Born in the parish of St. Michael's, Dublin, c.1824.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 13th of December 1847.
Age: 23.
Height: 5' 9".
Trade: Labourer.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Dk. brown hair.
Confined, "by order of the Commanding Officer of the Regt.", 21st-28th of February 1848 and again from the 30th of May — 4th[?] of June 1848.
In Gaol, custody of the Civil Power, from the 21st of March — 20th of May 1853 and again from the 1st of November 1853 but was "Acquitted" on the 6th of January 1854.
He must have been involved with 1108 Robert Kearney, who was also in Civil Custody for the same period.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Wilson Kennedy" on the 2nd of May 1854.
Severely wounded during the Charge and taken prisoner of war.
He is shown on the medal roll for the Balaclava clasp as being "Killed-in-action at Balaclava" and on the Casualty Roll in the "London Gazette" as "Killed."
He is not shown as being with others of the regiment returning from prisoner-of-war status in October of 1855, nor does he appear at all on the Regimental muster rolls up to the time of his discharge.
He is, however, shown on the Scutari Hospital muster rolls as being there from the 1st of June 1855 and being sent to England on the 23rd of June.
The Cavalry Depot at Scutari muster rolls for April-June show as "From Odessa" (but no date shown) and invalided to England from Scutari Hospital on the 23rd of June. So, was he perhaps, because of the severe nature of his wounds, repatriated from Russia before the main body of ex-prisoners of war were returned?
(See record of 597 Thomas Perry re men who might have done so.)
The answer that he did do so lies in a letter from the:
"Horse Guards,
18th June 1855,
Sir, I am directed by the General Commanding-in-Chief to acquaint you that it appears by a communication from the Admiralty to the Military Secretary that the man named in the margin (Private Matthew Keaton [sic] who was taken prisoner by the Russians has been released in consequence of his wounds disabling him from further military service and that he will be conveyed to Scutari.
P.S. This man states that a Private Thomas Parry [sic] of the Corps under your command is a prisoner at Simpheropol.
I am, etc, etc,
J.E. Addison.
[To:] Officer Commanding 4th Light Dragoons, Crimea."
Discharged from the Chatham Invalid Depot on the 27th of November 1855, as:
"Unfit for further service from loss of right arm above the elbow by amputation when a prisoner of war in Simpheropol from the effects of a severe wound of the wrist during the Charge at Balaclava.
After receiving the wound noted above and whilst lying on his right side he received nine lance wounds in the left hand side of his body. two of these penetrated his lungs."
Served 7 years 203 days.
Conduct and character: "Indifferent".
Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Aged 30 years on discharge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
An affidavit was filed by him on the 2nd of June 1863 in the Cardigan-Calthorpe law-suit. He was then a "Pensioner, of Thomas Street, Dublin":
"1. I was formerly a Private in the 8th Hussars. I was in the Balaclava Charge and was in the front rank, rather to the right of the squadron.
2. I distinctly remember seeing a General officer with scarlet trousers on a chestnut horse with white heels, returning to the rear by the left of the 4th Light Dragoons as we were advancing to the charge.
I knew the horse before we went into action as Lord Cardigan's horse, and I knew Lord Cardigan's appearance also, and I am perfectly certain that it was Lord Cardigan that I saw retiring.
At that time the 8th Hussars were at the right rear of the 4th Light Dragoons and they (the 4th) were about two or three hundred yards off the battery.
I lost my right arm in the Charge and received nine lance wounds also."
He died at Dublin on the 21st/22nd of February 1864.
He died in the South Dublin Workhouse from "Phthisis, many months". He was then aged 40 years, and "a pauper". His marital status was shown as "unknown".
There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)
The Indoor Register of South Dublin Workhouse records his admission as No. 1109 on the 4th of February 1864. He was then described as Male, aged 40, of single status, a labourer, a Roman Catholic, the Electoral Division and Town land in which he formerly resided as being 46 Coke Street, South City, and dying on the 22nd of February 1864.
No trace can yet be found (1995) of where paupers from the Workhouse were buried.