Memoirs of Miles Byrne; Chef De Bataillon in the Service of France[, ] Officer of the Legion of Honour, Knight of Saint-Louis, Etc Volume 1-2

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ... INTRODUCTORY NOTICE PREVIOUS TO GIVING MY NOTES TO COLONEL O'NEILL When I returned with the 56th regiment in 1835 to keep garrison at Paris, after an absence of nearly seven years, I met with the kindest attention from my friends there, and particularly 59 from colonel O'Neill. -- He told me he was then occupied collecting materials to write the history of the irish brigades in the french service, under the monarchy of the Bourbons down to 1792, and that he intended also to write the history of the irish legion under the government of the Consulate and the Empire; and as I had served in this legion from its formation in 1803, till it was disbanded in september 1815, he hoped I would assist him and write out notes on the services and campaigns of the legion, etc. I told him to explain in writing whal he wanted me to do. The following is the letter I received from him on the subject. T. II 1 i TRANSLATION FBOM THE FRENCH OF A LETTER FROM GOLOiNEL O'neill To Miles Byrne, Written In 1837, At Paris. My dear commandant, Having been engaged for some years past in collecting materials for a biographical history of the irish, who have in any vt&j distinguished themselves in foreign countries, and as that work ought to be preceded by an historical sketch concerning the regiments of the old irish brigade, and of the irish legion whose conduct has been so brilliant at Astorga, Antwerp, and other fields, where it was called into action, I apply to you to aid me* to fulfil my task, informing me: Whatwerethemotivesgenerally which led the united irish to take up arms on the landing of general Humbert in Ireland; what was the epoch of the formation of the irish legion in the service of France, as well as the different..."