American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

<center>

In 1888 Father Corby was invited to a reunion of the Irish Brigade to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. At the meeting, the veterans endorsed a campaign to have the Congressional Medal of Honor bestowed on Father Corby. The deposition to the War Department called Father Corby "The Fighting Chaplain," referred to his risking his life for his men, and emphasized his "very gallant and most remarkable act in preaching a most patriot sermon and administering the religious rite of General Absolution on the battlefield of Gettysburg." The medal was not granted.

Father Corby Spoke Years Later:

<b>"Oh, you of a younger generation, think of what it cost our forefathers to save our glorious inheritance of union and liberty! If you let it slip from your hands you will deserve to be branded as ungrateful cowards and undutiful sons. But, no! You will not fail to cherish the prize-- it is too sacred a trust-- too dearly purchased." </b>

Father William Corby died of pneumonia on December 28, 1897. His casket was borne to the grave, not by his fellow Holy Cross priests as was the custom, but by aging Civil War veterans. His coffin was draped in the flag of his old regiment and a rifle volley was fired as his coffin was lowered into the grave. Accompanied by the sound of a bugle, old Grand Army of the Republic veterans sang a song over their heroic chaplain's grave:

<b>Answering the call of roll on high.
Dropping from the ranks as they make reply.
Filling up the army of the by and by. </b>


<font size="5">Give the Man The Medal!!</font id="size5">
</center>

<center>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<b>Major General Scott "The Mad Prussian" Ludwig</b>
Commanding Officer, Western Theater, CSA
Interim Chief of Staff, CSA
"The Army Commissary" and "The Traveling Blowhard of Virginia"
Retried ANV Commander 2004-06

http://www.networkforgood.org

[url="http://napoleonicwargaming.com"]Napoleonic Wargaming - 1NWCG[/url]</center>