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Irish patriot, Civil War general, frontier governor--Thomas Francis Meagher played key roles in three major historical arenas. Today he is hailed as a hero by some, condemned as a drunkard by others. Paul R. Wylie now offers a definitive biography of this nineteenth-century figure who has long remained an enigma. The Irish General first recalls Meagher's life from his boyhood and leadership of Young Ireland in the revolution of 1848, to his exile in Tasmania and escape to New York, where he found fame as an orator and as editor of the Irish News. He served in the Civil War--viewing the Union Army as training for a future Irish revolutionary force--and rose to the rank of brigadier general leading the famous Irish Brigade. Wylie traces Meagher's military career in detail through the Seven Days battles, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. Wylie then recounts Meagher's final years as acting governor of Montana Territory, sorting historical truth from false claims made against him regarding the militia he formed to combat attacking American Indians, and plumbing the mystery surrounding his death. Even as Meagher is lauded in most Irish histories, his statue in front of Montana's capitol is viewed by some with contempt. The Irish General brings this multi-talented but seriously flawed individual to life, offering a balanced picture of the man and a captivating reading experience.… (mais)
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I knew a little about Thomas Francis Meagher before I picked up this book on the recommendation of my sister. I'd stayed in the Granville Hotel and read the plaque there; the building was once Meagher's home where he was born in Waterford. I'm also a fan of the band Solas who put out a great album called Shamrock City about the Irish in Montana. But I knew little about the 1848 rebellion and decided to read this to find out more. I came away a bit disillusioned. The author does a fine job in detailing Meagher's life using letters, newspaper articles, and other original material. Meagher and the Young Irelanders come across as spoiled rich men more interested in oratory and politics than the suffering of their fellow Irish in the famine. The sentence of transportation to New Zealand contrasts sharply with the hanging sentences of Henry Joy McCracken and Theobald Wolf Tone, or the later deaths in the 1916 uprising. Meagher's escape to America again compares poorly to the many others who died or were forever exiled to Australia and New England. His exploits in the Civil War were often personally brave, but it's hard to forgive his recruitment of Irish immigrants to be butchered on the battlefield since it appeared to me to be for his own aggrandizement. Maybe I'm being too hard on Meagher, but aside from his oratory, I find it hard to decide what made his life noteworthy. His later appointment in Montana was marred by his drinking and poverty. The biggest reason he seems to be remembered is the mystery of his death. Mr. Wylie has done a fine job documenting this life and it's not his fault I didn't care much for Meagher or find his life intriguing. ( )
Informação do Conhecimento Comum em inglês.Edite para a localizar na sua língua.
Introduction In Helena, Montana, an imposing equestrian statue of Thomas Francis Meagher stands in front of the State Capitol.
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Informação do Conhecimento Comum em inglês.Edite para a localizar na sua língua.
"He never said a word that was not meant to help her and raise her," O'Gorman said, thus recognizing Meagher as Meagher himself no doubt would most like to have been remembered.
Irish patriot, Civil War general, frontier governor--Thomas Francis Meagher played key roles in three major historical arenas. Today he is hailed as a hero by some, condemned as a drunkard by others. Paul R. Wylie now offers a definitive biography of this nineteenth-century figure who has long remained an enigma. The Irish General first recalls Meagher's life from his boyhood and leadership of Young Ireland in the revolution of 1848, to his exile in Tasmania and escape to New York, where he found fame as an orator and as editor of the Irish News. He served in the Civil War--viewing the Union Army as training for a future Irish revolutionary force--and rose to the rank of brigadier general leading the famous Irish Brigade. Wylie traces Meagher's military career in detail through the Seven Days battles, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. Wylie then recounts Meagher's final years as acting governor of Montana Territory, sorting historical truth from false claims made against him regarding the militia he formed to combat attacking American Indians, and plumbing the mystery surrounding his death. Even as Meagher is lauded in most Irish histories, his statue in front of Montana's capitol is viewed by some with contempt. The Irish General brings this multi-talented but seriously flawed individual to life, offering a balanced picture of the man and a captivating reading experience.
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I came away a bit disillusioned. The author does a fine job in detailing Meagher's life using letters, newspaper articles, and other original material. Meagher and the Young Irelanders come across as spoiled rich men more interested in oratory and politics than the suffering of their fellow Irish in the famine. The sentence of transportation to New Zealand contrasts sharply with the hanging sentences of Henry Joy McCracken and Theobald Wolf Tone, or the later deaths in the 1916 uprising.
Meagher's escape to America again compares poorly to the many others who died or were forever exiled to Australia and New England.
His exploits in the Civil War were often personally brave, but it's hard to forgive his recruitment of Irish immigrants to be butchered on the battlefield since it appeared to me to be for his own aggrandizement. Maybe I'm being too hard on Meagher, but aside from his oratory, I find it hard to decide what made his life noteworthy. His later appointment in Montana was marred by his drinking and poverty. The biggest reason he seems to be remembered is the mystery of his death.
Mr. Wylie has done a fine job documenting this life and it's not his fault I didn't care much for Meagher or find his life intriguing. (