The Irish standard., 1918-12-14

knowledge with pleasure and graft
| tude, that the Irish nation has pro-
duced patriots who have nobly distin-
guished themselves in the cause Of
humanity and America. y"
"Our peaceable assemblies, for the
purpose of consulting with respect to
the common safety, were declared Sc
| ditious. X = The wild and bar
barous savages of the wilderness were
solicited by gifts to take up the
Ratchet against u.s."
(The savage Ghurkhas were recent
ly CHARTERED on the city of Dublin.)
"* = Accept our most grateful
Acknowledgements for the friendly dis
positions you have always shown to-
wards us. We know that you are not
without your grievances. We sympa-
thize with you in your distress"
Irish Patriots.
It is quite evident that this appeal
for sympathy was not misplaced from
the part taken by the Irish in win
ming the War of independence.
We find that the first act of war,
antedating even Lexington, was COM
mitted by the son of County Liner
lex 1rishman, John Sullivan, one of
the representatives at the First con-
tinental congress. Sullivan, with a
number of companions from Ports
mouth, N. H., on Dec. II, LIZA, sur
prised Fort William and Mary at New
Castle, made prisoners of the soldiers
who guarded it, and carried off the
military stores which it contained.
These munitions proved valuable &C
QUESTION to the men who, half a year
later, fought at Bunker Hill. This ex-
plot is regarded, by the best authori-
ties, as the first act of war against
England.
The first stroke against British sea
forces was delivered by Jeremiah
O'Brien, native of Cork, in Machias
bay, off the coast of Maine, early in
May, 1775. British ships had been
sent to lay waste the coast in re-
venge for the defeat of the army at
Concord. One of them-the Marga-
retta-put into the bay. O'Brien, with
his five stalWart sons, all haters of
tyranny, summoned their fellow citi-
zens, and boarding sloop, captured
the British vessel. Three of the
O'Briens, jeremiah, John and William,
continued in the naval service of the
republic until the close of the war.
In speaking of naval battles, the
name of "saucy Jack" Barry, father of
the American navy, must not he
omitted. Born in Wexford, Ireland,
he followed the profession of the sea
from his youth. In February, 1916,
he left the Capes of Delaware on his
first cruise as an officer of the Amer
lean navy. This was the first armed
continental ship that went to sea. On
April II he fell in with the British
ship Edwards, which he captured
after sharp action. Victory coming
after victory, the British commander
caused an offer to be made him of
$4,000 and the command of British
ship of the line, if he would abandon
the revolutionary cause. But the faith
full Irishman spurned the proposal, in
dignantly replying, II have devoted
myself to the cause of my country,
and not the value or command of the
whole British fleet can seduce me from
it," After having been appointed to
the command of the Alliance, the fin
est frigate in the service of the re-
public, he encountered British ship
whose commander hailed. him with the
question, what ship is that?" Imme-
diately came the reply, "The United
States ship Alliance. 'Saucy Jack
Barry, half 1rishman, half Yankee
who the - are your Barry con-
tinued as senior officer at the head
of the navy until his death.
Many Of those who signed the inn
mortal Declaration of Independence
had Irish blood coursing in their VEINS
| oOAAA A4oASOSh, Iu0 I'll
Signer," was of Irish descent. William
Whipple of New Hampshire was of
Irish parentage. Matthew Thornton,
also of New Hampshire, was born i'm
Limerick, Ireland, in 1714. Robert
Treat Paine of Massachusetts was a
lineal descendant of Shane O'Neill,
the Proud, of Ulster. James Smith of
Pennsylvania was born in Ireland in
1713; George Taylor of Pennsylvania
was born in Ireland in 1716; George
Read of Delaware was the son of John
Read, born in Dublin, Ireland; Thorn
as Mexican of Delaware was the SON
of native of Ireland; Charles Car
roll of Carrollton was the grandson
of Charles Carroll of Kings county,
ireland; Thomas Nelson of Virginia
was the grandson of a native of Ty-
rome, Ireland. The father of Edward