Charles Francis Donnelly: A Memoir, with an Account of the Hearings on a ...

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Preface

This book had its germ in the proposition advocated by me during my husband's lifetime of publishing an epitomized report of the proceedings before the Legislature of Massachusetts during the years 1888- 1889, which led to the undisputed legal establishment of the rights of Catholics to maintain private parochial schools in the Commonwealth.

As the success which Mr. Donnelly achieved in this instance is considered by jurists as epoch making, not alone for Massachusetts, but for the whole United States as well, I feel now, more than ever, that it is my duty to preserve a record of his work in an easily accessible form for reference.

My lasting regret will ever be that this was not done during Mr. Donnelly's lifetime and under his direct supervision. His sympathies were broad and his heart was overflowing with a spirit of kindness towards all men. While maintaining the rights of Catholics he fought their battles without rancor and with the most judicial acumen.

In justice to his memory I wish it understood that the record of his work accomplished in the Catholic cause is given here at this time in no spirit of animadversion but solely as a matter of history. There is no desire on my part to emphasize or reopen the misunderstanding of a quarter of a century ago.

• • Vll viii PREFACE

It will always be the source of the greatest satisfaction to me that the services of Miss Katherine E. Conway could be enlisted in the compilation of this work. She attended the Sessions of the Legislature in 1 888- 1 889, at which these momentous questions were discussed, and her account of what transpired there is an accurate one.

Although the establishment of the legal status of parochial schools in Massachusetts is the reason for this book, nevertheless, it was but one of many achievements of a life devoted to the physical and mental welfare of others.

Even with the all too brief mention of other work, this record in no way expresses the full extent of an extremely noble and versatile character.

Amy Collins Donnelly.

Chapter I Page

Charles Francis Donnelly, Member of Ancient Irish Sept — Its Origin and Antiquity— Eogan, Ancestor of Northern Hy-Nials — Founder of O'Donnelly Family— Bally Donnelly now Castle Caulfield — Various Spellings of Family Name — Dominick Donnelly, Native of Clogher, Tyrone —Teacher of Latin — Married Rose McKenna— James Donnelly, the Very Reverend the Vicar-General of Kerry — Hugh Donnelly Born at Clogher — His Home in Athlone — His Marriage and Family — The Family of Conway — McCarthy Family — Honoria Conway, Incident of Birth — Foundress and First Superior of Convent at St. John 3

Chapter II

Birth of Charles Francis Donnelly — Is Brought to Canada by Parents — Early Boyhood and Education — His Mother — The Family Settles in Providence, R. I. — He Begins the Study of Law in Boston — Receives Degree from Harvard University — He Visits Nova Scotia — A Contributor to Boston Newspaper s — Practises Law in New York for Short Period — Contributor to Various Journals — Knickerbocker Magazine — His Various Pen-names — Poetic Gift — Sonnet on Lowell Quoted — 1862 Again in Boston — Visits Washington in 1863 — Contributes Pen Portraits to New York Leader 10

Chapter III

His First Law Case in Behalf of Catholic Children — One of the Founders of the Home for Destitute Catholic Children in 1864 — His Professional Services Engaged by Bishop Williams — Succeeds Samuel G. Howe as Mem-

ix x CONTENTS

PAGE

ber of the State Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity — His Growing Reputation in Boston — Sense of Humor — Author of Correspondence with Governor Butler — Much of His Time Given to Work of Board — Dropped by Governor Butler — Restored by Governor Robinson — Unanimously Elected Chairman — He Drafts Bill Respecting Treatment of Dipsomaniacs — First Legislation of Kind in Europe or America — His Influence towards Election of Hospital for Men 18

Chapter IV

Services of Catholics in Civil War — Mr. Donnelly's Protest against the Expression "Irish-Republican" — His Letter to the Boston Globe Widely Quoted — Degree of LL.D. Conferred upon him in 1885 — Interest in Irish History and Folk-lore — Visits Ireland — Declines Re-election as Chairman of State Board of Charity in 1887 — Retains Membership 24

