Irish Brigade

The story of the Irish Brigade is one of ie must mteresting episodes in the hisory of the Iribh people. Their arden t uiiiitary spirit, which was one of the reults of their Celtio origin, has been wasted through many centuries, in savge füuds ainong themselves, or in fruitess resistance to their invaders - and when at length it had becoine disciplind, under Sarstield and St. Ruth, and acuired force which might have yielded Migland the greatest service in her enuing wars, it was lost to her through the ntulerance which proscribed the religión t a nation. The laws of the period, which forbade Jiiiuolics to bear urms under the English rown, bhndly renounced all the advanitges to be derived from their devotion, nd coinpelled the army of James II., vhen disbanded at the Peace of Lumeiick, o pass over to the Continent, and enroll untier its various monarch. Almost very throne of Europe profitad by the )old hearts and stalwart frames of the Duoyaut sons of the Emerald Isle, except ouly the one that still nominally claimed heir allegiance while repudiating their ervices. It was in France, however, that 'ames' army was found principally to reassemble - owing, probably, to the greater sympathy ot the Hibernian and the Jaltic temperaments - and there formed heinselvea into a body, which soon became distinguished under the titie of the ' Irish Brigade." These gallant emigrants, who left belind them all their social and domestio ties, carried abroad, with their untarnish - ed honor and their indomitable courage, all their unconquerable gayety and their undying love for their native country. Almost as deep, however, perhaps was their love for their native music. So stroug was it, indeed, that they refused to uiarch to the French tunes, and on all military occasions insisted on the use of uatiouai airs - a gratification that was conceded to them, though the same favor was denied to the Swiss. For this, however, there was a reason. The inusio of the " Ranz des Vaches" awoke in the breast of the latter such a passionate ionging for home, that it often led to desei tion ; while in the poor Irishman, whose home was lost to him, no such danger was to be feared. During the course of almost a century the Brigade was enrolled in the French arixiy, and had an honorable share in all the latter s brightest achievements in Flanders, Spain, and ltaly. Many instauoes of its ütaunch üdelity and its darïug, decisive courage might be quoted trom the military records of those days ; but one especially may be selectod, which in its singular coiubination of the heroic and the grotesque, must be regarded as very national: Cremona, bosieged by Prince Eugene and defended by the Frenoh, was surprised one morning before dawn, anc would inevitably havo been lost but for the promptitude of the Irish. While the , punotilious and órnate Frenchmon were ritíliberately buttoning up their regimentáis, the tonner, at the sound of their truinpets, jumped out of bed, and, simply staying to buükle on their cross-belts and cartouch boxes, soized their guns anc hurried to the square, where, on forming in fighting oider, their coiuinander's words, "Halt! - dress!" were, at least in one respect, superfluous. Their indifference to appearancts on this occasion was greater that the period was midwinter and the city was uear the'Alps. Iu this condition they were charged by the Austrian cuirassiers. lt was steel-coats against uight-shirts ; but the lineii trade of Ireland proved the more formidable oi ' the two. The Austriaus weru driven back, and the Freuch had time to form and recover possession of the town. For this brilliant service the Brigade was honored with the eniphatic thanks ol Louis XIV., and also had their pay increased. But these fearless fellows, as may be ' supposed, carried abroad to their new service not only their courage and fidelity, but all their exurberance as Irishuien. Their rollicking spirit and love of fun were quite as great as their love of fighting, and at limes were so opposed to propriety and discipline, that the martineta of the French ranks had to ruake forma] complaints on the matter. It was on one such occasion that a great compliment was paid them by the brave Dukeof Btrwick, who, however, had good reason to love them for their devotion to his father. " Marshal," said the king to him, " this Irish Brigade gives me more trouble than all my army put together." "Please your majesty," replied the duke, " your enemies make just the same complaint of them !" The idol of the Brigade was the celebrated Marshal Saxe, whose great bravery, in unión with h9 jovial, mirthful temperament, gave him a character that was so engaging and so kindred to their own. It was iu referenoe to him originated one of the blunders of poor Pat that has so often been repeated and localized everywhere. The marshal was wounded in some engagement, and, moreover, it was reported - in his back. None of the Brigade, however, would believe it. " When did he ever show his back to them r" was the general