motion that a committee fhould be appointed "to inquire into the state of the country, and to fuggeft fuch measures as were likely to conciliate the popular mind. But when the chief governor's meffage was received on the twenty-fecond of May, an addrefs was voted without oppofition" to affure his excellency, that the intelligence filled them with horror and indignation, while it raised in them a fpirit of determined refolution and energy; that they relied on the vigilance and vigour of his excellency's government, which, they trufted, would continue unabated, until the confpiracy, which fo fatally exifted, should be utterly diffolved." To prefent this address in a manner the most folemn, the commons went on foot in proceffion to the castle, in two files, attended by all the officers of their house, and preceded by the speaker. CHAP. XLII. VOL. II. с с CHAP. CHAP. XLIII. XLIII. Com mence ment of the rebellion. Commencement of the rebellion-Surprize of Profperous Attack of Carlow--Death of Sir Edward Crofbie- -Various operations--Surrendry at the Curragh-State of the county of WexfordInfurrection-Actions at Kilthomas and OutartAttack of Enniscorthy- -Capture of WexfordProceedings at Gorey--Attack of Bunclody-Proceedings at Gorey--Battle of Clough—Attack of Rofs-Maffacre of Scullabogue-Proceedings of the rebels at Slyeeve-Keelter and Lacken——Their proceedings at Gorey-Conduct at Arklow-Retreat of the garrifon--Battle of Arklow--Conduct of Skerrett. CHAP. THE prime conductors of the confpiracy were in prifon; the metropolis proclaimed as in a state of infurrection, and fo guarded at every poft as to prevent a poffibility of furprize; the troops throughout ftationed for like purpofe; the compa1798. nies of yeomen strengthened by the addition of new levies without uniform, called fupplementaries; and the fyftem of the Irish union fo diforganized, that rebellion feemed to be stifled in its birth. Yet the country fo XLIII. fo deeply laid had been the plan of infurrection, CHAP. that its fires, though generally extinguished or fmothered, could not eafily be prevented from partialexplosion. The peasants in the districts around the the city of Dublin, without leaders, with fcarcely any ammunition or other arms than clumfy pikes and a few guns in bad order, rofe at the time appointed, the night of the twenty-third of May, and fo far acted on the original scheme, as to attempt, by fimultaneous onfets, the furprizal of the military pofts, and the preclufion of the capital from external fuccour. The mail coaches were deftroyed in their progress from Dublin, at a few miles distance, to give notice to their confederates of hoftities commenced; and in that night and the following day several skirmishes had place with fmall parties of the royal troops, and feveral towns were attacked near the feat of government. That affaffination had not been a part of the original fyftem of the Irish union has been obferved in Mr. Plowden's historical view of Ireland. Otherwise murders in families by servants and labourers, previously to the departure of these to their places of affembly, would have been the first acts of the long intended rebellion. Acts enough of this kind were afterwards committed by the ferocity of a mob, or individual malignity. ous. In all the skirmishes the infurgents were defeated, Surprize except at Dunboyne and Barretstown, where finall of Profperescorts were furprized, of the Reay fencibles at the former, of the Suffolk fencibles at the latter. They were also repulfed in their attempts on the feveral CHA XLIII. P towns except Profperous, a lately improved village in the county of Kildare, intended for a feat of cotton manufactory, feventeen miles from Dublin. Here, on the night of the twenty-third, or morning of the twenty-fourth about an hour after midnight, the garrison was furprized, the barrack fired, thirtyfeven foldiers perished in the flames or by the pikes of the affailants, together with their commander, captain Swayne of the city of Cork milita, who is faid to have been killed in revenge by one of those men whofe houses he had burned. In the feverity indeed of military execution this officer is affirmed to have been exceeded by few. Found guilty by a court martial of having conducted this attack, John Efmond, a doctor of phyfic, a catholic gentleman of large property, firft lieutenant in the yeoman troop of Richard Griffith efquire, was fome days after executed. Of an uncommon polifh of addrefs. and of an ancient family dignified with the title of baronet, Efmond had been highly respected, but he had been fo mifled by the prevailing ideas of revolution, as to accept the rank of colonel in the fyftem of united Irishmen. But as if the deprivation of life were not fufficient, a story was invented to blacken his memory, that he had dined with Swayne, and made him drunk, to favour the furprize. That the story is deftitute of all foundation I am fully convinced by proofs, and is admitted by Mr. Griffith his captain and profecutor. Between Swayne and Efmond mutual hatred had fubfisted, and not the leaft intercourfe of conviviality. At . XLIII. Naas. Kilcullen. At Naas and Kilcullen engagements had place in CHAP. the fame morning. On the garrifon of the former, where lord Gosford commanded, with three hundred Attack of of the Armagh militia and fome detachments of cavalry, a furprize was attempted before day by about a thousand rebels led by one Michael Reynolds but the commander had been apprised by anonymous letters; his troops were under arms; the affailants were quickly repulfed and pursued with fome flaughter; many were taken prisoners and immediately hanged. With much probability many are afferted to have, on this occafion, loft their lives. who had not taken any part in the business. The Action at action at Kilcullen, at feven o'clock, was remarkable only for an early proof of the total unfitness of eavalry for combat with embattled pikemen. Three hundred of the latter were three times furioufly charged, without the leaft impreffion, by a body of cavalry confifting of light dragoons and Romney fencibles, who lofto captains and thirty privates by the pikes of the enemy. Yet thefe victorious pikemen were, a few minutes after, totally routed by twenty-two fencible infantry, led against them by general Dundas. The town was however abandoned, as untenable, by the troops; and the fugitive loyalifts, from this and other parts of the country, filled Naas with fuch a crowd, that the majority of them, from want of houferdom, were obliged to remain all night in the street. A As hoftilities were now openly coramenced against Proclamathe king's government, proclamations were iffued, tions. on 1799. |