No. I, max
ing him senior captain of the navy of
the United States, the first and the high
est rank.
Earlier than this official designation