Synopses & Reviews
The Life and Times of an Irish Patriot
When Thomas Francis Meagher arrived in New York in 1852, he was already a hero-"Meagher of the Sword"-known to every Irishman in the New World. His role as leader of the Irish Uprising of 1848 against British rule, combined with his revolutionary fervor, had earned him exile to the British penal colony of Van Diemen's Land , off the coast of Australia. He escaped and found passage to America, where he was celebrated as a man who had risked death to end the suffering of his native land.
In New York, Meagher became an attorney, married wealthy Libby Townsend, engaged in Tammany politics, supported Franklin Pierce's bid for the presidency, and gave brilliant "Young Ireland" speeches until the onslaught of the Civil War. Fighting for the Union, Meagher helped organize and command the Irish Brigade, and stood, sword in hand, at the forefront of its battles on such bloody ground at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville.
The war took its toll on Meagher's soul and spirit. By its end he was ruined spiritually and financially-until President Andrew Johnson appointed him acting governor of the Montana Territory. In this isolated outpost, the redoubtable Irishman faced formidable foes-hostile Indians, controlling vigilantes, and a government paralyzed by factionalism.
The Exile is the story of this dashing man of action, a man who inspired ballads and songs, a man who risked everything on behalf of his ideals. His legacy carries on through his name--Thomas Francis Meagher-still revered among the Irish everywhere.
Only Richard S. Wheeler, who has brought to life such historical characters as Bat Masterson, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, could do justice to this giant of Irish history and folklore.
Review
"A much-honored Western writer from Livingston, Mont. Creates another fascinating novel rooted in history..."--
Seattle Post-Intelligencer on
The Exile"...Wheeler is a writer's writer whose prose as the authority of handset type but sparkles like horseshoes on flint rock."--Kirkus Reviews on The Exile
"[Wheeler] has forever branded Western literature with his presence. [His] characters . . . are not the people who win every showdown. . . . Instead [they] struggle for their lives, and often their souls." -True West on Eclipse
"A riveting novel by [a] master storyteller. . . . Wheeler brings readers a stunningly told and hitherto incomplete story of the tragic, final chapter in the life of Meriwether Lewis, one of American history's most famous and lasting characters." -The Denver Post on Eclipse
"Eclipse is a wonderful biographical fiction . . . vividly described." -Midwest Book Review
"A master storyteller whose heart is obviously in the West."--Library Journal
Review
"A much-honored Western writer from Livingston, Mont. Creates another fascinating novel rooted in history...." Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Review
"...Wheeler is a writer's writer whose prose has the authority of handset type but sparkles like horseshoes on flint rock." Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
"A master storyteller." -Norman Zollinger, author of Riders to Cibola "Wheeler's Westerns just keep getting better and better." -Publishers Weekly"Wheeler is a writer's writer whose prose has the authority of handset type but sparkles like horseshoes on flint rock." -Kirkus Reviews"A riveting novel by [a] master storyteller . . . Wheeler brings readers a stunningly told and hitherto incomplete story of the tragic, final chapter in the life of Meriwether Lewis, one of American history's most famous and lasting characters." -The Denver Post on Eclipse
Synopsis
Thomas Francis Meagher, a giant of Irish history and folklore and a man who risked everything because of his ideals, is brought to life by the author of "Eclipse."
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 335-336).
Synopsis
Thomas Francis Meagher -- " Meagher of the Sword" -- was already an Irish revolutionary legend when he arrived in New York in 1851. He studied law, married a wealthy New York woman, engaged in Tammany politics, and commanded the Irish Brigade at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville.
The war took its toll on Meagher's soul and spirit and by its end he was ruined financially and spiritually until appointed acting governor of Montana Territory. In his isolated outpost, he faced formidable foes-hostile Indians, the vigilantes who were running the territory, and a government paralyzed by factionalism.
The Exile is the story of this dashing man of action, a man who inspired ballads and songs, who risked everything, and lost everything, on behalf of his ideals, and whose name is still revered among the Irish world-wide.
About the Author
Richard S. Wheeler has written over fifty novels and several short stories. He has won four Spur Awards and the Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement in the field of western literature.
He lives in the literary and film community of Livingston, Montana, and is married to Professor Sue Hart, of Montana State University-Billings. Before turning to fiction he was a newsman and book editor. He has raised horses and been a wrangler at an Arizona dude ranch.