Chapter V

Decrees of Plenary Council, 1884 — Increase of Catholic Schools — Activity in Boston — Causes Leading to the Opposition to Parochial Schools in Massachusetts — Alarm of Anti-Catholic Element — Bill before State Legislature, January, 1888 — Representative Michael J. McEttrick Presents Minority Report — Mr. Donnelly Engaged by Archbishop Williams to Safeguard Interests of Catholics — First Hearing, March 6, 1888 — Address of President Eliot of Harvard — Address of Mr. Donnelly — He Pleads the Bill of Rights and the National Constitution — Second Hearing, March 13 — Remarks by Rev. Joseph Cook, Josiah Quincy, Jr., and Others — Third Hearing, March 21 — Secretary pickinson of the Massachusetts State Board of Education the First Speaker — General Walker Opposes Bill — Emory J. Haynes, Rev. Dr. Bartol, Rev. Edward Everett Hale — Fourth Hearing, March 28 — Addresses by Rev. Mr. Leyden, Rev. James M. Gray, and Rev. M. R. Deming — Speech of Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson — Final Hearing, March 29 — Addresses by Rev. Thomas Magennis and Mr. Donnelly. . 29

CONTENTS xi

PAGE

Chapter VI

The Bill is Defeated— Effect of its Defeat in Boston— The A. P. A. and Committee of One Hundred — The Anti- Catholic School Bill of 1889 — The Hearings for and against the Bill — First Session — D. A. Buckley, Rodney Lund, Ira A. Abbott, and Albert L. Bartlett, Superintendent Haverhill Schools — Second Hearing, March 21 — Secretary Dickinson and City Solicitor Moody 83

Chapter VII

Third Hearing April 3, 1889 — Mr. Donnelly Questions Mr. Bartlett — Judge Carter — Fourth Hearing, April 5 — Letter of Mr. Desmond — Dr. A. A. Miner Questioned by Mr. Donnelly — Representative Gracey Explains Purpose of Bill 95

Chapter VIII

Mr. Donnelly's Argument for the Remonstrants — Speech of Rev. Joshua P. Bodfish — Dr. Miner's Insinuations Regarding '^Cells'' under the Boston Cathedral 116

Chapter IX

Beginning of Eleventh Hearing — Objections to the Bill Cited by Louis P. Plouf — Louis P. Poierer — Twelfth Hearing, April 19 — Cross Examination of Mr. Gargan — Edward Hamilton Testifies — Thirteenth Hearing, April 23 — Edward Hamilton Finishes his Testimony — Testimony of Rev. Joseph F. McDonough — Of Rev. Richard Neagle of Boston — Nathan Matthews, Jr., Opposes Bill 143

Chapter X

Mr. Donnelly's Speech — Mr. Long Argues for the Bill — Quotations from his Speech — Various Other Bills are Offered in the Legislature in Substitution of the Gracey Bill— Another Bill Finally Passed 186 xii CONTENTS

PAGE

Chapter XI

Mr. Donnelly's Review of the Controversy in the New York Press — Universal Commendations of Mr. Donnelly's Victory — He Refuses Remuneration from Archbishop Williams 205

Chapter XII

Traits of Mr. Donnelly's Character — Value of His Advice and Counsel to the Catholic Church — A Reputation for Settling Cases out of Court — His Directions "How to Become a Successful Lawyer" in the Boston Daily Globe 226

Chapter XIII

His Report on "Burdens of Pauperism," etc. — Interest in Emigrants — Contributes a Paper to the World's Parliament of Religions — His Marriage — Complications in Administration of Ecclesiastical Property — Drafts Bill Incorporating Archbishop a Corporation Sole — Secures its Passage — Drafts and Secures Passage of Bill in 1897 Giving Rights to Catholic Priests — A Power in Politics — Still Active en State Board of Charity — Withdraws from Active Practice in 1900— Law Protecting Youthful Culprits His Work — Secures the Passage of a Law in 1905 Guaranteeing that State Wards shall be Brought Up in the Faith of Their Parents — His Intimate Friendship with Archbishop Williams — Letter from Governor Guild upon His Resignation from the State Board of Charity 235

Chapter XIV

Personal Characteristics of Mr. Donnelly— His Generosity- Stature and Appearance— His Failing Health— Summer Home at Crow Point, Hingham — His Fondness for Sports 246

Chapter XV

His Last Days— Death— The Funeral Sermon— Memorials and Resolutions of Sympathy 255

CHARLES FRANCIS DONNELLY

A MEMOIR

Chapter I

A man's heritage, both mental and physical, is derived not alone from his parents but from all his forefathers as well. For this reason the following memoir would be incomplete without at least a brief consideration of the ancestral environment of the subject.

The tracing of the lineage of Irish families is especially interesting to a student of genealogy because the ancient Irish, more than any other European nation, were scrupulously particular in the matter of keeping their family records.

