Buckey O'Neill
| William Owen O'Neill | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | Buckey |
| Born |
February 2, 1860 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | July 1, 1898 (aged 38) San Juan Hill, Cuba |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1898 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 1st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
William Owen "Buckey" O'Neill (February 2, 1860 – July 1, 1898) was a sheriff, newspaper editor, miner, politician, Georgist, gambler and lawyer, mainly in Arizona. His nickname came from his tendency to "buck the tiger" (play contrary to the odds) at faro or other card games. He later became a captain in Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and died in battle.
O'Neill was born on February 2, 1860, either in St. Louis, Missouri, or Washington, D.C., although he sometimes listed Ireland as his birthplace. This last is doubtful, since his parents had been in the United States since the 1850's. During the Civil War, his father, John, served as a captain in the 116th Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Irish Brigade, and was severely wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
In 1879, O'Neill left home, heading for Arizona Territory. In 1880, he settled in Tombstone, Arizona. During this time the Earp Brothers, the city policemen, and the Clanton-McLaury Gang, a group of rustlers and murderers, were at war with each other. O'Neill joined the Tombstone Epitaph; since it was a pro-Earp newspaper, he frequently talked with, and became a casual acquaintance of, the Earps. On October 26, 1881 the war escalated with the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. O'Neill may have been the man to report on the scene. He left Tombstone shortly after, heading for Prescott, Arizona.
...
Wikipedia