Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon Clare

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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Wed Aug 13, 2014 11:17 pm

Why did Patrick Real and Michael Condon board the “City of Manchester” in Cork Harbor for New York in April 1863?

The Florida genealogist whose grandmother was a first cousin of Michael Condon suggested in a genealogy forum from the late 1990’s that since Michael used the alias “Conlin” in his Civil War enlistment that he probably left Ireland “in a hurry”. Patrick Real also enlisted on the same day under the name “Rail”, but I don’t believe this was an alias but just a common misspelling. For most people today, it would appear very odd to emigrate to America right in the middle of a Civil War, so an explanation such as having to leave “in a hurry” is provided. But in reviewing the historical records, leaving Ireland for America in 1863 was a common choice for the Irish:

The Charleston Mercury newspaper was obviously concerned about the numbers of Irish emigrating in 1863 from their article “Emigration from Ireland” on 22 June 1863:

“The emigration of Irish to the United States is now so extensive that, instead of four steamers leaving Cork harbor each fortnight, there will be seven in the same space of time, for some months. A late letter from Cork says “The Inman Company have increased sailings by an additional vessel fortnightly, and Cunard Company has advertised its intention of starting an extra steamer every second week.”

The article finishes with numerous reports from Irish newspapers, including these three…

“A Dundalk paper says: “No less than one thousand emigrants passed through Dundalk last week, on their way to America and Australia. They are rushing out of the country as if to avoid some terrible disaster.” The Western Star [from Ballinasloe] remarks: “We have never known so many people to leave this district within a week as from Sunday to the present. On Sunday, long lines of cars, laden with emigrants and their friends, arrived in Ballinasloe, the former leaving by the evening train. On Monday and Tuesday there were similar arrivals – nearly all well-dressed and comfortable looking young men and women, evidently belonging to the class of small farmers. The destination of these people is generally New York.” The Clare (Ireland) Advertiser, of the 13th of May, says: “We witnessed a novel feature on last Monday. The trades band of the town, ‘in full fig’, escorting the emigrants to the quay, playing ‘Patrick’s Day’, ‘Garryowen’, ‘White Cockade’ etc., in dashing style, and with such a martial air as would be highly interesting to an American recruiting sergeant, if he happened to be present. A crowd of over three thousand persons cheered loudly for America, and groaned the British Government.”

It is a pity that we don’t know more about the Clare men who would go to America to fight in the Civil War, but last least we know what songs were sung when they said their goodbyes. Skipping over to Scotland a century later, the folk group The Corries plays “White Cockade” in this short youtube video. Their version is lacking a “martial air”, but is a catchy tune that you might have to listen to a few times to work out the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v3qM24EwVI
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SS City of Manchester (1851 to 1871), National Archives.jpg
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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Tue Jan 06, 2015 1:04 am

After less than two weeks training, Patrick Real and Michael Condon left Riker's Island soon after the muster roll on 8 February 1864 and went by ship to Hilton Head, South Carolina. The next muster roll summary (see documents below) states that they both were assigned at the Engineer Depot to Company C of the 1st New York Engineers on 15 February 1864.

John H. Westervelt was a member of Company H of the 1st New York Engineers who had enrolled in New York back in September 1862. Westervelt started to write a diary in the spring of 1863 which he would send in 68 installments to his 13 year old son back in New York. In 1927, the diary was found in a trash heap outside a building renovation in New York City, most likely the residence where his son had once lived. "Diary of a Yankee Engineer" was published in 1997; edited by Anita Palladino the step-daughter of one of the men who found the diary.

John Westervelt provides a unique account of the Civil War since his purpose is not to write a history of the war, but for the education of his son. His below description of the military depot at Hilton Head was written 150 years ago, but he could just as easily have been writing about more recent wars. Westervelt crossed paths with Patrick Real and Michael Condon as he escorted 20 new recruits to St. Helena island on February 12th.

[February 1864] 12th: I succeeded in getting to the head [Hilton Head] today. The place was considerably altered since I was last there. Many new buildings have been put up in 10 months. One who has never seen a military depot, can form no idea of the vast amount of expense one entails upon the country. You would cease to wonder at the enormous debt the Government is daily incurring, could you take a peep at the Head, the military depot of the department. Here are thousands of civilians to work at extravagant wages, besides an immense amount of labor performed by soldiers. I cannot enumerate the almost endless quantities of materials it takes to supply the department, as well as the thousands of steamers and other craft it takes for transportation between N.Y. and H.H. [Hilton Head] and from post to post of the department. As I expected I saw many old friends...The mail steamer Atlantic arrived early in the morning with some 20 recruits for our regiment whom I had the honor of conducting to camp on St. Helena. So ended my trip to the Head with which I was pleased.

