Once Upon A Time...Being A Rebel Didn't Matter....

"Members of the 1957-1958 Walpole High team, including (from left) John Rooney, Chauncey Smith (assistant coach), Ted Verderber, Joseph Tarbell, and Len Ceglarski (coach), gathered recently at Iorio Arena in the town."

We were all treated to a bit of local sports history when the Boston Globe ran that excellent article about the 1957-1958 Walpole High hockey team.

For me, it brought back great memories of the 1962-1963 team, when I was 10 years old, that won the Bay State Championship at Boston Arena (if my memory serves me correctly). The team included Terry Hogan (Hoagie Bear cookies :)) Jack Norwell, Kenny Allan and others that I cannot recall.

I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at Boston Arena when the '63 team either won that championship, or some big game during the series. I recall being part of a huge horn-honking entourage that wound its way from Boston back to Walpole one winter night.

In my era, the 1970-71 years included Mike Millbury, "Andy" Anderson, Paul Pimental and others. I didn't play sports for Walpole, but I was a regular spectator at many hockey and football games.......I am QUITE sure I had more fun than the players...!

The Confederate flag waving started in about 1967-68...the beginning of the black cloud over the town. Can you imagine what some must have thought of Walpole fans when that was going on?

It was completely embarrassing to a group of aware students at Walpole High. (I was one of them).

Thanks to The Attendees at The Senior Men's Breakfast

I wish to thank the sponsors of the Senior Mens Breakfast, The Friends of Walpole Recreation Department, for inviting me to VFW Post 5188, Walpole, Mass., on January 15, 2008, to give a talk to the group of nearly 30 men & women. Veterans in attendance included World War II, Korea & Vietnam era veterans.

Though the poster suggests I only spoke about the history of Walpole in regards to the Civil War, I did talk about my own fathers involvement during World War II, and, as one person in attendance told me, I took the "Rebel" thing "head-on"....and made comparisons to how sports fans use inappropriate imagery to support their teams, ie: waving Japanese flags at Fenway Park, and also Walpole's long legacy of inappropriate use of a Rebel Mascot, and how in both instances, those actions trivialize the sacrifices made by our veterans.

I made reference to the liberation of the 4 million people freed in part by the men from Walpole, Massachusetts. I also made extensive reference to the sufferings of Pvt. Lowell Hartshorn of Walpole, who died at the infamous Rebel Prison camp at Andersonville, Georgia.

Again, thanks to those who politely listened to my over one-hour talk.

In 1861-1865, "The Rebels" were a divisive entity in our country.
Since the late 1960's, the Walpole "Rebel" Mascot has been a divisive entity in the Town of Walpole. Its time to make a change. When we do, in the future our history will show that the citizens of Walpole did the right thing....

Mike Amaral
Walpole, Mass

Francis William Bird....of East Walpole, Massachusetts

Francis W. Bird....noted local manufacturer from East Walpole, local and state politician. Founder of the "Bird Club" of Cornhill St., Boston. Friend of Senator Charles Sumner, noted "Freesoiler", Abolitionist, and instrumental in promoting John Albion Andrew as Governor of the State of Massachusetts, who presided over the state during the Civil War, and who led the creation of African-American troops during the Rebellion.



F. W. Bird's vision is a great lesson for the children of Walpole: to uphold the Declaration of Independence that declares "All Men Are Created Equal..."

Suggestion: Always teach your children the truth about American History, Massachusetts History, and Walpole History. They will thank you in the future.

Read this link to F.W. Bird's biography on Google book. Learn something about Walpole History, and how it shaped the future of the United States of America.

Happy New Year 2008....from Walpole, Mass...

Well, I survived the two gigs scheduled around New Years 2008. The gig up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire went quite well. Aside from getting my finger stuck in the tailgate of the keyboard players Suburu during loading, and a super scary fish-tail situation on an icy Rt 128 at 4 am (I almost bought the farm folks, I almost bought the farm!), I had a great time.

The following day, I met up with Joe Donnelly, my brothers Dave and Rob, and my cousin Rick. We had an easy-going super fun gig at Blackburn Hall, with bonfires blazing in the background.

Thanks to all the local folks who showed up!

New Year's Day Gig: Blackburn Memorial Hall

Hopefully some of you will be dropping by the Blackburn Memorial Hall on New Years Day...

