The Bowbells tribune., 1900-02-23
BRILLIANT SOLDIER.
TRAGIC END OF A GREAT AND
BRAVE HERO.

Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher, Whose
Life Ii Recalled by tho Finding Of
His Roputed Remains In Montana
Once Condemned to Death. v
The finding in the Missouri river
in Montana, of the petrified remains
of man, by some supposed to be those
of Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher, rem
ders timely an account of this brilliant
and patriotic Irishman, who met with
such tragic end.
Gen. Meagher was born in Water
ford, Ireland, in 1928. On leaving col
lege he entered at once into the then
prevailing excitement regarding the
"repeal movement" becoming an en-
thusiastic member, then powerful
leader in the party of "young Ireland"
which counted in it's councils such dis
tinguished men as John Mitchell, Devil
Reilly, Thomas Davis, w. Smith
O'Brien, John Martin, McManus,
O'Gorman and Dillon. Meetings, bril-
liant poems and speeches, voicing Ire
lands wrongs and Great Britain's ty-
ranny, soon brought trouble to Meagh-
er and his companions, until the dis
turbances, becoming more and more
serious, eliminated in arrest and trial
for treason.
1t seems hard to believe that as late
as 1848 SO barbarous sentence as that
pronounced upon Meagher and his
friends could find supporters: "The
prisoners to be hanged, drawn and
quartered, their bodies to be disposed
of according to the will of the Queen"
A chastity prospect truly and one cal
culated to shake the strongest nerves.
BY special act of royal clemency this
sentence, after some time, was COM
muted to transportation to Van Die
mems Land for life. In his address to
the court prior to the passing of the
sentence Meagher in an eloquent and
dignifed manner explained his posi-
tion and justified his actions.
II do not despair of my old country,
her peace, her glory, her liberty! For
that country can do no more than bid
her hope. To lift this island up to
make her benefactor to humanity in
stead of being the meanest beggar in
the world, to restore her to her native
power and her ancient constitution,
this has been my ambition, and my
ambition has been my crime. Judged
by the law of England, know this
crime entails the penalty of death, but
the history of Ireland explains this
crime and justif1es it. Judged by that
history, I am no criminal-you (ad-
dressing Mr.. McManus, you address
ing Mr.. O'Donohue), are no criminal.
I deserve no punishment; we deserve
no punishment. Judged by that his
tory the treason of which stand con-
victed loses all it's guilt; is sanctified
as duty, will be ennobled as sacri-
fice.''
The district allotted to Meagher in
Van Dieman's Land, under privilege
of ticket-of-leave, was mountainous
region with Lake Sorel at it's highest
point. On the shore of this lake stood
the cottage in which he lived, spending
his time in horseback riding, sailing on
the lake and reading Here John Nit
chell and his wife visited him and here
on occasions chance guests appeared,
relieving his loneliness. When tired
of the solitude he would ride into the
convict settlement of Hobart town. In
this part of the world shortly before
his escape he married beautiful Aus
tralian.
Meagher's escape from Van Dieman's
Land, having some time before sur
rendered his parole, his thrilling ad-
ventures at sea in an open boat, days
spent upon desolate island, his sub
sequent arrival in New York and his
lectures throughout the country are
facts we'll known.
On the outbreak of the war of 1861,
after mature and careful deliberation,
he set himself to the task of organic
ing brigade for the defense of the
Union. The Sixty-ninth New York
Volunteers and two Massachusetts,
regiments formed the command which
he took into the field, and as briga-
dier general Meagher served his adopt
ed country with gallantry and de-
votion which proved the depth and sin
eerity of his love for his adopted land
-Amerfea. From their first battlefield
of Fair Oaks through the engagement
at Gaines Mills, Antietam, Malvern
Hill and other notable fights down to
the field of Charlottesville, which
proved fatal to SO many brave men,
the Irish brigade of New York fought
brilliantly and steadfastly, earning for
themselves an enviable position in his
tory. Almost decimated on the last
named field, the remnant of the gallant
brigade sought through their general
temporary release from active duty, in
order to recover their strength and fill
up the gaps in their ranks. A petition
to this effect, sent by Meagher to the
cocrotarv If War was utterly ignored.