Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-22
STATUE OF FATHER cORBY.
Movement for = Monument 60 a civil
wal ChapIain.

= " - ONNhA
war ChapIain.
NOrRE DAME, Ind. Feb. IA move.
ment has been started In Philadelphia to
erect a monument on the battlefield OF Get
tysburg to Rev. william Corby. C. s. c.,
who served as a chaplain through the en-
tire civil war. II Is the intention OF those
most nearly interested that the monument
shall stand everlastinsly as a tribut To
the strong devotion Of the chaplains to
the soldiers during the terrible years of
civil strife and incidentally commemorate
one Of the most striking acts Of religion
that ever took place on any battlefield
the giving OF general absolutIon to a whole
brigade Just before they entered battle.
The Gettysburg Memorial commission.
which has as president Genera st. Clair
Mulholland. who was an officer in the
regiment OF which Father Corby was chap
lain. has the erection Of the statue in
charge and Is pushing the project vigir-
ously. The plan already has the warm
endorsement of Cardinal Gibbons, Arch
bishop Ryan Of Philadelphia, Bishop
Shanahan OF Harrisburg and Bishop
Canevin of Pittsburg. all OF whom were
among the early contributors.
h modelling Of the statue will b en-
trusted to Samuel Murray. a sculptor OF
eminence in Philadelphia. who was sculptor
Of the Barry statue in that city and who
designed and executed the memorial arch
erected by the state OF Pennsylvania TO
soldiers Of that commonwealth who fell at
Gettysburg. The statue OF Father Corby
will be Of bronze. eight feet high. and will
represent him giving absolution. The priest
will be shown wearing the uniform of a
captain OF cavalry, which was his rank.
1t Is the hope OF the commission that the
statue will be ready for unwilling on July
10, 1a4e. when the grand memorial arch will
be dedicated. The statue will cost $1,000.
At the beginning OF the war Father Corby
was appointed as chaplain Of the Eighty
eighth New York infantry. one OF the regi-
ments of the Irish brigade. Previous to his
appointment to the ch~aplainacy Father
corby was serving as a professor in the
University Of Notre Dame, then struggling
for an existence in the weeds of indian
When war was declared Rev. Edward
sorin. c.. S. c.. founder of Notre Dame.
called his young priests about him and
said there would be need OF chaplains for
the soldiers. Although he could i'll spare
from the duties In the new colleges any Of
his young professors, he believed 1t was a
patriotic obligation to- make sacrifices in
order that Catholic soldiers might have the
benefits of the priest in fighting for the
union. Accordingly, ne chose six Of the
priests and sent themssVay to the front.
Father corby was one of these six who
left Notre Dame. lr'
His career during the war has been mod
estly told in q volume by himself called
Memoirs of a Chaplain Life" He served
with fine effect during the entire struggle
and merited the praise OF all the com
manders whom he met. to say nothing OF
the love he inspired In the hearts OF the
men in the ranks. When the war was over
he returned to Notre Dame and resumed his
place az professor. He was twice president
of the university. and at the time Of his
death, in 1891. he was provincial Of his order
In America. The battle flag OF the Irish
brigade was presented to the university a
few years before he died, the living officers
and men declaring that this precious relic
should be preserved near the spot where
lived their Old chaplain who had loved and
to the men who fought be-
meath II.