“‘In justice to Colonel Barton, who has joined the “Grand Army above,” I wish to say that I knew him very well and served under him for nearly a year, and found him to be a nice gentleman, a strict disciplinarian, a good and a brave officer. I will also state that I have good reason for believing that Comrade Egan took no part in “cutting off the Colonel’s milk supply” and that the old lady was compensated for the loss of the cow.’
“In April, 1864, his battery was ordered to Fort Monroe, Va., where it joined General Butler’s Army of the James and participated in all the battles, sieges and operations around Petersburg and Richmond from May 4 to the close of the war, having fought for the Union in four of the seceding States—South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. He was honorably discharged when in sight of the steeples of Richmond, October, 1864. At the close of the war his old battery was the first volunteer battery to enter that long-coveted and hard-fought-for city—Richmond. To Capt. Martin S. James of this battery was assigned the honor of dismantling the fortifications around this famous stronghold and capital of the Confederacy.
“When next we met, August, 1904, at the National Encampment, G. A. R., in Boston, Mass., I could hardly believe he was the same boy I last saw—more than forty years before—on the battlefield of Olustee. He was then (1904) a fine specimen of manhood; stood six feet, one and one half inches, and weighed 240 pounds.”
W. J. O’HAGAN, ESQ.,
Of Charleston, S. C.
Vice-President of the Society for South Carolina.
THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
BY JOHN J. LENEHAN.
The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in the City of New York was instituted on March 17, 1784. It had its origin among Irish officers connected with the armies of the American Revolution. On November 25, 1783, the last British soldier departed from the shores of Manhattan, the British flag which had been nailed to the flagpole of Fort George was hauled down, the American flag was run up in its place, and the Continental Army entered the city. It was led by George Washington, then an adopted member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia. At his side rode the Governor, General George Clinton, the son of an Irishman; and the advance battalion was commanded by General Henry Knox, also the son of an Irishman, and a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia.
In the environment produced by these conditions, in the atmosphere of liberty and Constitutional government that followed the advent of the American army into its final possession of New York City, was born the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Daniel McCormick was its founder and its president for many years. The objects of the Society were to assist poor and distressed natives, and descendants of natives, of Ireland, and promote friendly, social feelings among its members.
With these laudable purposes, on March 17, 1784, the first St. Patrick’s Day following the evacuation of New York by the British, the Society inaugurated its festive functions at “Cape’s Tavern.” In the New York Packet and Advertiser of Thursday, March 18, 1784, the following appears: