Post to Mudcat, for 03/40/06
Here are a few bits on Napper Tandy from "Today In Irish History." I am aware of the overlap in re 16 and 18 September, 1798. The two entries reflect the source materials cited. I suspect the 16th was the date of arrival and the 18th the date of departure. Suffice to say he was "for real," active in the United Irishmen movement, and a Fenian negotiator with the French of sufficient stature that the Brits let him out of jail to help negotiate a treaty with France. I've not taken the opportunity to resolve the detail, and would appreciate any credible info (i.e.; with citations) any one here can provide. You can contact me through my personal page here at the 'cat.
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14 Oct 1797        William Orr, of County Antrim, was hanged for having given the United Irish oath to two soldiers. He was defended by prominent defense attorney John Philpot Curran, who also defended William Drennan, Napper Tandy, and Theobald Wolfe Tone. The hanging of Orr, on what was then considered flimsy evidence, was seen as yet another martyrdom by inflamed radical opinion. (Oxford Comp.; 1998 @ 419; 131) William Drennan, a founder and theorist for the United Irishmen, wrote a lament for Orr entitled "When Erin First Rose," in which he coined the phrase "Emerald Isle." (Oxford Comp.; 1998 @ 154)

02 Apr 1798        Dublin-born United Irishman James Napper Tandy was commissioned a Brigadier General in the French Army, and placed as second in command of the invasion force which later sailed for Ireland from Dunkirk in early September. (Irish Democrat; 29 May 2002)

14 Jul 1798        In spite of Napoleon Bonaparte's loss of interest, the French government continued to plan for aid to Ireland.   In Paris, Wolfe Tone and Edward Lewins were working tirelessly to this end. Spurred by the news that a rising was afoot in Ireland, plans were set by this date for several separate expeditions; one under General Humbert, followed by General Hay and Napper Tandy, with the main one under General Hardy and Wolfe Tone at Brest. Humbert's expedition was the only one of the three to effectuate a landing. Humbert's force was to establish a bridgehead with his 1,019 soldiers, 6,000 stands of arms, three field guns and 3,000 uniforms. The other expeditions were to follow shortly after with extra munitions and more troops. Despite many problems, Humbert sailed three weeks later. Hardy was delayed a further six weeks, and Hay sailed between them with 400 troops and a large supply of arms and munitions. (RMD, 11 Sep 1998)

04 Sep 1798        James Napper Tandy landed in Donegal with a small force and arms for United Irishmen. Hearing of Humbert's surrender four days later, Tandy re-embarked and departed Ireland without ever engaging crown forces. (Cronin, M.; 2001 @ 112)

16 Sep 1798        Napper Tandy landed at Rutland Island, opposite Burtonport in west County Donegal with a small French force. On learning of Humbert's surrender eight days earlier, Tandy reportedly got drunk and had to be carried back to his ship. (McMahon, 1996; @ 105)(Oxford Comp.; 1998 @ 533)

18 Sep 1798        Four days after leaving Dunkirk, a small French invasion fleet arrived off the coast of Donegal. The Anacréon, with General Rey, commander of the expedition, and General James Napper Tandy, his second in command, anchored by Rutland Island. Several members of the expedition, including Rey, Tandy, James Blackwell, and William Corbett, went ashore where they addressed an excited gathering of the local people, distributed a proclamation signed by Tandy, and passed out green cockades. On receiving confirmation of the defeat of General Humbert's force, Tandy advised Ray that their force was too small to have any chance of success on its own, and recommended withdrawal. Rey accepted Tandey's counsel, and the small fleet sailed for Bergen, Norway, capturing two British ships enroute. (Irish Democrat; 29 May 2002)

01 Oct 1799        United Irishmen James Napper Tandy, James Bartholomew Blackwell, William Corbet and Hervey M. Morres, arrested in Hamburg at the behest of the British government in the fall of 1798, were finally turned over to the British government. (Weber, 1997 @ 30)

14 Mar 1802    United Irishman James Napper Tandy arrived in Bordeaux, France, having been released from a British sentence of death for treason to facilitate a peace treaty between Britain and France. The Peace of Amiens was subsequently signed in London on the 24th, ten days after Tandy's arrival in France. (Irish Democrat; 29 May 2002)

24 Aug 1803        James Napper Tandy, Brigadier General in the French army, died in France, while working on plan to invade Louisiana - ostensibly a cover for another invasion of Ireland. Tandy's passing came some two months before Robert Emmet launched his abortive rebellion in Dublin, and the hoped for new French invasion of Ireland never happened. (Irish Democrat; 29 May 2002)