The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Digitized by the internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/popularhistoryof00kava_3 Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library L161- ■H41 THE REV. P. F. KAVANAGH, OS.F We publish (fco-day' an etching af the iR-ev P F Xavanagh, O -S F, of Liberty street Franciscan , ■tlonvent, Cork. Xofc in Cork only, but where- i ever Irishmen have carried with them love of ihe old cause in the lands beyond the seas, Father Kavanagh is known as a good priest andi ' , a reliable Irish Nationalist, His history of the Rebellion of ^98 is a narrative already accepted ) as an authority, and written in the spirit of one ; - -whose heart went out to the men who “kindled. • y VJ r H ‘Qpo'xc _____ d - a a o x m ‘d r ^AppnoTpiSigj^ rnn^^d'^ i ‘j[0(j.pi[os ^Xt(fLinH* H H • d f Y s^xnoqj, m : g ‘i^pauna;^ s^raoqj^ jjf' — c^uasaid osp aj^qj^ 'papTSaad ‘g q ‘nosi[cmp jig •X^'pja^SaX asnop[ noisTTUpj 0 q‘+ p^a^ ppT*ieui-];{Y aqi jo Stn^asTU y. •enSB0-i Lu,40^oy A POPULAR HISTORY THE INSURRECTION OF 1798 : DERIVED FROM EVERY AVAILABLE WRITTEN RECORD AND RELIABLE TRADITON. BY THE REV. PATRICK F. KAVANAGH. The Tribune’s tongue and Poet’s pen Must sow the seed in slavish men ; But His the soldierH sword alone Can reap the harvest when His grown. dourt^ ^0irHioK, attir w I}isu7 f'CcCwu uj following notice which was distributed through the country : — ITotice. — We, the high sheriff and magistrates of the county of Wexford, assembled at sessions, held at the county courthouse in Wexford, this 23rd day of May, 1798, have received the most clear and unequi- vocal evidence, private as well as public, that the system and plans of those deluded persons who style themselves, and are commonly known by the name of United Irishmen, have been generally adopted by the inhabitants of the several parishes in this county, who have provided themselves with pikes and other arms for the purpose of carrying their plans into execution. And whereas we have received information that the inhabitants of some parts of this county have, within these few days past, returned to their allegiance, sur- rendering their arms, and confessing the errors of their past misconduct. ^7ow we, the high sheriff and magis- trates assembled, as aforesaid, do give this public notice that if, within the space of fourteen days from the date hereof the inhabitants of the other parts of this county do not come in to some of the magistrates of this county and surrender their arms, or other offensive weapons, concealed or otherwise, and give such proof of their return to their allegiance as shall appear suffi- cient, an application will be made to Government to send the army at free quarters into such parishes as shall fail to comply, to enforce due obedience to this notice. Signed by — Edward Percival, Sheriff, Courtown, John Henry Lyster, James Boyd, George Le Hunte, Thomas Handcock, John James, John Pounden, Haw- trey White, James White, Ebenezer, Jacob, William Hore, Edward D’Arcy, John Heatly, John Grogan, Archibald Jacob, Edward Turner, Isaac Gomock, Cor- 74 ^ Popular History of the nelius Grogan, Trancis Turner, William Toole, Eichard Kewton King, Charles Yero/’ Terrified by the extreme cruelty wherewith those were treated with whom arms had been discovered, many of those who as yet possessed them hastened to give them up, hoping that being unarmed they might be left in peace. ^ The Catholic clergy, too, advised their fiocks to adopt this course, relying with ground- less confidence on the promises of their faithless and merciless rulers. This error of judgment, how- ever, they afterwards nobly redeemed, by fighting valiantly against their relentless foes. As might have been foreseen, this submission on the part of the people proved utterly unavailing to obtain any respite from persecution, and their sufferings, instead of being miti- gated, increased day by day. Kothing was now heard in the country but the frightful screams of the tor- tured victims of the scourge or of the pitch-cap. Eutas man must ever cloak his guilt under some specious pretext, this was done, fors(>oth, to force the victim to confess crimes of which he was suspected of being guilty. Despair took possession of the public mind, as the men, under whose eyes, and by whose orders, such cruelties were practised, were the magistrates of the county, from whose sentence there was no appeal. Amongst those bloodthirsty and inhuman wretches, to whose tender mercies the unfortunate peasantry were delivered up by the English Government, some may claim more especial attention. Hunter, Gowen, Archi- bald, Hamilton, Jacob, and Owens, a Protestant minis- ter, earned for themselves an infamous notoriety for the Many who had not pikes procured them now in order to ob- tain on d('livering them up a written protection from the magis- trates. — H ay. Insurrection ^ 1798 . 75 savage energy wherewith they used the power that the law had placed in their hands. Go wen entered the town of Gorey at the head of his troops, holding his sword aloft with a human finger stuck on its point, and afterwards adjourning to an inn to refresh himself after his labours, and to recount to his friends the infamous exploits of the day, stirred his punch with the bloody trophy. Of a character equally infamous was Jacob of Enniscorthy, who scoured the country accompanied by a wretch as villainous as himself, who filled the double ofiice of torturer and executioner. Besides those who underwent the various tortures in the power of such miscreants to inflict — and we have seen that their ingenuity was almost equal to their power, which was unbounded — numbers were sentenced to transportation, after a trial which was indeed a mock- ery of justice. Mr. Hay states that for months previous to the insurregtion, groups of from twelve to fifteen cart- loads of persons condemned to transportation in other counties, passed daily through the county of Wexford, on their way to Dunoannon Eort. The AVexford ma- gistrates soon began to put the precedent thus afforded in practice to a fearful extent. Many of the condemned appealed to the court of quarter sessions, held as de- scribed on the 23rd, but, as might have been expected, all the sentences passed by individual magistrates were confirmed by the twenty three thereat assembled. Amongst the expatriated victims was a priest named Dixon, who was found guilty upon the evidence of an informer, although three respectable witnesses gave testimony — by swearing an alibi — sufficient to acquit him in any court of justice. During the week preced- ing the insurrection all manner of horrid rumours were life in AYexford. As fourteen days were granted by the proclamation issued on the 23rd, for the submission 76 A Popular History of the of the people and the delivering np of their arms, it was hoped by many that a cessation of the persecution hitherto maintained might take place. But this hope was grievously disappointed. The various imple- ments of torture were plied as vigorously as before ; the brand of the legal incendiary still gave to flames the once peaceful homes of the people, and the demons of cruelty and revenge alone rejoiced amidst the scene of universal horror and desolation. CHAPTER Yl. Wholesale massacre pei'petrated by the loyalists.— Father John Murphy the first to raise the standard of rebellion. — His character.— His first acMeve- ment.— Minor events in Wexford. — March of the militia and yeomanry to Oulart. — Burning of Darby Kavanagh’s house. — Eftects of the first success of the insurgents. — The Boolevogue insurgents proceed to Oulart Hill. URIHG the week preceding the insurrection two events occurred in Wicklow calculated to deepen, if possible, the feelings of horror which the state of affairs in their own county had already excited in the breasts of the Wexfordians. Hitherto individuals had suffered death or torture, hut now it seemed whole- sale massacres were determined upon. One of the events we allude to occurred at Dunlavin, and is re- corded in a foregoing chapter; the other, no less shock- ing in its details, took place at Carnew, and is thus related in the Irish Magazine,” published in 1811, while the affair was still recent. The armed loyalist yeomen of Coolatin and Carnew traversed the country, threatening the inhabitants that unless they came into Carnew for protection they should be all put to death. The people suspecting the real design remained at Insurrection 0/ 77 home. However, thirty-six unfortunates went, and on their arrival they were seized and thrust into prison, and, in the interim, another summons was despatched to the country people to come into Carnew. This second invitation they treated as the first. The loy- alists then proceeded to sacrifice the wretched people who had placed themselves in their power. They tied the thirty- six in couples, hack to hack, conveyed them to the ball- alley, placed them against the wall, in pairs, and shot every one.” The reign of terror may he said to have reached its height when those unhappy yeomen were thus cruelly murdered by their comrades on the mere suspicion of being less bloodthirsty than they. Men stood aghast on hearing of such a deed of wholesale slaughter. It now seemed plain that no man, however innocent, could deem himself safe — to he a Papist,” or even a liberal Protestant, was a crime that sufficed to bring down destruction on his head. Brave men might think of resistance, hut unarmed and unorganised as they were, what could it avail hut to render their ruin more complete ? In this dreadful crisis, however, a man was found fearless enough in the midst of an oppressed and dismayed people to raise the standard of revolt, and hid a brave defiance to the tyrants of his coun- try. This man had been known hitherto only as a kind, zealous, and a true Irish priest, who, though he had won the highest honors of scholarship in a foreign university, yet had ever lived amongst his humble flock as one of themselves. A gentleman by profession and education, and by acquired accomplishments and natu- ral gifts fitted to move in the highest circles, he pre- ferred to be the poor man’s friend than the rich man’s flatterer. He, like others of his sacred calling, had be- lieved in the faith of the faithless, and had counselled his 78 A l^opular History of the flock to deliver up their arms at the mandate of their rulers He now saw with hitter disappointment that the submission had been of no avail ; that mercy was shown to none ; not even to the old and helpless, nor to those whose sex should have been a sufficient defence. Prom the surrounding parishes reports came of fear- ful outrages daily committed, and at length the storm burst forth in full violence within the district whose inhabitants called him pastor. On the 26th of May twenty houses were set on fire in the parish of Boole- vogue. The church soon after shared the same fate, and soon the humble temple wherein a virtuous and peaceful people had often gathered together to worship God in the religion of their fathers, was reduced to a mass of smoking ruins, and the zealous priest, who had prayed and preached therein, found himself with- out liome or altar, a homeless and hunted fugitive. The often repeated^ ond, I believe^ commonly received statement that the hurning of Father Johids house and chapel was what impelled hun to take part in the insur- rection^ is quite unfounded. Like the majority of the Catholic clergy of the time, he had no house that he could call his own, but lodged in that of a parishioner, and the chapel of Boolevogue was not burned till the morning of Sunday the 27th of May, when the insur- rection had already begun by the fight at the Harrow.^' * The author received the above account of the burning of the chapel, and the outbreak of the insurrection, from a respectable farmer of the parish, whose father was an intimate friend of Father John Murphy’s, and accompanied him through the entire struggle. The same account is given by other old people of the neighbourhood of Boolevogue, where the people are perfectly fa- miliar with the events of the memorable year of ’98, having heard them from their fathers and grandfathers. It has never, we be- lieve, been published before. For further particulars concerning Father John, see Appendix. IiiS'li rrection ^ 1798 . 79 Father John had indeed opposed the organization of the United Irishmen, not, as may be supposed, from any lack of patriotism, but because he deemed it unlawful, as unable to effect what it aimed at, while he trusted that in time the English Government might adopt a policy more just and merciful towards his unfor- tunate country. In this expectation he was, as we have seen, dis- appointed, for matters assumed, day by day, a gloomier aspect, till the good priest and true patriot perceived at length that oppression had risen to a height that justified, because it necessitated, resistance. The step he designed to take was perhaps hastened by the fol- lowing event : — Saturday, the 26 th of May, was the day appointed for the peasantry of Boolevogue and its neighbourhood to deliver up their arms to a magistrate named Cornick, who was to meet them at Ferns. On arriving at that place, according to appointment, they did not, as they expected, meet Cornick, but were fiercely assailed by a large number of the black mob,” as the Orange yeomen of the period were called by the peasantry. Their enemies, who out-numbered them by two to one, were all provided with swords and muskets, which they used with fatal effect. OverpoAvered by numbers, but still fighting bravely, the peasantry retreated to- wards home, turning noAV and then as their enemies pressed them too closely. On arriving at Milltown, they were met by Father John, who had ridden up on hearing of the affray. On seeing the arrival of the priest, the Orangemen, ceasing the pursuit, came to a halt, and presently afterwards returned to Ferns. It was this desperate and unprovoked attack, together with the burning of the houses in his parish, that decided the hitherto wavering mind of Father Mur- 8o A Popular History oj the Fatlier Jolin luckily happened to he absent when the houses ahoye-mentioned were given to the flames, hut he beheld the conflagration from a distance, and sought re- fuge in a neighbouring thicket. To this place of refuge, also, came many of his people involved in the same cala- mity. Here, surrounded by a crowd of weeping and tearful women and children, and of men, who trembled not for themselves, hut for their helpless wives, mothers, and sisters, and their more helpless little ones, the great- souled Soggarth thought more of their sorrow than of his own, and now deeply deplored his infatuation in coun- selling the people to deliver up their arms, and thereby leaving themselves at the mercy of foes whose hatred could be content only with their utter destruction. He now resolved to retrieve, if possible, this error of judgment. Hitherto he had been their leader in peace, now they should follow him in the struggle for freedom. The contest was, indeed, unequal ; but as his eye rested upon the stalwart forms of those sturdy men, who stood before him in dejected attitudes, his spirit aroused itself from the torpor almost of despair into which it had sunk, and formed a brave resolve to change them into soldiers of freedom. His resolu- tion taken, Father John motioned to the people to gather more closely around him, and began, in a direct and homely style, to speak of the deep sympathy he felt for them in their present affliction, which he might truly say grieved him more than his own mis- chance. He confessed his mistake in the matter of the arms, and Anally declared that the time was come for resistance, and that he himself would lead to the field those of his parishioners who were willing to follow him, for he deemed it better to die like men with arms in their hands, than wait to he butchered like dogs in the ditches. Insurrection 0/ 81 Self-sufficient ignorance may presume to censure the counsel given by this good priest to his people, but there are times when resistance to tyranny becomes, if not a duty, at least a thing just and lawful, and who but the falsest, vilest, or most ignorant, can deny that it was thus in the case of men who took up arms to defend life itself, and what true men value more than their own, the lives of those who are dear to them. There are histories of this period written by men in the service of the English Government, in which the acts and motives of the insurgent peasantry and of their leaders are foully misrepresented. The authors of such pretended histories basely calumniate the brave men who made so grand a struggle against their far too numerous and too powerful foes. They are not ashamed to call them ‘^deluded wretches,’’ and to stigmatise their high-souled leader as a ‘^ferocious bigot who de- lighted in blood.” Alas, Ireland has been sadly prolific of such vipers as those so-called historians — men who, living on pro- perty wrested by iniquitous laws from the people, and fattening on Irish soil, habitually utter the vilest ca- lumnies against the truest and lealest of her sons. The men they calumniate might have been unedu- cated, but was it their own fault or that of the ruler who banned the schoolmaster and set a price on his head ? They had their faults, no doubt, but in all the qualities that make men estimable they were far su- perior to their calumniators. They were honest men who lived by honest labour — not on the wages of dis- honour — they were not descendants of Cromwell’s blood- stained hypocrites, robbers, and regicides, with, per- chance, a title of honour that but made their native meanness more conspicuous by the contrast — but were the sons of honest men with humble but stainless 82 A Popular History of the names — names wliicli this history intends to prove they sullied by no craven or unworthy act. When Father .John had concluded his brief speech, an exulting cheer burst forth from all the men of his audience, and they forthwith declared their willingness to follow him through every danger. Well might those bold peasants accept with joy their proffered leader, for he had been cast by nature in the mould oi those who lead men to victory. Father John was rather under than over the ordinary stature of his countrymen, but broad-chested and strong- limbed, of remarkable activity as well as strength. His complexion was florid, his features rather handsome, but their beauty lay more in the expression than in the shape. His white forehead rose over bright blue eyes, which, though they usually beamed with a cheerful smile, could at times flash forth a glance that indicated the fiery and intrepid soul which in a just cause defies danger, and boldly confronts death itself. To personal advantages he united a most determined spirit, and a power, invaluable in a leader, of inspiring confidence into his followers. Had he received the advantages of a military educa- tion he might have successfully aspired to the highest honours offered by the career of arms, but he has ob- tained for himself a higher and a prouder name than any of the epauletted tools of tyrants ; for the soldier who falls in the cause of an oppressed people builds for himself a monument of fame that outlives that of granite or marble. Father John, thus chosen by acclamation the first captain of the insurgents, determined to commence his new career by a daring deed that would strike terror into the hearts of tyrants. He proposed that an attack should be made on the Camolin yeomen cavalry as they returned that night from one of their daily forays on Ins'itrredion 0/ 83 the defenceless people, to Camulin Park, the residence of their Colonel, Lord Mountnorris. The people were to disperse, provide themselves with whatever arms they could procure, and return, when night had fallen, to the appointed place. In pursuance of this plan Father J ohn and his brave men met as soon as darkness had set in at the appointed place, and having thrown a barricade across the road by which the cavalry were to return on their homeward way, they concealed themselves behind the ditches on either side of the way. They had not been long in their place of concealment when they heard the wel- come sound of horses’ hoofs breaking in upon the silence of the night, and in a brief while their ruthless persecutors came full in view, discussing in loud tones their achievements during the day, and gloating over the horrible details of acts of demon-like wickedness, little dreaming that their last foray had been ridden and that the avengers were so close at hand. Hiding thus leisurely along they arrived at length within sight of the barricade — halted at a short dis- tance from it while one approached closely to ascertain its nature. Then a wild yell rising from behind the ditches told them of the presence of those they had good reason to fear as their deadliest foes. But they had little time for reflection, and but little for action. They had time only to fire one hasty and ill-aimed volley from their pistols when the foe was in their midst. The contest was brief — the pitchfork with its long sharpened prongs wielded by vigorous arms, and the deadlier scythe were more than a match for the sabre. After a fight that lasted but for a few minutes, every saddle was empty of its yeoman rider, and of those who had ridden forth in the morning on their cruel errand of bloodshed and plunder, the greater number now lay 84 A Popular History of the upon the highway bleeding and disfigured corpses.^* The horses and accoutrements of the fallen yeomen became now the spoil of the joyful victors, who, elated with this first and decisive success, determined to march to Camolin Park and take possession of the arms therein stored, which had been given up by the surrounding peasantry. In this enterprise they were also com- pletely successful, capturing, in addition to what they expected, a number of new carbines, provided by Lord Mountnorris for the arming of the new corps he had organised. Well was it for the noble colonel that he had not ridden out with his corps on this fatal day ! Although this successful effort on the part of the in- surgents had taken place during the night, the tidings of it had before midnight been heard with j oy in many a distant cottage and farm-house, and before morn- ing dawned the victorious hand were augmented by many a brave recruit, prepared to brave all dangers fighting for the good old cause. Leaving Lather John and his men to rejoice in their first victory, and to plan others, we will take a view of the state of the country, and briefly recount minor events that occurred during the night of the 23 rd, and on the ensuing day. The tidings of the successful surprise and defeat of the Camolin cavalry spread with great rapidity through- out the entire county. Turner, a magistrate, who escaped with difficulty from the pursuit of his long- hunted foes, at last turned to hay, brought the startling news to Wexford early on Sunday morning. The I^orth Cork then stationed in the barracks, to the number of 100 men, and the Shilmalier Yeomen Cavalry immediately got under arms, and were soon on their march towards Oulart Hill, whereon it was said that their peasant foe intended to take up their position. * Lieutenant Bookey was piked, and a man named Donovan, who rode on before the others to the barricade, was shot. Some accounts state that only these two were slain. Insurrection of 1 798 . 85 The yeomanry and militia who quitted Wexford on this expedition marched by different routes — the for- mer taking the road that runs through the village of Castlebridge, and the latter choosing that by the sea- side. They met by agreement at Ballyfarnock, and proceeding together as far as Ballinamonabeg they halted with the intention of quenching their thirst and laying in a stock of Dutch courage at a public house'^' there belonging to a man named Kavanagh. Not find- ing the owner at home, they proceeded to indulge in copious libations, and when they had drunk what they considered enough, under the circumstances, these loyal defenders of the country and sastainers of the tottering constitution, by way of payment, set fire to the house they had plundered. Thus, not content with robbing the unfortunate proprietor, they satisfied their brutal instinct of destruction by burning his house. This is but an illustration of the infamous treatment the unfortunate people were forced to endure at the hands of those whom frequent acts of injustice and cruelty seemed to have transformed into demons. The leader of these wretches, bear in mind, gentle reader, was a magistrate armed with the power of life and death. The news of the defeat of the Camolin cavalry reached * The Wexford delegates of United Irishmen happened to be assembled in the house at the time, but having received warning of the approach of the yeomen, they effected their escape a few moments before the latter arrived at the place. The owner of the house was at Oulart when his house was burned, where he had an opportunity of evincing his gratitude for the patronage of such honest customers. The victim of Orange atrocity in this instance was the author’s grandfather, who was wont, when speaking of the destruction of his house, to mention also the fact of the delegates being present. The day before he had surrendered a pike to Colonel Lehunte, but with praiseworthy providence had reserved another for Oulart, of which I have no doubt he made good use. 7 86 A Popular History of the Gorey long before dawn, and the militia quartered there , apprehending that the victors might direct their march thither, were seized with terror, and forthwith fled from the town. They, however, returned soon after on hearing that they had gone in the direction of Oulart, and as cowards are ever cruel, they showed their satisfaction at this intelligence by torturing the prisoners they had taken. A young man named Jeremiah Donovan, disguised as a groom, bearing fictitious letters, directed to Lord Mountnorris, brought the news of the defeat of the yeomen at the Harrow to Castlebridge, whence it spread rapidly over the entire country. Hext day he returned in time to take part in the fight on Oulart where he fell — the only man killed on the insurgent side.f If the tidings of the successful result of the first encounter between the insurgents and their enemies served to raise the hope of the peasantry, it filled the various corps of yeomanry with a determination to take the direst vengeance — not that these cravens desired to meet in fair fight the half-armed peasantry, for they had it in their power to take a safer if less soldier-like revenge. The aged parents, the helpless wives and children of their feared and hated foes were in their power, and on these poor victims they would wreak their vengeance, rilled with this fell purpose they sallied forth from their various stations, and commenced putting to death all persons they encountered on their way, and those were chiefiy the feeble and unarmed, for the young and strong shunned the highway. They set fire to the * See Gordon and Hay’s “ Histories of the Insurrection.” t For this fact and many others the author is indebted to Mr. Nicholas Donovan of Boolevogue, a nephew of the Jeremiah Donovan referred to above. The old chapel stood on the farm of the Donovans, as the new one does at present. Insurrection o/i^gZ. 87 houses of those they designated as rebels, Papists, disaffected croppies/^ and in many instances the unfor- tunate inmates were consumed in the flames amidst the exulting yells of their destroyers. An historian of the period, himself a witness, affirms that on a march of some seven miles one corps alone set fire to one hun- dred houses ! Such achievements as this — the burning of the old, the helpless, and the innocent in their houses — the Orange historians of the time mention in terms of mild deprecation, while they pour out the vials of their most wrathful denunciation upon the heads of the hunted peasantry, because they dared to retaliate upon such ruthless enemies. Meantime Father John’s force, considerably augmented, amounting to about 3,000 men, badly armed, indeed, but filled with a determina • tion to conquer or die, set out about mid-day on Sunday, the 27th, for the Hill of Oulart, where they arrived about noon. This course their leader chose, to give the people of the neighbouring parishes an opportunity of joining his standard. 88 A Popular History of the CHAPTEE VII. Slaughter of tlie peasantry at Kilmacthomas Hill. — Position taken by the insurgents at Oulart Hill. — The Battle.— Total defeat of the loyalists.— Atrocities committed by the yeomen during their flight. — Route taken by the victorious insurgents.— Joined at Balleorrel by Pather Michael Murphy. — Attack on Enniscorthy. — Capture of the town.— Plight of the loyalists. — Attempt made by the Orangemen to murder the prisoners in Enniscorthy jail frustrated. — Moderation of the victorious insurgents. —Insurgents’ camp at Vinegar Hill reinforced. — Division in their coun- cils. — The arrival of the Wexford deputation. — Its effect.— Insurgents arrive at the Three Rocks. — Surprise and defeat of the Meath Militia on their way to Wexford.— Official account of the affair. URIN^Gr the night of the 26th, a number of pea- santry assembled on the hill of Kilmacthomas, an eminence about nine miles to the west of Gorey. This multitude was largely composed of women and children, and had assembled, as it seemed, more in the hope of escaping the fury of the yeomanry and militia than with a determination to fight. While on his way to celebrate mass (it being Sunday morning), Father Michael Murphy was encountered by some of these people who besought him to accompany them to the hill. He had from the outset been strongly opposed to armed resistance, considering it hopeless, and there- fore, unlawful ; but, at the same time he declared, that if it were attempted, ‘‘He would go with the people.’’ In the fulfilment of this promise he proceeded to Xilmac- thomas. Against the unorganised crowd assembled on the eminence in question, two hundred yeomen marched out from Carnew, and advancing boldly, probably encou- raged by the presence of the women and children, came within musket range, and poured volley after volley into the unresisting crowd, who soon fied in wild terror, while their foes pursued and succeeded in slaughtering about three hundred of their number. The Rev. Mr. Gordon states that after this massacre the yeomen in a march of seven miles burned a hundred cabins, and two Roman Catholic chapels. We turn with pleasure from Insurrection ^ 1798 . 89 this slaughter of helpless women and children to follow the fortunes of the brave peasants encamped on Oulart hill. About three thousand people accompanied Father J ohn to the hill of Oulart, but of that large number there were not more than three-hundred fighting men. The rest of the multitude consisted of women, children, old infirm men, and unarmed striplings. Across the brow of the hill where it looks towards the old village of Oulart,"^' about a mile distant, there extends a breast- high ditch, forming a dividing line between two of the numerous small fields into which the cultivated surface of its rounded summit is divided. Behind this con- venient breastwork Father Murphy stationed all the best armed men of his force. Of this small force the majority had pikes, but others were furnished with no more efficient arms than scythes and pitchforks. At some- distance in the rear of this body he placed the women and children, with the old men and boys, whose too advanced or unripe age unfitted them for the approaching contest. Amongst these, however, there were many who afterwards did good service. The in- surgent force thus disposed remained upon the hill-top, awaiting in anxious expectation the approach of their enemies from the direction of Wexford. It was the Sabbath day, and the summer sun had attained his meridian height, and was already verging towards the west, when the anxious watchers on Oulart Hill be- held a long line of red- coated men advancing towards them along the road that leads from Wexford, and crossing the summit of a swell of ground called the hill of B5lubwee (thus pronounced). They halted on com- ing within a short distance of the base of Oulart. These men were the Horth Cork Infantry, who had marched out of Wexford at an early hour that morning. ^ * The modern village of the same name is situate several miles distant from the hill. go A Popular History of the From their elevated position the insurgents could plainly discern all the movements of the hostile body. The Shelmalier Cavalry, under Colonel Lehunte, who accompanied the militia, were first seen to get in motion, extending their force so as to enclose the hill, evidently with the design of depriving their enemies of all chance of escape or retreat in case of their defeat by the militia. The latter deploying into line began to advance at a quick pace up the ascent from the southern side. The peasantry awaited their approach in silence, permitting them to come within musket shot of their earthen bulwark. Major Lombard, the second in command, rode somewhat in advance of his men, and not seeing, as he drew near the ditch, anything to denote the pre- sence of the enemy, he concluded that they had fied ; under this impression he spurred his steed forward, waving his sword aloft, and calling loudly to his men to follow, exclaiming that the course was clear.’* The words of ill-timed exultation had scarce passed his lips when a bullet from the musket of one of the watchful insurgents pierced his breast — he instantly fell from his horse, and lay dead upon the field. On beholding their oificer fall, the militia raised a shout of rage, and pressed forward at a quickened pace to avenge his death. "While the military Avere thus ad vancing, one of the insurgents suggested to his comrades that it would he well to raise their hats, placed on the points of their pikes, over the top of the ditch, as thereby they might draw a volley from the advancing militia. This suggestion was instantly adopted, and had the desired effect. The militia, beholding as they thought, the heads of their opponents elevated above the ditch, emptied their muskets with a hasty volley, which, of course, proved quite harmless. Having halted to deliver this volley, the soldiery again advanced at a less hurried pace, loading their Instirrection ^ 1798 . 91 muskets the while. But twelve of the insurgents were armed with guns. Six of these now rose, and resting the barrels of their muskets upon the ditch, delivered their fire with deadly accuracy upon their assailants. Six of the militia fell, and their comrades in dismay and confusion returned the fire with another hasty and ineffectual volley. Again six of the insurgents rose and poured in another fatal volley. This second volley deprived the unfortunate red- coats of whatever little courage the first had left them, and being now charged by the pikemen, they did not withstand for five mi- nutes’ space their furious and determined onset. Dis- organised and terror-stricken, they soon broke their ranks, and fled down the slope of the hill by the way they had advanced. But they had small chance of escape from the swift-footed peasantry, who, nimble as deer, pressed upon their footsteps. Their destruc- tion, strange to say, was rendered more complete by the presence of the mounted yeomen, for a panic had seized the crowd in the rear of the defenders of the ditch 0 n their approach, and they had actually begun their flight down the northern side of the hill, when perceiving the mounted yeomen they retraced their steps, returning just in time to join in the pursuit. Many of the routed soldiery were piked before they could gain the foot of the hill ; some, when hard pressed, turned to resist ; others threw down their arms and begged, but in vain, for mercy. Some of the more agile of the fugitives reached the fields that stretch between the fatal hill and Bolubwee, but all of the rank and file perished in the pursuit.’^' The last was slain at the distance of * Hay and Gordon both agree in their estimate of the losses sustained by the insurgents and the king’s troops in this engage- ment, but I prefer to adopt the traditional account of the matter. The above narrative of the Battle of Oulart I have heard from the lips of those who were engaged in it. 92 A Popular History of the about a mile from the hill. Lieutenant-Colonel Foote fled in time, and, mounted on a good horse, reached Wexford in safety. Upwards of one hundred of the common men fell in this action.^ Six ofiicers were killed, viz. : — Major Lombard (al- ready mentioned), the Hon. CaptainHe Courcy (abrother of the then Lord Kinsale), three lieutenants — Williams, Ware, and Barry, and Ensign Keogh. Concerning this engagement, the Eev. Mr. Gordon observes : — About 300 of the insurgents, rallied by their sacerdotal commander, made so furious, close, and sud- den an onset with their pikes, that with the loss of only three killed and six wounded, they slew the whole detachment, except the lieutenant- colonel, a sergeant, and three privates.’’ Meantime the mounted yeomen remained passive spectators of the conflict, and saw with the utmost surprise and dismay the sudden and total defeat of their comrades. Their sympathy with their unfortunate allies was, however, soon changed into fear for their own safety, for one of their foes on the hill, armed with a long shore- gun, brought down one of their own body with a fatal aim. On seeing their comrade fall from his horse dead upon the field, they put spurs to their horses, and galloped off with all speed in the direction of Wexford. All the militia men were not slain on the hill, but many of them, flying in terror from the fatal hill, and seeking to escape through the adjoining fields, were pursued, overtaken, and slain. The fugitive yeomen, when out of sight, and safe from the pursuit of the now terriblef pikemen, took a * See in Appendix various incidents relative to this action. t Sir Jonah Barrington’s ‘‘ Bise and Fall of the Irish Nation,” p. 432. — ‘‘The extreme expertness with which the Irish handled the pike was surpassing; by withdrawing they could shorten to little more than the length of a dagger, and in a second dart it Insttrredion of 1 798 . 93 dastardly revenge, by slaughtering all the croppies they encountered, and setting fire to many houses. While these cowards are making their way towards Wexford, murdering as they go, the victorious insur- gents, under their indomitable leader, not being able, for lack of cavalry, to pursue their fiying enemies, set forth for the hill of Carrigrew, on which they encamped for the night. Next morning at an early hour they marched in some sort of military order to Camolin, where they were to find some arms that had been lately deposited there for the use of the yeomen. From Camolin they continued their march to Ferns, and there learned that the royal troops had retreated to Gorey and Enniscorthy. Father John now led on his gallant little band towards the latter town, taking a circuitous route thither by the bridge of Scarawalsh in order that the people of that district might have an oppor- tunity of joining his forces. The glad tidings of these successes had spread rapidly over the county, and num- bers of gallant young peasants, for the most part of the better class, came flocking to join the victors, prepared to fight to the death under such a brave and successful leader. The small force wherewith Father John had so boldly begun the insurrection being by this time augmented to some 5,000 men, about 500 of whom carried fire-arms, chiefly long fowling-pieces, it was thought expedient to hold a council of war to deliberate on their further proceedings. At this council it was decided to march without delay to attack Enniscorthy. out to its full extent. At old Kilcullen they entirely repulsed General Dundas, and the heavy cavalry, in a regular charge, kill- ing two captains, and many soldiers ; the General escaped with great difficulty, hj the fleetness of his horse. At New Boss they entirely broke the heavy horse by their pikes . . . Colonel Foote’s detachment of infantry was nearly annihilated by the pike at Oulart ; only the major and two others escaped.” 94 A Popular History of the On their way to that town they came to a halt on the hill of Ealliorrell, both to rest after their long march and to deliberate concerning the intended attack. While they were halted on Ealliorrell they were joined by the Eev. Michael Murphy, at the head of some young men of his parish of Eallycanew, full of ardour for the fight, but, like their comrades, ill-armed. The plan of the intended attack on Enniscorthy being finally arranged, the insurgents descended the hill, and advanced towards the town. Two hundred men, armed with fire-arms, preceded the main body, which consisted chiefly of pikemen, on whose flanks, and in whose rear some marksmen were placed. Mov- ing onward in this order, they soon came in sight of the enemy, whose force consisted of several corps of yeomanry, mounted and on foot, and a body of the North Cork Militia amounting to about 500 men. This disciplined and well-armed force were strongly aided in the engagement that ensued by the loyalists of the town, who now took their stand on the nearest part of the town wall, or remained more safely ensconced with- in their houses, prepared to assist as much as they could the King’s troops against their common foe. Eesides these loyalist Orangemen, many ^^respectable Catholics” had offered their services, begging to be supplied with arms, that they might evince their lojdlij by firing upon their countrymen and co-religionists, but, being regarded as untrustworthy in this crisis, they were refused, and harshly threatened for their temerity in daring to proffer their despised aid. The advanced guard of the insurgent army now had advanced to within musket shot of the Duffery gate, the principal entrance to the town. In front of the entrance several corps of yeomanry were drawn up. Their left flank was protected against attack by the lliver Slaney, which runs through the town, and their Insurrection ^ 1798 * 95 right flank and rear by the strong walls of the town and the houses that overtopped it, garrisoned with armed loyalist citizens. They were thus secure on either flank, and in the rear. Captain Snowe, with his company ofi^Torth Cork, was stationed at the bridge, to secure the retreat of his comrades, in case they suf- fered a defeat. The road by which the assailants advanced to the attack was one of the three leading to the DuflPery gate, and on their advance being per- ceived by its defenders, they were charged with great fury by the cavalry. When the insurgents beheld their enemy approaching swiftly towards them they quitted the road, and posted themselves behind the ditches that bounded it on either side, and, resting their guns on them, poured upon their advancing foes a deliberate and deadly fire, which cooled their ardour, and made them retreat more quickly than they had advanced. However, on being reinforced, they again advanced, but with no better success, being forced to fly before the fire of the deliberate gunsmen. While the gunsmen thus keep their mounted enemies at bay and exchange a distant and scattered fire with the hostile infantry stationed at the Duffery gate, and the townspeople on the walls and in the houses, the main body of the insurgents, being come to a halt at a short distance from the town, hold a brief consultation as to the best mode of attacking troops so well armed and so advantageously posted as their enemies. Father John, who on every occasion evinced a mili- tary genius, suggested that the best plan, and that most likely to be attended with success, was to drive a number of cattle, that were herded in the rear of the column, to the front, and thence to goad them onwards towards their enemy’s ranks by a chosen body of pike- men, and that they might themselves safely follow in the rear of the maddened herd. g6 A Popular History of the This stratagem was tried and proved completely suc- cessful. The cattle used for this purpose — the youngest and wildest of the herd — were driven quickly to the front, and thence onwards towards the gate. They no sooner heard the wild shouts of those who drove them than they set forward at a rapid pace in the required direction, the agile pikemen following closely upon their heels, and thus approaching un- harmed the line of their armed foes. The latter, per- ceiving the wild herd advancing furiously upon them, and hearing from the rear, above the bellowing of the maddened beasts, the louder and fiercer shouts of their dreaded foes, endeavoured with all their might to check the cattle in their furious advance. To effect this some of the soldiery rushed forward to drive them back with the bayonet, while others fired their mus- kets into the midst of the herd. But all their efforts were unavailing to arrest that furious onset, for the cattle, goaded to madness by the yells of the men in the rear, and, when they attempted to turn back or . slackened their pace, feeling the sharp points of the pikes, charged furiously forward into the ranks of the dismayed soldiery, and opened the way for a yet more dreaded foe — for, with a wild cheer of revenge and hatred, the pikemen were amongst them. Not a mo- ment’s stand did they make against the peasants whose destruction they had but lately sworn to accomplish. The remembrance of the fearful wrongs they had en- dured — their burned homesteads — their tortured or murdered friends — nerved the peasant’s arm, and heightened the courage of his brave heart. Success, too, had given him confidence in himself, and days of hard fighting had given him something of the soldier’s heedlessness of life. The King’s troops, completely routed, fled with the utmost precipitation into the town, with their vie- 97 Insurrection 1798 . torious foes at their heels in close pursuit. The im- petuous advance of the insurgents was, however, checked by a most destructive fire directed against them from those houses near the gate, whose doors opened to receive and shelter their routed foe. Those of the late defenders of the Dufi'ery Gate, who suc- ceeded in escaping the fury of the insurgent assault, having now joined their adherents already posted with- in the houses — both united, poured a terrible fire on their unsheltered assailants. However, the undaunted peasantry sustained this terrible fusillade with the resolution of veteran soldiers, and straightway pro- ceeded to force an entrance into those houses that proved so advantageous to their enemies, and so de- structive to themselves. This combination of valour and stubborn perseverance finally won the day. Con- sternation seized the foe on seeing such a display of heroic resolution in those frieze- coated men on whom they had so long trampled with impunity. Alas ! they, too, were Irishmen, and in a good cause might have fought valiantly, but having chosen to become the hired cut-throats of a foreign Government, and em- ployed to butcher their fellow-countrymen, they lacked that generous determination to conquer or die that men who fight in a good cause alone can feel. At length the sight of the suburbs in a blaze (set on fire by the patriotic inmates), together with that of a multitude suddenly appearing on the summit of Vine- gar Hill, completely disheartened the loyalists. Thomas Sinnott, of Kilbride, contributed much to the insurgent success by leading a large body across the Slaney, about a mile above Enniscorthy, and un- expectedly pouring into the town from the northern direction. Assailed thus on all sides the dispirited loyalists gave way. Orders were hurriedly given to sound a retreat, and in a short time the garrison of the QS a Popular History of the town with their families and a large number of their civilian adherents, were on their way to "Wexford. A panic-stricken and disordered crowd they were — sol- diers and civilians, women and children, forgetting every distinction of rank in their terrified eagerness to escape. Mr. Hay thus describes the confusion of their flight: — ‘^Officers had been induced to tear off their epaulets, and every other mark that could distinguish them from the privates, considering themselves in more danger if they were recognised as officers. However, not being attacked, there was sufficient leisure to escort those that accompanied them, and who were in such a piteous plight as to excite on their arrival the hearty commiseration of all the inhabitants of Wexford, who invited them indiscriminately to their houses, and sup- plied them with every comfort and necessary in their power — and of which they stood in so much need . . Some had their clothes scorched about them, others wanted their shoes and other parts of their dress which had been lost or torn off ; besides the great heat of the day made it doubly distressing to delicate females — many of whom had the additional charge of the burden and care of their children.’’ While the retreat was being sounded a party of Orangemen approached the castle with the fell intent of putting all the Papists ” therein confined to death, and thus revenging in some degree their defeat. Put fortunately for those whose lives they had determined to take, the keeper of the prison had already fled, taking the key with him, and as the intended murderers had not sufficient time to force the strong door of the prison, they were forced to depart, their cruel intent unfulfilled. So utter was the disorganisation of the routed royalists that had they been pursued by their victorious enemies they must all have been slain or taken prisoners, but the pikemen who on that day had 99 Insurrection o/i^gZ. marched thirty miles, and fought, as we have seen, for several hours afterwards without partaking of any food whatever, were far too weary to pursue fresh men, who fled as those only can fly who fear that death pur- sues. The insurgents used their victory with a mo- deration that adorned their valour, for no house was set on Are and no person maltreated or put to death — . and this although many of the townspeople had taken an active part against them. And yet these men have leen branded as cruel and fero- cious^ because isolated deeds of revenge were perpetrated by individuals amongst them. I defy the base defamers of a race, who are generous and forgiving almost to a fault, to substantiate the charges of cruelty and ferocity they had so unscrupu- lously made against the insurgents in the brief and disastrous but heroic struggle of the Irish of one county against all the military resources of England ! In this action the English lost upwards of a hundred men of the rank and file and three officers, amongst the latter Captain Pounden, of the Enniscorthy In- fantry, who fell at the Duffery Gate. The insurgents, now masters of Enniscorthy, having possessed themselves of whatever arms and ammunition they found therein, deemed it prudent to quit the town and encamp on the rocky eminence called Yinegar Hill, that overlooks, and stands like a huge sentinel to guard it. While the insurgent army were encamped on and around Yinegar Hill, their number was hourly aug- mented by fresh arrivals, for the news of their success had spread far and wide during the night. Amongst the brave men who thus came to share the danger and glory of the contest were some whose posi- tion and education caused the insurgents to hail their arrival with joy. Garret Byrne, of Ballymanus; 100 A Popular History of the Thomas Clooney, of Moneyhore ; and Barker, of Ennis- corthy, arrived at the camp during the day to aid, to the best of their power, their countrymen in the struggle for freedom. Vinegar Hill was now the centre towards which the insurgents from the surrounding districts came flocking, and there were gathered the materials of as brave an army as ever bore arms in the cause of an oppressed country. They needed but unity of counsel and competent leaders to crown their cause with the most glorious success. Unity, however, was want- ing, for every leader held his own view as to what course they should pursue, and the insurrection had nearly come to a premature end when a fortunate incident occurred, which flxed their wavering thoughts, and made them resolve to march on Wexford. This was the arrival of a deputation from the Wex- ford loyalists summoning them to surrender and dis- perse. The arrival of the liberated prisoners was hailed with the greatest enthusiasm by the people still remaining, and the joyful and surprising event, in a brief while spreading far and wide, had the effect of recalling to the scene those who were already quitting it."^ When the gentlemen of the deputation informed their excited audience that they had been sent by the loyalists to dissuade them from advancing upon Wex- ford, the multitude burst forth into loud shouts of * The Rev. Mr. Gordon in his History of Ireland thus describes the effect of the embassy: — “ The insurgents were found by the two gentlemen on the after- noon of the 29 th in a state of confusion, distracted in their councils, without leaders of general influence, and without a plan ; the greater part were dispersing to defend their houses from Orange- men. But when shouts repeated from group to group announced the arrival of the gentlemen prisoners^ as they were styled, from Wexford, the straggling bands collected from all sides into one body, and retaining Fitzgerald as a leader formed immediately the resolution of marching to Wexford. lOI Insurrection of exultation, justly regarding the embassy in its true light as an evidence of the weakness of their enemy and of their own strength, which they themselves had not fully estimated. It inspired them with a con- fidence in themselves and their cause that hitherto they had somewhat lacked. Unable to agree before, they now demanded with unanimous voice to he led without delay against the town. Mr. Colclough was immediately sent back (Mr. Fitzgerald being detained) to announce their determination. That very evening the insurgents set out for Wexford, and encamped for the night on the Three Bocks,” a ridge of the Forth Mountains so called — which are situate about three miles from the town. Upon these barren and lofty hills the insurgents pitched their camp, and having posted sentinels, re- tired to rest for the night, which was of unusual dark- ness. Early the next morning the watchful sentinels aroused their slumbering comrades with intelligence that they had descried a large force of royal troops on the march, from the direction of Duncannow, towards Wexford. On the receipt of these tidings a body of men was despatched, under the command of Clooney, and Kelly of Killane, to intercept and give battle to the advancing force. Well did these brave men exe- cute their orders. Having descended the hill they sought a convenient ambush at its foot, and there awaited the approach of the loyalist force, who con- tinued to advance in fancied security, till the insurgents, starting from their place of ambush, attacked them at once both in front and rear. The struggle was brief and soon decided. In this, as in subsequent engage- ments, the soldiery proved no match for their peasant foe, whose strength and activity set at nought the re- sistance of England’s trained hirelings. After a fight of about ten minutes’ duration, the 8 102 A Popular History of the entire detachment, amounting to about one hundred men and three officers of the Meath Militia, were either slain or made prisoners, and two pieces of cannon became the prize of the victors. The main body, of which the detachment thus signally defeated formed the advanced guard, had advanced from Dun- cannon Port as far as Taghmon on their way to Wexford, but on hearing of this defeat, General Pawcett, their commander, gave orders to retreat with all speed whence they had come. The following is the official account of the affair : — Dublin CastUf June 2nd, 1798. ‘'Accounts have been received from Major-General Eustace at New Eoss, stating that Major-General Pawcett having marched with a company of the Meath regiment from Duncannon Port, this small force was surrounded by a very large body between Taghmon and Wexford, and defeated. General Pawcett effected his retreat to Duncannon Port.’’ We now leave the valiant and victorious insurgents to enjoy their latest triumph, in order to recount as briefly as we may the chief events that took place within the county town since the battle of Oulart. Insurrectiori 0/ lygZ, 103 CHAPTER VIII. Consternation produced amongst the loyalists in Wexford by the defeat of the militia at Oulart. — Attempt of the militia to put the prisoners to death. — Their design defeated by the governor of the jail. — Arrival of fugitive loyalists from Enniscorthy. — Wexford a hot-bed of Orangeism. — Preparations made by the loyalists for the defence of Wexford. — Arrival of reinforcements Terror of the Orangemen.— Precautions taken for the security of the town.— Loyalists resolve to send a deputation to the insurgents.— Arrival of Mr. Colclough in Wexford.— Delivers his mes- sage Sally headed by Colonel Watson.— Its results.— The loyalists hold a council of war and resolve to evacuate the town.— The dishonest stratagem employed by the loyalists to retard the approach of the insur- gents. —Strange scene of confusion exhibited in the flight of the mili- tary .-Entrance of the insurgents from Eerrybank.— Rage of the insurgent army on discovering the deceit practised upon them by the soldiery.— Altered aspect of Wexford on the entry of the insurgents.— Two Orangemen put to death on the Quay. — Excesses of the fugitive garrison.— Tranquillity in Wexford. — Departure of the insurgents. H HEjS’ the tidings of the destruction of the Korth Cork reached Wexford, the loyalists there were filled with the greatest consternation. The com- rades of the slain men vowing to avenge or perish with them, hurriedly assumed their arms and set out for Oulart. However, on arriving at the bridge they were met by a number of the loyalist townsmen, who suc- ceeded in persuading them to defer for the present the execution of their purpose, and return to their barracks. The widows and orphans of the fallen soldiers ran through the streets loudly bewailing the loss of their husbands and fathers, and mingling with their lamen- tations the bitterest execrations of the yeomanry, to whose cowardly conduct they attributed their destruc- tion. The militia, not finding any other means of gratifying their vengeance, determined to put to death the prisoners in the town-jail — singling out in par- ticular Messrs. Harvey, Colclough, and Fitzgerald. But the governor of the jail, Joseph Gladwin, resolved to protect his charge against the violence of these d('s- 104 ^ Popular History of the perate men. Having contrived to get the military guard outside the prison, he locked the door, and pro- ceeded to warn the prisoners of their danger, furnishing the three gentlemen with weapons, that in case the militia succeeded in obtaining an entrance they might not perish without a struggle. The enraged militia, thirsting for blood, soon after arrived at the gates, and loudly demanded entrance. This being refused, they essayed to burst in the door, but its great strength defied all their efforts. At length, unable by force or stratagem to effect an entrance, these baffled banditti departed and returned to their quarters. But yet greater reverses than any which had hitherto befallen them awaited the loyalists of Wexford. Next day they heard that the victors of Oulart had attacked Enniscorthy, and from the dense clouds of smoke that could be discerned hanging over that town, they con- cluded that it had been set on fire, and their terrified imagination added horrors to the catastrophe they had divined. The arrival of the fugitives from the cap- tured town in the most miserable plight imaginable, and the exaggerated accounts they gave of what they had witnessed and what they believed had taken place after their departure, inspired their woe-begone brethren of Wexford with the utmost dread. The town of Wex- ford was at this period a hot-bed of Orangeism, and the members of that baneful organisation, upheld and fostered by English influence, had hitherto been absolute masters of the lives and properties of their Catholic fellow- townsmen. They had ruled in the fiercest spirit of hatred the unfortunate professors of a creed banned by the laws of England, and evinced to the utmost the detestation they bore to any Protestant who discoun- tenanced their villainous tyranny. They now beheld with terror the long down-trodden helot rising up in the energy of his manhood and threatening to shake Insurrection <^ 1798 . 105 oflf the galling yoke he had so long borne, not indeed with patience, but with the hapless resignation of despair. In their days of power they had shown no mercy, and they now believed that if they fell into the hands of their enemy they might expect none. To secure themselves against such a calamity they resolved to use every possible precaution. The ancient town of Wexford now bristled with warlike preparation. Every avenue was strongly barricaded, and cannon were planted in the most ad- vantageous positions. The loyalist inhabitants, includ' ing most of the wealthier class, came forward in this emergency to proffer their aid in the defence. Two hundred of their number were furnished with weapons and employed in guarding the walls (at the time en- tire), conforming in every respect to military discipline. Messrs. Harvey and Colclough, though still detained in prison, began to be treated with some consideration, being regarded in the light of valuable hostages. A numerous deputation of magistrates and military officers waited upon them in their place of durance, and be- sought them to exert their influence with their ten- antry in the baronies of Eorth and Eargy, to deter them from taking part in the insurrection. With this re- quest the imprisoned gentlemen complied — in truth they had no option, being quite at the mercy of their enemies. The loyalists of Wexford, deeming that town would be selected by the insurgents as the next object of attack, despatched messengers to obtain reinforce- ments from the nearest garrisons, all the while prose- cuting with the utmost vigour their defensive prepara- tions. At an early hour on the 29th of May, the first of the expected reinforcements arrived. It consisted of two hundred of the Donegal Militia, under Colonel Maxwell, accompanied by the Heathfield yeomen ca- valry, commanded by Captain John Grogan. With io6 A Popular History of the these came several officers of the 13th regiment of Meath Militia, who announced the approach of that force under General Eawcett. At a later hour the Taghmon cavalry, under Captain Cox, rode into town. I^'ot withstanding the vigorous preparations they had made, and the presence of such a large number of armed defenders, the loyal burghers of Wexford could not shake off the terror that had seized them when the idea of an insurgent attack upon the town had first entered their minds. Nothing could exceed the terror now displayed by the Orangemen, arising, as it may naturally be supposed, from the consciousness of the outrages they had committed, of the houses they had burned, of the innocent people they had tortured and put to death. Filled with the most direful apprehen- sions, many of them hastened to take refuge on board the ships that lay moored within the harbour, intend- ing to sail for England in case the insurgents became masters of the town. Others shut themselves up in their houses and awaited in anxious suspense the fur- ther course of events. In addition to the precautions already adopted for the security of the place, an order was issued commanding that all fires should be extin- guished, even those used for baking purposes, and that all thatched houses should be stripped of their covering. Scouts were despatched to explore the country in all directions, and to bring in whatever intelligence they could gather of the enemy ^s movements. To add to the feelings of depression that weighed so heavily on the inhabitants, the bodies of the officers who had been slain at Oulart were brought into town in mournful procession, the first victims to hostile rage seen in exford on the loyalist side since the contest be- tween the people and their rulers was entered upon. Mr. Hay being thought a favourite among the insurgents, though a loyalist, was now appealed to 107 Insurrectioyi (^ 1798 . and entreated to use his influence with the latter, and, if possible, to induce them to disperse. He himself gives the following account of the transaction, which exhibits a strange mixture on the part of the Orange- men of dread of the insurgents, and distrust of the Papists,’’ of the most overweening arrogance and most arrant cowardice curiously combined. He says : — ‘‘Ho magistrate being found, as I suppose, that would venture on this dangerous service, it was then inquired whether the liberation of Messrs. Harvey, Pitzgerald and Colclough might not appease the people? On this question I declared myself incom- petent to decide. I was then asked whether, if enlarged on bail, they, but particularly Mr. Pitzgerald, whose re- sidence lay in the country then disturbed, would under- take to go out to the insurgents and endeavour to pre- vail on them to disperse ? On this inquiry my opinion was that as the lives of these gentlemen were in danger from the fury of the soldiery, while they continued in prison, I thought they would comply with this re- quisition. The matter now became public, and the prisoners were accordingly visited by the most respect- able gentlemen in the town ; several requesting of me to accompany them to the prison, for the purpose of in- troduction. Indeed, so marked was the attention paid to them on this occasion that an indifferent spectator would be led to consider them rather as the governors of the town than as prisoners. On the 28th and 29th, I had many conversations on this subject with the fflcers and gentlemen of the place, and at length I was myself, together with flve other gentlemen (two for each of the three prisoners), bound in five hundred pounds severally; and Messrs. Harvey, Pitzgerald, and Colclough themselves individually, in one thousand pounds security for their appearance at the next assizes. It was further conditioned thc^ -dthough they were io8 A Popular History of the all three bailed, two only should be at large at any one time ; but that they might take their turns of going abroad interchangeably at their discretion, provided ‘ one should always remain in gaol as a guarantee for the return of the rest.^ How this embassy fared will appear in the sequel. The force of royal troops that now held possession of Wexford amounted to about 1200 men, including regular troops, yeomanry, militia, and armed citizens. Of this large force, Ex-Colonel Watson, though not formally appointed, undertook tho command, to which important trust the energy and courage he so signally displayed very justly entitled him. But the brave old veteran did not seem quite successful in inspiring his own spirit into his followers. The hopes of turning the tide of insurgent warfare from the town, which had for awhile upheld their sinking spirits, were quite dispelled on the arrival of Mr. Colclough that evening to announce the final determination of their enemies. The gentleman in question, without dismounting from his horse, proceeded straightway to the ‘‘bull-ring,^' and there announced, in a loud voice to the people who anxiously gathered round him, the answer returned by the insurgents to the deputation, and their resolve to attack the town. Having delivered this unwelcome message, he proceeded to visit Mr. Harvey, who was still de- tained in prison, and, having had a short interview with that unlucky captive, rode off to his own resi- dence at Bally teigue. The tidings brought by Mr. Colclough completed the dismay of the loyalists. The ships in the harbour, before quite sufficiently filled with people, were now overcrowded. The places of business were all closed as on a holiday, but there was no ap- pearance of Sabbath calm or tranquillity in Wexford. Every loyalist beheld his own feelings of terror and Insurrection of 1 798 . 109 anxiety reflected upon the pallid faces of his bre- thren. As night fell the scouts came in announcing the approach of the enemy. Meantime the military stood to their arms alert and watchful. Pearing lest the insurgents might enter by the bridge, its portcullis was raised, and all means of approach from that side cut off. At day-break the tarred piles of that structure were discovered to be on fire, nor could the conflagration be extinguished till the foot-boards were quite con- sumed. All night long the streets echoed to the heavy tramp of the military as they passed to-and-fro between the different posts, while the only other sound that invaded the silence of the night was the wailing of women and children, terrified by the anticipation of coming evil. At length morning broke, and its light showed the loyalists a great multitude of people assembled at Perry-bank, at the farther end of the bridge, evidently with no friendly purpose. The 13th regiment, under General Pawcett, being expected to arrive on this day. Colonel Watson re- solved to make a diversion in their favour, and by engaging the attention of the insurgents to facilitate the entry of the royalist general. With this intent he led out a force of some three hundred of the garrison, taking his route in the direc- tion of the Three Eocks. More zealous in the cause than his men, the veteran pushed on before them to reconnoitre, but being descried by one of the wary in- surgent sentinels, when he had advanced as far Eel- mount, he was fired at, and fell pierced with a mortal wound. On seeing the fall of their leader, the troops, whowere following at a safer distance, took to flight, the yeomen cavalry, as they galloped into town, well nigh riding down the infantry. Their arrival but served to com- plete the dismay of the inhabitants. Immediately no A Popular History of the upon the return of this fruitless expedition, a council of war was held, in which it was decided to evacuate the town forthwith. Before quitting the place, the yeomen determined to murder the prisoners in the gaol. But the resolute and wary governor, true to his trust, foiled them on this occasion, as he had done on the previous one, to which we have referred. In the present perilous situation, Miv Harvey’s supposed popu- larity gave him no little importance in the eyes of the Orange gentry. A number of them waited upon that worthy, but it must be acknowledged not very heroic personage. They found him hiding in the chimney of his cell, up which he had clambered on hearing that the yeomanry designed to attack the prison. Being hauled down from that undignified retreat, with no small exertion on the part of his visi- tors, in a very begrimed condition, he was politely informed of their object in seeking him. His fears abated on being told that instead of coming to take his life his visitors only desired him to try and save their own by proceeding to the insurgent camp and using his infiuence there to obtain as favourable terms as possible for the loyalists. He could not, however, be induced to undertake this commission, but consented to write a letter to the in- surgents. The epistle penned by Mr. Harvey on this occasion is as follows : — I have been treated in prison with all possible humanity, and am now at liberty. I have procured the liberty of all the prisoners. If you pretend to Christian charity, do not commit mas- sacre, or burn the property of the inhabitants, and spare your prisoners’ lives. — B. B. Harvey. Wednes- day, May SOth, 1798.” To find some trustworthy person to bear this missive to its destination was the next step to be taken. A Catholic yeoman named Doyle presented himself, but his offer was contemptuously Ill Insurrection ^ 1798 . rejected — he was a ^Papist,’ and therefore quite un- worthy in the eyes of the senders to undertake any important commission on their behalf. At length two brothers named Eichards — both counsellors — were pitched upon, and despatched immediately to the ‘ Three Eocks.’ "No sooner had these gentlemen set out on their mission than the military began to make the hastiest preparations for flight. The send- ing of the embassy was in truth nothing but a wily and dishonest stratagem to engage the attention of the insurgents and to retard their advance till all the sinister designs of the royalist garrison had been effected. The town now presented an extraordinary spectacle. The military having thrown off all disci- pline, presented the appearance of an armed mob, con- fused, disorderly, and terrified, but cruel and truculent even in the extremity of their terror. The North Cork were the first to quit the town, setting fire to their barracks as they abandoned it. The yeomanry delayed their departure for some time, employing the interval in destroying such ammunition as they could not carry away with them — plundering some houses and setting fire to others. All ranks seemed equally affected by the disgraceful panic of the moment — the royalist officers displaying no less cow- ardice than the common men. Some of the gentlemen in question tore off their epaulets and other insignia of rank, while others, thinking this precaution insufficient, divested themselves of their uniforms, and replaced them with such tattered and beggarly garments as they could procure, and thus metamorphosed, hurried down to the quay, and threw their swords and pistols into the river. Mr. Hay, a witness of this scene, thus describes it : — The confusion and dismay which pre- vailed was so great, as no kind of signal for retreat had been given, that officers and privates ran promiscuously 112 A Popular History of the through the town, threw off their uniforms, and hid them- selves wherever they thought they could be best con- cealed. Some ran to the different quays in expectation of finding boats to convey them off, and threw their arms and ammunition into the river. All such as could accomplish it embarked on board the vessels in the harbour, having previously turned their horses loose. Some ran to the gaol to put themselves under the protection of Mr. Harvey ... In short, it is impossible that a greater appearance of confusion, tumult, or panic could be at all exhibited.’^ This scene of confusion and terrified preparation for flight did not escape the vigilant eyes of the multitude assembled since early dawn at Ferrybank. Aware of the intentions of the lo5mlists, they strove hard to repair the bridge, so as to be enabled to cross over and hinder their escape. While these transactions were going for- ward within the town, and in its immediate vicinity, the two brothers despatched to the Three Eocks by the loyalists were engaged in endeavouring to obtain terms of capitulation from the insurgents. They stipulated on the part of those who sent them that the town, together with all the arms and ammunition it contained, should be delivered up to the captors, on the sole condition that the lives of the garrison should be spared. To these terms the insurgents at length agreed, and, detain- ing one of the brothers, sent the other, in company with Mr. Fitzgerald, to see that the conditions were faith- fully carried out. When they arrived at the town they found, to their great surprise, that it had been already evacuated by the military. Meantime the insurgents at Ferrybank having suc- ceeded in repairing the bridge, though too late to pre- vent the escape of their treacherous enemy, came pour- ing into the town, rending the air with shouts of triumph. Immediately on entering, they proceeded to Instirredion of 113 the gaol, and liberated the prisoners, many of whom were their friends and relatives. The town now threw off its mourning aspect, and assumed a gay and lively air to correspond with the feelings of its new occupants and masters. In a marvellously brief space of time the quaint old houses of the sober town were profusely decorated with boughs of all sizes, and of every shade of the same pleasant hue. All the doors were thrown open, and the freest hospitality offered to the new-comers, which , though no doubt, quite sincere on the part of some of the in- habitants, was more than doubtful on that of others. So suspicious were the peasantry of the sincerity of this welcome when proffered by known loyalists, that they required of them to taste the liquor they offered them before partaking of it, for they believed these worthies were quite capable of poisoning the draught, not being in the least deceived by the false colours they had hung out. None were at this juncture more demonstrative in their exhibitions of affectionate welcome than those adherents of the Orange faction who remained in town. No houses were decorated with a greater profusion of green boughs — no hats displayed the green cockade more conspicuously than theirs. Shortly after the arri- val of this body of peasantry, the insurgent army from the Three Eocks marched in and halted at the Windmill Hill. On being informed of the treacherous ruse played upon them by the garrison, they gave way for a time to violent rage, and could with difficulty be dissuaded by their leaders from setting fire to the town, for they deemed the inhabitants accomplices in the deception practised upon them. However, the anger of the duped insurgents confined itself to the pillage and burning of but one house, that of Captain Boyd of the Wexford yeomanry, a notorious persecutor — with this exception. 114 ^ Popular History of the the town sustained no injury at their hands. Those Orangemen who had taken refuge on board the ship- ping in the harbour, were now led back to town. Two of their number were sacrificed to popular vengeance. These were John Boyd, brother of Cap- tain Boyd above-mentioned, and George Sparrow, an Enniscorthy butcher, both Orangemen, and both of in- famous character. They were piked on the quay soon after landing. While these transactions are in progress in the captured town, the fugitive military are on their way to Duncannon Port. They marched rapidly through the country till they had gained what they deemed a safe distance from Wex- ford, and then began to advance at a more leisurely pace till they reached the village of Mayglass. Here they first began to glut their brutal rage by the slaughter of a number of unoffending people, who had come out from their houses to gaze upon them as they marched past."^ They also found time to set fire to the Catholic church of Mayglass. In their further progress no one they encoun- tered escaped their fury, not even the women and children. On the ensuing morning, these murderous banditti, exhausted by their long march, reached Duncannon Fort. This eventful day at length came to a close, and night fell upon the liberated town as peacefully as if nothing had occurred to disturb its wonted tranquillity. But on the ensuing morning the streets were thronged with a busy and excited multitude. An eager search was instituted for ammunition, of which the insurgents stood sorely in need, and their chagrin was excessive at finding only three barrels of gunpowder. The mar- * Their course through a country, which had as yet remained perfectly quiet, was marked with devastation, the burning of houses, and the shooting of unarmed peasants.” — Rev. Mr. Gordon’s “ History of Ireland.’* Instirredmi of 115 tial spirit of the victorious insurgents did not suffer them to rest while an enemy trod the soil of their country, nor were their leaders less prompt in action, than the men who marched under their command. Early on the morning succeeding the capture of the town the insurgent leaders issued orders to their men to march out and encamp on the Windmill Hill, leaving behind only such a force as they judged sufficient to garrison the town. CHAPTER IX. Two diTisions of the insurgent army march from Windmill Hill, taking separate routes. — Force under Father John Murphy joined by that under Fathers Roche and Kearns.—Attack on Newtownbarry . — March of the royal troops from Gorey and Carnew against the insurgents on Carrigrew.— Defeat and death of Colonel Walpole.— Flight of General Loftus.— Mr. Plowden on the above-mentioned affairs.— Esmond Kyan’s services.— Joyful surprise of the people of Gorey. — Results of these victories.— Speech of Mr. Fox in the British House of Conunous.— Loss sustained at this period by the English. EANTIME the armed thousands posted on the Windmill Hill were told of the final determina- tion of their leaders to divide their force into two divisions, each of which would take a different route. Accordingly, General Harvey and the corps under his immediate command, who were chiefly men from Eorth and Bargy, took the direction of Taghmon, and encamped there for the night. The second division, comprising those gallant men who had won the battles of Oulart and Enniscorthy, and were for the greater part from the northern parts of the county, set out once more in the direction of Gorey, passing on their way the scenes of their former victories. Though they had consented to the appointment of Harvey as com- mander-in-chief, they had formed a true estimate of his capability, and justly placed far more confidence 1 1 6 A Popular History of the in the man who had often led them to victory, Father John, their own brave Soggarth, On the first day’s march of what we may call their second cam- paign, they were joined by the Eev. Philip Koche and the Eev. Father Kearns. Father Eoche possessed in an eminent degree those personal advantages so highly prized by his countrymen. He was brave and hand- some, of pleasing manners, and well fitted in every way to be a popular leader. Father Kearns was a man of great size and strength, whose scorn of danger, and confidence in his own strength and activity, were evinced by his going into action armed only with a heavy riding whip. However, his courage degenerated into rashness, and his self-reliance was unallied with other qualities as indispensable in a leader. Soon after his arrival, Father Kearns proposed that an attack should be made on the soldiery stationed at Newtownbarry, with the design of driving them thence, and thus opening communication with the counties of Wicklow and Carlow, affording their inhabitants, who were at the time being hunted down like wild beasts, an opportunity of finding a rallying place among the conquering Wexford men. This proposal was joyfully consented to, and Father Kearns himself being chosen leader of the enterprise he had suggested, soon found himself at the head of about two thousand men, chiefly armed with pikes, for even at this period firearms of any description were rare among the insurgents. These soldiers of freedom proceeded without delay towards their destination, preserving, in their progress, as much appearance of military order as could have been expected: They encountered no enemy on their march save some bodies of mounted yeomanry, who fled as they approached, or if they attempted to make a stand it was but for a moment, being unable to withstand the impe- tuous charge of the determined pikemen. It is an ad- / zs7/rredio7i q/ ijg8. 1 1 7 mitted fact that in few instances conld those well-armed and well-monnted men be brought to face the undisci- plined and ill-armed insurgents, who had little to rely on but their native valour, heightened by the sense of wrong, and the cousciousness of fighting in a just cause. When this division arrived within. sight of tlie town, they halted, in order to repose for a brief while after their long and rapid march. During this halt one of the men approached Father Kearns, and modestly sug- gested that it would be prudent, in case the attack suc- ceeded, to occupy a similar position on the opposite side of the town as a precaution against any possible surprise. Unfortunately Father Kearns slighted this wise counsel, and thereby, as we shall see, lost the town, though suc- cessful in the first assault. After a short interval of rest. Father Kearns, having first invoked, aloud, the Divine aid, gave the signal for attack. The insurgents rushed down the slope of the hill on which they had halted, with their customary impetuosity, and in a few minutes reached the town. Their confident courage was nothing daunted by the sight of five hundred regular troops, under the command of Colonel L’Estrange, ar- rayed against them, together with several corps of the despised yeomanry; for the people had so often defeated both soldiery and yeomanry that they began, as a natu- ral consequence, to hold them in contempt. On this occasion, as on others, the united charge of the stalwart peasantry, their semi-military line bristling with the formidable pike, carried all before it. After a brief and feeble resistance, the regular troops retreated with the greatest precipitation ; and, as for the yeomen, they galloped off, after makiug a feint of resistance, to seek revenge for their defeat in burning the houses and slaughtering the defenceless friends of their peasant foemen. However, all the advantages thus gained by the gal- 9 1 18 A Popular History of the lant onset of the insurgents were lost by the neglect of the precaution above mentioned; for the flying soldiery were encountered, when only a short distance outside the town, by a detachment of the King’s County Militia despatched to their aid. On receiving this timely rein- forcement they rallied, and soon determined to return to the town, reckoning on their taking the enemy by surprise. Acting on this resolve, they returned once more and found their lately victorious enemy dispersed here and there through the place, and, as might be supposed, had little difliculty in driving them outside the walls. Thus what valour had so lately won, lack of prudence now lost. However, though surprised and divided, they fought bravely, and inflicted, in their retreat, considerable loss on the enemy. In this way was Hewtownbarry lost and won, and with it all the advantages that would have accrued to the insurgent cause from its possession. Thus were all the efforts of these valiant peasants rendered unavailing by the neglect of an ordinary pre- caution. But, while we regret the error and its conse- quences, we can hardly blame such novices in the art of war for an error into which trained troops have often fallen. The men whose enterprise had thus failed were now forced to march by small detachments to reach the only rallying place known to them— the camp on Vinegar Hill. The greater number of them reached that rendez- vous the same night, and early on the following morning set out to rejoin their comrades, whom they found en- camped on the hill of Carrigrew. They were received kindly by them, and found them busily engaged in ac- quiring ’some knowledge of military manoeuvres, under the direction of such patriotic yeomen as had left their <)orps, or liad been expelled therefrom on suspicion of 119 Insurrection of being United Irishmen. While the insurgents are thus wisely endeavouring to acquire that training which, united to their dauntless valour, would have rendered them invincible, the English commanders were not idle, but were making preparations to attack, with an irre- sistible force, the foe they had at first despised, but had now|.,learned to dread. On the morning of the 4th of June tidings reached the insurgent camp at Carrigrew that two divisions of the regular army were on the march from Gorey and Carnew to attack them ; moreover, that each division of this formidable force was furnished with artillery, and accompanied by several corps of mounted yeomanry. They were to meet near the insurgent position, and unite for a combined attack.^' Of the large forces thus acting in concert against the insurgents, General Loftus and General Walpole were the commanders. To oppose such a formidable array of trained troops, provided with every warlike munition, and led on by officers of high rank and experience, the means at the command of the insurgent leaders seemed but too inade- quate. They were strong, indeed, in numbers, and in the possession of a brave and determined spirit, but des- titute of all else that render men formidable in war. They had neither cavalry nor artillery, their fire-arms were but few, and their supply of powder and ball ex- tremely scanty. Greater part of the men were, it is true, by this time possessed of pikes — admirable weapons when used in a close fight, but otherwise useless. Yet, notwithstanding * ‘‘The royal army marched from Gorey in two divisions ; one under the immediate command of General Loftus, by a more cir- cuitous route ; the other was led on by Colonel Walpole direct for the camp. The troops were in high spirits ; their number, dis- cipline, and well-concerted arrangements, left no room to doubt of success.” — “Personal Narrative of the Irish Eebellion,’^ by Char- les Hamilton Teeling, p. 168. 120 A Popular History of the all these disadvantages, which would have been quite sufficient to induce any but Irishmen to abandon the contest as useless, the men on Carrigrew, confident of their own courage, and proud of their heroic leaders, resolved to meet their enemies once more in battle. The insurgent leaders having consulted together in this pe- rilous and critical situation, concerning the best course to be adopted, resolved to march without delay and at- tack that division of royal troops just then advancing towards them from Gorey, and having, as they hoped, defeated them, to proceed to the release of the unfortu- nate men confined and awaiting execution in that town. Having come to this resolve, the insurgents once more quitted Carrigrew, and, halting at a short distance from that eminence, on level ground, proceeded, under the direction of their chiefs, to put in practice some of the lessons they had received in the art-military a little while before. They soon fell into fair marching order, and, at the word of command, set off at a pace that few armies could have maintained. A body of two hundred chosen pikemen, with guns- men interspersed, preceded the main body at the dis- tance of a mile. In the meantime Colonel Walpole, against whose division they were on the march, had * Walpole had been warned of the approach of the insurgents by a loyal Protestant named Thomas Dowling, whose intelligence he slighted. — Gordon. “ This gentleman was a relative and favorite of Lord Camden’s, He was no soldier ; but being ambitious of signalizing himself in the rebellion, had, through importunity at the Castle, where favor had too frequently outweighed merit, procured the command of five hundred men. He had only one quality of a soldier — courage, which without discretion in a commander becomes rashness. He refused to employ scouts or flanking parties, and was not aware of the enemy till they were within gun-shot. He was conspicuously mounted on a white charger in full uniform and plumage.”— Plowden, “ Historical Eeview,” p. 728. Insurrection of I'jgS. 1 2 1 information of their advance, and led out his men to meet them. Having advanced a short distance beyond the village of Tubberneering, he halted at a spot where the road takes a sharp turn to the right in the direction of Carri- grew, so that a body of men advancing from that direc- tion would be likely to march right into sudden view of the enemy, and, consequently, surprised and panic- stricken, would fall an easy prey. Thus reasoned the English chief, and thus, with his chosen troops drawn up in line of battle, his powerful and numerous artillery in good position to sweep the insurgent ranks with a discharge of ball and canister, his cavalry all impatient to make havoc among the peasantry, routed and disordered by the fire of musketry and can- non, the royalist officer awaited the approach of the insurgent army. He was not long kept in expectation. The advanced guard of the insurgents arrived at the point where the road made the sharp turn described, and, marching in a compact body, and with quick step, came suddenly in the presence of their red-coated foes, who instantly welcomed them with a combined and terrible fire of artillery and musketry. The insurgents, on receiving this unexpected saluta- tion, halted, and one of the few horsemen who accom- panied them was instantly despatched by their leader to apprise the main body of the presence of the enemy. During this brief halt the insurgent vanguard had kept their ranks manfully, and now advanced amid a storm of death-dealing missiles to take up a less exposed position behind a ditch that lay at some distance on their left. While crossing a large field which extended between them and the shelter they sought, they suffered great loss from the enemy, who continued to pour into their thinning ranks a deadly discharge of all arms 122 A Popular History of the The insargents at length gained the ditch, which, as they hadhoped, n fT orded them protection from the enemy’s fire, and thence in their turn commenced and main- tained a telling fire on the hostile ranks. The insur- gent fire was extremely destructive, for those of them who were armed with guns were for the most part prac- tised sportsmen, and the ditch behind which they lay was but half musket shot from the royal troops. Thus the insurgent advanced guard galled the royalists and kept them in check, for the latter feared to advance and drive the gunsmen from their shelter, for though insignificant in number, they knew them to be accom- panied by the pikemen, who had ever proved such ter- rible foes at close quarters. The main body of their dreaded enemy now appeared in swift and impetuous advance, drawn up in the form of a cresent, and bristling all over with the formidable pike. The advancing insurgents avoided the open ground on which their advanced guard had suffered such severe loss, and, keeping towards the left, seemed determined to assail the royal troops on their left flank, while the gunsmen engaged them in front. On seeing this large body advancing to attack his division, already disheartened by the loss they had sus- tained from the persistent and fatal fire of their sharp- shooting foes, the royalist commander gave orders for retreat. But while the royal gunners, in obedience to this wel- come command, were engaged in harnessing their horses to the gun-carriages, they were surprised and taken, to- gether with their iron charges and all that appertained to them, hj the advanced guard, who now sallied from behind the ditch they had so defended. The insurgents, who were as merciful as they were brave, treated their prisoners kindly, and soon applied themselves to learn from them the management of Insurrection ^ 1798 . 