The SS Atlantic taken by Patrick Real and Michael Condon from New York to South Carolina had been purchased by the U.S. Government for Civil War service. It was originally a Collins Line steamship launched in 1850 for the transatlantic mail service from New York to Liverpool.
Attachments
Michael Condon & Patrick Real Muster Roll February 1864 (source Fold3).png
Michael Condon & Patrick Real Muster Roll February 1864 (source Fold3).png (242.75 KiB) Viewed 24534 times
The Arrival of the Collins Line Steamer Atlantic in May 1850; National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.jpg
The Arrival of the Collins Line Steamer Atlantic in May 1850; National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.jpg (223.36 KiB) Viewed 24534 times

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sat Jan 24, 2015 3:52 am

John Westervelt stated in his diary that on 12 February 1864 he escorted about 20 new recruits to camp on St. Helena. I could find 21 men from five countries who had taken the SS Atlantic from Riker's Island to Hilton Head: there were seven Irishmen (Patrick Real, Michael Condon, James Kelly, John Montford, Owen Carr, Charles Coughlin and William Fogarty), eight Americans (including three likely Irish Americans), three Germans, two Englishmen, and one Chilean.

A very international mix. I was especially intrigued how James Brown, a 38 year old sailor born in "Chili, South America" could end up being assigned to the same Company C of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers as Patrick Real and Michael Condon. I believe James Brown's story highlights how scattered across the globe the Irish were in the 19th century, and that perhaps not all the men in the 1st New York Engineers were truly "Volunteers".

James Brown enrolled on 12 December 1863 in the 5th District of New York City. Compared to the other new recruits on the SS Atlantic, he spent a longer amount of time in Riker's Island before being shipped out in February. And unlike Patrick Real and Michael Condon there was no official enrollment in his documents. In July 1865 as the 1st New York Engineers were returning to New York City, James Brown was left behind in hospital on Hilton Head, South Carolina. He was provided with a transportation voucher (see duplicate below) dated 15 August 1865 to return to New York City by either train or government boat - this was the last document I could find in USA records of his existence.

However, I believe this same James Brown appears on the 1871 England Census as a 30 year old mariner, born in Chile. He was living on Stewart Street Court in Liverpool in a neighborhood with many other Irish. His 22 year old wife was from "Gaviney", Ireland. These facts point to James Brown likely being of Irish descent. Plus apparently it was the Irish Catholics in Chile who were most likely to marry the local Creole women in Chile, which would account for James Brown's dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes reported on his Civil War records.

1871 England Census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBFV-264

In the maritime records from Canada (ancestry.com, library edition), a James Brown born in Chile living in Liverpool appears as a sailor on four shipping records of Nova Scotia registered ships: (1) as a 26 year old, born in Chile, on the ship Victoria leaving Liverpool on 8 October 1863 and arriving back in Liverpool on 11 March 1864 (2) again as a 26 year old, born in Valparaiso, Chile, on the ship Victoria leaving Liverpool on 2 July 1867 and arriving back on 16 December 1867 (3) still 26 years old, born in Valparaiso, on the Victoria leaving Liverpool on 4 February 1868 and arriving back on 18 July 1868 (4) as a 28 year old, on the ship N. Churchill leaving Liverpool 19 August 1869 and arriving back on 14 December 1869.

Not sure why each of these four journeys to and from Liverpool took 5 months. Were the ships traveling to Chile and perhaps even Australia to account for such a long trip? Or was this simply a 5 month contract period for multiple journeys between Liverpool and Canada? But the big question was how could James Brown have been on the first journey from October 1863 to March 1864 and also on the SS Atlantic from New York to Hilton Head in February 1864? I had to look at the detail of the first trip record which provided the answer as it stated "deserted before sailing" and a discharge date of 15 October 1863. Surely, the James Brown born in Chile who deserted in Liverpool in October is the same man who enrolled as a New York Engineer two months later. But I have my doubts whether James Brown really deserted in Liverpool. Sailor kidnappings were fairly common at this time. And if he truly deserted in 1863, why would the ship Victoria hire him back in 1867?

One discrepancy in this story is the age of James Brown in the 1871 England census as being only 30 years old, born about 1841. In the Civil War records of 1863 he was reported as being 38 years old, born about 1825 - a difference of 16 years. But given the suspect circumstances of his Civil War enlistment, his birth date could be inaccurate. And in 1871 with a young 22 year old wife and his birth records back in Chile, I could see him fudging his age by 5 years or so in the census. Perhaps the most accurate age was listed on the 1863 shipping record as a 26 year old or born about 1837.

And this is complete speculation, but if he was born about 1837 it is entirely possible that James Brown had already been married once before back in Chile. A John Brown was baptized on 30 January 1860 in Santiago, Chile whose mother was Susanna Ysluppa and father was Santiago Brown (James in Spanish). If James Brown followed traditional Irish naming patterns for his first born son, then perhaps his father was a John Brown who immigrated from Ireland sometime in the 1830's?

Chile baptism records: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FJNG-YY9

James Brown does not appear in the Civil War pension record index. A 70 year James Brown (born about 1838) does appear as a cook on the ship Andorinha that left Iquique, Chile and arrived in Astoria, Oregon on 14 August 1908. If this is the same James Brown as the New York Engineer, it is a real pity that he never collected his U.S. Civil War old age pension, but was still on a ship working away at the age of 70.

