Myles Keogh: Irish Cavalier

Myles Keogh: Irish Cavalier

Myles Keogh is likely the Seventh Cavalry’s best-known member aside from its infamous leader George Armstrong Custer. That renown results mostly from his famous horse, Comanche, who survived the battle despite several significant wounds. Comanche, though, will be another topic for another day. Beyond his connection to Comanche, not much is widely known about Myles Keogh.

Keogh was born March 25, 1840, at a place known as Orchard House in Leighlinbridge, in County Carlow, Ireland. He is sometimes said to have hailed from Kilkenny, which lies only 12 miles away. Regardless, his Irish influence was prominent in the Seventh Cavalry, and he is sometimes credited with introducing the popular song Garryowen as early as 1867, when the regiment was established.

Keogh apparently was raised on a farm, with its main crop being barley. Thus, he escaped the blight causing Ireland’s Potato Famine in the 1840’s and 50’s. He did suffer typhoid, though, and lost three siblings to the disease. Keogh’s education is sketchy, but he may have attended St. Patrick’s College and/or St. Mary’s Knockbeg College in southern Ireland.

As an Irish Catholic, and at the urging of Irish clergy, Keogh joined more than 1,000 countrymen in fighting for Pope Pius IX and the Papal States in the Italian Unification conflict. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Battalion of St. Patrick and distinguished himself in the battle of Ancona.

After holding off a vastly superior force, Keogh’s battalion was forced to surrender. He was captured but soon released in a prisoner exchange. It was his first of two such exchanges. For his gallantry he was awarded the Pro Petri Sede medal, which would figure later, at the Little Bighorn.

Keogh would then serve in the Papal Guard, but may have found it too monotonous. Regardless, he resigned his commission in 1862, sailed to the United States, and served in the Union Army. It appears Keogh was recruited. William Seward, Lincoln’s Secretary of State, pushed to enlist experienced European officers. He had asked New York clerics for assistance.

Keough was commissioned a captain and served first as aide-de-camp under several prominent generals. He was with General John Buford, who saw and secured the strategic high ground the first day at Gettysburg in the face of overwhelming Confederate forces.

Keogh would serve in a number of major Civil War battles and campaigns. He was captured as part of Stoneman’s Raid, attempting to liberate the abhorable Andersonville prison. Keough was freed two months later in another prisoner exchange, and he went on to further distinguish himself. In March, 1865 he was honored with the brevet rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

After that war ended, Keogh dropped in rank, as many officers did, in order to continue his career in the down-sized American army. With recommendations from several generals, he was appointed second lieutenant, 4^th Cavalry in May of 1866. In July of 1867 Keogh became a captain, commanding Company I, in the newly formed 7^th Cavalry. Keogh would keep that rank until his death at the Little Bighorn.

Keogh left Company I only briefly for other assignments. He commanded Fort Wallace, in western Kansas, in 1867, then served on the staff of General Alfred Sully in Dakota Territory. He rejoined the Company I in Kentucky during Reconstruction in the early 1870’s. It can be said, perhaps thankfully for him, that he missed the Washita battle as well as the Yellowstone expedition and Back Hills expedition, in 1873 -74.

Keogh’s record does not seem entirely unblemished, though. He reputedly drank to excess, at least occasionally if not regularly. He is described as exhibiting periods of dark melancholy or depression. Whether those episodes led to his bouts of excessive drinking or the other way around is not certain.

Keogh is also reputed to have exacted brutal discipline, possibly including flogging, amongst his troops. Given the sometimes desperate nature of enlistees, the lonely and remote nature of isolated frontier posts, and the chronic alcoholism prevalent in the 1860’s army, it is possible this allegation is accurate. If so, it may or may not have been warranted. Historian Edgar Stuart referred to Keogh’s company as the “Wild I.”

Keogh also demonstrated concern for his family. On leave in 1874, he returned to his home and visited them. At some point he had inherited a Clifden estate in Kilkenny. While there, Keogh deeded the estate over to his sister Margaret. He intended that his sisters would be provided for, particularly in the event of his death.

On his return to Fort Abraham Lincoln Keogh may have had some premonition of death. Or, maybe he was just wise, given his chosen profession. Regardless, he took out a $10,000 life insurance policy. He also wrote out his wishes for burial and for the burning of his personal papers. He is said to have given copies of his will to several of his fellow soldiers.

In the end, Keogh rode with Custer’s five troops at the Little Bighorn. He apparently commanded a battalion of three companies when Custer again split his command. What is known is that no one from those five troops with Custer survived, Keogh among them. His horse Comanche, too badly wounded to be taken by victorious warriors, did survive and was viewed as a heroic mascot by remaining command members. The horse is known as the battle’s sole survivor. (on the cavalry side)

Given the absence of eye witnesses among those who knew and recognized Keogh, direct circumstances of his death are uncertain. What is known and recorded is that his body was not mutilated after the battle. Many, if not most, of the others were. His body, like those of all the other soldiers, was stripped of its uniform. (Sioux and Cheyenne donned many of them the next day in an effort to ambush Colonel Gibbon’s command.)

Historian Thom Hatch mentions a consensus amongst the victorious Sioux and Cheyenne as to “the bravest man they ever fought.” The identity of that soldier, who died at the Little Bighorn, is uncertain. Hatch mentions Keough as a possible candidate, however.

What is also known is that Keogh’s body was not mutilated like the others. It was also found with his Pro Petri Sede medal on his chest. Why he was not mutilated is in question. One speculation is that the victors honored him for dying bravely. Another theory is that they believed his medal was some sort of strong “medicine.” A third is that some under Sitting Bull had adopted Catholicism due to influences from various Catholic missions and therefore chose not to mutilate the wearer of a Catholic medal.

These mysteries will be discussed in future posts. Both Keogh and his horse, Comanche, merit future profiles. They share a story between them, and each has his own parallels to members of a smaller but similar battle 10 years before.