Memoirs of Chaplain Life

3 Years in the Irish Brigage with the Army of the Potomac

Lawrence Kohl

• Publisher: Fordham University Press
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN:
  9780823212514
• eBook ISBN:
  9781531510947
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

Available in a new digital edition with reflowable text suitable for e-readers

Of all the units that fought in the Civil War, the Irish Brigade seems to be the most recognized. Comprised of troops from New York who were mostly Irish-Catholics, this unit proved itself in some of the most important battles of the war. A principal player in this unit was the chaplin, Father William Corby. Through his devotions and his willingness to be ever-present at the encampments, as well as at the front, the souls of the Irish Brigade were always cared for. A combination biography, history of the Irish Brigade, day-to-day look into the lives of Civil War soldiers, and reflection on the Catholic faith, this book is wonderfully written in Corby's own words. All the aspects of his life come together here. Recommended for public and academic libraries.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Illustrations
• Half Title
• Preface.
• Introduction.
• Chapter I—A Short Sketch of the Irish Brigade
• Chapter II—Irish Brigade Chaplains–First Camp
• Chapter III—Chaplains—Their Work—Character of the Soldiers—Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher
• Chapter IV—Irish Brigade Takes the Field
• Chapter V—Brigade Shipped to the Peninsula—Incidents—Soldiers Killed—May Devotions—Trooper Confesses, etc
• Chapter VI—Short Description of the Locality—A few Historical Notes—Prince of the House of Orleans—Mass
• Chapter VII—Home of Mrs. George Washington—Noted Rivers—Land of the Red Man in Capt. Smith’s Time, etc
• Chapter VIII—Pastimes and Realities—Battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines
• Chapter IX—Bigots—True Freedom, etc
• Chapter X—Chaplains During and After the Battle—Hospitals
• Chapter XI—Malaria in the Camp
• Chapter XII—The Seven Days’ Fight
• Chapter XIII—Rest and Discipline
• Chapter XIV—A “Military Mass”
• Chapter XV—Leaving the Peninsula—March Severe—Dust Terrible—Food Wanting
• Chapter XVI—Feat of “Jack Gasson”—The Battle of Antietam
• Chapter XVII—The Camp at Harper’s Ferry—Banquet, Reconnaissance, etc
• Chapter XVIII—An Army Execution
• Chapter XIX—The Irish Brigade at Fredericksburg
• Chapter XX—Camp Life at Fredericksburg
• Chapter XXI—St. Patrick’s Day at Camp Falmouth
• Chapter XXII—Collections Made in the Brigade for the Poor in Ireland
• Chapter XXIII—Incidents and Reflections
• Chapter XXIV—Battle of Chancellorsville
• Chapter XXV—Our Return to Camp Falmouth
• Chapter XXVI—In Camp and on the March
• Chapter XXVII—Frederick, Maryland
• Chapter XXVIII—Gettysburg
• Chapter XXIX—Gettysburg—The Twenty-fifth Anniversary
• Chapter XXX—Anniversary Exercises—Gettysburg
• Chapter XXXI—From Gettysburg to the Rappahannock
• Chapter XXXII—An Officer’s Preparation for Execution
• Chapter XXXIII—We Go to New York City and Return
• Chapter XXXIV—The Execution of a Soldier
• Chapter XXXV—The Battle of the Wilderness
• Chapter XXXVI—The Battle of Spottsylvania
• Chapter XXXVII—Our Life at the “Front”
• Chapter XXXVIII—Execution at City Point—Mother’s Letter
• Chapter XXXIX—New Recruits—Expedition to “Deep Bottom”
• Chapter XL—Explosion of a Great Boat Filled with Ordnance—Second Expedition to Deep Bottom—Horse Drinks in James River and is Frightened—Battle on the Weldon R. R.—Men at Cards Shoot and Drop a Confederate from a Tree—Capt. Brownson Killed
• Chapter XLI—The Third Anniversary of our Brigade—“Military Mass,” etc
• Chapter XLII—“Passes”—Eight Priests of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Chaplains—Archbishop Ireland and Bishop M’Mahon, Chaplains—A Noble Southern Priest
• Chapter XLIII—The Rev. James M. Dillon, C. S. C., Chaplain of the Sixty-third N. Y. Vol., Irish Brigade
• Chapter XLIV—Roman Catholic Chaplains in the War—The Rev. Thomas Ouellet, S. J., Irish Brigade
• Chapter XLV—The Rev. Paul E. Gillen, C. S. C., as Chaplain
• Chapter XLVI—The Rev. Constantine L. Egan, O. P.
• Chapter XLVII—Continuation of Father Egan’s Narrative
• Chapter XLVIII—The Irish Brigade in the War for the Union
• Appendix 1: Paul Henry Wood and His Painting Absolution Under Fire
• Appendix 2: St. Clair Mulholland and the Statues of Father Corby
• Appendix 3: Poems on Father Corby at Gettysburg
• Index