Michael Corcoran
Encyclopedia
Michael Corcoran was an Irish American
general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
and a close confidant of President
Abraham Lincoln
. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment
to Washington, D.C.
and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort Corcoran
. He then led the 69th into action at the First Battle of Bull Run
. After promotion to brigadier general, he left the 69th and formed the Corcoran Legion, consisting of at least five other New York regiments.
Corcoran was born in Carrowkeel, near Ballymote, County Sligo in Ireland
He was the only child of Thomas Corcoran, an officer in the British army
, and Mary McDonagh. Through his mother, he claimed descent from Patrick Sarsfield
of the Jacobite
Wars.
At the age of 18, in 1846 he took an appointment to the Revenue Police, enforcing the laws and searching for illicit stills and distilling activities in Creeslough
, County Donegal
.
He also joined a guerrilla group called the Ribbonmen.
On August 30, 1849, he emigrated from Sligo
Bay to the U.S. and settled in New York City
where he found work as a clerk in the tavern, Hibernian House, at 42 Prince Street in Manhattan
owned by John Heaney, whose niece, Elizabeth, he married in 1854.
He enlisted as a Private
in the 69th New York Militia
. By 1859 he was appointed colonel
of the regiment. The regiment was a state militia unit at that time composed of citizens, not soldiers, and was involved in the maintenance of public order. On October 11, 1860, Colonel Corcoran refused to march the regiment on parade for the 19-year old Prince of Wales
, who was visiting New York City at the time, as a protest to the ineffective British response to the Irish Famine. Corcoran was removed from command and a court martial was pending over that matter when the Civil War
began.
Corcoran also became involved in Democratic politics at Tammany Hall
: he could deliver the Irish vote. He became district leader, a member of the judicial nominations committee, an elected school inspector for his ward, and a member of the Fourteenth Ward General Committee.
With the outbreak of war, the court martial was dropped and Corcoran was restored to his command because he had been instrumental in bringing other Irish immigrants to the Union cause. He led the 69th to Washington, D.C.
and served for a while in the Washington defenses building Fort Corcoran. In July he led the regiment into action at the First Battle of Bull Run
and was taken prisoner.
Corcoran was one of the founders of the Fenian Brotherhood
in America. While in jail, Corcoran wrote, "One half of my heart is Erin's, and the other half is America's. God bless America, and ever preserve her the asylum of all the oppressed of the earth, is the sincere prayer of my heart."
privateer
s. Corcoran and several other Union prisoners were selected by lot for execution if the U.S. carried out its threats against the privateers. This event was known as the Enchantress Affair, but no executions were ever carried out by either side. Corcoran was then offered a parole under the conditions that he not take up arms against the Confederacy. Intending to resume his place in the Union army upon his release he refused the offer of parole. He was appointed Brigadier General
of volunteers in July and exchanged in August 1862. His role in the Enchantress Affair and his refusal for parole gained him some attention and upon his release he was invited to dinner with President Abraham Lincoln
.
The Legion consisted of:
Placed in command of the 1st Division, VII Corps he was engaged in the Battle of Deserted House and took part in the siege of Suffolk
. In late 1863 he was placed in command of a division in the XXII Corps
and returned to serve in the Washington defenses. On December 22, 1863, while riding alone, his horse fell on him and he died from a fractured skull at the age of 36.
Corcoran was largely idolized by his Irish-American troops. His name, and that of the New York 69th, figure prominently in many of the Irish Union ballads of the day.
"America's Irish Brigade": 'When Jefferson Davis
he sounded alarms, the sons of Columbia rushed into arms, and our noble militia to Washington sped, with the brave Michael Corcoran marching at head'
"Song of the Regiments": 'We have volunteers to fight who have pride and brave and darin, Thomas Francis Meagher
and his gallant sons of Erin, the Massachusetts ninth, Michael Corcoran's Irish legion, and all the rank and file of every state and region'
"The Fighting 69th": "...They're a band of men brave stout and bold, from Ireland they came; and they had a leader to the full and Corcoran was his name."
"Boys That Wore The Green": "...Colonel Corcoran led the Sixty-ninth on that eventful day, I wish the Prince of Wales were there to see him in the fray; His charge upon the batteries was a most glorious scene, With gallant New York firemen, and the boys that wore the green."
