1798. bineers, no return was made; our loss of men was never stated, nor that of the French ever known.

Lord Cornwallis marches against the enemy.

Progress of the French

general.

The Marquis Cornwallis, from the first intelligence of the invasion, had, notwithstanding the smallness of the invading army, been so sensible of the danger of rekindling the smothered flame of rebellion, as to have determined to march in person against the enemy, with so formidable a force, as effectually to intimidate the abettors of rebellion in the country, he was about to march through. He arrived on the 4th of September at Hollymount, fourteen miles from Castlebar, where he received intelligence, that the enemy had abandoned his post and marched to Foxford. After the victory at Castlebar, the French received great accessions of Irish peasantry to their standard, who encreased indeed the numbers of the enemy, but proved of no effectual aid: they had been taught to expect far more powerful co-operation from

the Irish.

The advanced guard of the French at Coloony, received an important check from Colonel Vereker, of the city of Limerick Militia, who had marched from Sligo with about two hundred infantry, thirty dragoons, and two curricle guns. After an action of about an hour, he was obliged to retreat, with the loss of his artillery, to Sligo, whence he withdrew his little army to Ballyshannon. This opposition is supposed to have caused the French general to relinquish his design on Sligo. He directed his march by Drummahair toward Manorhamilton in the county of Leitrim, having for the sake of expedition, left three

six-pounders dismounted on the road, and thrown 1798. five pieces of artillery into the river at Drummahair. In approaching Manorhamilton he suddenly wheeled to the right, taking his way by Drumkerim, per haps with design, if possible, of reaching Granard in the county of Longford, where an alarming insurrection had taken place. Crawford's troops hung so close on the rear-guard of the French, as to come to action with it on the 7th, between Drumshambo and Ballynamore, in which they were repulsed with some loss. The French are said to have mistaken this force for the van-guard of the British army, and to have been thereby prevented from attempting

to surround it.

surrender.

The French army passing the Shannon at Ballintra, The French arrived at Ballinamuck on the 8th of September, so closely followed by the troops of Colonel Crawford and General Lake, that its rear guard was unable to destroy the bridge at Ballintra, to impede the pursuit ; while Lord Cornwallis, with the grand army, having crossed the same river at Carrick-on-Shannon, marched by Mohill to Saint-Johnstown, in the county of Longford, in order to intercept the enemy in front, on their way to Granard; or should they proceed, to surround them with an army of thirty thousand mcn. In this desperate situation, Humbert arranged his forces, with no other object, as it must be presumed, than to maintain the honor of the French arms. The rear-guard having been attacked by Colonel Crawford, about two hundred of the French infantry surrendered. The rest continued to defend themselves for above half an

1798. hour, when, on the appearance of the main body of

General Lake's army, they also surrendered, after they had made Lord Roden, and a body of dragoons prisoners. His lordship had precipitately advanced into the French lines to obtain their surrender. The rebel auxiliaries, who had accompanied the French to this fatal field, being excluded from quarter, fled in all directions: five hundred of them were killed in the pursuit; about one thousand escaped. The loss of our troops was officially stated at three privates killed, twelve wounded, three missing, and one officer wounded. The troops of General Humbert were found, when prisoners, to consist of seven hundred and forty-six privates, and ninety-six officers, having sustained a loss of about two hundred men since their landing at Killala on the 22d of August*. The remaining efforts of the rebels, were an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of Granard. Their plan was in case of success to attack the town of Cavan, where considerable stores of arms and ammunition

As it is within the possibilities of this eventful era, that an invasion may be attempted either in Ireland or Great Britain, it may be useful to reflect, that in the heart of an armed kingdom a pitiful detachment of eleven hundred French infantry, routed a select body of six thousand men posted to receive them, provided themselves with ordnance and ammunition from our stores, tock several towns, marched 150 miles through a country, in which there was an army of 150,000 men, and kept arms in their hands for seventeen days. But it was that army, which the untemporising and gallant Abercrombie had, on the 26th of the preceding February, found in such a state of licentiousness, that must Tender it formidable to every one but the enemy.

were deposited. In the county of Mayo, where they 1798. had first risen to assist the invaders, they still persevered in a state of insurrection. Castlebar, which on its evacuation by the French, had been occupied by the King's troops, was also unsuccessfully attacked by a body of two thousand rebels. On the 22d of September, thirty-two days after the landing of the French force, and fifteen after its capture at Ballinamuck, a body of twelve hundred men with five pieces of cannon, arrived at Killala, under the command of Major General Trench. After a more spirited, than judicious resistance for about half an hour, the rebels were forced to disperse. In the action and flight they lost about four hundred men. The town of Killala, thus recovered by his Majesty's forces, had been 32 days in the possession of the French and rebels*. The court-martial began the day after the battle, and sat in the house of Mr. Morrison. It had to try seventy-five prisoners at Killala, and a hundred and ten at Ballina, besides others, who might be brought in daily. The two first persons tried at this tribunal were General Bellew and Mr. Richard Bourke. Their trial was short. They were found guilty in the evening, and hanged the

* Of the transactions, which occurred at Killala during that period, the bishop's candid narrative is a most interes ing and authentic historical document, and extremely honorable to the writer. It evinces a genuine goodness of heart, and a mind so cultivated, so candid, so elevated above vulgar prejudices and the servile fear of party, as to discern and publicly acknowledge the virtues of an enemy.

1798.

Consequences of the rebel.

Lion.

next morning. Roger Macguire was found guilty, but remanded to prison, and afterwards transported to Botany Bay. His father, the brewer, was hanged; some others were executed. Thus ended the rebellion, or, more properly speaking, the various insurgencies in Ireland in the year 1798, in which, according to the most probable accounts, the loss of the army amounted to 19,700; that of the rebels and fugitives exceeded 50,000.

The consequences and effects of the rebellion now put down, command attention to the progress towards that important event, the incorporate union of the two kingdoms, which so closely followed it. Fierce as was the contest during this unfortunate warfare, the parliament continued to legislate during the whole of its continuance. In the months of August and September the examination of the chiefs of the rebels went forward before the secret committees of both houses, and their reports were then published. Government was anxious, that these reports should gain universal credit. On the other side, advertisements appeared in the more popular prints cautioning the public against giving them credit. On the 6th of September, Lord Clare made a special report from the committee of secrecy founded on these advertisements, informing the house, that they had thought it their duty to examine Mr. A. O'Connor, Mr. Emmet, and Dr. M'Neven, with respect to such advertisements, in order to ascertain, whether they intended to contradict or retract any thing, which they had theretofore deposed before the committee. And their