Soldier, Explorer, Soldier of Fortune. His family moved to Texas where his father became a cattle rancher. He was sent to Arkansas State University where in 1871 he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1880 he was assigned to the 6th United States Cavalry in Arizona. As the commander of Indian scouts he served under Generals Wilcox, Crook, and Miles during the Apache Wars. During the spring of 1882 he was in hard pursuit of the Chiricahuas led by Loco. During the Enmedio battle it was his detachment that ran off the hostiles' horses while under heavy fire. He was assigned to Fort Bayard, New Mexico in 1885, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1887, and Fort Wingate, New Mexico in 1889. He was attracted to and attractive to women and became engaged to one who jilted him at the last moment in 1883. In 1885 while at Fort Leavenworth he married a lady from Grand Rapids, Michigan and they had two sons. By now he had attained the rank of colonel and she persuaded him to resign his commission and return with her to Grand Rapids. She then divorced him. His desire for adventure led him to Africa where he explored the interior of Rhodesia and the Transvaal. President Paul Kruger of South Africa sent him on a mission to England. He joined in the Boer war as commander of the Irish Brigade and fought without compensation until he suffered a serious wound. He returned to the United States and gave occasional lectures for the Sinn Fein, an Irish Nationalistic movement. He suffered from periods of depression and they became more severe in New York City where he remained until he died.
Soldier, Explorer, Soldier of Fortune. His family moved to Texas where his father became a cattle rancher. He was sent to Arkansas State University where in 1871 he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1880 he was assigned to the 6th United States Cavalry in Arizona. As the commander of Indian scouts he served under Generals Wilcox, Crook, and Miles during the Apache Wars. During the spring of 1882 he was in hard pursuit of the Chiricahuas led by Loco. During the Enmedio battle it was his detachment that ran off the hostiles' horses while under heavy fire. He was assigned to Fort Bayard, New Mexico in 1885, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1887, and Fort Wingate, New Mexico in 1889. He was attracted to and attractive to women and became engaged to one who jilted him at the last moment in 1883. In 1885 while at Fort Leavenworth he married a lady from Grand Rapids, Michigan and they had two sons. By now he had attained the rank of colonel and she persuaded him to resign his commission and return with her to Grand Rapids. She then divorced him. His desire for adventure led him to Africa where he explored the interior of Rhodesia and the Transvaal. President Paul Kruger of South Africa sent him on a mission to England. He joined in the Boer war as commander of the Irish Brigade and fought without compensation until he suffered a serious wound. He returned to the United States and gave occasional lectures for the Sinn Fein, an Irish Nationalistic movement. He suffered from periods of depression and they became more severe in New York City where he remained until he died.
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