William Corby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Very Reverend
William Corby
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| 3rd President of the University of Notre Dame |
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| In office 1866–1872 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Dillon |
| Succeeded by | Auguste Lemonnier |
| In office 1877–1881 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Colovin |
| Succeeded by | Thomas E. Walsh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 2, 1833 Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | December 28, 1897 (aged 64) South Bend, Indiana |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Notre Dame, Indiana |
William Corby (born October 2, 1833 – died December 28, 1897) was an American priest. He belonged to a group called the Congregation of Holy Cross. During the American Civil War, he was a chaplain (a priest who serves with soldiers) for the Union Army. He was part of the famous Irish Brigade. Later, he became the president of the University of Notre Dame not once, but twice!
Contents
Early Life and Education
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William Corby was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Daniel Corby, was an immigrant from Ireland. His mother, Elizabeth, was from Canada. William went to public school until he was 16 years old. After school, he worked with his father in the real estate business.
In 1853, William decided to go to college. He enrolled at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Three years later, he began studying to become a priest. After he became a priest, he taught at Notre Dame. He also worked as a local parish priest.
Serving in the Civil War
In 1861, Corby left his job at Notre Dame. He joined the Irish Brigade, which was mostly made up of Catholic soldiers. For the next three years, he served as a chaplain for the 88th New York Infantry. This group was one of the first five regiments in the Irish Brigade. He later wrote a book about his time with the Irish Brigade, which became very popular.
During the Battle of Antietam, Father Corby rode along the battle lines. He was shouting words of comfort and forgiveness to the soldiers. In that battle, 540 men from the Brigade were hurt or killed.
Father Corby is most famous for something he did at the Battle of Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, he gave a special blessing to the Irish Brigade. Out of 3,000 original men, only about 500 were left. After his blessing that day, 27 soldiers were killed, 109 were wounded, and 62 went missing.
This powerful moment was shown in a painting from 1891 called Absolution under Fire. It was also featured in the 1993 movie Gettysburg.
A statue of Father Corby stands at the Gettysburg Battlefield. It shows him with his right hand raised in blessing. This statue was the first one built for someone who was not a general on the battlefield. It was dedicated in 1910.
Father Corby is still remembered by military chaplains today. He is also celebrated by Irish-American groups. Corby Hall at Notre Dame is named after him. A copy of his Gettysburg statue is outside that building. There is even a group of Notre Dame alumni called The William Corby Society.
Leading the University of Notre Dame
After the Civil War, Father Corby went back to Notre Dame. He served as the university's vice-president from 1865 to 1866. Then, he became president twice. His first term was from 1866 to 1872. His second term was from 1877 to 1881.
During his first time as president, more than 500 students enrolled at Notre Dame. In 1869, Corby started the law school. It offered a two-year program for students. In 1871, he began building Sacred Heart Church. Today, this church is known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame. Notre Dame was still a small school back then. Corby taught classes and knew most of the students and teachers. In 1869, the students and teachers gave him a black horse as a gift. When he left the presidency three years later, they gave him a matching carriage.
Corby became president again after another priest, Father Patrick Colovin, had a short term. When Corby returned, Notre Dame was not yet a major university. During his second presidency, a big fire happened in April 1879. It destroyed the old Main Building of the school. Corby sent all the students home. He promised them they would return to a "bigger and better Notre Dame." He managed to rebuild the Main Building, even though the fire caused $200,000 in damage. This new building now has the famous "Golden Dome."
During his time as president, he also built Washington Hall. He was very proud of this building, which was then called Music Hall. He also started building St. Edward's Hall. This hall was for a program for younger students. Besides being president, he was also serving as the Holy Cross Provincial. Father Sorin, who was the head of the Congregation, told him he had to give up one of his jobs. Corby wanted to stay president, but Father Sorin made the final decision.
See also
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA#Chaplains in Civil War
