to be infested with spies, and the British Government were well informed on the expedition's developments. At 4 pm on Tuesday, 4 September 1798, the Anacreon left Dunkirk for Ireland. A council of war was held on receiving the intelligence of Humbert's defeat. Generals Tandy and Rey were against disembarkation. The order to evacuate was, therefore, given. This was opposed by the spies Orr and Murphy who according to Rupert J. Coughlan, "…begged to be allowed to take to the mountains for the purpose of fostering the cause of liberty and preparing the people for the arrival of General Hardy's expedition that was to follow." Murphy claims that in response to this Colonel Blackwell would have killed them had Napper Tandy not intervened. The spy Orr alleges that, having been a member of the landing party, Tandy was carried back to the ship from the mainland in advanced stages of intoxication. Peter Perry, one of Colonel Blackwell's Bow Street escorts from Sheerness to London the following year, declared that his prisoner had stated that Napper Tandy got so drunk ashore that he (Blackwell) "was obliged to have him brought on board on the men's shoulders." Perry's colleague, Thomas Dowsett, corroborated this by reporting that Blackwell said that the conduct of the expedition fell chiefly on him as "N. Tandy was always drunk and incapable of acting." Supposedly Blackwell also told William Ross, the king's messenger, that he was forced to assume the responsibility of the expedition, as Tandy was a 'poor lost creature that could do nothing.' Orr also claimed that Blackwell had Tandy "in leading strings" and consequently Tandy was compelled to give Blackwell the rank of adjutant-general and next that of general of brigade. In fact had Tandy been incapable he could not have prevented Blackwell from killing Murphy for disputing the re-embarkation order; the total absence from the ship amounted to less than six hours in all, with much needing to be done during that brief period their itinerary could not afford a visit to the island inn; Blackwell was an experienced professional soldier with a thorough knowledge of the language, Napper Tandy, in the circumstances, was obliged to place more than usual reliance on him – hence the 'leading strings' allegation; and lastly, the post of adjutant-general is an office and not a rank. Orr also wrongly accused Blackwell of being only a captain when, in