Corcoran, Michael, 1827-1863

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Corcoran was born in Carrowkeel, near Ballymote, County Sligo in Ireland, the only child of Thomas Corcoran, an officer in the British Army, and Mary (McDonagh) Corcoran. Through his mother, he claimed descent from Patrick Sarsfield, hero of the Williamite War in Ireland and a leader of the Wild Geese.

In 1846, at the age of 18, he took an appointment to the Revenue Police, enforcing the laws and searching for illicit stills and distilling activities in Creeslough, County Donegal. At the same time he joined and belonged to a Catholic rebel guerrilla group, the Ribbonmen. On August 30, 1849, he emigrated from Sligo Bay to the U.S. and settled in New York City where he found work as a clerk in the tavern, Hibernian House, at 42 Prince Street in Manhattan owned by John Heaney, whose niece, Elizabeth, he married in 1854.

He enlisted as a Private in the 69th New York Militia. By 1859 he was appointed colonel of the regiment. The regiment was a state militia unit at that time composed of citizens, not soldiers, and was involved in the maintenance of public order.[citation needed] On October 11, 1860, Colonel Corcoran refused to march the regiment on parade for the 19-year-old Prince of Wales, who was visiting New York City at the time, in protest of British rule in Ireland. He was removed from command and a court martial was pending over that matter when the Civil War began.

Corcoran became involved in Democratic politics at Tammany Hall: he could deliver the Irish vote. He became district leader, a member of the judicial nominations committee, an elected school inspector for his ward, and a member of the Fourteenth Ward General Committee.

With the outbreak of war, the court martial was dropped and Corcoran was restored to his command because he had been instrumental in bringing other Irish immigrants to the Union cause. He led the 69th to Washington, D.C. and served for a while in the Washington defenses building Fort Corcoran. In July he led the regiment into action at the First Battle of Bull Run and was taken prisoner. Corcoran was one of the founders of the Fenian Brotherhood in America. While in jail, Corcoran wrote, "One half of my heart is Erin's, and the other half is America's. God bless America, and ever preserve her the asylum of all the oppressed of the earth, is the sincere prayer of my heart."

In April, 1863 Corcoran was involved in an incident that ended with Corcoran shooting and killing Edgar A. Kimball, commander of the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Corcoran attempted to pass through the 9th New York's area without giving the required password after receiving the challenge from a sentry. When Kimball intervened on the side of the sentry, Corcoran shot Kimball. Corcoran was not charged with murder and continued to serve.

Placed in command of the 1st Division, VII Corps he was engaged in the Battle of Deserted House and took part in the siege of Suffolk. In late 1863 he was placed in command of a division in the XXII Corps and returned to serve in the Washington defenses. While riding alone in Fairfax, Virginia he was thrown from a runaway horse and suffered a fractured skull. He died at the W.P. Gunnell House on December 22, 1863 at the age of 36.

The Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg unveiled Ireland's national monument to the Fighting 69th in Ballymote on August 22, 2006. The monument was sculpted by Philip Flanagan. The inscription around the top of the monument reads "Michael Corcoran 1827–1863" Around the base is inscribed "New York Ballymote Creeslough Bull Run". Underneath the monument is a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, donated by the family of Michael Lynch, who died in the tower on September 11, 2001. Lynch's family are from County Sligo.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Robinson, Alfred S. Civil War Covers Collection, 1861-1898. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn National War Committee of the Citizens of New York. National War Committee of the Citizens of New York records, 1862-1863. New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Edward Everett manuscript 1862 Everett, Edward William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Cockrell, Francis Marion, 1834-1915. Military officer correspondence, 1848-1904. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn The Fenian Brotherhood records and O'Donovan Rossa personal papers. Catholic University of America
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Civil War Commandery of the State of Massachusetts collection: Patriotic covers, ca. 1861-1865. Houghton Library
referencedIn Corcoran, Michael -- Brigadier General National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Kenney, George W. Papers, 1860-1865. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Philip Case Lockwood memorial collection of Civil War portraits and autographs, 1862-ca. 1886. Houghton Library
referencedIn Everett, Edward, 1794-1865. Edward Everett manuscript 1862. William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Corcoran, Michael -- General National Archives at Washington, D.C
contributorOf Consolidated Military Officer's File of General Michael Corcoran, 69th New York Infantry Regiment National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Howard, James H., 1844-. Letters of James H. Howard, 1862 August - 1865 March 26, 1913. University of Virginia. Library
Place Name Admin Code Country
Ireland 00 IE
Prince William County VA US
Suffolk VA US
Washington City DC US
Manhattan NY US
Fairfax County VA US
Ireland 00 IE
Fairfax VA US
Subject
Bull Run, 1st Battle of, Va., 1861
Civil War, 1861-1865
Court martial
Democratic Party (New York, N.Y.)
Fenian Brotherhood
Immigration
Siege warfare
Tammany Hall
Occupation
Clerks
Police Officer
Soldiers
Activity

Person

Birth 1827-09-21

Death 1863-12-22

Male

Americans,

Irish

English

Information

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