Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1900-01-31
IRISH IN THE BRITISH ARMY
AT THE FRONT I'M BATTLES OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

-
war exceptionally large iand distin-
guished services.
For the purposes OF this article one
may lay aside the fact that the great
field marshal who Ia nov at \the cape
Is OF the Irish race, and that hisSamous
chief OF stan, Lord Kitchener. h' NOT
wholly free from Irish association
since his youth was passed amid the
Wilds OF Kerry.
But this. at least, Is directly and COM
lspicaously In evidence: That circum-
stances have somehow conspired to
place I'm Irish hands n remarkably
large share of the defense Of the virile
and hard-pressed colony CT Natal The
colony is proving Itself precious
Jewel in the British crown. and irish
men are guarding II with all that mag
lmfcsnt sclf-aacrihce and valor which
arc proud traditions OF the race.
lSirsG George White Is a native Of Coan-
Inv Antrim, his family residing in the
lneighbofhood icf Rallymcna, and the
OfAngemenIof that district rise TO en-
lthusiasm whenever Sir George makes
! gallant sortie from Isadysmith, while
/ Irishmen in London we're glad 70 en-
4 terrain him when he was last here.
Coming to The lighting masses, IL is mo-
table that ireland has furnished ten
regiments 20 the war. Seven OF them
lare fighting in Natal-Genersl Gatacre
has two aud General French one. The
Hist is as follows:
Fifth Royal Irish Eanccrs,' in Lady
smith 'f
Sixth Enniskillen Dragons, in Cape
Colony with General French.
4 First Royal Enniskillen Fusileers, in
Natal with General Butler.
First Royal Dublin Fusileers, with
General Butler.
Second Royal Dublin Fusileers, In
jLadysmith As- Hasa
First Royal Irish Fusileers, the rem
nants In Ladysmith.
Second ROYAL Irish Fusileers, with
General Butler
First Conhaught Rangers, with Cen
eral Butler.
Second Royal Irish Rifles in Cape
Colony with General Gatacre.
First Royal Munster Fusileers, with
General Gatacre-
Here are 5000 men at least--regi-
ments which are almost entirely Irish.
The MINISTERS come chiefly from Kerry.
Cork and Limerick. the Dublins from
the home counties and the Royal Irish
tFusileers from the northeast Of Ulster
while the Connaushts hail largely from
. the West.
They found no trouble in swelling
their ranks The Connaughts went
away 917 strong. the First Dublins
numbered 1904 and the Enniskiller
, lFusileer Battalion reach 1923.
They have suffered greatly. being in
! the forefront OF most OF the Natal
= lighting. At the battle OF Colenso the
2 four Irish battaliOns which were en-.
i gagged account for more than half the
7 losses, They had "a officers and mer
> killed and 535 wounded OF missing. The
z Dublins had 40 killed and 27S wounded
or missing; Of the Connaughts "a were
:, killed and 1870 wounded or missing; th'
! First Enniskillens had IS killed ant
e l93 wounded OF missing.
e But the splendid records OF thes'
s three regiments tell OF more glorious
, sacrifices. For instance. at Waterloo
/ the EnnlskiIlens suffered the heavies
q losses Of all. They saved the centre o
y lWellingtons line on that historic day
II and every officer OF the regiment an'
d. two-thirds OF the men lay dead o.
l. wounded on the field OF battle. 81
u George White. Il may be noted, was
g subaltern in that regiment when, NOR
" than 40 years ago, X paraded in tn
~ Puniab before the young officer who i
now Lord Roberts.
D. or the Connaught Regiment II nee
g. only be said that In its century's ex
er istonce IL has served the empire il
e, every part OF the world-EurOpe Asia
p Africa and America. In the peninsula
"a war alone its losses exceeded 500 q
Ia.aI. IL. IL
pc the smashing Boer defeat at Elaud
rs l.aagte Il was an Irish calvary regimen
ne the Fifth LaDcers. which charge
Is. through the flying enemy In the daih
= ness and cut them up-thc only tim
that our cavalry has got into thei
IN midst. The dashing stylc in which III
Second Dubhns and the First Roys
d, Irish Fusileers stormed tho Bpa
OF stronghold on. Talana Hill. the Dublin
In being first into the intrenchments, sur
Is plies one OF tho thrilling enisodes {
e. the campaign--as Yules night marc
N. out Of Dundee, led by the Dublin
through the dense darkness. furnishs
~ one Of the weirdest. and as the subs,
gu quent misfortune Of the gallant Faugl
pc a-Ballaghs at Nicholson's mex const
ne tltes one OF the saddest.
m One must know the traditions
:. these -Ballaghs--hcw tho reg
n ment. for instance, as may be read
no the history Of the peninsular war. co
ne, cred itself with glory under Lol
ng Cough, and was In recognition styl,
ed the Prince OF Wales Own Irish F'usi
!, GERS Ito understand the fierce sorro
which swept their ranks when tn
OF found II necessary TO surrender 10 Il
Id. Beers.
for AS for the Second Battalion Of Il
nj. Duhlins. the "Old TouEhs," Il ran
among the most renowned which wea
ny the queens uniform. It's records
lei hack three centuries; Il boasts one
be- the greatest marches on record;
md history runs like a thread through Z
Dli- history of the conquest OF India I
:. 200 years
al A MAGICAL LIFE SAVER IS !