If interested in the Irish in Chile, the Society for Irish Latin American Studies maintains an excellent website. In their on-line journal archive, October 2006 (volume 4, number 4) includes some interesting articles on the substantial Irish role in Chilean history including Ambrose O'Higgins (governor of Chile) and John MacKenna (general in the Chilean war of independence). "Irish Immigrants and their Arrival in Chile" in the November 2008 issue (volume 6, number 3) is also a good read.

http://www.irlandeses.org/journal/journal-archives/
Attachments
James Brown 1st New York Engineer Muster Rolls (source Fold3).jpg
James Brown 1st New York Engineer Muster Rolls (source Fold3).jpg (153.67 KiB) Viewed 24506 times
James Brown 15 Aug 1865 Transportation Voucher (source Fold3).jpg
James Brown 15 Aug 1865 Transportation Voucher (source Fold3).jpg (213.61 KiB) Viewed 24506 times
Last edited by Jimbo on Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Mon Feb 09, 2015 9:19 am

An Long *

Tháinig long ó Valparaiso,
Scaoileadh téad a seol sa chuan,
Chuir a hainm dom i gcuimhne
Ríocht na Gréine, Tír na mBua.

“Gluais,’ ar sí, ‘ar thuras fada,
Liom ó scamall is ó cheo,
Tá fé shleasaibh gorm Andes
Cathair scáfar, glé mar sheod.”


According to the article "Irish Immigrants and their Arrival in Chile" (see link in last post), the "Irish arrival in the country was sporadic and happened within a very precise context. It was principally the product of Spanish colonialism, and the expansion of the informal British Empire in the port city of Valparaiso and in the northern cities, with the development of the nitrate trade." The South American nitrate trade would explain the five month journeys to and from Liverpool that James Brown was signed up for in the 1860's. Ships would leave Liverpool and sail around Cape Horn destined for Valparaiso to unload any cargo and then travel further north to Iquique to load Chile saltpetre (used for munitions and fertilizers) from the mines of the Atacama desert before making the return trip around Cape Horn back to Liverpool.

And after a more thorough look at James Brown's civil war records, his shipping voucher listed a specific journey on the steamship Empire City on 15 August 1865 from Hilton Head to New York City. And there was a document that stated James Brown mustered out at New York City on 19 August 1865 and was paid the remaining $120 of his $300 bounty.

Most likely James Brown used a portion of his bounty to return to Liverpool. On 16 July 1866 in Sydney, New South Wales, the ship SS Omeo arrived from Valparaiso (it had originated in Great Britain) with a 28 year old (born about 1838) James Brown. The Australian shipping records did not list the birth place of the sailors, only their nationality. James Brown's nationality was listed as Great Britain. But I still believe this James Brown is the Civil War veteran and is of mixed Irish and Chilean heritage. According to "Irish Immigrants and their Arrival in Chile", "the Irish who arrived in Chile during the nineteenth century became part of the Creole elite, which in turn was Anglophile, and revered the British Empire". Not sure how James Brown returned from Sydney to Liverpool, but he was back by July 1867 for another journey to Valparaiso. Unlike the young man in the poem "The Ship", James Brown certainly did wander the world.

The Ship *

A ship arrived from Valparaiso,
Dropped its anchor in the bay,
Her name reminded me of kingdoms,
Sunlit countries far away.

Come along with me she whispered,
Far from cloud and mist for you’ll,
Find beneath the Andes Mountains,
An awesome city – bright as a jewel.

But I was young and would not wander,
With hope and youth I chose instead,
The promises of verse and fable,
From the wondrous books I read.

The ship sailed off into the vapour,
Shining like gold its mast so bright,
It wrote its story on the parcment,
High amidst the stars that night.

She will return to me, however,
The white city, I still conceive,
That by the sea of peace eternal,
I too shall be, if I believe.


* Source: original poem by Oliver St John Gogarty; translated to Irish by Pádraig de Brún. Cut & paste from Irish Times "100 Favourite Poems" by Irish poets.

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Fri Feb 13, 2015 7:31 pm

St Helena, South Carolina. St Valentine's Day, 1864. Despite being in a war zone, Patrick Real, Michael Condon and the other new recruits from Riker's Island must have been happy to be down South and out of the freezing temperatures in New York. And thanks to the "Diary of a Yankee Engineer", we know exactly what the 1st New York Engineers were doing 151 years ago due to two separate letters written by John Westervelt to his son covering this day:

Sunday 14th St Valentines day, but nothing to remind us of the fact, but the memory of former ones in N.Y. It is a spring day. As soon as the sun struggled through the fog and mist it broke out bright and warm, and our camp was the scene of migrants of the feathery tribe, principally black birds, who filled the air with their incessant chattering and chirping. There is hundreds of small birds, who daily feed in our camp and are so tame they sometimes come inside our tent door.
to be continued

Continued. February 14, 1864. The sun had not been up more than an hour, before the atmosphere became so hazy the sun could but just struggle through it. Then came one of those dreamy days that are so delicious at this time of the year, but later in the season would be attended with millions upon millions of gnats...

