little use to the French, who expected far more powerful assistance from the Irish. They had also expected to be immediately followed by a large army and a considerable number of arms, with ammunition and stores from France. Being entirely disappointed in the former expectation, and seeing no prospect of being gra tified with the latter, they began to apprehend that they had only been sent to annoy the enemies of their country. They however, even in this case, resolved to perform their duty, and use every effort in their power, against the British government, until they should be compelled to surrender.

On the 1st of September general Humbert ordered the troops which he left at Killalla, to repair to the main body, and on the 4th of the same month, he marched from Castlebar, and directed his march through Foxford, towards the town of Sligo, with a design of entering the county of Donegal, where it was expected, the additional forces from France, would land. A body of the king's troops, under colonel Crawford, supported by another under lieutenantgeneral Lake, hung upon the rear of Humbert's army; another body of troops, under general Moore, watched the motions of the enemy, at a greater distance; while the main army, under lord Cornwallis, proceeded in a parallel direction from the town of Hollymount, through Clare and Ballyhaunis, towards Carrick-onshannon, intending to regulate his subsequent motions by those of the enemy.

The advanced-guard of the French having passed Tubbercurry, after a smart action with some yeomen, and arrived at the village of Coloony, about five miles from Sligo, where it was gallantly opposed by colonel Verreker, with a detachment of the city of Limerick militia, a few yeomen, and thirty of the 24th dragoons, and two curricle guns, in the whole not exceeding three hundred men. Colonel Verreker found the enemy advantageously arranged for his reception between him and Coloony. The colonel engaged the French about an hour and a half, but was at length obliged to retreat to Sligo, with the loss of his artillery, and some men killed and wounded. Himself and four

other officers were wounded, and ensign Rumley killed. The loss of the French in this action exceeded fifty, thirty of whom were wounded.

Notwithstanding the royal troops were defeated, the French army received such a severe check, that general Humbert thought proper to relinquish his design of attacking Sligo. Humbert then directed his march through Drummahair towards Manorhamilton, in the county of Leitrim, leaving on the road, for the sake of expedition, three six-pounders dismounted, and throwing five other pieces of artillery over the bridge into the water at Drummahair. When he had come within a few miles of Manorhamilton, he suddenly wheeled to the right, and directed his course through Drumkerin, with intention, as is supposed, of attempting to reach the town of Granard, in the county of Longford, where an insurrection had broken out.

The troops

under colonel Crawford, pursued the enemy with such expedition, that on the 7th he came to an action with the rear-guard, between Drumshambo and Ballynamore, in which he was defeated with some loss.

The French army then passed the river Shannon at Ballintra, and halted in the night at Cloone, whence it proceeded to Ballinamuck, and arrived on the 8th of September, and was so closely followed by the troops under general Lake and colonel Crawford, that its rear-guard had not time to blow up the bridge at Ballintra, to impede the pursuit. About this time lord Cornwallis, with the main army, crossed the same river at Carrick-on-Shannon, and marched by Mohill to Saint-Johnstown, in the county of Longford, to intercept the enemy in front, should it proceed to Granard; by which movement the French army was reduced to such a situation that, if it had proceeded, it would have been surrounded by an army of near thirty thousand men.

General Humbert then arranged his forces in order of battle, and determined to maintain the honour of the French arms, until he should be compelled to surrender. The rear-guard of his army was then attacked by the troops under colonel Crawford, when about two hundred infantry surrendered. The rest continued to defend themselves with great spirit for near an hour; but when the main body of the army, under general Lake, appeared, they also surrendered, after having made lord Roden, and a small party of dra

goons, prisoners. Lord Roden, and the dragoons, advanced into the French line, for the purpose of obtaining their surrendry, without the effusion of blood, when they were made prisoners. Soon after the king's troops came up, and the French desired lord Roden to order them to halt, and they surrendered.

General Humbert surrendered to lieutenant-general Lake, and was afterwards conducted to lord Cornwallis, who was about five miles off.

The rebels who had joined the French, and accompanied them to Ballynamuck, were excluded from quarter, and of course fled, as fast as they could, in all directions, and were pursued by our cavalry, who made a great slaughter among them, having killed near five hundred. The number of French prisoners were seven hundred and forty-eight privates, and ninety-six officers; they having sustained a loss of two hundred and eighty-eight men, since their landing at Killalla.

7

While the French were marching from Castlebar, an alarming insurrection broke out in the neighbourhood of Granard, which was designed to make a diversion in their favour, and to afford them a commodious post, whence they might, when united, direct their operations against the metropolis; to prevent this junction lord Cornwallis prudently marched his forces in a line between the invading army and the interior country. Great numbers of rebels joined this conspi

racy, particularly in the county of Longford, who were headed by the O'Haras, the two Dennistons, O'Connell, Farrell, and O'Reilly, all men of property. Their plan was to rise at the summons of their chiefs in the neighbourhood of Granard, to seize that post and then to attack the town of Cavan, where a great quantity of arms and ammunition were deposited. On the 5th of September, a bedy of upwards of four thousand of these insurgents were on the point of surprising the town of Granard, before any considerable force could be had for its protection. Between seven and eight in the morning the rebels were within sight of the town, under the command of Alexander Denniston. At this critical moment captain Cottingham of the Cavan and Ballyhaise yeomen infantry and eighty-five men arrived for its defence, and joined the few yeomen who were in the town. Captain Cottingham's force now consisted of one hundred and fifty-seven infantry and forty-nine cavalry; which he placed in an advantageous position on a hill, between the insurgents and the town; but observing t..at the rebels, who were advancing in one column, divided into three for the purpose of surrounding his little army, he retreated to another position still nearer the town, where he was protected by a bank and other fences, and in this po sition awaited the attack of the rebels, who drove a number of cattle before them to annoy the yeomen, but they turned the cattle aside without falling into confusion; then the rebels advanced close to their line, and received a destructive discharge of musketrv notwithstanding which they persevered in their