The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-05-02
191S-1a23

~~~--
ice in three wars, with the United
States Army, Navy and Marine
Corps comprise genuine plenti-
tude Of patriotism that extends over
the period of the Civil War to the
present total war of worldwide con-
flict. Their record of battle service,
In defense of their country, runs the
gamut of action fom Cold Harbor,
Hilton Head, the James River ex-
petition and the eventual capture of
Richmond, Virginia by General Uly-
sses S. Grant, through the Spanish
American war in Cuba and sur
rounding territory, through the Mex
lean border campaign, with the Con-
necticut National Guard; to World
War and the present, with the
youngest O'Donnell, Robert o. who
has recently completed his boot"
training at the Sampson (NY) nav
al station and is awaiting assign
ment to more active service. Two
more O'Donnells, nephews of First
Sergeant James (Sticks) O'Donnell
of &c" Company, eng and the
United States Marines before that,
is added testimony to the patriot
ism and love of country possessed
by this particular clan O'Donnell,
since the dark days of the war be-
tween the states"
Native OF Belfast
Hugh ODonnell, father, grand
father and great-grandfather, was
a native of Belfast, Ireland who
came to America in 1854 through
the medium of a somewhat trying
trip across the Atlantic ocean on
an old-fashioned "windjammer"
After landing in New York, he came
to Waterbury to learn the tailoring
trade, under the expert tutelage Of
the late j. B. Mullings, but, in no
time worth mentioning, his soldierly
instincts, anxiety to serve his adopt
ed land and genuine love Of action
came to the fore, convincig him, day
by day, that the tailorig trade was
all too tame. As result Of his con-
victionS, and the increasingly diff
ficult national situation which led
to the bloody Civil War, when broth"
er fought against brother, father
against son and cousin against
cousin, taking sides with the Union
or the Confederate armies; Hugh
O'Donnell enlisted with Company
K, Sixth Connecticut Volunteers.
He served under Colonel John Chat.
field, in whose memory the Chat
field Guards of today are named.
Colonel Chatfield was wounded az
the battle of Cold Harbor, one Of
the important early engagements Of
the Civil War, was discharged, sent
home to Waterbury, where he died.
Two Civil War officers under
whom Private Hugh ODonnell serv-
ed were General Ben Butler of Bos-
ton; and Major General Arthur
Terry of New Haven. Fort Terry, an
army training camp, Is miles off
the coast of New London, where
many Waterbury boys, including the
writer, were members of CMTC
units from 1925 to 1880, was named
In honor of General Terry.
In addition to Cold Harbor, Hugh
ODonnell fought at Hilton Head,
South Carolina; took part In the
James River Expedition, (Virginia)
then Port Royal, S. c., and was pres
emit at the capture of Fort Fischer
s. c., later at Petersburgh, Va; and
finally, one of the proudest mo-
inents of his war service came with
the surrender Of General Robert E.
Lee to General u. S. Grant at APP
pomattox Court House, after the
fall of Richmond. He was sent &c
Governors Island IN 1865, following
honorable discharge from the Union
Army; and though racked with fever
he did not die. In fact, he lived for
81 years after the end Of the Civil
War, his death occurring in Water
bury, Dec. z, 1902 at the age Of
plus 64". Burial took place in old
st. Joseph's cemetery. On January
Is. 1861 Hugh O,Donnell married
Miss Margaret Moran of Waterbury.
joins Marines
Among the survivors Of Hugh and
Margaret Moran ODonnen was
SON, James, born in the Waterville
section of the city, July 81, 1877,
with the "call to the colors" in his
blood, which first asserted itself on
April 81, 1897 when he was 20 years
Of age. At that time, he joined
Americas world : famous "First to
Fight" branch OF the armed sery-
ices of the United States; becoming
a United States Marine at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard. and was in
Guided among a group Of 40 volun-
teers from &C. Company. First Bat
talon. USMC under command OF
Captain Elliott, fondly known TO his
men as "Old Bill Sykes, who later
became the first major general COM
handing the Marine Corps. His
famous First Battalion was first u
hoist the Stars and stripes al
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and keep
II flying from June 10. 1893. For sis
weeks, the Marines held out, before
Army relief and entered into
pitched battle that lasted five days
and nights, In later June and July,
Marine Jim ODonnell served Al
Fsschernan's Point and Cuszo Hill
then going TO Manzanila In August;
later 20 the West fdies and back b
Newport, r. J.. and Portsmouth, ~
II. He was drill sergeant and police
sergeant at Newport for three years,
one OF the toughest OF tough jobs:
but anyone who ever had the prt-
yilege OF soldering with Sticks
O'Donnell, viii very readily recog-
nize the generally admitted fact
that there never was q better nom
commissioned officer for the man
u the ranks. Tough as teakWood,