KianGaf
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- May 29, 2019
- Location
- Dublin , Ireland
Cleburne's father was a landowner and physician, a trade Pat intended to follow until failing the entrance exam to medical school. (However, he retained an interest in medicine, eventually becoming an apothecary in America.) Apparently feeling dishonored because of failing he joined the local British Regiment (42d Foot?) intending to "escape" to India. Ironically, the regiment's orders changed at the last minute, leaving him stationed not far from home - not his intention at all! Still, he proved to be good military material, rising to the rank of corporal before purchasing his discharge. His father had died, leaving the family in financially strained circumstances, so they decided to immigrate to America as a group, arriving in New Orleans. The family were Protestants and settled in the South and Midwest so were spared a lot of the anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice prevalent throughout the North at the time. There have been many threads here on the forums concerning his unpopular and therefore suppressed scheme to recruit and arm slaves.
Makes sense , his family home was for sale a few year back and it looked like he came from a wealthy enough family.