The Irish General

Book excerpt: Irish patriot, Civil War general, frontier governor - Thomas Francis Meagher played key roles in three major historical arenas and is hailed today as a hero by some, condemned as a drunkard by others. Paul R. Wylie now offers a definitive biography of this nineteenth-century figure who has long remained an enigma. The Irish General first recalls Meagher's life from his boyhood and leadership of Young Ireland in the revolution of 1848, to his exile in Tasmania and escape to New York, where he found fame as an orator and as editor of the Irish News. He served in the Civil War - viewing the Union Army as training for a future Irish revolutionary force - and rose to the rank of brigadier general leading the famous Irish Brigade. Wylie traces Meagher's military career in detail through the Seven Days Battles, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. Wylie then recounts Meagher's final years, as acting governor of Montana Territory, sorting historical truth from false claims made against him regarding the militia he formed to combat attacking American Indians, and plumbing the mystery surrounding his death. The story Wylie tells is one of contradictions: of a gifted, ambitious man, of a life marred by personal tragedy and drinking, of commitment to comrades who resented his fame. While acknowledging the difficulty in reconciling today's polarized views of Meagher, Wylie has undertaken extraordinary research to realize more fully the complexities of his life and personality. The narrative is amplified by more than forty illustrations, including rare maps and images depicting Meagher's Irish compatriots, the Irish Brigade, and early Montana.