Billed as "Rick Clerici and Friends...", the group will consist of Joe Donnelly, Drums/Percussion, Mike Bendinelli, guest percussionist, Dave Amaral, Electric Bass, Rob Amaral, Electric Guitar, Rick Clerici...vocals & guitar (fyi: Rick is our cousin Rick). I will be playing tenor sax.
Four of us are in the photo above, taken in Walpole, 1972, at 192 Stone St...which mysteriously burned down several years later. A condo community is located there. We rented it for $125.00 per month. We had a difficult time each month raising the rent!

I have noticed a surprising amount of "hits" to this blog over the past 3 weeks. Very very interesting. The traffic has almost tripled. I wonder wonder why??? Did I hit a soft spot with locals with the previous post? Was it the music links?? I'd really like to know, because the traffic increase is very noticeable.

I intend to post all 750 names of the men from Massachusetts who died at Andersonville at a later date....stay tuned. This may lead into a state-wide project for all of the towns of Massachusetts: To identify the Massachusetts men buried at Andersonville, and to let the National Parks Service know from which (noble!) towns and villages they came from. Interested in helping me? Contact me at n1mx@verizon.net

Heroes All...The Union Irishmen, Many Buried At Andersonville Prison with Pvt. Hartshorn of Walpole

The graves of the 13,000 Union Soldiers at Andersonville who chose Death Before Dishonor....Heroes All
Please do not click on the photo above

Please double-click gently on the video, and listen to it while reading this post......if a window pops out...close it, and try again. Try to keep the video within the blog, not as a separate window...thanks


In my research on Walpole's Private Lowell E. Hartshorn who died at the infamous Rebel Prison at Andersonville, Georgia in 1864, I came across the story of the Reverend H. Clavreul who, during part of 1864, assisted the Reverend Father Whelan in administering the last rites and penance of the Catholic church to dying Federal prisoners confined at the prison.

Apparently few religious persons wished to enter the prison except for the Catholic priests. Reverend Clavreul kept a record of the hundreds of men he administered last rights to, as well as confessions, and a few baptisms. Many of the men were of Irish descent, most of them straight from Ireland itself.

Here follows the Reverend Clavreul's partial list of Irishmen who chose the side of "Death Before Dishonor". They refused to change sides to the Rebel Cause, some of them even newly arrived immigrants to the United States.

I have a huge amount of respect for these men......I dedicate this post to the men from Ireland who, during their imprisonment at the infamous Rebel Prison at Andersonville, Georgia along with Walpole's Private Lowell E. Hartshorn, chose the cause of Union and Freedom rather than joining the Rebel Cause.

Note many of the names are locally familiar here in Walpole.. also note the ages of the men. Some of them were over 40 and 50 years old.

