Show t i O t air atric ic G I By Y ELMO SCOTT W WATSON S MARCH 17 approaches ani and andL thousands L 1 H 0 of ot Americans not only those of Irish Iris bl blood but others as well ell prepare to 1 honor the pa tron saint of the Emerald fd W Isle s C by ou oJ wearing rearing a u hi bit olt av green reen on St. St Patrick's Patricks Patricks Patrick's Pat Pat- ricks rick's day dew It Is fitting tit that a t they give I some tl thought 1 It to II the contribution which these sons Solis SOl IS 0 of St St. l' l Patrick a the thethIs Irish hn have ve made mad e to the building of this nation j And III to ap appreciate pI ec I ate that significance It I is S necessary to go gc 0 back to 1 the lie Ie I. I beginning 0 of t t the Ie republic republic re re- public and t to 0 I Inquire Into the num num- ber bm of I Irish l' l I f I who were I in this t I liS coun coun- try when the I Revolution evo began and who remembering tI the c centuries of of ot oppression behind belied them lem In Ireland before they came cam to America were among th the first to take e up arms u-ms In It Inthis I this newest struggle for libert liberty I Ire from front English domination The researches of hl historians In Ir re recent years e have brought to light the fact that flint I a surprisingly large percentage e of the patriots of 7 70 were lighting fighting n III Irish h surprisingly ly r large In view of or f the tI Ie popular Idea l that nt the majority I t. t of ot the thc colonists were e of pure En English blood The Thel They te have l e. e also revealed that nearly 1 1 I r 00 officers and 11 0 of f the rank and andIC file fIla In tI the IC Revolutionary army navy and md militia bore characteristic vr Irish 1 s 1 names Indicating that they were either born barn In Ireland or we were re of ot Irish anc ancestry str But the gr greatest contribution of ot t the Ie Irish to the patriot cau cause se was wasa th that a t of or leadership as shown by the fact ac that In the list of generals inthe In Inthe the he Continental arm army there were eleven leven who were born In Ireland and Ind eight others who were the sons son of ot f Irish parents Add to that list of if Irish born patriots three signers of if the Declaration of Independence the he sea captain whose name Is preserved pre served In history as the Father of ot f the American Navy and the surgeon who served as WashIngton Washington's Washing WashIng- ton tons ton's 8 secretary In the Revolution and tad who later became secretary of war var under Washington and Adams and tad It will be seen why there Is rf s GEN EDWARD HAND good reason to honor the memories of of these sons of ot St. St Patrick on March larch 17 Outstanding among the military leaders was Richard Mon Montgomery omery born orn near Raphoe Ireland December December Decem Decem- the British BritIsh Brit Belt who entered ber er 2 1730 ish sli army array at the age of eighteen siege of ot and nd won renown at the Louisburg during the French and Indian war and In Inthe the West Indies but ut whose n name UlC Is s best remembered because of his connection with the fated Ill expedition against Quebec during the Revolution One of ot eight appointed by py generals brigadier at the outbreak of the congress led the forces Montgomery war Tar which captured Forts fit St t. t Johns John's with Gen Philip and nd Chambly and Schuyler chuyler next captured Montreal Arnold Gen Benedict Then hen he and laid std siege to Quebec and when their heir demand on Sir Guy Carleton commander to surrender surrena the lie British attempted d to Cary carry carry car car- refused was del der er attempt at at- by assault The the town ry y made during a blinding ln tempt was snowstorm on December 21 1775 was killed while Montgomery and nd barri harrt barricade leading his troops against a n cade ado defended by artillery generals Three other Irish-born Irish the French and Indian Indian In In- veterans of flU all 11 also served In the war who dian fan but brit lived lied to c Canadian expedition services for the valuable perform were William of ot liberty cause Irvine and Wiliam Wil WU William William Thompson born borna To ro Thompson Maxwell lImn liam distinction distinction in 1725 tell fell th the In hi a Ireland In command of ot tion ion of ot being placed raised by order of first troops he the congress This was the he Continental battalion of el eight ht companies the tho be which riflemen l Pennsylvania of ot f penns of ot recruited In the summer were Thompson as colonel colonel colo colo- and which 1775 Boston lIe He of led to the siege nel cl general brigadier general ler-general In made a n briga was ray following 1770 an and the March larch sent with four re regiments lm month was reinforcements for the as ns s the thc expedition Upon meeting un n he took tool command army retreating treating who Thomas John ot of Gen In n place turned over that Ill and lat later r was ras Sullivan to Gen Cell John command out Sullivans Sullivan's order to In n carrying Rivers Three f at attack the enemy enem Thompson was taken prisoner bu but two months later Inter was allowed t to return to Philadelphia on parole parol I Iwas It was nearly two to years ears before h he was exchanged and he died In Carlisle Carlisle Carlisle Car Car- lisle Pa In the last year of ot th the war Irvine who was born near Innis