The Irish standard., 1900-04-21

by Washington as senior captain, name
ly, ON Oct. ID, I775, Barry was en-
powered by the Continental Congress
to fit for sea the first fleet owned by
Congress. His commission bears date
Dec. 7, I775, and he was assigned to
the command OF the Lexington, which
was the first vessel purchased by Con-
gress. His commission bears date fi-
teen days earlier than did the COM
mission OF Ezekiel Hopkins and Abra-
ham Whipple, spoken OF by can Ameri-
can," for their commissions did not
issue until Dec. 22, 1775.
Commanding the Lexington, Capt.
John Barry made the first capture of
British vessel OF war, the Edward, made
by a regular American cruiser, and it
is set forth in "Preble's Origin of the
Flag" second edition. page 243, that
"The Lexington was thus the first YES
sci that bore the Continental flag to
victory upon the ocean,
LII NlSW vi lllC lSSudllSC 10 Dairy Oh
the first commission as captain, the as
signment to his command of the first
vessel owned by the Continental Con-
gress, his capture under the Nations
flag of the first British vessel of war,
his designation by President Washing
ton as the first senior captain of the
navy OF the United States, and that
being the highest rank, Judge O'Gor-
man was historically correct and per-
fectly justified in asserting that Com
modore Barry was the first admiral OF
the American navy"
AS to General Richard Montgomery,
can American" admits that he "was
born in Ireland" but asserts that he
"was not an Irishman." 1t is unfor-
tunately true that often an American is
really an Englishman, but such coup
ling with Montgomery would be wrong
to the dead FIe was born in Raphoe,
Donegal, Ireland. At an carly age he
entered the British army, served in the
French and Indian War, returned to
England, sold his commission, and
settled in New York Ridpath, in his
History OF the United States," Colum-
bian edition, page 3o5, speaks Of him
as ''born of an illustrious Irish family"
Service in the British army did not
deprive him of his Irish nationality. The
profession of arms was the only avenue
open to adventurous Irish youth. In
termarriage with the sLivingstons" and
settling in New York." as set forth
with such detail by can American"
did not make him less Irish. Intermar-
riageby the Irish with the prominent
families Of New York and New Jersey
of other races was not infrequent
General Moylan married one of the
daughters of Philip Van Horn, Colonial
Governor of New Jersey, and the
daughter of General Walter Stewart,
native OF Londonderry,> ireland, and
member of the Friendly Sons of St.
Patrick, married Judge Philip Church
OF Belvidere, N. Y, who was the grand
son of General Schuyler.
AS to Gen. John Sullivan, of New
Hampshire, it is true that he was born
in what is now Berwick, in the State
of Maine, but it is absolutely undeni-
able that he and his brother, James
Sullivan, Governor of Massachusetts,,
were the children Of Irish parents. The
then New Hampshire was largely set
tied by natives OF ireland. When the
British evacuated Boston, General
Washington named John Sullivan as
chief officer, and because of the day
he gave as the password "St. Patrick"
AS to General Knox and General
Wayne, let me respectfully submit each
OF them as witness against can Amer
ican." Even he will not question their
honor Both Knox and Wayne were
members of Society in the City of
Philadelphia whose constitution, which
each of them signed, required them to
subscribe to the truth of the statements
that they were either natives of Ireland
or "the descendants of Irish parents on
either side in the first degree" Neither
Knox nor Wayne could have joined this
Society, the Friendly Sons of St. Pat
rick, unless they were of Irish descent.
Both regarded themselves as "Irish-
men," and proudly wrote themselves
down for all time as such.
Wayne Joined when he was plain Mr.
Wayne, on Dec. 17,1774, and he did so
as the son of Isaac Wayne, native
OF Limerick, Ireland. General Henry
Knox, the first Secretary of War, be-
came member on March II, 1882, and
he joined as the son of Irish enigrants
from Belfast, Ireland. Who knew the
better whether or not he was Irish des-
cent, Wayne or Knox themselves, who
so subscribed themselves iii 17z4 and
1882, or can American" who writes
from Brooklyn in March, 1ooo?~
Judge O'Gofn1an might have added
to his list OF distinguished Irish -Ameri-
can commanders, Gen. William Irvine,
native of County Fermanagh, Ireland;
Gen. Walter Stewart, native of Lon
donderry, Ireland; Gen. VIM. Thomp-
son, a native OF Ireland; and Gen. Ed
ward Hand, native of Kings County,