At 5 PM, we had dress parade. These affairs always take place on Sunday afternoon. In infantry regiments when not in front of the enemy, Sunday never passes without dress parade. This is the first time I ever was in one, and it being the first in the regiment for a long time there was a terrible scrubbing, brushing, and scouring, of guns, clothes, buttons &c. In order that you will understand it I will explain a little. Every man who can carry his piece is expected to turn out on dress parade in his best style and it is generally a fine sight with a full regt. The commanding officer of the regt takes his position in the field outside the camp, Each Co under their capt marches out of its respective street and form one line in front of the officer. The 1st post of honor is the extreme right of the line, which belongs to Co H by seniority of Captaincy, 2nd post of honor is extreme left, 3rd post center, 4th post 1st co right of center, 5th, 1st left of center, and so on the whole ten Cos (in our regt 11 Cos). The adjunct takes command and brings the regt to a present arms. Then the commanding officer goes through the whole manual of arms. Next the adjutant reads off to the regt all recent orders from general and regimental headquarters. Each Orderly makes a report of his camp. The captains then march up in front of commanding officer and salute with their swords, and parade is dismissed. It generally takes from 30 min to an hour.


The book cover of a "Diary of a Yankee Engineer" has a photo (see below) of a detachment of 1st New York Engineers, near Charleston, South Carolina. There is no date for the photo (original with Library of Congress) and the men aren't identified. Although I reckon the soldier with the dark complexion sitting cross-legged second from left looks like he might have some Chilean ancestry?
Attachments
Library of Congress Photo of 1st New York Engineers on Book Cover of Diary of a Yankee Engineer.jpg
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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:51 pm

Of the 21 new recruits from Riker's Island, 12 men were assigned to Company C at St Helena Island. From the diary of John Westervelt of February 17th "Co. C left for the [Hilton] Head today. We have only Cos D, H, and L."

But not all the new recruits from Co. C would leave for Hilton Head. Per Westervelt's diary of February 21st "Late in the afternoon the funeral of a new recruit took place, the whole regt turning out. I was one of a party of eight selected from our Co. to fire over the grave. He belonged to Co. C. He died of a loathsome disease brought on himself by his associations in N.Y." The civil war records state that Ketcham Smyth, a NY born recruit, died in the regimental hospital on St Helena Island on February 21st of typhoid fever.

During the Civil War a soldier was far more likely to die from disease than be killed in battle. From the regimental history, a total of 148 men from the 1st New York Engineers died during the Civil War: 27 men were killed and mortally wounded; 121 men died of disease. Patrick Real's pension records state that he was not on duty from June 18th to 25th, 1864, nor on July 1st 1864 due to diarrhea - but otherwise appeared to be pretty healthy.

Below is an inventory of Ketcham Smyth's clothing & effects (excluding what he was buried in). Being in the same group of recruits from Riker's Island, Patrick Real would have had the same items of clothing.
Attachments
Ketcham Smyth inventory of clothing 21 Feb 1864 (National Archives_.jpg
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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sat Mar 28, 2015 6:05 pm

When Patrick Real and Michael Condon arrived in Hilton Head, South Carolina on February 12, 1864, the Confederate newspaper The Charleston Mercury provided their daily update of the fighting under the title "Siege Matter - Two Hundred and Eighteenth Day". Hilton Head was the main military depot for the Union troops and along with St Helena Island were south of the Union activity on Wagner, Folly and Morris Islands which were south of the entrance to Charleston harbor. The 1st New York Engineers were involved in building fortifications, lookout towers, roads, bridges, and piers. Their most famous construction was the "Marsh Battery" in August 1863 on Morris Island to support the "Swamp Angel", a 24,000 pound gun and carriage capable of shelling Charleston. After firing 35 shells on Charleston on August 22-23, 1863, the "Swamp Angel" itself exploded on the 36th shot (see photo below).

Three Confederate Irishmen provide a description of life in Charleston during the siege just a few weeks prior to the arrival of Patrick Real and Michael Condon:

Headquarters U.S. Forces *
Morris Island, S.C., January 31, 1864

Capt. Adrian Terry, Assistant Adjutant General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report ... that 3 deserters from James Island entered our lines yesterday evening, and are now in charge of the provost-marshal. Their names are James Cummings, Patrick O'Neil, and Richard Crowley, late members of Company H, Twenty-seventh Regiment S.C. Volunteers, formerly known as the Charleston Battalion. They took a picket-boat near Battery Ryan, and following down the creek, landed in the marsh near Black Island, where they gave themselves up to our pickets. They are Irishmen, and were residents of South Carolina before the war broke out. I examined them separately, and their statements coincide remarkably well. There is great despondency and bad feeling among the rebel troops on James Island. Their company was composed of Irishmen, with the exception of 6, and with scarce an exception all are anxious to come within our lines. The discontent among the native South Carolinians is nearly as great as among the soldiers of foreign birth. For the last three months they have been pinched for food, and there is but a very limited supply kept on hand on James Island. The soldiers receive hominy and about a quarter of a pound of beef for breakfast, a pint of rice and the same quantity of beef for dinner, and nothing for supper... They state that our shells have done considerable damage in Charleston...Most of the shells explode, but as yet few people have been injured by them. Charleston is depopulated, except by the very poorest class of people, and they have moved as far up town as they can get...The prices of everything are extravagantly high: rice, $22 bushel; bacon $4 per pound; corn $18 to $20 per bushel.