July 15, 1864
James Devine, 43, Ireland
Jos. Buchannan, 45, Ireland
Jas. McDermott, 24, Ireland
Jas C. Street, 53, Ireland
Jas. McFarland, 36, Ireland
July 16, 1864
Edward Connor, 23, Ireland
Henry David, 32, Ireland
Francis Wood, 21, Ireland
Peter Madden, 54, Ireland
Patrick Hogan, 25, Ireland
John Hurley, 24, Ireland
July 17, 1864
D.G. Kearney, 25, Ireland
July 18, 1864
John Hurley, 33, Ireland
Bernard Meehan, 33, Ireland
William Brown, 46, Ireland
Jas. McGuire, 35, Ireland
John Kenny, 21, Ireland
Wm. McGrath, 36, Ireland
Patrick Flynn, 19, Ireland
David Kelley, 40, Ireland
July 19, 1864
Geo. W. Hinn, 24, Ireland
M. O'Connor, 20, Ireland
Thos. Molloy, 22, Ireland
Jas. Deacon, 50, Ireland
Michael Whalen, 40, Ireland
July 21, 1864
John Sweeney, 35, Ireland
July 22, 1864
Wm. Gallaher, 37, Ireland
Wm. Maloney, 27, Ireland
John Doherty, 41, Ireland
July 23, 1864
Jas. O'Keefe, 33, Ireland
Jos. Donaldson, 35, Ireland
Pat'k Sullivan, 28, Ireland
Pat'k Grey, 44, Ireland
James Walsh, 22, Boston
John Sheehan, 23, Ireland
July 24, 1864
Wm. Gallahan, 30, Ireland
Edward Mahan, 38, Ireland
Michael Kennedy, 23, Ireland
July 25, 1864
Thos. Mulvaney, 40, Ireland
Jas. McGuire, 28, Ireland
Michael Harsey, 28, Ireland
Dennis Griffin, 22, Ireland
Athur Whelan, 40, Ireland
July 26, 1864
Dennis Costello, 18, Ireland
William Creed, 22, Ireland
Lawrence Murphy, 28, Ireland
Geo. W. Williams, 32, Ireland
Archibald Hamil, 39, Ireland
Thos. J. Brady, 34, Ireland
July 27, 1864
James Davenport, 33, Co. K, 18th Mass. Infantry, Ireland
Ja. Corrigan, Co. E, 140th NY Infantry, Ireland
Jas. Lewis, 32, Coe. E. 1st Ny Infantry, Ireland
Patrick Kane, 21, Ireland
Pat. Larady, 30, Ireland
Miles Flynn, 20, Ireland
july 28, 1864
Thos. Smith, 31, Ireland
Michael Cullen, 16, Ireland
Wm. Boyle, 24, Ireland
July 29, 1864
Bernard Calligan, 27, Co. C, 2nd. Ohio Inf. Ireland
Jos. N. King, 20, Co. K, 23rd. Michigan Inf., Ireland
Jas. Mooney, 26, Co. D, 50th Ohio Inf., Ireland
John Tracy, 50, Ireland
Jas. Doyle, 33, Ireland
July 30, 1864
Michael Walsh, 35, Ireland
Jas. Byrne, 23, Ireland
Jas. Toohey, 25, Ireland
Pat. Meagher, 23, Co. E, 4th Ohio Infantry, Ireland
Michael Martin, 25, Ireland
Michael Callahan, 32, Ireland
July 31, 1864
Pat'k Hanley, 27, Ireland
Jo. Monahan, 21, Ireland
Maurice Harnett, 32, Ireland
Albert McGrath, 20, Ireland
Michael Wright, 26, Ireland
John McCarthy, 26, Ireland, Co. D, 60th NY Infantry
August 1, 1864
Robt. Gardiner, 22, Co. K, 155th NY Infantry, Ireland
Peter Cronan, 26, Ireland
Pat'k Lacey, 36, Ireland
John Ward, 20, Cork, Ireland
Edward Nolan, 18, 16th NY Calvary, Ireland
Chas. McHanna, 32, Ireland
Jas. Scully, 30, Ireland
August 5, 1864
Jas. Mooney, 40, Co. D, 52nd NY Infantry, Dublin, Ireland
Pat'k Gillespie, 22, Co. G, 36th Mass. Infantry, Ireland
Thos. Farlan, 28, Ireland
Pat'k Sullivan, 29, Co. F, 9th Mass. Infantyr, Ireland
Timothy Sullivan, 35, Co. E, 76th Ohio Infantry, Ireland
Bart. Nooney, 21, Ireland
Miles Shea, 19, Co. H, 7th Conn. Infantry, Ireland
August 6, 1864
Simon Lestey, 25, Co. D, Ohio Inf., Ireland
Michael Riordan, 30, Co. H, 148th NY Infantry, Ireland
Bernard McCann, 29, Co. A, 63rd NY Infantry, Ireland
John Dacey, 21, Co. A, 63rd NY Infantry, Ireland
Jerry O'Brion, 58, Co. F, 65th NY Infantry, Ireland
James Hackett, 26, Co. D, 50th Penna. Infantry, Ireland
Wm. Riley, 28, Ireland
August 7, 1864
Hugh McFarland, 28, Co. L, 1st Wisconsin Calvary, Ireland
John D. Cruin, 33, Ireland
August 8, 1864
Timothy O'Carroll, 17, Co. A, 69th NY Infantry, Ireland
William McCormick, 43, Co. I, 2nd NY Artillery, Ireland
Edward Demel, 43, Co. G, 9th New Jersey Infantry, Ireland
Charles Callahan, 40, Co. F, 39th Illinois Infantry, Ireland