"The Irish Volunteer": "...When the Prince of Wales came over here, and made a hubbaboo, Oh, everybody turned out, you know, in gold and tinsel too; But then the good old Sixty-ninth didn't like these lords or peers-- They wouldn't give a damn for kings, the Irish volunteers! We love the land of Liberty, its laws we will revere, "But the divil take nobility!" says the Irish volunteer!"
The Mayor of New York City
, Michael Bloomberg
unveiled Ireland's national monument to the Fighting 69th in Ballymote on August 22, 2006. The monument was sculpted by Philip Flanagan. The inscription around the top of the monument reads "Michael Corcoran 1827 - 1863" Around the base is inscribed "New York
Ballymote Creeslough
Bull Run
. Underneath the monument is a piece of steel from the World Trade Center
, donated by the family of Michael Lynch, who died in the tower on September 11, 2001. Lynch's family are from County Sligo.
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
general in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and a close confidant of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment
U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment
The 69th Infantry Regiment is a military unit from New York City, part of the New York Army National Guard. It is known as the Fighting Sixty-Ninth, a name said to have been given to it by Robert E. Lee during the Civil War...
to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort Corcoran
Fort Corcoran
Fort Corcoran was a wood-and-earthwork fortification constructed by the Union Army in northern Virginia as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War...
. He then led the 69th into action at the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. After promotion to brigadier general, he left the 69th and formed the Corcoran Legion, consisting of at least five other New York regiments.
Early life
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
He was the only child of Thomas Corcoran, an officer in the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and Mary McDonagh. Through his mother, he claimed descent from Patrick Sarsfield
Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan
Patrick Sarsfield , created the first Earl of Lucan, Irish Jacobite and soldier, belonged to an Anglo-Norman family long settled in Ireland.-Background:...
of the Jacobite
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
Wars.
At the age of 18, in 1846 he took an appointment to the Revenue Police, enforcing the laws and searching for illicit stills and distilling activities in Creeslough
Creeslough
Creeslough is a village in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. It lies 12 km south of Dunfanaghy on the N56 road, 54 m above sea level and overlooking an arm of Sheephaven Bay...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
He also joined a guerrilla group called the Ribbonmen.
On August 30, 1849, he emigrated from Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
Bay to the U.S. and settled in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he found work as a clerk in the tavern, Hibernian House, at 42 Prince Street in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
owned by John Heaney, whose niece, Elizabeth, he married in 1854.
He enlisted as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 69th New York Militia
69th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 69th Infantry Regiment was a Regular Army infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:There have been three different lineages started under this number: The Famous 69th Infantry Regiment , and two under the Federal designation....
. By 1859 he was appointed colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the regiment. The regiment was a state militia unit at that time composed of citizens, not soldiers, and was involved in the maintenance of public order. On October 11, 1860, Colonel Corcoran refused to march the regiment on parade for the 19-year old Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, who was visiting New York City at the time, as a protest to the ineffective British response to the Irish Famine. Corcoran was removed from command and a court martial was pending over that matter when the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began.
Corcoran also became involved in Democratic politics at Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
: he could deliver the Irish vote. He became district leader, a member of the judicial nominations committee, an elected school inspector for his ward, and a member of the Fourteenth Ward General Committee.
Civil War
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and served for a while in the Washington defenses building Fort Corcoran. In July he led the regiment into action at the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
and was taken prisoner.
Corcoran was one of the founders of the Fenian Brotherhood
Fenian Brotherhood
The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish republican organization founded in the United States in 1858 by John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. It was a precursor to Clan na Gael, a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Members were commonly known as "Fenians"...
in America. While in jail, Corcoran wrote, "One half of my heart is Erin's, and the other half is America's. God bless America, and ever preserve her the asylum of all the oppressed of the earth, is the sincere prayer of my heart."
