Memorial Day: Not All Came Home

30th Mass Flag, courtesy 30thMass.blogspot

Patrick Tighe, Private, Co. F, 30^th Mass Volunteer Infantry

           by Walter Hickey

            This letter was located in a pension application filed under the name of Patrick Tighe. The 'usual' content of such a file consists of statements of the soldier's wounds accompanied by witness depositions and surgeon's certificates supporting the degree of disability incurred.  It is a rare occurrence to have a letter written to the family included among those papers, but it is exactly such a letter which provides a first person, eyewitness account of the Civil War from the viewpoint of the individual soldier and his concerns for his family back home.

Note: Some punctuation has been added

                                                                                    Baton  Rouge, Louisiana

                                                                                                August 14^th, 1862

Dear Sister,

                        I received your letter and was much vexed to hear of Mothers death, hoping she is better off.  I am sorry I was not at home to see her.  We have been here about 4 months.  It is a nice place.  We went to Vixburg, and had to lay in a Swampy place.  The Regiment was nearly destroyed – all sick with fever & ague.  A great many died, but they are getting better now.  I was nearly dead Myself, but am well now.  We had a awful battle on the 5^th of August the Rebels attacked us at 5 o'clock in the Morning.  We fought them until they ran away.  We killed and wounded 1500 men.  Our loss was 250 men, Officers and all.  We are going to fight tomorrow again as they have 20,000 men.  We have only 8000 but have more Artillery than them.  The sick and wounded was sent to New Orleans.  Little John Scully is dead from Swamp Fever, and Jimmy O'Neil from Consumption.  Peter Kerrigan, John Tully, and a lot of Lowells was sick in the hospital before the fight and sent to

 N. Orleans.  We have not been paid yet owing to the fighting and sickness.  There is 78 dollars due on the first Sept. & when I get my my [sic] pay I will send it to you.  Mind and take case of Maggy My little sister, above all things.  Give my kind regards & love to Ann & Bridgett.  If I live, I will send you all my pay dirtly [directly] I get it so that you may be comfortable.  Mind and take care of yourselves and when you get my money make yourselves comfortable.  Mind take care.  Maggy, I think we shall soon be back.

                        I am My dear Sisters –

                        Ann, Bridgett & Maggy

                        Your Aff't. Brother

                        Patrick Tigh

            Lord Have Mercy on My Mothers Soul

Postcript

Eighteen men from Lowell died in service with Co. F in 1862 & 1863

All but one died from disease.

John A. Burns, Corp., 20; 12-5-1862 @ New Orleans, LA

John Cody, Pvt., 24; 9-19-1862 @ Carrollton, LA

Dennis Crowley, Pvt. 42; 11-8-1862 @ New Orleans, LA

Timothy A. Crowley, Capt., 30; 10-5-1862 @ New Orleans, LA

John Dolahory, Pvt; 11-7-1862; @ New Orleans, LA

Bernard Heslan, Pvt; 21; 7-28-1862 @ New Orleans

Jeremiah McCarthy, Pvt.; 18; 10-7-1862 @ New Orleans

Hugh McGuire, Pvt; 30; 9-1-1862 @ New Orleans, LA

James Moran, Pvt; 39; 10-23-1862 @ New Orleans

John Moran, Pvt; 21; 11-26-1863 @ Baton Rouge, LA

James Murtagh, Pvt; 34; 12-22-1862 @ New Orleans, LA

Andrew Oates, Pvt; 19; 3-5-1863  New Orleans

Dennis O'Neil; Pvt; 34; 7-15-1862 @ Baton Rouge, LA*

John Scully, Pvt; 38; 7-29-1862 @ Baton Rouge, LA

Charles Shannon, Pvt; 28; Killed 10-19-1864 @Cedar Creek, VA

James Shaughnessey, Pvt; 35; 9-13-1862 @ Carrollton, LA

Patrick Tighe, Pvt; 18; 7-21-1863 @ Baton Rouge, LA

James Young, Pvt; 38; 11-2-1862 @Carrollton, LA

*  Tighe's letter mentions “Jimmy” O'Neil as having died of consumption, but only Dennis is listed in Mass. Soldiers, Sailors, & Marines of the Civil War, Vol. III

