Thom's Irish Who's Who/O'Connell, John Joseph

O'CONNELL, John Joseph; Brig.-Gen., U.S. Army; b. Co. Kerry, Ireland, Dec. 16th, 1840: son of John and Nan (Cahill) O'Connell; came to U.S. in youth. Educ. partly in Canada; m. Margaret Le Boutillier (of the Channel Islands), 1870: Professor of Mathematics and Languages, Seton College, New Jersey; at outbreak of American Civil War served in the U S. Engineers, than in the First, Third, Thirtieth Regular Infantry, till retired as Brig.-Gen. "by operation of law," Dec. 16th, 1904; many years' frontier service: served in Black Hills campaign against Sioux Indians, 1875; Geronimo Campaign against Apaches, 1882; Pine Eidge (Dakota), Indian Campaign, 1894; was the first American officer in Command of troops to land in Cuba after declaration of War, 1898; swam ashore (under hostile fire) from boat; served in Philippine Islands (medal for daring action). Soc.: mem. Army of Potomac; G.A.R.; Loyal Legion (ex-V.-P.); Indian Wars; Array of Santiago: (Congressional medal for gallantry on field in Spanish American War); Philippine Campaigns; U.S. Infantry Association; offered his services for World War, but were declined solely because of his age. Club: The Army and Navy: Religion: Catholic, as all his Irish ancestors were. Res.: The, Wyoming-Washington, D.C.