Colonel Michael Corcoran, commander of the Fighting 69th at the First Battle of Bull Run, was well known and highly regarded by the Irish of NY. He was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood, and hoped his military experience in the war would help later in Ireland's fight for freedom . His actions at Bull Run, protecting the retreat of the Union Army, were praised by the NY Newspapers. But he became one of the first prisoners of war in the conflict.
He kept a journal of his year in captivity, which is a very revealing account of not only his experience, but of the lives and experiences of those he encountered. His account, “The Captivity of General Corcoran” was published in 1862 shortly after his release.
His valor at Bull Run was documented by a member of the 69th, David Power Conyngham, who published a book shortly after the war “The Irish Brigade and It’s Campaigns” In it he describes how Corcoran rallied the 69th while the most of the Union Army had panicked and was retreating. His decision to stand firm protected the retreat and may have saved the life of many a Union Soldier.
Conyngham writes “Colonel Corcoran formed the remnant of his forces into a kind of square to meet a charge of cavalry, which they repulsed. As they gained the road they were again charged on, and Colonel Corcoran was wounded through the leg. Colonel Corcoran was everywhere conspicuous, cheering on and rallying the troops; even when wounded he checked the rebel advance with his little band, and disdained to leave the field until he was captured at his post of honor.”
Corcoran's book starts with the transfer of the 600 captives from the battlefield to Richmond. He was well aware that the Confederates had no idea what to do with the prisoners. Many of the soldiers thought they would be torn apart by mobs of angry rebels. That was not the case. They were kept in a tobacco warehouse and became a curiosity to the citizens of Richmond as he describes “Many distinguished persons of Southern birth and proclivities visited our quarters, and behaved, as a general rule, in the best manner…”
Of their captors Corcoran states “We were provided with refreshments by the Major in charge, to whom, for his considerate care and attention to our wants, we felt it to be our duty as well as pleasure to pass a vote of thanks.”
When they were settled in Richmond, they were allowed to form "The Richmond Prison Association, whose purpose was to help them kill the time. He notes - “We debated, sang, told stories, played cards, …. leaped ran races, wrestled and in short, were most successful in accomplishing our object.”
They were allowed to read Northern Newspapers, and Corcoran was amused to read that he had been placed in irons for refusing to answer roll call. He writes “Not only was this entirely untrue, but there never was the slightest foundation for it.”
Corcoran was transferred to Charleston, and on the way nearly killed by a citizen who he had been arguing with on the Railroad platform, but was saved by a young lady who stepped between them long enough for the guards to intercede and remove his assailant. The incident made a great illustrations in his book.
While in Charleston prison, Corcoran describes how they used music to keep up their morale and provoke their captors. It became very common for both sides to weaponize their music like this during the war, and this may have been one of the first times it happened.
Corcoran writes:
“At 4 o'clock P. M. , we had a concert among ourselves , at which we were honored by the audience of several Confederate officers , who seemed highly delighted with the performance , until , in grand strains , we gave them “ Hail Columbia . ” At this their countenances rather fell , and they seemed to wish themselves away. Desiring to give them a full dose of Union melody , we immediately, upon the conclusion of the song , struck up , “ Columbia , the Gem of the Ocean."
“This forced one or two of them to excuse themselves very suddenly on important duties , and , by the time that we got to the middle verse of “ The Star Spangled Banner , ” only a solitary one of them remained ; and I had heard hints thrown out that he was not thought to be fully loyal to the rebel government . Thus his desire to listen to the good old song was accounted for . I have often heard of Satan getting into agony when the sound of a church - bell struck upon his ear ; but I doubt if the old gentleman ever feared the ringing of a church - bell worse than a rebel fears the stirring notes of “ The Star Spangled Banner . ”
During his imprisonment, Rebel Privateers of the ship Savannah were captured, and sentenced to be hung for piracy. In retaliation, the Confederate government advised that they would hang and equal number of Union prisoners of war. The Rebels felt the Savannah was engaged in war, not piracy. Lots were drawn in prison, and Corcoran was one of the unlucky ones to receive the death sentence. Fortunately for him both sides backed off and he was released in a prisoner exchange, which was common in the early years of the war.
Anxious to resume the fight, Corcoran gave up a lucrative position as Harbormaster of NY Harbor to rejoin the 69th. He returned to cheering crowds in New York City and started recruiting for the brigade that would be known as Corcoran’s Irish Legion.
He would not live to see the end of the war. He went for a ride to check picket lines on a horse borrowed from his friend, Thomas Francis Meagher. The horse suddenly got startled and he was thrown off. He was a skilled horseman, but he had been feeling unwell for several days. Corcoran fractured his skull and died at the age of 36 on December 22nd.
Conyngham, in his history of the Brigade, wrote on the passing of Corcoran:
“Thus died, in the prime of manhood, as brave a soldier and as sterling an Irishman as ever lived. He was a loss to America, for his name and reputation were talismanic to collect his countryman to his standard. "
"He was a loss to Ireland, for the dearest wish of his heart was to live to strike for her independence; and from his experience as a soldier, his wisdom as a general, and his prudence and foresight as a man, who knows what he would have accomplished had he lived?”
