The otherwise unremarkable 202-ton converted merchantman Catalpa secured her place in maritime history by her involvement in the nineteenth century's equivalent of 'The Great Escape', an audacious plan by Fenian sympathisers to break six Irish political prisoners out of Fremantle Jail (Australia) in 1876. Sailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, in April 1875 disguised as a whaler, only Catalpa's master Captain George Anthony was privy to the real purpose of her voyage. Arriving in Australian waters in March 1876 after a moderately succesful whalehunt en route, the final plans were formulated and the six prisoners duly made their escape on Easter Monday. Rowing out to the Catalpa knowing that the armed local steamer Georgette was already beginning a search for them, the fugitives reached Catalpa with a fast police launch hard on their heels. The next day, the Georgette overtook the fleeing Catalpa and she was ordered to heave-to and turn over the prisoners. Capain Anthony defied the Georgette to open fire on his American flag and, as he had hoped, the government steamer declined and turned for home leaving him to set a course for New York. Catalpa herself eventually returned to New Bedford and became a genuine whaler until 1884 when she was sold out of the whaling trade, fate unknown, whilst the six Fenians melted away into New York's teeming Irish community and were never seen again.