Wanted: "Those who can play the fife and beat the drum"

Kentucky's Fenian Brotherhood Recruiting Through Newspaper Advertisements

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Before the June 1866 Fenian Raid into Canada West, the 17- Regiment. IriSh Republican Army from
Kentucky, was actively recruiti ng former veterans into t heir ranks for the upcoming struggle
independence. Advertisements posted in the local Louisville newspapers, The CourierJournal and
Courier, from early February 1866 right up to early June 1866 giws good insight into the activities of
Kentucky Fenian Volunteers" as they openly prepared for their stri ke into British North America.
Lectures by the two Senate faction Fenian leaders, Colonel
Will iam R. Roberts, Brotherhood President and General
Thomas W. Sweeny, secretary of War F.B., started the
Kentucky recruiting drive on February 2. 1866 at Wood's
Theater in Louisv ille. The lecture ad implored the readers
with the enthusiastic come on, "Let ewry lover of Liberty
o ttend. ~

During this lecture, it was also announced Major William

Mangan. formerly of the 5", 11" and later the 12" Kentucky
Infantry, had been appointed as the Ass istant Inspector
General of the Fenian Brotherhood for State of Kentucky,
tas ked with organizing troops as well as selling up an armory
to be designated for the reception of muskets, rifles and
pistols.~ In a month, Major Mangan found publishing
advertisements in the Wanted Ad section a convenient
recruiting tool. He specifically was in search of ~Genrlemen
who have seen active service and can recruit 0 campony~ and
to notify him by letter immediately for instructions. As seen
later, it didn't matter to the Irish cause which side these
gentlemen fought previously, North or South.

louisville
for Irish
the Daily
the "First

Wood'S Theater.

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TII~ Cour~rJoumo' {louiJllill~,

KYI F~b 2, 1866

March 8th Wanted Ad from Mangan called

~Allention, fenian SOldiersH drilling was to commence every
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at Bed's Hal l.
Another

By March 12", two full compan ies of one hundred men each
were mustered in, answering the call for the ~/rish Army of
Liberation." These companies drilled inside Beck's Hall. When
the command to ~harge bayonets was given, the New
Albany Daily Commercial (IN) described it as sounding much
like the ~Confederate yell". After the drill, Mangan enlisted
these men into service exp laining they had no fixed or
determined period for their term but they were to serve until
the ~Saxon is expelled and Ireland is free: There was
immense applause, and the men tossed their "caps ond hats~
in the air as the "general delermination was 10 go in for the
British Lion~ No description was given as to if these men were
wearing uniforms however.
The (""I",llle Doily

,,,,,riff {l""iJllille. KYI Mor 8, J866

Afterwards, companies paraded on the street and made a

"decidedly mililary appearance.'

1 of 3

Major Mangan was not simply sat isHed with just I>attle
ready men at arms, he posted another wanted ad looking
for regimental music, a 6Manial Carps .. Those who can

NOTICES.

play fife and beat the drum to Jain the Fenlon campanies
now farming in the City."

or . ~,.(l D, tn Iht

The New Albany Daily Commerdal noted thiS

advertisement rema rking: NMajar Mangan seem5 bent an

war, for he advenises for filers and drummers, these

especial concomitants of a bottle-field - in your eye!"

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1M Lo~is.iJ ~ Doily Co~rk r /lo~ is oA/lt, KYI Ma' 19. 1866

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Mangan's wan'td Ad looking tar Fiftrs and drummtrs TIl. LQuiSoA/I. Doily (ou fin /touisoAllt. KYI Mar 8, 1866
7

By March 19th, Fenians were drilling regularly in preparation 01 their June invasion o f Canada.
Owen Starr, the newly commissioned Colonel 01 17th Regiment
"Army of the Irish Republ ic"', eYf!n took out his own notices for
three days, and he sa w br iSk recru iting. quickly swelling his ran ks.

Notice.

