and naturally imagining that acts of the like violence were perpetrating in every quarter of the town, I could have but little expectation of escape; particularly when the dreadful denunciation resounded in my ears, that the people would put every one to death who would dare to decline joining them; and, indeed, in consequence of this menacing cry, many gentlemen who boast of loyal acts, (the very contrary of truth,) I have observed to go further on the opposite side than could be considered, either since or before, consistent with their honor or their safety.

The town of Wexford was not only most shamefully abandoned, but even surrendered, to all intents and purposes, when it might have been easily defended, although no one will now acknowledge having been concerned in so scandalous a transaction; and, notwithstanding that the very persons who ought to have been its most strenuous protectors, from their situation and circumstances, were not only the first to yield it, and fly so clandestinely as to put it utterly out of the power of all others besides themselves to retreat, but left even their own wives and families to the mercy of an irritated and ungovernable multitude. In any other country, such a manifest dereliction of duty would be punished in the most exemplary manner-the lives of such craven deserters would be forfeited for the miseries they occasioned; but in illfated Ireland, a display of unprincipled enmity and illiberal animosity to the great bulk of its people, constitutes loyalty and desert sufficient to wipe away the blame of misconduct, and even to obliterate the indelible stigma of cowardice. The conduct of the inhabitants of Wexford, in accommodating themselves to the circumstances of the moment, after their abandonment, must be considered as totally blameless; particularly of such as subsequently took the earliest

opportunity of returning to their allegiance. Of all laws, that of self-preservation is acknowledged the most imperious, and to attain this in times of civil commotion, compliance with the exigency of the instant is indispensable, and warranted by the irresistible force of necessity; for otherwise, as all moral writers agree, there would be an end of justice and civilization. Allowances have certainly been made for numbers, whose conduct, in an abstract point of view, was evidently treasonable, but perfectly excusable, considering the situation in which they were placed, by the fundamental laws of all nations of regulated society. But why an exculpation should hold good for some individuals, and not for all those in a similar predicament, is a paradox not happily explained by arguments derived from the sources of bigotry and religious prejudice. With cordial satisfaction I acknowledge it perfectly just, that Protestants have been generally exculpated of treason, on the ground of the urgency of circumstances, but why Catholics should be excluded from the like charitable consideration, will not be fairly or easily answered by those who would fain exhibit the unfortunate contest of this period-a war of religion, which, upon the whole, had but very little to do in it, till forced into action by the upholders of prejudice.

Those of the military who first retreated from Wexford were part of the North Cork regiment, commanded by Captain Snowe, and the Scarawalsh infantry under Captain Cornock. These in their flight met Mr. Colclough with his lady in a phaeton, coming to release Mr. Harvey, by taking his place in the jail, according to his promise the preceding evening, On falling in with the troops, Mr. and Mrs. Colclough were ordered to wheel about, and led along, while swords drawn and pistols cocked

threatened their lives on either side, if the people should attempt to attack the military. Mr. Colclough was frequently ordered to stand up and wave his hat to several groups who were seen collected on the rising grounds, led by curiosity, from the disturbed state of the country, to observe what was going forward. These signals were for the people not to approach, with which they complied, and so the parties got safe to the Scar at Barrystown; where Mr. Colclough and his lady were dismissed without further violence. The next division of the military who made their appearance at the Scar were part of the Wexford cavalry under Captain Boyd, who had himself it seems at first attempted to get off by sea; but notwithstanding that he most pathetically entreated a friend of his, who had just put off in a boat only a few yards from the quay, to return and take him on board, yet so strongly did the motive of self-preservation operate upon the person, that he re fused to comply. The captain then seized upon his horse, which he had before turned loose, mounted directly, and overtook Colonel Maxwell on the road, . with whom however he did not continue; but drove forward with all speed till he arrived at Mr. King's of Barrystown. After getting some refreshment here, he and some favorites of his corps embarked on board a boat, the tide being too high to pass otherwise, and so proceeded in safety to Duncannon Fort. Mr. Colclough met several of these flying gentry at Barrystown, and the impression of their fears was such, that they all declared that a revolution must inevitably succeed in the nation, for that as the rising was general, (so they then supposed it to be,) nothing could withstand the people. They even congratulated Mr. Colclough on the happiness of not being obliged to quit his country, as he had

taken no active part against the people, and as his recent confinement, on suspicion of being their friend, was greatly in his favor. They next pathetically, many of them in sobs and tears, lamented the unfortunate necessity under which they lay of quitting their native land, as they feared the people would consider their former exertions so inimical to their interests, as to render it unsafe for them to remain in the country; and after this they took a cordial leave of Mr. Colclough. The escape of Archibald Hamilton Jacob was most wonderful, as when he had gone out with the troops that advanced towards the Three-rocks, before any others had thoughts of retreating, he got off under the mountain, and by keeping by-roads, he most providentially arrived in Ross, where, considering the state of the country, he did not stop, but hastened to Waterford, and was finally induced to sail for England.

Had the retreaters had the presence of mind to wait at the Scar until the tide should have fallen, they would have been able to have proceeded with much greater ease than they did to Duncannon Fort. Their halting there would probably have enabled many of the stragglers (numbers of whom were cut off) to come up with them, and it would have taken much less time than it did by the circuitous route which they adopted; but their panic and trepidation were such, that they believed the insurgents were at their heels, which brought them into great hardships, during a confused and precipitate flight, continued even through the night, which occasioned many to lag behind, who thereby became devoted victims of destruction; the cause of which we shall presently have occasion to mention. The last of the military that left Wexford were the Donegal militia, commanded by Colonel Maxwell, accompanied by Col

onel Colville, Captain Younge, and Lieutenant Soden, of the thirteenth foot; the remaining part of the North Cork regiment, headed by Colonel Foote, the Shilmalier yeomen infantry, under the Right Hon. George Ogle, and the Enniscorthy infantry, under Captain Pounden, with some of the Wexford infantry, some of the Wexford, Shilmalier, and Enniscorthy cavalry; and the rear was brought up by the Healthfield cavalry, under Captain John Grogan, who covered the retreat. These were followed and overtaken by Captain Boyd, and a few of his troop, who pushed forward till they came up with the van of the retreaters as before related.

Great numbers of people, from motives of curiosity, assembled in different groups to view the military in their passage through the country, not imagining that they should be any more molested than they had been by the first parties who passed them quietly by; and had any general orders to this effect been issued to the retreating troops, it is probable they would have been attended to and productive of good effect; but although Colonel Colville did all in his power to prevent the soldiery from firing on the people, yet his humane and wise remonstrances were not successful. The first victims of military fury, however, on the retreat, were two men found with arms in a house in Wexford, near where the Shilmalier yeomen infantry, commanded by the Right Hon. George Ogle, had been stationed in the town. These upon the evacuation were brought away by the corps and shot at Maglass, where the soldiers, giving a loose to their rage, pursued the unoffending populace, and shot numbers of them, who endeavored to conceal themselves in the ditches, which were well searched for their discovery. The Roman Catholic chapel of Maglass was set on fire, as