Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-08-29
CHAPLAIN
Experiences of Father Nash i'm
South With Billy wilson's
Zouaves.
Won Love and Respect of Sol
diers by Bravery Under
Fire.
Never Took Furlough and Par
ticipated i'm Regiments
Battles.
With HIS BOYS TILL The end
BY James A. Rooney. LII. ID

Or all the Catholic chaplains wht
served during the War of the Re
Delllon Few had more trying expert
ences during two long years in III,
extreme South than Father Michae
A. Nash, S. j., who volunteered a,
chaplain of the Sixth New Yorl
Infantry, better known as "Rill,
| WILSON'S Zouaves," and who died a
Troy, N. Y, September 6, 1895, II
his SEVENTEEN year.
He was not two years in th,
priesthood, having been ordained al
Paderborn, Germany, where he fin
ished his studies, August IS. 1859
when, on June 5, 1861, he was mus
tered into the United States service
as chaplain of one of the toughest
regiments that ever left New York
put whose love and respect he wor
as well by his bravery under fire as
Dy mis- self-denial and devotion Ia
the interests of the soldiers.
During the regiments two years
service in the South it participated
In all the engagements at Santa Ross
Island, Pensacola, Forts McRee ant
baracas. East Pass and Milton. Fla.
as well as in the serious operations
at Fort Hudson, Irish Bend and
Bayou Vermillion, La, and in all the
fierce engagements and lombard
ments, the awful marches under a
tropical sun and tie many trials Of
camp life in the South, Father Nash
Dravely stood to his post to the end
and came home with the regiment tc
be mustered out, June rs, 1863.
In the Woodstock Letters" there
is an interesting series of communi.
cations to his superiors containine
his experiences during his service
He also wrote regularly to Mrs. John
Farrell, still living in Brooklyn, and
to Mrs. Moynahan, whom he adj
dressed as his Dear Mother" Both
OF these ladies were old family
friends and from sheaf of his faded
letters to them, now before me,
quote the following passages:
Writing from Santa Rosa, Fla.
under date of October 80, 1861, he
says: "In the last bloody engage
ment 1000 of the enemy fell upor
our sleeping camp, set fire to oul
tents and poured volley after vollel
into us as we ran, half dazed, from
the flames. The bullets whistled b,
my ears like mosquitoes. Still oul
boys held out and, turning the tide
| pressed the enemy, who lost 800
men. The poor fellows fell thick ant
fast about me, either wounded OF
killed, and l had more to do thar
ever before. l found a Corporal OF
my regiment wounded and PROSTATE
on the field. AS bent over him hi
said: % father, is that you? an
going fast. / am not a Catholic, but
l want to be baptized / knew the
lad well and he begged me piteously
| not to leave him. | soothed him anC
loosened his grasp on my Goa
sleeve, for had to get water. l rar
to the beach and soaked my hand
kerchief in the sea water and hurried
back in time to pour enough on his
pallid brow to make him a child Of
God. The pursuit of the enemy was
over at noon and no one had broken
his fast We made coffee and ther
began the awful preparations for the
burial of the dead. There they lay
by hundreds, covered with blood anC
wounds, uniforms torn and nc
collins to encircle their limbs, nc
affectionate wife or tender mother
to shroud them, but after militar!
usage they were consigned to tn,
earth with my poor prayers, Just al
they were found upon the battle
field, only that the Southerners wer,
separated from our men and al
available names and addresses takei
and duly recorded. The muffle'
drum and the doleful fife SOUNDED
their requiem. Oh, how easy II wa
for me to preach their funeral, tire
out as / was"
In twenty such letters simila
scenes are recorded. He tells of tn
camp life under the broiling sun; o
many battles. bombardments an,
skirmishes; of the loss of his vest
ments; of a trip of 500 miles to &
to confession; of his temptation L
ask for a furlough TO go North 70
a rest and his resolution to sticl
by the men for whose sake he hai
Joined the regiment; of their Low
for him and many touching incident
of the hardships they endured. III
evidently returned their love, for Il
after life he would never let anyon
say anything against "his boys"
Father Nash never took a fur
Tough. He came home with mi
boys" as stated, prepared for sue
other duties as might be assigned I
him. In his early years he wa
among the Jesuits who left Kentuck
in 1916 to take charge of st. John
College, Fordham, where he file
the post of project. and after IN
war and seventeen years intermis
sion he was again appointed prefec
at Fordham. He also served a
preacher, missioner and teacher unit
1874, when he was sent TO Troy
N. Y, remaining there fourtee
years. He celebrated the golde
jubilee OF his admission TO IN
Society OF Jesus while spiritua
father at Holy Cross College. WoI
cester. Mass, and later returning /
Troy ha AfaA fAara QnnfauahQr