Newspaper Page Text
From the Irish Citizen.
SKETCH OF CAPTAIN JOHN MITCHEL.
(John Mitchel’s Eldest Son.)
Cattain John Mitchel.
« i die in a glorious cause. My ouly wish is that I
id have done more for my own country.’
Dying tVor.Ds of Captain John Mitckex.,
AN INCIDENT OF 1861.
On a certain night in the autumn of
1861, Irving Hall, iri the city of New
York, was tilled to overflowing with Irish
exiles, brought together for the purpose
of making preparations for the funeral
of Terence Bellew McManus.
Thomas Francis Meagher was that,
u j<rht addressing the meeting, as only he
could address an audience of his country
men. In the course of his remarks he
introduced the name of Colonel Michael
Corcoran, (then a prisoner in the South.)
A most enthusiastic burst of applause
greeted the name cf the gallant chief of
the brave old Sixty-ninth. Pausing
until the cheering had subsided, Meagher,
with gleaming eye, and quivering lip,
and his cheek flushing with the rich
blood that swelled up from his proud,
loving heart, cried out:
“ Now that you have testified your
love and admiration for the brave Irish
soldier of the Union, I call on you to
give three cheers for the two sons of
John Mitchel, who arc fighting as brave
ly on the other side.”
The effect of this appeal was electric.
The wild, ringing cheers, again and
again repeated, showed that a chord in
the universal Irish heart had been struck;
fur those fiery-eyed Celts—many of
whom were the first to spring to arms in
defense of the “ Starry Banner ” —loved
and venerated the father of those boys
not alone for the suffering he endured in
the cause of their common country, but
for the great service he had rendered
her and them, in unmasking and flinging
to perdition the hideous delusion of “Con
stitutional agitation,” and making its
very name an abomination to the Irish
people. For this they loved him ; and
for this, when he and they will have
passed away, shall succeeding generations
of enfranchised Irishmen reverence the
name of John Mitchel.
EARLY LIFE OF CAPTAIN MITCHEL.
John Mitchel, Jr,, the subject of this
sketch, was bom in Newry, Cos. Down,
Ireland, on January 24tb, 1838, and iu
this town he spent the first seven years of
his life. Iu the Autumn of 1845, his
father succeeded Thomas Davis in the
editorship of the Nation , and the whole
family removed to Dublin. Here they re
sided until the well known events of
May, 1848, desolated their happy home,
deprived them of a protector, and Ireland
of the only man capable of leading" the
people on that road to revolution which
he had, at such heroic self-sacrifice,
poiuted out.
THE FELON’S SONG.
Shortly after that sorrowful parting
with his noble father in the Newgate
cell, our young hero, then a boy of ten
years, wrote the little poem which will
be found at the conclusion of this notice,
and sent it to the Irish Felon , the suc
cessor of his father’s paper, the United
Irishman.
It is the only poetical production of his
which has come under our notice, and
we reproduce it because we feel assured
that any memento of him will be inter
esting to our readers, and because the
simple lines so faithfully represent the
daring and hopeful spirit of the noble
boy in that hour of domestic sorrow, and
national degradation.
RESIDENCE WITH FATHER KENYON,
John Mitchel had been shipped off to
‘ Bermuda of the damned.” British
law had been successfully vindicated in
Ireland, and its deadliest enemies char
acteristically disposed "of—for the time
being. The young “ Felon” and his
brother were consigned to the care of
their father’s trusty friend, Father John
Kenyon, P. P. of Ternplederry, the ablest
writer as well as the most fearless rep
resentative of the national Clergy in Ire
land.
1 uder his hespitable Tipperary roof
tree, the boys spent one of the three
weary years that elapsed before they
again rejoined their father.
HIS DEPARTURE FOR. AUSTRALIA.
On the 24th of January, 1851, (his
thirteenth birthday,) young John
Mitchel, with moistened eyes, took a
paiting look at the loved land of his
'U'th. Alas! that that glance at the noble
hills, and pleasant valleys of “Green
Pi in of the streams” should be destined
to prove his last; for on that cold Win
ter’? morning his noble-hearted Irish
mother, with her five young children,
'ailed for the Antipodes, to join their
heroic father. On the 20th of June
following, the husband and father once
Were embraced his wife and little ones.
