Arizona republican., 1922-03-20


were the greater part OF them Eng
lish, Scotch and Irish? Answer: The
names and places OF their nativity be-
ing taken down can answer the
question with precision: there were
scarcely one-fourth natives OF Amer
lea. about one half Irish. the other
fourth were English and Scotch.
Major General Robertson also in tes-
tifying before parliament, when asked
the questions as taken from volume
III. Question: How are the provin-
cial corps composed whether mostly
OF native Americans or from emil
grants from various nations of Eu-
rope? Answer: Some of the corps
consist mostly OF natives others l
believe the greatest number. are en-
listed from such people as can be got
in the country, and manv of them
may be emigrants, but force is not
distinguished from the rebels in that
circumstances. remember General
Lee telling me that he believed half
the rebel army were from Ireland.
Again, that there may be no mis-
understanding as the kind OF Irish or
in other words that the Irish from
north and south of Ireland were
equally represented, the muster rolls
disclose that there were over 1000
Pats and Patricks in the army OF the
revolution. that there we're 43 Patrick
Kellys and Patrick Reillys. 35 Patrick
Ryans, and Sullivans and Murphys
There were in that same service 695
soldiers and sailors by the name OF
Kelly, 494 Murphys. 331 Mccarthy,
S27 Connor and O'Connor, 322 Ryan,
and Of II leading Irish family names
with above included were 3.S4l: and
OF 100 prominent Irish family names,
the rosters disclose 1912. Now take
into consideration the fact that there
are about / 200 old Irish family names
OF the Mac and the o., in addition TO
the numerous family names descend
ed from the Norman conquest as the
Burkes. the Walshs, the Plunketts'
the Barrys. the Fitzgeralds, the But
lers and the scores OF others, you can
then begin to realize the extent to
which the Gaelic Irish were repre-
sented in the revolution.
In the eighth and ninth annual re-
ports of the state library board of
Virginia are to be found 5000 Irish
names who saw service in the rev.
olution, and the records of Maryland
disclose in volume XVIII of the Ar
chives of Maryland, 4.600 names OF
Irishmen. Further a summary OF so
Of the most prominent Irish family
names show 544 officers of various
rank. with the name Kelly leading
again with 80.
In addition to the distinctly Celtic
names which appear on the muster
rolls of the revolution, the following
names are frequently found giving
the birthplace as Ireland. Johnson,
whose Irish family name was Nc
Shane, meaning son of John; Smiths,
whose family names in Ireland was
MacGowen, Cow meaning smith.
Whitcomb. whose Irish name was
Kerwin or MacKerwin, meaning white
comb. McMasters was changed to
Masterson: O'Neill and MacNeill to
Nelson; O'Donnell and MacDonnell
TO Donelson. O'Heas to Hayes, O'Col-
leins or Culanes to Collins, O'Nachten
to Norton. o'Creehan to Creighton,
the O'Clerys to Clark MacRory to
Rogers, MacConry to King and so on
of many other names
From the evidence brought to light
of recent years ii would appear there
is no longer a doubt that the Irish
were a big factor in the early history
Of the United States and were ii not
for them and the service they rem
dered in the American Revolution the
results would have been different.
The Irish emigrant came to America
TO find q greater liberty and from the
north or south of Ireland they came
with an undying hatred of England,
so that when the opportunity pre-
sented as it did in 1875, they were
the first to flock TO the service OF
and the last to retire TO
their own firesides.