These men have all served in turn in Sumter, and are able to give an intelligent account so far as they go...[long description of Confederate garrison]...One of the deserters, Crowley, states that he was in Battery Wagner when our troops assaulted it on the 18th of July, and that it was with great difficulty that the garrison could be kept from the bomb-proofs. They state that Colonel Shaw, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, was killed on the parapet, but there is a difference of opinion as to where he was buried. They state that the colored soldiers who were captured were treated as prisoners of war, the same as white soldiers.

W.W.H. Davis
Colonel 104th Pennsylvania Volunteers



The Irish born population living in Charleston in the 1860 federal census had increased by 38% in 10 years to 3,263 individuals and made up 14% of the white population. The three Irish deserters James "Cummins" (5th Ward, born in 1841), Patrick O'Neil (3rd Ward, born 1832), and Richard "Crowly" (3rd Ward, born 1837) were all single laborers living in Charleston in the 1860 census. There is a good chance that at least one of these men was born in County Clare as apparently there are strong historical connections between Charleston and Clare. At the dedication in June 2013 of the South Carolina Irish Memorial in Charleston both Michael Collins, Irish Ambassador to the U.S., and Peter Considine, Mayor of Ennis, attended and gave speeches. One article for the event stated that Charleston and County Clare were "twin locales", but not sure how official the relationship is between the two.

Here are photos of the Irish Memorial dedication on the Post and Courier newspaper website:

http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs ... 996&Ref=PH

* Source: War of the Rebellion, a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies:
http://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/065/0462
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Swamp Angel & Marsh Battery on Morris Island (Libary of Congress).jpg
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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:09 pm

The three Irish Confederate soldiers who deserted outside of Charleston were questioned about the Battle of Fort Wagner and Colonel Robert Gould Shaw of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts. This battle and the 54th Massachusetts were made famous by the 1989 film "Glory" starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick playing the role of Colonel Shaw. The bravery of the black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts at the Battle of Fort Wagner was often compared against the cowardice of the NYC draft rioters as both took place in July 1863. These soldiers were free black men not just from Massachusetts but other Northern states. Many were educated as evidenced by their letters which were published during the Civil War in the black owned newspapers of the North. The soldiers were also very proud, refusing to accept any monthly pay until they received the same amount as white soldiers - a hard fought victory they finally did achieve. The 1st New York Engineers would be assisted by both the 54th Massachusetts and later the 55th Massachusetts on many of their projects.

So in February 1864 what would happen when soldiers of the Massachusetts 55th came across a new recruit whose uniform identified him as being from New York and whose accent was that of an Irishman? From the below letter that was published on 2 April 1864 in the black newspaper Christian Recorder it doesn't look like the soldiers were sitting by the campfire singing Kumbaya:

Palatka. Florida, March 14, 1864 (1)
Headquarters, 55th Regt Mass. Vol. Inf

Mr. Editor:
Thinking that some of the many readers of your most worthy paper might be somewhat interested in an account of our journey from Folly Island, S.C. to this place, I will proceed to give the details in as brief a form as possible.

It was, I think, on the 12th of Feb., that orders came for the 55th Reg. Massachusetts Infantry, then on Folly Island, S.C., to report at Jacksonville, Florida... The camp was soon broken up, and everything scattered hither and thither, resembling the western country after one of those awful storms that sometimes recur... After we were all safe on board, we expected to be off, when we received the sad news from the captain of the boat that we would not leave before the next morning; so we made up our minds to spend the time as agreeably as possible by engaging in the following amusements; some playing cards, and some telling stories &c, &c.

Before we bid adieu to Folly Island, there is one thing more worthy of a place in my story. While we were waiting with patience for the long looked for morning to dawn, some of the men got to rambling about, as is common among all soldiers, when one of them happened either by chance or otherwise, to get a little too near one of those men, contemptible scamps, notable for no greater crime than having burned the colored Orphan Asylum, in the city of New York, less than a year ago, who took on himself the prerogative of calling one of our men a [racial slur]: this not going down well with the soldier, he was for using the stock of his gun over Pat's head. But Pat, being very sensible of his danger, soon found his way to the hull of a ship that lay near the dock. The soldier, having one more way by which he could get justice, lost no time in resorting to it. He well knew that if he reported the case to Col. Fox [their white officer], that he would see that he got justice, for Col. Fox is not one of those men who let his men be run over by a lot of mobocrats, who better deserve to die than live. As soon as the news reached Col. Fox, he hurried to the place where the men were gathered in groups discussing the impropriety of such a man calling a soldier a [racial slur], but when the Colonel commanded silence, and assured them that he would have the scamp attended to, they soon all became quiet. Co. Fox ordered Pat to come out and give a reason why he should call a soldier a [racial slur], but, not being able to satisfy the Col., he ordered him under arrest, and sent him, accompanied by at least two files of good brave colored soldiers, to report to the Provost guard. A few cases like this will teach those fellows to attend to their own business and let other folks alone.