123 the destructive weapons they had so gallantly cap- tured. Colonel Walpole, though thus forced to retreat be- fore his peasant foe, resolved, like a brave soldier, to make a final stand, and thus decide the contest. With this determination he halted at Clough, a village between Gorey and Tubberneering. Here he was reinforced by a company of grenadiers, despatched by General Loftus to his aid — until that oificer should arrive with his whole division. The rallied troops of Walpole, rein- forced by the grenadiers of Loftus, were not long await- ing the second attack from their determined foe, who soon appeared in sight, advancing at a running pace, with the evident design of coming immediately to close quar- ters, and thus avoiding the sustained and destructive fire of their opponents. The English troops had just time to pour a few hasty volleys into the rapidly ad- vancing ranks, and then the pikemen closed with them. The clubbed musket and the bayonet proved in this as in all former contests, but a poor defence against the long pike borne by the insurgents. In addition to the advantage the peasantry derived from such an effective weapon as the pike in such contests as we describe, they were themselves in strength and agility superior to the royal troops ; and, practised in every athletic exercise, they wielded their arms with resistless force. The issue of the combat might have been fore- seen once the insurgents closed with their foes. The regular troops were completely routed, and fled in the utmost confusion and terror, throwing away their arms and accoutrements to facilitate their escape. Yet with all this they were captured in great numbers by their swift-footed pursuers, who, as usual, treated them with kindness, contrary, as it seemed, to the expectation of the fugitives, many of whom were found with their 124 Popular History of the coats turned inside out, to denote, doubtless, a corres- ponding change in their sentiments sufficiently great to incline the victors to mercy. "When the contest was over, the gallant Walpole was found lying dead beside his charger on the field, while stretched around were numbers of killed and wounded. Thus ended the engagements at Tubberneering and at Clough.’^ Of the above described actions, Mr. Plowden says:f — ‘‘The rebels surprised a division under Colonel Wal- pole, at a place called Tubberneering. The rebels in- stantly poured a tremendous fire from the fields on both sides of the road, and he received a bullet through the head from the first fire. His troops fled in the utmost disorder, leaving their cannon in the hands of the enemy. They were pursued as far as Gorey, in their flight through which they were galled by the fire of some of the rebels who had taken station in the houses. The unfortunate loyalists of Gorey once more fled to Arklow with the routed army, leaving all their effects behind. While Walpole’s division was attacked by the enemy. General Loftus being within hearing of the musketry, detached seventy men, the grenadier company of the Antrim militia, across the fields to its assistance, but they were intercepted by the rebels, and almost all taken or killed. The General still ignorant of the fate of Colonel Walpole’s division, and unable to bring his artillery across the fields, continued his march along the highway, by a long circuit, to the field of battle, where he was first acquainted with the melan- choly event. Tor some way he followed the rebels towards Gorey, but finding them posted on Gorey hill, from which they fired upon him the cannon taken from * The official accounts of these engagements were suppressed— why it is not difficult to divine. f Historical Review of the State of Ireland, p. 128. Insurrection ^ 1798 . 125 Colonel Walpole, he retreated to Carnew ; and still, contrary to the opinion of most of his officers, thinking Carnew an unsafe post, though at the head of twelve hundred effective men, he abandoned that part of the country to the rebels, and retreated nine miles farther, to the town of Tullow, in the county of Carlow.’’ The insurgents, though wearied by their long march and subsequent hard fighting, pushed on rapidly to- wards Gorey, resolved to allow their routed foe no time to put into execution the vengeance they were well aware they meditated on the prisoners there confined. So closely did they press on their flying enemy that the latter had no time to rally their broken ranks, or to put into execution their cruel purpose. They had barely time to fire in through the window of the prison on those confined therein, who, at the suggestion ofEsm ondKyan, one of their number, by throwing themselves on the ground, avoided the otherwise fatal volley. On the arrival of the insurgents at Gorey, the prisoners who had thus narrowly escaped death were set at liberty. Esmond Kyan, who understood the management of artillery, was placed in command of the pieces lately captured. The insurgents now pitched their camp on a hill outside the town, and there awaited the appear- ance of General Loftus, who, as they were aware, was then on his way to join the troops of Walpole, of whose defeat he was yet uninformed. On the appearance of this officer, he was received with a well-directed discharge from the captured can- non. This unexpected salute proved too much for the cou- rage of Loftus and his soldiery. Seized with panic, they took to their heels, and were perceived by some of the mounted insurgents sent after them to ascertain their route, in full flight in the direction of Carnew. The insurgents, well nigh exhausted by their previous 126 A Popular History of the exertions and want of food, did not feel inclined to pur- sue them, and, having no cavalry, were forced to allow them to escape unmolested. The success of these engagements was chiefly due to the prompt advance of the insurgents to meet Walpole while on his march to Carrigrew, instead of waiting to be attacked by that officer and Colonel Loftus at their encampment on the hill. Ey this eneigetic movement, they disconcerted the plan agreed on by two English leaders, and, as we have seen, put them both to flight in separate engage- ments. Loftus seems to have entertained a salutary dread of the pikemen, for it is evident that had he wished to reinforce Walpole, he could easily have arrived in time as well as the detachment of grenadiers that bore a part in the contest. The inhabitants of Gorey and of the surrounding dis- trict, so many of whom had been rescued from death by the success and timely advance of the insurgent army, now came flocking around their deliverers, testifying in every possible way their gratitude for a boon as great as it was unhoped for. Many of them declared that on beholding the formidable array of foot, horse, and artillery that marched out of the town with the joyful and proud confidence of men who go to certain victory, they entertained but little hope of their ill-armed and undisciplined countrymen ofi‘ering any effectual resist- ance. They moreover affirmed that Walpole felt so confident of victory that he had received several wagers that the rebels’^ would not sustain for twenty minutes the combined onset of the royal forces, aided as they were by more than a dozen corps of yeomen cavalr5\ The insurgents, remembering their surprise at ^^’ew- townbarry, resolved to take precautions against a similar Insurrection of i2y misfortune, and to this effect they took care to post sentinels at all the advances to the town. They adopted, moreover, the further precaution of post- ing a strong guard on the road to Arklow, whence they deemed an attack most likely to be made. However, the arrival of a large body of Arklow men at the insur- gent camp, with the tidings that the royal troops had evacuated the town in question, set them at ease on that point. The night of the 4th of J une passed away quietly in the camp of the brave insurgents, whose dauntless cou- rage success had so happily crowned. Here we may mention that such as escaped of the routed troops of Walpole, after passing through Gorey, continued their flight to Arklow, which they also left behind them, nor finally halted till they reached Dublin. The troops commanded by Loftus ended their flight at Tullow. These decisive victories made the insurgents masters of the entire county of Wexford, with the exception of Hewtownbarry, Hew Eoss, and Duncannon Port, which are situate on its borders. Thej^ had also possession of that part of Wicklow which lies between Arklow and the Wexford boundary. The gallant Wicklow men had greatly aided their Wexford neighbours; and had other counties acted such a noble part English rule in Ireland would now be a thing of the past. It was now,” says Mr. Teeling, ‘‘that the Irish government became se- riously alarmed. They had kindled a war in the heart of the country, and it was doubtful whether they pos- sessed the power of extinguishing it. The incessant marching and counter-marching of the troops, the fa- tigues they encountered, the losses they had sustained, the several posts they had been forced to abandon, all tended to lower that spirit with which they were animated on first taking the field . , Intemperate counsels had 128 A Popular History of the placed the country on the brink of ruin, and the more reflecting on both sides looked with awful suspense to the result. Mr. Fox, ever sensitively alive to the honour of his country and the feelings of humanity, again appealed to the British senate, and implored the minister to halt in his desperate career, and extend, ere it should he too late, the hand of conciliation to Ireland. ^ I hold,’ said he, ‘documents incontrovertible which show that this sanguinary contest has already cost his Majes- ty’s forces the loss of ten thousand men and, in the name of justice and humanity, he moved for an inquiry into the state of Ireland. The feeling and energetic ap- peal of Mr. Fox was ineffectual, and Avith it the last hope of conciliation fled.’’ ( 129 ) CHAPTER X. Preparation made by the insurgents under General Harvey for the assault upon New-Boss. — Harvey sends an officer -with a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the town. — Death of the envoy. — Letter found upon his person.— Death of Lord Mountjoy. — New-Boss, its situation.— Disposi- tions for its defence made by General Johnson. — Various accounts of the battle.— How it began. — Marvellous courage displayed by the in- surgents, acknowledged even by their enemies.— Colonel Clooney’s at- tack upon the loyalists posted in the market-place and at Irishtown.— Beturn of the loyalists. — Their subsequent success.— Beal cause of the insurgent defeat.— Number of killed and wounded on both sides. — Ac- counts given by various writers. — Heroism displayed by a boy of thir- teen. — A heroine. — The burning of Scullabogue. — Further details of this massacre. — Examination of Mr. Frizel at the bar of the House of Commons. — Last proclamation issued by General Harvey. — His resig- nation.— The insurgents quit Carrickburn and arrive at Sleive-Keelter — The forging of false despatches by loyalist officers proved. division of the insurgent army, under the im- mediate command of General-in-Chief Bagnal ^ Harvey, having bivouacked for the night of the 30th near Taghmon, arrived at Carrickburn on the next day, where they remained till the 4 th of June, when they set out for Corbet Hill, within a mile of Ross, which town it was decided should be attacked on the morning of the ensuing day. The insurgent leaders decided that a simul- taneous attack should be made on the town at three different points. Before General Harvey issued orders for the assault he despatched an aide-de-camp named Furlong with a flag of truce to summon the garrison to surrender. This commission proved fatal to the bearer; for scarce had Furlong approached within view of the outpost, bearing aloft the flag of truce, than he was fired on by a sentinel and fell mortally wounded. In his pocket was found the following letter from Harvey to General J ohnson : — Sib — As a friend to humanity, I request you will surrender the town of Boss to the Wexford forces now assembled against that town. Your resistance will but provoke rapine and plunder, to the ruin of the in- 130 A Popular History of the nocent. Fluslied with victory, the Wexford forces, now innumerable and irresistible, will not be controlled if they meet with resistance. To prevent, therefore, the total ruin of all property in the town, I urge you to a speedy surrender, which you will be forced to in a few hours, with loss and bloodshed, as you are surrounded on all sides. Your answer is required in four hours. Mr. Furlong carries this letter and will bring the answer. — lam, sir, B. B. Harvey, General Commanding-in-Chief. Camp at Corhet Hill^ half -past three d^cloch in the morn- ing. June 26thj 1798.” This shooting of bearers of flags of truce seems to have been quite a matter of course with the military. It however taught the insurgents that they should neither show mercy to, nor expect it from, such a faithless foe, and doubtless led to the death of Lord Mountjoy soon after, as he advanced before his regiment with the in- tention of parleying with them while advancing. The town of Boss, ^ about to be the scene of a bloody * ‘‘ The battle of Eoss, with respect to its incidents and exten- sive results, was one of the most important of the insurrection. Ross is surrounded on three sides by steep hills, and on the fourth by a river, dividing it from the southern counties, and having a long wooden bridge. The possession of Eo«s, therefore, would open a communication with the southern insurgents, who were prepared to rise en masse the moment their friends should occupy that town ; and the city of Waterford, and probably the whole of the western and southern counties, would have risen in their favour.” “Their General, Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey, was of all men . probably the most unfit for so desperate an enterprise ; his figure diminutive, his voice tremulous. He was a Protestant barrister of fortune ; good tempered and of good private character ; and was selected from being Lord of Bargy Castle and of considerable • demesnes in the county of Wexford. “ Of individual courage he had sufficient, but of that manly heroic intrepidity which converts danger into enthusiasm and is indispensable to the leader of such an army and such a cause, he was altogether unsusceptible . . . Harvey and his aide-de-camp, Insurredio?i of i^gS. 13 i contest, was garrisoned by about two thousand regular troops under the command of General Johnson, in addi- tion to which large force there were several corps of yeomanry. Eoss was at this time a walled town, and the principal entrance from the southern side was by the Three-lullet Gate. Towards this gate the road by which the insurgents were about to advance led in nearly a straight line with a high ditch at either side. The fields extended to within a few perches of the wall, and were enclosed by ditches similar to those which bounded the road. General Johnson, rightly judging that the principal attack would be made on this gate, had posted thereat a strong force in the most advantageous positions within and without, while two six-pounders were planted so as to pour their fire upon any body of men advancing along the road before mentioned. Behind the ditches on either side of the road, and in every other available cover, soldiers were placed to gall with their fire the expected assailants. It must be admitted that to force an entrance through a post so well guarded was an enterprise of no easy nature, but yet the undisciplined and ill-armed insurgents undertook and effected the task. All who have written of the eventful period vary materially in their accounts of the battle of Boss. Hay, who seems to have been at much pains to obtain accurate information, gives "what he, no doubt, believed to be a correct account of the engagement, while Clooney, Mr. Gray, a Protestant attorney, remained upon a neighbouring hill, inactive spectators during ten hours’ successive fighting '^ — /Sir Jonah Barrington^ s Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation^^ p. 450. Mr. Harvey was reputed by his contemporaries a man of courage, yet he displayed undoubted cowardice during this desperate battle. His reputation was founded upon the fact of his having fought several duels. A similar anomaly appeared in the conduct of such of the peasantry as had been noted before the insurrection for their excessive pugnacity at rural gatherings. When it came to real fighting, these ‘ bullies ’ generally made a poor figure. 132 A Popular History of the who took an active part in the affair, differs from him in many important particulars. Eoth these impartial writers concur, however, in stating that the greater number of the men who formed the camp on Corbet Hill took no part in the battle, and that one of the divisional leaders deserted his post at the very beginning of the assault. It appears that not more than three thousand men took part in the assault, and that great part even of these left before the battle was finally decided.* While the insurgents’ officers were marshalling their men as best they could preparatory to the attack, they were much annoyed and sustained some loss by a sharp fire, maintained by the enemy’s outposts. Seeing this, General Harvey ordered Colonel Kelly to charge, and drive in these outposts with the battalion of Bantry-menf under his command. This order the brave young colonel so well obeyed that he drove them before him in con- fusion to the very walls of the town. Kelly found it much easier to lead his men to the charge than to with- draw them from it, and they were soon hotly engaged with the defenders of the gate. Clooney, who had com- manded a similar battalion of Bantry-men, and had been ordered by Harvey to support Kelly, now rushed forward to join in the fray. The main body of the insurgents, seeing their comrades in actual conflict with the enemy, could no longer be restrained, and, despite the efforts of their leaders, poured down swiftly towards the scene of strife. This ardour, so natural in undisciplined men, entirely disconcerted the original plan of assault. The entire battle was now fought between the defenders of the gate and their assailants. From the gates, from the walls, and from the ditches, the military poured a close and terrible fire on the fierce assailants, who, though * Mr. Gordon says : “Of the insurgents on Corbet Hill not more than a half or perhaps a fourth descended to the combat.” t From liantry, a Wexford barony. 133 Instirredion ^' 1798 . they fell in great numbers under a withering fire, still kept rushing forward with matchless intrepidity'^' to supply the place of their fallen comrades. Even those who write in the bitterest spirit of hostility to the in- surgents, speak of their conduct on this occasion in the following terms: — Such was their enthusiasm that, though whole ranks of them were seen to fall, they were succeeded by others, who seemed to court the fate of their companions by rushing on our troops with renovated ardour.” (Sir Eichard Musgrave). An English officer, forced into an involuntary admira- tion of the reckless bravery with which these devoted people fought, exclaimed,. ‘ y that the devils out of hell could not resist them.” After half an hour of this desperate fighting the soldiery began to fall back inside the gate, while their assailants took possession of the barracks, which stood a short distance from the wall. Here it was that the young hero. Colonel Kelly, was disabled by a shot in the thigh. At this period of the fight a strong squadron of the Eifth Dra- goon Guards made a sally from the town by a lane, hop- ing to take the insurgents in the rere. This, however, they failed to do, and were themselves charged by the fierce pikemen, who in a few minutes slew twenty- * Of the courage displayed by the insurgents in this action we have more than sufficient testimony. We give that of two witnesses. An old gentleman named Harris, who died since the first edition of this work was published, was present at the battle of Eoss ar captain of yeomanry, and was wont to tell of the extraordinary bravery exhibited by the insurgents in endeavouring to force a passage over the bridge, though, it was swept every moment by chain shot, which literally mowed them down by dozens at each discharge. Counsellor Lundyfoot, a friend of Sir Jonah Barring- ton, was also present, and described to him “ the desperate valour of the peasantry.” Had these brave men a competent leader instead of the imbecile Harvey they would have driven the English into the se«-. 10 134 A Popular History of the eight of their number, together with their cornet, Dod- well. An amazon named Doyle, who marched with the insurgent army and bore herself as gallantly as the most courageous man, now made herself useful by cutting off with a bill-hook the cross belts of the fallen dra- goons, and handing them, together with the cartouche boxes, to her comrades. The insurgents having by this time won the gate, General Johnson judged it time to sound a retreat, which signal was obeyed by his troops with more speed than dignity, while their successful opponents, with shouts of triumph, poured into the town for whose possession they had so bravely contended. Though General Johnson, with the main body of his troops, had evacuated the town, yet the insurgents could not be considered complete masters of it, for the main guard of the hostile army, with two swivel guns, still kept possession of the market-place, while Major Yande- leur, with the Clare Militia, still maintained liis ground at a suburb called Irishtown. Great numbers of the insur- gents were now dispersed throughout the town in search of some refreshment, which they sorely needed. Some writers assert that on this occasion the peasantry gave way to intemperance, and thereby lost the battle, but their fault, if any, has been greatly exaggerated, and it is clear that the subsequent loss of the town was owing to other causes than intemperance. Many of the peasantry who had taken part in the attack upon the town had already departed for their homes, great numbers of the bravest men had been slain, and those that remained in partial possession of the town were well nigh exhausted by continued exertion, that proved too much even for their hardy, vigorous frames. The town remained in possession of its new masters for some four hours. During this time Colonel S. Clooney collected all the men he could to follow him, and, 135 Insurrection ^ 1798 . strange to say, he could not find more than forty, and led them first to dislodge the guard that still kept possession of the market-place, but he was received with so hot a fire from the men that held the building, and their adherents in the neighbouring houses, that he was forced to retreat. Foiled in this attempt, the same brave and energetic chief proceeded, with his small body of men, to drive the Clare Militia from their position at Irishtown. This was evidently an enter- prise of a desperate nature, but Clooney, who seems to have been a man of extraordinary daring, did not seem to think so. He led his handful of wearied men across two fields, all the while exposed to the fire of the enemy, but naively confesses that he could not get them to mount a ditch that separated them from their far more numerous foes. Meantime General Johnson who, with the main body of his army, had been compelled, as we have seen, to beat a hasty retreat from the town, finding himself unmolested in his retreat, altered his previous determination of altogether abandoning the place to the insurgents, and resolved to make a final effort to regain possession of it. The County of Dublin Militia, burning to revenge the death of their Colonel, Lord Mountjoy, led the advance. The result might have been anticipated ; they found their enemies dispersed through the town, unprepared for the attack, and suc- ceeded in driving them out. The insurgents, whom defeat had once more united, soon renewed the attack with marvellous courage."^ Once more these dauntless men * Concerning this renewed attack, Mr. Hay says : — “Having respired a little from their hasty retreat, which in a great degree made them sober, they again returned to the charge, and the con- test which now ensued was maintained on both sides with great obstinacy, both parties being induced by experience of the former encounter not to relax their exertions. The intrepidity of the insurgents was truly remarkable, as, notwithstanding the dreadful 136 A Popular History of the rushed upon their disciplined foes, and, despite the fearful carnage made in their ranks by the terrible fire poured upon them, they charged pike in hand to the very muzzle of the musket and the mouth of the cannon, and drove the soldiery in precipitate flight from the town. Hay states that on this occa- sion, as on that of their previous success, the vic- torious insurgents indulged in intemperance. Eut this statement must be regarded as at least doubtful, and the victory finally won by the king’s troops must be attributed to the havoc made in the insurgent ranks by the long continued fire of the artillery and musketry. Soon after this repulse the troops returned once more to the assault, and victory crowned their persevering bravery. After an almost continuous fight of thirteen hours’ duration, victory finally rested upon the royal standard. This contest, though it may be deemed inconsiderable with regard to the numbers therein en- gaged, has never been surpassed in the annals of war for the bravery and determination displayed by the com- batants on both sides. Clooney, who is a truthful and impartial writer, estimates the loss of both contending hosts to have been nearly equal, that is about three hundred killed and five hundred wounded on either side. As for the accounts given by such writers as were professed partizans of the Government they are utterly unworthy of credit, as they are proved to have been guilty of systematic and deliberate falsehood and exaggeration. I am inclined to believe that Mr. Clooney, in his desire not to exaggerate, greatly underrates the loss havoc made in their ranks by the artillery, they rushed up to the very mouth of the cannon, regardless of the numbers that were falling on all sides of them, and pushed forward with such im- petuosity that they obliged the army to retire oncer more and leave the town to themselves.” p. 152. Instcrrection of 137 sustained in this action. Taking into account the fierceness of the struggle and its duration, it is im- possible to place it so low. Sir Jonah Earrington esti- mates the loss on both sides to have been far greater, and is of opinion that upwards of 5000 men were either killed or consumed by the conflagration. The same author relates a singular incident that occurred during the battle : — The insurgents were on the point of being finally repulsed, when a young gentleman of thirteen years of age, from the town of Wexford, of the respect- able family of Lett, in that town, who had stolen away from his mother and joined General Harvey on Corbet Hill, saw the disorder of the men and the incapacity of their leaders, and with a boyish impulse he snatched up a standard, and calling out, Follow me who dare!’’ rushed down the hill, two or three thousand pikemen rapidly followed him in a tumultuous crowd, and utter- ing the most appalling cries. In a moment he was at the gate, rallied his party, and with his reinforcement, rushed upon the garrison, who, fatigued and astonished at the renewed vigour of their enemy, were again borne down and compelled with much loss, fighting step by step, to retire towards the bridge. This was, perhaps, the most important engagement of the entire insurrection, and, had the insurgents suc- ceeded, the final event might have been far different. General Harvey now ordered a retreat to he sounded, and the dispirited insurgents marched off to their former encampment on Carrickburn, unmolested in their retreat by the enemy, who were content with the suc- cess they had achieved. The intrepid woman Doyle, before mentioned, seeing the insurgents about to quit the scene of their late combat, and leave a gun they had brought with them behind, seated herself upon it, and spiritedly declared that if ‘Hhey did not bring her dear little gun with them she would remain behind 138 A Popular History of the also at all risks/’ Ashamed not to comply with the re- quest of the heroine, some of the weary men gave her their aid in conveying away her strange favourite. We must now proceed unwillingly to record a deed of savage cruelty perpetrated by some of the dastardly runaways from the battle of Eoss. That the brave men who took part in that combat had no share in the savage deed is distinctly stated by Clooney. Alas ! that such recreants had power to stain the otherwise unblemished laurels of the brave insurgents of Wex- ford. The burning of Scullabogue has often been cited as an instance of fiendish cruelty. We seek not to paint it otherwise. If it proves anything, it is that there were men amongst the insurgents as cruel and cowardly as amongst their enemies, but their number must have been far smaller in proportion, nor do we find that the insurgent leaders encouraged their followers to the perpetration of such excesses, but, on the contrary, that they did all in their power to prevent them. Can the apologists or panegyrists of the English soldiery or of their more savage allies say with truth as much in their defence?^ Eor one black deed such as the one in question, we can cite hundreds on the part of the partizans of English rule, committed, not in the madness of passion, but with cold-blooded deliberation. Eor instance, the insurgent depot of wounded men burned in New Eoss by the military, the insurgent hos- pital at Enniscorthy by the yeomen, and the murder by the militia and yeomanry of the sick and wounded insur- * To prove that we do not exaggerate when making mention of the conduct of the loyalists, we give the testimony of the Eev. Mr. Gordon, a Protestant minister, wliose son was an officer of yeomanry, and himself a loyalist. “ Indeed, it was their settled practice (speaking of the loyalists) to shoot all men they met.” — See History, p. 113. 139 Insurrection of 1798 . gents in the hospital of Wexford, when the royalists took possession of that town."^* An entire chapter might he filled with instances of similar ruthless deeds perpe- trated by military, militia, and yeomanry. We must now proceed to describe what occurred at Scullabogue. Before the insurgents marched to the attack onEoss, they despatched their prisoners, to the number of about one hundred, to be confined in the barn of Scullabogue House, at the foot of Carrickburn, and there stationed a guard over them. Of these prisoners we may mention that some twenty were Catholics, and when we say that the remainder were Protestants, it must be re- membered that the majority of persons professing Pro- testantism had manifested by every means in their power the bitterest hostility to their insurgent country- men in their desperate struggle for liberty, so that they were confined, not as Protestants, but as persons who in a life and death struggle had ranged themselves under a hostile standard. While the battle was raging at Eoss, runaways from both armies filled the country around with the most contradictory rumours. At length it was known that the day had gone against the insur- gents. The minds of the people were much inflamed by the account of the shooting of the bearer of the flag of truce, the burning of houses with their inmates, and the indiscriminate slaughter by the soldiery. Popular fury is wild and unreasoning, and destruc- tive in its course as the hurricane, and only required an object on which to wreak its vengeance; in this instance unhappily the object was at hand — the unfortunate prisoners in the barn of Scullabogue. Thither rushed an infuriated crowd, composed mainly of runaways from the battle of Eoss, and others who were driven by a * For the truth of this statement see Hay, Gordon, Clooney, and Plowden’s Histories. 140 A Poptilar History of the thirst for vengeance for their own wrongs to take part in the cruel deed.^ In vain Murphy, the captain of the guard, resisted at the peril of his own life — he and his men were fiercely thrust aside, and fuel was imme- diately applied to the walls of the barn. In vain did the victims endeavour to escape ; they came forth from the burning fabric but to fall by the pikes of the savage mob. Those who remained within screamed and implored mercy in piteous accents. But why prolong the descrip- tion of such a revolting scene ? The barn, with all the unfortunate beings it contained, was consumed in the flames. Their terrible revenge being accomplished, the murderers dispersed. The brave men who had fought at Boss heard on their return to Carrickburn with horror and regret of this detestable act of cruelty, and, without doubt, had they then discovered the murderers, they would have inflicted on them such punishment as they deserved. Of this horrid transaction, Mr. Plowden discourses as follows : — Bloody as was the carnage at New Boss, where the rebels were said to have lost between two and three thousand men, the horrors of that scene vanish before the inhuman massacre of a number of unfortunate pri- soners, men, women, and children, mostly Protestants, burned to death in a barn at Scullabogue, on the evening of that same day. Scullabogue House, which is the property of a Mr. King, was situated at the foot of Carrickburn Mountain. When the rebel army marched to Corbet Hill, their prisoners had been left under a guard, commanded by John Murphy of Loghnaghur. The runaways declared, that the royal army in Boss * A body of fugitives fVom the battle forced the guard.” — Bev. Mr. Gordon. Insurrection (^ 1798 . 141 were shooting all the prisoners, and butchering the Catholics who had fallen into their hands, and feigned an order from Harvey for the execution of those at Sculla- bogue. This order which Harvey, himself a Protestant and a man of humanity, was utterly incapable of giving, Murphy is said to have resisted, but this resistance was vain. Thirty-seven were shot and piked at the hall- door ; and the rest, a hundred and eighty-four in num- ber, according to report, crammed into a barn, were burned alive, the roof being fired, and straw thrown into the flames to feed the conflagration.’’ In the same year in which the above detailed massacre was enacted, a gentleman named Prizel, who was amongst the prisoners, was examined at the bar of the House of Commons concerning the affair. He was asked every question that could be suggested relative to the massacre, to which his answers were substantially as follows : — That having been taken prisoner by a party of the rebels, he was confined to a room on the ground floor in Scullabogue House, with twenty or thirty other persons ; that a rebel guard with a pike stood near the window, with whom he conversed ; that persons were frequently called out of the room in which he was by name, and he believes were soon after shot, as he heard the reports of muskets, shortly after they had been called out ; and that he understood that many were burned in the barn, the smoke of which he could dis- cover from the window; that the sentinel pikemen assured him that they would not hurt a hair of his head as he was always known to have behaved well to the poor ; that he did not know of his own knowledge, but only from the reports current amongst the prisoners, what the particular cause was for which the rebels had set fire to the barn.” Upon which Mr. Ogle rose with precipitancy from his seat, and put this question to him with great eagerness : Sir., tell us what the cause 142 A Popular History of the was?”. It having been suggested that the question would be more regularly put from the chair, it was repeated to him in form, and Mr. Frizel answered, that the only cause he, or he believed the other pri- soners, ever understood induced the rebels to this action was, that they had received intelligence that the mili- tary were again putting all the rebel prisoners to death in the town of Boss, as they had done at Dunlavin and Carlow. Mr. Ogle asked no more questions of Mr. Frizel, and he was soon afterwards dismissed from the bar. With a view to put a stop to any repetition of such disgraceful and barbarous deeds. General Harvey im- mediately issued a proclamation, in which he threatened death to all who should, under any pretext, be guilty of outrages to person or property. This proclamation was as follows : — At a meeting of the general and several officers of the united army of the county of Wexford, the follow- ing resolutions w^ere agreed upon : — Besolved, that the commander-in-chief shall send guards to certain baronies, for the purpose of bringing in all men they shall find loitering and delaying at home, or elsewhere ,* and that if any resistance be given to those guards so to be sent by the commanding officer’s orders, it is our desire and orders that such persons so giving resistance shall be liable to be put to death by the guards, who are to bear a commission for that purpose ; and all such persons found to be loitering and delaying at home, when brought in by the guards, shall be tried by a court-martial, appointed and chosen from among the commanders of all the different corps, and be punished with death. Besolved, that all officers shall immediately repair to their re- spective quarters, and remain with their different corps, Insurrection of I 143 and not depart therefrom under pain of death, unless authorized to quit by written orders from the com- mander- in-chief for that purpose. It is also ordered that a guard shall be kept in the rear of the dijfferent armies, with orders to shoot all persons who shall fly or desert from any engagement, and that these orders shall be taken notice of by all officers commanding in such engagement. All men refusing to obey their superior officers, to be tried by court-martial and pun- ished according to their sentence. It is also ordered that all men who shall attempt to leave their respective quarters where they have been halted by the comman- der-in-chief, shall suffer death, unless they shall have leave from their officers for so doing. It is ordered by the commander-in-chief, that all persons who have stolen or taken away any horse or horses, shall imme- diately bring in all such horses to the camp, at head- quarters, otherwise for any horse that shall be seen or found in the possession of any person to whom he does not belong, that person shall, on being convicted thereof, suffer death. ‘‘ And any goods that shall have been plundered from any house, if not brought into head-quarters, or re- turned immediately to the houses or owners, that all persons so plundering as aforesaid shall, on being con- victed thereof, suffer death. It is also resolved, that any person or persons who shall take upon them to hill or murder any person or pri- soner, or hum any house, or commit any plunder, without special written orders from the commander-in-chief, shall suffer death By order of ^^B. B. Habvey, Commander-in-Chief. Beancis Bbeen, Sec. and Adj. Head Quarters, Carricklyrne^ Camp, June 6, 1798.’^ 144 Popular History of the In Wexford town a similar proclamation was issued about the same time. The above-given proclamation was the last issued by Bagenal Harvey, for there were loud murmurs against him arising from his conduct at the battle of Boss. He soon after resigned his command, and was succeeded therein by the Eev. General Philip Eoche. On the third day after the disastrous battle of Eoss, the insurgents quitted Carrickburn Hill, and proceeded to that of Slieve Kielter, near which eminence flows the Eiver Barrow. On the flrst day of their encampment on this hill, they captured a gun-boat which, with two others that escaped, waS on its way to Waterford. On board they found, amongst other things, despatches from military officers concerning various engagements that had taken place between the insurgents and the King’s troops. These reports were found, on exami- nation, exaggerated and one-sided in the extreme — the loss of the insurgents in every engagement was enor- mously exaggerated, and that of the royal troops pro- portionately diminished. Our readers may judge of the value of histories, such as Musgrave’s and Max- well’s, compiled from such truthful documents."^ * Mr. Clooney saw these exaggerated reports himself, as he in- forms us in his history. In further proof that suppressio veri and assertio falsi were systematically carried on by the English commanders, or by the Government, in case the former failed to do as they were expected, we cite the authority of Mr. Hay, who, referring to the battle of Fooke’s mill, says, “But although General Moore’s despatches concerning the engagement have been published, yet the list of the killed and wounded, mentioned to have been sent in the Ge- neral’s letter, has been suppressed.” Thus, when an officer was found too upright to conceal the truth in his despatch, the Go- vernment undertook to do it for him ! Insurrection of 1798 , 145 CHAPTER XI. Insurgents on Gorey hill. — Difficulty they experienced in obtaining provf sions. — Burning of Hunter Gowan’s house — Insurgents march towards Carnew. — General Loftus takes refuge in Tullow. — Insurgents hearing of the occupation of Arklow by the loyalists return to Gorey Hill. --Dis- advantages under -which they laboured. — The Insurgent leader, Father John Murphy.— Exertions made by the Insurgents to acquire military discipline. — How they progressed.— The lack of gunpowder a great ob- stacle to their success.— Gunsmen and pikemen. HE second division of the insurgent army, by whom Generals Walpole and Loftus had been ' so signally defeated, remained during the 5th and 6th of June in their encampment on Gorey Hill, employing this interval of comparative repose in ac- quiring some further knowledge of military movements, and in sending out reconnoitering parties to ascertain the movements of the enemy, or in procuring such pro- visions as were necessary for the sustenance of their nu- merous army, which this time amounted to about fifteen thousand men. The latter task they found a rather arduous one, for the hordes of Orangemen, corps of yeomanry, and bodies of regular troops, had subsisted at the cost of the unfortunate people for months ; and not content with taking by force what they required, they wantonly destroyed what they could not use. Under these circumstances the requisitionists from the insurgent camp found it extremely difiicult to obtain the necessary supplies. It was in one of these forays that the house of Hunter Gowan, of infamous memory, was burned, an inadequate retaliation, indeed, for the fiend- ish deeds of cruelty perpetrated by that inhuman vil- lain. At length the insurgent chiefs deemed the time was come when the attack on Carnew should be made, and, accordingly, they left their camp on Gorey Hill, and directed their march towards that town on the 7th, about mid-day. 146 A Popular History of the Towards evening, the insurgents drew near Carnet and encamped on Kilcavan Hill, in the vicinity of the town. This march on Carnew had been made to satisfy the people of that town and the surrounding neigh- bourhood, who had suffered extremely from the cruelty of their enemies, who had long trampled on them without mercy, till, driven to madness by their un- provoked wrongs, they breathed nothing but a spirit of revenge and retaliation. This spirit manifested itself in the burning of the houses of their persecutors, and, as Carnew was mainly inhabited by Orangemen, it was in a great measure destroyed. Yet, extraordinary to relate, though the oppressed inhabitants of Carnew had now many of their enemies completely in their power, it does not appear that any of them suffered death at their hands. This, under the circumstances, was a marvellous in- stance of forbearance, considering the cruel wrongs they had sustained. Some, however, of the Orange inhabitants were detained as hostages, with the inten- tion of exchanging them for prisoners in the hands of the yeomanry. In the meantime. General Loftus, having heard of the intended advance of the insur- gents on Carnew, had marched out of that town, and hastened to shut himself up in Tullow, where he thought himself at a secure distance from a foe he had now been taught to dread. The English general could well estimate the advan- tage of fighting behind entrenchments, where he could use musket and cannon against men whose chief arm was th^ pike. The unwelcome tidings having reached the camp on Kilcavan Hill that the town of Arklow had been occupied by the royal troops in great force, it was forthwith determined by the insurgents to re- turn to their former position on Gorey Hill, and there to prepare for an attack on the retaken town. 147 Insurrection o/i^gS. The insurgents rightly deemed that the crisis in their fortunes had arrived, and that to drive the formid- able force of English troops out of Arklow would task their utmost energies, sadly deficient as they were in some of the chief requisites for the undertaking. They had numbers of brave men, it is true, but the greater part of them were armed with a weapon that, though unequalled in close fight, was of little use against an enemy who fought from behind an entrenched position. The artillery of the insurgents was insignificant, both as to the number of pieces and their calibre, and, though useful against an enemy in the open field, proved inefS.