The Irish standard., 1913-01-25
DID THEIR PART TO
PRESERVE THE UNION
Fifty Years Ago or More in Every
City and Town Thousands of
Sons of Erin
Gladly Enlisted in Defence of the
Flag Under Which They Had
Found a Refuge.
Charges of the Irish Troops at
Marye's Heights and Freder-
icksbure Recalled.

icksbure Recalled.
Francis Measher OF New York was
recruiting the regiments tnat were
destined TO make up tho famous
Irish Brigade" In New York City
alone threo regiments, the Sixty third,
Sixty-nintll and Eighty eighth. were
daily filling up their ranks with new
men from all parts OF 'llo state; in
E"ston tho work of raising the Twen-
'y-cislth Massachusetts Regiment
Was well under way, and IN Philadel-
lhla the organization of a pennsyl-
Nan'a regiment WIS heins considered.
LII IL hundred cities and towns sons OF
Erin were taking up arms in the
cause of the flag under which they
lhd found IL refuge: In L hundred
cities anu towns the organization OF
regiments. which in the struggle OF
the future were to battle with the
green flng Of ireland beside the colors
of the Union. was already IN progress,
and the advance guard OF that ar,ny
%: nearly one hundred aud seventy
five thousand men Of Irish Firth who
fought for the Union was beginning
TO tllrong the recruiting centtrs OF the
North.
.-Ihas QffiasEs. 4sfs
| Formed the Nucleus Of the irish
Brigade.
Meagher was not u novice in the art
of finding good soldiers, fer he had
! Helped to raise ard had served as a.
captain in the New York Sixty-ni.ltl,
Colonel Michael Corcoran':. regiment.
which had fought at Bull Fun. When
TIC three months volunteers wer.
call for three-year men was issued ty
! President Lincoln, the boys Of the old
SiXtyzlinth rn-enisted almost to ~
man. IL was among tho officers of
this regiment, which formed the nu-
clcns OF the Irish Brigade, that the
! i'.c;l originated for creating such
body. ....
Mraglcr WAS appointed 10 consult
the authorities at Washington, and
found that tho plan OF the new Fri
gaslc met tho hearty approval Of the
Secretary OF War. On August 80
Measller received the following letter
/ from Thomas A.. Scott. the Assistant
Secretary: ''Sir: The regiment Of in
| fantry known AZ the Sixty ninth In
fantry, which you offer. is accepted
for three years, or during tho war,
provided you have 1t ready for march,
i, ing orders In thirty days You are
further authorized to arrange with
tic rolonels commanding the other
four regiments to be raised tc form q
Brigade, the Brigadier- General for
which will be- designated hereafter"
| Welding tho Recruits into 4 Fighting
| Force.
! Meashcl. and his fellow officers at
once plunged into the work that lay
before them. To tho sixty-ninth were
added the Third Irish Volunteers"
subsequently the SiXty-third New
York Regiment. which had already
been accepted by the Government; the
Eighty eighth New York Volunteers,
otticered by men of Meagher's old
company in the Sxty-ninth. and Nc
Mahon and Hogan's Batteries. Then
came the great task Of drilling and
organizing the men at Fort Schuyler.
From carly morning until we'll into
! the twilight hours, the sharp word OF
command rang out within the walls
OF this harbor fortress as company at
te, company was brought ort tor in
struction. This (Fort schuyler) was
the alma mater Of the Brigade" wrote
Captain D. p. Conyngha:n one Of
Nea sher's aids. where it learned its
A. B. c. Of military tactics. Here
friendships were formed to he severed
only by death. Here they were Wis.
tied by their wives and children, and
many pleasant day passed over in
sweet forgetfulness Of the past and
hope Of the future l}sy--4
To one man alone-Thomas Francis
! Mcagher-this forgetfulaess Of. the
past was blessing. Born in 1926 to
considerable wealth. the son or Q