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

About this book

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