- cient when the latter took shelter behind stone walls or earthen entrenchments. In addition to these serious disadvantages, the ammunition for the few smaller fire- arms in the possession of the insurgents was well nigh exhausted, and they had no means of obtaining a suffi- cient supply. This was but partially supplied by the arrival of a small barrel of powder from Wexford, sent with great reluctance, the inhabitants affirm- ing that it was needed for the defence of the town. Thus it will be seen that the insurgents were but poorly provided with every munition of war, and not- withstanding, relying on their own dauntless courage, they resolved to continue the contest. The continued success that had hitherto attended their army must be attributed in great measure to the excellent qualities of the gallant men who led them to fight. Amongst these may be mentioned Anthony Perry, Edmund Eyan, together with the heroic and faithful priests, Eathers John and Michael Murphy. Father John continued to be the idol of the brave men whom he led, and who admired in him the perfection of their own courage. Always fighting in the foremost ranks, ever ready to cheer and rally those who wavered 148 A Popidar History of the •(&- in the fight, skilful and cool after the battle to improve the victory, kind to console and warm with his own heroic ardour the humblest of his followers when their spirits, less lofty and less firm than his, drooped under the calamities of unequal war. His matchless daring excited the admiration even of the bravest. The men fought like lions in his pre- sence, and seeing him fearlessly exposing himself where danger was most rife, they were emulous of imitating a leader who evinced such a noble contempt for the perils of the fight. But mere personal bravery, however* great, either in the chiefs or those they led, could not fully compensate for the lack of military discipline. It is unity of action and concentration of power that form the strength of an army. This truth was keenly felt by the insurgents. To acquire this chief element of power, they had from the outset directed their efforts. To this end they conducted as closely as they could the order observed by regular troops, forming themselves into companies and regiments, appointing their captains, colonels, and generals, holding councils of war before undertaldng any important enterprise, and posting out- posts and sentinels around their camps. As the insurrection went on the recruits they re- ceived from the yeomanry and militia enabled them to make a more rapid advance toward acquiring the discipline they sought. All the time not engaged in actual combat was devoted to the practice of military manceuvres. The intelligent peasantry showed a remakable capacity for profiting by the instructions they received, so that after a short while they were able to perform, though in an imperfect fashion, the ordinary military evolu- tions. Insurrectio 7 i of 149 In consequence, we find them every day more capable of coping with their disciplined enemies. In one instance we see them maintaining for several hours a fight with a superior number of royal troops under a brave and able general, and retiring unpursued when their ammunition was exhausted, Trom these facts it is plain that to drive a brave people into insurrection is a dangerous experiment for any Govern- ment to make, for every day of continued warfare renders the insurgents more capable of contending with regular troops, giving them confidence in their own strength and skill in the use of arms. This was so evident during the contest in Wexford, that many persons competent to form a correct opinion on the matter did not hesitate to affirm that had the rest of Ireland afforded any assistance to the Wex- fordmen the Government would have found it impos- sible to quell the insurrection. The greatest obstacle to their success was the lack of gunpowder, which they did not succeed in manufacturing. The greater number of the bravest and most efficient men in the insurgent army were farmers or their sons, who being keen sportsmen, were consequently good marksmen. Many of these were provided with the long guns used in fowling upon the Slaney, excellent weapons, which sent a bullet farther than the muskets of the soldiery. The number of insurgents, however, who were furnished with firearms of any description was small compared with that of those whose only weapon was the pike. But this weapon, though excellent, was useless save in close fight. Then indeed it was irresistible. No force of cavalry could break a square of embattled pikemen, nor could any body of horse or foot long withstand the shock of their headlong onset. A sharpened hook on one side of the pike blade was used in cutting the bridle of the cavalry soldier, and 11 150 A Popular History of the this once severed his horse became unmangeable, and he himself completely at the mercy of his opponent. The Author was informed by an old insurgent, who had fought at Yinegar Hill, Oulart, and Arklow, that all the pikemen required was To get at the soldiery.’^ But this was the difficulty. To advance in the face of a body of soldiery pouring in amongst them a destruc- tive fire, to which they could not reply, would be wanton loss of life, and was in consequence a course rarely adopted by the insurgents save when the lack of ammunition left them no alternative. CHAPTEE XII. state of the County of Wexford.— Great increase in the number of royal troops. — Orange atrocities.— Wexford insurgents search for concealed Orangemen.— Seizure of Mr. Hunter.— Measures taken by Captain Keough as military governor. — Arrival of the Barony of Porth men.— Bagenal Harvey chosen Commander-in-chief. — His unfitness for com- mand. — Insurgent freedom from bigotry.— Energetic preparations made by the insurgents for resistance.— Bank-notes esteemed of no value. — Provisions, their cheapness.— The Wexford “Elect.” — Capture of Lord Kingsborough and his officers.— Reinforcements sent to the camps.— Orangemen exclusively the objects of popular hatred. — Unrea- sonable fear displayed by the Protestants.— Pretended converts.— Instance of liberality on part of Catholics.— Hatred borne towards traitors.— Punishment infiicted upon informers.— Dixon’s violence.— Requisitions.— Comparative tranquillity existing in the town.— Outrages become more frequent.— Proclamation issued against Hawtrey White and his associates. — Catholics refuse to permit the Protestant church to be used as an hospital. — Popular anger excited by the discovery of a pitch-cap.— Kingsborough’ s danger. — Messengers from the camp de- mand ammunition and reinforcements. — Good conduct of the gunsmen sent from the town. — Alarm of the loyalist prisoners in Wexford.— Kingsborough’ s letter to the Lord Lieutenant intercepted by Captain Dixon. — Tumult excited by the letter. — How appeased. — Severe mea- sures of retaliation adopted by the insurgents at Vinegar Hill. |EXEOED county was now the scene of a war which, considering the numbers engaged and the fierceness wherewith it was waged; was altogether disproportionate to its narrow area. Insurrection of 151 The royal troops within the limits of this one county could not have amounted to less than 90,000 men, including the yeomanry, whose large force was being every day augmented, while the peasantry who bore arms of any sort did not amount to more than 30,000 men."^' On one side was discipline and un- limited resources, on the other was seen only the desperate bravery of men who fought for life and free- dom. It had now become a struggle for victory or death — success or utter destruction between the con- tending parties. Scenes of bloodshed and cruelty con- tinually exhibited were beginning to work their effect on the minds of the people, who seeing that when van- quished they received no mercy at the hands of the enemy, resolved on their part to show none. In the school of bloodshed Orangemen were the principal masters, and against them the popular ven- geance was chiefly directed. From the many deeds of cruelty and consequent retaliation, we may cite the following, which are well authenticated : When the insurgents obtained possession of Ennis- corthy, they found the dead body of a drummer of the North Cork Militia hanging in the lodgings of a Mr. Hancock, a Protestant minister and a magistrate, and having learned, on inquiry, that he had been put to death by the Orangemen for refusing to join in playing certain offensive party tunes, they naturally considered him as a martyr to their cause, and proceeded to revenge his death by shooting several of the most noted Orange- men among their prisoners. Hay also mentions that the insurgents, in revenge for the cruel murder of an ^ The Wexford insurgents could not have amounted to more than 35,000 men, while their Wicklow associates hardly numbered 10,000, making in alia force of 45,000, which is perhaps too high an estimate of the insurgent forces. 152 A Popular History of the idiot boy near the bridge of Scarawalsh by a party of cavalry, shot fourteen of their prisoners. If such cruel deeds were enacted occasionally under the impulse of ungovernable passion by the peasantry, they were habitually practised in cold blood and as a matter of course by their enemies. On the departure of the great body of the insur- gents on the 31st of May, those of their brethren who remained, aided by the populace of the town, instituted a search for such Orangemen as yet remained at large, with the intention of consigning them to prison The first they went in quest of was Mr. Turner of N’ewpark, a magistrate who had incurred their resent- ment by setting fire to some houses at Oulart previous to the battle fought at that place on the 27th.^' Having found the gentleman in question at Mr. Harvey’s lodg- ings, they seized upon him, and forthwith led him down to prison, disregarding the entreaties made by Messrs. Harvey, Hay, and Fitzgerald in his favour. Several of the most obnoxious of the prisoners having been previously liberated through the infiuence of their friends, the people now insisted that no one should be freed from confinement in this irregular manner, but only on producing a certificate of their former good conduct, signed by a sufficient number of their neighbours. On the same day that the above detailed incidents occurred. Captain Keough was chosen military governor of Wexford. Tinder his supervision, the town was divided into wards, each furnishing a company of armed men, with officers of their own choice. Every evening these companies were paraded on the quay, while with military regularity guards were struck OS’ and relieved, and passwords and countersigns given. * The houses in question were set on fire to induce the insur- ^ ents to quit their favourable position. 153 Insurrection of In the country parishes a similar organisation was soon after adopted. While the insurgent army yet remained in deliberation on Windmill Hill, a large body of the men of the barony of Forth marched into town with Mr. Cornelius Grogan of Johnstown Castle, at their head. This aged gentleman, though entirely passive in these proceedings, did not escape the vengeance that fell on no more guiltless head, but his fate was nobler than that which befell ^is brother Thomas, who was slain at Arklow leading* "fte Castle- town yeomanry against the pikemen. We must not forget to mention that in the council of war held by the insurgents on Windmill Hill, before setting out on their new campaign, Mr. Bagenal Harvey was chosen commander-in-chief. This selection was most ill- judged, for Harvey, though in many respects an excel- lent man, was not possessed of talents to qualify him for such an important ' command. It must, however, be regarded by all fair-minded persons as a proof that the Catholics, who form such a vast majority of the population of Ireland, are far too generous and enlight- ened to entertain rancour against those who differ from them in their views of religious truth, but on the con- trary, have evet* shown themselves enthusiastically grateful to such Protestants as have been willing to join them in their struggles for freedom. As a further evidence of this truth we may state the fact that the greater number of their chosen chiefs were Protes- tants or Presbyterians,^' and no voice was ever raised amongst their followers to reproach or taunt them with the fact. * Of the Wexford leaders, Harvey, Keough, and Anthony Perry were Protestants ; Kelly, Colclough, and Kyan Catholics, while the northerns were almost, without ex:ception, Protestants or Pres- byterians, 154 ^ Popular History of the The Wexford insurgents, fully sensible of the des- perate nature of the struggle upon which they had entered, displayed the utmost energy in the efforts they made to carry it on successfully. Every smith and carpenter in the town of Wexford and its environs was now hard at work in the fabrication of pikes and han- dles to that queen of weapons.” In a short time every insurgent was provided with one of these efficient weapons, and while every hand grasped a pike, every hat displayed a green cockade. Eour oyster boats, each manned with a crew of thirty-five men, were fitted out to cruise in the offing, and by boarding passing ships to obtain provisions, which were sorely needed, as the usual markets were quite deserted. At the same time two pieces of cannon were mounted on the old fort of Eoslare, to fire on any vessel of war that should attempt to cross the bar ; while, to render still more difficult the entrance of the vessels in question, two sloops were sunk at the mouth of the harbour. As an indication of the hopes the people entertained at this period of severing their connexion with England and shaking off the yoke that had galled them for centuries, bank notes issued by establishments that had government security, were regarded as quite valueless, specie alone being proffered or accepted in buying or selling. Indeed, so low had paper money fallen in the common estimation, that it was no un- usual thing to see men lighting their pipes with them, or using them as gun-wadding. However, money in any shape was little needed, for every kind of pro- vision was supplied from the public stores, on the presentation of a ticket from the committee. Such persons as preferred to purchase what they needed in the market, could get good meat at one penny the pound, and other commodities at a proportionately cheap rate. The little fleet of armed oyster boats were 155 Insurrection ^ 1798 . meantime actively employed in cruising to and fro outside the harbour, and boarding such vessels as were so unlucky as to come within their reach. Captures of this kind, made by their exertions, were so numerous that a fair supply of provisions was maintained in town, and the wants of the inhabitants supplied. But on the 20th one of these little vessels alighted upon a prize of a different nature from any that had been hitherto made. This was a vessel, on board of which they found Lord Kingsborough, colonel of the North Cork, with two of his oflS.cers, who, unaware that Wexford had fallen into the hands of the insurgents, were on their way thither to join their regiment. The gentlemen in question were brought into town by their captors; and on arriving there were con- ducted first to the residence of Captain Keough, whence they were soon after, at the urgent demand of the people, transferred to a house in the bull- ring (an inn called the Cape of Good Hope'), around which guards were stationed to prevent their escape. This happened on the 2nd of June. On the following day, a large body of the inhabitants of the barony of Forth, who had procured arms, passed through the town on their way to join the insurgents at Carrickburn; and a corps from the Faith (a Wexford suburb, inhabited chiefly by the families of sea-faring men) set off on the even- ing of the same day for the camp at Carrigrew. During this time, while the Catholic party in Wex- ford enjoyed undisputed sway, not the slightest dis- position was manifested by them to injure or outrage in any way their Protestant fellow-townsmen. The resentment of the 'people was directed exclusively against Orangemen, This fact is, perhaps inadvertently, ac- knowledged even by Sir Eichard Musgrave. But the Protestants were ill at ease, and evinced their distrust of the sincerity of their fellow-townsmen, though so 156 A Popular History of the unequivocally expressed, by the constant importunities wherewith they assailed the priests for admittance into the Catholic Church. However, the Catholic clergy, being well convinced of the real motive of this sud- den change in religious opinions, firmly refused to comply with their request. But these strange con- verts were not to be put off. They followed the priests wherever they went, were constant in their attend- ance at the Catholic church, and showed their earnest- ness while there by sprinkling holy water copiously over their persons, and frequently making the sign of the cross in the most orthodox fashion. It was after- wards noticed that some of the most zealous of these con- verts were afterwards the most prompt in coming for- ward to give their testimony against those whose religious faith they pretended to adopt. Thus it is that coward- ice and cruelty are generally to be found in company. The principal Catholic inhabitants of the town used their utmost endeavours to banish all apprehension from the minds of their heterodox brethren, and re- quested that the services which had been discontinued in the Protestant church should be carried on as usual. But to this the Protestants themselves would by no means give their consent. Ho truth, indeed, has been more clearly shown forth than that the Catholics of Wexford were possessed by no persecuting spirit. Traitors were punished with the same impartial justice, whether they happened to be Catholics or Protest- ants. But beyond all, informers were held in such detesta- tion that their fate excited no compassion in any breast. In bringing these wretches to condign pun- ishment, the famous, or, as some may deem him, the infamous, Captain Dixon strenuously exerted himself. An informer named Thomas Murphy (a Catholic) had caused, by his false testimony, the transportation of Insurrection ^ 1798 . 157 Father Dixon, a relative of the Captain^s. This wretched man was the first that felt his vengeance. On Sun- day the 3rd of June, while the Catholic inhabitants were assisting at Mass, the captain repaired to the gaol, from which he led out the informer, conveyed him straightway to the bull-ring, where he had him shot by three revenue officers, whom he compelled by threats to become his executioners. This was a lawless and desperate act on the part of Dixon, but he had been deeply injured, and his con- duct, though culpable, must be admitted to be far less so than that of those Orange gentry who put unfor- tunate people, who had never done them an injury, to the most cruel death. Yet those who stigmatise this rude son ofYeptune as a monster, &c., pass over lightly enough the diabolical atrocities perpetrated by the infamous Hunter Gowan and his compeers. So great is the influence that the accident of birth or of social position exercises over some minds. The 14th of the same month witnessed the death of another individual of the same detested class. The people resolved to extend no mercy to such vile trai- tors, regarding them as enemies to humanity, whose existence was a continued danger to the community. At this period the frequent requisitions made for the different camps pressed rather heavily on the resources of the townspeople, but the majority of them were not unwilling to suffer some loss of property in providing for the wants of the brave men who perilled life and liberty for the common cause. To force compliance from the more selfish and griping the threat of burning their houses was made use of by the insur- gents, and always with the desired effect. Things went on quietly in Wexford, and were it not for the occasional arrival of parties of the warlike peasantry, the town would have enjoyed the most undisturbed tranquillity, A Popular History of the 158 and no one could suppose from the peaceful aspect it presented that a fierce war was raging outside its walls. It is not, however, to be supposed that crimes and out- rages of various kinds were not perpetrated during this disturbed period. Individuals of vile and base character are to he found in every class and in every country, and in times of civil commotion such persons do not fail to avail them- selves of the opportunity then presented of indulging their evil propensities. The existence of the class referred to in Wexford was hut too plainly shown hy the numerous robberies and other outrages that became frequent. The insur- gent chiefs did their utmost to check these disgraceful proceedings, and such of the depredators as were caught suffered condign punishment. In extenuation of the offence of the marauders in question, it is but fair to say that many of them had been totally ruined by the forays headed by Hunter Go wan, Hawtrey White, Archibald Hamilton Jacob, and other magistrates of the same class. As the latter still pursued their course of crime and outrage, the popular assembly thought it necessary to issue the following proclamation ; — ^^Proclamation of the People of the County of Wexford, Whereas, it stands manifestly notorious that James Boyd, Hawtrey White, Hunter Gowan, and Archibald Hamilton Jacob, late magistrates of this county, have committed the most horrid acts of cruelty, violence, and oppression, against our peaceable and well-disposed countrymen. How, we, the people associated and united for the purpose of procuring our just rights, and being determined to protect the persons and properties of all religious persuasions^ who have not oppressed usj and are willing tojom 'iAth heart and hand our glorious causey as well as to show our marked disapprobation and horror 159 Insurrection of 1798 . of the crimes of the above delinquents, do call on our countrymen at large to use every exertion in their power to apprehend the bodies of the aforesaid James Boyd, Hawtrey White, Hunter Gowan, and Archibald Hamilton Jacob, and to secure and convey them to the gaol of Wexford, to be brought before the tribunal of the people. — Done at Wexford, this 9th day of June, 1798. ‘ God save the People To illustrate the good feeling that existed among the Catholic population of Wexford and their desire to conciliate their Protestant fellow-townsmen, wo may mention the following event. The crowded state of the gaol having caused the disease known as gaol fever to break out therein, the Protestants suggested that their own church should be used for the accommodation of the sick ; but to this proposal the Catholics firmly refused to give their assent, and eventually a sloop was fitted up in the harbour for the purpose. An incident now unhappily occurred to disturb for a brief space the calm that reigned in Wexford, and throw the populace into a state of violent excitement. It fell among the slumbering passions of the mob like a lighted brand into a powder magazine, and produced a similar explosion. The occasion of this popular ferment was the discovery of a pitch-cap in Wexford barracks, together with a commission for the establishment of an Orange lodge. This double discovery produced a fearful tumult. The horrid instrument of torture was insepar- ably united in the minds of the people with Lord Kings- borough, who was credited with being its inventor. Breathing vengeance, a furious crowd hurried to his lodg- ings, with the ugly object thatrecalled so many revolting scenes elevated on the point of a pike, resolved to make him experience in his own person the torture he had designed for others. But Kingsborough’s aristocratic friends stepped between him and the enraged populace. 1 6 o A Popular History of the It shocked the genteelly constituted minds of these persons that the head which was destined to wear a coronet, should be crowned with such an ungraceful head-dress as a pitch-cap. So persuasively did the gen- tlemen in question plead in favour of the prisoner, that the people, whose anger rarely proved unappeasable, at length relented in their purpose of putting him to the torture. They, however, insisted that he should be conveyed without delay to the sloop, and kept prisoner there. This demand being complied with, they dis- persed. Hext day Kingsborough’s friends had the sloop condemned as unfit for the purpose to which it had been designed, and the prisoner was brought back to his former lodging. There is little doubt that Lord Kingsborough would have been put to death by the people could they have procured evidence of the cruel- ties he had practised elsewhere ; but, luckily for him, his crimes had been committed at a distance from Wex- ford, and in the absence of witnesses, the justice of the people refused to inflict upon him the death he un- doubtedly deserved. Meantime, affairs in the county were hastening to- wards a crisis. On the 5th of June a messenger arrived in town from the camp at Gorey Hill, for the purpose of obtaining from the townspeople a supply of ammu- nition for their intended attack on Arklow. The latter gave, though not without great reluctance, one barrel out of the three they had captured shortly before. Soon after this event a despatch came from Yinegar Hill, urgently demanding a reinforcement of men from the town as an attack of the royalists was apprehended on that camp. In compliance with this request a force of one hundred and twenty gunsmen, under Cap- tain Murphy, marched out of town on the 10th of June, and arrived the same night at the ^ Hill,’ where they remained till the 20th, Insurrection of 1 798 . 1 6 1 These men were distinguished for their good conduct, and their interposition put a stop to the executions that had been but too frequent before their arrival ; for latterly the insurgents had adopted severe measures of retaliation, and for every one of their party put to death by the Orangemen, sacrificed one of their prisoners. It was, indeed, verging towards a war of extermination on both sides ; on the Orange side it had, in truth, been such from the very outset ; they had been but too faithful to their wicked oath. The rumours of excesses committed by the partisans of Government reached Wexford, and excited no slight apprehension amongst the loyalist prisoners. They considered them- selves in imminent danger of falling victims to the vengeful feeling such reports aroused among the people in whose power they were at present placed. Popular hatred still burned against Lord Kingsbo- rough as the representative of Orangeism (a system that in the minds of the people embodied everything that is hateful and detestable in principle and practice), and manifested itself in such a way as to put that young nobleman in terror of his life. To arrest the evil that he feared from some sudden outburst of popular anger, Kingsborough wrote a letter to the Lord Lieutenant, in the name of his fellow-prisoners, in which he besought him to endeavour to procure better treatment for such insurgents as might be captured by the king’s troops, as otherwise he and his fellow- captives had good reason to fear certain destruction. However, this epistle did not reach its destination, for Captain Dixon, aware of its being despatched, rode on before the bearer. Lieutenant Burke, and induced the Enniscorthy insurgents to seize the messenger and intercept the letter. The captain put no trust in the faith of Kingsborough, and suspected his messenger of being the bearer of more than the contents of the letter, lb 2 A Popular History of the viz., important information of the plans of his fellow- insurgents. Were it not for the emeutes evoked by the captain, the town would have enjoyed almost complete tranquillity. This rough sailor seems to have sworn undying enmity to the Orangemen, since magistrates of that faction unjustly (upon the evidence of a perjured informer) sentenced his relative, the Eev. Mr. Dixon, to transportation. Prom that time forth he allowed no opportunity to pass of exciting against them the angry feelings of his followers. During his brief reign as king of the mob the captain was wont almost daily to sally forth from the town at the head of an armed band, and pay domiciliary visits to the habita- tions of the neighbouring Orange gentry, with a view, as he alleged, of seeing that they were plotting nothing against the people — in fact, using against them their own tactics. In one of these excursions he entered the house of a certain Colonel Le Hunt, near the village of Castlebridge, where he alighted upon an object of whose use he was ignorant, or at least feigned to be so, and to which his excited imagination attributed a terrible significance. This object was nothing more or less than a fire screen, bordered with orange- coloured fringe, and painted with a grotesque representa- tion of the heathen gods. The captain hastened back to town, which he entered on horseback, accompanied by his wife Madge, likewise mounted, bearing aloft the yet mysterious prize, whose nature and purpose he began to descant upon to the mob, that, as usual, thronged around him. He declared that the aforesaid grotesque figures signified nothing less than the tor- tures to be infiicted by Le Hunt and his fellow- Orange- men on the Catholics. This, and other appeals of the worthy captain, roused the multitude to a desire for instant vengeance on foes whose crimes were black enough to dispense with the addition of imaginary horrors. Insurrection of 1798 . 163 The populace, inflamed by Dixon's address, rushed to the house where the unlucky owner of the fire-screen lodged, seized and marched him down to jail, prepara- tory to holding a trial on him and other obnoxious persons. The tumult was, however, at length appeased by some gifted speaker of the committee, who explained to the excited crowd the harmless nature of the object that had aroused their anger. But the insurgents at Vinegar Hill were of fiercer and less relenting temper than those who abode in Wexford, and many unfortunates were there put to death as enemies to the popular cause. Nor did their vengeance confine itself within the limits of their own camp; for, on the 16 th, they despatched a party of pikemen to the town, who, having seized upon four of the prisoners confined in jail, led them off with them to the ^^Hill,” where they soon after suffered death."^' Leaving the town of Wexford for a time, we now proceed to visit other scenes where events far more im- portant are in progress. * Concerning the number of loyalists put to death at Vinegar Hill camp, accounts vary : some assert that as many as four hun- dred were executed — fifty would be nearer the truth. 164 A Popular History of the CHAPTEK XIII. The insurgents leave Gorey and march upon Arklow.— Their number and equipment.— The battle of Arklow.— Death of Dr. Michael Murphy. — Absence of Father John.— Contest between Esmond Kyan and Colonel Skerret.— Return to Gorey.— Massacre of the wounded insurgents by the English soldiery.— Cannibalism of the “ Ancient Britons.” — Loss on both sides.— The falsehood of General Needham’s despatch demon- strated by various authorities.— State of the country.— Merciful spirit displayed by the insurgents.— Their respect for the fair sex contrasted with the brutality of the loyalist officers and men. HE leaders of the insurgent army on Gorey Hill haying decided to march forthwith to attack the royal troops, who had possessed themselves of Arklow, and having made every possible arrange- ment to carry their enterprise to a successful termina- tion, issued orders to those who followed their standard to he ready to set out on the expedition.^' At about ten o’clock on the 7th of June they were in readiness to march. Of the twenty thousand men who composed the insurgent force on Gorey Hill, not more than two thousand were armed with firearms, many of which * Of the attack on this town the Eev. Mr. Gordon says : — ‘‘ Had Arklow been attacked immediately after the defeat of Wal- pole, it would have been taken, but during the delay many troops arrived, till the force consisted of 1600 men.” Sir Jonah Bar- rington states that “ the rebels boldly but indiscreetly declared their intention of storming the town. The alarm of the metro- polis at this intelligence may easily be conceived, and immediate reinforcement of the garrison of Arklow could alone prevent an attack on Dublin, and an insurrection of the populace. The Cavan militia, commanded by the present Lord Farnham, was instantly despatched to succour General Needham*” “ The first attack on Arklow was made by a column which advanced by the sea shore, and assailed what was called the Fishery. The main attack was made on the regiment of Durham Fencibles under Colonel Skerret, whose line extended across the fields in front of the barracks.” — Gordon. Instirrection of 165 were out of order and of little nse, gunsmiths not being at hand to repair them. Three thousand of their number, at the utmost, had pikes ; the rest were forced to be content with scythes, pitchforks, and whatever other rustic implements they could use as weapons of offence. However, the spirit that animated these men seemed to counterbalance their lack of the ordinary weapons used in waging war. They directed their march through the village of Coolgreney, where they halted for a short time to take some slight refreshment, and, after a march of about fourteen English miles, arrived in front of the enemy^s position, whom they found well entrenched in preparation to receive them. The insurgents perceived a number of field-officers riding in front of their enemy’s line of battle,^' but a volley from their sharp-shooters soon compelled these gentlemen to retire behind their line. One of them, having fallen under the fire, was carried off the field either killed or severely wounded. The insurgent artillery, under Esmond Kyan, commenced the battl^ and, by the first well-directed volley, dismounted one of the enemy’s cannon. While Kyan kept up an effec- tive fire from his few pieces of artillery, one division of the insurgent army corps filed to the right, and commenced a vigorous attack on the Eishery, where the royal troops were in great force, and, having to cross an open field in front of the hostile entrenchment, suffered considerable loss from the enemy’s fire. Being reinforced, however, by another corps, they made a determined assault on ^ “ The conflict took place in a level field at the extremity of the town ; the royal infantry being on a line on open ground, with two pieces of cannon at each wing. . . The fire began as regularly as between disciplined armies ; the pikemen formed a crescent on a range of hills just over the royalists, and waited for any disorder to rush down and exterminate them.” — Sir Jonah Barrington’s “ Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation,'^ p. 418. 12 1 66 A Popular History of the the position of their foes. The main body of the in- surgents had by this time arrived, and the battle became general, and after an obstinate defence, during which the insurgents were repeatedly charged by the regular troops and yeomanry, who, on this occasion, manifested unusual spirit, the latter were finally driven with great loss from their position. Nothing could withstand the terrible onset of the pikemen, who, re- gardless of the loss infiicted on them by their trained adversaries, continued the combat with the utmost bravery. Their chiefs proved themselves worthy to command such gallant men, and charged with daunt- less courage at their head. ITumbers of the insurgents fell, but the rest still pushed forward with dauntless de- termination, heroically resolved to conquer or perish. General Needham, seeing his troops beginning to quail before the repeated and fierce onsets of their undisciplined foes, deemed it prudent to retreat before the mass of the pikemen came to aid their comrades, whose determined onslaught had already made such havoc in his ranks. He feared lest his troops might become utterly panic-stricken and imitate the disgrace- ful flight of Walpole’s, the remnants of which corps, cowed by their recent defeat, now began to waver. In vain the various corps of yeoman cavalry, who, as we have intimated, showed more spirit on this day than heretofore, charged furiously down upon the firm ranks of the pikemen. They were scattered like chaff be- fore the wind, and finally retired utterly broken and dis- comfited. The first of the yeoman corps to charge the insurgent ranks was that called the Castletown ; at their head rode Captain Thomas Knox Grogan, of Johnstown. This corps was also routed and its captain slain. Nor did the cavalry regiment of Ancient Britons, so infamously notorious for their cruelty, fare better — they also being forced to retire with severe loss. It Insurrection of 167 was in repelling one of the cavalry charges that the insurgents lost one of their leaders, the Eev. Michael Murphy, who fell by a mortal wound in the fury of the strife.^ While the battle continued to rage with such fierce- ness between the insurgent pikemen and the cavalry of the royalists, to the increasing disadvantage of the latter, Esmond Kyan maintained an artillery fight with his few pieces of ordnance with Skerret, the Colonel of the Durham Eencibles, a cautious ofiicer, who kept his men behind their entrenchments, and was content to return the rather feeble fire directed against his posi- tion by Kyan. At last Kyan succeeded in driving the colonel from his position, and was proceeding to complete his suc- cess by a further effort, when, unfortunately, he was wounded severely by a cannon hall, which carried off a cork arm he wore, together with a piece of the stump to which it was attached. This most untimely acci- dent to poor Kyan gave his opponent time to choose a new and better position, and strengthen himself therein. Thus poor Kyan lost his arm, and Skerret gained a re- putation to which in truth he had little claim. This position might have been easily taken by a vigorous charge of pikemen, but the simple, though valiant peasants had formed altogether too high an estimate of the value of their artillery, and many of * Father Michael fell while leading on a large body of pikemen to the charge. His death at this critical juncture was a terrible blow to the insurgents. It was the common opinion that had he lived he would have led his victorious troops to Dublin. In this action he was the recognized leader ; for I have been assured on reliable authority that ‘‘ Father John” was not present at this battle, though Miles Byrne asserts that he was. It was well known among the old insurgents, a few of whom survived to our own time, that Father John strongly disapproved of the attack on Arklow. and remained behind at Castletown. 1 68 A Popular History of the them were satisfied to stand idly by, absorbed in admira- tion of its thundering discharges. This battle, in which such gallantry had been displayed by both sides, had now lasted for four hours with great slaughter, till, at length, the royalists began to give ground, and victory crowned the unparalleled bravery and deter- mination of the insurgents. Their opponents gave way on all sides — completely beaten and borne down by the successive and resistless onsets of the pikemen. It is true the Durham Fencibles^ still defended the second position, behind which they had securely en- sconced themselves, and in comparative security beheld their routed comrades scattered far and wide over the field so long and so fiercely contested. This victory, so glorious for the insurgents, was, however, dearly bought, for many of their most valued and trusted chiefs, and hundreds of their gallant bre- thren, lay stretched on the field, dead or severely wounded. Amongst those brave chiefs who were slain in the conflict was, as we have already mentioned, the liev. Michael Murphy — a sad loss to the insurgent cause, for, in addition to the qualities that form a gallant chief, his priestly character made the people follow him with more courage into danger. Michael Eedmond, the leader of the men of Little Limerick (a Wexford village), also received a mortal wound whilst leading his men into the town after driving the royalists out of the Fishery. !N^ow that victory had rewarded the efforts of the in- surgents, and their routed enemy were in full retreat, it seems almost incredible that the victors should have * “ General Needham and most of the officers were disposed to retire as a matter of necessity ; but Colonel Skerret, of the Dum- barton Fencibles, resolutely declared that his regiment would never retreat.” — Sir Jonah Barrington’s “ Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation,” p. 448- Insicrrectio 7 i of 169 neglected to secure for themselves the fruits of their dearly bought success, and retired without pursuing the enemy, whom they might easily have made prisoners and obtained possession of their arms and ■'ammunition, of which they stood in such great need. Yet such was unhappily the fact. The insurgent army received orders to march back to Gorey Hill, leaving their routed foe to pursue his bight unmolested. Had the English soldiers been pursued as they retreated in panic and disorder, their total rout would have been inevitable ; but the occasion was lost, and with it the fruits of a victory that cost the lives of so many brave men. The insurgents on their march back to Gorey carried some hundreds of their wounded comrades with them, leaving, unfortunately, many others on the field, who were slaughtered without mercy by the enemy on their return. Hot only did these wretches murder the unhappy and defenceless wounded, but they mangled the senseless remains of those whom death might have protected from all but the vengeance of fiends. Imagi- nation sickens at the contemplation of the horrible deeds perpetrated by the Ancient Tritons, who, having fearfully mangled the remains of the Rev. Michael Murphy, tore out his heart, roasted it, and ate it.'‘^ Does history record another so fiendish deed of the soldiers of any country? Thus ended the battle of Arklow, glorious for the bravery displayed therein, but unfortunate for the unaccountable neglect by which its fruits were lost. The King’s troops engaged in this action amounted * This horrid fact is recorded by a Protestant clergyman, the Rev. Mr. G-ordon. who, as an avowed loyalist would not lightly cast an imputation on the king’s troops. Tradition states that all who partook of this cannibal banquet died raving mad. lyo ^ Popular History of the to about 1600 men, together with about a dozen corps of mounted yeomanry. Of this number they are sup- posed to have lost about 200 in killed and wounded. The insurgent loss was greater, as they were the as- sailants, and including those wounded, who were butchered after the action by the military, amounted to about 500 men. The following is the shamelessly mendacious account given of this action in the Official Bulletin,’’ Dublin, June 10th, 1798 : — Accounts were received early this morning by Lieutenant-General Lake, from Major-General IS'eed- ham at Arklow, stating that the rebels had in great force attacked his position in Arklow, at six o’clock yesterday evening. They advanced in an irregular manner, and extending themselves for the purpose of turning his left flank, his rear and right flanks being strongly defended by the town and barrack of Arklow. Upon their endeavouring to enter the lower end of the town, they were attacked by Lourth Dragoon Guards, Difth Dragoons, and Ancient Britons, and completely defeated. All round the other points of the position they were defeated with much slaughter. The loss of his majesty’s troops was trifling, and their behaviour highly gallant.” The substance of this despatch was furnished by General hTeedham to his military superior. Lake, l^eedham knew the art of forging despatches better than he did that of flghting insurgents ; his brother offlcers esteemed him little better than a coward, and his retreat at Arklow would have been converted into a flight but for the firmness with which Skerret stood his ground. To refute the false assertions con- tained in the above-given despatch, we need only cite the authors who have made mention of the affair in question. Sir Jonah Barrington says; — ‘^The in- Insurrection ^ 1798 . 1 7 1 surgents, dispirited by the fall of Father Murphy, advanced no further ; . . . they began to retreat, but without precipitation ; the royal army did not think it prudent to pursue.’’ The rebels ceased from combat as soon as darkness came, and retired unpursued towards Grorey.”— Eev. Mr. Gordon. The insurgents retreated when their ammunition was expended.”* — Hay. The insurgent army, on their return from Arklow, once more encamped on Gorey Hill, where they re- mained till the 1 0th, when they returned to Limbrick Hill. Meantime the country where the various battles we have attempted to describe were fought, continued to be the theatre where innumerable scenes of cruelty and bloodshed were exhibited. The yeomanry and military yet infested the country in small bands, taking care to avoid any place where the dreaded pikemen were in force, and wherever they went the shrieks of the tortured victims or the death-cry of some hapless wretch too surely announced their presence. Old men were slain, whose nerveless arms could not defend them, and whose white hairs might have moved the pity of less ruthless foes ; and the wives, sisters, and daughters of a people far-famed for their purity, fell victims to the brutal lust of England’s vile soldiery and foreign mercenaries. *Mr. Hay seems inclined to think that the military had actually begun to retreat. He says, ‘ ‘ variously did the fortune of the day seem to incline ; it is necessary, however, to mention that ru- mours of a retreat of the troops were circulated, and that orders were given, and seeming preparations made for that purpose, and, as the proverb has it, ‘all’s well that ends well.’ The insurgents, after having displayed singular bravery, courage, and intrepidity as long as their ammunition lasted, retreated when it was ex- pended to their former position at Gorey ; and thus ended the battle, at the very moment that it is alleged the army had deter- mined to retreat, and most undoubtedly my information ivarrants me to mention that some of the military had already retreated^' 172 A Popular History of the The sons, brothers, and fathers of those unhappy victims stood on the hill-side, or slept in the rude camp under the free air of heaven ; but the patriot's sleep was haunted by the woeful vision of a desolated home, and the suffering of those who were dear to his heart; and can we wonder that, with a sense of these wrongs ever present to his mind, he swore the direst revenge on those who had wrought them. Had the insurgents borne calmly such injuries and forborne all retaliation, they had been more or less than human. They did in some instances retaliate ; but we venture to affirm that never did a people so foully wronged, so ruthlessly trampled under the iron heel of military despotism, exhibit so many instances of merciful forgiveness to those they knew to be their mortal foes. Of this gentle spirit of the people we give two instances. Owens, a Protestant minister, an Orangeman, and a magistrate, had long exercised his power in a most cruel way. This man fell into the power of the people, and though it was proved that he had put many innocent men to death, his life was spared, and his captors decided that as he had indicted the torture of the pitch- cap on so many, it was but just that he should have an opportunity of proving it himself — to this punishment he accordingly was sub- jected. The chivalrous spirit of the insurgent peasan- try manifested itself by giving women an entire im- munity from even the slightest injury. As an instance of this we may relate what occurred to the daughter^ of Hunter Gowan. These young ladies, who were so numerous as fifteen, being encountered on the road by a band of armed insurgents, were stopped and ques- tioned as to who they were and whither they were going. They told both, and were dismissed unharmed, to appreciate, if they could, the chivalrous generosity of the brave peasants. It is, moreover, admitted even ^73 Insurrection of by the bitterest enemies of the gallant insurgents, that during all the time they were masters of the county no insult or injury was offered by them to any female, even the relatives of their most merciless foes — a fact that forms an admirable contrast to the brutal war waged against female honour by those who fought under standards of a nation which boasts itself pre- eminently civilised and Christian. Concerning this admirable trait in the character of the insurgent peasantry as contrasted with the infamous conduct of the soldiery. Sir Jonah Earrington remarks: — It is a singular fact that in all the ferocity of the conflict, the storming of towns and of villages, women toere uniformly respected hy the insurgents. Though numerous ladies fell into their power, they never ex- perienced any incivility or misconduct. But the fo- reign troops in our service (Hompesch’s) not only bru- tally ill-treated, but occasionally shot gentlewomen. A very respectable married woman in Enniscorthy (Mrs. Stringer, the wife of an attorney) was wantonly shot at her window by a yeoman, in cold blood. The rebels (though her husband was a loyalist) a short time after took some of those foreign soldiers prisoners, and piked them all, as they told them, ^ just to teach them how to shoot ladies.’ ” Nor were the ofiicers, English or Irish in the royal army, a single pace behind these vile foreign mercen- aries in the pursuit of beast-like brutality. We cannot here more than allude to such infamy, of which abun- dant historical proof already exists. Eut it would scarce be credited that so fearfully had the minds of people been perverted by the frenzy of religious hatred, that a lady of fashion, on being told of the re- spect shown by the insurgents to the fair sex, merely remarked with an air of disgust, that it was owing to a want of gallantry in the croppies.'*'^ 174 A Popular History of the CHAPTER XIV. Movements of the insurgents and royalists. — Position of the contending forces — Encampment on Mount Pleasant.— Vaunts of the royalist general. — Retreat of the royal troops.— Insurgent challenge refused.— Insurgents proceed to Vinegar Hill.— Attack on Borris-house.— Battle of Longsaig or Eooke’s Mill. O AELY on the morning of Saturday, the 16th, news was brought to the insurgent camp on Limbrick Hill, that Generals Loftus and Hundas had quitted their camps at Tallow and Hacketstown, and were on their march from these places with the intention of making a combined attack on their position. On the receipt of this welcome intelligence, the camp on Limbrick Hill was broken up, and the insurgents were once more on the march to meet their foes. They reached Carnew without encountering an enemy ; and thence they continued their march to Tinahely, where their advanced guard came in view of a like body from the hostile army, whom they put to flight, making many prisoners. They also captured a great number of cattle which were in possession of their enemy. The insurgents reached Mount Pleasant that night, where they encamped. At an early hour next morning the united forces of Dundas and Loftus came in sight of the insurgents, drawn up in formidable array on Mount Pleasant. The good position occupied by the insurgents, and the ap- pearance of military discipline they exhibited, conside- rably cooled the ardour the royalist officers had the day before manifested to encounter the ‘‘ rebels.’^ They had openly boasted that the ‘'bloody croppy rebels’’ would fly on the appearance of such a formidable force as they commanded. But no sign of fear or inclination to fly was shown by the fierce array of warlike peasants. On the other hand, these pot-valiant generals, so ready to Insurrection of 1 798 . 1 7 5 put rebels to flight over their cups, now that they had them present, did not seem over-anxious to come to close quarters with them. The English force came to a halt at a safe distance ; and no doubt they then deemed it would be much safer to have been out of sight altogether. The insurgents, burning to meet those now despised foes, received with warlike ardour the command to advance, and charged at a quick pace down the hill in the direction of their foes. The latter did not choose to withstand their onset, but retired with great precipitation, leaving a large herd of cattle and a considerable quantity of provisions to be seized by their courageous foes. The cavalry of the royal army attempted to cover the rear of the retreating forces, but were unable to prevent the insur- gents from making a considerable number of prisoners. The royalist army continued to retreat before the insurgents till they reached a hill at a considerable distance, where they halted. While the main body of the royal troops were thus retreating from their dangerous proximity to their enemy’s line, detached bodies from the insurgent army hung upon their rear, and gave occupation to the numerous corps of cavalry engaged in covering the retreat. Among these skir- mishing parties from the insurgent forces, a force of two hundred Arklow men, under the command of Denis Doyle, made a great figure ; for, in addition to their possession of that brave spirjt that animated the entire insurgent army, they had, by constant training, acquired a great promptitude in the execution of military manoeuvres, and bore themselves as steady as veteran soldiers. JSight at length fell over both armies, and put an end to the pursuit. The tumult <^f the fight was succeeded by silence, and the triumphant insurgents retired to their camp on Mount Pleasant, to seek the 176 A Popular History of the repose they so much needed. During the ensuing day the insurgents remained on Mount Pleasant, where intelligence reached them of the utter failure of the insurrection in Dublin and Kildare, and of the supposed immediate invasion of the country by Bonaparte. On the same day, the chiefs held a council, in which the next steps to be taken were debated. It was finally decided to endeavour to force the enemy to give battle. This they sought to do, as it was then known that the various English forces in the county were about to be concentrated for a combined and irresistible attack on the great rendezvous and rallying place of the insurgents on Vinegar Hill. Accordingly, the insurgent army quitted their camp on Mount Pleasant, and took up a position on Kilcavin Hill, thus drawing near to the headquarters of Lieutenant-General Lake, at Gorey. But the English generals, with a large body of regular troops and yeomanry, remained stationary behind their barricades in Gorey, and refused to accept the challenge of the gallant band of Wexford and Wicklow peasants, who, seeing the evident reluctance of their enemy to engage them, advanced boldly to the very walls of Gorey, where they found the king’s troops drawn up in preparation for an attack. The few pieces of artillery the insurgents possessed were now brought to the front, and commenced to play on the enemy’s line. The royal artillery replied with spirit to the insur- gent fire, and many men fell on both sides. The pikemen, who had hitherto been kept in reserve, now received orders to advance. This command they obeyed with their usual alacrity, and pushed rapidly forward to encounter the red coats. The latter re- treated slowly before the impetuous advance of the in- surgents, who continued to pursue them till night put an end to the confiict. This engagement took place between the advanced guards of both armies, for the main 177 Instirreciioii of body of the insurgents yet remained on the hill, while that of the royalists kept behind their entrenchments at Gorey. "While a part of the insurgent army were thus engaged, their comrades on the hill were busy discussing the contents of despatches which in the interim had arrived from the general-in-chief, which were to this effect — that, being unable to maintain his position before Eoss, he was forced to fall back with his division to cover Wexford; and that he considered it expedient that the forces now on Kilcavan Hill should forthwith set out for Vinegar Hill, in order to act in concert with his army. The wisdom of the proposed step being discussed among the chiefs, it was decided by the majority to abandon their present position on the very evening that had witnessed the glorious success of a portion of their army, in combat with a far more numerous force of the king’s troops. That night the insurgents set out for Vinegar Hill, halting to repose at Ferns, well nigh exhausted from excessive fatigue and want of food. On the next morn- ing they resumed their 'march, proceeding slowly, in order to give time to some who had gone in quest of food to rejoin their corps. Great was the rejoicing in the English camp at Gorey when it was known that their dreaded foe had quitted their encampment, and were retreating towards Vinegar Hill. Soon those English troops, whose cautious generals had hitherto kept them cooped behind entrenchments, which they had hardly hoped would protect them, issued from their shelter; and forthwith commenced a vigorous pursuit. It would be vain to attempt a description of the enormities perpetrated by these worse than savage troops, as they hung on the rear of the wearied pikemen. Suffice it to say that in their progress through the country everything of value they could lay hands on they plundered, eveT-^ ^oman that fell 178 A Popular History of the into their hands they brutally violated, and every man they put to instant death. The insurgents, meantime, continued their retreat in good order, a rear- guard keep- ing the enemy at a distance. Their movements were, however, considerably impeded by the vast multitude of helpless women and children who, flying in terror before the advance of the royal army, sought protec- tion from their armed countrymen. Weary and ex- hausted, the latter at length arrived at the foot of Vinegar Hill just at nightfall, and encamped around it. A hundred fires, lighting up the dark night, made visible the great numbers who had sought protection in the vicinity of the army of the people. The division of insurgents, under the command of Father Philip Eoche, were now encamped on Lacken Hill, an eminence situate between EossandEnniscorthy, with the intention of making another attack on the former town. But to carry this intention into effect, the insurgents were sadly in need of arms and ammu- nition. To obtain a supply of these they resolved to attack Borris House, the residence of Mr. Kavanagh,"^' which was known to contain a large quantity of the material of war. In this attack they failed, as they did in most others in which they had to fight enemies shel- tered behind stone walls. The house in question was so strongly built, that the fire of the howitzer the insurgents brought with them had no effect on its walls. This fortress-like mansion was defended by a party of the Donegal Militia. The attacking party carried on the assault with great determination till evening, when they desisted from it on perceiving the approach of Sir Charles Asgill, at the head of an over- * Mr. Kavanagh was the grandfather of the late representative of Carlow in the Imperial Parliament. 179 Insurrection of powering force. The baffled insurgents then returned to their encampments on Lacken Hill. There on the morning of the 19th, one of the chiefs descried, by the aid of a glass, a considerable force of horse, foot, and artillery marching towards them. When their general, the Eev. Philip Eoche, was apprised of this, he gave orders to the small force under his command (then diminished to some four hundred men) to prepare for battle. This command was, however, prevented from being carried into effect by Captain T. Clooney, who considered it would be decidedly rash to hazard a battle with such inferior force as the insurgents possessed. Acting on this opinion, he desired the men to draw up two-deep on the hillside, fronting their enemy, and, at the same time, placing their hats on the ends of their pikes, to raise them above their heads, so as to deceive the enemy, by making their small force seem more nume- rous than it in reality was.”^' They were, at the same moment, to raise a shout, as if about to charge the ad- vancing enemy. These orders were obeyed, and the stratagem succeeded. The advancing royalists halted, seemed to be thrown into confusion, extending their line, as if to prevent themselves from being outflanked by the insurgents, whom they supposed about to attack them in great force. While this confusion prevailed amongst the king’s troops, the insurgents made a hasty retreat in the direction of Wexford, and, before the enemy were in readiness to pursue them, were at a safe distance. Mr. Clooney admits that the number of the royal troops did not exceed that of the insurgents, but con- sidered that, as the latter had but a few rounds of am- munition for their muskets, and no cannon, an engage- * Clooney’s ‘‘ History of Insurrection of 1798,” p. 73. i8o A Popular History of the ment could only end in their defeat. He affirms that Father Eoche, on being told of the enemy’s approach, immediately issued orders for battle, without even in^ quirhig what force he had to encounter."^ At a late hour that night the insurgents arrived at the encampment on the Three Eocks, considerably aug- mented in numbers on their way thither. They heard on their arrival that Sir John Moore, at the head of a large force, was encamped at Longraig, a village mid- way between Eoss and Wexford. In consequence of this intelligence a council of war was held to deliberate con- cerning the next steps to be taken. Some officers suggested a night attack, but this was opposed by the majority, and it was finally resolved to set out at an early hour on the following morning. Accordingly, at daybreak next morning, the insurgents, being reinforced by a body of gunsmen, who had been summoned by express during the night from "Vinegar Hill, set out to give battle to fifteen hundred chosen troops under the command of one of the bravest and most skilful generals in the English service. "When the insurgents arrived at Goff’s * The Eev. Mr. Gordon and other authors ascribe the success of this retreat solely to Father Eoche. “ They (the insurgents) might have been pursued with slaughter if Eoche had not prac- tised stratagems. He distributed a number of horsemen with banners displayed, as it were in defiance, which gave the appear- ance of a force prepared for battle, and intimidated the royal troops from sudden onset, while his infantry were retreating at full speed. Himself was the hindmost in flight from the hill. He overtook his infantry and marched to the post of Three Bocks, without loss of a man.” — Gordon. “ History of Ireland,” vol. 2, p. 424. Sir John Moore in his despatch concerning this action ac- knowledges the gallant conduct of the insurgents, speaking of it as a ‘‘ sharp, brisk action.” His statement of the loss he sustained was suppressed by a Government which required its generals to assert what was false and suppress what was true, when the honour of the British army was concerned. Insurrection <^ 1798 . 181 Eridge, within sight of the enemy, they halted, and the gunsmen, who had been mingled with the pike- men during their hurried march, were now arrayed into a separate body — forming a line four deep, and amounting to about six hundred and fifty men. At this critical juncture, when the insurgents were about to engage their enemy, the chief, who has been already mentioned as having betrayed the cause at Boss, left the field at the head of his detachment, under pretence of taking up such a position as would en- able him to cut off the enemy^s retreat in case of their being defeated. "While Captain Clooney was engaged in remonstrating with this recreant, General Roche, with his usual promptitude, issued orders to his men to advance towards the enemy, who were drawn up in line of battle at Rooke’s Mill.^ * The following account of this action is given by the Rev. Mr. Gordon, who, though a staunch loyalist, is acknowledged by all his contemporaries to be perfectly truthful and honest : “ On the same day as Enniscorthy, was possession also of Wexford ob- tained by the royal troops. General Moore at the head of about tivelve hundred men had, on the evening of the twentieth, in his march towards the former, been intercepted by an army of five or six thousand, led from Three Rocks by Philip Roche, at Goff’s Bridge, near the church of Horetown. The forces of Moore, in loose array, or disposed in small parties over a wide extent of ground, and the gunsmen of the rebels^ only five hundred and sixty in number^ maintained a contest with considerable slaughter during four hours. From the nature of the ground, the manoeuvres of the soldiery, and their own inattention to the commands of their leaders, the pikemen came not into action; and as their store of powder was at length exhausted, the whole body of in- surgents retreated in good order to Three Rocks. Except at Ark^ low the royal troops fought better here than in any other engagement in this rebellion ; yet such military skill and resolution had an un- disciplined and unorganized mob acquired in the short space of three weeks that the combat was long doubtfulfi of Ireland, voL 2, p. 428. The extraordinary fact that less than 600 insurgent gunsmen 13 1 8 2 A Poptilar History of the During the battle which ensued the pikcmen were forced to remain inactive, the nature of the ground chosen by the English general rendering their advance impossible, and consequently the combat had to be maintained by the gunsmen. The latter continued to pour their fire upon the English line till their ammuni- tion was exhausted ; then, perceiving two cavalry re- giments, under Lord Dalhousie, approaching to rein- force the enemy, the insurgent general unwillingly ordered a retreat. TsTo attempt was made to molest the insurgents, who retired from the contest slowly and in good order, bring- ing with them five out of the six small pieces of cannon they had conveyed with them. There is little doubt that the failure of the insurgents’ ammunition saved the English force from destruction, as in case of a retreat they would have been charged by the resist- less pikemen. The great loss, amounting to about five hundred men in killed and wounded on the side of the English, sufficiently accounts for the unmolested re- treat of their enemy. In this action the loss of the insurgents did not amount to half that sustained by the royalists. The main body of the insurgents encamped on the Three Docks, while a party belonging to the town took up their quarters there for the night. maintained a conflict for four hours with double the number of royal troops under an able general, afibrds an idea of the progress the insurgents had made in the art of war. Insurrection of 183 CHAPTER XV. Alarm of the English Government at the long-continued resistance of the Wexford men. — Combined movements of the English generals. — The entrance of Wexford harbour blocked up by men-of-war. — How the in- surgents at Vinegar Hill prepared to encounter their enemy. — Com- mencement of the battle.— Gen. JS’eedham accused of cowardice.— Scarcity of ammunition among the insurgents. — Humber engaged on both sides. — Sir Jonah Barrington’s description of the fight.— Women take part in the conflict.— Operations of the insurgents under Father Kearns and Mr. Barker. — Death of Father Clinch.— lietreat of the insurgents to- wards Wexford. — Wounded insurgents slaughtered by the soldiery. — Fate of Barker. — Slaughter of the defenceless people who followed the insurgent retreat. — Small number of the fighting men slain at Vinegar Hill. — The insurgents from Vinegar Hill and those from New-Ross meet at Wexford General Edward Roche covers the insurgent re- treat. HE English Government, to render effectual whose vile design upon the legislative indepen- dence of Ireland the people had been goaded into this insurrection, now beginning to fear lest the continued and stubborn resistance of the Wexford men might arouse the rest of the country from their un- accountable apathy, resolved to crush the rebellion at once by pouring into the country such a force as would render resistance impossible. It seemed, in truth, from the vastness of England’s military prepara- tion, as if she were waging war against the united forces of some powerful and rival nation, not merely against the half- armed peasantry of but one, and that not the largest, of the thirty-two counties of Ireland.^ When we consider,” says Mr. Teeling, the num- ber of troops engaged, the rank and distinction of the commanders, and the immense preparations for reduc- ing a single county, we may form some idea of the importance that Government attached to the Wexford campaign. After so many severe conflicts between the * The armies of England employed in continental warfare rarely exceeded 20,000 men. 184 A Popular History of the British and the united troops, it was now evident that "Wexford could only be reduced by an overwhelming force ; and we find with others the following British officers employed in this service : — Lieut enants-General Lake and Lundas ; Majors- General [N’eedham, Duff, Hunter, Loftus, Eustace, Johnston, Gascoyne ; and Brigadiers- General Moore, Grose, &c. The opposition which this force encountered was evident proof that Government had not overrated the courage of the foe.’^ Erom all quarters regiments were on the march to take part in a combined attack on the insurgent encamp- ment. In obedience to orders from the commander-in-chief, General Lake, the following generals put the troops under their command in motion, and hastened to oc- cupy the positions assigned to them. General Dundas marched from Baltinglass to Hacketstown, there to form a junction with Major-General Loftus, who was to pro- ceed thither from Tallow ; both generals were then to advance with their combined forces to attack the insur- gents posted on Mount Pleasant. By orders from the general-in-chief they halted at Hacketstown to wait the signal for attack. While the above-mentioned commanders halted at Hacketstown, Major-General Heedham moved, on the 19th of June, from Arklow to Gorey, and on the ensuing day encamped on Oulart Hill. On the 19th, Major-General Johnson and General Eus- tace, having driven the insurgents from Lacken Hill, proceeded to Bloomfield, where they encamped on the evening of the 20th. On the same evening Brigadier- General Moore took up position at Lookers Mill, and Major-General Sir James Duff had marched from Newtownbarry, and joined General Loftus at Scara- walsh. It would be utterly impossible to describe the devas- tation caused by these various divisions of the English Insurrection < 7 / 1798 . 185 army as they marched to take up their different posi- tions. Corps of auxiliary yeomen followed each of these divisions to render the ruin of the county more com- plete. On the 20th all the above-named generals had 'arrived at their appointed stations, where they remained to await further orders from Lieutenant-General Lake, who, with General Dundas, was posted at Solsbo- rough. To aid the concentration of troops on land several men- of- war appeared off the coast, while gun- boats blocked up the entrance of Wexford Harbour. As these troops, strong in numbers and discipline, and amply provided with every munition of war, pur- sued their way of blood and fire through the devastated county, the unfortunate inhabitants, old men, women, and children, who had hitherto sought an anxious and trembling refuge amidst their native fields, now driven even from this shelter, were forced to seek protection at the encampments where the national flag still waved in defiance to the foe. Many of these helpless and terrified fugitives directed their steps to the toAvn of Wexford of which their countrymen still held pos- session. Amongst the English generals at the time in Wexford, one alone is recorded to have shown that gracious quality of mercy, without which the soldier becomes a mere mercenary butcher; he endeavoured to put a stop to the executions and half hangings, and the various tortures that had caused such unpa- ralleled misery in Wexford. The deep slumbers of the brave men who lay around Yinegar HilH' were early broken by the ran- * ‘‘Vinegar Hillis'a beautiful verdant, low mountain ; the Eiver Slaney rolls smoothly at its foot on the one side, and the large town of Enniscorthy lies immediately under its base upon another; at one point the ascent is rather steep, on the other gradual ; the top is crowned by a dilapidated stone building.” — Sir Jonah Barrington. 1 86 A Popular History of the dom shots that announced the approach of the royal army. The men who were aroused by such a stern call from their much needed rest and reminded of the perilous struggle before them, had proved themselves in many a hard-fought combat the bravest of the brave, and now in this crisis of their career there was no sign of dis- may amongst them. They answered promptly to the call of their leaders, and each man betook himself with- out delay to the place assigned for the assemblage of the particular corps to which he belonged. The cheer- ful and inspiriting summons of the drum or fife was in the insurgent army supplied by the human voice, and on hearing the name of his native parish shouted aloud, the rustic soldier quickly proceeded to join his comrades. The armies about to engage were nearly equal in numbers, but here all parity ceases. Twenty thousand brave peasants'^' shouldered pike or musket around Yinegar Hill, while as many trained English soldiery were drawn up in a circle that nearly enclosed their line, prepared to give them battle. Twenty thousand English troops, led by six chosen generals, and practised in every military manoeuvre, furnished with that great arm of war, a formidable artillery, and aided by many corps of yeoman cavalry, might promise themselves an easy victory over enemies so unskilfully led and so poorly armed as the insur- gents. Moreover, the royal troops were fresh from the repose of the camp, and vigorous as men should be who never suffered from the want of fitting food or drink. * Sir Jonah Barrington estimates the number of the royal troop, at 20,000. Mr Hay agrees with him in this statement. The insurgent force could not possibly have been greater than that of their enemies, the entire population of Wexford in 1798 being no more than 150,000. Insurrection of 187 At early dawn the English troops began to approach the insurgent position, and gradually to form a kind of circle around their forces encamped on the hill and its immediate vicinity. This circle was not, however, complete, for on the Wexford side of the hill it was open, and General Needham, whose division it was afterwards affirmed should have occupied the vacant space, was stationed in the rear to cover a possible retreat, for former defeats had made this at least possible to General-in-Chief Lake."^' The rattle of musketry that had roused the slumbering peasants to resume their arms became more frequent as the morning advanced, and soon the cannon was heard thundering from the various advancing bodies of the British army. When the powerful English artillery came within range its concentrated fire was directed against the summit of the hill, whereon the greater part of the insurgent force was massed, amongst whom it did considerable execution. To this destructive fire from so many large pieces of artillery the few small guns, but two, in possession of the insurgents made a feeble response of defiance — it lacked the skill of Es- mond Kyan to direct its fire, which soon ceased alto- gether on the ammunition becoming exhausted. “ Even on Yinegar Hill,’’ remarks Mr. Hay, “ there were but two charges for cannon, one of which was fired against the army approaching from Solsborough, and the other dismounted cannon -posted at the Dufirey Gate at Enniscorthy.” The ammunition for the smaller firearms failed soon after, and the pike was now the only hope. All this while the insurgents had sustained a murderous fire from the English riflemen, who, finding a con- ♦ General Needham was accused of cowardice on this occasion and obtained the soubriquet of the late General Needham among his fellow-officers.— Plowden, p. 754. 1 88 A Popular History of the venient shelter behind the various ditches and hedges in the vicinity of the hill, poured thence a terrible fire on their exposed enemies. Though their ammunition was all expended, the brave insurgents still continued the fight, and endeavoured to drive their foes from behind their natural entrenchments. It was a fearful sight to behold the gallant pikemen charging up to the very mouths of the cannon with a desperate bravery that has never been surpassed, while their ranks were being terribly thinned by successive discharges of every species of deadly firearm. Concerning the position occupied, and the bravery displayed by the insurgents during this action, Sir Jonah Barrington makes the following observations : — ‘^The peasantry had dug a slight ditch around the extent of the base (of Vinegar Hill) ; they had a very few pieces of small half-disabled cannon, some swivels, and not above two thousand firearms of all descrip- tions. But their situation was desperate, and General Lake considered that two thousand firearms in the hands of infuriated and courageous men, supported by a multitude of pikemen, might be equal to ten times the number under other circumstances. ‘‘A great many women mingled with their relatives, and fought with fury ; several were found dead amongst the men, who had fallen in crowds by the bursting of shells It was astonishing with what fortitude the peasantry, uncovered, stood the tremendous fire opened upon the four sides of their position ; a stream of shells and grape were poured on the multitude ; the leaders encouraged them by exhortations, the women by their cries, and every shell that broke amongst the crowd was followed by shouts of defiance. General Lake’s horse was shot, many officers wounded, some killed, and a few gentlemen became invisible during the ]^eat of the battlq. The troops advanced gradually Insurrection of 1 798 . 1 89 but steadily up the hill ; the peasantry kept up their fire, and maintained their ground ; their cannon were nearly useless, their powder deficient, but they died fighting at their post.’^ It was a slaughter not a fight, for to the ceaseless beating of the iron storm the hapless insurgents could not reply with even one defiant shot. "While the body of insurgents on the hill carried on the contest with such heroic perseverance against such fearful odds, the division that obeyed the joint command of Mr. Earker and Father Kearns had likewise been hotly engaged with the enemy. Their position was at some distance beyond the Dufirey Gate, and this they had successfully defended against the English, under General Johnson, on the preceding day. The attack on this position was renewed in the morning, and continued till the retreat of their comrades from Vinegar Hill. Earker, whose experience in the French service we have already mentioned, showed in this action that he had profited by his past lessons in military art. He first posted a body of reserve on the bridge, where he also placed the only cannon he possessed, which was of small size, and mounted on a car. He then formed the main body of his brave pikemen, stationing the gunsmen on either flank. Having made this disposition of his force, he charged desperately down on the enemy^s line, and continued to hold them in check until they were too strongly reinforced, when he retreated to the bridge, which he held with daunt- less determination till the loss of his arm compelled him to quit the field. Father Kearns took his place, but was soon after severely wounded and carried from the fight. Another priest named Clinch was slain in this action. He was engaged in an encounter with Lord Eoden, whom he had wounded, when a trooper, coming up 190 A Popular History of the to the assistance of his officer, shot down his op- ponent. This unequal struggle, which the insurgents main- tained during so many hours against such terrible odds, at length came to an end. Orders were issued by the insurgent leaders for a retreat in the direction of Wex- ford, the road to which town, as we have seen, was left open to them by the cautious policy of the English generals, who feared to drive their stubborn foes to desperation. The barbarous cruelties perpetrated by the command of General Lake sufficiently evinced that prudence, and not mercy or any nobler motive, prompted him thus to leave retreat open to his hard-fighting foes. To the eternal disgrace of the army to which such a miscreant belonged, he caused the hospital that shel- tered the sick and wounded of the insurgent army to be set on fire, and, horrible to relate, all the unfor- tunate inmates were burned to death in the fiames that consumed the building. Moreover, he issued orders that all the wounded on the field of battle, as well as those discovered in the houses, should be put to im- mediate death. Indelibly branded is the nation whose fiag is upheld by such merciless butchers as this disgrace to the noble profession of a soldier ! Barker, the wounded leader, was saved from the fate of the others in the same case, through the interference of some staff- officers who quartered themselves at his house ; however, he was arrested by order of the gene- ral-in-chief, and conveyed to Wexford jail, there to await his trial. He was soon after released from prison on account of ill health, at the intercession of his brother, and, pending his trial, managed to escape to Erance, The insurgent army, thus forced to retreat, were enabled to continue their march towards Wexford See Hay, Gordon, and Clooney for proof of this. Insurrection 0/ I'jgS. 191 almost unmolested. The cavalry, as usual, being upon their rear, occasionally showed an inclination to assail their retreating enemy, hut the rear- guard kept them in effectual check. But it fared far otherwise with the de- fenceless multitude, who had gathered round the insur- gent camp on the fatal hill. To these no mercy was shown : they were inhumanly butchered by the pursuing yeomanry. These wretches displayed, on this occasion, their usual thirst for blood, and their swords, so seldom reddened in fight, were now deeply dyed in the blood of unarmed fugitives. The number slain in battle on that day was small in comparison with the multitude of unarmed who fell by the swords of the victoiB.^" With respect to the number who were slain on the insurgent side during the lattle. Sir Jonah Barrington says: — ‘^Cavalry and mortars were brought to force their line, and even against such an attack they made a long and desperate resistance, and retreated from that large and disciplined army ivith very little comparative loss,’^ Surely, such a retreat was more glorious than many a victory. When the insurgents arrived at Wexord they found it already occupied by the division of their army which had retreated from Boss ; and thus, after three weeks of almost incessant fighting, wherein thousands of brave men had fallen, the remnants of both divisions again * Mr. Plowden says : Nearly all the real rebels escaped.’* ** ** Historical Eeview,” p. 753. The Eev.Mr. Gordon makes a simi- lar statement, “ few of the real fightiog men were killed.” — “ His- tory of Ireland.” “ It is asserted that eighty-seven wounded peasants whom the king’s army had found on taking the town in the market-place, used as an hospital, had been burned alive ; and that in retaliation the insurgents burned above a hundred royalists in a barn at Scullabogue.”-.-Sir Jonah Barrington, “ Eise and Fall of the Irish Nation,” p. 455. ig2 A Popular History of the met, less sanguine, indeed, than when first they parted, but still not hopeless of the future. We must add, the insurgents were greatly aided in their retreat by a large force under General Edward Eoche, who arrived too late to join in the combat at the hill, but in time to render his defeated comrades this important service. It was his force that covered the retreat. While the battle was yet raging at Yinegat Hill, the reports of the distant artillery were borne omi- nously to the ears of the inhabitants of the town of Wexford. At length they ceased, and soon after the news was brought that the royal forces had won the day, and were already on their march towards the town. Insurrection of 193 CHAPTER XVL On the rumours of a French invasion the Government redouble their efforts to quell the insurrection. — Great increase of the English forces.— In- surgents resolve to maintain the contest to the last extremity.— They concenteate their forces at Vinegar Hill. — Anxiety felt by the towns- people.— Keinforcements despatched thence to the chief rendezvous. — Captain Dixon plots the destruction of the Orange prisoners.— Steps taken by Mr. Hay to foil the Captain.'— Mr. Hay on his return from the Three Rocks finds the town occupied by a fresh force of insurgents under General Edward Roche.— The latter unable to persuade his men to accompany him to the hill. — Frenzied state of the multitude.— Re- solve to put the Orange prisoners to death. — ^Efforts made by Mr. Hay to save them.— Dixon prevails by the aid of two Orange informers.— Execution of prisoners on the bridge of "Wexford. — Father Currin comes to the rescue. — His appeal to the people. — Its effect.— Esmond Kyan’s intercession. — Noise of the engagement at Vinegar Hill heard in Wexford.— Lord Kingsborough sends for Mr. Hay.— Inhabitants of the town assemble to concert measures for their safety. — Captain Keough delivers up his sword. — Dixon and his friends oppose the capi- tulation.— Despatch sent to General Lake and his answer thereto.— Route taken by the defeated insurgents.— Desire the same terms as the townspeople.— Kingsborough’ s promises.— Timothy Whelan attempts to put an end to the negotiation for the surrender of the town.— Surren- der to General Moore.— His humanity on this occasion.— Wounded in- surgents in hospital put to death by the yeomen.— Disappointment of General Lake. — ^His character. HE rumours now rife of a Erench invasion in- creased the anxiety of the British Government in no small degree, for could the "Wexford men prolong the contest till the arrival of a Gallic force to their aid, the result of their combined efforts might prove fatal to British dominion in Ireland. To quell the insurrection before the arrival of such formidable auxiliaries was now the object towards the accomplishment of which all the vast resources of England were employed. Eegiraent after regiment came pour- ing into Wexford till the insurgents found themselves confronted with an overwhelming power.^ * That the apprehensions of the Government were not unreason- able is admitted by most authors. Mr. Teeling in his personal narrative, referring to the Wexford men, says : “ The rapidity of their movements, the boldness of their designs, their courage, 194 A Popular History of the It is computed that previous to the action at Yinegar Hill there was a force of fully 90,000 men collected in the county of Wexford, so that there were at the least two soldiers to every insurgent. These were fear- ful odds against the patriots, who, though entertaining but small hopes of ultimate success, determined, never- theless, to maintain the struggle to the last extremity. Around Yinegar Hill they decided to assemble their dispersed forces, and accordingly from that post messen- gers were despatched in all directions to summon thither the insurgents who were still in arms. In this emer- gency the dismayed and perplexed inhabitants of Wex- ford assembled together to consult concerning what measures they should adopt, but while they were yet engaged in deliberation an imperious summons ar- rived from Yinegar Hill, commanding all the lighting men to be there at day-break. Many of the townsmen set off that evening to join the chief rendezvous, ‘while, to appease the insurgents in their vicinity, a party of sailors employed themselves in conveying to the Three Eocks the six small cannon taken from the Guinea cutter. On the evening of the 19th a band of Wexford gunsmen returned to town from Yinegar Hill with imperative orders to bring out reinforcements to that camp. At day-break on the ensuing day the drums beat, and all the armed inhabitants marched out, leaving none behind save those who formed the guard. On the night preceding the departure of these men a hand of some seventy pikemen, from the northern parts of the county, had arrived in town, and were lodged in the barracks by Captain Dixon. Mr. Hay, who seemed the good angel of the Orangemen, while the Captain m perseverance, and astonishing success, had given such powerful ascendancy to their arms, as baffled every effort of their enemies, and seemed to threaten the very extinction of the power to which they were opposed.” — p. 161 . 195 hisurrection ^ 1798 . might be termed their evil genius, suspecting that the latter entertained sinister designs with regard to his proteges, resolved, if possible, to thwart him in their accomplishment. With seventy pikemen at his back Dixon might act the dictator in the town, and sacrifice those he deemed the enemies of his country. To prevent him from put- ting into execution such a sanguinary scheme, Mr. Hay mounted his horse, and rode off on the spur to the camp at the Three Docks, to represent the matter to the chiefs of the insurgent army. He succeeded, though not without great difficulty, in obtaining the aid he sought, in the shape of a party* of 120 of his fellow- townsmen, who had a few days before joined the camp. However, four days elapsed before Mr. Hay could gain what he sought, and on his return found, to his dismay, the town thronged with armed insurgents. This force had been collected in the county and brought in by General Edward Eoche, preparatory to their proceeding to reinforce the camp atYinegar Hill. On the morning of the 20th, when General Eoche desired to lead this body to the hill, he found, to his great mortification, that they were unwilling to ac- company him thither. They were led to adopt this course by the advice of Captain Dixon, who, having first aroused the spirit of vengeance in their breasts by a recital of their wrongs, represented to them that a fortunate chance having placed in their power the chief infiictors of these evils, it would be folly to permit them to escape unpunished. Dixon urged this point with such artful eloquence that they determined to aid him in the execution of the sanguinary schemes he had long meditated. Mr. Hay thus describes the excitement of the multitude : — When the people were assembled, and that General Eoche thought to lead 196 A Popular History of the them towards Enniscorthy, they peremptorily refused to proceed, representing “Wexford, from the suggestions of Captain Dixon, as more vulnerable : wherefore, the general himself thought it more advisable to continue with this body of the people, now consisting chiefly of the fugitives from the northern parts of the county. These were continually relating their misfortunes, the cruelties they suffered, and the hardships they en- dured, to those with whom they took refuge; which roused and irritated the populace to such a pitch of fury as admits not of description, and of which none , but an eye-witness can have an adequate idea. ‘^All entreaties and remonstrances to soothe or calm the exasperated multitude were in vain. However, continuing still on horseback, I endeavoured to address, explain, excuse, and expostulate, and in the course of these attempts, many pikes were raised against me, and several guns and pistols cocked and pointed at me, and vengeance vowed against me as an Orangeman; for they vociferated that I had distinguished myself by no other feat but activity in protecting their enemies, the Orangemen ; that I had never attended their camps, or I would be a judge of their miseries, by the view of general desolation. One man would roar out that I had not been flogged as he had been ; another pathetically related that his house had been burned, and that he had been driven to beggary with his whole family, and that he would have the death of the person that injured him ; a third lamented the death of his father, another that of a brother, others of their children ; and the appeal was made to me to decide on all their varied Bufferings and misfortunes, while they perseveringly declared they only wanted to be avenged of those who had actually done them wrong, and I was asked, if similarly circumstanced, would I not take revenge for such injuries as theirs?’’ 