1810, when a number of Spanish royalists were stirred by the promulgation of a junta di giobiurno, organized by leading Chileans who desired more freedom than the Spanish government allotted them. Among these citizens were many who espoused the cause of Napoleon who at that time was in possession of Spain. The Spanish viceroy, Osorio, observing this unrest and knowing of the intense rivalry between the Carrera brothers and O'Higgins, organized a strong force of royalists in the south of the country. But the revolutionary movement was too strong and Osorio was decisively defeated at Chacabulco on February 12, 1817, owing to the distinguished valor and initiative of O'Higgins. Osorio came back on the Maipo plains near Santiago on April 5, 1818, but in the meantime O'Higgins had reorganized the little army and navy and once again the Spanish standard was lowered. Chilve, the last stronghold of the Spaniards was taken in 1826 but it was not until 1846 that the mother country recognized the independence of O'Higgins' republic.

One year after his abdication, the banished dictator heard the news of the confiscation of church property by the horde who were in power. Tithes and most of the religious houses were abolished. From his retreat in the mountains of Peru, O'Higgins heard of the sad condition of affairs, but he was helpless.

The Jesuits, expelled in 1768, were not allowed to return to the country until 1843, one year after O'Higgins' death.

But the seed of O'Higgins' reforms has lived in Chile despite the inroads of Spanish and native malcontents. To-day, one going through the streets of Santiago, the capital, hears his praises sung. His equestrian statue, erected in 1872, thirty years after his death in Santiago by an admiring populace, is one of the principal points of interest in that old town. In the interior, the province of O'Higgins has been named after him and his father. It has an area of 2,289 square miles and is peopled with an industrious population.

Bernardo O'Higgins was born in the town of Chillan, the capital of the province of Nublé, on the 20th of August, 1776. He was the only son of Don Ambrosio O'Higgins, who was born in county Meath, Ireland, in 1720. At 15, his father sent him to an English Catholic school near London where he received the advanced studies which prepared him for a successful career. At his father's death, he returned to Chile, and immediately

joined the revolutionary army as a colonel of militia in the revolt against Spain. It is said that his gallant Irish impetuosity at the battle of Chacabulco was responsible for much of the victory. Later, on arrival at the capital, Santiago, he was victoriously greeted and proclaimed by the citizens Dictator of Chile. After a stormy existence, touched upon above, he died in Peru on the 24th of October, 1842. In 1869 his ashes were brought back to his native land with great pomp by the Chilean government, and in 1872, his statue was unveiled. He had one son, Demetrio, a wealthy and patriotic Chilean ranchero, who died in 1869.

CAPTAIN JOHN MCDONNELL AND HIS BRITISH

PRISONERS.

BY GEORGE F. O'DWYER.

While delving in the Colonial archives of the Revolutionary period in the state house in Boston several months ago, the writer came across a petition made in 1777 by one John McDonnell, a sea-captain, asking for provisions for a parcel of British prisoners, evidently captured in Rhode Island or along the southern coast of Massachusetts. The petition is found on page 436, Volume 36 of the Massachusetts archives. No place or date was mentioned but it is evident that it was introduced the first part of January, 1777 for the House of Representatives of the state replied favorably to it on January 13, 1777. It is a fair description of the sympathetic and charitable Irish sea-captain of the period. It also touches on the hardships the captains of those troublesome times had to undergo in order to make their voyages from Ireland to New England. The petition in the language of Capt. McDonnell, follows:

