The Irish standard., 1899-06-24
With Powerful Pen He Exposes
Turkish Atrocity.
THE ADVENTURES OF j. A. MACGAHAN
Born in the Same Ohio County as
Philip H. Sheridan.

Perry County, Ohio, is singularly for
tunate in having produced two such
heroes as Philip Henry Sheridan and
Januarius Aloysius MacGahan. Both
were of Irish descent, and both of Cath
olic birth and training. OF Sheridan lit
tie has been left unsaid; of MacGahan
the half was never told, says II. M.
Strong in the Rosary Magazine.
MacGahan was born June 12, 1844,
near New Lexington. When six years
old his father died, leaving the family in
Strengthened circumstances. The widow
however, by aid OF dover interest in
the farm, struggled along, and managed
to give her son such educational ad-
vantages as the district afforded.
During his school days MacGahan
was SO reserved and mild-mannered as
to appear almost effeminate. ALWAYS
tar in advance, OF his classes, he had.
at the age of IL, read every book in
the neighborhood. About that time he
gained possession of a work on astron
omy; and many nights were spent wan
derlng about the hills, locating and
plotting the various consultations.
When II he was working on several
farms in the ncighboring counties, re-
turning each winter to attend school. It
was this same school that he applied for
as teacher in 1861; but the board refused
him the position, claiming that he was
too young and inexperienced. MacGa-
han took his failure so to heart that he
soon after quilted the district forever.
At Huntington, Indiana, he finally Sc
cured school, teaching there until the
fall of 1868, when he removed to St.
Louis. Here he spent four years, work.
ing in the office of John ]. Daily g. Co.
During this time he kept up his studies
and did some writing for the press. His
first meeting with Sheridan took place
in this city, during an ovation given to
that distinguished officer.
In 1868 MacGallan went to Europe.
Although he was acting as corresponds
ent for several papers, the prime object
OF the trip was to study the languages,
he having determined to become law
yer. At the end Of a two-years' stay,
just when his funds were about exhaust
ed and his trunk packed for the voyage
home, war was declared between France
and Germany. He was at once en-
gagged by the New York Herald to fol-
low the movements of the French army,
Hardly had he reached the front, when
the wing Of the army that he was with
met an overwhelming defeat, and was
driven back in haste and confusion. So
vivid was MacGa1an's description of
this event that he was at once ranked
among the foremost war correspondents
of the world, and the London News also
engaged him to report the course of the
war.
MacGahan was seemingly destitute OF
fear. He would ride into the thickest
OF the fight, seeing and making notes
OF every movement. 1t is told OF him
that, during a hot skirmish, he dis
mounted and coolly spread out lunch
in the shade Of a convenient tree. The
bullets were singing all around him, but
he finished his lunch, with only an oc-
casional pause to note the changing
fronts OF the two lines.
"Your position is one OF great dan
GER" cried French officer, riding up in
haste.
"Not half so dangerous as yours, SIR"
replied MacGahan. "If you don't throw
out line of skirmishcrs to the left you
will soon be surrounded"
Through all the wars of Europe this
unparalleled correspondent rode, with
death and destruction on every hand,
yet miraculously escaping injury.
"MacGahan will never die of bullet"
the soldiers asserted. "He surely has
charmed life"
With the exception OF Stanley, no
other journalist ever did so much for the
betterment OF mankind, or met with
such varied experiences in so short a
time. During the Commune he was
arrested and condemned to the guillo-
tine, but his life was saved through the
influence Of United States Minister
Washburne.
In 1912 MacGahan travelled through |
Europe with General Sherman and par
ty. While riding through one of the