John Boyle O’Reilly

John Boyle O’Reilly was a Fenian activist who infiltrated the 10th Hussars with the intention of recruiting men to his Irish Republican cause. He joined the regiment in March 1863 and showed great intelligence. He was born on 28 June 1844 so was only 18 when he joined up. He foolishly embroidered ‘rebel devices’ on the underside of his saddle-cloth and the lining of his coat. He was apprehended and charged with knowledge of an intended mutiny. His court marshal was on 27 June 1866 just before his 22nd birthday. He was sentenced to death but his CO, Colonel Valentine Baker spoke on his behalf and the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and subsequently to 20 years’ transportation to Western Australia. Whilst there he fell in love with Jessie the daughter of Henry Woodman the Warder, but she became pregnant and it ended badly with him attempting suicide. O’Reilly managed to escape in 1869 and board a ship bound for America. The story of this escape and voyage reads like an adventure movie. He settled in Charlestown near Boston and in 1872 married Mary Murphy a journalist. He earned a living giving lectures and writing poetry. However, he was an insomniac, and poisoned himself accidentally by taking his wife’s medicine which contained chloral hydrate. He died on 10 Aug 1890. A monument was built to his memory in Boston in 1896.

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