Cheered by their society, he speut two
more years in that out-of-the-world seclu-
Mon. But the dawn of a happier day
was approaching. Ou the 12th of June,
1853, John Mitchel, in the police office
of BothwclJ, flung off the shackles of the
tyrant, and took the road to freedom and
life. The 9th of October following, him
selt and family landed at Fan Francisco,
and the evening of the 20th ofNovember
saw’ the Exile, and his noble little band,
reposing their way-worn frames in his
mother’s house in Brooklyn.
LIFE IN AMERICA.
After having settled down in America,
young John Mitchel completed his edu
cation in Columbia College, New York;
and then came the time lor selecting his
profession for life.
From this time forward, until the
breaking out of the war lie was alternate
ly a candidate for West Point, a clerk in
aN. Y. importing house, a student in
civil engineering, and agent for his father’s
paper—the Souihern Citizen —in the
Southern States.
JOINS THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
Then came the opportunity for which
from his boyhood he had so earnestly
yearned, that of learning “the soldier’s
glorious trade,” and lie eagerly embraced
it. Resigning his appointment,- lie
hastened to Charleston, and proffered
his services to the cause of his adopted
State.
His first duty was as Volunteer Aid to
General Gregg (then Colonel W. Gregg,)
under whom lie rendered valuable ser
vices in preparing the harbor of Charles
ton for the severe sieges which it w T as
destined to withstand.
FIRST FRACTICE AS AN ARTILLERIST.
He was commissioned by Governor
Pickens as a Lieutenant in the Ist South
Carolina Artillery Regiment, which was
in process of organization at the time.
He first distinguished himself during the
bombardment of Fort Sumter, in which
action he commanded the guns of the
enfilading battery at Fort Moultrie,
which played so efficient a part in the
reduction of the United States strong
hold. Hero his qualities as an Artillerist
were brought prominently into notice,
for he, early in the bombardment (April
13th,) dismounted at a single shot three
of his opponents guns—the first that
were dismounted in the Fort.
Upon the evacuation of Sumter by
Major Anderson, Lieutenant Mitchel
went over as a part of the first Confed
erate garrison that occupied it. He
subsequently had a long period of com
parative quiet, during which he devoted
liimself with unflagging energy to his
duties as a company officer, every day
adding to the military knowledge which
he was such an adept in acquiring. He
was constantly engaged on the defences
of Charleston, or those of the coast, south
ward, where he did much, through his
knowledge of engineering, in perfecting
those works, and, by his skill, as an Ar
tillery officer, in rendering their garrison
proficient.
RECEPTION OF GENERAL CORCORAN.
While stationed in Charleston, he first
heard of the capture of the gallant Cor
coran. deferring to the matter,in a letter
to a friend in*this city, he pledged him
self, should his brave and patriotic
countryman bo transferred to Charleston,
to order out the band of his Regiment to
receive him, and pla}- “Patrick’s Day,”
and “ Garryowen” through the streets
of the city in his honor, and for that of
the old land on which the Colonel and
his gallant command had reflected so
much credit. And he kept his promise.
Corcoran was afterwards transferied to
the Palmetto City, where lie found his
countryman as proud of him as when,
six months before, they presented him
with the gold-headed Palmetto cane, as a
mark of their appreciation of his conduct
in refusing to order out his Regiment to
do honor to the son of his country’s op
pressor. But from none did he meet a
more~cordial greeting than from the son
of the man whom he had long looked
upon as the first of living Irishmen. This
incident which harmonizes so well with
that which oceured at “ Irving Hall,”
about the same time (as related in a
former part of this sketch,) shows conclu
sively the unanimity of feeling which ex
isted between Irishmen, North and South,
when the heart’s homage was to be paid
to the men who were true to their native
land.
COMMANDS AN INFANTRY COMFANYV
Longing for more active duties, and
anxious to perfect himself in a different
branch of the service, our young officer
got himself assigned to the temporary
command of an Infantry company. These
he drilled as sharpshooters, and, with
them, aided materially in the brilliant
capture of the Lhiited States Gunboat,
Isaac P. Smith, in Stono river.
BRAVERY AT MORRIS ISLAND.
Transferred again to the Artillery,
we find him in command of a Barbette
battery at Fort Sumter on the occasion
of the terrible repulse of the monitor
fleet, April 7, 1863.