In the days of the minstrels and heralds the narrative genealogies were sung, but eventually the records were committed to manuscript. During their sessions of parliament representatives of the distinguished families of the Milesian race sat in the great hall of Tara under their respective escutcheons. The Irish were the first of European peoples to use badges of distinction, and their orders of chivalry long antedate the birth of Christ. Upon the introduction of Christianity learning was fostered under the teaching of the saints, and Ireland became the great educational center of Europe. One of the duties of the learned monks was to transcribe the genealogical records of the various Irish septs. Some of these beautiful manuscripts have been preserved and their contents published to delight the modern scholar of antiquarian taste.

In a family belonging to one of these ancient septs Charles Francis Donnelly had the good fortune to be born. The name is associated with several localities, and in each instance the O'Donnellys were chiefs and possessed of large estates. They trace their descent from Milesius, king of Spain, who with his eight sons sailed to the fair land of Innisfail, or Ireland. These were the Gaels of Irish history whose arrival is said to have taken place about 1700 B.C., and who brought with them the Brehon, or old Celtic laws, the most ancient code of Europe, which had for their central principle the unity of the family. Through the branch of Heremon, one of the voyaging sons, the descent is traced to Nial of the nine hostages (a.d. 382-408), the one hundred and twenty-sixth monarch of Ireland, who reigned as high king for twenty-seven years. His son Eogan, from whom the county of Tyrone in Ulster takes its name (Tir-Eogan, the land of Eogan), was the ancestor of the northern Hy-Nials and the founder of the O'Donnelly family. Members of this sept were chiefs in Tyrone, at Ballydonnelly the town of the Donnellys (now called Castle Caulfield), and at other places.

In the ancient annals the name is found variously spelled as Ua Donngaile, O'Dongealaighe, O'Dunghaile, and O'Donnghalie. Anglicised it has taken the form of O'Donnelly and O'Donally. The prefix O', a modernized form of the Gaelic Ua, meaning grandson, or descendant of, has been dropped by the American branch of the family.

A coat-of-arms as confirmed to one member of the Donnelly sept is given in Burke's General Armory: "Ar. two lions ramp, combatant, supporting a dexter hand couped appaumee between three mullets, two and one gu. pierced of the field, in base the sea, therein a salmon naiant ppr. Crest — a naked arm embowed grasping a straight sword ppr. hilt and pommel or, encircled with a pointed Irish crown of the last. Motto— Lamh dearg eiren." 1

The grandfather of Charles Francis was Dominick Donnelly, a native of Clogher, Tyrone. His sept gave at least three bishops of the name to his native diocese of Clogher. Members of the family were always strong adherents of the National cause. Three were members of parliament from Tyrone, under the Stuarts; five brothers, with many others of the sept, fell, holding the bridge at the battle of the Boyne; four were decapitated for fighting against Cromwell, and their heads placed conspicuously in the market place at Omagh, the shire town of the county.

Dominick Donnelly, who was born in 1725 and lived to be one hundred years old, came of a long line of classical scholars and teachers. He was a man of broad culture, and was a teacher of Latin at Clogher. He married Rose McKenna, and they were the parents of five children : Hugh, James, Mary, Jane, and Patrick.

1 A variant of this coat is illustrated in A Genealogical History of Irish Families by John Rooney, plate 8, No. 163. See also Armorial Families by Fox-Davies.

James entered the priesthood and became the Very Reverend, the Vicar General of the diocese of Kerry about 1824. Eventually Hugh and Patrick came to America. Hugh Donnelly, born at Clogher about 1790, died in Providence, Rhode Island, May 28, 1868. He first established his home in Athlone, county Roscommon, Ireland, where he conducted a successful business as a woolen draper. His first wife, Barbara O'Sullivan, 1 died leaving two daughters: Anna Maria who died young, and Barbara Amelia who married William McNamara and lived in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. He married, second, about 1833, Margaret Conway, who was a relative of Bishop Sughrue of Killarney.

Eight children were born to them: Rosanna M., Sister Vincentia of the Teaching Sisters of Charity, of St. John; Charles Francis, the subject of this memoir; James Frederick, William Hugh, a soldier in a New Hampshire regiment during the Civil War ; Michael John, who became a priest of the diocese of St. John; Eleanor Margaret and Isabella H. (both of whom died in early youth) ; and Joseph Henry.

