Myles Keogh - Three Wars; Two Continents; One Irish Soldier

The life and military career of Myles Walter Keogh, born March 25th, 1840 at Orchard, Leighlinbridge, County Carlow.

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Keogh on Facebook

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Translation Aid

Ireland & the American Civil War

Friends of the Little Big Horn Battlefield

Irish in the American Civil War

Fascinating blog on the Irish soldiers

Battle Facts & Informative Message Board

The day to day life of a Yankee soldier

This Mighty Scourge - Superb Online Civil War Resource

Custerwest

The premier website on Custer

Excellent Plains Indian Wars Overview

Civil War Trust

Saving America's History

DAMNED BY FAINT PRAISE

"We did not like the style of Captain Myles Keogh, there was altogether too much style. He was as handsome a young man as I ever saw. His uniform was spotless and fitted him like the skin on a sausage."

Captain Theodore Allen, 7th Ohio Cavalry, Union Army, 1864.

"I do think him rather absurd, but would rather have him near us than many others."

Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, 7th U.S. Cavalry.

"I think to damn by faint praise is a very effective mode of doing one a more serious injury."

Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, 7th U.S. Cavalry, Apr 1871.

Praise for Keogh's American Civil War service

"He is one of the most gallant and efficient young cavalry officers I have ever known."

Lieutenant General John M. Schofield, Commander of the Army of the Ohio, Commanding General of the United States Army.

"Whether on staff duty or commanding detachments on dangerous and delicate service, he was alike successful, and his soldierly bearing and spirit were a model. He is par excellence a cavalry officer."

I know of no officer of his grade who made [a] more enviable reputation, or who proved more conclusively that he was a born soldier."

Major General Jacob D. Cox, Commander 3rd Division of the XXIII Corps of the Army of the Ohio

"His record had been remarkable for the short time he had been in the army. He appeared to be a most gentlemanlike man, of soldierly appearance, and I was exceedingly glad to have him as an aide."

General George B. McClellan, Commander, Army of the Potomac

"Major Keogh is one of the most superior young officers in the army and is a universal favourite with all who know him."

General George Stoneman, Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Potomac

"He garnered high praise from his superior officers...he is unsurpassed in dash."

Brigadier General Alvan C. Gillem, Cavalry Division, Army of the Ohio

"Your reputation while serving with the Army of the Potomac under my command, was that of an accomplished and gallant officer."

Major General George G. Meade, Commander, Army of the Potomac

"Col. Keogh has been connected with the Army since April 1862 and is a young officer of intelligence and integrity. His gallantry in the field and his ability to command is beyond question and has been manifested on every occasion."

Major General George H. Thomas, Commander, Army of the Cumberland

Quotes from Keogh's correspondance

On family & home...
"Some ways I always think of the old family when we were together in Orchard. Do you remember old fellow how difficult Patrick found it to keep us from listening to the servants' stories in the kitchen and that terrible bell for prayers."

"Do not forget that even if I were a hound I could not forget the ties that bound me to you all."

"I will feel as if I had not lived altogether in vain when I have told to those dear ones at home the whole story of my life."

On religion...

"all religions are in the same boat, and be you Catholic or Protestant, you are judged only by your merits as a man."

"...I saw a priest about six months since and that's not such a bad thing for this country although he was passing rapidly on the Union Pacific Railroad."

On life...

"My great weakness is the love I have for the fair sex, and pretty much all my trouble comes from or can be traced to that charming source."

"Impudence and presumption carry with them great weight and a certain lack of sensitiveness is necessary to be successful. This lack of sensitiveness I unfortunately do not inherit."

"I never propose to form any ties. I might often have married for money but I never gave it a moment's serious thought & never propose to."

On America...
"This is a queer country and one needs to be educated in a peculiar spirit to hold one's own."

"This country knows no law except that of 'lynch' and one never leaves his tent without the ever present revolvers."

(To his brother) "You should not abuse my adopted country until I should have in person given you some better ideas of it."
On fighting Indians...

"I have never before appreciated the difficulty of finding Indians, and have concluded that without knowing exactly where to surprise their camp, or having a guide who can track them at a run, it is a waste of horseflesh and time to endeavor to come up with them."

"We have knocked the Indians into a cocked hat. Yet they are still on the warpath."

"I am sorry to say that the horses are looking very bad. They were twenty days without grain of any kind and the weather interfered with their grazing. Beside leaving us powerless to go in pursuit of any thing that might need horses for its purposes."

"We have to take an escort with us when we go farther than a mile from the post as the Indians are on the lookout for stray scalps."

"I sent an escort with the stage from Cheyenne Wells to Grinnell Station as the road is getting very unsecure. The Indians seem to be broken up into small parties and are becoming exceedingly annoying."
"The Indians have now expended in their attacks on the different stations & on the stages etc. fully five or six thousand rounds of ammunition..."
"I sent you a copy of a photograph I had taken of one of my sergeants that the Indians killed last year. The top of his head was cut off.....This man was less brutally used than others owing to our charging up to re-capture some prisoners the Indians were trying to get off."

On the month of June...

"This month has never passed since I left home without something very unpleasant occurring to me." (Keogh was killed on June 25th 1876)

Keogh's final letter...

"We leave Monday on an Indian expedition & if I ever return I will go on and see you all. I have requested to be packed up and shipped to Auburn in case I am killed, and I desire to be buried there. God bless you all, remember if I should die -- you may believe that I loved you and every member of your family -- it was a second home to me."

Lt. Keogh in the Papal Guard circa 1861

Standing, third from left.

On General McClellan's Staff - October 1862

A young Keogh seated center, legs crossed, with pipe in hand

Rendezvous with Destiny

Keogh arrives with General John Buford at Gettysburg, 30th June 1863 - Painting by Mort Kunstler

Brig. Gen. John Buford and staff, August 1863.

left to right: Myles Keogh, Buford (seated), Peter Penn-Gaskell, Craig Wharton Wadsworth and Albert Payson Morrow.

Captain Myles Keogh 1872

Taken in his new dress uniform - Louisville, Kentucky 1872

Keogh with General Custer

With Custer camped close to Fort Lincoln, Summer 1875

On Custer's front porch, Fort Lincoln 1875 - Keogh with officers and guests of the 7th Cavalry

"Left to right, top row: Long Soldier, Libbie Custer, Mrs. James Calhoun, unknown, Lieut. James Calhoun; seated: Lieut. Tom Custer, unknown, Miss Emma Wadsworth of Monroe, Mr. Swett of Chicago, Lieut. Charles Varnum, Capt. Myles Keogh, Miss Nellie Wadsworth of Monroe, Mrs. Myles Moylan, Captain Stephen Baker of the 6th Infantry, Boston Custer, unknown, General Custer."

Myles Keogh & Company I

Sketch by artist, Louis Fregier

Keogh at the Little Big Horn June 25th 1876

Painting by Mark Churms

Capt. Keogh, June 25th 1876 with Co. I, 7th Cav

Painting by Mike Schreck

Keogh's Last Fight

Custer's Last Stand

Painting by Mort Kunstler

Keogh's 7th Cavalry Company I Guidon

The swallow tailed flag carried into battle at the Little Big Horn.

Telegram informing of Keogh's death

US Army to Throop Martin family

Officers killed with Keogh at Little Big Horn 1876

Keogh & Comanche

From The National Museum of the Morgan Horse

Keogh Battlefield Marker

Main Battlefield Memorial

Keogh's name with names of all killed in action, June 25th 1876

Keogh Memorial - Leighlinbridge, County Carlow

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