■Mlffll ©I flf
On the 10th of July, 1863, he was in
command of a battery at the south end
of Morris Island, when, abandoned by
his Infantry supports, with his handful
of devoted Artillerists, he stood to his
guns fighting hand to hand witli the
enemy, until, being actually surrounded
by the overwhelming numbers of his
assailants, he was, for a short time, a
prisoner in their hands; but his gallant
followers, who almost idolized their
young commander, by a desperate charge
succeeded in rescuing him. When,
once more at their head, he succeeded
in cutting his way to Fort Wagner. It
was his fortune to command the Artil
lery of that celebrated post on the follow
ing day, when the assaulting columns
received the first of the series of bloody
repulses which they encountered in front
of its massive parapet.
During the siege of Fort Wagner,
Captain Mitchel was placed in command
of the Batteries on James Island, which
had been constructed to command the
beseigers’ works; and both then, and sub
sequent to the evacuation of Morris
Island, he rendered signal service by the
spirit and accuracy of the fire with which
he constantly annoyed the Federal work
ing parties. At the time to which we
refer, he commanded no less than seven
companies of Artillery in the Batteries
adjacent to Fort Johnson.
For some time after the above events,
Captain Mitchel was stationed in the
Batteries in the city of Charleston.
APPOINTMENT TO TIIE COMSIANDOF SUMTER*
Iu April, 1864, he was assigned to the
temporary command of Fort Sumter,
during the absence of Colonel Elliott,
and, on the promotion of that officer, a
fortnight later, our gallant young country
man was honored with the permanent
command of that famous old fortress,
which for over a year had withstood a
siege and bombardment, unparalleled for
its fierceness, in military history.
Ilis assignment to such a post, at such
a time, was no common act of routine or
usage. It was believed by his superior
officers that he was worthy of, and equal
to the trust, under all exigencies and
the expectations of the witnessing world.
The results fully justified the appoint
ment.
On taking charge of Fort Sumter,
Captain Mitchel found but little to im
prove on iu the general plan of defense
instituted by his predecessor; but his
soldierly training soon made itself felt in
the increased attention to police and dis
ciplinary regulations, while his constant
lively interest in the welfare of his garri
sou, and untiring vigilance over the
movements of his enemy, made every
one of his command, both officers and
men, proud of their noble young leader.
ins DEATH.
But the career of the heroic young
soldier was drawiug to a close. Each
succeeding day the lire became more in
tense, and shot and shell poured in
quicker, and with more destructive effect.
On the 20th of June, (the three hundred
and sixty-sixth day of the seige of
Charleston,) the firing became particularly
severe—as many as four hundred and
forty-five shots, mostly from eight inch
Parrotts, and thirteen inch mortars,
being directed against the Fort, chiefly
from its south-west angle. About one
o’clock on that disastrous day, Captain
Mitchel went to that perilous point, with
a view to decide upon the expediency of
removing the sentinel stationed there.
M hen he arrived there, he found the
sentry under cover, and, having decided
on dismounting the guns at that angle,
he dispatched the man to summon the
gunners for that purpose. Just then,
while he stood alone at the exposed point,
surveying the enemy from the parapet,
and without any protection to the rear, a
large shell burst immediately over his
head, and a heavy fragment of it struck
him below' the left hip, shattering his
thigh, and inflicting a mortal wound.
Ilis brother officers immediately rushed
to the spot, and found him, deadly pale,
reclining against the parapet. He was
at once denderly removed to his quarters,
suffering the most excruciating torture,
which he bore with admirable fortitude,
saying that he “wished to let his men
see how a soldier should die.” Upon
learning from the Doctor that there were
no hopes of his recovery, he declined to
have amputation performed, and com
menced giving directions and making
preparations for death. He desired his
friends to write to his father and mother,
and tell them that he died as a man should
die, at his post of duty. lie said :
“Tell them I die resigned, with the
consciousness of having lived a blameless
life, and in the endeavor to do my whole
duty to the country. My only regret is
for my parents, and the great shock my
death will cause my mother. Tell them,
also, that I wish I could have died in de
fense of the liberties of my native land.”
