24 Jul 2025
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 The Catalpa Rescue, 1876

 One thing I like about folk songs is that sometimes they tell great stories.
 Today's song, "The Catalpa Rescue, 1876", is about the great rescue mission
 happened in Australia in Year 1876.

 By any chance if you don't know the story, it all started from a letter sent
 from the Fremantle Prison, by a Fenian prisoner. 6 Fenians had been kept in
 the prison for 9 years, losing their hope, and just wanted to do one last
 attempt calling for help. The letter did arrived to the US and 3 brave men
 started planning for the rescue, and they first bought a whaler "Catalpa".

 They took 11 months to sail to West Australia. To their surprise, another
 British gunship was alongside with the steamer Georgette. Postponed the
 rescue for about half a month, the 6 Fenian soldiers were saved and a grand
 chase at sea began. Faced a 12-pounder cannon, the Catalpa hoisted the US flag
 and warned the steamer that anything more than the warning shot would be
 treated as a declaration of war to the US. Not wanting to escalate further,
 the British ships followed the whaleboat for a little longer before giving up.
 The Fenian brothers finally arrived the US safely and it became one of the
 most daring prison breaks in the history.

 It is very fascinating and Eilis Kennedy's singing illustrated perfectly the
 hardship and the long waiting of the "mission impossible". The quote from
 James Wilson's letter, "if you forsake us, then we are friendless indeed",
 really make your heart ache. To be honest, the rescue was just crazy but their
 determination was just at the next level.

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 The Catalpa Rescue, 1876

 in album "So Ends This Day" by Eilis Kennedy
 https://eiliskennedy.bandcamp.com/track/the-catalpa-rescue-1876