There they found a brigantine of about 200 tons burden, which
had been purchased for the expedition, and in that brigantine
these men embarked, and sailed for Ireland. She was called the
"Jacknell," and she sailed without papers or colours. For the
purpose of keeping their movements as free from observation
as possible, these men embarked without luggage--a rather
extraordinary thing in men the great majority of whom had
been officers in the American service. The commander of the
expedition was named John F. Kavanagh, and he had filled the
office of brigadier-general in the American army, and was at
one time a member of the American Congress. These men had on
board a very large quantity of arms, packed in piano-cases,
cases for sewing machines, and wine barrels, in order to
conceal them effectually; and the parcels were consigned to
a merchant firm in Cuba. The ship steered for one day towards
the West Indies, in order to avoid suspicion, and then shaped
her course towards Ireland. Vessels occasionally came in
sight, and when they did English colours were hoisted. Nothing
remarkable occurred until Easter Sunday, April 29th, nearly
nine days after they had sailed from New York. The parties
determined to celebrate that day as a festival, and they
hoisted the green flag with a sunburst, fired a salute, and
changed the name of the vessel, calling her "Erin's Hope.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114