Scott McDermott A Roman Catholic but an Ardent Patriot from a letter by John Adams writing on Charles Carroll Charles Carroll did everything he could for the Revolutionary cause except to pick up a rifle and head into battle He didn t need to because he had already succeeded in leading into the Patriots cause virtually all the Catholic population of Maryland along with many others by his leadership Not only Maryland Catholics but plenty of others were inspired to follow An exiled loyalist testified before Parliament that half the army of the Continental Congress was Irish and the other half native born Americans and English and Scottish immigrants The final victory at Yorktown in 1871 was as much a Catholic as a French and American triumph It is estimated that the surrendered British were outnumbered by Catholics two to one How one man helped bring that victory about and what he did to establish the institutions of the country he hel