To understand how the 69th. Penn Vol. Infantry regiment was formed it will be necessary to read
in some detail the political and social history of the city of Philadelphia and its environs
from pre, through and post Irish famine times and the affect the incoming Irish had on the city. To understand its
politics and development and the interaction of the incoming poor and in many cases illiterate Irish
with the American population already in the city deeming
themselves to be
"real" native American citizens, "nativists". Perhaps not too many realised that they themselves were immigrants from
an earlier
period of American immigration. Perhaps the main "difference" lay in their religion mainly their Protestantism.
This militia unit was formed up in Philadelphia circa 1851 and named after General James Shields from Altmore close to
the village
of Cappagh N.W. of Dungannon Co.Tyrone.
Finding a militia unit naming itself as The Shields Guards in pre-war Philadelphia is understandable.
Looking at the names of the
soldiers
in the various companies of the 69th one sees numerous names associated with Co. Tyrone names such as Bradley, McAnally,
McHugh, Devlin, McWilliams and many more. Would these men know of Shields as well as Meagher and Emmet. Of Shields most
certainly. Many would have known of him and his family prior to emigrating.They would have great kinship with him a
fellow Tyrone man.
Perhaps a link to the following website will give the reader a quick overview of
this remarkable man.
The Militia unit named after General Thomas Francis Meagher "Meagher of the Sword" who would
be reasonably well now to the soldiers of the 69th as he had been arrested and deported from Ireland along with other
members of the Young Irelander party amongst whose members was John Mitchel who for many reasons
threw his lot in with the Confederate cause and had his sons join Confedarate units. One son Capt John C. Mitchel
would at a time command Fort Sumter and die there, a second son James would survive the war and the youngest
William
would be killed aged 17 in Picketts charge at Gettysburg facing no doubt men of the 69th.
23.7.2008.
The 69th Penn. Vol. Inf. Some Background Militia Notes.
Like all emigrant groups there would be safety in making links and forming alliances. This the Irish and indeed
many other
groups such as the Germans did in pre Civil War Philadelphia. There would be Irish militias formed up and
indeed some German ones. However the "real" native Americans of the city would set up their own militias.
There would be strained relations.
Some of the Irish militias named their units after the more noteable Irish patriots
for example The
Meagher Guards, Emmet Guards, Shields Guards. Montgomery Guards,
Patterson Guards.
However others seemed to choose more general names for example
The Hibernian Greens, The Irish Volunteers, names
simply indicating an obvious Irish connection etc.
These militia units would go on to form what was to
become backbone of the 69th. Penn Vol. Inf.
Meagher and Shields would in fact be the two Irish born Catholic soldiers in the Union Army linked to
the Philadelphia militia names.
Named after Robert Emmet a political actvist in the late 18th century.Shields and Meagher were both Catholic and Irish born. However as those of you who have studied Irish history know not all those who took on the Anglo Irish establishment were Catholic and would have different ethnic roots. Many of the landed gentry ie the Anglo Irish from "The Big Houses" or estates would throw in their lot with the struggling Catholic Irish in many cases to the displeasure of their families. Robert Emmet was one such man. Irish history has many examples.
Named after a Robert Patterson born in Cappagh Co.Tyrone in an earlier generation. This man would see his name linked to a
militia formed up in pre Civil War Philadelphia.
The alignment to Patterson would be on the basis that his father a Presbyterian had gone against the State in the 1798 rebellion era where both Presbyterians and Catholics
rebelled against being treated as 2nd and 3rd class citizens respectively. The Presbyterians due to their political and financial clout
were really the force behind the 1798 rebellion. They lost their struggle and many escaped to America and took
their bitterness with them. General Robert Patterson had been born in Ireland and left a young man. He would no doubt have had
some idea of his Irish roots and what had happened to his father.Like Shields he would take part in the Mexican war and no doubt this
was known to the men in the Philadelphia militias.One wonders if Shields and Patterson ever met. It would be an interesting meeting as
they could discuss a lot about their homeland.
Hence the alignment with the name Patterson as a name for a Philadelphia militia.
Named after Richard Montgomery a British officer who changed sides just before the Revolutionary War. To me this mans affinity to his Irishness would be at least questionable. The basis that my best friend is an enemy of my enemy would ring true to some extent I should think in the case of Montgomery. He came from a landed and very pro-British establishment family close to Raphoe in Co.Donegal. Reading his history and knowing some of the history of some of these families it was in their interest to have a family member a high ranking officer in the British Army. Many commissions could be bought indeed if an Anglo Irish Establishment family had something of an errant or troublesome son the Army was the place for him. I do generalise but some truth in what I say. It would appear that Montgomerys army career seemed to stall in the late 1700's for whatever reason and he seemed to have decided to go to America and throw in his lot with the Continental army in the War of Independence. It did not work out too well. However he did oppose the British in North America which was I suppose good enough for an Irish Militia unit in pre war Philadelphia!.