He then called the senior officer in the
Fort, and said :
“I turn over the command of the Fort
to you. Never let it be given up, or sur
rendered.”
He desired that his remains should be
interred in the Magnolia Cemetery,
Charleston. About three o’clock, he began
to sink rapidly; and his friend, Captain
Johnson, chief engineer of the Fort,
knelt beside him and breathed a soldier’s
prayer for his dying comrade. He felt
pleased at this ; said he felt at peace with
his God, that he was prepared to die, but
that he wished he could have died as his
brother Willie did, adding: “Was not
his a glorious death ? ” * Then after a
pause, he feebly added: “ I die in a
glorious cause; my only- wish is that I
could have done more for my own country.”
These were his dying words. He retained
his consciousness to the last, and expired
at a quarter to five o’clock, in the after
noon of that 20th of July.
Thus with his last thought fixed on his
native land, died—as became his father’s
son—the first born of John Mitchel.
WiLLiE MITCHEL.
Pei haps this may be the most fitting
place*to recount the particulars of his
youngest brother’s death.
Willie Mitchel, then a lad of little over
seventeen, was residing in France with
his patents at the breaking out of the
wai. Lpon learning that his two beloved
brother.*? were embarked in the struggle,
the bra\e boy determined to fight in the
same cause. So, on his arrival in
America, he immediately enlisted in an
Inmntry Regiment, where he soon became
a Coiporal, and was chosen one of the
C r tv ls -Regiment formed part
of Pickett s column when they made their
famous charge up the hill to the IT nion
intrenchments at Gettysburg, on the 3d
July, 1863.
A distinguished Union officer who wit
nessed the advance of this glorious column
U -h v a filG of roiin(J shot, shell, and
rifle bullets, that strewed their path with
fallen heroes, has informed the writer
that in all he over saw, or read in History,
lie never knew anything approaching the
bravery of the men who composed that
column.
In that charge, Willie Mitchel fell. He
had been wounded early in the advance,
but refused to quit his post; a second
bullet killed him as the column reached
the foot of the hill; and there, side by
side with his gallant comrades, the young
est son of John Mitchel lies in an unknown
gra\e. Yell might his brave brother
long for such a death.
HONOR S PAID TO CAPTAIN MITCHEL’s
, REMAINS.
On the evening of his death, Captain
Mitchel’s remains were taken to Charles
ton, and conveyed to St. Paul’s Church,
where, under guard of the City Cadets,
they lay in state till the next evening. At
five o’clock, on the 21st of July, the
funeral took place. Every honor was
paid that could testify how deep and
general was the feeling on the part of the
soldiers and citizens of Charleston at the
loss of so gallant, and distinguished an
officer. The funeral was attended by the
most respected citizens, and a large as
semblage of Military officers, and the
Church was filled with ladies, \v 7 ho covered
his coffin with many wreaths of flowers,
and immortelles formed of the laurel and
palmetto entwined. Draped with the
Confederate Hag, the coffin was borne to
the Magnolia Cemetery, and buried in a
lot of ground purchased by the city for
that purpose. The funeral expenses
were defrayed by the citizens of Charles
ton.
In a Charleston paper of the present
year, describing the decorations of the
soldier’s graves, we tied the following
paragraph in reference to Captain Mitchel.
It shows hew dear his memory is to the
people in whose cause he died :
'Among the graves in private grounds
that received attention, was that of Capt.
John Mitchel, the gallant Irishman, who
was killed at Fort Sumter, in 1864.
There were three very handsome wreaths
placed on the tomb, and attached to one
of them was a slip of paper, on which was
written the name of the hero, and date of
his death. The lot where Captain
Mitchel is buried,it veil Ibe remembered,
was dedicated for that purpose by the city
of Charleston. An enclosure and a hedge
of evergreens have been placed around
it by friends who were not unmindful of
the hero of the day consecrated to the
memory of the martyr throng.’’
OFFICIAL TESTIMONIALS OF HIS ABILITY.
From several letters of condolence ad
dressed to his father, by Captain Mitchel’s
superior officers, we select the following.
They will serve to show the estimation
in which he was held.
The first is a copy of a telegram from
Major-General Jones :
“Charleston, July 20, 1864.