Innis- killen Ireland November 3 1741 w was s a colonel In Thompsons Thompson's brIgade brigade bri brI- gade gale nn and shared with him in n th the Three Rivers attack and In the cap cap- y which followed After his exchange exchange exchange ex ex- change In 1778 he lie he was was sas placed it In command of ot the Second Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsyl Pennsyl- vania brigade promoted to briga- briga general Bier In 1779 1770 and serves served with Lord Stirling and Mad Anthony Anthony An thony W Wayne ne the following year ear z r e. e GEN WILLIAM IRVINE In 1782 he was given the difficult a assignment of commanding at Fort Pitt and guarding the northwestern frontier from Indian attacks aswell as aswell well wen as adjusting the differences between the Virginians and the Penn Pennsylvanians IY ni ns over the ownership region He filled the position position post tion so admirably and so iron won the esteem of Washington that in 1794 1799 the first President placed him In command of ot the troops which sup sup- suppressed suppressed pressed the famous Whisky Rebellion Rebellion Rebellion Re Re- bellion of that year ear Maxwell was born In Ireland but came to this coun country y with his parents who settled In New Jer Jer- sey After making a record for himself as a gallant and skillful sod soldier er during the colonial wars he became colonel of the Second New New Jersey regiment at the outbreak outbreak outbreak out out- break of ot the Revolution and took tools part partIn In Montgomery's Canadian ex ex- He lie was promoted to brigadier general In 1770 1776 served under General Schuyler on Lake Champlain and In the early part of 1777 cOlUm commanded the advance guard of ot the American forces near Elizabethtown N N. J. J He lIe fought bravely at the head of ot a New Jersey Jersey Jersey Jer Jer- sey brigade at wine and Germantown spent the winter at Valley Forge and at the battle of ot Monmouth contributed largely to the American victory after which he harassed the enemy as It re re- re re treated He lie ser served d under Gen John Sullivan In in the expedition against the Iroquois In 1779 1770 and retired from the army In 17 1780 0 General Maxwell died November 12 1798 1795 When Col William WIlliam Thompson led his battalion of ot Penns Pennsylvania r riflemen lemen to the siege of ot Boston his lieutenant colon colonel l was a brother Irishman IrIshman Edward Edward Hand born In Kings county December 21 1744 17 He had entered the British service and in 1774 was wasa a a me member ber of ot the Eighteenth no Royal al Irish regiment which he accompanied to America as a n surgeons surgeon's mate After the reorganization reorganIzation reorganization re re- organization of ot the Continental army early In 1770 1776 Hand was made colonel of ot a rifle regiment which so distinguished Itself at the Battle of Long Island nd and In the campaign campaign cam cam- through th the Jerseys Jersey that the name a Hand rifleman an bE became came synon synonymous with daring and gallantry gal lantry In action In 1777 Hand was 4 r- r j COMMODORE JOHN BARRY general the next made a brigadier year he helped guard the northern New York fro frontier under Gen John Stark Starl and In 1779 1770 he distinguished distin himself during the Sulli Sum Sullivan Sullivan van expedition In 1780 Hand was and placed in charge of a n brigade later he became adjutant general After the war he of the army served In congress and died September September September Sep Sep- 3 1802 of ot being Akin to the distinction that of be be- a nand Hand ri riflemen em was lag ing a Morgan rifleman after atter th the expert marksmen of or the Continental ContInental Continental Conti ContI- arm army had bad been organized In Ir 1777 Into a rifle corps the command command com coo mand round of which was given to that doughty fighter Gen Daniel Morgan Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan of ot Virginia The lieutenant colonel of ot that outfit was another Irishman Richard Butler who had been lieutenant colonel of ot ono one of the Pennsylvania regiments recruited recruIted re re- at the beginning of the Revolution Although Butlers Butler's services during the Revolution were distinguished enough his hi greatest fame came later In n 1787 he lie was appointed agent for IDt Indian ian affairs and In 1791 as major genera general gen gen- era eral ernI Jn Jo the rhe United States regular army array he commanded the right w wing ng of Gen Arthur St. St Chairs Glair's army array which had been sent against the hostile Indians in the old Northwest On the morning of ot November 4 1791 began one of ot the greatest disasters which has ever befallen American troops troops troops-St. St St. Clairs Clair's Defeat and and among the slain after a n gallant but futile defense defense de de- de- de tense against the savage horde was brave Gen Richard Butler One of ot the greatest Indian fighters fighters fighters fight fight- ers this country has ever known known- at least he lie was commander In one of ot the greatest Indian battles ever fo fought In America was AmerIca was Andrew Lewis born In Donegal Ireland about 1720 His Ills father was the first white settler In Augusta county county county coun coun- ty Virginia and the son early showed a fondness for military life serving as a