The Catalpa Expedition

"The Catalpa Expedition" by Zeph. W. (Zephaniah Walter) Pease is a gripping recollection of a covert operation in the late 1800s where an American whaling ship, led by Captain George S. Anthony, undertook a risky mission to liberate Irish political prisoners from an Australian penal colony. The book illustrates the Fenian movement's struggle for Irish independence and the dire situation of its imprisoned members, under the watchful eye of John Devoy, who orchestrated the rescue. Starting with the Catalpa’s departure from New Bedford in 1875, carrying a hidden agenda, the narrative foreshadows danger, weaving a tale of courage, determination, and the lengths to which people will go to fight for freedom.