Thomas Meagher

[MikeyB]

Was there anything inappropriate with General Meagher's actions at Fredericksburg, namely not leading the charge on Marye's Heights due to his injury? Given his service record, seems unfair to criticize, although I'm sure there were plenty of contemporaries who did?

Also, what the heck was the deal w/ his death? He falls overboard into a river after the war and is never found again? Anyone have any good insight what happened?

 

[Library Lady]

If you are interested in Thomas Meagher, then this is a book for you. The author does go into the theories about what led to his death.

The Montana History Portal from the Montana State Library offers this information about his death.

https://www.mtmemory.org/nodes/view/102209

 

[J. Stanley]

I don't think Meagher was criticized by his peers for not leading the charge. Hancock's report makes it clear that he had mobility issues and didn't take issue with it. The only embarrassment Meagher suffered was that an officer of his brigade mistakenly told him that Hancock gave permission to retreat across the Rappahanock. Hancock was not happy about this but was more understanding when Meagher explained the events "candidly and fully".

In any case, Meagher seemed to have been burnt out by the heavy casualties suffered by his brigade, the army's refusal to allow him to bring the Irish Brigade home for recruitment. He ultimately resigned his commission after Chancellorsville, complaining that the army was wasting his gallant Irishmen.

He then changed his mind, asking to withdraw his letter of resignation on July 13, 1863, and tried to recruit a whole new brigade. He was not very successful in this effort and his status in the army was unclear until just before Christmas 1863. He then got word to report to Washington in late spring 1864 and then to City Point for assignment. Grant didn't really have a command for Meagher and then finally found one in the Western Theater. Unfortunately, Meagher had insulted Sherman, publicly calling him an "envenomed martinet" after First Bull Run and Sherman never forgot.

He was given the Provisional Division of the Army of the Tennessee, with the job of guarding the Chattanooga and Knoxville Railroad. His division was later called on to reinforce Sherman at Savannah (later changed to Fort Fisher), but the transfer was something of a disaster. When the division arrived, it was "a mob of men in uniform" without any wagons or any sort of transportation. The whole thing was so bad that Grant had him relieved.

On Meagher's death, while there are many interesting theories, I am most inclined to believe it was an unfortunate accident. He was badly ill with dysentery, feverish and probably needed to relieve himself. With safety standards being absent in that age, it's not hard to imagine that he lost his footing and fell to his death.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Was there anything inappropriate with General Meagher's actions at Fredericksburg, namely not leading the charge on Marye's Heights due to his injury?

Meagher followed Hancock's orders and advanced on foot leading the 63rd NY in the assault. After bruising his already ulcerated left knee (which he concealed in the days up to and including Fredericksburg), he pulled up lame with a stiff and painful knee, which virtually crippled him and he hobbled back to find a horse. When the Irish brigade assault collapsed shortly afterwards and many of the men fled back towards the city, a now mounted Meagher was seen organizing the retreating soldiers of the 63rd NY to lead them back to the river. Personally did not view Meagher's actions in these circumstances as inappropriate.

Also, what the heck was the deal w/ his death?

Meagher lived an eventful life. There will always be controversy and theories generated about reported unexplained deaths of notable people.

Apparently in the days prior to his death on Jul. 1, Meagher was stricken with severe diarrhea. On the night of his death he consumed repeated doses of alcoholic blackberry wine provided by a well-meaning onlooker to treat his condition before he retired to his sleeping place on board a moored steamboat. Meagher was last seen by a sentry wandering around the stern of the vessel shortly before a splash was heard when he fell overboard. Despite a search conducted afterwards, Meagher's body was never found. Thought there was nothing suspicious in these circumstances and intoxication was clearly a major factor.

 

[bayonet]

Ah us poor Irish and the **** we have had to deal with over the many years!

 

[MikeyB]

Is this analogous to Dick Garnett at Gettysburg? Maybe history would have been charitable if Garnett had sat out.