6/18/2021 - American Historical Ephemera and Photography: Timed Auction - ends 6/28

2 x 3 3/8 in. CDV on cardstock mount (rich tonality to print; light corner and edge wear to mount). A studio portrait of Daniel Joseph Keily seated at right with 3 unknown subjects, including two soldiers and a man who appears to be dressed in civilian attire. Photographer's imprint and penciled notation identifying Keily as "Colonel, 2d LA. Cav., Bvt. Brig. General." 

Daniel Joseph Keily (1829-1867) was born in Waterford, Ireland. Along with dozens of other young men of Ireland, he answered the call of Pope Pius IX to fight for the sovereignty of the Papal States. Another in this group, of course, was Miles Keogh. Keily became Keogh's commanding officer. The two were photographed together many times, as members of the Papal Guard ("Company of Saint Patrick"), then later as staff members of the 2nd Louisiana (US) Cavalry. When the Papal Guards were defeated, Keogh and Keily saw no reason to remain in Rome. The men answered William Seward's appeal for young men of Europe with military experience to serve as officers in the Federal Army. Keily and Keogh traveled from Rome to Ireland briefly, then to Manhattan where they met other Papal guards, particularly Joseph O'Keeffe. Seward arranged for captains' rank for the three and they were assigned to the staff of B. Gen. James Shields, also Irish-born. Shields would shortly find himself facing "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley. In September 1864, Keily, was commissioned into F&S of the 2nd LA cavalry. He was later breveted brigadier general in March 1865.