“ To John Mitchel:
“It is my painful duty to announce to
you that your gallant, and accomplished
son fell mortally wounded by a fragment
of shell, about one o'clock P. M., to day,
while in faithful performance of his duty,
as commanding officer of Fort Sumter.
“ The shot that removed him has de
prived the country of one of its most
valuable defenders.
“Sam. Jones,
“ Major-General. ”
The next letter is from Major-General
Beauregard, the officer of all others best
quahficd to judge of Captain Mitchel’s
abilities i
“Near PErrosBCRG, Va., Aug. 6, ’64.
“Dear Sir:
I ti ust tho condition of affairs here
will be my excuse for not having addressed
you sooner, relative to the irreparable
loss you have sustained lately in the loss
of your gallant son, Captain John Mitchel.
He served under my orders during the
most trying periods of the siege of
Charleston, at Fort Sumter, Battery
Simkins, and on Morris Island. He
displayed such coolness, energy, and in
telligence, that I selected him from many
aspirants, ambitious of the honor, to re-
P] ace Ctol. Elliott, in tho command of
tort Sumter, whenever circumstances
compelled that gallant officer to absent
himself from that important post.
“ In your bereavement, you should de
rive consolation from the thought that
your son fell at his post, gloriously bat
tling for the Independence of his country,
carrying with him the regret of his friends,
and the respect of his enemies.
“ I remain with respect,
“Your most obedient servant,
“ G. T. Beauregard.
“ Mr. John Mitchel,
“ Care of Lieut.-Col. Jno. Lay,
“ Richmond Va.”
We conclude our selections from these
official testimonials to the dead hero’s
services, and ability with the following
extracts from the letter of his dear friend,
Captain Johnson, who was fcy his side
when he breathed his last.
“You have lost, sir, a son you may well
have been proud of—his past record had
been so enviable; but you, perhaps,know
not what his brother officers knew, that
before him, in the future, shone a bright,
and sure, and glorious path of distinction,
which no accident or delay of time could
have prevented, no qualifications could
have impaired. Captain Mitchel had
qualities which would have compelled
distinction. I hesitate not to say after a
close association with him for some mouths
together, that, in his grade as an officer,
he had not his superior in any service in
the world. There was in him such actual
thorough furnishing for all occasions,
and emergencies. His reading exten
sive, and remembered; his practice,
never allowed to flag; his native intellect,
quick, clear, and penetrating; his dis
cipline the most level, firm, and consider
ate I ever saw; his manner so perfectly
uniform, was courteous and affable, but
dignified to his officers, kind and fair, bnt
unbending to his men—it was impossible
to be near him on duty, without feeling
the elevating and bracing effect of his
example and character, while his vivaci
ty of temperament, his command of lan
guage, his travels, observation, and
reflection made him altogether one of the
most agreeable companions I ever met ”
## # # * # ‘ #
[Millions of John Mitchel’s countrymen
re-echo the noble sentiments embodied
in the concluding portion of this gallant
soldier’s letter.]
“In taking leave, sir of yourself and
family on the present occasion, allow me
to express my warmest and heartiest
sympathies with you in the loss of your
noble son, and to hope that from His
hand, whose dark providence has dealt
the blow, may yet conic to you joy and
consolation, the balm which will heal and
purify your hearts toward the attainment
of that Heaven whither John has gone
before you. I remain with great esteem,
“Very respectfully yours,
“ Juo. Johnson
“ Capt. Eng. Corps. P. A. C. S.”
CONCLUSION.
After pernsing the above testimonials
to the ability of our noble young country
man, our readers cannot fail to be mourn
fully impressed with the great loss that
Ireland has sustained in Capt. Mitchel’s
untimely death. In few other men of our
race and generation were combined so
many fitting qualifications for the Mili
tary leadership of the Irish people, had
he been spared to take part in their
struggle for liberty.
A SONG FOR TIIE FUTURE.
“ This land of ours shall soon be free,
From the river of Foyle to the river of Lee,
And the suffering Irish then shall see
The joys of a free Republic.
“ Then we can walk in a fearless band.
And hold our own fair sunny land,
Yea, down to the smallest grain of sand.
’ Neath the sway of a free Republic.
“ Then Irishmen may claim their right
By force of her great men’s soul and might.
And stood to a grand and skyey height,
'Neath the sway of a free Republic.”
The Fee ok.
3