and when he knew that his foot were at a safe distance, he and his few horsemen galloped after them, so that by this contrivance-that might do honor to an experienced general--he completely baffled the military, brought off his whole force entire, and was himself the last in quitting the hill.

General dispositions were now made to attack the insurgents on all sides, and the several divisions of the army had orders from Lieutenant-general Lake to proceed in different directions for that purpose. They were all to move towards the important post of Vinegar Hill, occupied by the permanent encampment of the insurgents since the 28th of May, on the taking of Enniscorthy. Pursuant to the plan of a general assault, Lieutenant-general Dundas proceeded on the 18th of June from Baltinglass to Hacket's-town, whence he was to proceed, in conjunction with Major-general Loftus, who was to join him from Tullow, with the forces under his command, to move forward to attack the insurgents posted on Mountpleasant. These seemed willing enough to engage, but the troops were prevented from coming to action here, by other orders from Lieutenantgeneral Lake, who thought it more prudent to wait the assistance and co-operation of his whole force combined, than to risk a partial engagement which might thwart or impede his general plan of operations. Major-general Needham, who commanded in Arklow, moved on the 19th to Gorey, and on the next day encamped on Oulart Hill, whence he was to proceed to Enniscorthy. Greater devastation was perceivable from Arklow to Oulart, than in any other part of the country. On the 19th, Major-generals Johnston and Eustace, after obliging the insurgents posted on Lacken Hill hastily to abandon their situation, proceeded to Bloomfield, where they encamp

ed on the evening of the 20th; while Brigadier-general Moore reached his appointed station at Fook'smill on the same evening, and Major-general Sir James Duff, who had marched from Newtownbarry, took his station with Major-general Loftus at Scarawalsh. In the course of the progressive march of these several divisions of the army, great devastation took place; numbers of houses were burned, and corn and various kind of property were plundered and destroyed, mostly at the instance of the yeomnen returning to their different neighborhoods. It is astonishing that landlords of all descriptions could so far forget their own interests as to join in the destruction of houses on their lands, however they might be induced to hunt out their lessees, and to sacrifice them, and so put an end at once to their leases. Yet many instances of this kind are related throughout the country.

According to the preconcerted and comprehensive plan of operations, all the generals arrived, with their several divisions, at the different stations to which they had been ordered on the 20th, of which they severally apprized Lieutenant-general Lake, who was himself, with his staff and Lieutenant-general Dundas, posted at Solsborough. The insurgents of the northern part of the county of Wexford had now concentrated their force on their station of Vinegar Hill, and at a consultation of their chiefs it was proposed to make a general assault on the post of Solsborough during the night, but to this the people could not be prevailed upon to agree; who chose rather to depend upon their very scanty provision of powder, and wait for open daylight to engage. It is very surprising that, considering the great courage and intrepidity displayed by them in so many engagements, the insurgents could never be brought to

make a nocturnal attack, wherein they must have inevitably proved successful, as the confusion into which the regular troops would have been thrown by such a proceeding, would reduce them to a level with irregular bodies, whose superiority of numbers must necessarily have given them every advantage. On the 19th, General Edward Roche, and such of the insurgents of his neighborhood as were at Vinegar Hill, were sent home to collect the whole mass of the people for general defence. By the march of the army in all directions, towards Vinegar Hill and Wexford, a general flight of such of the inhabitants as could get off took place; and, as the greater part of the county was now occupied by the troops, the whole population was compressed into a very narrow space; and at this time there was not an encampment of insurgents in the northern part of the county, except at Vinegar Hill; while in the southern quarter the small camps of Carne and Rastoonstown were concentrated at the Three-Rocks.

The alarm was now general throughout the whole country; all men were called to attend the camps; and Wexford became the universal rendezvous of the fugitives, who reported, with various circumstances of horror, the progress of the different armies approaching in every direction, marking their movements with terrible devastation. Ships of war were also seen off the coast, and several gun-boats blocked up the entrance of the harbor, which precluded the possibility of any vessel getting out; so that Wexford was now on the brink of destruction, and the inhabitants without the smallest hope of escape. It is dreadful to conceive, and impossible to describe, the horrors felt by all who had the misfortune of being in the town on this most critical occasion. The melancholy scenes of devastation perpetrated by the army

in the country about Carrick-Byrne, exhibited a melancholy picture; and from the commanding situation of the camp at the Three Rocks, on the mountain of Forth, the general conflagration, which was as progressive as the march of the troops, was clearly perceivable. On the approach of the army, great numbers of countrymen, with their wives and children, and any little baggage they could hastily pack up, fled towards Wexford, as to an asylum or place of refuge; and the number of these was increased every instant by the arrival of new fugitives, who described, in melancholy strain of lamentation, how their houses were plundered and destroyed, and how they themselves had narrowly escaped with life from the fury of the soldiery, who, when thus let loose and encouraged to range over and ravage a country, become the greatest curse that can befall it!!!

I must, however, observe, that General Moore did all in his power to prevent these atrocities, and got some plunderers immediately put to death; but his humane and benevolent intentions were not so successful from the representations and excitements of the refugees returning home. It is much to be regretted that he was not afterwards left in command in the county of Wexford, as he was ordered to Wicklow, where his conciliatory conduct and humanity were conspicuous, and will ever be remembered with gratitude by the people, who flocked to his standard for protection. Had Ireland enjoyed the blessings of such rulers, it would never have been involved in such a dreadful situation.

The Reverend Philip Roche, after having settled the encampment at the Three Rocks, came into Wexford and demanded all kinds of supplies for his forces; and as the inhabitants (except the gunsmen, who attended for some time on Vinegar Hill) had

never quit their homes or assisted at any battle, they were looked upon in a very invidious point of view by the rest of the people; who accordingly vowed the destruction of the town if all its armed men would not appear at the camp on the Three Rocks early the next morning, and join in general defence. The Reverend General Roche, on coming into Wexford, was greatly exhausted from his diligent and unremitting exertions in covering the retreat from Lacken Hill, and not having taken a morsel of food during the whole day, less drink than usual exhibited him in the course of the evening very much intoxicated. Of this man it is, however, necessary to say, that, however apparently violent and boisterous, he was remarkable for humanity. He never suffered a man to be put to death on Lacken Hill; and the following, recorded by the Rev. Mr. Gordon, is a most powerful instance of his benevolence. After stating, that although "Philip Roche was in appearance fierce and sanguinary, yet several persons now living owe their lives to his boisterous interference," he proceeds to state, that "two Protestants in a respectable situation in life, brothers, of the name of Robinson, inhabitants of the parish of Killegny, being seized and carried to Vinegar Hill, some Roman Catholic tenants, anxious for their safety, galloped in full speed to Roche's quarters at Lacken, and begged his assistance. He immediately sent an express with orders to bring the two Robinsons to Lacken, pretending to have charges of a criminal nature against them, for which they should be tried. The miscreants on Vinegar Hill, who were preparing to butcher these men, though they were advanced in years, and unimpeachable with any other crime than that of Protestantism, on receipt of Roche's orders, relinquished their fury, not doubting that death awaited