Overview

"On the first of September 1785, with night coming on and the weather deteriorating, the crew of the ship Faithful Steward sailed toward Delaware's notorious False Cape. In the summer of 1785, a group of Irish migrants took to the Atlantic to escape the abuse and persecution of the ruling classes at home. They sought a new life in the United States, a place ""where the banner of freedom waved proudly"" and ""every good was possessed."" Their ship was new and sturdy, and its captain had a good reputation. On this voyage, however, it was overloaded with migrant families and a massive cargo of counterfeit coins. By the first of September the ship was lost, somewhere off the mid-Atlantic coast. Michael Timothy Dougherty tells the story of the wreck and the people on board."

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9781467153560

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Reviews

Michael Timothy Dougherty has created a compelling account of the wreck of the merchant ship Faithful Steward . The narrative flows nicely and details the event with extensive research. At every twist and turn in the story, Dougherty provides relevant historical examples to help the reader fully understand the situation. His writing style is inviting and allows the reader to easily navigate both the technical and emotional dimensions of the loss of the ship. As an archaeologist who spent my career sifting through the remains of shipwrecks, I was pleased with Dougherty's detailed coverage of the wrecking process, particularly its effects on the immigrant passengers aboard the ship, with all their hopes and dreams . . . and naivety. While the book covers events in the Atlantic theatre of the 18th century, many aspects of the migrant experience can be translated to the trials and tribulations experienced by immigrants coming to the U.S. a century later. Even more removed yet just as relevant, the story of the Faithful Steward reflects the present day journeys experienced by many who are fleeing persecution and economic futility in their home countries. Dougherty's rendering helps us all to have a better understanding of and compassion for immigrants. The book lays solid groundwork, covers a wide variety of aspects involved with the journey, and lets the reader into the fray, as the wind and waves wrecked Faithful Steward, ending the lives of many, and impacting all involved throughout their remaining lives, as survivor James McEntire later recalled. The story had me fully engaged and experiencing the moment some 240 years later! --Mark U. Wilde-Ramsing, former Deputy State Archaeologist (Underwater) of North Carolina, past director of the Queen Anne's Revenge Shipwreck Project, and co-author of Blackbeard's Sunken Prize, The 330-Year Voyage of Queen Anne's Revenge .

Author Information

Michael Timothy Dougherty is an attorney with more than twenty-five years of experience in the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. He most recently served as an assistant secretary for Border, Immigration and Trade Policy and as ombudsman for Citizenship and Immigration Services at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is a shipwreck diver. His home surf break is Indian River Inlet, Delaware.

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