Product Description

On October 29, 1910, a bronze statue of William Corby, C.S.C. was dedicated on the battlefield at Gettysburg, the only one ever placed on that celebrated field to memorialize a chaplain. It recognizes the moment, fifty years earlier, when in the din of battle, Corby granted general absolution to the soldiers of the Irish Brigade before they rushed to meet the enemy.

But Memoirs of Chaplain Life is not primarily an account of battles and skirmishes. Nor is it merely a religious tract. It is a very human account of what it was like to be in an army in the Civil War. One cannot fail to come away from this book with a more vivid picture of Civil War armies and a much deeper appreciation of the services and sacrifices of the Catholic chaplains who served them.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #222337 in Books
• Published on: 1992-01-01
• Released on: 1992-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 476 pages

From Library Journal
Of all the units that fought in the Civil War, the Irish Brigade seems to be the most recognized. Comprised of troops from New York who were mostly Irish-Catholics, this unit proved itself in some of the most important battles of the war. A principal player in this unit was the chaplin, Father William Corby. Through his devotions and his willingness to be ever-present at the encampments, as well as at the front, the souls of the Irish Brigade were always cared for. A combination biography, history of the Irish Brigade, day-to-day look into the lives of Civil War soldiers, and reflection on the Catholic faith, this book is wonderfully written in Corby's own words. All the aspects of his life come together here. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
- Barbara Zaborowski, Cambria Cty. Lib., Johnstown, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"...this book is wonderfully written in Corby's own words. All the aspects of his life come together here." -- Library Journal

"Kohl...has done a superb job in editing this present edition and placing it in historical context..." -- Civil War History

"This is arguably one of the best of the numerous published diaries of Civil War participants." -- The Catholic Historical Review

Review
"This is arguably one of the best of the numerous published diaries of Civil War participants. . . . This volume is a welcome reminder of the reality-and beauty-of the moral virtue of patriotism."

Customer Reviews

A valuable Civil War memoir
Father Corby's Irish Brigade memoir provides a very valuable and interesting record of the Civil War. His testimony gives the reader a first-hand account of life in the Church and in the Army.

In some sections, the memoir is not terribly exciting; it is for the history buff who wants to know more than which general won a given battle. The book tells of the great and small trials of army life. Its value comes from the author's testimony about the lives of the soldiers and their experiences.

The book will best suit those who possess a knowledge of the war, as Father Corby's passing mention of campaigns and generals' names will be lost on the uninitiated.

I strongly recommend this book to those interested in Civil War and Irish history.

An Interesting Narrative
I truly enjoyed the book Memoirs of Chaplain Life by William Corby. Father William Corby, a Catholic, served as a chaplain to the Irish Brigade in the Army of the Potomac. Corby relates the many trials and dangers that he suffers over his three years of service. He tells the stories of narrow escapes from the enemy fire. He ministers to the men, "hears their confession," and often dose duties not required by his being chaplain. The book gives an interesting look into the religious life, as well as everyday camp life in a Civil War Army. I will say that the book is hard to get through, but it is worth the time to read. Father Corby is an interesting character.

In the carnage of Gettysburg, a moment of grace -- Chaplain Corby's story
Father William Corby (1833-1897) of the Congregation of the Holy Cross was a Chaplain in the famous Irish Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. His great moment was giving general absolution to the kneeling soldiers of the Brigade on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The famous Paul Henry Wood painting at Notre Dame University captures the scene, so important in America's religious history. So do the statues of Corby at the University and on Hancock Avenue at Gettysburg.

This is Father Corby's memoir of the war, first published in 1893. When the armies clashed, chaplains usually stayed behind the lines and worked in the hospitals, so Father Corby's memoir only lightly focuses on tactics, strategy, or details from the battlefields. Rather, his is mainly a memoir of camps, marches, the hardships of soldier life, and profiles and vignettes of the Brigade's leaders. He shares many stories that give a feel for the Army of the Potomac and the humor of the times. Civil War historians and re-enactors will find his account valuable and fascinating.

Father Corby brought a priest's faith and commitment to the Brigade, and it is these themes that most infuse the book. He records masses in camp and the field; conversations with Catholics, Protestants, and the unchurched; and work with the wounded and dying. Writing letters for illiterate soldiers gave him other insights on life and faith. He ministered to men sentenced to death by military courts and accompanied them on their final walk. In the midst of appalling carnage, he was sustained by knowing he helped many face death in the state of grace.

Father Corby included shorter recollections by other Catholic chaplains in the Union Army in his own book. Editor Lawrence Frederick Korb provided an excellent introduction with a full survey of Corby's life, and he added appendices on the Wood painting and the statues of Corby by Samuel Aloysius Murray.

At the time of the Civil War, Catholics were an often-despised minority in a majority-Protestant nation, and in Chapter IX, Father Corby ringingly condemned "bigots" and affirmed Catholics as true Americans. The scene of Father Corby and the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg was seen by thousands. It softened the hearts of many, and it may now be reckoned a milestone toward an American future of interfaith understanding and respect.

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