Civil War Sisters: Part 2

Daughters of Charity Lot, cleaned

If you’ve got the history bug, you will understand the rest of this entry.  A short time ago we wrote about how Walter and Karen Hickey found the stones of 3 Daughters of Charity, the nuns from St. John’s Hospital, who served as nurse during the Civil War.  Obviously they could not leave well enough alone.  Spending Saturday and Sunday of last week at the cemetery they thought they would honor the Sisters by uncovering the sod that has gathered over their stones.  They did just that and then continued to do the other Sisters.  

As they uncovered each stone in the Sisters’ lot they researched each name.  One young Sister died of influenza during the 1918 epidemic while treating patients in the hospital.  Others died of old age.  And then they found them- 4 more Civil War Sisters!  Like their confreres, two served at the Satterlee Hospital in Philadelphia and another at Fort Lincoln Hospital.  

Walter and Karen have placed American flags on the graves of those who served.  Like many Civil War veterans not all of the Sisters were native born coming from Ireland and Germany.  Sr. Josephine, one of 8   Sr. Justine and was a nurse at Ft Lincoln in Washington DC.  Sr. Loyola was a German immigrant and was a sister for 42 years serving at Satterlee during the war.  All died while on mission to St’ John’s in Lowell.

Walter & Karen next to Fr Grey's stone, 2014

children of German immigrants, joined the order at age 20 and served at Satterlee Hospital.

Today the Daughters of Charity’s lot is pristine and shows the respect these women, foreign born and American alike, who served their country and their mission to heal the sick.  What Walter and Karen have done recognizes that call.  In their name, we say thank you.  They do not ask for applause or wave a flag drawing attention to themselves, but go about their work quietly while making a mark on the history of the city.

A little note- The Daughters of Charity have asked for photos and documents Karen and Walter have collected for their archives.  Less than a week after all their work, we visited the site.  Already grass clipping have started covering the markers.  Last September a group of volunteers cleaned the Sisters of Notre Dame lot.  On our visit there barely a stone was visible.  We also found a second lot belonging to the SNDs, barely visible.  Something caught my eye and directly across is a small lot belonging to the SSMN (Sisters of St Mary of Namur).  These sisters operated Sacred Heart School.  The few stones barely peek out from the sod.  In early fall we ask for volunteers to clean the stones in Yard 1 to prepare for the tour.  We will need a team of people if we dare to include these new lots. 

Lowell's Civil War Nuns

Sisters at Saterlee Hospital, Philadelphia 

You can barely make them out.  Along the edge of Yard 4 of Saint Patrick Cemetery is a series of stones.  They are small, all similar, and quite plain in keeping with their owners’ way of life.  This lot belongs to the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, the Sisters who served St. John’s Hospital from 1867 to 1961.  Their habit made them quite memorable with their large winged headpieces, reminiscent of the Flying Nun TV series of the 1960s.  The markers have become overgrown with grass clippings and sod and are slowly sinking into the ground.  It is almost metaphorical to the work the Sisters labored at for decades; few remember their ministry of healing the sick.

Though no words mark their deeds, three of the stones draw special attention.  Sisters Matilda, Amelia, and Frances all have a special place in the history of our country.  They are three of the 600 Sisters who served as nurses during the Civil War.  

There were not many life opportunities for women in the 19^th century.  The great majority knew that their lives would be spent as farmer’s wives, bearing children and spending endless hours doing chores, often dying in childbirth or meeting an earlier death than their male counterparts due to exhaustion or disease.  A few women were able to learn a trade or become teachers, but they were few and far between.  Some women sought the religious life as a way of breaking out of the norm.  Religious women were often in places where other women could not be; hospitals, administrators, or traveling to places outside their homes. 

