Thomas Darragh

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Dianne Jones on 2nd October 2021

FOOTNOTE: This article appeared in the Bendigo Advertiser, 14 June 1866, p3: "FENIANISM Dublin, 7th April. Yesterday a general parade of all the troops in garrison at Cork was ordered for eleven o'clock, when Major-General Bates, commanding the district, appeared with his full staff, and was received with a salute. Sergeant Darragh was then brought forth from prison, and placed in the centre of the square into which the troops had been formed. Sergeant Darragh, it will be recollected, was tried about a month ago, by a general court-martial, at Cork. There were five prisoners to be tried, one of whom became insane during his confinement, and was sent to a lunatic asylum; a second was put aside, because he suffered from disease of the heart; a third, a private of the 20th regiment, named Rose, was convicted, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment; but on the recommendation of tho commander-in chief, the Queen was pleased to reverse the sentence, and the prisoner was sent back to his regiment. Sergeant Thomas Darragh was charged, first, with having been guilty of mutinous conduct in Cork about April, 1865 in not reporting an intended mutiny of Her Majesty's forces that came to his knowledge; and, secondly, with having about the same time joined a treasonable and seditious conspiracy, called the Fenian Brotherhood. He was found guilty on both charges, and sentenced to be shot in the presence of the troops in garrison. The charges and sentence having been publicly read by Colonel Norcott, CB, assistant adjutant-general, he announced that Her Majesty approved the findings and sentence; but, considering the prisoner's services and his previous good character, Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to commute the punishment to penal servitude for life in one of the penal prisons. The prisoner was then removed. He is a fine-looking man, thirty-four years of age, having been in the army eighteen years. He has a wife and two children. He seemed deeply distressed while the sentence was being read. The finding in the case of the fifth prisoner, Drum-major Butler, has not yet been promulgated, but it is generally understood that he also has been convicted." --00-- Two months later, an article containing this excerpt appeared in the Sydney Mail (23 June), p6: "Referring to the case of sergeant Darragh, who was sentenced to be shot at Cork for Fenianism, the United Service Gazette says: — ' We believe we shall be justified in stating that Darragh owes his life solely to the Queen's goodness of heart, as well as to her Majesty's full reliance on, and genuine appreciation of, the universal loyalty of the army. We have been informed that the Privy Council were unanimous in pressing upon the Queen the absolute necessity of allowing the law to take its course, and that, so urgent were the remonstrances of the council, that her Majesty had actually permitted the death-warrant to be signed. Very shortly after, however, her Majesty's repugnance to the infliction of the capital punishment returned in such strength, that orders were sent to cancel the warrant; and, by the Queen's own special command, the sentence was commuted to penal servitude.'

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Dianne Jones on 25th August 2021

--00-- CORRECTION: There were 62 Fenian convicts aboard the Hougoumont. Of these, 17 were so called "military Fenians" - men from the British Army in Ireland. "All had been arrested, tried and sentenced between September 1865 and August 1867 for a variety of roles in a concerted but ill-fated attempt forcibly to establish Ireland as an independent republic"(KW Amos, 1987, "The Fenians and Australia c1865-1880", pp107 & 109-110).

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1912, 7 August: Thomas Darragh, a teamster, died at Cumberland Township, Adams County, Philadelphia, from myocarditis (Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1967 for Thomas Darragh 1912, 075551-079160). He was buried on 10 August at Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia. --00-- Footnote: In 2017, the Friendly Sons of St Patrick set out to raise money to erect headstones on the graves of Thomas Darragh and Robert Cranston: “None of the Catalpa Six ever returned to Ireland. All remained until their deaths, in America… Thomas Darragh and Robert Cranston, both buried in Philadelphia, are still without tombstones. In James McNally Wilson’s name, we hope to raise sufficient funds, so we can honor these brave men with their long overdue grave markers” (https://friendlysonsofsaintpatrick.com/2017/10/remembering-the-fenians-thomas-darragh-robert-cranston-102817/).

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1876, 9 September: From "The Pilot", Boston: “THE RESCUED PRISONERS’ GRAND RECEPTION IN BOSTON On the 1st inst., a grand entertainment was given in Music Hall for the benefit of the released prisoners, who were present. The immense hall was crowded; nearly every seat on floor and galleries was filled. The stage was fitted up with a handsome proscenium, the Sheil Literary Institute playing the patriotic drama of Robert Emmet. The greatest credit is due to the management committee. Polite ushers were in attendance, and not the least hitch occurred in the whole evening's entertainment. The address was delivered by John E. Fitzgerald, Esq., who was greeted with thundering applause. He pictured in graphic words the condition of Ireland for centuries; while Poland and other struggling nationalities had been wiped from the map, the intense individualism of the Irish as a nation had preserved them. The movement for which these gallant fellows had suffered was the embodiment of the national idea. (Applause.) … the demand for the appearance of the rescued prisoners was imperious, and had to be gratified, though it was intended by the committee that the men should not be paraded. But the call was so strong and kindly that the bronzed men appeared on the stage, and were introduced by Mr. Fitzgerald. The greeting they received will never be forgotten. It was plain how deep a chord their suffering and escape has struck in the Irish heart. They numbered six, though Mr. Wilson, one of the rescued men, was not present; his place was filled by Mr. William Foley, the ex-prisoner who arrived in this country about two months ago. The entertainment was a complete success; and, besides its value as a patriotic safety-valve, it will add a considerable sum to the testimonial to be presented to the ex-prisoners, to enable them to begin life in this new country under fair circumstances.” --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

