In 1819, self-styled General John Devereux [de] came to Dublin to enlist military aid for Simón Bolívar's army to liberate Venezuela from Spanish rule.
The remainder were disembarked on the Spanish Main at Margarita Island, where many deaths took place from starvation eight days after the Irish mutineers left for Jamaica.
A portion of the expedition, under Francis O' Connor, effected an alliance with Bolivar, and to the energy of these allies the republican successes were chiefly due.
But ceremonial duties soon bored the restless young Irishman, and after a year at Bolivar's headquarters Morgan left for Ireland.
After the captain was killed in a fight with his boatswain, Morgan hitched a ride to Jamaica on a Danish ship commanded by a skipper from Cork.
During his parliamentary career he fought a duel with Lord William Arden, 2nd Baron Alvanley, a captain in the British Army, at Chalk Farm, on 4 May 1835.
O'Connell married, on 23 July 1840, Kate Mary, youngest daughter of Michael Balfe of South Park, County Roscommon.