Capt. Myles Keogh

Myles Keogh
(LIBI Archives/Library)

Myles Keogh was born in Ireland in 1840. A restless, melancholy man, Keogh left Ireland for Italy to serve as an officer in the Papal Guard and subsequently in the Irish Zouaves. After the fighting stopped in Italy, Keogh migrated across the Atlantic to participate in the American Civil War. In America, Keogh secured an appointment as captain, US Volunteers, and became acting aide-de-camp to Brigadier General James Shields in the Shenandoah Valley in April 1862. He transferred to the staff of Brigadier General John Buford, cavalry brigade commander at the end of July, 1862. Keogh served as a staff officer to General Buford from Antietam through Gettysburg. After Buford's death in late 1863, Keogh became aide-de-camp to General George Stoneman in January 1864. He was involved in Sherman's drive on Atlanta and afterward. He also participated in a number of raids under General Stoneman in Virginia. At the end of the war he was brevetted lieutenant colonel, US Volunteers. All told, Keogh participated in over 30 general engagements, primarily as a staff officer.

Keogh was appointed captain, 7^th Cavalry, effective July 28, 1866, the date the regiment was organized. Assigned to Company I, he was brevetted major and lieutenant colonel, regular army, from March 2, 1867. His service with the 7^th Cavalry included staff assignments, injuries and numerous leaves of absence. As a result, the Bighorn-Yellowstone campaign of 1876 was the only extensive field service that Keogh saw with the regiment.

Keogh commanded his regiment, Company I, during the Little Bighorn campaign of 1876. After coming down from Weir Ridge, it is believed Custer further divided his command, sending two companies under Captain Yates down Medicine Tail Coulee toward the river and keeping three companies on the high ground under Captain Keogh. Once reunited on Battle Ridge Keogh attempted to hold the south end of the ridge with companies C, L and I. They were overrun as Lakota and Cheyenne warriors rolled up the ridge from the south and the east. Survivors fled toward the north end of the ridge, the Last Stand area. Keogh's body was found in a cluster on the east side of Battle Ridge with those of the first sergeants of Company I and Company C, a sergeant from Company I, and the bugler of Company I.

Keogh's horse Comanche was discovered wounded but was nurtured back to health as the 'lone survivor' of the battle.

Learn more: "Comanche and His Captain: The Warhorse and the Soldier of Fortune" by Janet Barrett (Tall Cedar Books, 2019)