“The Americans maintained absolute control of the battlefield. Colonel Campbell of the Twenty-Second British Regiment sent to General Sullivan the day after the battle and asked permission to search among the dead for the body of his nephew, who had been killed the day before by his side, but whose body he could not remove they were so closely pursued.
“The Battle of Rhode Island was a gratifying success for the Americans. Victory was due to the skill, the intelligence, the courage and the audacity of General Sullivan, and to his brave officers and men. Lafayette characterized it as ‘the best fought action of the war,’ and the statement accords the highest compliment to the military skill of General John Sullivan.
“It is a great pleasure to participate with so many friends in expressing our high appreciation of the services of Sullivan that have been so adequately and happily recognized by the American Irish Historical Society. It is an intense gratification to contemplate the success of these ceremonies and to sincerely join in congratulation and in commendation of efforts that have resulted in adorning this noble State House with this beautiful, substantial and enduring tablet to our heroic dead.”
President-General Quinlan of the Society was then introduced by the Chairman, as follows: “I have the pleasure now to call upon the President-General of the American Irish Historical Society, under whose careful and enthusiastic administration it has been possible to erect and dedicate this tablet. There never has been a time when his efforts, his energy, and all his powers were not at our disposal. There never has been a time when we have called on him for anything since the memorial has been under way that he has not promptly and vigorously responded. I have the great honor of introducing to you, ladies and gentlemen, our President-General, Francis J. Quinlan, M. D., L. L. D., of New York City.”
President-General Quinlan said:
“Mr. Chairman, your Excellency, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen: Before I attempt to say a few words in honor of the auspicious event of this day, I will take occasion to render the tribute of my personal thanks and of the collective thanks of our Society to the distinguished assemblage gathered here to do honor to our illustrious hero by the loyal support of their presence.
“I take occasion, first of all, to thank the Ex-Governors, the present Governor, the Governor-elect, and the Department of the G. A. R., an association that to me is representative of the rarest and choicest texture of the loom of American Independence. (I would rather wear their button than be decorated by one hundred kings.) To those who represent the Society of Colonial Wars I extend my heartfelt thanks for their presence. To the Daughters of the American Revolution and to the distinguished Sons, as well as to the Sons of Veterans and also the illustrious Society whose early achievements in this country need no word of commendation from me,—the Society of the Cincinnati,—to them and to their representatives I extend my thanks and my greetings. To the Rhode Island Citizens’ Historical Association I also offer welcome. To those who are associated with none, but whose attendance is due to their interest in these exercises, I am thankful for their presence here today.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, you have heard the stirring notes of welcome that have rung out in this beautiful building, the tributes that have been paid by those gentlemen, one of them with a line of nine generations of pure and unsullied English blood. What further tribute do we need, what other ratification or emphasis do we require than that which comes from one whose nation held us in subjugation, with its heel of tyranny upon our neck, for seven hundred years, when this offspring, eager to forget past enmities, frankly tells us in tones of eloquence that the Irish have been and always will remain loyal and true and constant and devoted to every cause they espouse! We need but little further argument to justify our existence, but it behooves me, on an occasion of this kind, not apologetically, but in bold words, to explain the purpose of the American Irish Historical Society.
“It has been truly said by the Chairman of this meeting that this Society was born in the City of Boston in the year 1897, for the study of American history generally, as well as to trace the immigration of the people of Ireland to this country, to correct erroneous and distorted views of history in relation to the Irish people in America, and to encourage and promote the formation of local associations in American cities and towns as aids in the work of the parent Society. These purposes have been so enlarged upon by the Chairman that they need no word of encouragement from me.
“You know that the tide of immigration turned to this country in the last century. Irish people haven’t always been immigrants. Nine hundred years before Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, a bishop of the old faith named Brendan left his home in Galway, sailed over the sea, visited Iceland and Greenland, and there are today evidences of this man’s presence in Delaware and Virginia—nine hundred years before Columbus set foot on this continent. Even in the very crew which made up the contingent in Columbus’ navy which manned the three ships there was one to whom, when Columbus left, he gave the custody of one of those ships, and this man’s record proves he was an Irishman, William Ayer of Galway. We have historical facts; they cannot be gainsaid; they stand out in bas-relief today; the story is plain and intelligent men accept it.