At daylight [on February 13th] the order was given for all to come on board, and we were off. As we steamed down the river, I could see the many forts and batteries our men had helped to build since they had been on the island... As I passed near the place of the regimental graveyard, I could not help thinking how many of our number we were leaving behind, whom we would never more see on this earth; those that had left their homes and home comforts at the same time that I did, the young, the noble, and the brave, to fight for their country, and to avenge the country's wrongs.

Yours respectfully,
R.W.W.


The burning of the colored Orphan Asylum is clearly a reference to the New York City draft riots of July 1863. Most likely the use of the term "Pat" is not short for "Patrick" but like "Paddy" a slang term for an Irishman. This Irishman was probably a new recruit that had not yet been assigned to a company and thus had no weapon. This incident occurred on February 12th on Folly Island, the same day the SS Atlantic arrived on Hilton Head with 21 new recruits (including seven Irishmen) for the 1st Regiment New York Engineers. It is possible that the SS Atlantic made a stop at Folly Island before arriving further south at Hilton Head, but there is no record of her doing so. However, this incident does highlight the stigma of the N.Y. draft riots that Patrick Real and other Irish soldiers who had lived in New York City would face during their Civil War service. And as the N.Y. Engineers would continue to work with black regiments on various projects, the advice of R.W.W. "to attend to their own business and let other folks alone" was very sound.

(1) Voices of the 55th, Letters from the 55th Massachusetts Volunteers 1861-1865 edited by Noah Andre Trudeau)
Attachments
Storming Fort Wagner (Charge of the 54th Mass. Colored Regiment July 18, 1863) Library of Congress.jpg
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Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sat May 02, 2015 6:09 pm

In telling the American Civil War story of Patrick Real, it was surprising how much a soldier's complexion was part of the story. Patrick Real had either a ruby or ruddy complexion according to his records, perhaps symbolic on whether or not he participated in the N.Y. draft riots of 1863 etc. His fellow New York Engineer James Brown's dark complexion was likely evidence of Chilean and Irish roots. However, the fact that James Brown's surname was Brown and his complexion was brown was just a coincidence. This was not the case for R.W.W. who wrote the letter to the Christian Recorder in the last post.

R.W.W.'s full name was Richard W. White, Sergeant of the 55th Massachusetts Volunteers. Richard White is not at all well known in American history, but was chosen by the historian Jacqueline Jones in her 2013 book "A Dreadful Deceit" to be one of six individuals to represent "the myth of race from the colonial era to Obama's America". Jacqueline Jones devotes an entire chapter to his fascinating story: Richard White had been born into slavery in the South but by 1850 was living with a white Quaker family in Ohio. It is believed that this abolitionist family gave him the surname "White" due to his very fair complexion. In the 1850's he was educated at Oberlin College in Ohio which was rare for Americans of any race at that time. He was a frequent contributor to the black newspapers during his service with the 55th Massachusetts. After the Civil War, he settled in Savannah, Georgia and in 1868 won a local election to the judicial clerkship of the county. This didn't sit well with the whites of Savannah especially the loser in the election W.J. Clements. In the 1869 trial Clements vs. White, the prosecution stated that while blacks had the right to vote in elections in Georgia, they had no right to hold elected office. Richard White ended up with the defense that he was white and forcing the prosecution to prove whether he was indeed black (defined as "one-eighth of negro, or African, blood"). Highly recommend the book "A Dreadful Deceit" to find out how this unique defense using genealogy worked out for Richard White.

Richard White in 1850 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX33-983

Richard White clearly had negatives views of Irish immigrants who unlike blacks could easily obtain full rights of citizenship in America. But the Irish of the 1st New York Engineers would also have to deal with anti-Irish prejudice of their fellow Yankee soldiers. John Westervelt, who escorted Patrick Real to camp on his first day in South Carolina, wrote to his young son in the "Diary of a Yankee Engineer" some interesting views of the Irish. Here he describes the last of his three tent mates:

Next and last is John McKee an Irishman. I had formed a better opinion of this man on first acquaintance than I now find. He is about 33, light blue eyes, sandy hair, whiskers & complexion. Is uneducated and naturally ignorant. He has some talent for making verses, and can write short pieces for the papers but is a terrible murderer of the english language. A vein of satire in his writings has induced certain men in the service to pay him for writing cutting articles against certain other men. These after correction have been published in the papers, and meeting with some approvation among the ignorant and discontented have made him self conceited. He is arbitrary and irritable in conversation. Professes to be stoutly in favour of the union, but is continually comparing the British Army to our own and always to the disadvantage of the latter. He is sloven in his dress and manners, using his fingers in preference to knife, fork or spoon. Is immoderately fond of whiskey getting drunk whenever opportunity offers. He enlisted as a carpenter but knows more about distilling liquors. He is always flattering those above him and domineering over his equals. Professes to know every thing and a little more while he treats the opinion of others with contempt. Always bullying his fellows but when home is bullyed by his wife. To sum it up he is every inch an Irish man.

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Tue Jun 23, 2015 6:14 am

Patrick Real and Michael Condon would remain on Hilton Head along with the rest of Company C for about 5 months. Not much record of their activities during this time in South Carolina.

