The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero
This splendid biography by award-winning book author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan brings us the life story of an improbable and genuine American and Irish hero, Thomas Francis Meagher. He is born in Ireland in 1823, a country harshly ruled by England. During the 1840s potato famine he wields poetic oratory to rail against the occupiers. Initially sentenced to death, he is later sent for life to Tasmania. Incredibly, the fiery exile dramatically escapes across the globe to New York City.
Caught up with the Union cause as the Civil war erupts, he comes to command the famous Irish Brigade. He leads the unit through some of the worst battles: Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg. At war’s end, he is appointed acting governor of the new and lawless territory of Montana. While battling vigilantes, the General mysteriously meets his end.
Filled with fascinating adventures across three continents, magnificent women, loyal friends, and monstrously evil villains, the biography sparkles like a riveting novel. At the end, we’re offered a convincing answer to the mystery of the General’s death. This author’s work was an obvious labor of love. A must read.
