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ance from France, we cannot much wonder that a prospect such as appeared, would tend to lead many astray. That awful demon of society, Infidelity, which had spread its ravages over the Continent, had its work well performed in Ireland; in fact, it was fashionable in those days amongst the disaffected, to be called an Infidel. Many of the Dissenters in the province of Ulster felt the dominion of Infidelity; and, as a necessary consequence, denied the Divinity of Christ. The next step was Republicanism, under the garb of reformation of abuses until they found themselves sunk in the vortex of what their formerly honest hearts would have shuddered at- -a Protestant massacre !

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We shall now present our readers with an account of the various engagements as they occurred:

NAAS.

On the morning of the 23d May, two letters were received by the officers who commanded the troops here, stating that the rebels intended to attack Naas that day. Every precaution was used, the guards were doubled, and the place put in a state of defence. The insurgents,

however did not make their appearance till the day following. Major Wardell had been informed by a dragoon who had just arrived, that a body of pikemen were approaching the town, upon which he ordered the drummers to beat to arms. Soon after this, three thousand rebels advanced quietly through the town, till they came opposite the gaol, where they were met by a detachment of the Armagh Militia, one piece of cannon, and a party of the ancient Britons; but, owing to the impetuous disposition of a company of soldiers, who, to avenge the death of their captain, whom the rebels had killed, charged the enemy which precipitancy prevented the cannon from playing for some time on the insurgents. Thirty rebels fell in the streets alone on that day, and the total number slain in the general engagement, amounted to three hundred. Their next attack was upon the town of

PROSPEROUS,

In which they proved more successful than on the former occasion. On the 20th of May, Captain Swayne, with a

company of the City of Cork Regiment arrived there. They, with a party of the Ancient Britons, garrisoned the town. The military were almost immediately informed, that the insurgents had declared their intention of surrendering their arms, and were only deterred from doing so, they said, by fear of the sentinels. On hearing this, Captain Swayne and others in command, kindly ordered their men to treat them with less severity, which orders being obeyed, only gave the rebels full opportunity for carrying out their treacherous designs. They commenced their attack about two o'clock on the morning of the 24th, by surprising and killing the two sentinels. The rest of the soldiers, thinking themselves safe, had retired to bed. The rebels then entered the barrack; and, before the inmates were apprised of their danger, the merciless villians had succeeded in murdering Captain. Swayne. Some of the men belonging to his party, hearing the report of fire-arms, sallied forth and succeeded in killing three of the murderers. A vast number of rebels surrounded the house, when a fierce conflict ensued between the assailants and the inhabitants, the latter firing from the windows. The rebels, believing it impossible to vanquish the loyalists in fair combat, set fire to a large quantity of straw, which was stowed in the bottom of the premises. This soon had the effect of stifling the soldiers, who were obliged to leap from the windows upon the pikes of their antagonists. The whole barracks being now in a state of conflagration, the remainder of its inhabitants rushed forth as the only means of escape, but were met by the pikes of the ferocious band, who allowed but few to escape with their lives.

The rebels, immediately after their victory at Prosperous, surrounded the house of Mr. Brewer, an English gentleman, noted for his benevolence and humanity; broke his windows, and were in the act of bursting in the door, when the unsuspecting gentleman ordered it to be opened for them, believing that no man could be base enough to do him injury. Upon which the mob entered, and a ruffian of the name of Toban rushed into his apartment and instantly assassinated him. Another, on coming up, exclaimed—"You have murdered the good man who

kept us all from starving;" to which the murderer replied "What he had is now in our own hands, and we have saved him the trouble of being kind again." Immediately after this, the rebels marched towards Clane, being informed that a reinforcement was required. As they proceeded on their route they attacked various houses, murdering their inhabitants in the most brutal manner. The number of soldiers killed during the attack was as follows:-Of the Cork Regiment, one captain, two sergeants, one drummer, and twenty-three privates. Of the Ancient Britons, nine privates.

CLANE.

