Capture and death of Wolfe Tone

**

R. Barry O’Brien**

(1847—)

Richard Barry O’Brien, the historian, was born at Kilrush, County Ciare, in 1847. He was educated by private tutors and at the Catholic University, Dublin. In 1874 he was called to the Irish bar and in 1875 to the English. After practicing for a time in England he turned to politics and literature, devoting himself mainly to Irish historical studies. He has written the following books ‘The Irish Land Question and English Public Opinion,’ ‘The Parliamentary History of the Irish Land Question,’ ‘Fifty Years of Concessions to Ireland,’ ‘Thomas Drummond’s Life and Letters,’ ‘Irish Wrongs and English Remedies,’ ‘The Life of Charles Stewart Parnell,’ ‘The Life of Lord Russell of Killowen.’ He has also edited, with an introduction, a new edition of the ‘Autobiography of Wolfe Tone.’ Mr. O’Brien was one of the founders of the Irish Literary Society, and since its establishment he has been its Chairman. **

The Capture Of Wolfe Tone**

From ‘Autobiography of Wolfe Tone.’

Yet another effort was to be made. On September 20th the last French expedition sailed from Brest. It consisted of a fleet of one sail of the line, the Hoche (74 guns), eight frigates, *Loire, Résolue, Bellone, Coquette, Embuscade, ImmortaIité, Romaine, Sémillante, *and one schooner, the *Biche, *under the command of Admiral Bompard, and of an army of 3,000 men under General Hardy. Tone was on board the admiral’s ship, the *Hoche. *As on the previous occasion, the ships were scattered on the voyage; but on October 10 Bompard arrived at the entrance of Lough Swilly with the Hoche, the *Loire, *the *Résolue, *and the *Biche. *He was instantly signaled from the shore. At daybreak next morning a British squadron, consisting of six sail of the line, one razee (60 guns) and two frigates, under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren, hove in sight. Bompard signaled the French frigates and the schooner to retreat, and cleared the Hoche for action. A boat from the *Biche *came alongside the Hoche for last orders.

The French officers gathered around Tone, and urged him to escape. “The contest is hopeless,” they said. “We shall be prisoners of war, but what will become of you?” He answered, “Shall it be said that I fled when the French were fighting the battles of my country? No; I shall stand by the ship.”

The British admiral, having dispatched two sail - the razee and a frigate - to give chase to the *Loire *and the *Résolue, *bore down on the *Hoehe *with the rest of the sqnadron. The French ship was surrounded; but Bompard nailed his colors to the mast. For six hours the *Hoche *stood the combined fire of the British ships. Her masts were dismantled; her rigging was swept away; the scuppers flowed with blood; the wounded filled the cock-pit. At length with yawning ribs, with five feet of water in the bold, her rudder carried away, her sails and cordage hanging in shreds, her batteries dismounted and every gun silenced, she struck. Tone commanded a battery, and fought like a lion, exposing himself to every peril of the conflict.

The *Hoche *was towed into Loch Swilly, and the prisoners landed and marched to Letterkenny. The Earl of Cavan invited the French officers to breakfast. Tone was among the guests. An old college companion, Sir George Hill recognized him. “How do you do, Mr. Tone?” said Hill. “I am very happy to see you.” Tone greeted Hill cordially, and said, “How are you, Sir George? How are Lady Hill and your family?”

The police, who suspected that Tone was among the prisoners, lay in waiting in an adjoining room. Hill went to them, pointed to Tone, and said “There is your man.” Tone was called from the table. He knew that his hour had come, but he went cheerfully to his doom. Entering the next apartment, he was surrounded by police and soldiers, arrested, loaded with irons, and hurried to Dublin.

On November 10 he was put on his trial before a court-martial. He said to his judges: “I mean not to give you the trouble of bringing judicial proof, to convict me, legally, of having acted in hostility to the Government of his Britannic Majesty in Ireland. I admit the fact. From my earliest youth I have regarded the connection between Ireland and Great Britain as the curse of the Irish nation, and felt convinced that, whilst it lasted, this country could never be free nor happy. My mind has been confirmed in this opinion by the experience of every succeeding year, and the conclusions which I have drawn from every fact before my eyes. In consequence, I determined to apply all the powers which my individual efforts could move in order to separate the two countries.”

He made but one request. He asked to be shot like a soldier. The request was refused, and he was ordered to be hanged within forty-eight hours. On the morning of the 12th of November Curran moved the Court of King’s Bench for a writ of *habeas corpus. *“I do not pretend,” he said, “that Mr. Tone is not guilty of the charges of which he is accused. I presume the officers were honorable men. But it is stated in this affidavit as a solemn fact, that Mr. Tone had no commission under his Majesty, and therefore no court-martial could have cognizance of any crime imputed to him whilst the Court of King’s Bench sat in the capacity of the great criminal court of the land. In times when war was raging, when man was opposed to man in the field, courts-martial might be endured; but every law authority is with me, whilst I stand upon this sacred and immutable principle of the Constitution, that martial law and civil law are incompatible, and that the former must cease with the existence of the latter. This is not, however, the time for arguing this momentous question. My client must appear in this court. He is cast for death this very day. He may be ordered for execution whilst I address you. I call on the court to support the law, and move for a *habeas corpus, *to be directed by the Provost-Marshal of the barracks of Dublin, and Major Sandys, to bring up the body of Tone.” *

Chief-justice- “*Have a writ instantly prepared.”

*Curran- “*My client may die whilst the writ is preparing.”

*Chief- justice- “*Mr. Sheriff, proceed to the barracks, and acquaint the Provost-Marshal that a writ is preparing to suspend Mr. Tone’s execution, and see that he be not executed.”

The sheriff hastened to the prison. The court awaited his return with feverish suspense. He speedily reappeared.

“My lord,” be said, “I have been to the barracks, in pursuance of your order. The Provost-Marshal says he must obey Major Sandys. Major Sandys says he must obey Lord Cornwallis.” *

Curran- “*My lord, Mr. Tone’s father has just returned after serving the writ of *habeas corpus, *and General Craig says he will not obey it.”

*Lord Chief-justice Kilwarden - “*Mr. Sheriff, take the body of Tone into custody, take the Provost-Marshal and Major Sandys into custody, and show the order of the court to General Craig.”

The sheriff hastened once more to the prison. He returned quickly. He had been refused admittance, and was told that Tone had attempted suicide, and that he lay in a precarious state. A servant was called to corroborate the sheriff’s statement.

**

*Lord Chief-justice- *Mr. Sheriff, take an order to suspend the execution.”

At the prison Tone lay on his pallet dying. On the evening of the 11th of November, while the soldiers were erecting the gallows before his window, he cut his throat with a penknife, inflicting a deep wound. At four o’clock next morning a surgeon came and closed the wound. As the carotid artery was not cut, he said that Tone might recover. “I am sorry,” said Tone, “that I have been so bad an anatomist.” He lingered till the morning of November 19.

Standing by his bedside, the surgeon whispered to an attendant that if he attempted to move or speak he would die instantly. Tone overheard him, and making a slight movement said: “I can yet find words to thank you, sir. It is the most welcome news you can give me. What should I wish to live for?” Falling back with these expressions upon his lips, he instantly expired.

So perished Wolfe Tone. So ended the rebellion of 1798.

General Contents. .