I know how you feel I have been searching for him for 8 years now. I have parents siblings and 1871/81 census info and then he pops up in the us army. I have reserched the 4th arty [artillery] at fort adams RI but they were disbanded 1886 supposedly then Irish 4th moved in in 1889 cannot find out what happened at the fort during 1887/88 though I did find out that the french sent troops [mixed nationalities mostley irish] to help build the forts new defences and the US sent troops to Ireland to help fight the English. could this force have been the forign legion as we know it now. could they have gone to the isle of man to recruit also. what do you think