{"id":2024,"date":"2015-02-05T09:39:03","date_gmt":"2015-02-05T14:39:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2024-06-28T15:35:12","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T19:35:12","slug":"irish-brigade-soldiers-saluted-multiple-flags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gettysburgflag.com\/blog\/irish-brigade-soldiers-saluted-multiple-flags\/","title":{"rendered":"Irish soldiers saluted multiple flags | The Irish Brigade"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Flag<\/a>
Flag of Ninth Massachusetts Volunteers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the start of the Civil War in 1861 to its conclusion 150 years ago<\/a>, thousands of Irish-Americans played major roles on battlefields, and they loved the flags that went with them. The history of the Ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, for example, describes \u201cour battle flags, the Stars and Stripes and the Green Flag of Erin, which our color-bearers carried in battle\u2026until riddled by shot and shell and tattered and torn by the elements of war and weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

The account includes a poetic tribute to the flags: \u201cNot void of tears mine eyes must e\u2019en behold\/these banners lovelier as the deeper marred.\/A panegyric never writ for kings\/on every tarnished staff and tattered fold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Meagher\"<\/a>
Meagher<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having saluted the banners, the regimental history praised the color-bearers who led the troops into and out of battles. \u201cAll eyes turned to the colors\u201d when a battle began, the book stated. \u201cThe ranks closed up and a surging front of determined men went forward on the charge,\u2026bent on victory or death.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside the regimental standard, the volunteers carried Old Glory and the Massachusetts state flag<\/a>. The color-bearers, the history noted, \u201cwere almost certain to lose one or more limbs, or receive a mortal wound\u2026.It is a mark of lasting disgrace to lose the colors\u2026in action.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
An 1860s’ painting recorded the return of the Irish 69th brigade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New York\u2019s sons of Eire also formed their own Irish brigade<\/a>, the Fighting 69th, led by General Thomas Meagher, who honored the memory of one of his flag-bearers by writing: \u201cMcMahon [planted] his colors with his own hand on the enemy\u2019s works\u2026.[He] was stricken down and torn to pieces by the bullets he had splendidly defied.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Irish are known for their love of poetry and song, so it\u2019s no surprise that a poem, titled \u201cTo the Irish Brigade,\u201d was set to music to salute the sons of the Emerald Island: \u201cAll hail ye noble Irish band\/that to the rescue flee!\/The sword to wield, with mighty hand\/the sword of Liberty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Irish<\/a>
Irish Brigade poem<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thus began the paean, which inevitably led to lines about the American flag<\/a> and the symbolic harp of Ireland: \u201cCome, string Old Erin\u2019s harp afresh,\/\u2019longside the Starry Flag.\/And soon the vaunting proud \u2018Secesh\u2019\/must strike Secession\u2019s \u2018Rag.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The final lines of \u201cTo the Irish Brigade\u201d return once more to the theme of flags: \u201cKind Heaven upon our Banner smile,\/when borne by soldiers brave,\/and our Green Flag o\u2019er Erin\u2019s Isle\/will yet triumphant wave.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the start of the Civil War in 1861 to its conclusion 150 years ago, thousands of Irish-Americans played major roles on battlefields, and they loved the flags that went with them. The history of the Ninth Massachusetts Volunteers, for example, describes \u201cour battle flags, the Stars and Stripes and the Green Flag of Erin,… continue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10,63,43,264,265],"class_list":["post-2024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-lessons","tag-american-flag","tag-battle-flag","tag-civil-war","tag-irish-brigade","tag-irish-american"],"yoast_head":"\nIrish soldiers saluted multiple flags | The Irish Brigade<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The final lines of \u201cTo the Irish Brigade \u201d: \u201cKind Heaven upon our Banner smile,\/when borne by soldiers brave,\/and our Green Flag o\u2019er Erin\u2019s Isle\/will...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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