Born at Saleen, Co. Cork.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 2nd of October 1847.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Servant.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Dk. brown hair.
In his "Memoirs", 840 William Butler, 17th Lancers states that he and 1113 Thomas Clark, 17th Lancerssaved Callaghan's life during a violent storm in the Crimea during the winter of 1855/56. (There is a copy in the "Memoirs" file.)
Batman to Sir William Gordon from July of 1856 (attached to the 6th D.G.) when the latter was an A.D.C., and during his service in India.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain", 8th of October 1857.
The muster rolls for July-September 1858 show he was "On Field Service" during the whole of this period.
Served in the field at Rajghur and Mungrowlee with Captain William Gordon.
On passage to England from the 25th of January 1860 and at the Maidstone Depot from the 26th of May 1860.
Discharged from Maidstone Depot, "Free, at his own request", on the 2nd of June 1860.
Served 12 years 243 days.
Conduct: "Latterly good." Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Intending to live in Dublin, Ireland.
He re-enlisted into the 1st Dragoon Guards at Dublin on the 14th of September 1860.
His age was then given as 32 years and his trade as a servant.
Former service of twelve years in the 17th Lancers allowed to reckon towards pension, vide War Office Authority, dated 14th of October 1861.
The Regimental muster roll for the period shows him in the 1st Dragoon Guards at Mungrowlee, India, and he appears on the Mutiny medal roll as, "Now in the 1st Dragoon Guards. Regimental No. 483."Discharged from Dublin on the 8th of October 1872 at "Own request, free to pension after 24 years service."
Served 24 years 4 days. In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. In India: 2 years 1 month.
Conduct: "good". In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Eight times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 42 years 1 month on discharge.
Awarded a pension of 1/1d. per day
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, the Turkish medal, and the Mutiny medal without clasp.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean, Mutiny, and Long Service medals. Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal (when serving in the 1st Dragoon Guards) on the 4th of July 1870, with a gratuity of £5.
To live at Newtownards, near Belfast, but he was living in Dublin in 1882, after being in Athlone.