The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-14
IRISHMEN AS FIGHTERS.
Always Found at the Front in Amer
lean and English Armies.

lean and English Armies.
The appended letter and article are from
tbe Columbia, S. c., State The writer
nj the letter, Mr.. j. j. Griffin, is a well
known railroad man, who went from this
CITY in 1861, with the Oglethorpe Light In
family. Company B, Eighth Regiment,
Georgia Volunteers. Mr.. Griffin is an
lrshman and has a right to know about
The fighting qualities of Irishmen, as
there was no Drawer soldier in the South
ern Army than he.
To the Editor of the State: / herewith
big 10 hand you a synopsis Of the history
of the generals now commanding the Brit
isa troops in South Africa. This is not
given in any vain boast of the officers
for the reason that the writer has such
an exalted idea of the officers who he
served under in the Army of Northern
Virginia and who by comparison stand
Unparalleled in modern warfare. 1t is
unquesti0nably true if Jackson was at
Gettysburg a different page would be
inserted in the history of our country.
With equal force and propriety we might
add that if Johnston had not been reliev-
ed y President Davis in front of Atlanta
another and different chapter might have
ben written. Without depressing may 1
not indulge the hope that you will insert
the enclosed not only as a matter of
record but also for the youth of our coun-
try. Thanking you in advance, believe
me to be, with loyalty and devotion TO a
cause dear to every fibre of my body.
j. J. Griffin.
Eighth Georgia Regiment, A. N. V.
Sons of Mars.
The war in South Africa, as nearly all
wars do has brought Irishmen to the
front. Whenever there is a war the Irish
are likely to have a hand in it, and, as
the hero of Stevensons "Kidnapped''
would say, "Be'ant they dandy fighters?"
Col Blake, an Irish-American and a
graduate of West Point has been doing
some of the best fighting for the Beers
with his Irish-American brigade, which
numbers $500 men.
1t is remarkable to what extent the war
IS being directed and actually fought on
the part of England by Irishmen.
The Marquis of Lansdowie, the present
war minister is a native of the green isle,
and comes of an old Irish family. Mr..
Wyndham, the under secretary, who has
|created such a favorable impression in
that office, is a grandson of the Irish
|ra5el patriot, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, to
whom he bears quite a remarkable resem-
olance. Field Marshal Lord Wolseley was
born in Dublin. Field Marshal Lord Rob-
erts of Waterford and Candahar was born
IN India of a Waterford father and a
Iipperary mother. Lord Kitchener was
torn in Kerry General Sir George White
a from Antrim, Sir Francis Clery is from
Cork and Gen. French saw the light of
gay in Roscommon. Gen. KellyKenny is
also, as his name indicates, an freshman
Lord Methuen, who was defeated at the
battle of Belmont, is the descendant of
John Methuen, VINO was lord chancellor
Of Ireland in 170l, and who was afterward
very prominent in the diplomatic affairs
Of the times
wellington, who gave more lustre to
british arms than any man since MARI
borough, was an Irishman and the honor
roll Of British soldiers for centuries is
Starred thick with the names of men of
Irish birth
NO greater dash, galantry or endurance
ras Teen displayed by either English or
h.eF' in the present conflict than that
II We irish regulars and the Irish volun-
rsrs Who are battling for England. They
nav borne the brunt OF several of the
4eFcest lights Of the war, and the famous
DuoIn Fusiliers have sustained probably
d heavier percentage of loss from Boer
'ldn any Otner command.
HIshmen are not only famous for get
ns INTO wars, but also for getting into
ne very thick of them. The most decis- |
.te naltle ever fought in modern times,
H7 paiue in which England received the |
iu''t signal defeat ever inflicted upon her.
nIas fought at New Orleans in 1915, and
IIue victorious Americans were led by an
-iSh-American. born i'm this country a
WV snort time after his Irish emigrant |
aaqi rents had landed. And it is a remark
"H' coincidence that the gallant com
f', of the British in that battle who |
u dead in a desperate charge, Gen. |
Sgh' imam, was himself an Irishman.
''r ciVi war furnished some of the |
;" ~ splendid exhibitions of Irish Valor |
military genius the world has ever |
81 ihe names of Pat Cleburne, Frank |
diham and scores Of other Irish Con- |
,.I,Iaie generals are remembered with |
ta ,ude and pride, and the heroism of |
,e thousands of Irishmen who wore the |
cray is historic.
-ii ,ne North is as deeply indebted to Irish |
-'r,Al and ability as is the South. The |
sr ,''u army had no more stubborn fight |
IA 'V' one harder to whip, than Gen |
1'.''a' nor among all her officers was |
XXI more dashing or more dangerous |
n, than Phil Kearney. Philip sheri- |
lro, was irish TO the core and to the |
M. '- ninston loved and trusted his Irish |
,r,, because he always found them so
20 efficient and so true. lie relied
.,II' ny upon Mad" Anthony Wayne. |
gt''' wan and the other sons of Ireland
4 ~ 'ood by him and helped him nightly |
vt struggle for our independence
iIlsh soldier has made his mark i'm |
Ii, part Of the civilized world and in a
o'','el wars. The spirit OF republican
ilileht In South America received no
.a, IMPULSE, even from Simon Bolivar
.,,,. vas given to II by an Irish peddler
.". Higgins who threw away his
lo'..'N Argentine. tramped over the
Inns 10 Chile, headed a reyolutionary
o.,,, liberated the country and then
'"'l II well. And 20 this day The |