The Irish standard., 1919-03-08
ONE-HALF OR THE SOLDIERS OF THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION WERE IRISH.


vention at Philadelphia OF Feb 22-23. Michael 7.
OBrien, Historiographer OF the Amercan-Irish
! Historical Society, makes notable and valuable
contribution to question that has long been sub
lect OF public controversy-the extent of partcipa-
ton in the Revolutionary War by men of Irish birth
or descent. Hitherto the question might be regard
| ed as OF merely an academic or educational con-
Germ, but now, when Ireland is appealing to
America tor her powerful and perhaps decisive sup
port at the Peace Conference it assumes more
practical and interesting aspect The greatest single
force that animated the people of the United States
in entering the world was the universal SYM
pathy of our people with France rather than Eng
land. 1t the call of LAFAYETTE from his tomb
that brought our armies across the Atlantic and
handed the key to our whole resources of men and
materials to the Allied cause; and there is no finer
message in Our history than that of General Persh-
ing when he said in France: Lafayette we are
here"
But Ireland, too has tremendous claim upon Our
gratitude and support, the British propaeandists
to the contrary notwithstanding, and it is with the
1u and adequate appraisment OF this claim that
MI. O>Brlen devotes his address. In this connec-
ton he exhibits number of photographs of
original documents taken from British official and
other sources tending to show from the evidence
OF the enemy the deep and trouble caused
to them by the activities of the Irish in behalf of
America.
In reference to the claim which has been often
made that over fifty per cent of the army of the
Revolution were Irish of Irish descent Mr.
O'Brien adduces the results of his own special
studies in this field covering period of twenty
years OF original research i'll Europe and America
In these columns that claim has been frequently
made, and we have based our conclusion largely
though not entirely, the testimony given by the
American Tory, Joseph Galloway. at Para-
mentary Inquiry in the House of Commons in 177o
as to the racial composition of the American army
Here is the question and answer as given by Mr.
O'Brien:
g. That part of the Rebel army that enlisted
fna +1,o.(
composed of natives of America, were the great
est part OF them English, Scotch and Irish?
"A. The names and places of their nativity be-
ing taken down, | can answer the question with
precision There were scarcely one-fourth natives
of America; about one-half Irish, the other fouth
were English and Scotch''
Mr.. O'Bren admits that this is only an estimate
OF Galloway and an overestmate of the true pro-
portion of the Irish contribution. He then gives
this summary of his own studies:
Nov, as to the proportion of Irishnen in the
army of the Revolution, [ have made careful an
aysis of the musterrolls and the enlistment papers,
took down the total number of men in each unit
OF that army then took down the number of men
who gave Ireland their country of natvity,'
and to this number l added those soldiers whose
names indicated without question Irish origin,
and on a conservative calculation determined that
exactly SO per cent of the American Army of Lib
erty was of Irish birth of Irish descent! I find
the extraordinary number of 1,5O0 officers of Irish
birth or of Irish descent and here I show you
complete list of these officers. My examination of
fthe muster-rolls alone occupied a period of five
years! find those Irish soldiers of the Revolution
carne from every part of the Colonies -* *
lrlshnen and their sons, at the very outset of the
Revolution, answered the clarion call of patriotism,
and came to fight, as lrshmen know how to fight,
and helped to make this country free and indie
pendent nation And all the sophstries of histori-
ans cannot change successfully dispute these
facts.oaneH
p Mr. O'Brien's conclusions in respect to the sub
Ject will doubtless be accepted the authoritative
1udgmeht Of a competent and experienced investiga
tor ahd fiay be relied upon sufficient answer to
The 1prbpag agAhdsts who would minimize at the criti-
cal time Che prestige and glory of the Irish in
relation t0 Aiherica and its development.
2 TT may ydbe sobserved too, that Mr. OBriens re-
Cover only the muster rolls of the Revou
tionafy records, and take no account of the 5000
Count Dillo to the help of the American patriots
fact was brought out very cogently in the re-
address of Cardinal O. Connell of Boston at the
great demonstration III New York If these 3OOOI
Be added to Mr. e. Briens totals, as they may prop
ery' be, IN this connections no substantial error is
made ia Claiming that one-half of the soldiers of the
Rev volutiofi We're Irish, ~
oi 9t9hba % sfGid .sSio 1spsai
DtHEARTvINTENTION FOR MARCH
,eHfmretsb bEpoaa 4--SAIL0RSta
q Thg General 1nt1ept99ad t99ad Of the League of the sa
eTed BY His Holiness, Pope
on yi5 a gg,ths} ads Sasts from the
aa'The ~tter ~tter o6af .'o the League Leaaet
now used to include not only those who navigate
ships Of the older type, aso a who Serve in any