From his Fremantle jail record: DARRAGH, Thomas; #9707, arrived 10 Jan 1868 per Hougoumont Date of Birth: 1832 Place of Birth: Broomhill, County Wicklow Marital Status: Married 1 child Occupation: Farmer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: Cork Crime: Mutinous conduct Sentence Period: Life, commuted Comments: One of 62 Fenians transported on the Hougoumont, the last convict ship sent to Australia. Its arrival at Fremantle on 9 Jan 1868 signalled the end of transportation to this country. One of six Fenians, Robert CRANSTON (9702), Thomas DARRAGH (9707), Michael HARRINGTON (9757), Martin HOGAN (9767), Thomas HASSETT (9758) & James WILSON (9915) who escaped from Fremantle Prison on the US whaler Catalpa, 17 Apr 1876. Ex Sergeant 1st Battalion 2nd Regiment of Foot (https://fremantleprison.com.au/history-heritage/history/convict-database/). --0-- 1876, 17 April: The whaler Catalpa with the six military Fenians aboard sailed for America. At two o'clock on the morning of 19 August, 1876, the Catalpa anchored off Castle Garden, New York. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1868, 10 January: On arrival in WA, Thomas Darragh was listed as #9707, 34 years old, and a farmer (a notation refers to his former military rank); married, with one child (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department Registers (128/40 - 43)). This record also contains his physical description. On the General Register, his wife Emma, 21, and his son Henry W. Darragh, 2, both living at 140 High Street, Portsmouth, are given as his next of kin. He was able to read and write and was a Protestant. His character was “good” and a notation indicates that advice was sought about whether Thomas Darragh should be treated as a Fenian convict. The Governor’s reply was: “… he is not a Fenian but a military prisoner and you will treat him as an ordinary felon”. The same document also records that in the normal course of events Thomas Darragh would have been eligible for a Ticket of Leave in January 1879 (see Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; General Register for Nos 9059 - 9598 cont., 9599 - 10128 (R15 - R16)). --0-- 1869, 5 February: Thirty five Fenians who had been transported to Western Australia (as well as others imprisoned in Great Britain) were given Free Pardons / “unconditionally discharged” by the House of Commons. Thomas Darragh was not among them. He and the other 15 military Fenians at Fremantle were consigned to serve out their life sentences, or lesser terms up to 15 years, in WA. For a full list of those who received pardons, see the Melbourne Advocate, 22 May 1869, p4 (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169267360?). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1866, 4 September: Thomas Darragh was admitted to Pentonville prison in north London. Completed in 1842, Pentonville was built “for the detention of convicts sentenced to imprisonment or awaiting transportation” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Prison_Pentonville). He was listed as prisoner #3949, with a notation “P.C. [parchment certificate] of Discharge from Army attached to Penal Record” (U.K. Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Pentonville 1866-1869). 1866, 26 December: He was sent from Pentonville to Portland prison, south-west of London on the Isle of Portland, at Dorset. The jail held adult convicts and “its purpose was largely to make use of convict labour in the construction of the breakwaters of Portland Harbour and its various defences” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HM_Prison_Portland). --0-- 1867, 8 October: According to newspaper reports, more than 20 Fenian prisoners, including Thomas Darragh, were among the convicts from Portland who were taken aboard the Hougoumont, on this date, for transportation to WA. “Shortly before midday 90 convicts were marched down to the Government pier at Portland under a strong escort of the 13th Light Infantry. The party included 23 Fenian convicts… The Government steamer employed in the breakwater service was used for conveying the convicts on board the Hougoumont transport ship. The convicts were chained together on embarking, and on board the steamer a strong guard of marines from her Majesty’s ship St. George was formed, and saw the convicts safely placed on board the Hougoumont.” (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/28608271?searchTerm=hougoumont). --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1866, 2 March: Thomas Darragh was sent from Cork Military Barracks, and admitted to Mountjoy prison in Dublin following his court martial, conviction for mutinous conduct and his initial sentence “to suffer death by being shot, commuted to penal servitude for the term of his natural life”. He was listed as prisoner #7237, late Sergeant 1st Batt 2nd Foot, 31 years old, 5’7¼” tall and born at Wicklow. Note: The second page of his record from Mountjoy is missing. As a consequence, there is no information about his physical characteristics, marital status, literacy, or when he was “disposed of”. (Ireland, Prison Registers, 1790-1924; Book 1/11/4; Mountjoy 1860-1866). Pease (pp10-11) fills in some gaps. He says Thomas Darragh was born in 1834 in Broomhall, Co Wicklow, where his father was a farmer. “He was a Protestant and when he entered the army was an Orangeman, but he was subsequently converted through Fenian agencies to the national faith. He enlisted in the 2d Queen's and saw active service in China and Africa, receiving the distinction medal for gallantry displayed. Mr. Darragh had attained the rank of sergeant-major and was on the list for promotion. He became a member of the Brotherhood early in its organization and was arrested for mutiny in September, 1865… He was described in the prison ‘Hue and Cry’ as being stout, five feet six and one half inches in height, with red hair, gray eyes, round visage, and a fresh complexion.” A photograph of Thomas Darragh – a prison mug shot – is also available from his time at Mountjoy at https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dc-9762-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. He is one of four men in Image 1111432, but is called Thomas Donagh. --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

