The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-03-22

taph no Irishman-no cxiled Irishman.
like mc-could more justifiably aspire
to-
Fighting for the honor and integ.
rity of the Irish exile's happiest
proudest. and most prosperous home,
Thomas Francis Mcagher an Irish ex-
lie, died Mt the head Of the Irish Bri.
gade.'
"This is my last speech until the
war Is over, ,sand am perfectly will.
ing that they should be my dying
words"
AS we said before. we cannot follow
the glorious fortunes of the brigade in
their various battles. but we cannot
resist giving the following graphic nc
count, written by Capt. Field. of the
u. s. Artillery. Of how they won the
hattle OF Fair Oaks-their first en-
gagcmcnt-after two brigades had nj.
ready been rcpulse1:
"Now we saw Gen. Sumner ride up
to the Irish Brigade, but a bnre quar-
ter OF n mile Off on our right front.
We saw his hat of and his gray locks
barred, MS he evidently made n short
speech, probably the only one in the
old llcro's life. We learned after
wards that he told them they were
his last hope; II they fnilcd him, all
was lost; but said he, I'll go my
stnrs on You (pointlng to his shoulder
straps): ! want to sec how you Irish
men fight and when you run I'll run,
too
"A hearty cheer greeted his last
words, and the brigade moved into
the woods with the air Of men who
were going to stay. A fresh crash
showed when they struck the enemy.
For n few minutes the fire was deaf
cning; then it began to retire. The
yells gave way to long, continuous
cheers, and the battle of Fair Oaks
was won.
"Tt was an inspiring opening of
heroic history, and from that day Gen.
Sumner swore by the Irish Brigade"
Another incident connected with the
encounter Of the Eighty-eighth Regi-
ment, Of the Irish Brigade, with the
Louisiana Tigers Mt Malvern Hill, in
which the Irish used the butt ends Of
their muskets, and the Tigers their
| knives and pistols, fastened the bri.
gade to Gen. Sumner with hoops of
steel.
On the Seven Days Retreat some
muskets were lost or thrown away.
Every case that came to Summers ear
angcrcd him beyond bounds. When
one morning an officer of the Eighty
eighth came to him with requisition
for quite number Of muskets, Sum.
ner broke out violently, denounced BIT
terly men who would lose or abandon
their arms, and ended by saying:
"You shall not have those muskets,
sir; III take them all away from you
and make your men dig trenches.
Such men are not fit to carry arms"
you're mistaken there, General"
said the officer, calmly. "We've not
lost them or thrown them away"
"Where are they, then?" said Sum-
ner.
Outside, sir. thought maybe you'd
be wanting to see them"
The General went out, and found
pile of muskets with cracked and
splintered stocks, bent barrels, and
twisted bayonets.
"How is this?" said he.
"It's the Eighty-eighth, sir" said
the officer. '"The boys got iii scrim-
mage with the Tigers, and when the
bloody villains took to their knives
the boys mostly forgot their bayonets,
but went to work in the style they
were used to and licked them well,
SIR"
AS Sumner gazed on those speaking
witnesses of desperate pluck, his
rugged face softened, and, generous
as he was. hasty, he said few words
which warmed the hearts of every
Irishman in the army who heard them.