197 Insurrection ^ 1798 . Mr. Hay then implored them to grant the Orangemen at least a trial, but was answered by the universal cry, What trial did we or our friends and relations obtain when some were hanged or shot, and others whipped or otherwise tortured, our houses and properties burned and destroyed, and ourselves hunted like mad dogs/’ At length the people yielded to the entreaties of Mr. Hay and others, and consented to grant the prisoners a trial. A tribunal of seven men was constituted to de- termine their sentence. Of this number four proved favourable to mercy, and could not be brought to alter their decision by the arguments or threats of Captain Dixon. The latter, in despair of gaining their acquies-* cence, was on the point of yielding, when aid came to him from an unexpected quarter. Two Orangemen, named Jackson and O’Connor, came forward and proffered their testimony as informers against the prisoners. Dixon was now triumphant. The news of an event which favoured their views was soon spread abroad among the angry multitude, and a demand was heard for the instant execution of such as should be found guilty on the strength of the lately found testimony. Mr. Hay and his fellow-intercessors retired from the scene, and the bloody tragedy began. The first who suffered was a man named Matthewson, who was shot outside the prison door. A batch of eighteen unfortu- nates was then conducted to the bridge at the request of Dixon, he himself, fianked on either side by an in- former, heading the horrid procession. The manner of their trial was as follows : — Placed on their knees on the bridge, they were confronted with the two in- formers, who gave their evidence against them, if the alleged crime was considered deserving of death. Be- fore the sentence was pronounced by Dixon, it was asked of the people who thronged around did they 1 98 A Popular History of the know of any good action tkat might he thought suffi- cient to counterbalance their crimes and entitled them to mercy. Several of the prisoners found an intercessor among the spectators, and were thus snatched from death. Eut in case no such intercessor came forward, the death-signal was given by the judge, and the con- demned was instantly piked. The bodies were then thrown over the railing of the bridge into the river, nothing being taken off the person, for the object of the insurgents was vengeance, not robbery. This terrible tragedy went on for some time uninterrupted, till a Mr. Kellet, on being brought before the summary tribunal, bethought him in his ex- tremity of summoning to his aid the parish priest of the town, the Eev. Mr. Currin. This was the first intimation the reverend gentleman had of what was going on. He came running to the bridge in time to interpose between the person who had summoned him and a bloody death. The pikes of the executioners were uplifted to be again reddened with the blood of an- other victim, when the minister of peace came upon the scene where angry and revengeful passions had full sway, and Christian men had forgotten, in the remem- brance of their dreadful wrongs, the most sublime of the Eedeemer’s precepts — forgiveness of injuries. The good priest threw himself upon his knees beside the intended victim, and implored the people who stood around to join him in prayer. Many of them yielded . to his entreaty, and knelt down. Then in solemn and fervent tones he prayed the Almighty Judge to show hereafter the same mercy to the people as they would show to the prisoners. This produced a deep impres- sion upon many of them. Mr. Kellet’s life was spared, but the trials were resumed, and others whose guilt was more evident were put to death. A new inter- Inmrrection ^ 1798 . 199 cessor soon after appeared. This was Mr. Esmond Kyan, who, though suffering from a severe wound re- ceived at the battle of New-Eoss, had arisen from his sick-bed, and caused himself to be borne on a litter to the spot. He added his entreaties to those of Father Currin, and at length the slaughter ceased. In all 36 persons fell victims to popular vengeance, deferring to the humane exertions of Father Currin and Mr. Kyan on this occasion, a Protestant gentleman after- wards remarked : have heard of hundreds of Ca- tholics who risked their lives to save those of Protes- tants, but not of one Protestant who encountered any danger to save the lives of Catholics.’’ On the same evening at about eight o’clock General Roche marched off with his men towards Yinegar Hill, but too late to form a junction with the insurgents as- sembled there, for the hill was already surrounded by the English troops. On the 21st the engagement at Yinegar Hill took place, and the thunder of the English artillery was distinctly heard in Wexford, warning the inhabitants to provide for their safety, for little hope was entertained by them that the scale of victory would incline in favour of the insurgents. At an early hour on the same day Lord Kingsborough sent for Mr. Hay, to concert measures for the safety of the town. The drums were beaten to assemble the inhabitants. They met at the house of Captain Keough, and there decided to send a deputation to each of the three royal generals, who with their divisions were now approach- ing Wexford. One of these had arrived at Oulart, another was posted at Enniscorthy, while a third had arrived at the Three Rocks. It was also decided at the meeting in question to appoint Lord Kingsborough military gover- nor of the town, and to reinstate Dr. Jacob as mayor. 200 A Popular History of the Lord Kingsborongli having received the sword which Captain Keough reluctantly resigned, proceeded to write off despatches to the different British commanders. These despatches ran as follows: ‘^That the town of Wexford had surrendered to him, and in consequence of the behaviour of those in the town during the re- bellion, they should all be protected in person and pro- perty, murderers excepted, and those who had insti- gated others to commit murder ; hoping that these terms might be ratified, as he had pledged his honour in the most solemn manner to have these terms ful- filled on the town being surrendered to him, the Wex- ford men not being concerned in the massacre which was perpetrated by country-people in their absence.” With the foregoing document another was forwarded from the people of Wexford; it was as as follows: — That Captain McHanus shall proceed from Wexford towards Oulart, accompanied by Mr. Edward Hay, ap- pointed by the inhabitants of all religious persuasions, to inform the officer commanding the king’s troops that they are ready to deliver up the town of Wexford with- out opposition, to lay down their arms and return to their allegiance, provided that their persons and pro- perties are guaranteed by the commanding-officer ; and that they will use every infiuence in their power to in- duce the people of the county at large to return to their allegiance ; and these terms it is hoped Captain McManus will be able to procure. Signed by order of the inhabitants of Wexford. Wexford^ June 21, 1798. Matthew Keohgh.” Captain Dixon and his friends were strongly opposed to the capitulation, but their opposition was overruled by the majority of the townspeople. Mr. Hay and Captain McManus, who bore the de- spatch sent to Lieutenant-General Lake, were well received by that commander, who, however, declared 201 Insurrection ^ 1798 . that he did not consider himself bound by any promises made by Lord Kingsborough. He sent Mr. Hay back to the town with his answer to their request. This reply was couched in the following severe terms : — Lieutenant-General Lake cannot attend to any terms by rebels in arms against their sovereign. While they continue so he must use the force entrusted to him with the utmost energy for their destruction. To the deluded multitude he promises pardon, on their de- livering into his hands their leaders, surrendering their arms, and returning with sincerity to their allegiance. EnniscorthyjJune 22, 1798. Signed, G. Lake.’’ Meantime the insurgents who had been defeated at Enniscorthy, took their route along the eastern bank of the Slaney, crossing the bridge at Perry- Carrig, and halt- ing near the Three Eocks. The majority of them were unwilling that the town should be surrendered without having first obtained the same terms for themselves as had been conceded to the townspeople. To obtain such terms they despatched three of their officers to bring Lord Kingsborough to their camp with the purpose of detaining him there as a hostage till what they required was granted, and it was not till the latter had made the most solemn promises of the terms in question being conceded, that the insurgent officers quitted the town and returned to their camp. The solemn promises made by Lord Kingsborough induced many of the insurgent chiefs to remain in Wexford — an ill-judged step as the sequel proved. To prevent the capitulation being effected, and to put an end to all negociations, a man of Dixon’s party, named Timothy Whelan, shot Ensign Harman while on his way with a despatch to General Moore. The same person attempted also to shoot Lord Kingsborough, but his pistol missed fire, and Kingsborough had the good fortune to 202 A Popular History of the escape on this occasion from the fury of an individual, as he had on a former, the vengeance of an angry mul- tude. Dreading the well-known severity of General Lake, the inhabitants of Wexford, while he was yet on his way thither, surrendered the town to General Moore. It was fortunate they did so, for the latter, like most really brave men, was of a merciful disposition, and averse to shedding blood, save in the field of battle. The gallant and humane officer in question proved himself, at this juncture, not undeserving of his high reputation. He issued orders that none of the inhabitants should be put to death or in any injured; and fearing lest his troops, in the excitement of their triumphant entry, might proceed to sack the town, which they had threat- ened to do, he detained them on Windmill Hill till their fury had abated. But he could not restrain the treacherous and sanguinary yeomen, parties of whom stole into the town, and proceeding to the hospital wherein lay one hundred and sixty wounded insur- gents, set it on fire — the unfortunate and helpless in- mates perishing in the fiames. On the 22nd, General Lake marched out from Ennis- corthy for Wexford, but, on arriving near the town, had the mortification of finding that it had been already surrendered to General Moore. Lake was a second Cromwell in his relentless cruelty towards the vanquished, but without a spark of the military genius which crowned that renowned regicide with unfading though blood- dyed laurels. Insurrection ^ 1798 . 203 CHAPTER XVII. How the insurgents acted after the disastrous retreat from Vinegar Hill. —March out of the town two divisions. — The route taken by the division under Father John Murphy and Edward Roche. — Hold a council of war. — Father Philip Roche goes on his fatal embassy.— His character. — Miles Byrne not a leader. — March towards Longraig.— In- surgents penetrate into Carlow and Kilkenny.— Put the yeomanry who oppose them to flight. — Conflict at Kiledmond.— Force the passage of the River Barrow.— "Wexford militia taken prisoners,— Cruel deed com- mitted by the militia.— The Hessians ; their brutal character, n E have hitherto seen the insurgents victorious in almost every encounter, hut we must now follow them in their more unpropitious fortunes, and behold how these brave men struggled, amidst ever ac- cumulating difficulties, to prolong the unequal contest. While negociations were being still carried on between the people of Wexford town and the English com- manders, the insurgent forces, greatly lessened in num- ber, marched out in two divisions, taking different routes. The Three Eocks were once more the scene of an insurgent encampment. On these heights were as- sembled some two thousand men, under the command of Eather John Murphy, who still, with dauntless courage, upheld the flag he had first unfurled in the name of his oppressed country. Thus while the timid sued for terms, and even brave men deserted the insurgent standard under which they had so often marched to victory, thousands of true men and trusty leaders still kept the field, resolved nevermore to place their necks under the yoke of their English taskmasters. The second division of the insurgent army, under their leaders, Kyan and Garret Byrne, had, on the same day, moved in the direction of Gorey. This division was considerably augmented by five thousand men under Edward Eoche, who, having arrived too late to take part in the battle of Yinegar Hill, now bravely resolved to repair, if possible, the loss occasioned by his absence 204 A Popular History of the To Father J. Murphy and Edward Eoche must be given the credit of rallying the insurgents dispersed through the town, and leading them forth once more to renew the contest. The division of the insurgent army that set out from Wexford on the evening of the 21st, halted but a short time at the Three Eocks, and then resumed their march in the direction of Sleedah, a small village in the barony of Bantry. This force numbered in all about 3000 men, who were chiefly from the northern parts of the county of Wexford, together with the brave Wicklow men, who had followed the national flag from the very outset. On the arrival of this small force at Sleedah, the place chosen for the night’s bivouac, a council of war was held to deliberate on their future proceedings. At this council were present Father John Murphy, Father P. Eoche, Anthony Perry, and Edward Fitzgerald, with other leaders of less note."^ Here it was that the Eev. P. Eoche declared his inten- tion of proceeding to Wexford, in the hope of obtaining terms from General Lake for himself and his comrades. He further proposed that they (the insurgents) should remain in their present position until they should hear of the terms he confidently hoped to obtain. His brother chiefs, however, did not share in these delusive expectations, and endeavoured to dissuade him from his fatal project. Father John, who, with his usual keen perception, divined the probable result, did his utmost to prevail on his friend to remain, and not thus uselessly to endanger his life in seeking mercy from men who * Miles Byrne, afterwards General in the French army, accom- panied this expedition. It is plain, however, that he was too young at the time to hold any very prominent position. A boy of seventeen years of age was hardly likely to be chosen as a leader by the Wexford pikemen. His narrative of the insurrection, as told in “ The Memoirs,’’ is very interesting, but inaccurate in some important statements. Notwithstanding these defects it is still fx valuable addition to our national literature. 205 Insurrection ( 9 /^ 1798 . had never shown it. But the arguments and en- treaties of Father John and the rest were of no avail. Before the day had dawned the unfortunate gentle- man rode off alone towards Wexford, hopeful of finding in the breasts of the English generals that generous spirit of mercy to which his own manly heart had never been a stranger. As his friends foretold, he failed to accomplish his purpose, and fell a sacrifice to his fatal error. On entering Wexford he was seized, dragged from his horse, kicked and buffeted in the most brutal man- ner, and thrown into prison, which he did not quit till he was led to execution. Of this clergyman, Mr. Gordon says : — '^Many Protestants owed their life to his intercession.’’ The same may be said with perfect truth of all the other priests who took an active part in the insurrection. Father Philip Eoche who thus fell a victim to the cruel spirit of the times was a man of commanding stature and fine presence. His manners were bland and courteous, and he evinced during his short career as a military leader considerable talent. He was much lamented, and his death threw additional gloom over the cause in which he had been so conspicuous a leader. Hardly had poor Father Eoche set out alone for Wex- ford than Father John gave orders to break up the bivouac at Sleedah, and prepared to march in the direction of Fooke’s Mill and Longraig. At the latter place the insurgents passed over the ground whereon the battle had been recently fought between the force under Sir J ohn Moore and that commanded by Father Eoche. The unburied bodies of the slain still strewed the ground and made a ghastly scene for the eyes of the passing insurgents, who, however, did not halt, but pursued their march with unwearied activity. They encoun- 2o6 a Poptilar History of the tered but little opposition on their way, the yeomen cavalry behaving vrith their usual cowardice, appearing at a distance, firing at the advancing column, and then betaking themselves to instant fiight. The insurgents were now marching by a circuitous route with the intention of penetrating into the neigh- bouring counties of Carlow and Kilkenny, and thus drawing the troops from Wexford in pursuit, and affording to their scattered and disheartened, but, as yet, unsubdued comrades there, an opportunity of rallying for another and more successful effort. As they approached the boundary of the county the opposi- tion offered to their advance increased. The yeomanry appeared in larger bodies, and seemed more inclined to come to close quarters. At the village of Killane, the birthplace of the gallant Kelly, they opposed the further progress of the insurgents, but were soon put to fiight and pursued till they reached the village of Kiledmond. At this place, being strongly reinforced, the yeomen resolved to make a stand, and, with a considerable force of infantry and cavalry, essayed to oppose the passage of the insurgents through the town, stationing them- selves in the principal street. But they were unable to withstand the charge of the fierce pikemen, and fied after a brief resistance, setting fire beforehand to the village. The insurgents, by command of Father John, set fire to the barracks they had occupied. Having thus once more obtained a signal triumph over their enemies, the small force of insurgents proceeded a short distance beyond the village, and there bivouacked for the night. These brave men had been on the march since early morning, and during that time had traversed the entire county of Wexford, and crowned the day^s labour by a successful battle. On the following morning the insurgents were early astir, and received, with warlike joy, the intelligence 207 Insurrection ^ 1798 . that a regular force of cavalry and infantry was sta- tioned at Goresbridge to oppose their passage of the Barrow. After such a meal as their scanty store could furnish, the men, at the command of their leaders, fell into marching order, and set out in the direction of those new enemies. When they arrived within sight of the town, they were furiously charged by the Fourth Dragoon Guards, but sustained the fierce onset of their assailants without fiinching, and forced them to beat a hasty retreat. The defeated dragoons fell back on their infantry, the Wexford Militia, which corps received their insurgent countrymen with a vol- ley of musketry, which, however, did not prove fatal to any. It is probable that the men were unwilling in- struments in the hands of their taskmasters, and did not wish to take the lives of their own brethren. The conduct of their officer seems to confirm this view of their inclinations ; for, while the force under his com- mand maintained a feel3le and apparently harmless fire, he seized the opportunity of mounting behind a dragoon and galloped off in the direction of Kilkenny, without waiting the issue of the contest. Upon this his men ceased to fire, were surrounded, and made prisoners. The result of this affair gives us an idea of the feeling by which a great many of the militia regiments were animated, and how little reliance the British govern- ment could place on them to serve as executioners of their fellow-countrymen. The majority, however, of the rank and file of the Wexford Militia were Catholics, whose sympathies were naturally with their fellow- countrymen and co-religionists. The insurgents having achieved this signal success, took possession of Gores- bridge, where they obtained a quantity of fiour. Thence they proceeded towards the ridge of Leinster, where they pitched their camp for the night. We regret to have to record a cz'uel deed of revenge perpetrated in 2o8 a Popular History of the the insurgent camp during the night, not, indeed, by the insurgents, but by some of the militia captured in the fight of the preceding day. It seems that amongst the prisoners taken were some Orangemen who had formerly treated with great cruelty their Catholic com- rades on the supposition of their being United Irishmen. These injured men, yielding to the fell spirit of revenge engendered by the memory of their wrongs, rose during the night and murdered their former tyrants. It was a cruel deed and a lamentable instance of the sad fruits of the hateful Orange system. Before we fur- ther pursue the fortunes of these brave men we will, for a brief while, retrace our steps to consider the condition of the inhabitants of Wexford. The regular troops and yeomanry emulated each other in diabolical cruelty ; and, to deepen the horrors of the period, a brutal horde of foreign German mercenaries, called Hessians, were let loose on the people. Tradition has handed down amongst the people the name and deeds of this demon crew, and, for years after, the mere mention of these loathed and accursed Hessians was sufficient to call the indignant blood to the cheek of manhood, and to cast a pallor over that of woman. In fact, so desolate had the country become, that none save the old, the decrepit, or the idiotic, were to be encountered on the roads, in the houses, or fields. But neither the decrepitude of age, nor the deprivation of reason, that even amongst the fiercest and most savage children of nature throws a shield over utter helpless- ness, afforded any protection from the indiscriminate fury of England’s swordsmen. We would fain pass over in silence the wrongs inflicted on helpless women.^ * Both officers and men were wont to boast openly of the out- lages they had perpetrated on the wives and daughters of the “rebels,” so fiendish was the spirit that animated the Orange party, and so bitter the feeling of hatred entertained by them to their Catholic fellow-countrymen. 209 Insurrection ^ 1798 . Better and more merciful had it been to have plunged the swords that had been reddened in the blood of the hoary fathers of the peasantry in the bosoms of those Irish maids and matrons than to have subjected them to the brutal appetites of the vilest mercenaries. CHAPTEE XYIII. Insurgents arrive at the village of Dunain, where they are joined by the colliers. — ^Attack on Castlecomer.— Attempt to take possession of Lady Anne Butler’s mansion.— Burning of Castlecomer.—Flight of Sir Chas. Asgill.— Strange apathy of the people of Kilkenny and Queen’s County. — Insurgents retrace their steps towards Wexford. — Treachery of the colliers.— Insurgents force their way through Scollagh Gap.— Father John captured — Insurgents again separate into two bodies, taking dif- ferent routes. g'©^|EEOEE dawn the insurgents set out for the vil- I gjjl l lage of Dunain, where they arrived about five in the morning. Here they were joined by a large body of colliers (from an extensive coal mine in the vicinity) armed with swords and pistols of an indifferent description. On arriving at Dunain they heard that four hundred men of the Waterford Militia had just quitted the village, and had gone in the direc- tion of Castlecomer. Eather John, whose energetic spirit ever urged him on to some new and perilous un- dertaking, now set out with a part of his force, in- cluding the lately-joined colliers, by a short route across the fields, to attack the English force at Castle- comer, leaving the rest, under another leader, to pro- ceed to the same place by the less direct route of the high road. When the leader of the second division ar- rived within a short distance of the above-named town, he descried a body of about 200 English soldiery drawn up on the road along which his advance was directed. On seeing the approach of the insurgents, who came 210 A Popular History of the on at a running pace, these men raised aloft a white flag on the end of a bayonet, and appeared to desire a parley, evidently with the intention of surrendering. The insurgent chief having halted his men, urged his horse on before them to ascertain the intention of the military ; and on drawing nearer found that they were a party of the "Waterford Militia, cut off, by the un- expected and rapid advance of the insurgents, from their regiment, and desirous, on receiving suitable terms, of surrendering. The terms they sought were willingly granted by the insurgent leader, who re- turned towards his own men, riding at the head of the militia, one of whom held his horse’s bridle. But this pacific arrangement was unfortunately dis- concerted by an untoward occurrence. One of the in- surgents, who happened to be absent during the negoti- ation, suddenly emerged from the fields upon the road, and seeing the strange position of his captain, naturally supposed him to be a prisoner, and without further reflection drove his pike into the body of the soldier who held his rein, whereupon one of the militia offi- cers, supposing this to be part of a preconcerted plan, discharged the contents of his pistol at the insurgent chief, while another ordered his men to fire upon his followers. The leader’s horse received the missile in- tended for his master, and fell. But the body of the insurgents advancing swiftly towards them, the soldiers threw away their arms and accoutrements, and betook themselves to a hasty flight. Many of them were captured in the pursuit that en- sued, and the few that reached Castlecomer, and re- joined their comrades there, found that they had fared but little better than themselves in their contest with the insurgents under Father John. When the second division arrived in Castlecomer, at the heels of the flying soldiery, they found the town already in possession of Inmrrection of i^gZ. 2 1 1 their comrades,"^ with the exception of a large house, the mansion of Lady Anne Butler, into which the de- feated troops had retreated, and from the numerous windows of which they now poured out a hot and deadly fire on those who were engaged in its siege. The house, which had proved so fortunate a refuge for the king’s troops, was lofty and very strongly built, and admirably adapted for the purpose which it at pre- sent served, and, indeed, could hardly be taken without the aid of battering cannon. In vain did the insur- gents attempt to approach the house under the imper- fect shelter of loads of hay and straw ; the vigilant besieged shot the men who impelled the carts, and thus rendered their efforts futile.f Finding their ef- forts unavailing to force an entrance under such a heavy fire, the insurgents at length resolved to drive the de- fenders from the house by setting it on fire, placing quantities of dried wood and other combustible matter at its rere. The house was soon on fire, and the insur- gent chiefs, desirous to save the lives of the besieged, sent from amongst their prisoners a black servant, bear- ing terms to be granted in case they surrendered. The messenger in question, carrying a flag of truce, was admitted, and presently returned with the answer of the garrison, that they were willing to surrender, but only on condition of receiving a written protection from the chiefs. This protection was immediately de- spatched, but the black soon after returned to say that the besieged now refused to surrender, as they had * Mr. Gordon, in his History of Ireland, states that the insur- gents took possession of Castlecomer, and plundered it, killing fifty of the loyalist defenders — that during the fight the town took fire (page 437). The same author estimates the loss sus- tained by the insurgents at about seventy men. t Not being possessed of artillery, the insurgents were obliged to have recourse to this primitive method of attack. 212 A Popular History of the descried a large force of royal troops hastening to their assistance. This unexpected news received immediate confirmation. Loud volleys of musketry, now heard coming from a hill outside the town, announced the approach of a new enemy. The force from which this firing proceeded being as yet at some distance, the in- surgents found time to collect their scattered forces, and take up a favorable position on a rising ground that fronted the advancing enemy. This newly- arrived foe proved to he General Sir Charles Asgill, who had marched with his division from Kilkenny to the aid of the royal troops in Castlecomer. The insurgents proceeded some distance outside the town before coming in sight of the English force. At length, having passed a large grove that lay on their right flank, they came in full view of Asgill’s force drawn up in line of battle at no great distance. Strange to say, the insurgents were allowed to gain the position they desired, marching all the while with their right flank exposed to the enemy. While the insur- gents were pushing rapidly onwards to gain their intended position in front of Asgilhs force, a soldier was observed running at full speed towards them from the hostile ranks. He was fired on by those he had deserted, but had the good fortune to escape unhurt, and joined the insurgents with the welcome intelligence that many of his comrades but awaited an opportunity to desert the English standard. The insurgents at length attained the desired position, and awaited with their usual ardour the signal for attack. However, no sign of hostility was shown by their red-coated foes, from whom they had expected a very different re- ception. Great was their astonishment on beholding, a few moments after, the entire division of the English general — horse, foot, and artillery — wheel about and com- mence a rapid retreat towards Kilkenny, from whence 213 Insurrection ^ 1798 . they came on their abortive expedition. The tired in- surgents continued their march through the apathetic population of Kilkenny, and encamped for the night in the Queen’s County, whose inhabitants seemed equally indifferent with those of Kilkenny, with un- accountable folly neglecting this grand opportunity, afforded the first time during centuries of slavery, of shaking off the yoke of their English masters. Seeing the unwillingness of this miserable people to join their ranks, the gallant Wexford men directed their march towards their native countjq with the design of re-uniting their force to that which had left the county town on the 2 1 st of June to proceed in the di- rection of Wicklow. During all this day they pur- sued their homeward march without encountering an enemy, and at a late hour in the evening arrived at the hill of Kilcomney, where they pitched their camp for the night. When the insurgents awoke on the ensuing morning from their sorely-needed repose they discovered that an act of unparalleled treachery had been perpetrated by the villanous colliers, upon whose assistance they had so much relied. These treacherous allies foully deceived the brave men who had so con- fidently trusted them, and, while the latter were buried in sleep, had arisen and deserted them, plun- dering them of almost all their fire-arms, and leaving them, as far as was in their power, at the mercy of their numerous foes."^' Detestable treachery, the thought of which fills the heart with indignation that words fail to express ! Surrounded on all sides by their cruel and merciless foes, foully plundered and betrayed by the in- ^ “In this hope the Wexford men were grossly deceived; when those who had been thus overcome with lassitude and distress had thus lain for a while, they found themselves stripped of their arms and everything that the colliers could carry with them to then pits and dens.” — Kelly, p. 182. 214 A Popular History of the famous colliers, wearied and travel- worn, the grand spirit that had animated these heroic men from the outset still upheld them under their accumulating mis- fortune. But a fresh trial now awaited their courage and endurance. They ascertained from one of their scouts that the king’s troops were gathering round them, advancing from different quarters. . This intelligence determined their leaders to lose no time in making a vigorous onset on some one or other of the approaching forces. They resolved to direct their attack against a body of troops stationed to de- fend the Pass of Scollagh Gap. Accordingly, the insurgents, to the number of about 4,000 men, the pikemen forming the main body, marching in columns, with as many gunsmen as they could muster on either flank, and in the rear, advanced up the Pass. The 6 oldiei 7 stationed in the defile made but slight resistance to the furious onset of the pikemen, while the few insurgent gunsmen, sheltering themselves behind the rocks that project on either side, picked down every officer that was exposed to their deadly aim. Thus did the insurgents once more put to a disgraceful flight the trained mercenaries who marched under the proud flag of England.^' General Asgill, though in the vicinity with 4,000 regular troops, prudently shunned an en- counter with the insurgents, finding, doubtless, far more congenial occupation in the cold-blooded butchery of the unfortunate and defenceless people of the district around Kilcomney.f In this, as in the other battles ^ Of this action the Eev. Mr. Gordon says : — “ They forced their way (through the gap) with little loss, with the defeat of the opposing troops, and directed their march north- east\yard, by the dwarf woods, near Ferns, to the mountains of Wicklow, re- duced by desertion to a much less number, and deprived of their leader, Father John, who was taken after the battle, and hanged at Tullow.’^ t “They glutted, however, to satiety their savage thirst for blood, with the murder of the county people all around.’^ — Kelly, p. 184. 215 Insurrection of 1798 . fought by the insurgents of this division, they were possessed of no artillery. Now, alas ! to use the words of Miles Byrne, dismal cloud overcast all the hopes of the insurgents.’^ Their most beloved and trusted chief was missing. He had planned the successful pas- sage of Scollagh Gap, had been seen in the combat that ensued, but soon after mysteriously disappeared. The loss of Father John was irreparable, for he had been the soul of the enterprise. Wise to plan, and full of energy to execute, he had ever led his brave and devoted men to certain victory. But now, alas ! he was to be seen no more at their head. This was the severest blow that adverse fortune had inflicted on these gallant patriots, who had hitherto continued to struggle with invincible courage against the most fearful odds. It was commonly believed amongst those who with such deep sorrow deplored his loss that, having ridden out to reconnoitre, he had been surprised by a party of the enemy, and slain while resisting capture. In whatever way he may have met his death, his loss inflicted a severe blow on the insurgent cause. Having, as we have seen, effected so gallantly the passage of Scollagh Gap, the insurgents halted to consult together on what * The Carlow Magazine gives an account of his death at Tullow, and a curious old ballad, in the author’s possession, confirms the statement therein given. According to the Magazine^ when taken prisoner, he was discovered to be a priest by a stole and pyx found in his pocket. Before his execution he received 500 lashes with a cat-o’ -nine-tails, which he endured without a groan. His head was then cut off, and his body thrown into a lighted pitch- barrel, which was placed at the door of a Mr. Callaghan, a respect- able Catholic, in order, as the Orangemen said, that he might enjoy the smell of a roasted priest. His head was stuck on a pole at the chapel gate, where it remained for a long time after. The words in the old ballad referred to, relative to Father John, are as follows : — “ It was by their means (the Kilkenny colliers) Father John Murphy was taken in his retreat to Castlemore. He was brought to Tullow and used most basely j with faggots blazing they burned 2i6 a Popular History of the steps were next to be taken. But the voice of their wisest and bravest leader was now unheard in their council. A difference of opinion as to their future route arose amongst them. Many were of opinion that the wood of Kilaughrim, some five miles distant, would be the best position, whilst others were desirous of proceeding in the direction of Wicklow to join the divi- sion from which they had separated at Wexford town. They finally separated, to form two bodies, one party taking the direction of the Wicklow mountains, while the other sought the cover of Kilaughrim wood. his bones.** The above account of his death is confirmed by a letter written by Dr. Caufield, E. C. Bishop of Ferns, to Dr. Troy, of Dublin, dated AYexford, September 2, 1798. Dr. Caufield was an ardent loyalist, and suspended every priest who joined the United Irishmen . — See letter to Dr, Troy, m “ Plowden's Histori- cal Review of the State of Ireland,^* It is also related that, when he was brought before the court-martial, a certain Major Hall had the meanness to put several insulting questions to him, which the high-spirited rebel, undaunted by the terrors of the place, answered by knocking down with a vigorous blow the ruffianly interro- gator. (For further particulars see Appendix). Insurrection of 1798 . 217 CHAPTER XIX. The insurgents halt at Monaseed, where they hear of fresh Orange atroci- ties. — They fall in with the force they are in quest of. — How the divi- sion of insurgents under Garret Byrne, on their way to Wicklow, are met by a horrid spectacle at Gorey. — They take vengeance on the mur- derers of women and children.— The engagement at Hacketstown. — Just retribution that befel the Ancient British cavalry. — Defeat of the Orangemen at Ballyrakeen Hill.— Attack on Captain Chamney’s house. — ^Resolve to destroy all strongly-built mansions. OITASEED, the birthplace of so many brave in- surgents, lay directly on the route of those who moved in the direction of Wicklow ; and there they made a brief stay, and heard with joy of the many splendid achievements of the gallant band they were in quest of. There, too, with feelings of anger and indig- nation too deep for utterance, they heard of the num- berless deeds of inhuman cruelty perpetrated by the yeomen and the regular soldiery on the wounded and defenceless who had the misfortune to fall into their power. One authentic instance, selected from hun- dreds equally so, may suffice to afford some idea of the conduct of the loyalists of the period. Hunter Gowan,’’ that incarnation of fiendish cruelty, being his Majesty’s Justice of the Peace ^ and likewise captain of yeoman cavalry (consequently enjoying complete dominion over the property and lives of the mere Irish of the day), entered the house of a neighbour of his, named Patrick Bruslan — one of the bravest men in the insurgent army, and then lying ill of a wound — and inquired in the kindest terms about his health. The wife of the wounded man, of whom he made these apparently friendly inquiries, conducted him, at his re- quest, to her husband’s bedside, that he might, as he said, enjoy the pleasure of a chat with his old neigh- bour.” Gowan stood at the bedside of the wounded insurgent, and stretched out his hand, as if in friendly 2iS A Popular History of the greeting ; but wlien the unsuspecting Bruslan grasped it, Gowan drew a pistol from bis pocket with the dis- engaged hand, and shot him through the heart. Then, turning to depart, he said to the unfortunate widow he had just made — You will now he saved the trouble of nursing your d d Popish rebel husband.’’ The insurgents soon quitted Monaseed, and, pursuing their march, had the good fortune to encounter at the White Heaps the division of their army with which they de- sired to effect a union. The chiefs of this division were Garret Byrne, Esmond Kyan, Edward Eoche, and Mcholas Murphy.* Many others, however, had fallen in the different combats that had taken place since their departure from W exford. This united force bivouacked for the night at Ballyfad, where their number was aug- mented by the arrival of many who had quitted them to visit their families. Having now to narrate the history of that division of the insurgent force which quitted Wexford on the 21st to proceed in the direc- tion of Wicklow, we must go back to the day of their departure. This division, as well as that which left the town about the same time under the command of Father J. Murphy, was considerably thinned by the delusive hopes created by the negotiations for peace at Wexford. However, at setting out on their march they mustered about 7,000 men, armed in the usual way, and, as commonly happened, very much in want of ammunition for the few firearms they possessed. The}’ proceeded on the first day as far as Pippard’s Castle, where they rested for the night. On the ensu- ing morning the chiefs agreed to march towards the Wicklow mountains, and with their usual promptitude set out at once on their way thither. When in the vicinity of Gorey they alighted upon a horrid spectacle. * Nicholas Murphy was a brother of Father Michael. 219 hisurrection (^ 1798 . The road along wliicli they marched was strewn with the dead and horribly-mangled bodies of women and children. Many of these victims lay with their bowels ripped open, and presented to the eyes of their country- men a ghastly spectacle, well calculated to fill them with mingled feelings of horror and compassion, and to rouse them to a determination to take the direst ven- geance on the cowardly perpetrators of such worse than savage barbarities. This massacre was occasioned by the insurgents’ retreat from Yinegar Hill ; for the English regular soldiery and their bloodthirsty asso- ciates, the Orangemen, or yeomanry — the terms were synonymous — who had taken shelter within their entrenchments from the furious storm of insurgent warfare, on hearing of this unexpected step on the part of the insurgents, sallied out from their lurking- places, and immediately overran the country, flooding it with the blood of its unfortunate inhabitants, and practising every vile and inhuman cruelty that their inventive malice could suggest. Against this horde of murderous villains theVengeful insurgents now directed their arms. Changing for a time their route, they be- gan to search for their scattered foes in the vicinity of Gorey. Many of the marauders were surprised in the houses of the peasantry in the very act of perpetrating their unspeakable villanies. Being caught red-handed, they were slain on the spot. The alarm being spread through their dispersed forces, they rallied together in considerable numbers. They were routed after a brief resistance, and pursued to Gorey, where, attempting to make a stand, they were again signally defeated, and pursued with severe loss towards Arklow. Such of the insurgents as were mounted pursued the flying foe as far as Coolgreny, where many of them fell by the hands of the victorious avengers. While this pursuit was main- tained by some detached parties of the insurgents, their 220 A Popular History of the main body halted at Gorey, awaiting the return of their absent comrades. On the return of these the entire column set out for Croghan Hill, at the foot of which they encamped for the night. The day on which the gallant insurgents so well avenged the terrible wrongs inflicted on their wives, mothers, and children has been called the ^‘bloody Friday,” on account of the blood that was shed so abundantly thereon. The forces engaged in this massacre of the defence- less and unresisting were the Ancient Britons — aAVelsh regiment — in conjunction with many of the yeomanry corps of the county, whose chiefs were Hunter Gowan, Beaumont of Hyde Park, Bam of Gorey, the Earl of Courtown, White of Midleton, and the Earl of Mount- norres — names to be met with in the different narra- tives of those fearful times, when the demons of cruelty and bloodshed reigned supreme. Notwithstanding all these dreadful deeds of cruelty, of which their friends and relatives were the victims, be it hero recorded to the honour of the valiant peasantry, so foully aspersed by Orange historians, that though they had taken num- bers of prisoners, none suffered death at their hands, for which humanity they got little credit. The in- surgent army remained encamped on Croghan Mountain during this day, and employed themselves in gathering provisions and collecting ammunition, in both of which employments their success was but limited. On the morning of the 25th of June, the insur- gents marched to Hacketstown, encountering on their way some corps of yeoman cavalry, whom they put to immediate flight. On drawing near the town they found the English infantry drawn up in a field outside it, prepared to dispute their entrance. Upon this force, numbering about 200 men, the pikemeu fell furiously, soon routing them, and leaving theii captain (Hardy) dead upon the field, together with 221 Insurrection ^ 1798 . thirty of his men. The insurgents now entered the town, and proceeded to attack the barracks, in which their discomfited foe had found refuge. Adjoining this building, but projecting farther into the street, stood a large malthouse, in which a party of armed loyalists had taken post for the purpose of aiding the royal troops. The front of the barracks and one side of the malthouse met and formed an angle, so that from one building a direct, and from the other a flanking fire could be poured upon the attacking party. Both the buildings in question were of great strength, and in fact well-nigh impregnable to assailants unpro- vided with artillery. The roof of the barracks was surrounded by a parapet, from behind which the be- sieged could take aim with almost perfect security. To obtain possession of these buildings was the object to which the insurgents now bent all their energies. A low wall, running parallel to the front wall of the bar- racks, afforded a partial and insufficient shelter to the insurgent gunsmen, from behind which they could take aim at such of the loyalists as showed themselves at the windows of the malthouse, or over the parapet of the barracks. The insurgents, indeed, fought at great disadvantage, and under the galling fire of their well- sheltered foes numbers of them fell. But nothing could exceed the heroic resolution and rare intrepidity they displayed in the course of this unwise attempt to take a fortified house without the aid of even a single piece of artillery. Their leaders in this affair were Garret Byrne, Edward Eitzgerald, Anthony Perry, and Michael Eeynolds.