Several months later, a report of Thomas Darragh’s trial, in the Ballarat Star on 14 April 1866, also focussed on the informer Warner’s use of the Catholic prayer book (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/112868738): “[John] Warner, the Cork approver's [informer's], testimony before the court-martial in that city is, that sergeant Darragh was sworn in a Fenian by him on a Catholic prayer book. To the ordinary Fenian oath, made familiar during the late trials, there was added in the case of the military, "I take this oath in the true spirit of an Irish soldier, at liberty to free my country: so help me God." Darragh was then introduced to [J.J.] Geary, the Cork Centre, who gave the sergeant instructions. These were that he should go about the barracks and find any men that would join the society, and bring them down to Geary's house, but not to deliver the oath to any. He did so. Darragh, in Warner's presence, according to the approver's evidence, told Geary all the weakest parts of the barracks, where they could be most easily broken into. He said that one or two enrolled men in every passage, with one thousand outside, would take it. In answer to the question - Did you hear Geary say, as a member of the Fenian Society, what was to be done to the commanders when the signal for rising was given? Warner said, The commanders were, Geary stated, to be destroyed if they did not take the oath of allegiance to the society. Darragh was present when this was said by Geary. In Geary's house a man from Dublin lectured on the rifle, military and field engineering and the making of cartridges. The Fenians had regular drillings at a place [called Lawneys] not above a mile from the barracks. Geary told Darragh he would make him a B [a Captain].” --0--

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Dianne Jones on 8th August 2021

1865, September: Sergeant-Major Thomas Darragh of the 2nd Queen’s Regiment of Foot was arrested for mutiny while at the School of Musketry, at Fleetwood in England (Pease, 1897, p10, at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62633). At Fleetwood, army personnel provided advice and instruction to infantry weapon trainers throughout the British army in the use of small arms and support weapons, and in range management (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Arms_School_Corps). --0-- 1866, 21 February: Some time between his arrest and his court martial, Thomas Darragh was taken back to Cork, in Ireland. At Cork Military Barracks, his trial ran for more than a week until 2 March. He faced two charges:- “For mutinous conduct at Cork on or about the month of April, 1865, in that coming to the knowledge of an intended mutiny in her Majesty's forces quartered in Cork barracks, he did not give information thereof to his commanding officer. Second charge: For conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in having at Cork, on or about the month of April, 1865, joined a treasonable and seditious society, called the Fenian Brotherhood, having for its object the levying of war against the Queen, and the subverting of the government of the country.” (Pease, p17) Pease says the court martial of Thomas Darragh is “particularly striking” as an exhibit of “the extraordinary efforts which were made to convict” the Fenian conspirators. He writes: “In this case an informer went so far as to receive the sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church in carrying out a deception which was to result in the betrayal of those who accepted him as a friend…” John Warner, the informer, told the court martial that Darragh had gone with him to a pub in North Main Street in Cork. “We had some drink in the inside tap-room, and during the time there I asked would he become a member of the Fenian Society, and he said yes. Then we both went out in the back yard, and I repeated the oath to him, and he did so after me. I then gave him a Catholic prayer-book. He swore on that book to be a member of the Fenian Society. Then we came in and I introduced him to Geary as a member of the society. Geary shook hands with him. He said he was very glad to have one like him enrolled. That was all at that time. Repeat as nearly as you can the oath which you administered to Darragh?—‘I (John or James, whichever the case may be), do swear allegiance to the present republic now virtually established in Ireland; that I will maintain its independence and integrity at every risk, and I will obey the command of my superior officers. I take this oath in the true spirit of an Irish soldier at liberty to free my country. So help me God.’” (Pease, p19) --0--