A number of Catholic orders trained their religious to become nurses, a job often looked down upon for the type of work they would be asked to do.  When the Civil War broke out the Sisters took it upon themselves to use their services for both sides of the conflict, often bringing contempt upon themselves from both sides for aiding the enemy.

Not everyone appreciated the work of the Sisters.  Anti-Catholic sentiment was ripe during this period, especially in the South.  Some doctors refused to have Sisters as nurses.  The great Florence Nightingale was so anti-Catholic she would not allow Sisters in her wards.  Others recognized the work of the nuns.  Secretary Stanton and even President Lincoln requested Sisters to work in military hospitals.  Often they were better trained than their civilian counterparts and worked endlessly when civilian nurses would refuse certain duties or leave when met with the brutality of war.

When the battle of Gettysburg was over a group of Daughters of Charity left their mother house about 20 miles away in Emmitsburg, MD and went to work with the wounded from both sides.  Though the Sisters were offered wages, they refused them requesting only medicine and supplies for their work.

All three of the Sisters at the cemetery served as nurses at the Satterlee Military Hospital in Philadelphia.  At one point the hospital held 6000 patients, though built for 4500.  Sr. Martina was born in Maryland and worked in the tents that were set up around Satterlee to meet the overflow numbers in the hospital.  She spent many years as the night supervisor at St. John’s Hospital in Lowell before her death in 1926.  The daughter of a barrel maker, Sr. Amelia was born in Pennsylvania.   She worked in a number of Southern schools before the war and then did nursing at Satterlee.  She spent her final years working at St. John’s spending 60 years as a nun and dying at the age of 80.  Born in County Sligo, Sr. Mary Frances was the daughter of an Irish farming family.  The war years prevented her from taking her final vows but it did not stop her from also nursing in Philadelphia.   She too spent decades serving at St. John’s and upon her death her funeral was held at Immaculate Conception church with burial at St. Patrick’s. 

Though application for veteran stones were made out for the 3 Sisters in 1928, no veteran markers were ever placed recognizing the service the Sisters gave to their country and their God.  Today’s regulations for a veteran stone demand that a direct descendant must apply for the stone meaning they will not be given the  recognition they deserve.

As usual Walter must be given credit for finding the original requests for markers which started our story.  Photo credit belongs to Daughters of Charity Archives, Province of St Louise.

When the Battle is Over

Major Donovan's monument,
St. Patrick Cemetery

What happens when the flags are furled after the last battle?  When the victor returns home to the cheers of family and friends?  When the last four years have been filled with blood and battle and you’re expected to return to the life you knew before?  What happens?

When the news that soldiers from the 6^th Mass Regiment had been attacked and killed by Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore in April of 1861 the citizens of Lowell rallied to the cause of the North.  The first to do so were a band of Irishmen who formed the 16^th Mass.  Before marching off to war, the soldiers attended Mass at St. Patrick church.  When the host was elevated at the time of consecration the officers withdrew their swords from their scabbards to salute the sacrament.  The men were then marched to the train depot where they would meet their fate.  Of those who served in the Sixteenth, 150 officers and men would be mortally wounded, along with 93 who would die of disease.  A few would have their remains returned and interred in the consecrated ground of St. Patrick cemetery, most would not.  This was the story of one who served and returned.

Matthew Donovan would eventually achieve the rank of major, but not before enduring bloodshed, imprisonment, and disease.  Born in Ireland in 1830 he appears in Lowell about 1850 as a housepainter.  Father Timothy O’Brien witnessed his marriage to Ellen Rowe in 1852.  Soon there were 5 little Donovans, including a set of twins.  The growing family moved from place to place along Broadway and Lowell Streets.  Perhaps it was to accommodate the growing family or the financial need, but the movement was almost yearly.