Joseph I. Clyems, 41, Co. B, 147 NY Infantry, Ireland
Michael Cooney, 27, Co. D, 12th US Infantry, Ireland
William Mitchell, 18, Co. G, 59th Ohio Inf., Ireland
August 9, 1864
Timothy McCarthy, 32, Co.E, 25th Massachusetts Infantry, Ireland
John Lyons, 29, 2nd Massachusetts Calvary, Ireland
Michael Reilly, 36, Co. K, 56th Massachusetts Infantry, Ireland
Thomas Clancy, 23, Co. G, 21st Massachusetts Infantry, Ireland
August 10, 1864
Thomas O'Connell, 41, Co. E, 24th Massachusetts Infantry, Ireland
John Byrnes 40, Co. B, 7th Vermont Infantry, Ireland
John Blake, 27, Co. B, 7th Vermont Infantry, Ireland
Michael Sullivan, 48, Co. K, 69th NY Infantry, Ireland
Patrick Sweeney, 40, Co. F, 19th Maine Infantry, Ireland
John Keefe, 29, Co. L, 8th Pennsylvania Calvary, Ireland
Patrick Dolan, 23, Ireland
John Ryan, 30, Ireland
August 11, 1864
Patrick Donahue, 39, Co. F, 1st Vermont Calvary, Ireland
Matthew Daley, 22, Co. I, 7th Pennsylvania Reserv. Infantry, Ireland
Thomas Ford, 26, Co. I, 7th Pennsylvania Reserve. Infantry, Ireland
Patrick Gallagher, 38, Co. B, 18th Massachusetts Infantry, Ireland
Terrence Moore, 29, Ireland
August 13, 1864
Jerry Lynch, 35, Ireland
James Byrnes, 25, Ireland
August 14, 1864
James Dunn, 43, Ireland
Arthur Hyde, 32, Ireland
Patrick Grey, 22, Ireland
James O'Brien, 40, Ireland
Pat. McDermott, 22, U.S. Regular Army, Ireland (baptized)
August 15, 1864
John McLaughlin, 26, Ireland
August 16, 1864
Daniel Meagher, 27, Ireland
James Haley, 43, Ireland
Arthur Towley, 26, Ireland
John O'Hara, 45, Ireland
Edward Devlin, 49, Ireland
Michael Treanor, 32, Ireland
John Henny, 20, Ireland
Wm Curran, 22, Ireland
August 17, 1864
John Gartland, 40, Ireland
Jn. Mulligan, 29, Ireland
Owen Fagan, 40, Ireland
Malchius Loftus, 30, Ireland
August 18, 1864
Patrick Lynch, 33, Ireland
John Bowers, 18, Ireland
Jas. Roarque, 35, Ireland
Thomas Lalor, 44, Ireland
Bernard McGovern, 42, Ireland
August 19, 1864
John Donovan, 25, Ireland
Patrick Morgan, 50, Ireland
Thomas Smyth, 28, Ireland
Thomas Gransey, 26, Ireland
Patrick Holden, 24, Ireland
Mich'l Keating, 33, Ireland
Joseph Towns, 26, Ireland
Patrick McGlone, 44, Ireland
Thomas Picker, 22, Ireland
James Flaherty, 17, Ireland
Patrick Hogan, 40, Ireland
Wm. Brennan, 47, Ireland
James O'Brien, 43, Ireland

and one local non-Irishman...

Private Lowell E. Hartshorn, age 19
Co. A, 56th Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers
Back Street (since after the Civil War called "Lincoln Road")
Walpole, Massachusetts
grave no. 12299
Andersonville National Cemetery

Please: No More Walpole Rebels..No More Singing "Dixie" at our sporting events...No more waving Rebel Flags....The history of the Town of Walpole and of the contribution the Irish made to the State of Massachusetts and the United States of America during the U.S. Civil War for the cause of Union and Liberty deserves something better.



Read this account written just after the Civil War about life in Rebel Prisons

Mike Amaral
member: Walpole Historical Commission
Walpole, Massachusetts
December, 2007

Another Rebel Mascot....Bites The Dust...Bravo!

....One aspect of Dixie life that will be permanently discarded is the Rebel nickname.
“It has no bearing on what our history is. Our history is of the pioneer cotton mission. Our history in no way, shape or form had to deal with the Confederacy, had nothing to do with the Civil War, had nothing to do with slavery, had nothing to do with any of that,” Johnson said. “Whatever we do in terms of an identity, it's not only going to honor our pioneer heritage, but we are also going to look to maintain, if not enhance, the brand name of the University of Utah.”
Bravo University of Utah.....!