The Enchantress Affair
While Corcoran was imprisoned the U.S. had made threats to execute captured ConfederateConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s. Corcoran and several other Union prisoners were selected by lot for execution if the U.S. carried out its threats against the privateers. This event was known as the Enchantress Affair, but no executions were ever carried out by either side. Corcoran was then offered a parole under the conditions that he not take up arms against the Confederacy. Intending to resume his place in the Union army upon his release he refused the offer of parole. He was appointed Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers in July and exchanged in August 1862. His role in the Enchantress Affair and his refusal for parole gained him some attention and upon his release he was invited to dinner with President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Corcoran Legion and Death
Corcoran returned to the army and set about recruiting more Irish volunteers. He raised and took command of what would be known as the Corcoran Legion:The Legion consisted of:
- 1st Regiment-formed of the 1st and 6th Regiment; later the 182nd Regiment of New York Infantry
- 2nd Regiment-formed of the 5th and 6th Regiment; later the 155th Regiment of New York Infantry
- 3rd Regiment-formed of the 3rd; 7th and 8th Regiment; later the 164th Regiment of New York Infantry
- 4th Regiment-formed of the 2nd Regiment; later the 170th Regiment of New York Infantry
- 5th Regiment-never served with Brigade; later the 175th Regiment of New York Infantry
- 6th Regiment-below minimum strength-later part of 1st and 2nd Regiment
- 7th Regiment-below minimum strength-later part of the 3rd Regiment
- 8th Regiment-below minimum strength-later part of the 3rd Regiment
Placed in command of the 1st Division, VII Corps he was engaged in the Battle of Deserted House and took part in the siege of Suffolk
Battle of Suffolk (Hill's Point)
The Battle of Suffolk at Hill's Point, also known as the Battle of Fort Huger, took place from April 11 to May 4, 1863, in Suffolk, Virginia, as part of Confederate Lt. Gen...
. In late 1863 he was placed in command of a division in the XXII Corps
XXII Corps (ACW)
XXII Corps was a corps in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was created on February 2, 1863, to consist of all troops garrisoned in Washington, D.C., and included three infantry divisions and one of cavalry...
and returned to serve in the Washington defenses. On December 22, 1863, while riding alone, his horse fell on him and he died from a fractured skull at the age of 36.
Corcoran was largely idolized by his Irish-American troops. His name, and that of the New York 69th, figure prominently in many of the Irish Union ballads of the day.
"America's Irish Brigade": 'When Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
he sounded alarms, the sons of Columbia rushed into arms, and our noble militia to Washington sped, with the brave Michael Corcoran marching at head'
"Song of the Regiments": 'We have volunteers to fight who have pride and brave and darin, Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher
-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
and his gallant sons of Erin, the Massachusetts ninth, Michael Corcoran's Irish legion, and all the rank and file of every state and region'
"The Fighting 69th": "...They're a band of men brave stout and bold, from Ireland they came; and they had a leader to the full and Corcoran was his name."
"Boys That Wore The Green": "...Colonel Corcoran led the Sixty-ninth on that eventful day, I wish the Prince of Wales were there to see him in the fray; His charge upon the batteries was a most glorious scene, With gallant New York firemen, and the boys that wore the green."
"The Irish Volunteer": "...When the Prince of Wales came over here, and made a hubbaboo, Oh, everybody turned out, you know, in gold and tinsel too; But then the good old Sixty-ninth didn't like these lords or peers-- They wouldn't give a damn for kings, the Irish volunteers! We love the land of Liberty, its laws we will revere, "But the divil take nobility!" says the Irish volunteer!"
Ballymote Memorial
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
, Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
unveiled Ireland's national monument to the Fighting 69th in Ballymote on August 22, 2006. The monument was sculpted by Philip Flanagan. The inscription around the top of the monument reads "Michael Corcoran 1827 - 1863" Around the base is inscribed "New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Ballymote Creeslough
Creeslough
Creeslough is a village in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. It lies 12 km south of Dunfanaghy on the N56 road, 54 m above sea level and overlooking an arm of Sheephaven Bay...
Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. Underneath the monument is a piece of steel from the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, donated by the family of Michael Lynch, who died in the tower on September 11, 2001. Lynch's family are from County Sligo.
Additional reading
- Samito, Christian -G., Becoming American under Fire: Irish Americans, African Americans and the Politics of Citizenship during the Civil war Era, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-8014-4846-1
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- Irish military diasporaIrish military diasporaThe Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction who have served in foreign military forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success....
- Irish BrigadeIrish BrigadeIrish Brigade may refer to:* Irish Brigade , the Jacobite brigade in the French army, 1690–1792 * Irish Brigade , pro-Union Civil War brigade of Irish immigrants...
- Irish regiment
- Irish-American Heritage MonthIrish-American Heritage MonthIrish-American Heritage Month is a special proclamation issued yearly by the US President or Congress to honor the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States of America. March is the Irish-American Heritage Month due to March 17 being the...
External links
- General Michael Corcoran, USA at history central.com