When the call for soldiers to defend the North was made just after Baltimore, Matthew was among the first to enlist.  His Civil War career included battles at Fair Oaks, Second Bull Run, and Spotsylvania.  He spent months in a hospital in Annapolis, probably from wounds he received at Fair Oaks or from one of the camp diseases that spread so quickly.  His account of the 16^th’s engagement at Gettysburg tells much about the man.  He told of hours of doing nothing, looking for a place to let his men bathe, and waiting for the inevitable as more and more troops filled the town.  The 16^th was in charge of protecting the Emmetsburg Road.  They dug trenches and at times hid in the woods as they were often shot at from different sides.  Eighty-one men of the 16^th were lost at Gettysburg.  On the 4^th of July he reported that the enemy went “skedaddling.”  On another occasion Donovan had to write home to the family of a Lowell soldier, Private Barry, who died in Donovan’s arms with his last words being, “Tell my mother I die a brave Union soldier.”    Newspapers reported that Donovan spent an extended period in the hospital after the Spotsylvania campaign.  He’s mustered out in 1864, before the war ended.

Upon his return to Lowell he attempted to reopen his house painting business and met with limited success.  He turned to a trade that had shown success for many of his fellow countrymen- liquor.  Just after the war he opened a restaurant and referred to himself as a “restorator,” using the vernacular of the day.  He also became involved in local Republican Party politics and started accepting small city appointments, such as surveyor of highways.    He became well-known at political conventions and became a “chief officer” for the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish republican group with hopes of freedom for Ireland.

If he wasn’t busy enough he maintained a position in the Sergeant Light Guards, a local militia group.  He was present at every muster and parade the group has and was named commander.  He took a prolonged trip back to Ireland, accompanied by a friend, the purpose being started as “business.”   What kind of business was not mentioned and the trip was extended to the point where the Light Guards was disbanded due to its “officer” not being present and uniforms and arms not being maintained.

But Donovan’s story does not end here.  While he was keeping this small place for serving meals on Merrimack Street, he also started serving and then selling liquor.  The liquor laws in Massachusetts vary over the years, but there were strict rules as to when and how much alcohol could be kept or sold.  Donovan was arrested at least 10 times between 1865 and 1873.  He was fined hundreds of dollars, which would be a great amount at the time, but he reopened and continued his sales.  He was even put in jail several times for days and even weeks, but still he persisted.  One wonders what his family would do during this period.  Interestingly his name appeared more than any other in the arrest records of constables seizing or fining him on the spot.  He was not alone, and a few other names were mentioned again and again.  Just before his death an investigation was put together questioning why the same names appear and asked if all the money that was given as a fine was returned to the city.  This does not stop Donovan and he was once again fined and imprisoned.  As soon as he was released he was marching in the GAR parade, toasting at the St. Patrick’s Day banquet, and most amazingly, the city continued to grant him his yearly liquor license.

In December of 1873, while speaking to a friend, he offhandedly said he felt he would die quickly, and he did.  At age 47 he was found dead in his bed.  Cause- heart disease.  He was carried to his grave by his fellow GAR members, the Knights of St Patrick, and the Lowell Coronet Band, whom he sponsored.  His marker bears the kepi and insignia of the 16^th Mass. with the epitaph, “Life’s battle is o’er.”

Relics of Baltimore

Photo taken by Walter's Dad

Where’s Walter?  Since his becoming a man of leisure, one might assume Walter has been sitting on some recliner watching reruns of Hogan’s Heroes.  Not so.  Walter has collected a lifetime of stories and leads.  Instead of resting on his laurels, he has been out and about following up on tips that only someone of his caliber could follow.  After years working in Special Collection at the Pollard Library and even more years at the National Archives, Walter is one of the most well versed Lowell historians around today.

His most recent finds have to do with the Baltimore Riot of 1861.  We all know of Ladd & Whitney, but what of the others in the 6^th Mass.?  Earlier blog entries have mentioned Timothy Crowley, the Lowell native who carried the colors that day in April.  It was noted because he led troops through the city never dropping the flag, that many were saved.  (Hey, this is LowellIrish, I had to include an Irishman somewhere!). 

Here’s the latest from Walter-

The Drum

On a recent visit to the Massachusetts State Archives, while researching the Baltimore riot of 19 April 1861, an archivist mentioned that the Archives had the drum of the 6^th Regiment.  When I expressed interest, she kindly provided me a photocopy of the artifact Description.