The Conway family was of Welsh-Irish stock originating in the west of Wales. Mrs. Donnelly's grandfather married a Miss Ward, of the city of Galway. Their son, Michael Conway, 2 the father of

1 Barbara O'Sullivan was related to Margaret Conway, his second wife, both on her father's and mother's side — the O'Sullivans and Dorans. A near relative was McFinnan Dhu, i. e., a son of Black Florence O'Sullivan. His home was between Killarney and Kenmare, where he dispensed much hospitality.

* Martin Conway, brother of Michael, was in the Eighty-eighth

Margaret, enlisted in the Galway militia under his uncle, Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, and was appointed sergeant.

While on his way with the regiment to oppose a threatened landing of the French at Bantry he met his future wife, Eleanor McCarthy, at the home of her father, Timothy McCarthy, who was the barrackmaster at Inchygeela, Cork. The latter, McCarthy Dhu, was from Barnisthoka (hill of the winds), Kerry, and his wife was Margaret Barry, of the Barrys of Kilbarry. He died about 1800. 1

Regiment in the Peninsular War. He removed to Edinburgh and married an Englishwoman.

An uncle, Cornelius Conway, established the first newspaper in the city of Galway. His son, also named Cornelius, was a printer and removed to Leadenhall Street, London.

1 Margaret Conway, who became Mrs. Hugh Donnelly, lived to an advanced age. She had a remarkable memory, and her family delighted in hearing her reminiscences. The following notes concerning her family were taken from her verbatim: "Grandfather had a brother, Jeremiah McCarthy, who was a captain in a brigade of Irish volunteers in 1782. He was afterwards sent a commission by the Duke of York, but not having the means to maintain the position of an officer in the regular army he was obliged to decline it.

"Another brother, Thade, a bachelor, was a teacher in Inchygeela, who lived in the latter part of his life and died, also, near the old walls of the barracks. He gave me much of my schooling, and, apart from Miss Tully of Ballinasloe, was my only teacher.

"Grandfather McCarthy had also a sister, Honoria, who entered a convent in France and embraced a religious life, but left on account of ill health. She had some means, and lived and died in Cork about 1830. Before I married, and while my brother, Charles M. Conway, was at Maynooth College, she gave me the relic of the true cross.

"Another sister, Catherine, married an O'Sullivan, and was

The children of Michael and Eleanor (McCarthy) Conway were Margaret, born April 19, 1806, at Ballinasloe, Galway, who married Hugh Donnelly; Honoria, and Charles M. Conway. The latter was educated at Maynooth College under the terms of a scholarship founded by his kinsman, Dr. O'Sullivan. Eventually he came to the United States, and was for a time on the staff of the New York Tribune. Honoria Conway was born while her father was a subaltern on the regimental staff of his uncle, Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, commanding the Galway Militia Regiment. Towards the close of the Napoleonic war, in the absence of Lord Clancarty, its colonel, the regi-

the mother of Dr. Bartholomew O'Sullivan. Her other son went to France or Belgium, and was reported to he a lawyer. After their father's death Mrs. O'Sullivan married their tutor. She lived on her own property to the west of Kilgarvin.

"My mother had three brothers. Charles and James McCarthy came to America when quite young. Charles was, I think, about seventeen or eighteen years old when he arrived at Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Dr. O'Sullivan having sent for him. Soon after the arrival of Uncle Charles, Dr. O'Sullivan went to Halifax from Shelburne and left his business in charge of Uncle Charles, who then sent for his brother James. Uncle Charles married Isabella Johnson, who was of a respected loyalist family of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and she became a convert to the Catholic faith.

"James McCarthy married her sister, the widow of William Snyder, who had three children : Anne, married to Joshua Snow ; Evelina, married to Gilbert Tucker, and William, who died young.

"There was one daughter, Margaret, born to James McCarthy by this marriage. He and his brother Charles eventually removed to Meteghan, Nova Scotia.

