Before we turn to the other insurrectionary movements, which were simultaneously occurring with the Wrexford outbreak, to preserve a connection in detail, we will follow the career of the rebel armies of this blood-stained county, and trace their ulterior movements from the hour of their first defeats, until that of their final dispersion.

perience proved useful during the attack on that town on Tuesday morning. On the evacuation of the place in the evening by the troops, he accompanied them to Wexford-and on that town being given up by the king's forces and occupied by the rebels, he found means to shelter himself and his family in a lodging of the poorest description in one of the bye-lanes; and there they lived for some time, chiefly dependant for the necessaries of life upon a few of his Roman Catholic tenantry, who brought milk and such humbler articles of food as could escape suspicion. A young man named Kelly, a rebel captain, took a principal share in protecting the family; and it was not until something called him from the town that my uncle was taken from his concealment, and was on the very point of being put to death on the bridge, when he was saved by mere accident. In return, he preserved the life of Kelly when the tables turned. When Captain B- was on his way to execution, they were met by Keugh, the rebel leader. They had been brother officers in America, and my uncle said to him, Keugh, if you cannot save my life, at least let me die a soldier's death, and be shot, not piked.'

"The will of the people must be done, Sir,' was Keugh's answer, as he turned coolly away."-MS. Journal of a Field Officer.

CHAPTER XVI.

ATTACK ON HACKETSTOWN-AFFAIR AT BALLYELLIS-REPULSE AT BALLYRAHEEN REBELS DRIVEN FROM THE WHITE-HEAPS AND AFTERWARDS DEFEATED AND DISPERSED AT BALLYGULLEN.

ONE of the rebel columns which had escaped from Vinegar-hill, and retired in a northerly direction, being joined by a strong body of Wicklow rebels, under the command of the two Byrnes of Ballymanus, determined to attack Hacketstown, then garrisoned by a yeomanry corps, under Captain Hardy, and forty of the Antrim regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Gardiner. Alarmed by the appearance of numbers of the peasantry assembling on the adjacent high grounds, an attack was apprehended-and the corps immediately in the vicinity of the town were called on to aid in its defence. Early on the 25th, an infantry and cavalry corps, reinforced the garrison; and, although under two hundred men, it boldly marched out to receive the rebels, who, as it was reported, were rapidly advancing.

The royalists took a position outside the town, which on the approach of the insurgents was found untenable. Although, north and south, the rebel leaders never exhibited a particle of military talent, still, to the commonest understanding it was evident, that by extension, a handful of men must be surrounded and destroyed by dense masses, no matter what advantages they might possess in superiority of discipline and courage. Accordingly, when in presence of the little garrison, the rebels deployed right and left; and to prevent their flanks from being turned, the loyalists fell back upon the town, the cavalry retreating by the Clonmore road, and hence becoming afterwards non-combatant.

In the course of this short history, we have repeatedly borne testimony to the Irish yeomanry of '98, as a daring and devoted body, whose fidelity was incorruptible, and courage boundless. The memory of none should be held in more sacred estimation-for reckless of the consequences involved, in every trial private considerations were thrown to the winds, and the yeomen took the post of danger. To their efficiency, the brief duration of the rebellion may be traced, for by them partial insurrections were put down, and others entirely prevented. As in every community, civil or military, unworthy members will be found, and the misconduct of the few will bring obloquy upon the many, to the Irish yeomanry cruelty and abuse of power have been charged. But in the aggregate, and "take them for all in all," in the emergency of an empire, as a body they will never be surpassed for unqualified bravery and unbounded devotion.

In their organization a sad mistake had been committed; half their number were cavalry, and consequently they were totally inefficient. In a close country, horsemen cannot act ; and no surface in Europe is more overspread in every direction with morasses. Hence, whatever service

irregular cavalry could render in cutting up a disorganized rabble, they could be of no utility so long as they shewed a front. Generally, therefore, horsemen were non-combatant-and too frequently, when they attempted to make an impression on the insurgents, they failed with heavy loss.