The drum was presented to Governor Andrew on 17 November 1882 by Henry J. White who was the drummer of Co. “I”, Lawrence Light Artillery, 6^th Regiment. The Boston Journal of 17 November reported that the drum White carried was the only State drum in the regiment, all other drums being the personal property of the individual drummers.  When it came into his possession the heads were broken in, but General Schouler supplied new ones.  On arrival at Baltimore the members of the regiment were assaulted by the mob and White was knocked down with blows from two brickbats.  He was picked up and sent back with other members of the band to Boston, the drum being subsequently restored to him.  The Governor stated that the drum would be placed on the wall of the Executive Chamber over the flag of the Old Sixth.

The Musket

Moments later the archivist informed me that the musket of Charles Taylor was also held by the Archives and asked if I would like to see the donation record sheet.  Of course I said yes!

Four members of the 6^th were killed at Baltimore, and a fifth died several months later from wounds received that day.  The four were Luther Ladd, Addison O. Whitney, and Charles A. Taylor, all of Lowell companies, and Sumner H. Needham of Lawrence.  Sergeant John E. Ames would also succumb to his wounds in 1862.  It was the death of Sgt. Ames which sparked my interest in this event.  Being a Lowellian I was of course familiar with the story of Ladd, Whitney and Taylor, but was not familiar with Corporal Needham.  Also unknown to me was the story of Sgt. Ames and the other forty-four men wounded at Baltimore and the actions of both the Massachusetts and Maryland legislatures.

Charles Taylor was and remains a mystery.  He joined the regiment in Boston as it was about to entrain for Washington.  His residence and birthplace are unknown, as is his place of burial in Baltimore.

The musket, manufactured by Eli Whitney,  was picked up after the riot in a house adjacent to the riot (presumably the house wherein Taylor died) and later held by  Wilson Post No. 1 GAR in Baltimore.  On 19 April 1881, the Post presented the musket to the Sixth Regiment Association, which in turn presented it to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be hung in the State House. In 1994  the musket was examined by a Military Appraiser and doubts were raised as to whether it was actually Taylor's.  The Sixth Regiment was equipped with muskets manufactured at the Springfield and Harper's ferry armories – not those manufactured by Whitney.

 The Mystery......

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Edson Cemetery was dedicated September 1905 in memory of the veterans of the Civil and Spanish Wars.  Today, only the base stands.  What happened to the Soldier?  He has been 'missing' for at least the past thirty years.  WHERE IS HE??

Cpt. David Roche- Gettysburg July 2, 1863

Road to Emmitsburg,
Gettysburg NP

The road to Emmitsburg is the iconic pastoral scene.  The road begins at Gettysburg center and continues into Maryland.  The white painted fences separate the wheat fields, orchards and farmlands that make up the panorama before you.  The low hills that rise and fall paint a scene straight out of an artist’s sketchbook.  The white framed farmhouses with their bright red barns stand as reminders to the area’s agrarian past.  This is also the road where much of the fighting and dying occurred on three days of July, 1863.  It was the job of the 16^th Mass Infantry to defend the Emmetsburg Road. 

James and Jane Roche and their 6 children probably left Ireland about the time of the famine and found employment and housing in Lowell.  When their son, David, was old enough he got a job as an operative in the mills.  The family lived on Suffolk Street and seems probable that their life resembled that of the many thousands of other Irish living in the Acre.  When the call came up for volunteers after the Riots in Baltimore, David Roche, like many Irish, signed up, and was given the commission of Lieutenant.  Before the 16^th Mass left Lowell, they attended Mass at St Patrick’s Church and marched to the trains that would carry them to war. 

