Brigadier-general Thomas Francis Meagher: His Political And Military Career, With Selections From His Speeches And Writings

was a soldier before he girded on the sword. He was a soldier in the cause of liberty from the time when he stood upon the battlements of Antwerp, as he described in that famous speech, delivered in Dublin, July 28th, 1846, when he de clined to stigmatize the sword, because quot at its blow 3. giant nation started from the waters of the Atlantic, and by its redeeming magic, and in the quivering of its crimson light, the crippled Colony sprang into the attitude of a proud Republic prosperous, limitless, quot and invincible The fortunes and the honor of the brave men of his race who took up arms all the world over, quotin any good cause at all, quot were always dear and near to his heart. In sympathy with this feeling, therefore, this volume to fa Jrisli otdier Bwrprhw. YORK, December, 1860. 802173 I dedicate w. F. LYONS. Introduction CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGB His early Career The RevolutionaryMovement of 48. 9 CHAPTER II. Meagher s Socialand Personal Character His Wit and Courage CHAPTER III. Convict Life in Van Dieman s Land Escape, and Ar rival in America 64 CHAPTER IV. Meagher as a Soldier He raises and takes command of the Irish Brigade CHAPTER V. The Boston Speech at Music Hall 91 CHAPTER VI. The General at the head of his Brigade Appointment by President Lincoln, and Confirmation by the Sen ateThe First Battle 125 CHAPTER VII. The Brigade goes into Action with eclat Perils ofthe Rear-guard Meagher in the thick of the Fight 42 72 158 VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. PAGE The Battle of Chancellorsville Decimation of the Brigade Meagher s Farewell 172 CHAPTER IX. The Etowah Command Defence of Chattanooga Recognition of Meagher s Services 186 CHAPTER X. His Career in Montana Territory Meagherappointed Secretary and Acting Governor He fights the Politicians Raising the Militia Journey to Fort Benton His Death 192 APPENDIX. Speech on the Transportation of Mitchel 213 Speech on American Benevolence Irish Gratitude. . . 225 Speech at the Mitchel Banquet in the Broadway The atre, New York, January, 1854 230 Lectures in California 242 John Philpot Curran 267 Catholicism and Republicanism 273 Extracts from Holidays in Costa Rica 284 Meagher s Last Hours 351 INTRODUCTION. WHY the life of Thomas Francis Meagher should be written requires no explanation. The career of a man who has made so interesting a part of the history of twenty remarkable years, who participated prominently in two revolu tionary struggles a bloodless one in the Old World, and a sanguinary one in the New whose eloquence has thrilled two peoples by a fervor not common to the orators of our time, but almost peculiar to himself, and by a redundan cy of classic beauty, both in thought and lan guage, which distinguished his oratorical efforts from those of any contemporary the career of such a man should not be left to the mere mem ory of his words and works. Thousands who watched his course, from his first entry into public life in the very flush and exuberance of early manhood, down to the hour of his death who saw with what self-sacrifice