On this occasion, in effecting a retreat, they lost their commanding officer and a few men, while the infantry fell back to the barrack, and prepared for an obstinate defence. A house that looked upon the main street, and commanded the flank of the building occupied by the troops, was garrisoned by a clergyman called McGhee, and nine private individuals. This was indeed a dangerous post; for though the lower part was tolerably secured, a thatched roof seriously endangered its gallant defenders. The town was immediately entered by the rebels, who fired it in a dozen places, and with the exception of the barrack, and a few houses that were detached, Hacketstown was speedily in a blaze. Beside an enormous number of pikemen, the insurgents mustered a thousand musketeers. To oppose them, one hundred and twenty royalists occupied the barrack, and ten determined allies garrisoned the house which formed an outwork.

While the conflagration was at its height, the loyalists were sadly inconvenienced at the dense smoke, which entirely concealed the movements of their assailants. At noon however, the roofs of the burning houses fell in, a brisk breeze dispelled the smoke, the royalists could clearly see their enemies, their exertions were redoubled, and their musketry plied with fatal effect.

The flanking position of McGhee's house, at once shewed the rebels that the barrack could not be attacked successfully, until the covering building was reduced. On the outwork, accordingly, their efforts were directed. To cover their people from a fire steadily maintained from the windows, they attempted to mask their advance, by pushing forward cars loaded with feather-beds. This breastwork, however, proved unavailing-twenty-eight of the assailants were shot downand the rest, after a trial of twenty minutes, retreated in confusion.

On the barrack the rebels made no impression, and in their vain attempts sustained a heavy loss, and besides a number of cart-loads of dead and wounded which they carried off, many were thrown into the burning houses and consumed. This was not an unusual practice with the rebels-the dead were got rid of to conceal the extent of their loss -the wounded, not unfrequently, to prevent their giving information to the loyalists.

The defence of McGhee's house was truly gallant, but the daring party he commanded would not have been able to defend themselves for want of ammunition, had not Lieutenant Fenton, of the Talbot'stown cavalry, been accidentally prevented from attending his duty

"The family of Mr. McGhee, all the Protestant women in the place, and even the wife of General Byrne (whom, it is said, he wished to get rid of), took refuge in it. Mr. McGhee barricaded the lower part of his house, placed four men in the rear to prevent it being burned, and the other five in front, not only for its defence, but to cover the side of the barrack, which was exposed.”—Musgrave.

elsewhere, by a severe contusion occasioned by a fall from his horse. Seated between two windows, and protected by the pier, he continued to make cartridges for his companions-while his lady, insensible to danger, boldly continued to visit the marksmen, and supply them with refreshment. When the stock of bullets began to fail, she melted pewter plates, cast them into bullets, and her husband formed them into cartridges.

This singular affair commenced at six in the morning, and terminated at three in the afternoon. Besides the destruction of the town, eleven royalists were killed and fifteen wounded. The rebel loss has been variously estimated-some calling it two hundred, and Musgrave raising it to five; the mean amount would probably give it more correctly-three hundred and fifty rebels perished in an abortive effort against that small but devoted garrison. In the evening the loyalists retreated on Tullow, their ammunition being expended, and the place considered indefensible. Irritated by their defeat, the rebels burned, plundered, and murdered everywhere they went-and the few wretched Protestants who fell into their hands were treated with abominable barbarity.*

Having remained in the immediate vicinity of Gorey for five days, General Needham despatched Captain Hunter Gowen, with the Tinehaly cavalry, to make a reconnaissance. Early in the morning the rebels were seen from a height in great force, having received overnight an extensive reinforcement; and on this being reported to General Needham, he detached Colonel Puleston with some of the ancient Britons, 4th and 5th dragoons, and three corps of yeomen cavalry, to hang upon the rear of the enemy, and attack them should opportunity present itself. One of those disgraceful affairs, too frequent during the Irish Rebellion, unhappily resulted, and the tragedy of Tubberneering was once more re-enacted at Ballyellis.