16 th Mass Monument
Gettysburg

The 16^th Mass had a full record of encounters in the early years of the war.  As 1863 dawned, now Cpt. David Roche, was given a furlough and traveled to Lowell to marry his sweetheart, Margaret Harrington, before returning to the war.  The 16^th had just finished the battle at Chancellorsville when they were ordered to Gettysburg.  By day 2 of the battle it was apparent Lee was going to try to take the road.   It is said that the artillery the two forces engaged could be heard all the way to Washington.  It wouldn’t be until 8 days later that Roche’s family would be notified that their son was shot in the head during the fighting.  Cpt. Matthew Donovan, anther Lowell Irish who enlisted into the 16^th, made sure that his comrade’s body was quickly buried under a tree and a marker placed for future identification.  Back in Lowell, James Roche, David’s father, hired Alonzo Quimby, a local painter, to retrieve his son’s body.  Bringing the wounded and dead back to their homes became a new business as was advertised in many newspapers.  Ads also began appearing in the Lowell Courier for women’s black woolen shawls.  The ads noted how the capes were in great demand and supplies were being replenished as quickly as possible.  The young widow may have taken advantage of the sale.

Roche & Crowley Monument,
St Patrick Cemetery

Mr. Quimby’s mission was successfully accomplished, and a full military funeral was carried out at St Patrick’s Church.  “The services were very appropriate and interesting.”  The procession was lengthy with 16 carriages and several military companies represented as well as City officials.  It would be remiss not to state that the Courier was filled with such sad stories on a daily basis recounting the deeds “of the brave soldiers who sleep their last sleep.”  Such accounts went on for the entirety of the war.

Standing by the monument, taking a photo for this entry, I noted a small grove of trees and wondered if this was where Cpt. Roche was hastily interred.  The only sound that could be heard was the wind through the tall grasses.  The tranquility of the Emmitsburg’s Road today masks the horrors of 150 years ago. (Reposted from April, 2012)

One Soldier's Story

My vacations often turn into destination points.  This time a liitle note brought me to the story of a fallen Irish soldier from Lowell who did not come home.  So off to Sharpsburg, MD.

He was one of the 23,000 that died that day in Sharpsburg.  His family would never even have the privilege of having his earthly remains interred with other family members in Saint Patrick Cemetery.    He was not the only Lowellian to die at Antietam on that September day in 1862.  Few facts surround his brief life.  And his simple marble marker at the National Cemetery is all that is left to tell his story.

Maybe it was the lure of the glories of the battlefield that drew him to join the 19^th Mass Infantry in August of 1861.  There were other Lowell boys signing up that day; perhaps that was the catalyst, or maybe it was the lack of work in the city and the need to help the family earn enough to feed themselves.  Maybe it was his way of showing his patriotism to his new homeland.  Records show a Cassidy family immigrating from Ireland living in the Acre at this time.  There is also a slate stone in the Catholic Burial ground with the names of a number of young children bearing the Cassidy name.  If this was the family we were looking for, Francis would have been about 18 at the time of his signing.

Within a few months, the 19^th Mass found themselves in Virginia, part of the Peninsula Campaign.  Conditions could not have been worse.  The extreme heat, unsanitary conditions, diseases from wading through swamp water, and lack of food took its toll.  Private Cassidy is marked “missing.”  Eyewitness accounts state that many soldiers lay along the trails collapsed with dysentery and extreme fatigue.  Some soldiers resort to eating raw flour that was finally rationed to them, hunger overcoming common sense.  What happens to Pvt. Cassidy is not noted but he does return to his unit before the march to Antietam Creek.  He may have thought himself fortunate to have survived the Peninsula, but his final destiny awaited him.

Dunker's Church, Antietam

At 2 a.m. on Wednesday September 17^th, 1862 Pvt. Cassidy is awakened to the sound of revelry.  The Confederates were on the move.  By dawn the sound of gunfire drew closer.  The men of the 19^th became anxious.  Their Captain had them go through the manual of arms to relieve the building tension.  They were ordered to form 3 lines.  The rolling cornfields of the Maryland town became the site of the greatest loss of American lives in a single day.  Inept leadership then ordered the 19^th to march forward through the cornfields.  The long single lines made perfect targets for the Rebel forces as they cleared the fields.  They did not stand a chance.  The bodies piled up on top of each other.  Those who did make it through found they were attacked on their flank.  The order was to charge, adding more numbers to the slaughter.  Less than 50% of the 19^th survived the day.  It is most probable this is where Pvt. Francis Cassidy met his end.

