The Irish standard., 1902-02-08

cent of whom We're mustered into the
First Montana regiment ut the out
break of the Spanish war-and more
than few of whom are now sleeping
the honored sleep of the patriot dead
over the sea in the far-away Philip,
pines.
But the Meagher Guards as an Or
ganizatiOn is no more.
1t was in January, 1895. that Viii
liam McGrath! w. Il. Deeny, Steve
Holland. Michael JOY and other prom
inent Irish-Americans of this city
formed the idea of establishing an in
dependent military organization.
Volunteers We're called for, and in a
short time siXty-two members an
swered to the call. BY popular vote
the company was given the name Of
the Meagher Guards after Thomas
Francis NIeagher. the illustrious SOL
dier and orator-once Montana's chief
executive, who was eXiled from his
native land for his advocacy of Ire
lands cause
The first officers of the company
were Captain, William AIcGrath:
first lieutenant. Steve Holland; second
lieutenant. Michael Joy: first sergeant.
w. E. Deeny.
The muster roll included, among the
others, the names of the following.
many of whom are we'll known in the
city: John Driscoll, Michael NIcMa-
hon. Ed Mahoney. William Hallinan.
Pete Hale, Con Hayes, John Conlin,
Con Maher, James Kane, John Pow
ers. Pat Kelly, Austin, O'NIalley.
Quihn Crowley, Tom Duheme, J.
I4aven. Pat Gallagher. H. McGarvey.
John Dempsey, John r. Murphy, Tom
Murphy. Michael Murphy. J. Rogers.
John Halsley. Frank McNIanimon,
John Kelly, james McCartin, Phil
Fogarty, B. Burns. John Donovan,
Il. j. McAuliff. Pat Browne. James
Mcconnell. Frank Murphy, George
Deeney, J. Fitzgibbons, L. Holland,
Alex McCann, T. D. Mcbride, p. s.
Brown. j. Munnen, Ed Byrne J. Cor
man. Dan Harrington. Fred Martin,
Con Rya. Steve Parker, Tony Mat
thews. Tony Shovlin, Jim Warren, T.
Shannon. p. +. Doyle. T. J. Flavin.
Chiefly owing to the capable train
ing of Captain AIcGrath the company
soon reached Il high standard of ex-
cellence in military drill
Men Of splendid physique and un-
usual intelligence every one. the
Meaghcr Guards attracted the at
tention of all by their soldierly bear
ing and fine appearance. In the COM
petitive drills held in various parts of
the state. they always gave good ac-
count of themselves and carried away
the trophies in many Il well-won con-
test
The uniforms We're facsimilies of
those of the commissioned officers
of the regular army.
When the Spanish War broke out the
guards were mustered in as company
B of the First Montana regiment, with
Captain Gardiner in command. Cap
tain McGrath became lieutenant of
the company and Lieutenant Joy first
sergeant
While the second regiment was
being organized, w. E. Deeney and
others formed a new Meagher
Guards, out of which three compan-
les for the new regiment We're taken
from Butte.
Captain Ahern of the regular army
was made colonel of the new regiment
and w. E. Deeney major. After
campaign in the Philippines in which,
with the rest of the Montana regi-
ments it distinguished itself, Company
b was mustered out and the or
ganizatiOn known as the Meagher
Guards passed out of existence.
A number Of the old guards, how
ever, have since Joined the local COM
pany of the National Guard, which
is known officially as company B of
the National Guard, with Captain
Jeans in command.