"The other brother, Jeremiah McCarthy, was an architect. He married Honoria O'Sullivan. His son, Charles J. McCarthy, who ment was ordered from Ireland to garrison Dover Castle. The wife of the young officer came from their home in Ballinasloe, and, while visiting her husband, their daughter was born just when the ringing of bells and firing of cannon proclaimed the victory of Waterloo. Thus happily ushered into the world when peace was declared to Europe after long years of destructive war, the incident seemed a romantic and happy augury. When grown to womanhood Honoria chose a tranquil career. After several years as a religious at Mt. St. Vincent-on-the-Hudson she became the founder and first superior of the Teaching Sisters of Charity at St. John, New Brunswick, where she is lovingly remembered as Mother Vincent.

married Margaret Montayne, settled in Boston, Massachusetts, and under Mayor Wightman was appointed paymaster in the soldiers aid and pension office in 1861. In 1864 Governor Andrew appointed him paymaster with the rank of major in the Massachusetts militia at Vicksburg. He served for five years in the Massachusetts Legislature and for a like number of years in the Boston Common Council. His death occurred in 1866. The children of Charles J. and Margaret (Montayne) McCarthy were Honoria ; Jeremiah, who was a physician ; Patrick, who was court officer of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts; James, who succeeded his brother as court officer of the Supreme Judicial Court; and Charles.

"My grandmother, Margaret Barry, had cousins, Angela and Margaret (Peggy) Barry, who married two Browns of Inchygeela. Another brother, Richard Brown, married one of the Pynes of Mecroom."

Chapter II

The ancient town of Athlone is situated upon the bank of the great river Shannon. Here Charles Francis Donnelly was born October 14, 1836. He did not grow up, however, in this historic locality, for in 1837 when he was less than one year old his father removed with his family to Canada, and established their home in St. John, New Brunswick.

Soon after their arrival a disastrous fire destroyed Mr. Donnelly's place of business, and his health also failing he went to Nova Scotia where Mrs. Donnelly's two uncles, Charles and James McCarthy, were men of property and position. 1

For several years Mrs. Donnelly, who was a woman of education, fine mind, and dignity of aspect and manner, conducted a very successful school at Yarmouth.

Young Charles received his elementary education in private schools and at the Presbyterian Academy at St. John. He was a studious, meditative lad, with a

1 Charles McCarthy was one of the first Irishmen to settle in the province. He was one of the most influential and respected men in Nova Scotia. For nearly fifty years he was a magistrate in the county where he resided, and possessed the confidence and esteem of all the officials in the county. He died at the advanced age of eighty-two years. A more honorable man or more ardent lover of his country never left Ireland, for he was one of the old school of Irish gentlemen, and had all that courteousness of manner and pride of family which are characteristic of them.

DONNELLY MEMORIAL n

quiet, retiring disposition. After school hours his time was usually occupied in reading, and, having a most retentive memory, the store of knowledge then acquired lasted him a lifetime.

When the emigration from Ireland was at its height he saw much of the sufferings of the poor exiles who were landed at the port of St. John. Their condition was pitiable in the extreme, and no one in the new world realized this more or felt deeper sympathy for them than their youthful compatriot. The scenes at the docks watched by the thoughtful, imaginative boy, made an indelible impression on his mind, and from the painful sights then witnessed doubtless came the first impulse which led him, in later years, to consecrate so much of his time and energy to the relief of human suffering. The child not only watched but was alert to help, even going to the length on one occasion of bringing an entire family home with him in the firm belief that his mother would assume the responsibility of caring for them.

In 1848 Hugh Donnelly, having recovered his health, removed with his family to Providence, Rhode Island, where other relatives were prosperously settled. Here Charles Francis continued his classical studies, and, having decided to follow the profession of law, went to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1856 and entered the law offices of the Hon. Ambrose A. Ranney. Soon after beginning his studies a typical incident occurred which made strongly evident the self-respect and moral courage of the youth. The Jesuit Fathers, under the lead of the Rev. John Mc-

Elroy, S. J., were negotiating for the purchase of the land on which the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Boston College now stand. The Protestants of that section becoming excited at the thought of having Catholic institutions in their immediate neighborhood sent representatives to Mr. Ranney's office to have their protest against the sale drawn up. He made a rough draft of the paper and handed it to his young student to be put into legal form.

The youthful student had been brought up in the Catholic Church, as both his parents were of that faith, and even thus early in life had acquired an unusual knowledge of church history together with an intimate understanding of the rights of Catholic citizens.

With admirable courage for one of his years young Donnelly took his future in his hands by respectfully but most positively declining to draft what he considered, the protest of bigots. Strangely enough the distasteful task was not insisted upon, for Mr. Ranney was won by such disinterested grit and took his bold student into the most cordial social as well as professional relations, and thereafter it was his custom to consult him on all matters pertaining to the affairs of Catholics.

Mr. Donnelly also attended the Harvard Law School and was graduated with the degree of LL.B. in 1859. In September of the same year he was admitted to the Suffolk County bar and at once enterecl upon the active practice of his profession.

