{"product_id":"errand-of-mercy-robert-bennet-forbes-9798232435363","title":"Errand of Mercy: America's First Famine Relief Voyage to Ireland","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1847, as Ireland was being devastated by the Great Famine, one American ship sailed not to profit from suffering, but to relieve it. \u003cem\u003eErrand of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e recounts the extraordinary voyage of the USS \u003cem\u003eJamestown\u003c\/em\u003e, a former warship stripped of its guns and sent across the Atlantic with food, clothing, and hope for the starving people of Ireland.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawn 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 \u003cem\u003eJamestown\u003c\/em\u003e'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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis 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 Obsolete spellings and outdated phrasing have been updated for clarity, and editorial notes have been added to explain historical references and deepen context.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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor readers of Irish history, maritime history, famine studies, and nineteenth-century Atlantic history, \u003cem\u003eErrand of Mercy\u003c\/em\u003e restores an important chapter of the past and reminds us what one determined act of service can mean in the life of a nation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Robert Bennet Forbes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798232435363\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Irish History Relived\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/29\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 150\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.34lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.35d","brand":"Robert Bennet Forbes","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49084135244031,"sku":"9798232435363","price":9.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/errand-of-mercy-robert-bennet-forbes-9798232435363","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}