Errand of Mercy

Name: Errand of Mercy
Price: 22.02 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9798232435363

America's First Famine Relief Voyage to Ireland

Robert Bennet Forbes

$24.95 $22.02

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We will update you on expected arrival time to us. If this delay is too long, please let us know within 2 business days and we can give you options regarding cancelling or adjusting your order. More details on cancelling your order can be found in our Terms of Trade.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Irish History Relived
29 March 2026

British & Irish history; Maritime history; Social impact of disasters

Series: Irish Diaspora

Summary
Details

In 1847, as Ireland was being devastated by the Great Famine, one American ship sailed not to profit from suffering, but to relieve it. Errand of Mercy recounts the extraordinary voyage of the USS Jamestown, a former warship stripped of its guns and sent across the Atlantic with food, clothing, and hope for the starving people of Ireland.

Drawn from the original public domain account by Captain Robert Bennet Forbes, this edition brings back into view one of the most remarkable and least remembered episodes in Irish-American history. The Jamestown's mission was no act of empire or conquest. It was a civilian-led effort of conscience, charity, and practical compassion, carried out at a moment when millions faced hunger, disease, and displacement.

This modern edition has been prepared for today's reader while preserving the force and character of the original narrative. Obsolete spellings and outdated phrasing have been updated for clarity, and editorial notes have been added to explain historical references and deepen context. The result is a more accessible edition of a powerful firsthand account from the age of sail, famine, and transatlantic relief.

At its heart, this is a story about moral action in a time of catastrophe. It is the story of a ship, a captain, and a mission that helped awaken a wider movement of humanitarian aid. It is also a story of the enduring bond between Ireland and America, forged not only through migration and memory, but through mercy.

For readers of Irish history, maritime history, famine studies, and nineteenth-century Atlantic history, Errand of Mercy restores an important chapter of the past and reminds us what one determined act of service can mean in the life of a nation.

By: Robert Bennet Forbes
Imprint: Irish History Relived
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 9mm
Weight: 154g
ISBN: 9798232435363
Series: Irish Diaspora
Pages: 150
Publication Date: 29 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active