Page images
PDF
EPUB

after Humbert rallied his grenadiers-the only part of the army, except the chasseurs, that had not surrendered-consisting of about 400 men, who surrounded Lord Roden and his twenty dragoons. They were given in charge to the hussars. While they were their prisoners, which lasted about fifteen minutes, the French officers loaded the United Irishmen, their allies, with execrations, for having deceived and disappointed them, by inviting them to undertake a fruitless expedition. They also declared that the people of Ireland were the most treacherous and cowardly they ever knew.* Lord Roden and Colonel Crawford continued prisoners till his regiment of fencibles advanced in quest of their colonel, which the French bussars perceiving, requested that his lordship would desire them to halt, as they meant to surrender, and by doing so, he prevented them from being cut to pieces."

The retreat of the French from Mayo did not immediately produce the consequences that might have been expected. The ignorance of the mob who had taken arms, and the brutal stupidity of their leaders, prevented them from perceiving that the departure of the invading army would be the certain advent of retributive justice. Without any apparent object, they still continued in arms-and far worse consequences were to be dreaded by the loyalists of Mayo, from the defeat of Ballinamuck, than the victory of Castlebar.

From the commencement of Humbert's movement toward the North, until his surrender, not an hour passed without the vengeance of the royalists falling on the deluded wretches, who still continued rather to embarrass than assist the French army while retreating. Every straggler that was overtaken was cut down by the Hompeschers and Foxhunters who hung upon Humbert's rear; and when the invaders laid down their arms at Ballinamuck, if blood could have atoned for treason, it was fearfully exacted-for the sword and halter† were used with

It would appear that the soldiers of the grande nation and their Irish allies were heartily tired of each other. "Part of the royal army remained at Ballinamuck for some days, and courts-martial were established, by which some of the leading rebels were tried and executed, with a vast number of the lower classwho, taken in French arms and uniforms, were sentenced pro formâ, with a knowledge that the government would pardon them. They gave a pitiable account of their campaign and treatment by the French, described themselves as nearly starved, very seldom obtaining even raw potatoes, never time to cook, excessively harassed by long and rapid marches, spoke with great bitterness of the invading army, who lived extremely well on the plunder of gentlemen's houses."

"The only troops actually engaged at Ballinamuck were the light battalion and the Armagh regiment. A French standard fell into the hands of the light company of the Armagh, and it is still kept with the regimental colours in Gosford Castle. After the action, the regiment were marched to Carrick-on-Shannon-where, in the court-house, there were collected a couple of hundred rebel prisoners, taken in arms. An order arrived from Lord Cornwallis, directing a certain number of them to be hanged without further ceremony-and a number of bits of paper were rolled up, the word 'death' being written on the number ordered; and with these in his hat, the adjutant, Captain Kay (on whom devolved the management of this wretched lottery), entered the court-house, and the drawing began. As fast as a wretch drew the fatal ticket, he was handed out and hanged at the door. I am not sure of the exact number thus dealt with, but seventeen were actually hanged. It was a

an unsparing hand. It is impossible to form any correct estimate of the number sacrificed to the fury of the soldiery. During the pursuit of Humbert, as the rebels preserved not even the semblance of order, but straggled where they pleased, it was not unusual to find them sleeping in dozens in the fields, some from fatigue, and more from drunkenness. No questions were asked-the coup de sabre, when on march-the arm of the next tree, if halting, ended all inquiry. At Ballinamuck, co victis was pronounced-no quarter was given-and to use Musgrave's words, "dreadful havoc" was made among the unfortunate wretches who were excluded from mercy and cut down by the hundred.*

It is not surprising that, although the surrender of Humbert's army might have been looked to as a certain event, still, until it actually occurred, the Mayo insurgents might have indulged in hopes that were beyond the chances of probability, and desperately continued in arins but when the fate of the French army was ascertained, it would be supposed that the wretched rabble would have hastily disbanded. Such was not the case-for, on the 12th of September, they made an attempt to recover Castlebar, and were repulsed by the small garrison of Fraser fencibles and loyalists-and although all the other towns were liberated from the presence of the rebels, they held Ballina and Killalla for fifteen days after Humbert's surrender.

