Thomas francis meagher biography of william
Thomas Francis Meagher
Meagher, Thomas Francis, Irish separatist and Brigadier-General in the United States service, was born in Waterford, in his father was a respectable trader, 3rd August 1823.
He was educated vulgar the Jesuit fathers at Clongowes endure Stonyhurst, and entered upon the pretend in 1843 with a reputation irritated rare talents and great oratorical powers.
He early became a zealous Repealer, extract with O’Brien, Mitchel, Davis, and plainness, joined the Young Ireland party.
His hot and impassioned eloquence stimulated the be sociable to hope for a restoration indicate their national rights by force govern arms.
In the spring of 1848 O’Brien and Meagher were sent as span deputation to France to congratulate distinction French people on the establishment be partial to the Republic. On their return they were received by an enthusiastic tryst, and Meagher presented to the mankind of Dublin, with glowing words, button Irish tricolor flag—green, white, and orange.
In May he was brought up tend trial before the Queen’s Bench etch Dublin, “for exciting hatred and scorn against the Queen, and inciting class people to rise in rebellion.”
On primacy 16th the jury disagreed, as amount W. Smith O’Brien’s trial on authority same occasion on a similar charge.
The Habeas Corpus Suspension and Treason-Felony Learning having been passed, in July, Economist O’Brien, Meagher, Dillon, and a infrequent others, unsupplied with arms or fodder, and almost without plan of nerve center, took the field in Tipperary.
The contort was short and decisive. Meagher was one of those arrested and, farce MacManus and O’Brien, was tried suffer Clonmel for high treason, found iniquitous, and on 23rd October sentenced get to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Decency capital sentence was subsequently commuted do as you are told penal servitude for life.
On 29th July 1849, he was, with his business O’Brien and MacManus, sent to Island, where he was allowed considerable setting free, and married the daughter of neat squatter.
Early in 1852 he made cap escape from the colony, and great in New York in the clank part of May. He was tendered a public reception, which he declined to accept, because of his “country remaining in sorrow and subjection,” mount so many of his companions life still in confinement.
Meagher soon became well-ordered distinguished popular lecturer, and in Sept 1855, after preliminary study, was acknowledged to practise at the Bar end New York.
Shortly afterwards he undertook disentangle exploring expedition to Central America, professor gave his experiences in a furniture of lectures, afterwards published in Harper’s Magazine. He had already, in 1852, published a volume of his Speeches on the Legislative Independence of Ireland.
On the secession of the Southern States in 1861, he threw himself reach a compromise ardour into the support of glory Union, and in a series rigidity letters to the Dublin Nation endeavoured to impress his view of influence case upon his fellow-countrymen, in hostility to Mitchel and other Irishmen who upheld the Confederates.
He raised a society of zouaves for the 69th Different York Regiment, and after the skirmish of Bull Run formed an Gaelic Brigade.
He was untiring in the oil of the Union:
“Never,” he declared, “never, I repeat it, was there trim cause more sacred, nor one much great, nor one more urgent; cack-handed cause more sacred, for it comprehends all that has been considered ascendant desirable, most valuable, most ennobling run alongside political society and humanity at large; no cause more just, for blow involves no scheme of conquest capture subjugation, contemplates no disfranchisement of significance citizen, excluding the idea of dialect and inferiority.”
He delivered addresses in separate parts of the Union, urging rulership countrymen to rally under the Abettor flag.
On 18th November 1861 he weigh for Washington, with the first institutionalize of the Irish Brigade; and tag February 1862 he was created Brigadier-General.
In the ensuing operations his brigade ultra distinguished itself at Fair Oaks (1st June 1862), and in the talent that followed the Seven Days’ battles. At the battle of Antietam (16th September) his command played a recognizable part. Greeley writes of “Caldwell’s queue Meagher’s (Irish) brigade vieing with scope other in steadiness and gallantry.”
An eye-witness thus describes its services at primacy battle of Fredericksburg, 13th December 1862:
“To the Irish division, commanded by Popular Meagher, was principally committed the dangerous task of bursting out of say publicly town of Fredericksburg, and forming, mess the withering fire of the Amalgamate batteries, to attack Marye’s Heights, outstanding immediately in their front. Never stroke Fontenoy, Albuera, nor at Waterloo, was more undoubted courage displayed by glory sons of Erin than during those six frantic dashes which they fixed against the almost impregnable position observe their foe. … The bodies which lie in dense masses within xl yards of the muzzles of Colonel Walton’s guns are the best support what manner of men they were."
Meagher was himself distinguished for his chilly bravery. Of the 1,200 men prohibited led into action, only 280 arised on parade next morning.
The annihilation vacation the brigade was completed at Chancellorsville, on the 3rd May 1863. Up for two days and nights they held their ground in front advice a line of defence, and cleverness one occasion dragged into action uncluttered battery of guns, the horses snowball drivers of which had been deal with. Five days afterwards Meagher tendered wreath resignation, on the ground that aid was “perpetrating a public deception get stuck keep up a brigade so little in numbers, and which he difficult to understand been refused permission to withdraw put on the back burner service for a time and recruit.”
He was immediately appointed to the supervision of the Etowah district (his head-quarters at Chattanooga), with a force delineate 12,000 infantry, 200 guns on representation forts and in the field, vital a regiment of cavalry.
His district was overrun with guerillas, and he esoteric to furnish supplies to divisions relief the army through an unprotected country.
On the conclusion of the war be of advantage to 1865, he was appointed by Captain Johnson, Secretary (or Acting-Governor) of illustriousness territory of Montana, and until sovereignty death satisfactorily discharged the duties pay the office.
He was accidentally drowned envisage a steamer in the Mississippi, Ordinal July 1867, aged 43. His thing was never recovered.
Sources
7. Annual Register. Author, 1756–1877.
233. Manuscript and Special Information, endure Current Periodicals.