Here is a early American Catholic song that you might not know.
Each son of St. Patrick,each true-hearted fellow,Come join in our March,and bear Part in our Song;The Offer's no bad one,my Lads, let me tell you,So give us your Hand,and parade it along.At Yankey hereafterwe'll tickle a Trigger,For Clinton, God bless him,will give use the Van;Let's first shew our Vigour,on Beef and good Liquor,St. Patrick's the Word,and your fife to your Can.
The Harp of sweet Ireland has called us together,The Rights of our Kingand our Country to shield;We hope the Assistance of all who would ratherThan slave in a Trade,take the Chance of the Field;To such gallant Fellows,we give Invitations,Whether born on the Nore,Shannon, Liffey, or Ban,St. Patrick's the Word,and each Fist to the Can.-
"Irish Roots"
In American History we are not taught a lot about the Loyalists that stayedloyal to the Crown in the American Revolution. There were reason for this of course. The victors write history as they say. Also the treatment of Loyalist by us Patriots after the war was perhaps not our finest hour. Loyalisst were all over in the place and in significant numbers in the deep south.
The above song was sung by the Volunteers of Ireland that remained loyal to Crown.
I have highlighted Catholic American Patriots (or rebels from another point of view) on this blog. It is time to give these men the Loyalist (or Patriots from another point of view).
I think two good articles sort of give a overview of the situation. See this very good work Catholic Loyalists in the American Revolution A Sketch.
I think that article gives us a much more added significance to George Washington and his early effort to eliminated vulgar displays of anti Catholicism in the army and indeed his lifelong association with Catholics. Washington was bucking a trend that he found distasteful.
I might try to touch on this later including the Catholic Loyalist troops from Maryland and Pennsylvania
Great stuff James, I love your historical overview of Catholics both in the US Revolutionary War and other posts you have addressed the War Between the States....keep it buddy!!!
ReplyDeleteBTW, have you made your reservations for Miami in February??? Saints are rolling!
Thanks
ReplyDeleteLOL, I can't even imagine how much a Superbowl ticket would cost. Way out of my price range
I really don't know what I would have done as a Catholic in the colonies. I might have been a British Loyalist due to the fact that it IS against Catholic teaching to rebel against a legitimate government. The question is was the British government legitimate? Hmmm ... I'm not sure. I do know that James II and his heirs really should have been the proper monarchs of England, not William III and Mary II or Anne although Mary II and Anne were children of James II they weren't his heirs. He had a male heir to the throne but he was chased out of the country. And of course, after Anne died, the Jacobite heirs had the best claim to the throne anyway (you know ... except for the detail that they were Catholic) ... not the Hanovers (George I was of the Hanoverian Dynasty which has continued to the present day although its name changed to the House of Windsor) ... but I don't know. It's interesting to think about, though.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit Joe it would have been tempting to be a Loyalist and in fact again who know what would have done. I think a lot would have depended in which Colony I was in
ReplyDelete