It was a most fortunate circumstance that the rebel garrisons in both places were commanded by French officers, or there is little doubt that atrocities, similar to those committed in Wexford, might have eternally disgraced the Western peasantry. Charost, and his subordinate officers, were unwearied in affording protection to the persons

dreadful duty to devolve upon any regiment; but, somehow or other, men's minds had grown as hard as the nether millstone. I know it from my own feelings. I would go some miles out of my way to avoid an execution now, yet I well remember the indifference with which I looked upon such a spectacle in 1798.”—MS. Journal of a Field Officer.

"The rebel auxiliaries who had accompanied the French to this fatal field being excluded from quarter, fled in all directions, and were pursued with slaughter. The number of their killed is reported to have been 500, which seems much less to exceed the truth than returns of slain in the south-eastern parts of Ireland. Notwithstanding its diminution by desertions in its march, the force of the rebels accompanying the French army is said to have consisted of 1,500 men at the time of this surrender. The loss of the king's troops was three privates killed, twelve wounded, three missing, and one officer wounded, Lieutenant Stephens, of the carabineers. The troops of General Humbert were found, when prisoners, to consist of 748 privates, and 96 officers-a loss of 288 being sustained since their first landing at Killalla."-Gordon.

46

The intelligence did not seem by any means to produce, on the minds of the rebels, the effect that might naturally have been expected-their gradual dispersion and return to their own homes. On the contrary, the resort to the camp in the bishop's meadows grew greater every day; the talk of vengeance on the Protestants was louder and more frequent; the rebels were drilled regularly; ammunition was demanded, and every preparation made for an obstinate defence against the arms of their sovereign. Careless of the future, or trusting to the delay which must be occasioned by the distance of the king's army, they thought of nothing but living merrily as long as they might, upon the property that lay at their mercy-and they did use their power of doing mischief most terribly."-Bishop Stock's Narrative.

and properties of the loyalists; and, in their humane and generous efforts, they were admirably assisted by the younger Barrett, who, it is gratifying to state, escaped the penalties of treason, to which, had he been unfortunately subjected, he would have had the sincere commiseration of the numerous Protestants whom he saved.*

"After remaining in a state of dreadful suspense for some months, he effected his escape to Sligo, where, in the disguise of a sailor, he entered on board a vessel, and sailed for America.

"There were many good traits in this young man's character which would entitle him to a better fate. He was brave and generous, humane and grateful; and his person and manners bespoke something much beyond his education and expectations in life; and it is only to be regretted that his loyalty was not sufficiently strong to enable him to resist the influence which was exerted to seduce him to join the enemies of his country.

.

CHAPTER XXIV.

CUPPRESSION OF THE WESTERN INSURRECTION-MILITARY EXECUTIONS-CONTRAST BETWEEN THE WEXFORD AND MAYO REBELS.

66

THE long-expected arrival of the royalists was at last announced by the sound of their cannon, as they threw a few shots into Ballina and drove out the rebel garrison. The rebels hurried off in dreadful confusion to join their confederates encamped about Killalla-and that succour was at hand, the almost-despairing loyalists were informed. "A troop of fugitives from Ballina in full race-women and children tumbling over one another to get into the castle, or into any house in the town where they might hope for a momentary shelter-continued for a painful length of time to give notice of the approach of an army."*

Early on the 23rd, the royal forces, despatched to crush the dying embers of the Western insurrection, were seen advancing, and the rebels immediately quitted their camp and took a position to receive them.

The place chosen on which to resist the threatened attack, was the high ground outside the town, on the Ballina road; and on either side the rebels lined the low stone walls of the numerous inclosures, which afforded excellent breastworks, from behind which they could fire on the king's troops as they were advancing. Learning that General Trench had divided his brigade at Crosmalina, and detached the Kerry regiment by the Foxford road to cut off the rebel retreat by that line, the insurgents pushed a corps of observation in that direction, and then awaited the coming assault. The affair that ensued was not an action but an execution.

