John Devoy's Catalpa Expedition (Ireland House Series)

Contents......Page 8
Foreword by Martin Kevin Cusack......Page 10
Introduction by Terry Golway......Page 14
Acknowledgments......Page 24
Abbreviations......Page 26
Editors’ Prologue......Page 28
Editors’ Note......Page 39
Cruise of a New Bedford Whaler That Brought Humiliation to England—Irish Skill and Yankee Grit Combined—Six Irish Military Prisoners Taken from an English Prison in Western Australia by The Clan-na-Gael—How and Why the Work Was Done......Page 40
Seven Thousand Men Knew of the Expedition, but There Was No Traitor—Discussed from Maine To California—Yet the Blow Fell on England Like a Bolt from the Blue—How the Work Was Started—The Committee in Charge......Page 51
John Mitchel Knew of the Project and Helped to Raise Funds—A Characteristic Letter......Page 60
Official Report of the Work Done Presented to a Convention in 1876—The Arduous Work of Raising the Money—How John Boyle O’Reilly Got a United States Naval Engineer to Inspect the Vessel......Page 67
[No heading in the original account. The chapter describes the final preparations and departure of the Catalpa.]......Page 76
How John J. Breslin and Thomas Desmond of San Francisco Were Selected to Do the Work—An Appointment by James Stephens......Page 85
Auspicious Beginning of the Expedition by Captain Anthony Succoring a Ship in Distress—Caught Whale in the North Atlantic—John Breslin’s Official Report of the Enterprise—Anxiously Waiting for Ship’s Arrival......Page 91
John J. Breslin’s Graphic Account of the Escape of the Six Prisoners, the Dash for the Boat, the Long and Weary Pull for the Ship, the Arrival on Board in the Nick of Time, and the Sharp Parley With the “Georgette”—The Victory Won......Page 101
Breslin’s Difficulties with the Men on the Homeward Voyage—Complained of Food and Treatment and Were Discontented—Demanded to Be Put Ashore and Forced a Change in the Plans—Arrived in New York......Page 122
Unexpected Arrival of the Vessel in New York Creates Many Difficulties—Factional Attempt to “Capture” The Men from the Committee Foiled by Patrick Lennon’s Quiet Threat to Use Force—Work of Providing for the Soldiers......Page 136
Work of Raising Funds for the Rescued Men and the Winding Up of the Expedition—The Slander-Monger at Work—Financial Statement of the Enterprise......Page 143
The Expedition Wound Up After Many Difficulties—John King’s Narrative of His Part in the Work—The Fenians in Australia Had a Rescue Project of Their Own—Meeting with Breslin—How He Ran the Quarantine......Page 152
John King Continues His Narrative of His Personal Part in the Enterprise—Meeting with the Two Men Sent From the Other Side of the Atlantic on the Same Errand—The Two Parties Arrange to Cooperate......Page 163
Conclusion of John King’s Narrative of His Share in the Splendid Work—The Severe Ordeal in the Open Boat and the Race for the Ship Facing British Guns—Safe in the Land of the Free......Page 172
Editors’ Epilogue......Page 180
Appendix A: Letters from James Wilson......Page 198
Appendix B: From the Report of the Eighth Annual [Clan-na-Gael] Convention, Cleveland, Ohio, September 4, 1877......Page 207
Appendix C: Dramatis Personae......Page 224
Sources......Page 226
Index......Page 232
About the Editors......Page 238