Petition of John McDonnell setting forth that he is informed by some of the Hon'ble Members of each House that the late Petition praying Liberty to proceed to Ireland has Indulgently got your Consent. Its my Duty to acknowledge it and can only say the Extraordinary favor shall be retained in a Grateful mind. I'm Conscious that an indulged Petitioner should avoid giving his Benefactors trouble at any time, but necessity Obliges me to mention a Circumstance Annex'd to the vested privilege (viz: there is about sixty, poor, Distress'd prisoners at Plymouth (Mass) which I am to take with me.) About thirty of these may be able to make some Compensation for their Provisions on the Passage; about thirty, I believe, is intirely Destitute of property. I would humbly request your Honors to Consider my situation. I've been long in the Country at Expense; almost drain'd of Money & property (my Vessel excepted), it is hard on me these dear times to Vietual & Equip a Vessel to carry thirty men free of charge; therefore would humbly request your Honors goodness in ordering your agent at Plymouth to assist me with Provisions Necessary, water casks, &c, for twenty-five men & I will cheerfully Contribute what Else is in my power to make the whole Comfortable and take them all with me. I hope none will think I complain or is insensible of the Indulgence granted, let my fate be what it may. I'm willing to take as many with me as am Content to put up with the same wt of provisions per week I shall allow myself and depend on Providence for a Passage, provided your Honors is against giving any Assistance.

I am, very Gratefully, your well-wisher & friend,

228

JOHN MCDONNELL.

Captain McDonnell evidently had his petition granted for the House of Representatives, in session at Watertown, on January 13, 1777, directed "the Agent for the Southern district of this State to supply the said Petitioner with six barrels of beef, two barrels of Pork, ten hundred Bread and six Water Hogsheads of one hundred gallons each and Charge his Account to the State and be allow'd for the same."-January 13, 1777.

The John McDonnell referred to was born in Ireland in 1733 and died in Kilmore, near Wexford, on Christmas day, 1808, aged 75 years. He was buried in the old church-yard of Layd near Cushindall, in the north of Ireland which for centuries had been the burial place of his ancestors. McDonnell followed thesea the most of his long life and had many hair-raising adventures, while cruising between the ports of Ireland and the New England coast. His eldest son, Coll, was lost at sea, the 24th of June, 1820, aged 63 years.

It appears that John Croney, one of the Irish servants mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, afterwards became of some value to the community of Uxbridge, in the middle of the state of Massachusetts. Evidently he sought employment here after leaving Temple in Boston and decided to settle. That he was of some account in the town is evident from the Uxbridge vital records which credit him marrying a Sibel or Elizabeth Smith of that town May 12, 1764, who bore him ten children between the years 1766 and 1782. They were: Catherine, born October 24, 1780; Molly, born October 21, 1767; Sibel, born December 24, 1773; John, born June 4, 1772; Francis, born October 4, 1774; Eliz, born September 21, 1769; Daniel, born January 4, 1766; Rosanna, born December 25, 1782; Sarah, born October 8, 1778; and Timothy, born August 4, 1776.

Notwithstanding providing for and bringing up this big family, Mr. Croney found time to help his adopted country in the Revolutionary war and the Massachusetts Record of Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolution state that he enlisted three times at different periods between 1776 and 1781. He gave three months at a time to the Continental army and finally came back from West Point in October, 1781, unscathed. He took part in the

New York and New Jersey campaigns of 1776 and 1777; was at the battle of Saratoga and in 1781 again took part for a three months' period at the operations in and around West Point. He was honorably discharged October 22, 1781.

There is no mention of his death or his wife's death on the Uxbridge vital records. Evidently he left the town after the war. I cannot find a trace what became of him and his family after leaving Uxbridge.

Anent the selling of Irish servants to the New England planters during the eighteenth century, while looking for material on the subject, I ran across this ad printed in the Commercial Gazette, a newspaper published in the state of Connecticut in 1764:

Just imported from Dublin, in the brig Derby, a parcel of Irish servants, both Men and Women, and to be sold cheap by Israel Boardman at Stamford (Ct.) Jan. 5, 1764.

AMERICAN IRISH IN THE GREAT WAR.

FIRST MEDAL OF HONOR.

Patrick McGunigal, son of the late William and Mary McGunigal of Youngstown, Ohio, a ship's fitter in a United States cruiser received the first medal of honor awarded during the present war. It was given to him for "extraordinary bravery" in rescuing the pilot of a naval balloon from drowning. Besides the medal a gift of $100 was presented to him by the Navy Department.