^' The latter gentleman signally distinguished himselfduring the action. TheWexfordians, accustomed as they were to see men bear themselves bravely in bat- * It was Michael Reynolds who led the attack on Naas, described in a former chapter. 222 A Popular History of the tie were struck with admiration at the extraordinary coolness displayed by Eeynolds, who exposed his person fearlessly on all occasions when it was necessary to direct the efforts of the assailants, not seeming to regard in the least the bullets that showered around him thick as hail. While the unequal contest was maintained by the gunsmen on both sides, a party of the insur- gents endeavoured to drive the enemy from their re- treat by setting it on fire. This daring attempt they persevered in for several hours, one party after another advancing to the assault under such cover as feather- beds and loads of straw fastened upon cars afforded. Many gallant men lost their lives in these useless efforts, for the bullets of the defenders reached them through and under their insufS.cient cover. Eut un- deterred by their heavy losses, they still carried on the desperate conflict, reckless of life, and resolved to pre- vail or perish. And, in truth, could the most persevering and daunt- less resolution have effected the object they aimed at, it would have been accomplished. It was in advancing to one of the assaults referred to that young James Murphy, a nephew of Father Michael, lost his life. He was shot by one of the soldiers posted in the bar- racks, an excellent marksman, who had already slain several of the insurgents. But the death of this brave young man was soon after avenged by his friend Myles Horan, of Cloughmore, who brought down the sharp- shooting red coat with a well-directed bullet."^ * A still greater loss was that of the brave leader Eeynolds, who was mortally wounded as he mounted a ladder carrying a lighted brand, and covered {hut ineffectually) with a feather bed ; his companions carried him into a neighbouring cabin where he soon after expired — exhorting them with his dying breath to persevere in the cause in which they were embarked. Insurrection 0/ 223 Towards evening a partial success seemed to reward tlie persevering intrepidity of the insurgents. The malt- house was ahandoued by its loyalist defenders; but the fire from that building had scarce ceased when a fresh one was opened upon them from the house of the Eev. Mr. M^Gee, a Protestant clergyman, within which he, with several of his friends had barricaded themselves, resolved to assist, with all their powers, the besieged soldiery, and inflict a crushing defeat upon a common enemy.* Put still the latter maintained the conflict with un- abated fierceness, although the bodies of their dead and wounded comrades strewed the ground even more thickly as the hours passed on ; nor did they desist from an enterprise they should never have attempted till darkness began to gather round the scene of despe- rate strife, and rendered its continuance impossible. During the night the insurgents withdrew from the place where so many precious lives had been unavail- * The above account of the engagement at Hacketstown was communicated to the author by several of the insurgents who took part therein. "’Amongst those were his maternal grandfather and grand-uncle. The latter was standing by James Murphy’s side when he received his death-wound. All these witnesses spoke in enthusiastic terms of Reynolds’ gallantry. An old lady, a relative of Father Michael, informed the author that she was present when he entered his brother’s house to bring his young nephew with him to the camp. The boy was sitting in company with his mother and the younger members of the family when his uncle came into the room where they were all assembled. Father Michael having announced his purpose of bringing James with him, his mother expressed her unwil- lingness that he should leave her to take part in so perilous an enterprise, reminding the priest that he was but a “child.” The patriot priest, in reply to the remonstrances which her mater- nal tenderness suggested, said, “ Sister, it is true that he is very young, but not too young to fight, and, if needs be, to die, for his country.” 224 Popular History of the ingly sacrificed, carrying with them their .numerous wounded, but leaving upon the field of confiict the dead bodies of upwards of two hundred men."^' The total loss, in killed and wounded on the side of the loyalists did not amount to more than fifty of their entire number. Next day the Irish army marched towards Croghan Hill — one of the Wicklow mountains. Here they re- mained unmolested by the enemy during the 27th and 28th of June. On the morning of the 29th, having resolved to attack the town of Carnew, they set out at an early hour on their march thither, halting for a short space at Monaseed, to obtain whatever refresh- ments the little village afforded. The insurgents had quitted the village but a short time when it was entered by the celebrated cavalry regiment of Ancient Britons, followed by several corps of mounted yeo- men — the latter desiring to act as executioners on the insurgents, whom they hoped to see soon defeated by their more warlike comrades. Amongst these in- famous villains were the Earls of C and M , who were not ashamed to be the leaders of such a vile crew of cowardly cutthroats. These royalist forces having learned at Monaseed that the insurgents complained of being extremely fatigued by their almost incessant marching, and, moreover, that their ammu- nition was quite exhausted, considered them a sure prey ; and, elated by the hope of a complete victory, and supplied with such an amount of Hutch courage as their abundant potations at Monaseed could inspire, they rode on in pursuit of an enemy they had al- ^ Every effort to set the barracks or M ‘Ghee’s house on fire having failed, the insurgents relinquished the attack, which haf already deprived them of so many brave companions ; after nin : hours’ fighting, they withdrew their force, marched to Blessington, and encamped there for the night.” — Kelly, p. 188 Insurrection 0/ i']gZ. 225 ready, in imagination, vanquished. The regular cavalry led the advance, while their numerous yeoman allies followed, as was their wont, in the rere. They were now about a mile from Carnew, and were come to a place where the road was bounded by an old deerpark wall on the right, and on the left by a huge ditch, which ran in the midst of swampy ground. While riding at a hand gallop along the part of the road thus enclosed, they found that their further advance was arrested by a barricade formed of cars thrown across the road. This unexpected obstacle of course brought them to a dead halt. JBefore they had time to advance or retreat, their hitherto concealed foes rose suddenly from behind the ditch and wall we have described, and while the gunsmen poured a deliberate fire, every shot of which told, into their surprised and dismayed ranks, the more dreaded pikemen sprang forth from the same ambush, and were in an instant in their midst. We might pity these unfortunate dragoons had not the ferocious character of their crimes closed our hearts to all softer feelings. After a fight that lasted about half an hour, every man of the regi- ment that rode from Monaseed in all the pride of anticipated conquest, lay on the road either dead or dying. Thus perished the infamous cavalry re- giment called the Ancient Eritons, receiving the retribution that falls upon such red-handed sons of Cain sooner or later. Eut where were the burly yeomen who rode so gladly in their train to aid in an enter- prise that promised such an abundant harvest of blood? These heroes remained on a rising ground at some distance on the right, while their accomplices in crime underwent their bloody ordeal, without offering them the sEghtest aid, and when they saw that all was over gave spurs to their horses, and rode off in the greatest terror and dismay. The intelligence of the defeat and 226 A Popular History of the total destruction of the Ancient Britons at Ballyellis was carried rapidly over the entire country, causing great joy to the defenders of liberty, and striking terror into the hearts of tyrants and their instruments. It reached the English infantry on their way from Carnew to the scene of action, and caused them to retreat. They took refuge in a large malt-house, where they fortified themselves as best they could, and awaited the attack of their rapidly advancing foes. Here the scene that occurred at Hacketstown was re-enacted — insurgent bravery wasting itself vainly on stone walls, and many brave men losing their lives in a fruitless essay to take a strongly- built, well-garrisoned bouse without artillery. The insurgent leaders, deeming it a useless sacrifice of life to continue the attack on the malt-house, drew their men off, and marched to Kilcavin Hill, where they remained for the night, greatly elated by the victory they had achieved. On this morning the insurgents shook off slumber at an early hour, and, before the sun had risen, were on their way to Shillelah, and, passing by that village, took post on Bally rakeen Hill, where they remained for the night. July Ist.^This day being a great anniversary with the Orangemen, these miserable traitors, whose dastardly triumphs are all founded on the humiliation of their country, whose curse and ruin they have ever been, re- solved to signalise it by a furious and decisive onslaught on the few brave men who held aloft the national flag on Ballyraheen Hill. Towards the hill in question came troops of the various corps of yeoman cavalry, while their infantry showed an unusual determination to come to close quarters with their ancient enemies. With equal ardour the Irish troops — for though the Orangemen were born in Ireland their constant and | unnatural hatred of her cause deprives them of all right i to be called Irishmen — ruslied to meet their treacherous [ insurrection ^ 1798 . 227 foes, charging down the slope of the hill in a firm pha- lanx of pikemen, intermingled and fianked by gunsmen, on their enemy’s lines. In vain the hostile cavalry essayed to check by their furious charge that unyielding cohort of brothers who fought in the sacred cause of country ; in vain their infantry poured the leaden hail into their ranks. Every man in the insurgent ranks was a hero resolved to conquer or perish in a sacred cause. The insurgent force was now assailed on all sides by the cavalry, who, confiding in their numbers, and, perhaps anxious to retrieve their characters from the too well-merited stigma of cowardice, continued the attack with unwonted spirit. But this could make no impression on the ranks of their opponents, and they retired from each unsuccessful charge with diminished numbers. The gunsmen attached to the insurgent force remained to protect the flanks, answering with well- directed volleys the fire of the enemy’s infantry. At length, after nearly an hour’s fighting, victory again favoured the brave insurgents. Hundreds of their foe- men lay stretched upon the ground dead or severely wounded, while their comrades, cavalry and infantry, unable to maintain any longer the combat against such determined foes, took to flight in different directions — the cavalry galloping awav at fox-hunting speed, leaving their infantry to make the best retreat they could. The latter, being closely pursued by the pikemen, took refuge within the mansion of Captain Chamney, which stood at the foot of the hill, and from its safe shelter defied their victorious foes. Here again bravery that had proved invincible in the field in fair fight was foiled when opposed by stone walls that sheltered a beaten foe. Seeing the uselessness of prolonging such an at- In this affair Captains Chamney and Nixon were slain. 228 A Popular History of the tack, the men at the command of their leaders desisted from it, and marched off in the direction of Wicklow Gap, having obtained by the day’s victory a fair supply of firearms and ammunition. The fruits of many hard- fought engagements having been lost to the insurgents by reason of their enemies taking refuge in large isola- ted, strongly-built mansions, it became evident to the leaders that to pursue their enterprise with any chance of success all such buildings must of necessity be de- stroyed. They came to this resolution with regret, but it was with them a question of life and death, and half- measures in such a position are simply madness. The insurgents pursued their route towards Wicklow Gap, marching all night, and, having arrived there on the following morning, pitched their camps, remaining dur- ing that day and the ensuing night. Instirredion of I'jgS. 229 CHAPTER XX. Insurgents proceed to the Wicklow Gold Mines, where they burn the Eng- lish camp. — Eeceive a reinforcement from Killaughrim Wood. — “ The babes in the wood.”— They attack General Sir James Duff, and force him to retreat.— Mr. Plowden’s narrative of the battle of Cranford or Ballygullen — Insurgents divide their force.— Wexford men return to Carrigrew.— Wicklow men retreat to Glenmalure. — Wexford insurgents quit Carrickburn and proceed to Kildare to join Aylmer.— March to- wards Athlone.— Attack a fortified house occupied by Lieutenant Tyrrell. —The Wexford men separate from the Kildare insurgents and penetrate into Meath.— Encountered by the Limerick militia and forced to retreat. — Capture and execution of Father Kearns and Anthony Perry. — The Wexford insurgents cross the Boyne and enter Louth.— Attacked by a large force of cavalry near Ardee.— Approach within seven miles of the metropolis, where they are routed by a squadron of the Dumfries dra- goons.— The Eev. Mr. Gordon’s account of the last stand made by the Wexford insurgents, N this day, July 2, at their usual early hour, the insurgents set out for the Wicklow Gold Mines, with the design of burning the English camp, which was there erected in ^95. Having accomplished the desired feat, they returned by way of the Whiteheaps, and took up a position at Ballyfad. The insurgents, notwithstanding their great losses, both in men and leaders, were still a numerous force, and fairly armed with the spoils of their many victories. At the time, also, they were augmented by the force under Eather Kearns, who had marched from Killaughrim Wood to join them."^ While the insurgent camp was pitched at Ballyfad, small parties were despatched in several direc- tions to reconnoitre, and bring back whatever intelli- * Different military detachments were sent ont from Ross and Enniscorthy, and these endeavoured to surround the extensive woods of Killaughrim, supposed to contain them (the insurgents), but their efforts proved fruitless, as they never could come up with the lobes in the wood^ who generally had a rendezvous in the night and dispersed towards morning, into such a variety of lurk- ing places, that but few of them were apprehended ; and though several plans for their annihilation were contrived they all proved ineffectual. — Hay, page 298. 16 230 A Popular History of the gence they could obtain of the motions of the enemy. Towards dawn of day some of the men who had been despatched on the preceding evening on this important commission returned to report the advance of a formi- dable English force on their position. On the receipt of this intelligence orders were at once issued to quit their present position and take up a better one on one of the hills in their vicinity. While the chiefs of the Irish army were choosing this position the near approach of the English force was announced by a volley from their advanced guard, which passed over the heads of a similar detachment of insurgents. A dense fog, which since dawn had covered all the country around, occasioned some confusion amongst them, preventing them from ascertaining the position of the enemy they knew to be near, and even causing some detachments to stray from the main body. The rising sun at length dispersed the fog, and shining forth in un obscured splendour on the insurgent army revealed to them, as they marched from the hill in the direction of Gorey, a large English force of horse, foot, and artillery following in their rear at about the distance of a mile. This force was commanded by Sir James Duff, who followed in the track of his enemy, but was unwilling to begin the contest till he had received reinforcements he expected from General Needham. The insurgents, however, seeing that Sir James evinced no inclination to attack, rightly concluded that he waited reinforcements, and in consequence, judged it better to give him battle before they arrived. With this resolve, they advanced some two miles along the Gorey road, their cautious enemy all the while hanging on their rear. The insurgents now left the high road, along which they had hitherto directed their march, and proceeded by a narrow cross road that opened on their right and stretched towards the townland of Ballygullen, 231 Insurrection of 1 798 . When they had proceeded some short distance along this new route, their gunsmen, in obedience to their leaders^ orders, left the ranks and stationed themselves in am- bush behind the fences that bounded the narrow road, while the main body fell into fighting order, and moved steadily onward towards Ballygullen, as if they intended to pursue their march. It was designed by this move- ment to draw the enemy’s cavalry, who had not seen the execution of the stratagem, and were unaware of the position of the ambushed gunsmen, under the fire of the latter. This skilful plan succeeded. The Eng- lish cavalry, seeing the main body of the pikemen pur- suing their march, continued to follow them until they came to where the concealed gunsmen lay. Then the latter poured a close and destructive fire amongst them, killing a considerable number and causing the survivors to seek safety in instant flight. Had not the impatience of the insurgents caused them to deliver their fire rather prematurely, this great body of cavalry might have been utterly destroyed ; as it w'as, their loss was so heavy that they made no appearance in the engagement that ensued. General Duft*, on beholding the surprise and defeat of his cavalry, ordered his infantry to deploy into line and advance to meet their foes. A most san- guinary and fiercely fought battle now ensued, in which both sides displayed the greatest bravery. The insur- gent gunsmen maintained a deadly fire on the Eng- lish ranks till their small supply of ammunition was entirely exhausted. It then only remained for the insurgent leaders to bring their redoubted pikemen into action. This they did with their usual gallant prompti- tude, directing their attack on the right flank of the opposing force. General Duff, seeing this manoeuvre, and believing that his men had got quite enough from the gunsmen without encountering those fearful pikemeru gave orders to retreat in the direction of 232 A Popular History of the Gorey.* The insurgents, though victorious in this hard- fought engagement, which lasted two hours, lost great numbers of their men, and the regret caused by the loss of so many brave comrades was hardly counterbalanced by the knowledge that they had inflicted a far greater loss on their routed enemies. As soon as Duff’s shattered force had disappeared, they set out about collecting their wounded, and then quitted the scene of action, and marched off towards a hill some half mile distant there- from. A council of war was now^ held, to deliberate on their future course of action. At this council it was decided to divide their force rather than await united the combined and overpowering attack of the large English army at that time assembled in the county of Wexford from all parts of the three kingdoms. Of this action, Mr. Plowden says : — ‘‘Upon the arri- val of the insurgents at a place called Cranford, by others Ballygullen, they resolved to make resistance and await the approach of the troops, however numerous they might be, although their own force was then very con- siderably reduced. They resolutely maintained the con- flict for an hour and a half, with the utmost intrepidity; having repulsed the cavalry, and driven the artillery- men three times from their cannon, all performed by the gunsmen ; for the pikemen, as on former occasions, never came into action ; but fresh reinforcements of the army pouring in on all sides, they were obliged to give way, quitting the field of hattle with little loss to them- selves^ and uotwdthstanding all their fatigue, retreating with their usual agility and swiftness in different direc- tions.’^ Mr. Plowden here admits that they defeated the force under General Duff, and only retreated on the approach of overwhelming reinforcements, which coincides with the accounts given by other authors. * Eigkty of General Duff’s troopers were slain in this action. — Kelly. 233 Ifisurrection of The Wicklow men resolved to seek the shelter of their native mountains ; some of them, however, choosing to remain with the Wexford men, who marched that same night for their former camping ground on the hill of Carrigrew. Though the battle of Ballygullen, or Cran- ford, may be said to have concluded the famous insur- rection of 1798, as after that engagement none of much importance took place between the hostile forces, we think it right to follow to the end of their career those who took part in the heroic but unsuccessful struggle we have essayed to describe in the foregoing pages. The Wicklow men, after a brief repose, proceeded to- wards their proposed destination, passing Ferns and Carnew on their march. When at length night set in it found them still push- ing steadily onward ; nor did they halt till they had left Kiipipe and Aughrim far behind, and gained the security they sought among their native mountains. In this retreat they long kept alive the scanty embers of a fire that had once burned with such bright and cheerful fiames. Yet as they never could muster after- wards a sufficient force wherewith to encounter their foes in any considerable conflict, their adventurous and most daring exploits furnish matter suited rather for the romancist than the historian. In Emmet’s Memoirs we find a highly interesting narrative of the adventures of the small but heroic band, who so long maintained those strongholds of nature, their own native hills,” against the nume- rous forces of military despatched against them, thus rendering their name one of terror to the English garrison of the lowlands. Hackett, Dwyer, Holt, and Garret Byrne were chiefs of this small band, who never numbered more than two or three hundred men, but whose marvellous courage 234 ^ Popular History of the and activity rendered them formidable to their ene- mies. The lone Glenmalure afforded them for a long while a comparatively safe retreat, from which, however, they were finally driven by the king’s troops. Their most effective and inveterate enemies were the kilted High- landers, whose former habits peculiarly fitted them for the effectual hunting down of the brave but unfortunate Wicklow mountaineers. The Wexford men, with their few Wicklow adhe- rents once more, and for the last time, assembled on the Hill of Carrigrew, having as leaders Father Kearns, Anthony Perry of Inch, and Garret Byrne of Bally- manus. These brave chiefs determined to march forth- with into the county of Kildare and join their forces to those which were assembled there under the leader- ship of William Aylmer. The desired junction effected, the entire force, numbering in all some five hundred men, set out towards Meath with a view of surprising Athlone. On their march thither they arrived at the village of Clonard, where their progress was impeded by a gall- ing fire of musketry, directed against them from a for- ti&d house occupied by Lieutenant Tyrrell and a corps of yeomanry under his command. The insurgents might have passed on, but, irritated by the loss they sustained, they halted to besiege the house. While engaged in this unwise attempt they were warned of the near approach of large royalist re ♦ inforcements from Kinnegad and Mullingar. On re- ceiving this intelligence they desisted from the siege, and pursued their uninterrupted march towards the village of Castlecarberry, where they remained for the night."^ * This repulse the Wexford-men attributed to the cowardice of their Kildare associates, who neither aided them in the attack on 235 Insurrection 0/ This daring incursion of the Wexford insurgents into Kildare alarmed, while it enraged, the numerous loyal- ists of that and the adjoining counties. Corps of yeo- manry, mounted and on foot, and detachments of re- gular troops, were soon mustering to hunt down the daring hand. On the ensuing day the latter resumed Tyrrell’s house, nor joined them in resisting the troops. Deeming such allies worthless, they soon after parted company with them, and pursued their career alone. “ After this repulse the fierce Wexfordians pursued unaided their plan of desperate adventure ; finally separating from their less enterprising associates, against whom before, in consequence of some disputes, they had with difii- culty been prevented from turning their arms.” — Gordon, Hist. Ireland, page 441. Of the attack on Tyrrell’s house ^Ir. Kelly in his History makes the following mention, p. 193 : — “ The insurgents persist- ing in their hope of raising succours, determined to penetrate into Meath, Westmeath, and to reach Athlone, making their rente through Clonard. As the bridge over the Boyne was to be crossed for the object they had in view, the corps of yeomanry commanded by Lieutenant Tyrrell, being apprised of the approach of the insurgents, occupied a large house belonging to the Captain of that corps, who was then in England. In the spring of ’ 98 Cap- tain Tyrrell took strong precautions to protect himself against the Defenders, who were said to be numerous in Meath. For that purpose he converted his house into a kind of garrison, by secur- ing with mason- work the windows and doors of the under-story. Of Captain Tyrrell’s mansion, thus fortified, the corps of yeomen were in possession, when the approach of a great body of insur- gents was announced to them. The attack commenced against a high turret in the garden, and the house, at the same time. The fire kept up from both places was very destructive to many of the insurgents. In the meantime expresses were forwarded to Kinnegad, Mullingar, and Edenderry for reinforcements. The body of insurgents, having no cannon, were unable to make an impression upon either points, but unfortunately for themselves, were so improvident as to persist in their attempts. While thus engaged, a numerous corps of yeoman cavalry arrived from Kinnegad, and made terrible slaughter among the stragglers and such as were discovered concealing themselves among the hedges.” 236 A Popular History of the their march, and passed into the county of Meath, with- out receiving all the while any aid from the peasantry, while hotly pursued by a host of foes. The first body of pursuers to come up with them was the Limerick Militia, under Colonel Grough. The militia poured a destructive fire upon them, which, as their ammunition was spent, they were unable to return, and were con- sequently obliged to retreat with the loss of a few killed and many wounded. It was soon after this contest, if such it can be called, that Father Kearns and Anthony Perry were made pri- soners.^ Three days after, the Catholic priest and the Protestant gentleman, being tried (and, of course, found guilty) by court-martial, were hanged on the same gal- lows at Edenderry. They died as cheerfully, as they fought heroically, for the good old cause of fatherland. Though unsuccessful in this affair, the insurgents still kept together, and, crossing the Kiver Boyne, entered the county Louth. But their pursuers pressed so closely upon them that the hunted Wexford-men were at last forced to turn to bay. The place where they made their final stand was on the historic ground that lies between the Boyne and the town of Ardee. It was there that a large force of cavalry, under the command of Major- General Wemys and Brigadier- General Meyrick, charged down upon the diminished ranks of the outwearied and half- famished pikemen. However, though wearied and outnumbered, they fought with desperate bravery, keeping their array, and repelling the furious and frequent charges of the * Their brave leader, Colonel Perry, and the Eev. Mr. Kearns, had got as far as Clonbollogue, through tracts of bog, when two yeomanry officers named Kidgeway, and Robinson, from Edenderry, came upon them, and made them prisoners.” — Kelly. Insurrection ( 2 / 1798 . 237 English cavalry, whom they often forced to retire in confusion. But the appearance at this juncture of a large body of infantry, accompanied by artillery, showed them the uselessness of further contest. Seeing their already thinned ranks still further di- minished by the discharges of musketry and artillery, they began slowly to retreat, with their faces towards the foe (whom respect for their prowess kept at a dis- tance), towards a large bog that lay on their right. Here they remained unpursued during the ensuing night ; but, deeming it hopeless to protract the contest, unaided as they were, they resolved to disperse, and thus render their escape more easy. Before the morning dawned the greater number of the now hopeless insur- gents began, with heavy hearts, their homeward jour- ney — proceeding singly or by twos or threes ; but a small body keeping together, crossed the Boyne, and pushed on towards Dublin. However, they did not succeed in reaching the metropolis, for, arriving at Ballyboghill, near Swords, the disheartened fugitives were encountered and dispersed by a squadron of the Dumfries Dragoons. The Eev. Mr. Gordon thus narrates the last desperate struggles that closed the military career of the Wexford insurgents: — ‘ ‘ Totally disappointed of their expected reinforcements in the county of Meath, which had been lately disturbed, they passed the Boyne, near Duleek, by a rapid motion, into the county of Louth. Assailed on the fourteenth by two divisions of troops between this river and Ardee, they made a desperate stand ; but overpowered on the arrival of more force with artillery, they broke and fled into a bog. Hence a part of them took the road to Ardee, and dispersed ; but the main body repassed the Boyne, and were advancing directly towards Dublin with their usual swiftness, when they 238 A Popular History of the were overtaken in a hot pursuit by Captain Gordon, of the Dumfries Light Dragoons, at Ballyboghill, within seven miles of the capital. As they would have been surrounded by detachments from different quarters, they fled, and finally dispersed, severally endeavouring by devious ways to reach their homes or places of con- cealment.^^ CHAPTER XXI. Great mim'bers thrown into prison on the entry of the military into Wex- ford.— Cruel treatment of prisoners.— Heroism of the boy Lett.— Gen. Needham’s troops and the Hempesch dragoons.— Executions in Wex- ford. — Kelly of Killane. — General Hunter’s clemency. — Lord Lieu- tenant’s proclamation.— Orange ferocity. — Esmond Kyan’s death. — Hunter Gowan. — “ Mr. Massacre.” — False alarms raised by the Orange- men. — Major Fitzgerald’s courage and prudence. — The island discovered by Hawtrey White cannot be discovered when sought for.— Landing of the French expedition under General Hardi.— Surrender of the insur- gent general Edward Boche.— Execution of Walter Devereux and James Bedmond. ANY persons who were implicated in the insur- rection, relying upon the promises of Lord Kingsborough, remained in town after the en- trance of the king’s troops."^' But their hopes of im- munity were not destined to be realized, for soon after the above-mentioned event took place they were ar- rested and lodged in jail. Amongst these prisoners was Mr. Hay, whose services to the loyalist cause de- served better treatment at the hands of the victors. He thus describes the great hardships which he and his fellow-captives endured during their incarceration : — ‘‘ Two sloops were prepared as prison-ships during the * Others less credulous made a timely escape : amongst these was Captain Dixon, who fled to America, where he died many years afterwards. 239 Insurrectio7i of insurrection. One of them, however, was immediately condemned as unfit for that service ; and afterwards, on the occasion of Lord Kingshorough and his officers being put on board for a few hours, she was again, on the inspection of the butchers of Wexford, pronounced unfit for the reception of a pig. After this second con- demnation the Lovely Kitty (for so this infernal vessel was called) was hauled up on one side of the harbour, where, from her leaky state, she sank within a foot of her deck, and so escaped firing when the other, which had been used as a prison-ship, was burned. This was the vessel the Wexford Committee (loyalist) ordered to be their prison-ship; and accordingly, on the 3rd of July, she was hauled into the channel, a little dry straw was shaken over that which had remained in her hold for a month before, and the prisoners then were sent on board. Our walking on the fresh litter soon made it wet as the dung underneath, so that it was impossible to lie or sit without imbibing the moisture ; nor indeed could we have the comfort of resting against her sides, as the planks were water- soaked, and the effervescence of putrid malt accumulated between her timbers was so strong as even to turn silver black in our pockets in the course of a few hours. The stench was in- supportable, and there was besides such an infestation of rats that some of the prisoners were bitten by them. The weather at the time was mostly warm, and this raised such an exhalation that, small as the vessel was, we could scarcely see each other from either end of the hold. If it rained, the deck was so open that it was impossible in any part of the ship to avoid being wetted ; and, contrary to the usual state of leaky vessels (when the bilge-water is not offensive), we were nearly suffo- cated while she was pumping. In our own defence we were obliged to be continually at the pump, to prevent our being overflowed; and, though our last occupation 240 A Popular History of the at night, we were always summoned to the same task early in the morning.’’ Twenty-one persons were con- fined in this dreadful prison, under a guard of “ Ogle’s Blues,” as the Shelmalier infantry were designated. Mr. Hay was detained in this loathsome place for some months, when he was transferred to the jail, whence he was not liberated till he had completed a term of thir- teen months’ imprisonment. Amongst his fellow-pri- soners was a boy of thirteen years. Master James Lett, who, with a spirit far above his tender age, had taken an active part in the battles of Hew- Ross and Longraig. This little fellow was detained a prisoner till the J anuary of 1799, when he was brought up for trial before Lord Kil warden. When his lordship inquired for the pri- soner, the boy was held up for his inspection on a man’s arm. The sight of the diminutive prisoner was quite enough for the judge, who ordered him to be instantly set at liberty. But to resume our narrative. While Generals Lake and Moore with their troops held possession of Wexford, large bodies of military under other commanders were stationed in the principal towns and villages within the county. Of these the force under General Heedham, at Ballenkeele, earned an unenviable distinction for the ferocious war they waged upon the defenceless people. Detachments from this force continually traversed the country, burning houses and putting to death all persons they chanced to encounter. The Hompesch Dragoons also gained a special infamy on account of their brutal and indiscriminate violation of female chastity. To escape falling into the hands of these banditti the unfortunate people abandoned their homes, and sought refuge in the most wild and unfre- quented places they could find, and the country soon presented the appearance of a desert. Scarce a living being was to be seen in the houses, on the highways, or in the fields that bordered them. 241 Imicrrection (^ 1798 . While the country presented this shocking scene of desolation, the county-town itself was hardly in a less lamentable condition. Almost all the respectable inha- bitants were in jail, having been arrested and arraigned for high treason. Amongst the prisoners were Captain Xeough, Mr. Cornelius Grogan, Bagenal Harvey, and Mr. Colclough — the two latter had been brought to town from one of the Saltee Islands, in which they had vainly sought a secure hiding-place. A court-martial was now instituted, by whose sen- tence the first who suffered were the Kev. Philip Eoche and Captain Keough. They were executed at the en- trance to the bridge. Father Eoche was a man of large and heavy frame, and his great weight broke the first rope employed in his execution; but a stronger one was soon procured, and the horrid work completed. Captain Keough suffered death at the same time. His head was cut off, and, being stuck on the point of a pike, was exhibited over the Court-house. The lifeless bodies were then thrown over the bridge into the river. Several others of less note were executed at the same time, whose names are not recorded. Mr. Cornelius Grogan was brought to trial on the 26th, but his case was post- poned on account of the absence of witnesses. Within the space of a few days Messrs. Harvey, Gro- gan, and Prendergast were added to the list of sufferers. The two last-mentioned gentlemen were, beyond all doubt, sacrificed to the vengeful spirit of the time, no evidence of any weight being adduced of their partici- pation in the insurrection. On the day following the last-mentioned execution Mr. Colclough suffered death, Mr. John Kelly, of Kil- lane, so conspicuous for his bravery at the battle of Kew-Eoss, in which he was severely wounded, was dragged from his sick-bed-- hi? wound yet unhealed— 242 A Popular History of the before the military tribunal, where he was condemned to immediate execution. Mr. Kelly’s head was struck off, and his body, like those of his fellow- sufferers, thrown over the bridge. The head of this gallant gentleman, before being placed beside that of Captain Keough, was kicked foot-ball fashion about the quay by a brutal Orange mob, who had assembled to feast their eyes with the bloody spectacle. On the 28th, Gen. Lake took his departure from Wexford, leaving General Hunter in command. The latter, being a man of hu- mane character, did his utmost to restrain the brutality of the yeomen ; in which effort he was seconded by Brigadier- General Grose, who was stationed at Ennis- corthy, and by General Gascoigne, who, with the 1st and 2nd regiments of the Coldstream Guards, was posted at Kew-Boss. The clemency displayed by the officers in question at length induced the people to come to their quarters in great numbers to obtain the protections that they freely granted, and thus affairs throughout the country began to wear a less gloomy aspect. But the steps taken by the ancient enemies of the country’s weal prevented these wise measures from obtaining their full effect. General Lake, before his departure, had appointed a committee of magistrates to superintend prosecutions, and to grant passes to such persons as desired to leave the country. How- ever, the thirst of these Orange magistrates for blood was unappeased, and they did their utmost to thwart the efforts of the more humane of the English generals, and to render null the general pardon issued by Lord Cornwallis, the new Viceroy, and printed in the ‘‘I)ublin Gazette” on the 3rd of July. This document ran as follows : Whereas it is in the power of his Majesty’s generals, and of the forces under their command, en- t rely to destroy all these who have risen in rebellion 243 Insicrredion of 1798 . against their sovereign and his laws j yet it is never- theless the wish of Government, that those persons who by traitorous machinations have been seduced, or by acts of intimidation have been forced from their alle- giance, should be received into his Majesty’s peace and pardon : , commanding in the county of , specially authorized thereto, does hereby invite all per- sons who may be now assembled in any part of the said county, against his Majesty’s peace, to surrender them- selves and their arms, and to desert the leaders who have seduced them ; and for the acceptance of such surrender and submission the space of fourteen days from the date hereof is allowed, and the towns of are hereby specified, at each of which places one of his Majesty’s ofS.cers and a justice of the peace will attend ; and upon entering their names, acknowledging their guilt, and promising good behaviour for the future, and taking the oath of allegiance, and at the same time abjuring all other engagements contrary thereto, they will receive a certificate which will entitle them to protection so long as they demean themselves as be- comes good subjects. And in order to render such acts of submission easy and secure, it is the general’s pleasure that persons who are now with any portion of the rebels in arms, and willing to surrender themselves, do send to him, or to , any number from each body of rebels, not exceeding ten, with whom the general or will settle the manner in which they may re- pair to the above towns, so that no alarm may be ex- cited and no injury to their persons be offered. June 29, 1798.” On the 17th of July another Act was passed, called the ^‘Amnesty,” qualifying the pre- ceding, and making many exceptions thereto. Amongst those who suffered from the unsated ven- geance of the Orangemen, after the issue of the above 244 A Popular History of the proclamation, were the Rev. Francis Redmond^ and Mr. Esmond Kyan. The former was put to death by order of Lord Monntnorris, whose house and property he had saved from destruction during the insurrection. Poor Kyan’s humanity, evinced at the peril of his life on Wexford bridge, did not save him, nor even his having obtained, together with Mr. Fitzgerald, a free pardon from General Dundas. Meanwhile, General Hunter and Major Fitzgerald rendered themselves honourably conspicuous by the efforts they made to check the villainous proceedings of the Orange magis- tracy, who attempted to override the law, and carry on in its despite their old trade of murder and robbery. They even went so far as to tear up the protections granted to the country-people by the royalist com- manders. However, a threat of being whipped at the cart’s tail soon caused them for a time to desist from such proceedings. Hunter Gowan, one of the most infamous of these banditti, was arrested on charge of robbery, and lodged in prison in Wexford; from which, however, he was * Father Francis Redmond, although a loyal man, found that his loyalty could not save his life. Lord Monntnorris and he had been very intimate before the insurrection, and during that period the unfortunate priest had been looked upon as a zealous partisan of the Government. Monntnorris considered that his former in- timacy with the “Papist” priest might prove a blot on his escut- cheon, and resolved to wash out the possible stain in the blood of his former friend. By his orders Father Redmond was seized, and Monntnorris appearing as his prosecutor, he was condemned, and suffered death. We have little pity for such a loyal traitor! Loyalty ! how that word has been abused, misapplied, or mis- understood : we may submit to unjust laws because we are too feeble to resist them, but such enforced submission widely differs from loyalty which is a debt of gratitude men pay to that authority which respects and defends their rights. Men are mhnissive to irresistible tyranny, loyal to just and rightly exercised authority. 245 Insurrection of 1798. soon after liberated. To keep alive such a spirit of alarm as would favour their views, the Orange party began to spread abroad the old rumours of massacres plotted by the Papists ’’ for the extermination of Protestants. An Anglican clergyman presented him- self before General Hunter, and recounted to him a story of this description. The general having heard to the end, addressed him thus : Mr. Massacre, if you do not prove to me the cir- cumstances you have related, I shall get you punished in the most exemplary manner for raising false alarms, which have already proved so destructive to this unfor- tunate country.’’ This speech of the general, so dif- ferent from what he expected, not a little terrified the reverend alarmist, and, to quote the words of Mr. Hay, the curate’s alarm now from general became per- sonal, and on allowing that his fears had been excited by vague reports to make this representation, his piteous supplication and apparent hearty contrition procured him forgiveness.” But the Orangemen, determined not to be foiled in carrying out their wicked schemes, addressed numerous letters to the chief authorities in Dublin, warning them of the approaching outbreak which they asserted was to take place in that district known as the ^^Macamores.”