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HISTORY OF THE IRISH REBELLION.

sense, I hope I shall not so debase myself as to take any notice; but treat its authors, as I would, in similar circumstances, the loquacious females of the fish-market, with a contemptuous silence.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

NUMBER I.

SUMMONS TO THE COMMANDER OF THE GAR

SIR,

RISON OF ross.

As a friend to humanity, I request you will surrender the town of Ross to the Wexford forces, now assembled against that town. Your resistance will but provoke rapine and plunder to the ruin of the most innocent. Flushed with victory, the Wexford forces, now innumerable and irresistible, will not be controuled if they meet with resistance. To prevent, therefore, the total ruin of all property in the town, I urge you to a speedy surrender, which you will be forced to in a few hours, with loss and bloodshed, as you are surrounded on all sides. Your answer is required in four hours. Mr. Furlong carries this letter, and will bring the answer.

Camp at Corbet-hill, half

I am, Sir,

B. B. HARVEY, General, commanding, &c. &c.

past three o'clock, morn

ing, June 5, 1798.

GENERAL ORDERS ISSUED IN CONSEQUENCE

OF THE DEFEAT AT ROSS, AND THE MASSA-
CRE AT SCULLABOGUE.

At a meeting of the general and several officers of the united army of the county of Wexford, the following resolutions were agreed upon:

Resolved, that the commander-in-chief shall send guards to certain baronies, for the purpose of bringing in all men they shall find loitering and delaying at home, or elsewhere; and if any resistance be given to those guards, so to be seut by the commanding officer's orders, it is our desire and orders, that such persons so giving resistance shall be liable to be put to death by the guards, who are to bear a commission for that purpose; and all such persons found to be so loitering and delaying at home, when brought in by the guards, shall be tried by a courtmartial, appointed and chosen from among the commanders of all the different corps, and be punished with death.

Resolved, that all officers shall immediately repair to their respective quarters, and remain with their different corps, and not to depart therefrom under pain of death, unless authorised to quit by written orders from the commanderin-chief for that purpose.

It is also ordered, that a guard shall be kept

in the rear of the different armies, with orders to shoot all persons who shall fly or desert from any engagement; and that these orders shall be taken notice of by all officers commanding such engagement.

1

All men refusing to obey their superior officers, to be tried by a court-martial, and punished according to their sentence.

It is also ordered, that all men who shall attempt to leave their respective quarters when they have been halted by the commander-inchief, shall suffer death, unless they shall have leave from their officers for so doing.

It is ordered by the commander-in-chief, that all persons who have stolen or taken away any horse or horses, shall immediately bring in all such horses to the camp, at head quarters; otherwise for any horse that shall be seen or found in the possession of any person to whom he does not belong, that person shall, on being convicted thereof, suffer death:

And any goods that shall have been plundered from any house, if not brought into head quarters, or returned immediately to the houses or owners, that all persons so plundering as aforesaid, shall, on being convicted thereof, suffer death.

It is also resolved, that any person or persons who shall take upon them to kill or murder any person or prisoner, burn any house, or commit

any plunder, without special written orders from
the commander-in-chief, shall suffer death.
By order of

B. B. HARVEY, Commander-in-chief,
FRANCIS BREEN, Sec. and Adj.

Head-quarters, Carrickburn

camp, June 6, 1798.

For the same purpose was issued the following proclamation.

TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND,

Countrymen and fellow-soldiers!

YOUR patriotic exertions in the cause of your country have hitherto exceeded your most sanguine expectations, and in a short time must ultimately be crowned with success. Liberty has raised her drooping head: thousands daily flock to her standard: the voice of her children every where prevails. Let us then, in the moment of triumph, return thanks to the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, that a total stop has been put to those sanguinary measures which of late were but too often resorted to by the creatures of government, to keep the people in slavery.

Nothing now, my countrymen, appears necessary to secure the conquests you have so bravely won, but an implicit obedience to the commands of your chiefs; for, through a want of proper subordination and discipline, all may be endangered.

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