Absolution Under Fire

William Corby's compassionate, sometimes humorous, and articulate account of his time as a chaplain in the Civil War is simply one of the best memoirs of the conflict. For three years he was with his brigade under fire, ministered to their emotional and spiritual needs, and was with several men before their executions. At Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottslyvania, and more, Corby was there. Twice president of Notre Dame University, the statue of Father Corby at Gettysburg was the first non-general statue erected on the site. It stands on the very rock where he delivered absolution to members of the Irish Brigade on the second day of the battle while scores of others watched. At the twenty-fifth anniversary of Gettysburg, Corby got up to speak: "I happened to make this statement-'Here is what is left of us; where are the others?' when I filled up very unexpectedly and could not speak for several minutes. I had struck a very tender chord. The celebrant, although eleven years older than I, wept like a child, and the brave old warriors before me who had stood the shock of many battles also wept." Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever.