The Cork Captain

The Cork Captain follows the career of the fighting soldier Michael Roberts Westropp through turbulent times in Ireland, the West Indies and the start of the American War of Independence.
He turns his back on a life in the counting house of his father’s business in Cork and enlists as an ensign in the 18th Regiment of Foot and is soon faced with the Whiteboys rebellion in the West of Ireland. Ensign Westropp is next posted to the West Indies to secure the valuable islands from French attack while there is unease from slave revolts and the perils of yellow fever decimating the ranks of his new regiment the 70th Foot.
The American colonies are in revolt, and he finds himself in Boston. Massachusetts with the 63rd Foot under siege from George Washington’s colonial troops.
Home in Cork, Westropp is called on to confront Wolfe Tone’s United Irishmen’s 1798 rebellion. The uprising tests the military, civil and commercial life of the City, where he hopes rise to the highest levels of commerce and Government.