The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-22

was responded to in a like manner by tn
passing column Was this not gram
feature of the last meeting in arms o
the two historic armies?
IF you are from the Old North State
l would like to meet you. There was n
body of men more brave, and in all way
manly, than those she sent to that grea
ordeal. l accept with gratitude your goo
wishes for what you naturally conside
my declining years l do not feel tina
my years are declining, except as to thei
numerical remainder. In all that make
their value they are mounting. The bes
is yet to be- God grant it may be 81
with you. -
with high regard, truly yours,
JOSHUA l.. CHAMBERLAIN"
FRATERNITY AMONG THE IRISH.
And while on this subject of Comrade
ship am sure that no reader of The Ma
tional Tribune will dispute the statement
| that the Irish race furnished some of the
best soldiers of both the Federal and Con
federate armies. The Irishman is always
ready to cry with you in your troubles
or fight with you in your battles, and Nc
soldiers of this country, either North OF
South, fought with greater valor than did
the men of the Irish race. In this con-
nection permit me to speak of stirring
| incident which occurred at Memphis,
| Tenn, when the Irish citizens of Mem
phis were determined to prevent an Irish
regiment of the Federal army from pass
ing through the city. This Federal regi-
ment was Irish, Irish from the Colonel
down TO the drummer boy, and they car
ried the Flag of Erin" side by side with
old Glory" and felt and acknowledged
double responsibility in maintaining the
honor of both. The army records show
that it cast no discredit on either The
Colonel of this regiment was soldier by
profession. He was gray and grizzled,
and had a face so hard and rugged that
you felt you could crack hickory nuts on
it, but beneath this rugged exterior was
the tenderness of girl in the thoughtful
care of the men of his regiment. He had
served before the civil war in the I'd
Dragons, and had been a soldier of for
tune in both Mexico and Central America.
AS you will see before the story is I'm
ished he knew his business from alpha
to omega, and he knew the Irish char
acter from Cork to Londonderry. His
men, bronzed by the Southern sun, and
hardened by campaign, bivouac and bat
tie, marched with the free swing which
characterized the Army of the West. AT
ter service in the Tennessee and Missis-
sippi campaigns, this Irish regiment was
ordered 20 Join the forces under Gen.
Grant before yicksburg, where the siege
was then in progress. The men were
biyouacked outside the city of Memphis
diversions therein, none of which, how
ever, were. permitted to occur, as no pass
was granted, and not man was permit
ted to leave the biyouac- Early IN the
evening orders were received to march di-
rectly through the city to the levee,
where the steamboats, were waiting to
carry them south. The line of march lay
through a portion of the city where there
was a large Irish population, ali of whom
were intensely Southern in their synpa-
thies, and Federal troops had frequently
been stoned in passing through this part
of Memphis, which was known as Little
Ireland" and no welcome could be looked
for by Federal troops in that locality.
When it was known that an Irish u an
keel regiment was to pass through Lit
tie Ireland" there was great excitement
and the inhabitants gathered en- maSse.
From house to gutter the sidewalks were
packed with Irishmen, Irish women, and
Irish children, whose faces were darker
than night, and whose attitude their
hands behind their backs suggested that
every IrishmaR held brick, every Irish
boy held a boulder and every Irish woman
held a broomStick. Dislike, contempt and
hatred were in every face, and sulen 81
lence was the only greeting the approach
ing regiment received But the Irish
Colonel of this Irish regiment had trump
cards in reserve, and approaching the sui
ment when il seemed the first brick would
be hurled, the. Colonel gave quiet com
mand and the flags were swung free, the
green Flag of Erin" floating alongside
the STARS and Stripes" while at the
same instant the superb regimental band
struck up the Irish air
The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs as mute on Taras walls
Ase- =; 10 tGH
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory's thrill is o'er,
And hearts that once beat high for praise
Now feel that pulse no more"
The mob gave gasp, then gulped down
the hearts which had climbed up into
their throats, then gave cheer, and then
roar, and this angry mob became
shouting, welcoming throng, some embrac-
ing the soldiers in the ranks, some stand
ing with barred heads and streaming eyes
as the green flag OF Ireland marched past
alongside "Old Glory" The animosity of
today was swept away in the remem-
brance of the deep love of yesterday, and
there was a wild rush back TO their
many bottles of liquid cheer the popula-
ton of Little Ireland" followed the regi-
ment to the steamboat landing. swept over
the lines that had been established around
the regiment, and succeeded in convinc-
ing its members that blood is thicker than
water. Many an Irish soldier, as they
sailed away from Memphis that night,
had bullying pockets suggesting generous
sized black bottles therein, which they had
received, instead of the bricks, bOuldeFS,
and broomsticks they were promised.