In July 1864, they were listed on the company roll sheet as "absent". In accordance with a special order, Patrick Real, Michael Condon, and NY born corporal John McLean were on detached service in Jacksonville, Florida. Patrick Real and Michael Condon would never be separated during their service in the Civil War. Arriving in July they missed out on the Battle of Olustee, the largest battle fought in Florida five months earlier in February 1864. Since the Union troops suffered relatively high losses during that battle, the Union leadership decided not to pursue any further major military action in Florida. Not a bad spot for Patrick Real and Michael Condon to spend the rest of the Civil War.

Although the subsequent muster roll sheets through April 1865 would list their station as Jacksonville, Patrick Real and Michael Condon were most likely at the nearby Yellow Bluff Fort at the base of the St. Johns River. Although I could find no record of this, the Florida cousin who provided the biography of Michael Condon stated that he was at Yellow Bluff Fort. Her cousins in Limerick who raise horses even told her on a 1995 visit to Ireland that if in the following spring a colt was born of possible race quality that it would be named "Yellow Bluff".

Burt G. Wilder was the white medical doctor for the 55th Massachusetts and gives an interesting account of Yellow Bluff during his time there between February and July 1864. His diary * also states that he shared the same housing with four 1st New York Engineers who built the watch tower on Yellow Bluff. These four engineers were back in South Carolina by the end of July (sadly, one died on July 29th diving into a shallow pool of water and breaking his neck), so it makes sense that they had been replaced on Yellow Bluff.

During their time in Florida both Michael Condon and Patrick Real would be promoted from private to artificer on 10 October 1864 and 5 April 1865, respectively. Their salary would thus increase from $13 to $17 per month. In reading the diary of Burt Wilder, I was surprised how much free time the soldiers had to explore around Yellow Bluff and hunt the exotic wildlife. Patrick Real is probably one of the few men in the Irish census of 1901 that had seen and most likely hunted alligators in Florida! Patrick Real no doubt had plenty of stories to tell his grandchildren and friends at the local pub of his time in Florida. Here is more information on Yellow Bluff which is now a Florida state park:

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Yellow-Bluff

* Practicing Medicine in a Black Regiment, the Civil War Diary of Burt G. Wilder, 55th Massachusetts (edited by Richard M. Reid)
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1st New York Engineers on Detached Service in Florida July 1864.jpg
1st New York Engineers on Detached Service in Florida July 1864.jpg (171.02 KiB) Viewed 24121 times

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Sun Sep 06, 2015 10:10 pm

Patrick Real and Michael Condon would spend nearly one year in Florida until July 1865 - just a few months after the end of the war in April. Most Companies of the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers mustered out in Richmond, Virginia and returned on July 4th to New York City where they had a large celebration including a presentation of colors and a march down Broadway. Patrick Real and Michael Condon missed out on this party as their Company C was not mustered out until 19th July on Hilton Head.

The New York Tribune of 25 July 1865 reported that the 1st New York Volunteers would leave Hilton Head on the 25th for New York City. Patrick Real and Mary Murphy were married that same week on 1st August at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Manhattan with Michael Condon and Bridget Hayes as witnesses.

Their son Philip Real was born in America on 5 October 1866 and the family would return to Ireland sometime in 1867. Out of 150,000 Irish born soldiers who fought for the Union, it is not clear how many like Patrick Real and Michael Condon would return to Ireland. The ancestry.com database of Union pensioners is searchable by country where the payments were sent. I counted about 900 individuals in Ireland. However, this would be overstated as it would include widows or mothers of Union soldiers who died in battle. Offsetting this would be veterans who returned to Ireland and died prior to being eligible for any disability or old age benefits. And of course, this would also exclude Confederate veterans who returned to Ireland. At the time of the Fenian uprising of 1867, the British newspapers reported a "flood" of Civil War veterans returning to Ireland and creating havoc. But doubtful that too many of these "American Irish" facing hardship and discrimination would remain in Ireland.

Even if there were only one or two thousand Irish veterans of the American Civil War who returned permanently to Ireland, there would be a considerable number of descendants of "American Irish" in Ireland today. The Patrick Real family of Tarmon would be evidence of this. I previously mentioned that the youngest son (Patrick) and youngest two daughters (Catherine and Ellen) immigrated to New York. But their son Michael and daughters Bridget (married to Michael O'Donnell) and Mary (married to William Copley) would remain in Kilrush and raise large families:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... ad/363990/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... et/363929/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... et/363952/

Mary Murphy Real would receive a widow's pension from the time of her husband Patrick's death in 1913 until her own death in 1927. According to the U.S. pension records she is buried at Shanakyle cemetery; the U.S. government would reimburse for all funeral and burial costs.

Mary Real lived through both the American Civil War as well as the Great War whose 100th anniversary is now being commemorated. Unlike information on Irish soldiers who fought in the American Civil War, the documentation of Clare soldiers who fought in WWI on the Clare library website is excellent. Sadly included in the over 600 Clare soldiers who died in the Great War is one grandson of Patrick and Mary Real. Joseph Copley volunteered with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. On 22 March 1918 he was killed in action in France, age 19.

