“Monarchy is Ridiculous.”

By Patrick S. Miller, PhD.

New York State AOH Historian.

History, of course, in and of itself, is fascinating to many people.   When talking about history with, or to, Hibernians one quickly understands that, to us, it is more than just “fascinating”.  History informs our principles and values and compels our activism.  It would be hard to refute that our century old FFAI Project comes out of a deep historical awareness of British crimes against the Irish people.  An Ghorta Mor, a systematic culling of our ancestors (1847), is a rather poignant single instance in that body of crimes, and one that compels us to invest great energy into our food relief programs to this day.  All Hibernians fight very hard to ensure no one is forced to eat grass and starve.   Our history compels us...and I believe history, carefully and thoughtfully sourced, should do so.  

With this as my touchstone, I have found myself routinely frustrated of late with the glamourization of the British royal family in the American media and consciousness.  The supermarket checkout isles with tabloids, mainstream media, the not-so-mainstream media...all acting as public relations agents for what remains of the British imperialist mafia family.  While we are a polite people, and do not wish such an ending on anyone, it was, nonetheless, pretty difficult to watch the media puff up Philip Mountbatten after his passing.  This popular propensity always makes me think of General Michael Corcoran and the fine example he set for all Americans since 11 October 1860.

Corcoran became the commander of the 69th New York Militia in 1859 (We now know it as “The Fighting 69th!”). It is said that he came to New York in 1849 at the age of 22. He was, obviously, highly thought of by the American-Irish community before assuming command of the 69th. He solidified his position in posterity even more when the so-called “Prince of Wales” announced a visit to New York on 11 October 1860. Corcoran was ordered by his regular army command to muster and march in parade on that day in honor of the visiting son of the “Famine Queen” Victoria. Corcoran refused. He was ordered again, and refused again, claiming that the militia unit had already fulfilled its parade obligations for the year. This response angered Army authorities and Corcoran was removed from command of the 69th and placed in a military prison to await court-martial. Which is where he stayed until after the start of the US Civil War on 12 April 1861. Recognizing his fame and needing American-Irish recruitment support, Army authorities reinstated Corcoran to his former command and sent him to defend Washington, D.C.

Remembering, as we may, that the General was also a prominent Tammany Hall politician, we might then wonder if his public demonstration of principle was a political ploy to gain even more favor with the American-Irish community.  We can quickly and easily discern, though, that General Corcoran was a man of demonstrable principle when we look at the aftermath of the First Battle of Bull Run on 15 July 1861.  The engagement with confederate forces was fierce, and while our other beloved General, Thomas Francis Meagher, eluded capture, General Corcoran did not.  The conditions of his imprisonment were as awful as we can imagine.  The living arrangement was filthy and there was a constant threat of execution.  However, eventually, the confederate authorities offered the prominent prisoner “parole” with the conditions that he return home and, on his honor, to never bear arms against them again.  General Corcoran refused this offer to the dismay of many.  Corcoran remained a POW until August of 1862 when he was returned to service as part of a prisoner exchange.  Upon his release, President Lincoln, so impressed with his resolve, had him to the White House for dinner.

Like General Corcoran, perhaps in some ways because of him, we American-Irish are not impressed by the pomp and circumstance “royals” use to hide their crimes against humanity.  In the case of the British, we clearly understand that all their castles, mansions, wealth, privilege, and the services of global public relations professionals is all made possible by centuries of occupation and genocide, both cultural and literal.  It is the hope of many that the fissures caused by their own duplicity in European politics in these recent years will remove the blinders from all those that are still taken in by these royal distractions.

Beir bua!

For Further Reading

Corcoran, Michael.  The Captivity of General Corcoran.  (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Captivity_of_General_Corcoran/ebNzvQEACAAJ?hl=en)

Meagher, Thomas Francis. Meagher of the Sword. (https://www.bookdepository.com/Meagher-Sword-Thomas-Francis-Meagher/9780344589904?ref=grid-view&qid=1628968701573&sr=1-4).