John Riley (soldier) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John O'Riley
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 8 February 1817 Clifden, Ireland |
| Died | 10 October 1850 (aged 33) Veracruz, Mexico |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom United States Mexico |
| Service/ |
 British Army United States Army Mexican Army |
| Years of service | 1835–1840 (UK) 1845–1846 (US) 1846–1850 (Mexico) |
| Rank | Sergeant (UK) Private (US) Brevet Major (Mexico) |
| Commands held | Batallón de San Patricio |
| Battles/wars | Mexican–American War |
John Patrick Riley (also known as John Patrick O'Riley) (Irish: Seán Pádraig Ó Raghallaigh) (8 February 1817 – 10 October 1850) was an Irish soldier in the British Army who emigrated to the United States and subsequently enlisted in the United States Army. During the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848, Riley led a number of other Defectors in the ranks who defected to Mexico, where they formed the Saint Patrick's Battalion in the Mexican Army.
Early life
Riley was born in Clifden, County Galway, Ireland around 1817–1818; his original Irish name was Seán Ó Raghailligh. Riley served with the British Army before emigrating to Canada. Connemara and other rural regions suffered greatly during the Great Famine, and millions of people emigrated by ship from Ireland to Canada and the United States to survive. Riley was among them.
Immigration to the United States
Soon after his arrival in the United States in Michigan, Riley enlisted in the US Army. Many immigrants were recruited in the 1840s; some served just to earn some money, as they had usually fled famine and severe poverty in their home countries.
Prior to his desertion, Riley served in Company K of the 5th US Infantry Regiment. Riley and Patrick Dalton deserted in 1846, just before the beginning of the Mexican-American War. Both men subsequently joined the Mexican Army, where they eventually formed the Batallón de San Patricio, or Saint Patrick's Battalion. It was made up of mostly Irish and German immigrants, although it included Catholics from many other countries as well. The unit fought in several battles during the Mexican-American War. Eventually, the battalion was forced to make a last stand at the Battle of Churubusco, which took place on the outskirts of Mexico City. Approximately 35 members of the battalion were killed, while another 85 were captured by US forces, including Riley; the remnants of the unit, numbering approximately 85 men, managed to escape alongside the retreating Mexican forces. Some of the surviving soldiers took part in the Battle for Mexico City, though they were too few to constitute a cohesive military unit. The battalion itself was formally disbanded in August 1848, six months after the end of the war, allegedly due to one of the unit's officers being implicated in an attempted military coup.
Because Riley had deserted before the US declared war against Mexico, he was not sentenced to death following his conviction at the court martial held in Mexico City in 1847. He testified to deserting because of discrimination against and mistreatment of Irish Catholics in the US Army, as well as anti-Catholicism which he had encountered in the United States. While he escaped the mass hanging of around 50 other captured members of the Saint Patrick's Battalion, Riley was branded on his cheek with the letter "D" for deserter.
Post court martial
Following his conviction and branding, Riley was released and eventually rejoined the Mexican forces. Reportedly he grew his hair to conceal the scars on his face. He continued to serve with the regular Mexican Army after the end of the war, being confirmed in the rank of "Permanent Major". Stationed in Veracruz, he was retired on 14 August 1850 on medical grounds after suffering from yellow fever.
Legacy
_sculpture_Clifden,_Ireland.jpg)
In his honour, and to commemorate Saint Patrick's Battalion, a bronze sculpture was erected in his birthplace of Clifden, Ireland, as a gift from the Mexican government.
