 At first contemplating a regular army career, he became a second lieutenant in October 1880, then resigned in 1881.He immediately joined Charles Stewart Parnell in the Irish National Land League agitation.In February 1882 he was arrested in possession of seditious literature and sentenced under the Irish Coercion Act and imprisoned for three months in Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, together with Parnell (with whom he shared a cell), William O'Brien, John Dillon and others.