The Voyage of the Catalpa : A Perilous Journey and Six Irish Rebels' Escape to Freedom - Hardcover

Peter F. Stevens

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1842126512 ISBN 13: 9781842126516

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003

Synopsis

Fast-paced, compelling, meticulously researched, and dramatically detailed, this saga from the annals of American, Irish, British, and Australian history comprises the first full telling of the secret yearlong journey of the American whaling ship Catalpa, under Captain George Anthony, out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1875. Risking his own freedom and career, Anthony sailed across international waters to Australia, to rescue from hellish imprisonment the group of British-soldiers-turned-Irish-rebels named "The Fremantle Six." The successful escape and hostility the vulnerable Catalpa overcame both from the British Royal Navy and furious seas make Anthony's historical voyage legendary. 8 pages of photographs add to this true story of daring on the high seas. "Narrated in fascinating and breathtaking fashion. ... The subject matter and fine writing make this book exhilarating."—Associated Press "A seafaring adventure, an Irish nationalist version of Treasure Island." —Chicago Tribune "Truth may routinely be stranger than fiction, but seldom is it as suspenseful as this story."—Publishers Weekly "Genuinely epic ... a fascinating adventure."—Kirkus Review

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Truth may routinely be stranger than fiction, but seldom is it as suspenseful as this story of the 1876 rescue of six Irish rebels from Britain's infamous prison colony in Fremantle, Australia, by the American whaling ship Catalpa. Despite its title, the book covers far more than just the rescue ship's voyage, bringing to life the web of political interests and conflicts among Ireland, England and the U.S. toward the end of the 19th century. In his fast-moving narrative, journalist Stevens (The Mayflower Murderer and Other Forgotten Firsts in American History) tells how the six Irish members of the British Armed Forces were recruited and then arrested for treachery because of their allegiance to the rebellious Fenian movement for Irish independence. He describes the ordeal of the Irishmen in prison, as well as the plotting of the clandestine rescue mission, which launched from New Bedford, Mass., and took a year to complete in the face of hostile British forces. The writing is solid if workmanlike. Stevens doesn't shrink from getting into the heads of his subjects, and takes some liberties in reconstructing their thoughts and actions in minute, novelistic detail. The freewheeling approach may trouble some readers, especially as Stevens doesn't cite sources (he's based much of the book on the firsthand account of Catalpa captain George Anthony). Ultimately, however, the action-packed international intrigue and Stevens's keen sense of pacing carry the book; readers who can put aside their skepticism will be riveted.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

Stevens (Rebels in Blue) presents a stirring account of a most dramatic episode in the history of the Irish struggle for independence. After the attempted uprisings of the 1860s, many Irish were arrested, including a number of Irishmen serving in the British army who had taken the Fenian oath. Some of these ex-soldiers were later transported to Australian prisons. One, John Boyle O'Reilly, made a dramatic escape from Fremantle prison in Australia and, after reaching the United States, worked with the Irish organization Clan Na Gael to secure the freedom of the six compatriots he left behind (see Fanatic Heart: A Life of John Boyle O'Reilly, 1844-1890). In a splendid example of boldness and daring, the clan purchased a whaling ship, sailed to the rescue of the "Fremantle Six," and brought them back to the United States. A cause c‚lŠbre at the time, the rescue was a major embarrassment to the British. This first book-length account will interest public library patrons who enjoy both a good story and a good history. It is also appropriate for collections of Irish history in the academic setting. Charlie Cowling, Drake Memorial Lib., Brockport, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1842126512
• ISBN 13: 9781842126516
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400