The Irish standard., 1913-07-05

shot of each other, and between them
lay the valley of death. Over that
valley Pickett rode in that immortal
charge which for courage and hero
ism has few equals in history; in
that valley and up the slopes Of
Cemetery Ridge and Round Top
some of the bravest generals that
ever led an army gave up their lives
or were borne wounded from the
field: O'Neill, Rourke, shenill, Cross,
Weed, Reynolds, Zook, Willard, Sick
les, Hancock, Barlow, Tyler, Warren,
Stone, wister, Smith, and on the
Confederate side, Pender, Garnett,
Armsted, Jones, Hood, Heth, Sem
mes, Barksdale, Kemper, Anderson,
Pettigrew, Scales. And while calling
the roll of inustrious leaders; the
surviving veterans will pause beside
the nameless grave and shed a tear
for the unknown hero in the rank and
file, who barred his breast as fearless
ly as his leader to the rain of death.
No useless coffin enc1oses that
breast, no marble tablet marks his
last resting place; but thesHirviving
veteran remembers how those name
less heroes bore the brunt OF the bat
tie and how gallantly they fell.
And as he recounts the names
made immortal by the battle Of Get
tysburg the old soldier will recall the
matchless bravery Of the Irish Bri-
gade, commanded by the intrepid Col
onel Patrick Kelly who charged the
Confederates sheltered by rocks and
belt of wood, and defeated them af-
ter desperate struggle. It was one
of the most important engagements
during the progress of the battle, and
it will stand in American annals, re-
minding the student of the ancient
glory of the Irish Brigade that
charged at Fontenoy, Ramalfes, and
over the bloody field of Neerwinden.
The record of the Irish Brigade at
Gettysburg repeats the story of it's
own valor at Seven Pines, Marie's
Heights and Antietam. There was
glory enough for all engaged at Get
tysburg, and no small share of it be-
longs to the brave men of the Irish
thns ess i gallant ~. patfis
oe56 lrtshr1en carried the green flag
through the smoke and flame of that
awful carnage, in manner worthy
Of their prcudest ancestors. And at
the mention Of this brigade one re-
members Father William Corby, G.
8. c., the courageous chaplain who
in the face of death, with the bullets
of the enemy wftstling around him,
stood before the brigade and gave
general absolution to the soldiers.
Here is the testimony of modern
writer to his heroic acts: "It was
at Gettysburg during the terrific on
slaught of the Irish Brigade that
Father William Corby Of Notre Dame
university became an immortal hero
OF the fight when amidst shot and
shell and dreadful cannonading, as
the men stood ready for the fatal
rush to death and victory. he, as their
chaplain, proposed giving his Cath
olic men general absolution. Stand
Ing unffnchingly in front of the Irish
Brigade drawn up in the serried col.
11ms of it's six stalwart regiments,
Father Corby made brief but i'm
passioned appeal to his Irish breth-
rem to remember their great and
eternal captain, Jesus Christ, and
exhorted them to make as perfect an
act of contrition as possible for the
sins of their entire lifetime. Every
1rishman fell on his knees and struck
his breast, reciting with fervent heart
the act of contrition. The flags were
dropped. Even the non-Catholic Off
GERS including the immortal Hancock
stood moved, with heads uncovered,
reverently attentive during this af-
fecting scene. Father Corby raising
his eyes heavenward and stretching
out his right hand, while the men re-
peated their prayers, pronounced in
loud firm voice the form of absolu-
tion of the sacrament of Penance. Be.
fore Father Corby had completed his
absolution fire, flame, smoke and
grapeshot surrounded the form of
the fearless chaplain, but unmoved
he remained at his post and his Irish
men knelt to the very finish in hui
mility and in true contrition for their
sins. In less than an hour thousands
of these patriotic Irish exiles were
corpses on the plains of Gettysburg" ("
Side by side with the story of Faith
er Corby should be placed the death
less record of Colonel Patrick Henry