At the time of his admission to the bar Mr. Donnelly had already shown much taste for literature, had acquired a broad knowledge of the English classics, and had also received a religious training uncommon in a young layman.

We find him contributing editorial articles and special correspondence to the local press in 1859 under the nom-de-plume of "Vindex." The first topic to engage his pen was the celebrated Eliot School controversy of that year, the result of the severe punishment meted out to a boy who had refused to recite the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments. In discussing this case Mr. Donnelly maintained that the attempt to force any child into religious exercises which were against his conscience infringed the Bill of Rights of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that Catholic citizens should protest until the authorities were compelled to acknowledge that the safe-guarding of conscience protected the Catholics equally with the Protestants. Incidentally he showed the superiority of the school system of Prussia, Austria, and England over the school system of America in protecting the religious rights of the children of all citizens.

During the summer of 1859 Mr. Donnelly spent the months of August and September in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Letters from him, signed "Viator," appeared in the Boston newspapers, and showed an uncommon keenness of observation regarding the places he visited, and the manners and customs of the men with whom he came in contact. The impressions made on him during this trip to the land of Longfellow's Evangeline found expression in the very beautiful poem, "The Acadians' Hymn," that appeared in the New York Leader, August 9, 1862.

For about two years from the early part of i860 he was a resident of New York, engaged in the practice of his profession, and in his free time contributing editorials, prose sketches, and correspondence to the New York Tribune, New York Leader, Journal of Commerce, Morning Freeman and other journals, and to the Knickerbocker Magazine. These contributions were variously signed "Lex" and "Scribe," but he finally adopted the pen-name of "Schuyler Conway," under which he exercised his notable poetic gift

One of his poems, "Roma," the Boston Transcript described, on reproducing it many years after its first appearance, as "a gem of purest ray serene." The "Irish-American's Song" which appeared first in the New York Tribune, April 20, 1861, was adopted as a regimental song by the Tenth Ohio Regiment of Volunteers (Irish- American), General Ly tie's old regiment, and became popular among kindred organizations of the army. It was one of the earliest Civil War songs and was written to a very old Celtic melody — that used for "Robin Adair." 1

His poetic gift was spontaneous and he was apt, where his sympathies or affections were aroused, to commemorate special occasions in verse. In mature

1 It may be found in Frank Moore's collection of Songs of the Soldiers, Putnam, New York, 1864.

life this rare poetic faculty found its most natural expression in the dignified form of the sonnet, and if the law had not made even a stronger appeal than letters he might easily have ranked with the foremost American litterateurs. In all his work he gave marked evidence of unusual literary skill and artistic feeling, but his reserve was great. He was his own most severe critic and it is much to be regretted that he himself destroyed the greater part of his poetic compositions. While deploring the destruction of so much that would have been highly valued by his friends it will always be a source of keen satisfaction to feel that the surviving manuscripts have been preserved and published by Mrs. Donnelly for private distribution. 1

Mr. Donnelly considered James Russell Lowell to be the foremost American poet, and one of his latest poems was the following sonnet on Lowell's death that appeared in the Boston Advertiser in August, 1891.

LOWELL

No bugle blast sounds through the summer air ;

In solemn march behind the car we heed ;

Nor muffled drum is heard ; nor trumpet blare ;

Nor volleyed fire ; nor shrouding smoke is seen.

Yet in the earth to-day a soldier's form

We laid ; one who brave bore the brunt and storm

Of battle front with knightly skill and mien.

Rest, minstrel, after all earth's weary strife; — Fair Harvard hath borne many sons, but none So tenderly beloved as those who gave Their youth and manhood's prime, and even life, To Freedom's cause, until the field was won, And no man dare to call his brother slave.

Towards the end of 1862 we find Mr. Donnelly again in Boston active in recruiting for the Fifty-fifth Regiment, which had been organized with the distinct understanding that it should go to the front for nine month's service as an Irish-American regiment. In this regiment he held the rank of lieutenant, and within a few months six companies had been drafted and a good beginning made towards the formation of the seventh.

At this distance of time, and with a full knowledge of subsequent events, it is difficult to realize that after the unsuccessful campaign against Richmond ip. the summer of 1862 culminating in the disastrous national defeat at Bull Run, the people of the North still failed to grasp the magnitude of the Civil War, and that the call for troops continued to be for a short term of service.