This garrison consisted of a company of the Armagh Militia, commanded by Captain Jephson, and forty of the Clane Yeoman Cavalry. On the 24th of May, the main body of the rebels stole into the town, about two o'clock. The trumpeter, hearing some noise in the street, sounded the "turn out the whole;" upon which Captain Jephson's company, who were billeted through the village, accoutered themselves and sallied forth in single combat; but they soon formed themselves and made a noble stand, finally repulsing the rebels. Captain Griffith of the Clane corps received an express of the recent carnage at Prosperous, and the attack of Clane. He soon got to the scene of action and had the pleasure of seeing the rebels pursued by the loyalists. The Captain had scarcely a moment to draw up his little band, when the rebels from Prosperous, some of them clad in the uniform of the plundered Britons, made a desperate charge into the town, but were soon repulsed by the bravery of the troops. About ten of the loyalists were killed in the engagement.

BALLYMORE EUSTACE.

This place being noted for harbouring rebellious principles, and having an immense quantity of arms, Captain Beevor was sent there with detachments of the 9th Dragoons, Antrim, Tyrone, and Armagh Militia, in order to disarm the populace. On the morning of the 23d of May, four leaders of the United Irishmen brought in fifty rebels who gave up their arms, and received protections. The Captain, owing to the appear

ance of loyalty on the part of the disaffected, thought it unnecessary to keep so large a garrison there; and, therefore, sent away a hundred and fifty of his detachments, leaving himself with only forty men. About the hour of one o'clock on the following morning, he was awakened by the cry of a person, that the rebels were determined to be revenged on him. Two men immediately rushed into his bed-chamber, one armed with a pistol, and the other with a pike., The former fired at the Captain but missed him; on which he seized a pistol which lay on the table, and shot the leader through the body. The other rebel, seeing the Captain reach for another pistol, caught him round the waist and carried him to the head of the stairs-a scuffle ensued, in which the rebel was shot. The remainder of the troops now began to assemble, when a hot contest ensued, in which fifty of the rebels fell.

KILDARE.

On the 20th of May, a vast number of the inhabitants surrendered their arms, and took the oaths of allegiance, thereby obtaining protections. General Wilford on leaving Kildare ordered an innholder of the name of Cooper to collect his baggage and lodge it in the guardhouse. He also sent orders to Captain Winter and a party of the 9th Dragoons, at Monastereven, to follow him a little way into the country, where he met a party of rebels, headed by James Dougherty, whom they attacked and defeated prior to Captain Winter's appearance. During this engagement, the Popish inhabitants of Kildare, as a signal of general attack, rang the market bell, when about two thousand rebels, led on by Roger Megary, marched into town, and seized all upon whom they could lay hands, including the pikes and fire-arms which they had surrendered a few days before. About one o'clock in the morning they marched for Monastereven mustering to the amount of fifteen hundred and killing such Protestants as came in their way.

MONASTEREVEN.

On the 24th of May, an express arrived here, that the rebels were advancing in great numbers. A column ap

proached the town, by the canal, but was repulsed by Lieutenant Baggot, and the company under his command; on which the rebels retreated, intending to attack the town in another quarter. The second column of the insurgents advanced, and were likewise defeated by the cavalry commanded by Captain Haysted. A serious action took place in the main street, the rebels contesting every inch of ground. In this engagement they lost to the amount of seventy, whilst that of the loyalists only amounted to five yeomen, and nine horses.

May 24th, the house of Mr. Darragh, of Eagle Hill, was attacked by a numerous body of rebels from Knockalin Hill, but was defended by Mr. Dalton, his brotherin-law, two other friends, and four soldiers. The assailants availed themselves of all the advantages which the Papist servants of the house could afford, but were bravely repulsed by the inmates, who killed about thirty of the gang. On the following morning Mr. Dalton found one of the leaders of the rebels lying near the house, and on searching his pockets, found Captain Swayne's protection, which had been granted on his taking the oath of allegiance, and giving up his arms. This wretch lived close to Eagle Hill, and had been brought through a malignant fever, owing to the agency of Mrs. Darragh. He kept a school, and had a rosary celebrated every night in his house. How mighty pious!

RATHANGAN.

The inhabitants of this place were in a state of insurrection, which fully developed itself on the morning of the 24th May, by the appearance of great bodies from the neighbourhood of Sallins and Rathangan. Various skirmishes took place between the picquets of the loyalists and the rebels, in which several lost their lives; but, on the morning of the 26th, an immense concourse of the insurgents entered the town, and surrounded the house of Mr. Spencer, which contained some of his workmen who were Papists, and three Protestant young men. They broke the window-shutters, and thrust through the openings burning straw; they also set fire to the door and windows of the under-ground offices. Mr. Spencer opened a win

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