The Irish standard., 1911-05-06
James Gibbons Was the Brave Union
Soldier Who Returned First
Confederate Charge.
He Was Born in Galway, Ireland, and
Entered Union Army at Age
of Eighteen.
A Magnificent Bronze Statue Was
Presented to Him in Commem-
Grafton of the Event.

The first gun in defence of the
Union was fired OH this occasion by
James Gibbons, brave Irish-Ameri-
can soldier, who died some months
ago at Erie, Pa. He was a member
of Company e First United States
Artillery. MI. Gibbons was born in
Galway. Ireland, in 1888. He came to
the United States when but a boy,
and at the age of eighteen enlisted in
the Regular Army. He served with
credit in the Indian campaigns in Cal
ifornia, Texas and Florida. After the
settlement OF the troubles with the
Seminole Indians he was assigned to
the First Regiment, United States
Artillery, and was in Fort Sumter
when the Confederates called on Ma
jor Anderson to surrender. At the
command Of Anderson and Double
day, Gibbons pulled the lanyard Of the
forty-two-pounder that hurled back
the defiance of the Nations defenders
to the Confederate forces who held the
fort practically at their mercy unless
reinforcements promptly arrived. He
fired the first gun in defense Of the
UniC1ts.
Mementoes Of the Memorable Event
A magnificent bronze medal was
presented to the gallant Gibbons by
the New York Chamber Of Commerce
in commemoration of the event some
years ago. The medals were two
inches in diameter and beautifully de-
signed. They were executed by the
noted sculptor, Charles Mullar, who
was engaged five months on the work
On one side there is a relief of Gen
Anderson, and on the reverse the
words: The Chamber of Commerce
New York, Honors the Defenders ol
Fort Sumter. First to Withstand
Treason.
Mr.. Gibbons description Of the scene
is quite graphic and life-like. In re
calling the thrilling incidents Of the
first clash of the war, Mr.. Gibbons
said: "The Confederates opened OIL
us just before daylight with a shot
from Fort Johnson, that came singing
over our parapet. 1t was about two
seconds before another came along
and then another and another unit
aa't three hundred and sixty guns at For
Johnson, Fort Moultrie, and Cum
ming's Point were playing upon us
1t was about five o'clock when the
Southerners began firing. 1t was sever
o'clock, fully an hour after daylight
before we responded. We had only
two companies there, E and II, of the
First Regiment, United States Artil
lery. The men and officers numbered
seventy-one, and besides these there
were sixteen laborers in the fort. Capt
Doubleday had command of Company
+ and he was ordered by Major Ander
son to fire on Cummings Point Capt
Doubleday stood two feet behind me
as held the lanyard, and at his com
mand / pulled it. It was a good shot
for it struck the wall at the Point
but the next shot from the adjoin
ing gun was a better one.
carroII's Heroism in Engagement.
The Confederates had laid lot O
railroad iron along the ramparts, ant
one of the men was walking on the
slanting surface The shot struck thu
iron and the effect must have beer
prodigious, for the man who wa!
walking on the iron shot up into th1
air and fell outside the walls of thu
fort. One of the bravest acts l eve
saw, said Mr. Gibbons, describing thu
undaunted courage of an humble Irish
American laborer in the fort, happened
about ten o'clock that morning. A shell
from Fort Moultrie fell on the towe
OF our fort and rolled down to tn
ground. John Carroll, from Baltimore
followed it down, and was in the ac
of picking it UP when his comrade
called him to run away. Instead o
running away he coolly picked up tn
burning shell and threw it into
ditch, eHtingushing the fuse. Fo
this act OF bravery he was compll
mented by the officers and applauded