“McCaffery (McCassery)”
Description
A young man enlists in the 42nd Regiment; mistreated by his captain and confined to barracks for a trivial offense, he decides to kill the captain. He accidentally shoots his colonel instead, and is tried (at Liverpool Assizes) and hanged.
Notes
Hall, notes to Voice08, re "Calvery": "The story in the ballad is true in all its essentials. Patrick McCafferty was born in Mullingar, Co. West Meath, and in October 1860 enlisted at the age of seventeen in the 32nd Regiment.... McCafferty was tried at Liverpool Assizes and was hanged in Liverpool in front of Kirkdale gaol on January 11th, 1862. [ref. Roy Palmer, ed., _The Rambling Soldier_ (Alan Sutton, 1985).]" Yates, Musical Traditions site _Voice of the People suite_ "Notes - Volume 8" - 1.3.03 has a more detailed account. - BS
When I met this song, I was surprised to find a soldier from the 42nd Regiment (the famous Black Watch) being tried in Liverpool; their base is in Perth. The likeliest explanation is that several sources confused the obscure 32nd regiment (which was, improbably enough, the Cornwall Regiment) with the famous 42nd, for which see songs such as "Wha Saw the Forty-Second." - RBW, (PJS)
Cross references
- cf. "The Croppy Boy (I)" [Laws J14] (tune for Voice08)
Recordings
- May Bradley, "Calvery" (on Voice08)
References
- MacSeegTrav 86, "McCaffery" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT, MCASSERY
- Roud #1148
- BI, McCST086