The l.ouis'WIe Daily Courier lLoui ...... K'f) Mar 19 . 1866

Starr served as colonel of the 2'" Kentucky Cava lry (US), a veteran
unit which served the entire war and in the later pa rt under
Sherman. The Louisville Daily Cour ier 1M" 19. 1366) noted Starr as
being Hwell known as a brave and gallant officer" with a new
appointment command ing the 17th Infantry, Army of the Irish
Republic, whi le dire(ting their readers to his advertisement in that
day's edition.

Owen 5,or" pi<:!Ur. d ~ re 10fe in

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war

os C<>Io". 1af'~ 2nd KY Ca.

(sM , I .C. [ /rod', GDIIBy. IO!I M<lin St. louin""". KY/

2013

Starr would be cred ited later as the first Fenian to plant the green flag 01 Ireland on the Canadian shore as well
as raise that flag above Fort Erie. He was promoted later to Irish Republican General and served with General
O'Neill during the disast rous 1870 Battle of Eccles Hill Fenian Raid, where canadian newspapers chided him as
running away while gloating on this Fenian debacle. Obviously thiS was pay back for Starr's earl ier notoriety at
Fort Erie in 1866.
Louisville's four Fenian Brotherhood Circles {Emmet,
Fitzgerald, Sarsfield and Wolfe-Tone) did their parts as well to
support their military by posting meeting notices and
adverti~ments in the local newspapers also promoting
re.:ruiting and monies for the Fenian Army, which would all
be directed into supporting Kentucky's 17th Regiment, Irish
Republican Army.
The Emmet and Fitzge",ld Cirdes' G",nd Ball ads specifically
adverti!>ed that the monies collected were to Ndefroy the
expenses of equipping 0 compony now organizing in our
midst for the Fenian ArmyNand to " Benefit the Military.N
By May 25th, the Louisville Daily Courier reported the
Fenians of the city were "vp ond doingN and members were
to meet that alternoon to fully understand the undertaking.
By the 29th of May, t he Fenians of Kentucky were on the
maveN with Nfive hundred arriving in Indianapolis." The
Lexington Ob~rver and Reporter soon followed up stating
"Twenty five Fenians left the city on the cars lor Louisville,
yesterday alternoon (May 29), we understand more will
leave for the same place today. In Louisville, they will join a
brigade which has been formed there. Beyond this we are
not informed as to their movements." Kentucky's part in The
Fenian Invasion of Canada was in motion.

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the memo

IX ... of !.be E mll'e l ('ire!t', or tho y.-cnl~n

Hralhcrhood. will hnld l hei r Ic,:.:ul,u 1Ill:et
11l';:lt the "fcnl l,ernnrr l!:In, AI "ht SIre"'
.oolorecn FonrU, 111'\ lilnh. A full ~u(n .
,,"neu nrall tbe mrmhctl i. dl""!'ired. n ' Ol C
n ho wI_II to ~ lI roli Ulen'.'I ...~ :u loldlc"!
(lft bo t"tnlfotl
\11"111 rn..~e tbe a~'}>O I"I I1nI h (If dl>ln,= '0 lor hi:ln): l'N'Scot ~t tbc
u'~tll1':-. Mr. J. l-!. li"!;t::ln II e~~ttd 10
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TM [ou j,vUleDajly Caurier{laui<vUle, HI Mar 13, 1866

. GIV!(

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There were other ne~ reports that more Fenians were

arriving in Buffalo from the West with 1,000 already in the
ci ty. The Fenians all stated they were laborers bound for
California and bore no arms or looked to be military, yet
odd ly, they W<':re travel ing east for a destination west.

Ta e&ClAY Ern l a;, April. 3 d . ' M.

P . BANN O N.

These public advertisements provide great insights into the

early development of Kentucky's Fenian Regiment as we ll as
document these Fenians were actively !>eeking musicians to
supplement their ranks, supporting an earlier account
published of an Irish Army Veteran remembering hearing the
Garry Owen and Wearing of the Green tunes played during
the Battle of Ridgeway.

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