"The two divisions of the royal army were supposed to make up about 1,200 men, and they had five pieces of cannon. The number of the rebels could not be ascertained. Many ran away before the engagement, while a very considerable number flocked into the town in the very heat of it, passing under the castle windows in view of the French officers on horseback, and running upon death with as little appearance of reflection or concern, as if they were hastening to a show. About four hundred of these misguided men fell in the battle and immediately after it.”+

ance.

Nothing could be more contemptible than the effort made at resist"We kept our eyes," says Bishop Stock, "on the rebels, who seemed to be posted with so much advantage behind the stone walls that lined the road. They levelled their pieces, fired very deliberately from each side on the advancing enemy; yet, strange to tell! were

*Bishop Stock's Narrative.

+ Ibid.

able only to kill one man, a corporal, and wound a common soldier Their shot in general went over the heads of their opponents."

The slaughter that ensued was terrible. The rebels were cut down on every side where they attempted to escape; for, when driven from their post outside the town by a flanking fire of the soldiery, they fled in all directions, and were furiously pursued by the Roxburgh cavalry, who slaughtered many in the streets, and were either intercepted at the other end of the town by the Kerry militia, or, directing their flight to the shore, "the fugitives were swept away by scores, cannon being placed on the opposide side of the bay, which did great

execution."

In almost every instance these besotted men appeared to become only sensible of danger, when it was too late to be avoided. Some rushed for shelter into the houses-and when they succeeded in gaining an entrance, brought on the unfortunate inhabitants the indiscriminating violence of the soldiery. The innocent suffered with the guilty-and notwithstanding "the exertions of the general and his officers, the town exhibited almost all the marks of a place taken by storm. Some houses were perforated like a riddle; most of them had their doors and windows destroyed, the trembling inhabitants scarcely escaping with life, by lying prostrate on the floor; nor was it till the close of next day that their ears were relieved from the horrid sound of muskets discharged every minute at flying and powerless rebels. The plague of war so often visits the world, that we are apt to listen to any description of it with the indifference of satiety; it is the actual inspection only that shews the monster in its proper and full deformity."*

In this scene of bloodshed and confusion, even loyalty was not a security. A gentleman was killed in his own hall, by a shot directed

* Bishop Stock.

† One melancholy instance of the innocent suffering with the guilty preceded the final defeat of the western insurgents. The plan adopted for the recovery of Killalla was a combined attack by Lord Portarlington and General Trench-in which the former, should assail the town by the southern road, and the latter, by the northern one, leading to Ballina. In accordance with these arrangements, Lord Portarlington marched early on the 21st of September, with the Queen's County militia, a troop of the twenty-fourth light dragoons, and the Tireragh corps, with two pieces of cannon. He bivouacked that night at Arkill Lodge. Some rebels appeared on the high grounds, but a round of the guns at once dispersed them. The following night Lord Portarlington halted at a place called Scurmore, and there a strong rebel body, commanded by Henry O'Keown and the younger Barrett, made a feeble attack upon the royalists, but they were easily repulsed, after sustaining a severe loss for their temerity.

"In this affair we have one calamity to lament, which left the strongest sensations of grief in every loyal heart. Not far from the scene of action lies the village of Carrowcarden, where a few Protestant families lived, who, from their peaceable demeanour and good conduct, possessed the regard even of the rebels; so that, partly by giving them entertainment and money as long as they were able, and partly by hiding themselves in the bogs and corn-fields, they had hitherto avoided the captivity which their brethren suffered.

"On this day, a rebel party commanded by John M'Donnongh, otherwise Pitcher, on their march to attack the king's troops, were ordered to enter the village, and force every man who was able to carry arms to join their party. They there

« PreviousContinue »