Thomas McCormack's life epitomizes that of the universal ‘Irish Soldier of Fortune’ … the ‘wild geese’.

Tom’ was born in Dublin, during October 1779.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Dublin Volunteers On College Green, 4th November, 1779”    Artist:  Francis Wheatley

 

By the age of 24 Thomas McCormack stood 6' 3" (191 centimetres), 16 stone of solid bone and muscle (weighing 225 pounds, more than 100 kilograms).

A ‘United Irishman’, he took part in Robert Emmet's unsuccessful rebellion against the British on Saturday 23 July 1803.  

Armed with a pike, he had assembled at the rebel’s depot in Marshalsea Lane, Dublin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1803 Irish rebellion failed …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

… Tom’ McCormack went into hiding … and, after 2 weeks in hiding, he escaped from Ireland by working as a sailor on a Merchant ship.

In the early days of 1804 his ship docked in Murmansk, Russia.   Whilst enjoying some glasses of Vodka in a local pub, some criminals tried to rob him.   Tom’ threw both of them through the window and was then arrested and jailed.   Tom’s ship sailed without him, but the innkeeper appeared as his witness and Tom was released and the Russian innkeeper gave him a job as a ‘bouncer’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murmansk Railway Station and Murmansk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later, Tom’ McCormack travelled to Ukraine and worked on a farm, where he learnt to speak the Russian language and he where he was taught to ride horses by the Cossacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The war between Napoleon and Russia had broken out, and Tom was encouraged to join a Cossack cavalry unit.

By December 1805, Tom was promoted to Captain and saw action at the battle of Austerlitz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1809 he was fighting Turks in Sillistria and was highly decorated for his part in a rear guard action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In June 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia and Captain McCormack fought at Smolensk and Borodino.  

At Smolensk in August 1812 Tom’ McCormack was badly wounded in the right leg.  

Tom’ was in danger of being trampled on the ground by French cavalry when a French horseman dashed out and pulled Tom’ to safety.  

Tom’s rescuer, it transpired, was another Irishman serving in the French Army.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom recovered from his injuries and, 12 months later, he was in battle at Liepzig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom’ retired from the Russian Army in 1817 … and, using his pension and bounty from the Russian Army, he opened a business in St Petersburg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the next three years, Tom’ was making a lot of money !!! … but then he sold his business, and returned to Ireland.

In June 1820, he arrived back in Dublin and used his money to help poor neighbours … impoverishing himself in doing so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1855, Tom’ was found dead at the hallway of an old tenement-building, by neighbors who were going to mass at the nearby Franciscan Church in Cook Street, Dublin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Tom’ McCormack (his nickname was "The Cossack") passed, unnoticed, in to history …