^ Such representations, being unceasingly made by ma- gistrates and Protestant clergymen, at length brought the Lord Lieutenant to think that there might be some truth in the matter, and in consequence he sent orders to General Hunter to form a cordon round the above- named district, and in case he found the representa- tions in question well-founded, to punish the intended rebels with the utmost severity, and if necessary to drive them into the sea. However, General Hunter ♦ This district is co-extensive with the baronies of ShilmaTIer, 17 246 A Popular History of the and his aide-de-camp, Major Fitzgerald, discovered in time the falsehood and malignity of these reports. The latter, undeterred hy the efforts made by the leading Orangemen to prevent him from approaching the district inhabited by the people whom they had so foully misrepresented, determined to proceed unarmed and unaccompanied into the Macamores, and, by the fact of remaining there in safety, to afford the most efficacious refutation to reports that he accounted no- thing better than lies, forged by the enemies of the people to bring about their total destruction. Accord- ingly, setting out without delay upon his journey, he arrived at Donoughmore, in the centre of the maligned district, passed the night there, and on the ensuing day invited the people of the country around to meet him. The people accepted this invitation, and met together at the place he had appointed. But while the major was yet engaged in addressing them, a party of men in military uniform was seen to approach the place of assembly. This unexpected sight spread instant alarm among his hearers. A murmur began to run through the crowd that a trap had been set for them — that Major Fitzgerald was privy to it, and had brought them* there to be surrounded and slaughtered by the soldiery. It was, in truth, a critical juncture. Fitzgerald’s life was for a time in jeopardy, and nothing but his great coolness and presence of mind could have saved him. He assured the people that he had come amongst them thus alone and unarmed with no other design than that of clearing them of the calumnies heaped upon them by their enemies, and pledged his honour that there was no body of soldiery in the vicinity of the meeting. This assurance calmed the agitated people, and happily averted the utter ruin that would have fallen upon them had they, deceived by the cunning Orange plot 247 Insurrection o/i^^Z. (for the men whose appearance had alarmed them were Orangemen dressed np in military garb), in a moment of inconsiderate panic, slain their generous friend. With such persistency did the yeomen carry on their depredations, that General Hunter was forced to send detachments of troops, stationing them in different districts, to protect the lives and properties of the now unarmed inhabitants. Hunter Gowan and Hawtrey White still continued to be the scourges of the coun- try. These worthies employed the time, not spent in plundering or burning the houses of the people, in writing to the military chiefs assurances of a general rising of the Papists’’ against his Majesty’s Govern- ment, to be accompanied, of course, with a wholesale massacre of all such loyal Protestants as themselves. General Hunter, who by this time thoroughly under- stood the character of these alarmists, gave orders for the arrest of Hawtrey White, as one of the most pro- minent among his class. On being conducted before the military tribunal, and desired to state his authority for what he had reported, he affirmed that to his own knowledge the rebels had formed an encampment on a certain island about two miles from land, whither they betook themselves every morning, after harassing the country during the night. Having communicated this important intelligence, he made the modest request that he, Hawtrey White, should be entrusted with the command of a force sufficient to prevent the rebels in question from landing. General Hunter, though he gave no credit to this story, thought it well to appear to believe it, and to act so as to convict White of being what he knew him to be — a liar and slanderer of the very worst type. He accord- ingly sent this very ingenious discoverer of plots, in a gunboat, to find out the island he had described. 248 A Fopular History of the and at the same time despatched a party of soldiers to the shoro to intercept the rebels. It is needless to say that no such island could be dis- covered, and Mr. White, now clearly proven a liar and slanderer, was brought back to Wexford, The general was much inclined to have him tried by court-martial, but his advanced age, and the number of persons who in- terceded for him, induced the placable officer to relin- quish his design. Many of the insurgent leaders now surrendered to General Hunter, amongst whom was the brave General Edward Eoche. It was at this time that the Erench under Hardi landed, but the Wexford men, thoroughly disgusted with those whose cowardice or apathy had allowed them to maintain an unaided struggle against the power of England, could not be roused by the insignificant expedition in question to enter upon a new campaign. Besides, Hunter and Fitzgerald had won their hearts by their long-continued and strenuous efforts to protect them against the malignity of the Orangemen. The storm of civil war had risen to its height, and at length began to abate. As the year neared its close, execu- tions became less frequent, yet they did not wholly cease. Amongst the Wexford men who suffered death outside their own county was Mr. Walter Devereux, who, having obtained a protection, proceeded to Cork, with the intention of embarking for America. On arriving in the southern capital, he was recog- nised by some of the returned North Cork, arrested, brought to trial, and condemned to death on their evi- dence. Almost the last person who underwent capital punishment within the county, for acts alleged to have been committed during the insurrection, was a man named James Eedmond. He was found guilty of the murder of the Eev. Eobert Burro wes, a Protestant hisurrection of 1798 . 249 clergyman residing near Oulart, and was executed on the 30th of July, 1801. After the insurrection the Orange system became uni- versal, and to be enrolled in a lodge was a necessary passport to any post of honour or authority. As for the un- fortunate Catholics they remained for many years deprived of all the rights of citizens. It would be impossible to recount a tithe of the hardships and cruelties to which they were subjected. The fact that between the 27th of May, 1798, and the 18th of August, 1801, thirty- three of their chapels were burnt by the Orangemen, and that no punishment was inflicted upon the incendiaries, may afford some idea of what they endured. Thus did the people of Wexford pay the penalty of their gallant and persevering, but fruitless effort to wrest their country from the iron grasp of a tod power- ful enemy. For months they successfully withstood the military might of the British empire, defeating her ablest generals in fair flght, and flaunting their green flag in triumph on fields where the proud standard of England lay trampled in the dust. If the cause of freedom failed, the fault was not theirs. Had the rest of their countrymen awakened, even at the eleventh hour, Ireland had not been now an un- crowned nation. 250 Popular History of the COJ^CLUSIOK IT lias been often and truly said that no people in the world have loved freedom or hated op- pression more ardently than the Irish. But at the same time none have shown greater reverence for just authority, or have been more willing to yield to such authority a cheerful obedience. hTo people have been more gratefully devoted to those who protected or acknowledged their rights. They have, indeed, been grateful to those who little deserved their gratitude, and loyal to those who did little to earn their loyalty. They were a justice-loving people, but the only law they had known for centuries was one which contemptuously ignored or cruelly trampled upon their rights. They were a peace-loving people, but they lived under a Government whose policy it was to rule by exciting strife and discord — by setting class against class, and creed against creed, and thus perpetuating slavery by promoting disunion. The Irish people, weakened by intestine strife, thus purposely kindled, were powerless to defend their rights, which, one by one, were wrested from them. The nation, feeble from disunion, blind from en- forced ignorance, yet possessing the elements of great- ness, became at length, like another Sampson, the sport and scorn of its enemies. The vigour of its existence had departed ; but a feeble life still remained, which, in its feebleness, too closely resembled death. The last remaining vestige of the country's former independence was her Parliament. True, it was but the shadow of a parliament. Bepresenting but a small section of the population, corrupt and servile, it served all the pur- poses of the foreign rulers of the country. While it remained in this abject condition, it was Insu r red ion 0/ 251 suffered to exist. Its servility and subjection were indeed the condition of its existence. But at length, outside the precincts of this fettered and degraded legislature, a new spirit was born. That spirit grew apace, and in its strength called forth the Volunteers. Tor the first time during dreary centuries Ireland beheld a native army encamped on her soil. They had taken up arms to protect their country from Trench invasion, they used them to set her free from English tyranny. Soon in glittering files they gathered round the ancient halls of their native legislature, whence the spirit of freedom had long departed. They called that glorious spirit back, and bade it announce to an enslaved people the glad tidings of recovered independence. And now, as if at the touch of some beneficent magician, Ireland awoke from the trou- bled sleep of centuries. Treed from the vampire of foreign rule that had drained her life-blood, the ex- hausted nation soon began to feel in every vein the warm glow of returning health. Every element of the country’s prosperity showed the infiuence of the cliange. Her commerce, no longer restrained by alien jealousy, sent Irish keels to plough the remotest seas. Her agri- culture encouraged, soon made the desert places of the island smile with the promise of a teeming harvest, for the consciousness of freedom nerved the arm of the tiller of the soil, and called into exertion his long dor- mant energies. But this picture, so pleasant to the eyes of Irish patriots, was hateful to those of English rulers. They conceived that the happiness and glory of their own country could not long exist, save in conjunction with the misery and degradation of Ire- land. Eegarding the Irish Parliament as the source of Irish liberty, and as such a standing danger to English domination, the British prime- minister and his col- 2^2 A Popular History of the leagues in power lent themselves to plot its destruc- tion. They could no longer suffer it to exist on any terms, not even those of the most abject slavery, for experience had proved that it was a slave which at any moment might regain its freedom. What followed this determination has been already told. The Volunteers fell victims to the treachery of Lord Chaiiemont. An Irish aristocrat began what his fellows accomplished : he betrayed the guard, they delivered up the keys of the National Legislature. However, before this final treachery could be accom- plished, the English Government deemed it necessary to drive the people of Ireland into insurrection, in quell- ing which they might so enfeeble them, that to wrest from them the last and most cherished of their institu- tions would be no difficult task. How successfully they accomplished their evil purpose is written in let- ters of blood in the history of the nation. Armed resistance to authority is the last resource of the oppressed. It is a desperate remedy for a desperate disease, and only to be essayed when all milder ones have failed. If power listens to the voice of justice, and reforms the law, it is a guilty hand that draws the sword. When it refuses to do this, it becomes tyranny. It may compel, but cannot claim, obedience ; for if the laws which it frames and enforces are unjust, they lack the very principle that renders obedience to them a duty. To submit to just authority is the bounden duty of Christian men, for authority is the corner-stone upon which the whole social fabric rests ; but, on the other hand, the doctrine that teaches submission to tyranny however grinding, would reduce, if universally accepted, the world to a vast slave-market. Against such a doc- trine reason itself revolts. Man’s hatred of oppression is as inextinguishable as his love of liberty : when he ceases to feel these impulses he sinks in the scale of ^53 Instirredion of 1 798 . reasoning nature, and approaches to the condition of the brute. It was tyranny of the grossest kind that in 1798 stirred up the Irish people to revolt. The laws then in force in Ireland were unjust in themselves and unjustly administered. Nor was there any hope of these laws being peacefully reformed, for the remonstrances of the oppressed were treated by the governing powers with scorn and contempt : all civil and religious liberty was trampled under foot. The august form of justice had descended from the tribunal, and in its place was seen a hideous monster in the shape of military despotism, grasping in one hand an ensanguined sword, and in the other the flaming torch of the incendiary. In the state of society con- sequent upon such a lawless rule the Christian minister may preach submission, and quote his favourite theo- logian to prove the guilt that attaches to revolt ; but the victim of wrong and outrage is too engrossed with the consideration of the unjust oppression under which he groans to give attention to the nice distinctions of theo- logical schools. Proscribed by the law which ought to protect him, he deems that law an enemy. Placed out- side the pale of human justice, he falls back upon his natural and inalienable rights, and resolves to defend them with his life. The higher his appreciation of the value of liberty, the stronger will be his resolution to defend it. He may fall in defence of his rights, but such a death is preferable to slavery. It was in such circumstances, and under such impulses, that the Irish people in 1798 rose in arms against the government of England. We have followed them through the struggle, beheld its termination ; we will now inquire into the cause of its failure. The insurrection in the northern counties of Ireland, being a distinct event from that which took place in Wexford, requires to be considered by itself. It was 254 A Popular History of the the fruit to the production of which the great organiza- tion of the United Irishmen had devoted its labours for several years. Yet it was comparatively a feeble at- tempt — a poor result of such long and patient effort. Of what it might have been had its leaders been able to elude the pursuit of Government, it is useless to conjecture : we only know that it was feebly con- ducted and easily quelled. To attribute its failure to the brave men who took part in it would be surely un- just : we must seek the cause elsewhere. That cause, we are of opinion, is to be found in the nature of the secret, oath-bound society by which the revolt was or- ganized. Such a society never did, and never will, of itself, effect a successful revolution. If this is true of any country, it is evidently so of a country such as Ireland, where the vast majority of the population are of the Catholic religion, whose ministers, whatever their political views may be, are bound in conscience to oppose a society existing under conditions the Church has declared unlawful. Besides, while the oath in question arrays the vast power of the Church against such an organization, it affords no protection whatever against treachery. Traitors have no reverence for the sanctity of an oath ; they take and violate it with equal facility. But a society into which traitors have obtained entrance cannot long veil its operations from Government, which watches it with argus eyes, learns through its spies who are its leaders, and what its plans — waits patiently till the time comes when the great scheme has attained its full development — and then to arrest its chiefs, pounce upon its stores of arms and ammunition, is a work soon accomplished. Once the Government holds the chiefs in its power, more than half its work is done. The heads of such an or- ganization are to it what the mind is to the body — when one is destroyed the other is powerless. It may 255 Insurrection of 1 798 . possess strength, but such strength is inert and useless, for it is bereft of the spirit to direct and concentrate its efforts. It may be said that though the sudden arrest of the United Irish chiefs was the principal cause of the failure of the enterprise in question, such an arrest was but an unfortunate occurrence which prudence might have averted. But experience has established the fact that a powerful Government, such as that of Eng- land, can at any time lay hands upon those who con- spire its overthrow. The inability of such a society as the United Irish to effect a successful revolt will be best seen by contrasting the insurrection which took place in the northern counties with that which oc- curred in Wexford. In the latter place there existed no previous organiza- tion ; had there been, in all likelihood the explosion of the insurrection would have been as feeble as it proved in the I^orth. In Wexford the people rose en masse^ with the desperate determination of men who are driven to extremity. They had no previously-chosen leaders, no organization, and but a scanty supply of arms. Yet three weeks had scarce passed when they had obtained all three. In that brief space of time they had gained more of the qualities of soldiers than their northern brethren during years of midnight drilling and secret meeting. Government knew nothing of their plans, which were formed on the field of battle ; it could not seize their chiefs, for none had been previously chosen. So rapidly did they learn the soldier’s trade, that we find them maintaining a conflict for four hours with double the number of royal troops, and only retreating when their ammunition was completely exhausted — even then they left the field unpursued. Unaided as they were, left to continue the struggle alone, it was impossible that the inhabitants of a single county could have long resisted the power of a great empire. But 256 A Popular History of the they were not finally subdued till for every fighting- man they could muster there were two soldiers — till 30,000 men were confronted with 90,000 — then, in- deed, they yielded, as a regular army might, nay, must have done in similar circumstances. There may he nothing to surprise us in the final defeat, but their long-continued resistance was surely marvellous. The struggle would have been much more protracted had they been able to obtain ammunition. The lack of this essential requisite more than once snatched victory from their grasp. At Arklow, at Longraig, at Yinegar Hill it failed them, and they quitted the scene of contest, clutching their empty guns, and execrating the mischance that rendered their valour useless. Eut even had they been supplied with sufficient ammunition, they must in the end have been forced to submit; for death would thin their ranks every day, and there were none to fill the gaps it made, while their enemy, possessing exhaustless numerical resources, might continue the contest till they planted their victorious flag over the grave of the last insur- gent. They were left to continue the desperate struggle unaided. The heavy yoke of the Penal Law had so effectually subdued the once fiery and high-spirited Celtic population of Ireland, that they could remain spectators of such a strife — could behold their coun- trymen engaged in a death- grapple with the might of their ancient foe — could see them trodden down by the swarming myriads of England’s mercenaries, without raising an arm to aid them. Oppression, indeed, had well-nigh crushed all man- hood out of their souls : they had been so long helots, that they seemed to have forgotten they were descended from freemen. The deep abasement of the national spirit is clearly, alas, too clearly, reflected in the lo^jal 257 hisiirrection of addresses and humble supplications addressed at this period to the British sovereign, or to his shadowy re- presentative in the Irish metropolis. Reading over these effusions nowadays, one is filled with wonder to see men fallen to such a depth of abasement. Such lying and fulsome flattery, such ardent professions of loyalty and gratitude addressed to the representatives of a power that had ground them into the dust — that had spurned them, spewed forth the filth of insult and contempt upon them — flogged them, starved them, and, perhaps, less cruel than all, put an end to their misery by depriving them of a wretched existence ; for tc allow them to live on such terms might be accounted rather cruelty than mercy. If men of birth and education had fallen so low, can we wonder that those of the lower ranks were no bet- ter ? — for worse they could hardly be. Among a people so degraded it was in vain the temple of Preedom was thrown open, that her sacred fire burned in their sight ; for the grim form of Tyranny stood before the portal, awing them with its scowl, and threatening them with its scorpion- scourge, till their very souls died within them, and they shrank away in terror, their misery heightened by a brief glimpse of unattainable happiness. Since the events we have recorded took place, three generations of men have ap- peared in Ireland. The last of the men of ’98 sleep peacefully in their graves, their sons are grey-haired men ; but the nation for whose freedom th^ey fought still wears her ancient chains — her voice has been un- heard amongst the nations, save when agony wrung from her a cry that reminded the world at once of her existence and of her misery. I* ' i . ’J , • ^ APPENDIX. ^ NOTE TO CHAPTEE L ORIGINAL DECLARATION OF THE UNITED IRISHMEN. IN the present great era of reform, when unjust Govern- ments are falling in every quarter of Europe ; when religious persecution is compelled to abjure her tyranny over conscience ; when the rights of man are ascer- tained in theory, and that theory substantiated by practice; when antiquity can no longer defend absurd and oppressive forms against the common sense and common interests of mankind; when all Government is acknowledged to originate from the people, and to be so far only obligatory as it protects their rights and promotes their welfare ; we think it our duty, as Irishmen, to come forward, and state what we feel to be our heavy grievance, and what we know to be its effectual remedy. We have no National Government — we are ruled by Englishmen, and the servants of Englishmen, whose object is the interest ofanothercountry,whose instrument is corruption, and w^hose strength is the weakness of Ireland ; and these men have the whole of the power and patronage of the country as means to seduce and to subdue the honesty and spirit of her representatives in the legislature. Such an extrinsic power, acting with uniform force, in a direction too frequently opposite to the true line of our ob- vious interests, can be resisted with effect solely by unanimity^ decision^ and spirit in the people — qualities which may be exerted most legally, constitutionally, and efficaciously, by 26 o Appendix. that great measure essential to the prosperity and freedom of Ireland— equal representation of all the people in Parliament. We do not here mention as grievances the rejection of a place-bill, of a pension-bill, of a responsibility- bill, the sale of peerages in one house, the corruption pub- licly avowed in the other, nor the notorious infamy of borough traffic between both, not that we are insensible to their enormity, but that we consider them as but symptoms of that mortal disease which corrodes the vitals of our constitu- tion, and leaves to the people in their own government but the shadow of a name. Impressed with these sentiments, we have agreed to form an association to be called ‘‘The Society of United Irish- men,’^ and we do pledge ourselves to our country, and mutually to each other, that we will steadily support and endeavour, by all due means, to carry into effect the follow- ing resolutions : — First Resolved — That the weight of English influence on the Government of this country is so great as to require a cordial union among all the people of Ireland.^ to maintain that balance which is essential to the preservation of our liberties, and the extension of our commerce. Second — That the sole constitutional mode by which this influence can be opposed is by a complete and radical reform of the represen- tation of the people in Parliament. Third — That no reform is practicable, efficacious, or just, which shall not include Irishmen of every religious persuasion. Satisfied, as we are, that the intestine divisions among Irishmen have too often given encouragement and impunity to profligate, audacious, and corrupt administrations, in measure, which, but for these divisions, they durst not have attempted, we submit our ’resolutions to the nation as the basis of our political faith. We have gone to what we conceive to be the root of the evil. We have stated what we conceive to be the remedy. With a parliament thus reformed, everything is easy; with- out it nothing can be done. And we do call on, and most earnestly exhort our countrymen in general, to follow our example, and to form similar societies in every quarter of the kingdom, for the promotion of constitutional knowledge, the abolition of bigotry in religion and politics, and the equal Appendix. 261 distribution of the rights of men through all sects and deno- minations of Irishmen, The people, when thus collected, will feel their own weight, and secure that power which theory has already admitted to be their portion, and to which, if they be not aroused by their present provocations to vindi- cate it, they deserve to forfeit their pretensions /or ever. NOTES TO CHAPTEE IT. SIR EDWARD CROSBIE — CRUELTIES PERPETRATED BY THE CARLOW ORANGEMEN. Sir Edward Crosbie, “ the gentlemanly knight from the Irts/i Magazine^ 1811:— “His figure was manly, and his countenance dignified and determined ; he was tall and well- made, with penetrating eyes. He saw no company, for he could meet with none whose minds were congenial to his own. He was no party man, but from his hatred of oppres- sion he incurred the deep dislike of the aristocracy of the county. On the 29th of May, while walking before his house, accompanied by two of his children, a squadron of the 9th Dragoons rode up, seized rudely upon him and conveyed him to Carlow, where he was thrown into prison. One of his servants, named Flynn, yielding to threats of torture, turned informer against him ; but another, named Taafe, more firm and faithful, refused, though cruelly tortured to compel him to do so. His enemies were anxious to get rid of him quickly, for they knew a respite was expected. The respite came, but was detained by the Orange postmaster till Sir Edward was put to death. No wonder under such a regime that Protestants feared to be thought liberal,^' In the same journal we find the following account of the atrocities perpetrated by the Carlow Orangemen on the pri- soners they made during the burning of that town : — Not satisfied with having burned to death 500 men by setting fire to the houses in which they had taken refuge, the Carlow Orangemen proceeded to try the numerous prisoners 18 262 Appendix. they had made. Asa necessary preliminary they resolved to manufacture informers. With this view they seized upon four men (Catholics), dragged them to the triangle, to which they tied them ; so tightly were the ropes drawn that con- fined their wrists that the bones flew from the sockets with great noise. They were then whipped till the bones were laid bare. During this torture one of the sufierers, named O’Connor, was heard to exhort his fellow-victims thus: ‘Irishmen, die like heroes ; your country will remember you; shed not the blood of the innocent, let not the word informer be written on the foreheads of your children.’ Not being able even by such extreme torture to overcome the noble constancy of these men, they took three of them down and hanged them on the spot. O’Connor they reserved for fur- ther torment. Martin, a sergeant of the North Cork, was selected as his executioner. He ran round the barrack-yard twice with the man suspended on his back, while the victim’s blood smoked at the feet of the officers standing around. The last words of O’Connor were, ‘My country and my God.’ After this act of butchery was completed, an informer was brought into the town by the Orange gentry. This wretch was called ‘ Paddy the Pointer.’ He used to ride through the town holding a long white rod in his hand, in- dicating, from time to time, with the point thereof, those he designed to accuse, who were instantly conveyed to prison. One hundred of these unhappy victims were confined in the small jail of the town — sixty in a place called the Gallows Yard, a stable about twenty feet square, paved with large rugged stones. Most of these prisoners were starved to death. Every time the jailor entered their cells he either kicked the victims or struck them on the head with his clubbed musket. “ After the wholesale destruction of the peasantry in the burning houses, the triumphant soldiery formed a mock pro- cession in derision of the faith of the slain. The procession was headed by the trumpeter of the 9th Dragoons, holding aloft a crucifix stuck on the point of his sword, and exclaim- ing, ‘Behold the wooden Jesus. Behold the God of the Papists.’ ” Appendix. 263 VAEIOUS TRANSACTIONS IN KILDARE COUNTY, AS NARRATED BY P. O’KELLY, ESQ., IN THE WORK ENTITLED “ GENERAL HISTORY OF THE REBELLION OF 1798,’^ PUBLISHED IN DUBLIN, A.D. 1842. Jttack on the Barracks at Prosperous^ and the fate of Lr, Esmond. ‘‘All the people around Prosperous were roused into resistance by the tyrannical sway of Captain Swayne, who, with his North Cork, plundered and almost laid waste the entire district over which his authority extended. The pitch cap was frequently applied during the free-quarters, several cabins and farm-houses were burned, and the Catholic chapel, out of which the poor woman in charge of it was scarcely allowed to rescue the vestments from the flames, was like- wise consumed. On the night of the 23rd of May, Captain Farrell, the insurgent leader, and one like Mick Reynolds of Johnstown, Naas, remarkable for his intrepidity, collected all the forces he could muster, and, among the rest, called upon Dr. Esmond, who lived near Sallins, to aid the people in their intended attack upon their unrelenting oppressors, Captain Swayne and his men. With the dawning of the morning the men marched to attack the military in their barracks. Here they met a warm and determined resistance? from the soldiery within ; but nothing was able to deter them from their purpose, and animated by their spirited leader, Captain Farrell, and encouraged by the presence of Dr. Es- mond among them, they kept close to the walls, and thus became less exposed to the musketry from within. Fire being now the only means to overcome the garrison inside, the insurgents began, first by setting the doors on fire, and by throwing faggots of furze and straw to strengthen the con- flagration. The fire and smoke so deterred the garrison inside, that they cried out for quarter. No entreaties could mollify the enraged assailants ; they vowed the destruction of Captain Swayne and his soldiery, and in a few minutes saw them perish in the flames. . , . The people of Prosperous having gained their ends, by the destruction of the military 264 Appendix, and their barracks, dispersed to their several homes; and Dr. Esmond, after refreshing himself and changing clothes, pro- ceeded to join his corps, which was called the Sallins Yeo- man Cavalry, commanded by Captain Griffith. This corps being called into Naas, to assist the garrison of that town the preceding night, he was proceeding thither, in company with Montgomery of Oldtown Mills and his captain. Another yeoman, named Hickey, being likewise in company, took an opportunity of advising Dr. Esmond to shoot one and that he would shoot the other. “ This proposal, however, did not meet the approval of Lieutenant Esmond (he being also an officer in the Sallins corps), and thus they all four proceeded to Naas. “ Immediately on their arrival. Dr. Esmond was ordered by Griffith to dismount, and was put under arrest. His very horse was put inside the walls of the gaol, and himself sent on to Dublin, under a strong guard. Previously to their setting out with the prisoner, he was put under a summary trial by court martial, and found guilty of having sanctioned, by his presence, the attack upon Prosperous.” On arriving in Dublin, he was conducted to Carlisle -bridge, where he was hanged. His remains were buried under a heap of dung in the Koyal Barracks. “No man,” adds Mr. Kelly, “who suffered in ’98 was more universally esteemed.’’ The Battle of Old Kilcullen. “ The battle of Old Kilcullen was one of the most intrepid and obstinately fought engagements which occurred during the whole of ’98. Captain Eskrine, who had been quartered, together with his men (the Buflf Dragoons), upon Thomas Fitzgerald of Geraldine, as has been already mentioned, was returning from Dublin on the night of the 23rd of May, and passing through Ballymore-Eustace, he found to his surprise, that the people of that town had risen, and defeated a small military force that had been living at free quarters ; the few that escaped from the pike of the insurgents made their re- treat to Naas, which was garrisoned by a great force of regular troops— the night on which M. Reynolds made his attack on that town. Captain Eskrine, as it was said by those Appendix. 265 who saw him when he arrived at Geraldine, the place of his free- quarters, cried out ragingly to his dragoons that ‘ neither himself nor his men would breakfast until they should breakfast upon the Croppies of Ballymore,^ .... Old Kilcullen lies about nine miles east of Geraldine, through which he had to march for Ballymore-Eustace ; and as soon as he had reached the fair-green, adjoining to which stood an old church, he saw some men collecting around its walls. The situation of the place being considerably elevated, was unfavourable for the cavalry to act. The insurgents were armed with pikes ; and perceiving these troopers in full gallop, apparently with the view to cut them down, they boldly stood by one another, and received the charge with their pikes extended. Advancing after this they met Eskrine in his second charge, and plied the pike so vigorously that (although their number did not exceed their assailants) their victory was complete. Captain Eskrine fell into a lough or pool of water, where he fought upon his back, cut- ting at the pikeman’s weapon fastened in his body until he expired.’* The Battle of Rathangan, “The battle of Rathangan comes next to be recorded. The attack upon this town succeeded with the insurgents. They were commanded by Captain Doorley, a respectable young farmer, whose residence was Lallymore. The garrison ol Rathangan was but feeble, consisting only of one corps of yeomen, commanded by Captain James Spencer, and half a company of militia of the North Cork. The victory gained at Prosperous animated the people around Rathangan to such a height that they succeeded in their first attack, and became masters of the town. The garrison retreated to Philipstown, where the Black-horse were quartered, who were then ordered to proceed to Rathangan, and drive out the rebels. The people planted a tree of liberty in the street, and prepared to repel any attacking force. They formed a barricade to impede the entrance of the Black- horse, and Spencer’s corps, before driven out. These returned, but the re- taking of Rathangan was not an easy matter. The Black- 266 Appendix. horse were the first that made their appearance, but such was the bravery of the people that they were forced to retire pecipitately. However, having met on their retreat a party of the South Corks, commanded by Colonel Longfield, who had a piece of cannon, they proceeded with them in a new attempt to dislodge the insurgents, and retake the town. The people, commanded by Doorley, made a stout resistance, and beat off their assailants.’’ ‘‘ In the meantime the people seized upon an old gentleman named Spenser, agent to the Duke of Leinster, and during the absence of Doorley, who would have restrained them from such cruelty, put him to death. It happened in a few hours after the murder of Mr. S. had occurred that the insurgents gave way, after a few dis(;harges of the cannon by the South Corks ; and the town was speedily evacuated by its late masters, the United Irish- men.” Doorley escaped for the time, and joined the United army of Aylmer, Luby, and Ware. He was, however, soon after taken prisoner, and hanged at Mullingar. The Battle of Ovidstown, Ovidstown, near Hortland House, was the spot where this battle of Aylmer and his officers was to be fought with the King’s troops. If the battle proved propitious to the in- surgents, they were resolved to march for Dublin ; 5000 in- surgents would have set the city in a blaze. The United army, under Aylmer, on the morning of the engagement numbered about 5000 men. “ They were well officered, but discipline was little known amongst them. The arrival of the army to attack them was unexpected. The men were at breakfast when the alarm was received. An immediate ‘ stand to arms ’ was sounded, and the officers, Aylmer, Luby, Ware, Kieran, Doorley, Walsh, and others, strove to arrange their men as best they could. The royal force it was said amounted to near 400 men. Highlanders, Dragoon Guards, and yeomen cavalry. When the latter came in sight of their enemy they halted and made preparations to attack. The United men advanced to meet the soldiery, and the orders given by Aylmer were, Appendix. 267 to rush with their pikes upon where the cannon would be seen to play from. The strict discipline observed by the military was perceivable to the insurgents, and, notwith- standing the intrepidity of the insurgent officers, there was a sudden halt, which afforded their enemy an opportunity of seeing their confusion. The pikemen, instead of making a rapid advance against the troops, wheeled behind a quick-set hedge, and the two pieces of cannon moving at the head of four companies of Highlanders were instantly turned to dis- lodge them. It was afterwards said by many intelligent men, that if the pikemen had acted according to orders they would have gained the battle. The grape-shot discharged from the cannon cut the quick-set hedge, as if lopped off by a clipping shears. The men, being in the shelter of the ditch, were yet safe ; but soon, when a panic arose among them, some began to fly, the grape-shot had effect, and several were slain. Ayl- mer's guns-men behaved well for a time. They approached and shot the soldiery who served the cannon ; but an impe- tuous charge of cavalry discomfited the few who were in the act of moving one of the pieces to their own party, and this enabled other cannoniers of this force to act against the in- surgents. Aylmer’s guns-men, who were said to be about 200, stood firmly together till the cannon began to thin their ranks, and a discomfiture of the entire body quickly followed. About 200 of the insurgents fell ; of the army there were killed, two officers, two sergeants, and twenty privates. After this battle the united army in Kildare separated and began to seek protections. Colonel Aylmer, Hugh Ware, and George Luby, surrendered themselves to General Dundas as state prisoners. All three were afterwards liberated from prison, on condition of quitting their native country, which accordingly they did — Aylmer proceeding to Germany and entering the Austrian service. Ware to France, in whose army he became colonel, and Luby to America, where he died shortly after his arrival." 268 Appendix. NOTES TO CHAPTEE V. SANCTION GIVEN BY GOVEENMENT TO CRUELTIES EXER- CISED UPON THE PEOPLE. — ORANGEMEN. The Government gave its full sanction to cruelties exer- cised at this period on the people. In proof of this we cite the following Sir Ralph Abercrombie resigned his command rather than sanction, by retaining it, the excesses of a ruffianly soldiery. For this noble conduct the gallant and humane soldier was bitterly reviled in the English Parliament, being called, amongst other offensive names, “ a Scotch Brute.” It is not difficult to decide who were “ the Brutes ” in this instance. The outrages committed by the Orange yeomen and mili- tia were so monstrous that the brave Sir John Moore ex- claimed, “ If I were an Irishman I would be a rebel.’* The following extract from a speech delivered by Lord Moira, in the English house of Peers, in the year ’98, must free the author from any suspicion of exaggeration : — ‘‘ Before my God and my country I speak of what I my- self have seen. I have seen in Ireland the most absurd as well as the most disgusting tyranny that any nation ever groaned under. I have seen troops sent full of this preju- dice, that every inhabitant of that kingdom is a rebel to the British Government. The most wanton insults, the most cowardly oppression practised upon men of all ranks and conditions, in a part of the country as free from disturbance as the City of London. Thirty houses are sometimes burned in a single night, but from prudential motives I wish to draw a veil over more aggravated facts.'"* The following incident, related in the Carlow Magazine., is a further illustration of the animus of the Government of the day : — “ Near the town of Newry, on the 23rd of June (St. John’s eve), a number of people, gathered round a bon- fire, were deliberately fired upon by a corps of yeomanry, many of them being killed pd many wounded. When some of the more humane magistrates of the county applied to Appendix^ 269 Government for assistance, they received from Mr. Trail, secretary to the Duke of Richmond, an answer to this effect; That the Government could not accede to their request, as any steps taken by them would supersede the exertions of the local magistrates. It is needless to say that no steps were ever taken, and these murderers escaped, at least from human justice. Thus did the Government evince its determi- nation to rule through the Orange magistrates, to the entire exclusion of the liberal Protestants^’^ The Irish people, whether Catholics or Protestants, were better than the infamous laws that had been framed with a view to create enmity and kindle strife amongst them, and thereby to perpetuate the slavery of their common country. Liberal Protestants were numerous in Ireland — men who desired to live in peace with their Catholic fellow-country- men, and would gladly have seen them restored to civil and religious liberty. When the insurrection burst forth many of this class threw themselves boldly into the ranks of the patriots, and ventured life and liberty for their beloved country. Others of the same class remained neutral, while, unhappily for themselves and their native land, a considerable section of the dominant creed allied themselves with her foreign oppressors. These were the members of the Orange Society. The name of Orangemen was assumed in honour of King William the Third — before his accession to the English throne called Prince of Orange — the most intolerant of men calling them- selves, with a strange ignorance of historical truth, after one of the most liberal Protestants of his time — the ally and friend of Catholic princes. Of these men it must be said that, while acting as a body they were guilty of the most shocking atrocities, individuals amongst them did many a kind and generous deed in favour of the professors of the persecuted creed. But these occasional manifestations of a better feeling were seen amongst the humbler ranks of the society in ques- tion, for the Orange gentry were, without exception, cruel and merciless in the extreme. The truth is, then as now, the lower grades of the Orange body were but the tools of their selhsh aristocratic leaders, who held them like blood- 270 Appendix. hounds in the leash ready to be loosed at the beck of their English masters. For the aid they afforded in the uphold- ing of alien domination, the aristocrats received pay and patronage, while their plebeian followers reaped but small ad- vantage from their unpatriotic services, and were at times treated like unruly hounds that are driven into the kennel when the chase is over. It may not be amiss, in this place, to relate a few of the many good deeds performed by indi- viduals of the Orange body in favour of Catholics — good deeds which appear, in those dark and evil days, like gleams of cheerful sunshine seen at intervals in a sky overspread with gloomy and threatening clouds: — In the Parish of Blackwater there lived, during this troubled period, a farmer named Thackaberry — a Protestant and an Orangeman — who was wont, after the fashion of his class, to boast of his loyalty to the Crown, and to profess his utter detestation of Popery and Papists. Yet, withal, the man had a good heart, and was, as the sequal goes to prove, by no means inclined to use the power English law gave him over the lives and liberties of his Catholic fellow-countrymen. Even “ Popish ” priests, though marked out as especial ob- jects of persecution, did not find in the rough Wexford yeo- man an implacable foe. On the contrary, he often strove to shield them from the vengeance of his less merciful co-religionists. On the occa- sion we refer to, he saved from dea th one of these proscribed and outlawed men. The affair happened in this wise. A Catholic priest had been seized upon, and hurried off to the house of one Gainfort, an Orange magistrate of the worst type, to be detained prisoner there until brought to trial. A friend of the priest’s went to Thackaberry and told him of the circumstance, entreating him at the same time to try and save the man, whom he knew to be innocent of the crime laid to his charge — that of administering the oath of the United Irishmen. Thackaberry promised that all would be right, and set off without delay for Gorey. Arrived at that town he hastened to Gainfort’s house, and demanded the instant liberation of the prisoner. On receiving a flat refusal from Gainfort, he proceeded to the room in which the priest was confined, drew Appendix. 271 R pistol from his breast, and discharging it at the lock of the door, shattered it to pieces. He then entered the room and desired the priest to follow him, and having conducted him safely out of the town, conveyed him to his own house, where he kept him till he could appear abroad with safety. The following letter, written about a month after the sup- pression of the insurrection, by Dr. Caufield, R. C. Bishop of Ferns, to Dr. Troy, Archbishop of Dublin, establishes his loyalty plain enough Wexford, July 31, 1798. “ To THE Right Rev. Dr. Troy. “ It is impossible for me to gratify your curiosity, as I can- not collect or recollect the particulars of our conduct, or the individuals we endeavoured to serve or save, during three long weeks of tragical confusion, and if I could, I really feel that modesty and decency would forbid me, because it would appear that we claimed gratitude from the individuals and acknowledgment from the public, which, as it strikes me, would appear ostentatious and indecorous. Certain it is, we could name many, very many, persons who I apprehend would not be pleased at seeing their names and religious professions published by us. I can say, that not a Presby- terian, Protestant, or Quaker in this town or adjoining baron- ies of Forth, Bargy, Shilmalier, Ballaghkeen, besides many from Enniscorthy and other remote parts, who fled and flocked in here, except such as quitted the country, that did not call on us for protection, and that we were employed from morning till night writing, speaking, and plea« M. H. Gill & Son, Printers, Dublin. 3 * , M - .. ■■%■■: -: . t; • ■-> ) ■ >' -1 '*■£■