William Putnam McCabe | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1776 Belfast, Kingdom of Ireland |
| Died | 6 January 1821 Paris, Kingdom of France |
| Nationality |  Kingdom of Ireland, Irish |
| Movement |  Society of United Irishmen |
William Putnam McCabe (1776–1821) was an emissary and organiser in Ireland for the insurrectionary Society of United Irishmen. Facing multiple indictments for treason as a result of his role in fomenting the 1798 rebellion, he effected a number of daring escapes but was ultimately forced by his government pursuers into exile in France. With the favour of Napoleon, he established a cotton factory at Rouen while remaining active as a member of a new United Irish Directory. He worked to assist Robert Emmett in coordinating a new rising in Ireland in 1803, and later had contact with the Spencean circle in London implicated in both the Spa Field riots and the Cato Street Conspiracy.
In 1814, having ventured to Ireland, he was arrested and deported to Portugal. He returned again in 1817 and was imprisoned for eighteen months. McCabe died in Paris on 6 January 1821, age 46.[1]
- ^ Webb, Alfred (1878). "William Putnam McCabe". Library Ireland. Retrieved 7 March 2021.