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Keogh Family Papers and Photographs
89.218
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Contributing Institution:
Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Keogh Family Papers and Photographs
Identifier/Call Number: 89.218
Physical Description:
0.5 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1856-1894
Date (bulk): 1865-1890
Language of Material:
English
.
Biographical Note - Myles Keogh
Myles Keogh was born on 1840 March 25 in Orchard, Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Ireland to John and Margaret Keogh. After
finishing school in Leighlinbridge, he attended St. Patrick's College in Carlow.
Keogh had a distinguished military career in both Italy and the United States. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Irish
Battalion of St. Patrick during the Papal War in 1860. After the war ended, he remained at the Vatican and served as part
of the Papal Guard. For his service in the Papal War, he received a Papal Medal and the decoration of The Order of Saint Gregory
the Great.
Keogh left Italy for the United States in 1862 to volunteer for service in the Civil War. He served under Brigadier General
James Shields, Brigadier General John Buford, General McClelland and General Stoneman, and fought in numerous important Civil
War battles including the Battle of Gettysburg. By the end of the Civil War in April of 1865, Keogh had fought in over 80
battles, been taken prisoner with General Stoneman, and was promoted to Major.
After the Civil War, Keogh joined the regular army as Captain in the 7th Cavalry under Custer. He was the 4th Senior Captain
of that regiment, and commanded Troop I. From 1866 to 1876, Keogh served as Inspector-General to the staff of General Alfred
Scully; enforced government policy concerning the Ku Klux Klan and bootlegging; and escorted the Northern Pacific Boundary
Survey on the U.S. Canadian border. He did not participate in Custer's winter campaign of 1868, or the skirmishes in the Yellowstone
area and the Black Hills in 1874. His service during these ten years was punctuated by sick leave and a number of trips back
to Ireland; he also became engaged to Nelly Martin of the wealthy Throop-Martin family of Auburn, New York. Keogh became a
U.S. citizen on 1869 August 25 in New York.
Keogh fought and died with Custer during the Battle of Little Big Horn, 1876 June 25. On that day, Keogh was second-in-command,
leading his own troop in addition to several others. Custer's and Keogh's bodies were the only ones that were not scalped
or mutilated in any way after the battle. Keogh's body was found near his mount, Comanche, as well as the dead bodies of his
own troop. Initially, both he and Custer were buried at the battleground. Keogh was later re-interred with full military honors
at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, New York. Comanche was nursed back to health and then sent to Fort Riley, Kansas, where he
remained until his death in 1891.
The Keogh Family Papers and Photographs contain correspondence, papers and photographs of Keogh returned to his family in
Ireland after his death, together with letters received by the family relating to Keogh, and newspaper clippings. The family
assembled two albums to honor the memory of Keogh, the first containing original documents and photographs and the second
comprising a letter book relating to his service record.
Included are letters from United States government and military officials (1865-1866) supporting Keogh's application for a
commission after the Civil War. Correspondents include Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, General George Wheeler Schofield and
General Alvan Gillem. An order from General Samuel Sturgis (April 10, 1878) pertains to Keogh's horse, Comanche, which survived
him. Letters received by Keogh's sister Margaret relate to his bravery and death in battle. Included are Keogh's commission
papers as Brevet Lieutenant Colonel (March 13, 1865) and Captain (July 28, 1866); his U.S. citizenship papers (August 25,
1869); and his passport (August 26, 1869).
Photographs include six of Keogh in uniform and civilian dress, one of his grave, and one of Margaret Martin with a child.
Also included are newspaper clippings relating to the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and to Comanche (dates for Schofield,
Sturgis, and Gillem verified in: Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. Urbana:
University of Illinois Press, 1965).
Loose materials from the albums (correspondence, papers, photographs, and newspaper clippings) have been housed in separate
folders.
Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit
https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is
given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Keogh Family Papers and Photographs, 1856-1894 (Bulk dates: 1865-1890), Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; 89.218; [Item ID] [Date].
Subjects and Indexing Terms
United States. -- Army. -- Officers
United States. -- Army. -- Cavalry -- History -- Sources.
Little Bighorn, Battle of the, Mont., 1876.
Military orders
Photographs