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... at_war.htm [listed as Copely]

Before ending the Patrick Real story, I had hoped to determine why Patrick Real and Michael Condon returned to Ireland unlike most other Irish veterans of the American Civil War. The song "Lone Shanakyle" by Thomas Madigan of Kilrush written in the 1860's probably provides the best possible explanations. Check out the Clare library website for the full lyrics or better yet you can listen to the singers Michael Flanagan and Tom Lenihan:
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... anagan.htm
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... enihan.htm

The chorus and below two verses would indicate the most likely reason for Patrick & Mary Real and Michael Condon to return to Ireland was homesickness for their families left behind:

How dearly I long, for to wander once more
To the loved ones I left at my old cabin door.
My blessings I give them a thousand times o'er,
With a prayer and a tear for poor Éireann.

Chorus:
Lonely and sad I roam, far from my island home
Where the wild waves, surging foam, headlands appearing.
Clouded with silv'ry spray, thrashing through heaven's bright ray
For the glory and pride of poor Éireann.

Sad, sad is my fate in a weary exile
Dark, dark are the night clouds o'er lone Shanakyle.
Your murdered sleep silently pile upon pile
On the coffinless graves of poor Éireann.


But the final verse of "Lone Shanakyle" hints upon that perhaps Patrick Real and Michael Condon could have returned to Ireland to join in the Fenian struggle of 1867?

I am watching and praying through the length of the night,
For the grey dawn of freedom the signal to find.
My rifle is ready my sabre is bright,
For to strike once again for poor Éireann.

Chorus:
Lonely and sad I roam, far from my island home
Where the wild waves, surging foam, headlands appearing.
Clouded with silv'ry spray, thrashing through heaven's bright ray
For the glory and pride of poor Éireann.
Attachments
Muster out 19 July 1865 at Hilton Head SC of Patrick Real and Michael Condon.jpg
Muster out 19 July 1865 at Hilton Head SC of Patrick Real and Michael Condon.jpg (171.48 KiB) Viewed 23975 times
Movement of New York Troops 25 July 1865 NY Tribune.jpg
Movement of New York Troops 25 July 1865 NY Tribune.jpg (100.48 KiB) Viewed 23975 times

creal
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by creal » Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:48 pm

Jimbo, just read your posts about Patrick Real from Clare. Well, there was a Patrick Sarsfield Real from Oola, Limerick who also fought in the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of Captain in the 90th Illinois Regiment, also known as the Irish Legion since it was made up of 100% Irish from Chicago and the surrounding area. Most of its men were Irish born. His regiment followed Grant and Sherman through most of the western campaign of the Civil War. Because of a wound and illness, Patrick Real was mustered out just when Sherman started his famous "march to the sea." Real returned to Illinois where he married Ellen Purcell from Emly, Tipperary. They later moved out to Nebraska where he was one of the founders of Grafton, Nebraska, which became in its earlier years an Irish community that included my own 2 great grandparents John Martin Real, also born in Oola, and Sarah Jane Hennessey Real from Forgestown, Tipperary.

I have been in Clare many times, beyond flying into Shannon. And likely I will back in June when I will be in Ireland to attend the McGrath Clan Gathering to be held in Dungarvan, Waterford. My McGraths are from Ballynaclough, Limerick. I am also researching for a friend the McGraths of Knocknagarhoon in Clare.

By the way, attached is a picture of Captain Patrick Sarsfield Real on the cover of the book about the Irish Legion.
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Capt Real Irish Legion Cover.jpg
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Capt Real Irish Legion Cover.jpg
Capt Real Irish Legion Cover.jpg (40.06 KiB) Viewed 23291 times

Jimbo
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Re: Patrick Real U.S. Civil War Pensioner living in Tarmon C

Post by Jimbo » Fri Apr 08, 2016 11:38 pm

Great photo! Thanks for posting. Your Patrick Sarsfield Real's fighting in the western campaigns of the Civil War appears to have been much more challenging than NY Engineer Patrick Real who spent most of his time at Yellow Bluff, Florida - which was pretty much a backwater of a backwater as far as action during the Civil War.

I was actually already aware of Patrick Sarsfield Real as I've read the interesting biography you wrote a few years back for the on-line magazine "History Ireland":

http://www.historyireland.com/personal- ... civil-war/

In your above post on Clare Past you left out the most interesting, albeit tragic, part of the Real story: two Irish born brothers fighting on opposing sides of the American Civil War. As you mentioned in "History Ireland", Patrick Sarsfield Real had a brother James Real who enlisted at Memphis Tennessee and fought and died for the Confederacy.

The NY Engineer Patrick Real was born in County Limerick. After the Civil War, he returned to Limerick in 1867 and moved his family to County Clare in 1878. I've made no effort to confirm which townland in Limerick would have his baptism records or who his parents were. One Civil War pension record states Cappamore for birthplace. Michael Condon (who was with Patrick Real on the same ship from Ireland and during their entire service in the Civil War) was born in Herbertstown, Limerick. Upon returning to Limerick, Patrick and Mary Real had one son born in Hospital, and two more children in Caherconlish; one daughter's birth record from 1876 states father's birthplace as Dromsally. None of these places are terribly far from Oola, so there is a possibility the two Civil War veterans could be cousins.

Good luck with your travels to Ireland for the McGrath clan gathering.

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