The day after the battle, horse drawn carriages brought photographers to the battlefield.  This new technology documented what Americans had only read about previously.  Soldiers bent bayonets into hooks to drag bodies to shallow graves.  Pvt. Cassidy was fortunate that someone did so for him and marked a rough hewn board with his name and regiment.  He was lucky.  Many visitors weeks,

Grave of Pvt. Francis Cassidy

months, and even years later report limbs and skulls poking out of the ground from unburied dead.  More than likely his family could not afford to have his remains transferred back to Lowell.  Local papers often recorded when bodies arrived and when services would be held.  No such privilege for Pvt. Cassidy.  Several months later his remains were reinterred in the Cemetery just a mile from where he fell. 

There is a sad beauty to the Cemetery.  Thousands of marble headstones with simple inscriptions of name and regiment line up like soldiers standing at attention.  The white markers on a field of green give a sense of peace, countering the tragedy of young lives lost.

The Road to Emmitsburg

The road to Emmitsburg is the iconic pastoral scene.  The road begins at Gettysburg center and continues into Maryland.  The white painted fences separate the wheat fields, orchards and farmlands that make up the panorama before you.  The low hills that rise and fall paint a scene straight out of an artist’s sketchbook.  The white framed farmhouses with their bright red barns stand as reminders to the area’s agrarian past.  This is also the road where much of the fighting and dying occurred on three days of July, 1863.  It was the job of the 16^th Mass Infantry to defend the Emmetsburg Road. 

James and Jane Roche and their 6 children probably left Ireland about the time of the famine and found employment and housing in Lowell.  When their son, David, was old enough he got a job as an operative in the mills.  The family lived on Suffolk Street and seems probable that their life resembled that of the many thousands of other Irish living in the Acre.  When the call came up for volunteers after the Riots in Baltimore, David Roche, like many Irish, signed up, and was given the commission of Lieutenant.  Before the 16^th Mass left Lowell, they attended Mass at St Patrick’s Church and marched to the trains that would carry them to war. 

The 16^th Mass had a full record of encounters in the early years of the war.  As 1863 dawned, now Cpt. David Roche, was given a furlough and traveled to Lowell to marry his sweetheart, Margaret Harrington, before returning to the war.  The 16^th had just finished the battle at Chancellorsville when they were ordered to Gettysburg.  By day 2 of the battle it was apparent Lee was going to try to take the road.   It is said that the artillery the two forces engaged could be heard all the way to Washington.  It wouldn’t be until 8 days later that Roche’s family would be notified that their son was shot in the head during the fighting.  Cpt. Matthew Donovan, anther Lowell Irish who enlisted into the 16^th, made sure that his comrade’s body was quickly buried under a tree and a marker placed for future identification.  Back in Lowell, James Roche, David’s father, hired Alonzo Quimby, a local painter, to retrieve his son’s body.  Bringing the wounded and dead back to their homes became a new business as was advertised in many newspapers.  Ads also began appearing in the Lowell Courier for women’s black woolen shawls.  The ads noted how the capes were in great demand and supplies were being replenished as quickly as possible.  The young widow may have taken advantage of the sale.

16th Mass Monument on Emmitsburg Road

Mr. Quimby’s mission was successfully accomplished, and a full military funeral was carried out at St Patrick’s Church.  “The services were very appropriate and interesting.”  The procession was lengthy with several military companies represented as well as City officials.  It would be remiss not to state that the Courier was filled with such sad stories on a daily basis recounting the deeds “of the brave soldiers who sleep their last sleep.”  Such accounts went on for the entirety of the war.

Standing by the monument, taking a photo for this entry, I noted a small grove of trees and wondered if this was where Cpt. Roche was hastily interred.  The only sound that could be heard was the wind through the tall grasses.  The tranquility of the Emmitsburg’s Road today masks the horrors of 150 years ago.

Crowley & Roche Monuments at St Patrick Cemetery