Thomas Francis Meagher
| Thomas Francis Meagher | |
|---|---|
Thomas Francis Meagher
photo taken between 1862 and 1865 |
|
| Acting Territorial Governor of Montana | |
|
In office September 1865 – October 3, 1866 |
|
| Preceded by | Sidney Edgerton |
| Succeeded by | Green Clay Smith |
|
In office December 1866 – July 1, 1867 |
|
| Preceded by | Green Clay Smith |
| Succeeded by | Green Clay Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 3, 1823 Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Died | July 1, 1867 (aged 43) Missouri River, Montana Territory |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Meagher of the Sword |
| Allegiance |
Young Ireland Irish Confederation United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 (USA) |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General
|
| Commands | Company K, 69th New York Militia; Irish Brigade |
| Battles/wars | |
Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 American Civil War
Thomas Francis Meagher (/ˈmɑːr/; August 3, 1823 – July 1, 1867) was an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sentenced to death, but received transportation for life to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) in Australia. In 1852 he escaped and made his way to the United States, where he settled in New York City. There Meagher studied law, worked as a journalist, and traveled to present lectures on the Irish cause. He married for a second time in New York.
At the beginning of the American Civil War, Meagher joined the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of brigadier general. He was most notable for recruiting and leading the Irish Brigade, and encouraging support among Irish immigrants for the Union. He had one surviving son, born in Ireland from his first wife after Meagher was in the United States, and never knew him.
Following the Civil War, Meagher was appointed acting governor of the Montana Territory. In 1867, Meagher drowned in the swift-running Missouri River after falling from a steamboat at Fort Benton. Timothy Egan, author of a 2016 biography on Meagher, has suggested that the governor was murdered by Montana opponents.
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