General Michael Corcoran (1827-1863)

Young Irelander, Fenian, Colonel of the 69th New York State Militia, Brigadier General U.S Army

Michael Corcoran was born in Carrowkeel, near Ballymote, County Sligo in Ireland.  He was the only child of Thomas Corcoran, an officer in the British army, and Mary McDonagh. He claimed descent from Patrick Sarsfield on his mother’s side. Michael attended school  in Ballymote, until the age of eighteen.

He joined the Revenue Police at age nineteen and was stationed in Donegal.  While still a member of the police force Corcoran became a member of the Ribbon Society, a secret organization dedicated to the rights of tenants. He kept up his double life for almost two years before leaving  the police. There is some inconclusive evidence that his activities as a Ribbonman were uncovered, hence his sudden departure for the United States in August of 1849.

After arriving in the United States he worked a number of jobs including that of manager at the Hibernian Hall in New York City.  There he met and married Elizabeth Heaney the niece of John Heaney who operated the Hibernian Hall tavern. He was also active in Tammany Hall politics.

He enlisted as a private in the 69th New York Militia in 1859, served in every rank and within three years was promoted to captain. From there he went on to achieve the rank of Colonel. 

In 1860 he was ordered to parade the regiment in honor of the visiting 19-year-old Prince of Wales,  the son of the English queen who had presided over the great hunger that reduced the population of Ireland by half.  Corcoran issued a statement that he “could not in good conscience order out a regiment composed of Irish-born citizens to parade in honor of a sovereign under whose reign Ireland was made a desert and her sons forced into exile.”

His refusal infuriated the Anglophiles who demanded his court martial. Because anti-Catholic and anti-Irish hatred and bigotry were still very much alive in the U.S. Corcoran was stripped of his command and placed under arrest.  However, during the court martial proceedings, Fort Sumter was fired  upon signaling the beginning of the civil war. As a consequence all court martial proceedings were dropped. The war made him an important asset to the U.S. Army because of his ability to recruit Irish volunteers.

In the war, Corcoran initially led the 69th New York State Militia in the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861.  During the defeat and retreat of the Union army he was taken prisoner. Corcoran was one the Union officers chosen by lot to become a Confederate hostage in the Enchantress Affair. Together with the other hostages he was threatened with execution if the United States government executed the crew of the Confederate Navy ship Enchantress, a merchant schooner pirated and put in use by the Confederate government. Both sides  backed off the threat of executions.

Corcoran was exchanged for two Confederate diplomats in August of 1862. Upon his release, he was commissioned a Brigadier General and was invited to have dinner with President Lincoln. Lincoln asked him to recruit what would be a second Irish Brigade for the army of the Potomac.  With the help of his comrades of the 69th he raised the Irish Legion of four regiments that ringed Washington in defensive positions.

During the last brutal year of the war Corcoran’s Legion fought alongside the Irish Brigade that had been raised by the former Young Irelander, Thomas Francis Meagher.

General Corcoran was killed when he fell of his horse and was trampled on while riding with General Meagher.

Corcoran was the highest ranking American general (a division commander) to be simultaneously a member of the Fenian Brotherhood.

Contributed by Tomás Ó Coısdealha

For additional information on Michael Corcoran See Sligo Champion article

cemetery AND grave location

Name:        Calvary Cemetery                                          

ADDRESS:    49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd Flushing, NY 11377

GRAVE LOCATION:     Section 4

HEADSTONE

click on headstone to read inscription