The rebels advanced to Tinahely, and having turned off to Wingfield, burned the old mansion there, and thence proceeded to Moneyseed, where the troops (Puleston's cavalry) first got sight of them. They were pursued two miles to Ballyellis, where, being closely pressed, they blocked the road with cars and baggage, posting a body of pikemen in front of this barricade. The scene that ensued is thus detailed by Musgrave:

"As soon as our cavalry came in sight of them, at the turn of the road, they charged them with great impetuosity; but when within a short distance, the pikemen leaped over the hedges at each side, on which the horses in front were entangled in the cars; and those in their rear pressing on them, a shocking scene of confusion ensued; both men and horses were involved, and tumbled over each other. The rebels fired on them from behind the hedges and a park wall which was near, and while they were in this state of embarrassment, killed numbers of them with their muskets, and piked such of them as happened to be unhorsed."

* Vide Musgrave's Memoirs, p. 515.

In this rash and disgraceful affair, where life was recklessly expended, without an object, and almost without a chance of any of the ill-directed men escaping, two officers and sixty privates were killed. Why severe examples were not made of military commanders who sacrificed troops committed to them, and fanned the expiring flame of rebellion by their ruinous incapability, appears surprising. The utter madness of launching cavalry at pikemen and musketeers in a close country and by a barricadoed road, admits of no excuse and evidences the most unpardonable imbecility.*

Other and disastrous consequences might have arisen from this disastrous attack at Ballyellis. Carnew was but a mile from this scene of slaughter, and as it was only occupied by fifty yeomen, the rebels attempted to surprise it. Fortunately, some of the retreating cavalry put the garrison on the alert; and as the town had been previously destroyed, they retired into a malt-house that was perfectly defensible. The rebel attack was consequently repulsed-and, retiring through Ballyellis, the insurgents took a position on Kilcavan Hill.

The tide of rebellion was ebbing fast-dissension prevailed in their councils-the leaders disagreed-and the Wexford men separated from those of Wicklow; the latter, under Garret Byrne, of Ballymanus, moving off to the hill of Ballyraheene, nearly midway between Tinehaly and Carnew.

Here another error in judgment occasioned an unnecessary loss of life. The yeomanry had pursued the rebels closely, but the latter gained the high grounds, and formed in a very strong position. The numbers were enormously disproportionate, and every prudential consideration should have discouraged an attack. Some of the yeoman officers were of opinion that their troops ought to halt, and that they should content themselves with watching at a safe distance the movements of the enemy. Contrary opinions prevailing, an attack was made up the hill, when the rebels, who had wished to avoid a battle, rushing down, put the royalists to flight, killing ten of the infantry; but the cavalry escaped. Two officers fell in the beginning of this action, Captain Chamney of the Coolattin, and Captain Nickson of the Coolkenna company, both greatly lamented. "The slaughter would have been far greater, if sixty of the infantry, under Captain Morton and Lieutenant Chamney, had not taken refuge in Captain Chamney's house at the foot of the hill, where they sustained, during fourteen hours, the attacks of the rebels, who attempted repeatedly to fire the house. Some, particularly a very large man from Gorey, named John Redmond, nicknamed Shaun Plunder, advanced under a covering of feather-beds to the hall door, with the design of burning it, and thus

* But for an accidental occurrence, the losses of the royalists would have been much heavier. "During this transaction, the Wingfield dismounted cavalry and infantry, under the command of Captain Gowan, came up with the rebels, and having no particular uniform, the enemy thought they were part of their own forces; but the yeomanry seeing their opportunity, attacked them with great spirit, killed a number of them, and then retreated to Gorey, without the loss of a man. By the defeat of the patrole, the rebels acquired a supply of arms and ammunition."