Robert Boyd’s

Introduction “The preparations for death are going on rapidly around me as I sit chained. I am to be shot with 60 others in about an hour”. Robert Boyd’s “calm and perfectly resigned” acceptance of his fate as he wrote in his final letter, dated 10 December, 1831, to his brother William.  Robert Boyd (1805-1831), an Irishman from Londonderry aged 26, participated in, and partly financed, General Torrijos’ idealistic yet ill-fated expedition to overthrow King Ferdinand VII of Spain in 1831. Through betrayal by a presumed ally, General Moreno, the expedition failed, the participants captured and incarcerated. Then, without any semblance of justice, they were taken out and executed by firing squad.   Background In early 1830s political unrest simmered in Europe; Spain was no exception. K...