exclamation. " Wasn't it his face they knew the most of, and wasn't it their backs that he knew best i"' At last a solution of the mystery was. hit upon : "He was pursuing 'em, you see, and just to make the villains think that, on the contrary, he was retreating, he buttoned his coat behind him ! Of the anecdotes and jokes told of the Brigade duriug their extended foreign service - proofs of a humor and light heartedness which exile even could not subdue - the number is, indeed, legión. GhUíc vanity torced them often into the attitude of censors, and several of their repárteos ere excellent, and as full of sen8e as they were of pleasantry. Among the ma8s of these is one that has been often referred to other sources - when a Frenchman, claiming for his country the invention of all the elegances, named, among other things, a, ruffle ; and Pat answered : " We iinproved on it - we put to it a shirt." In thi same spirit, but less known, was his retort upon a shopkeeper in some petty towu where he was quartered. The place had rather a pretemious gate, and the grocer, dilating on its grandeur, and asking what the Irish would sy if they possessed it. " Faith, they'd say," was the reply, "we'll kape the big gate shut, or thedirty little town will be alter running out of it." The sarcasm, however, was deeper and more essentiaüy Hibernian when, on his going somewhere to dine, after hearing great praises of French cookery, he saw a pot of soup brought in with a bit of nieat floatiDg on the top of it - upon which he pulled off his coat, and, being asked why he did so, said : " Sure I am going to have a swim for that little bit of mate there." Among the adventures recorded of the Brigade, oue of the most amusing was an occurrence iu the time of the Regent Orleans, in honor of whose birthday a grand inasquerade was given in Paris. It was a high-class affair ; tickets were a doublé louis d or each ; all the rank and beauty of Paris were assembled around the regent, and a costly and luxurious supper crowned the attractions of the night. While the entertainment was proceeding, one of the prince's suite approached and whispered to him : " It is worth your royal highness' while :o step into the supper-room ; there is a yellow domino there, who is the most ex;raordinary cormorant ever witnessed ; ae is a prodigy, your highness - he never stops eating and drinking ; and the atendants say, moreover, that he has not done so for stme houra." His royal highness went accordingly ; and sure enough there was the yellow domino, laying about hirn as described, and swallowing every thing as ravenously as if he had only just begun. Raised pies ffill before liim like garden-palings before a tield piece ; pheasantsand quails seeined to fly down his throat in a little covey ; the wine he drank threatened a soarcity, whatever niight be the next vintage. After watching him for some time, the duke aoknowledged he was a wonder, and laughingly left the room ; but shortly afterward, on passing through unother, he saw the yellow domino again, and as actively at work as ever, devastating the dishes everywhere, and emptying the ehampagne-bottles as rapidly as they were brought to him. Perfeotly amazed, the duke at last could not restrain his curiosity. " Who," he asked, " is that insatiate gorge that threatens such annihilation to all the labors of' our cooks ?" Accordingly, one of the suite was dispatched to him. " HÍ8 royal highness, the Duke of Orleans desires the yellow domino to unmask " But the domino begged to be excused, pleading the privilege of masquerade. "There is a higher law," replied the officer ; " the royal order muRt be obeyed." "Well, then," answered the incognito, "if it must be so, it must ;" and, unniasking, exhibited the ruddy visage of an Irish trooper. "Why.in the name of Polyphemus !" exclaimed the regent, as he advanced to him ; " who and what are you 8 I have seen you eat and drink enough for a dozen men at least, and yet you seeni as empty as ever." " Well, then," said the trooper, " since the sayoret must oouie out, piase, your royal highness, I am one of Clares' Horse - that's the guard-of-honor to-night - and when our men was ordered out, we clubbed our money to buy a ticket, anc agreed to take our turn at the suppertable, turn and tuin about." "What!" exclaimed the duko, "the wliole troop coming to supper?" " Oh, it's asy," piase your highness ; sure one domino would do for all of us - if ache tuk it in turn. I'm only the eighteenth man, and there's twelve more of us to come." The loud laughter of the jovial duko, probably the heartiest he had had for a long time, was the response to this explanation, followed by a louis d'or to the dragoon, and a promise to keep his " saycret" till the entire troop had supped. The career of the Irieh Brigade closed with the approach of the French Eevolution - and fortunately for them, no doubt gince, had they remained in France, there is little question they would have niaintained Lheir loyalty, and boen massacred like the Swiss.