Ray Long: Remembering the sacrifice of the Irish

John Thomas Skelly was an Irish farmer in Cork, Ireland, in the 1840’s — and a slave in his own land. For more than 700 years, the British had outlawed his language and religion. They imprisoned his teachers and priests.

In 1854, a terrible blight destroyed the country’s potato crop, on which 90 percent of the population depended for subsistence. Though England imported Irish beef, mutton and grains, more than 1.5 million Irish died of starvation.

To save his family, John secured passage to America. Though discrimination against the Irish was rampant, he became a New York City police officer. In 1861, when the Civil War broke out, John was one of the thousands of Irish who volunteered for military service. He became a member of the New York, 69th Brigade, which became known as the Irish Brigade.

In December 1862, the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rappahannock River, near Fredericksburg, Va. After fighting their way through town, the Irish Brigade continued west, out of town, to face the Confederate troops of Gen. James Longstreet’s First Corps, at Marye’s Heights. What the men of the Irish Brigade saw revealed that many more would lose their lives that day.

Marye’s Heights consisted of a large open field, without cover. At the far end of the field was a long stone wall. Behind the stone wall was the objective: Confederate riflemen, three and four ranks deep, waiting for the Union assault.

When the Irish Brigade received the command, they marched forward toward the stone wall. The brigade met a hail of rifle fire that killed and maimed many, tearing great holes in their ranks. Men stepped up to fill the ranks vacated by fallen comrades, only to meet with the same fate. The intense fire forced the Irish Brigade back, but they regrouped and attacked again. The assaults and regroupings continued throughout the day.

The Irish Brigade made 12 assaults on Marye’s Heights that day, but the Confederates held the stone wall. At the end of the day, of the more than 1,200 men that marched with the Irish Brigade that morning, only 256 survived.

Though the immense sacrifice of the Irish Brigade is evident, few realize how great the tragedy really was. Many of the members had joined in order to gain military experience with which they hoped to return to Ireland and free their land from British rule. These Irishmen never realized that dream because too many lost their lives fighting in our Civil War.

Among those fallen at the Battle of Fredericksburg was Pvt. John Thomas Skelly. Though he gave his life for his adopted country, his family continued. Skelly’s great-great-great-granddaughter is Harla Long, wife of the Rev. Ray W. Long, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, in Wapakoneta.

During your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, take a moment to remember the sacrifice of Irish men and women, who helped form our nation.

The Rev. Ray W. Long III is pastor at Saint John’s Lutheran Church, Wapakoneta.