major in the regiment regi regie ment meat commanded by Washington inthe Inthe in inthe the Ohio campaign of 1754 and 1755 He led the Sandy Creek expedition ex- ex expedition expedition ex ex- of ot 1750 1756 and while serving under the British general genera Grant In 1758 was captured by the French and l held eld as a prisoner In Montreal for tor some time But the year 1774 was the high point In his career for In that year as brigadier general general gen gen- eral of ot the Virginia militia he corn com commanded mantled the frontiersmen fl who defeated defeated de der the Shawnees under heir I r E Es' Es rr s' s t GEN RICHARD MONTGOMERY great chief Cornstalk In the famous famous famous fa fa- Battle of Point Pleasant during during during dur dur- ing Lord Dunmore's war This has been called the first Amer all ican lean battle In history since It WD was the first time that American fronI fron- fron I without the aid of British BritIsh British Brit Brit- ish troops fought a major engagement engagement engagement engage engage- ment with the Indians In 1770 1776 at the suggestion of ot Washington who knew the ability of L Lewis he was appointed brigadier brigadier briga briga- dier general In the Continental army and soon thereafter defeated the English forces under his former governor Lord Dunmore Falling Failing health compelled Lewis' Lewis resignation resignation tion from the army array before he h had d a chance to distinguish himself further fur fur- ther and he died September 27 1781 The other Irish-born Irish generl generals ls Walter Stewart John Armstrong and Stephen Moylan were not so outstanding as those previously named but their records were honorable honorable honorable hon hon- enough to bring considerable distinction to them Moylan Is chiefly noted for tor being a member of ot Washington's start staff and for beIng being being be be- ing appointed commissary general a position which he resigned to recruit recruit recruit re re- re- re cruit the First Penns Pennsylvania regiment regiment regi regi- ment meat of ot cavalry of or which he was colonel serving at Valley Forge with Wayne In the north and with Gen Nathanael Greene In the south He lIe became a n brigadier general in 1782 1752 and after the war served as United States commissioner commissioner commis commis- of loans dying April 11 1811 John Armstrong was more noted for gallant service during the French and In Indian ian war than during durIng during dur dur- ing the Revolution although he rose to the rank of ot brigadier general general general gen gen- eral In the Continental army apost a U apost post which he lie resigned In n 1777 1771 Proud us as Is the record of or the sons of ot St. St Patrick In the Continental Continental Con Con- army there Is even en greater reater reason for pride In their contribution contribution tion to our naval history For the first American officer to capture a British ship was an nn Irishman Irishman- Commodore John Barry At the outbreak of ot the Revolution he was wasa us usa a wealthy shipmaster In Philadel phia Welten When the Continental congress congress congress con con- gress In October 1775 authorized the purchase of tw two ships skips and their conversion Into war of Barry sailed saed his merchantman Blas Black Prince Into the harbor and so soher sold her to congress She was rename renamed the Alfred Altred and later became tl the flagship of ot the first American flee fleet More ships were added later am and Barry was commissioned a captain and placed In command of ot tl tho brig Lexington On April 17 1770 the Lexington captured the British tender Edward the first prize ev ever taken by a regularly commissioned commissions officer of the United States nay navy But his most brilliant f feat at was In 1781 when In command of ot the A Alliance Al AI- dance liance he topped off the capture of f r r JAMES MCHENRY several British privateers by havIng havIng hav hav- Ing lag a n fight with two British vessels vessel both of ot which were better arme armed than his vessel and capturing both Barry was both sailor an and soldier for tor he took Washington Washingto across the Delaware and fought r at Trenton Princeton and e elsewhere After Atter the Revolution he superintended superintended superb tended the building of the frigate United States and commanded h he her r until she was retired from service He was the first senior officer with wit the rank of ot commodore alter after th the reorganization of ot the navy In 1794 and he died In Philadelphia September September Sep Set 13 1803 Every American knows that ou our national anthem The Star Span gleI Banner was written dan daring a. a the British attack on Fort McHenry ry In the War of 1812 1512 but few o of ot them know that this fort tort was wa named for tor an Irish doctor James Jame McHenry was born In Ireland November November No No- vember 16 1753 came to America Americ In 1771 studied under the cel celebrated celebrated cele cele- Dr Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia Phil Ph- adelphia and on the outbreak o othe of o othe the Revolution volunteered In th the Continental army He served a as surgeon to a Pennsylvania regi ment went was made a prisoner by th the British when Fort Washington wa was captured and was was' not exchanged exchange until 1778 He was then appointed |