St. Patrick’s Day Parade

“The procession which has been arranged for to-morrow will probably be one of the finest which has taken place in this city for many years.  A new feature has been added this year, namely, the appearance of the Ladies’ Father Matthew T.A.B. Society. . . . A fine band will proceed them in a barouche.  The Irish Societies will turn out ever fifteen thousand strong, and the Fenians, who will occupy the post of honor, about twenty thousand; while the Father Matthew Societies will parade at least ten thousand men, and the military will probably turn out some three thousand, and the ladies one thousand probably.  The military escort will be commanded, it is understood, by Colonel Martin McMahon, of the Sixty-ninth Regiment.”

“Music from innumerable bands floated over the whole length of the procession.  Irish and American airs mingled together much as the green flag and the Stars and Stripes floated side by side. . . .

    The next organization was one of the finest in the whole procession.  It was headed by a  United States calvary band. . . .

    . . . St. James’ Roman Catholic T. A. B. Society, of New York, which followed next in the procession, made a very fine display.  Following their band and banner was a number of boys wearing green jackets and red caps.  Dodworth’s Band, discoursing most excellent music, then heralded the approach of the Father Matthew U. B. T. A. B. Society, of New York. . . .

    . . . Several Irish pipers had places in the procession, and discoursed the wild, plaintive music peculiar to their native land. . . .

    [List of Regiments marching, with bands and drum corps.]

“The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, this year, was the grandest on record, as regarded numbers, respectability and display generally.  The Stars and Stripes and the ‘Golden Harp’ of Erin floated side by side on many houses, both American and Irish.  The flags of the Union and of the city were displayed on the City Hall.  Over the city residence of the Chief Engineer of the Orange Fire Department was displayed a splendid green flag with sun-burst and harp, and the motto ‘Erin Go Bragh—Ireland must and Shall be Free.”  The Sun-burst also floated over the O’Mahony Palace in Union Square, and the Irish harp over the Roberts’ Headquarters in Broadway.  Mr. Roberts’ residence at Bloomingdale, and his store in the Bowery, were also handsomely decorated, and in many places appeared conspicuously ‘the Green above the Red.’  The day, contrary to general expectation, was very fine overhead, but the air was chilly, and overcoats were a real necessity, while a high North wind prevailed, and rendered walking somewhat unpleasant, this being particularly the case with those who had the honor of carrying banners in the procession.  A marked feature in the procession was the very few cases of intoxication met with.  Formerly, St. Patrick’s Day and drunkenness were considered synonymous, and an Irishman would not consider that he was doing honor to his Patron Saint unless he got drunk.  All this was changed on Saturday, and if the festival of St. Patrick in 1866 did not witness the liberation of Ireland, it certainly witnessed as orderly and as quiet a body of athletic Irishmen, in one solid phalanx, as was ever brought together before during the history of that unhappy country.  Business throughout the city was generally suspended and the Courts were all closed, as were nearly all the public offices.

    Immense crowds of people lined the streets through the entire route of the procession, but especially at the City Hall and Union Square. Roofs, windows, awnings, trees, and every kind of eminence was seized and kept possession of from an early hour until the close of the long line. A strong detachment of police kept the best order among the swaying and ever increasing mass, and all along the line the same order and quiet was maintained throughout.”  
What follows is the order of the procession including when the various regiment bands and drum corps played. . . .

    Some forty Irish pipers were in the procession, in twos, three and fours, and where the Irish pipes could not be procured, the ‘Scotch’ pipes made an excellent substitute. Scarcely a band which passed the City Hall, belonging to either body but played the ‘Wearing of the Green,’ which is now become as popular here as it was in Ireland, when the music and the original words came out before the breaking out of the rebellion of 1798.”

[The article continues with details of the marchers.]