John Riley (soldier)
John O'Riley | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1817 Clifden, Ireland |
| Died | 10 October 1850 (aged 33) Veracruz, Mexico |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom United States Mexico |
| Branch | British Army United States Army Mexican Army |
| Years of service | 1835–1840 (UK) 1845–1846 (US) 1846–1850 (Mexico) |
| Rank | Sergeant (UK) Private (US) Brevet Major (Mexico) |
| Commands | Batallón de San Patricio |
| Battles / wars | |
John Patrick Riley (also known as John Patrick O'Riley; Irish: Seán Pádraig Ó Raghallaigh) (c. 1817 – 10 October 1850) was an Irish soldier in the British Army who emigrated to the United States and subsequently enlisted in the United States Army. During the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848, Riley led several other defectors in the ranks who defected to Mexico, where they formed the Saint Patrick's Battalion in the Mexican Army.