He accompanied Mr. D’Arcy, a member of his corps, within a mile of Ballynahown,* his country feat, and advifed him to fend his mother, a venerable old lady, into that town, to efcape the favage fury of the rebels; but before he could effect it, he was fhot near his houfe, by a rebel of the name of Whelan, who was attached to father John Murphy, as his aidde camp.† This young gentleman was polfeffed of a large eftate, and had very honourable connections, as his mother is aunt to the earl of Ely, and fifter to general Tottenham. From a defire to ferve his king and country, he entered as a private into the Ballaghkeene cavalry. Captain White then repaired to Ifland,‡ the feat of Mr. Bolton, within two miles of Kyle, and recommended to him to repair immediately to Gorey, for protection. Mr. Bolton, and his family, confifting of Mrs. Bolton and ten children, fucceeded in efcaping to Gorey, but were stopped in their way by a party of rebels, who difarmed, and were on the point of murdering them and their fervants.§ On that morning the houfes of Mr. D’Arcy and Mr. Bolton were plundered and burnt. Captain White was induced to go to the houfe of Kyle, by the great volume of fmoke, which iffued from it; and on his arrival there, he beheld that heart-rending fcene of mifery which I have already defcribed. At fome diftance from the houfe, he met William Edwards, one of Mr. Burrowes’s proteftant guards, whom the rebels had left for dead; but as they had not touched any vital part, he rofe, as if from a trance, and through exceffive weaknefs, tottered every ilep in endeavouring to make his efcape. His arm was broke; he had many ghaftly wounds, and he was covered with blood.

On the fixteenth of November, 1798, Peter Crowley was tried and convicted at Wexford, of having been actively concerned in this woeful fcene, on the evidence of Richard Foxton and William Edwards; and they proved that fome of the rebels declared at Kyle, that all proteftants fhould be killed, as they were not chriftians; and that Mr. Burrowes cried out for mercy when he furrendered himfelf to father Murphy, but was immediately butchered.

* See Plate III. 2.  
† This was proved on the trial of the rebel general Roach, which began the feventeenth of December, 1798, at Wexford.    
‡ Plate III. 2.
§ See in Appendix,’ No. XVIII. 5. the affidavit of George Williams, giving an acco«nt of the deftruftivc rage of the rebels on the morning of Whitfunday.

Mr. White made many attempts to go to his own houfe; but as all the avenues to it were occupied by detachments of the rebels, who afters wards plundered it, he retreated to Gorey, and had many narrow efcapes in doing fo. In his way thither, he beheld the houfes of proteftants on fire, in every direction. I fhall refer the reader to the affidavit of George and Elizabeth Williams, for the fcene of defolation which the country, for many miles round, exhibited on Whitfunday.* Mr. ferjeant Stanley arrived at Gorey, from Dublin, on Saturday the twenty-fixth day of May, in his way to Cork, where he was to hold a fpecial commiffion. Captain White fent fix yeomen cavalry to efcort him as far as Ennifcorthy. Two of them, George Greenly and James Shaw, ftop ped, on their return, at their own houfes, where they were murdered. Margaret Greenly, the fifter of the former, on hearing that her brother had fallen into the hands of the rebels, fled to his affiftance, in hopes of deprecating their anger, but they barbaroufly murdered her. Shaw was defperately wounded, and carried to his bed, with a profpect of his recovery; but the rebels returned in a fortnight, and butchered him with ferocious cruelty; but fpared the houfe, becaufe his mother was a papift.†

As father Michael Murphy, who acted with fuch profound diffimulation, made a confpicuous figure in the rebellion, I fhall fay a few words on his origin and progrefs through life. He was born at Killnew, near Kilmuckridge,‡ of mean parents, and was bred at a hedge fchool at, Oulart, by one Prendergaft, an itinerant pedagogue; and having received holy orders, he went to Bourdeaux, recommended to the Abbe Glynn, prefident of the Irifh college there, by the reverend James Caulfield, then parifh prieft of New Rofs, but now popifh bifhop of Ferns, which appears by the following letter:

“Reverend Sir, Rofs, October 23d, 1785,
“The reverend Michael Murphy, a fubjeft of the diocefe, and ordained a prieft laft Whitfuntide, now bound for your city, for the purpofe of profecuting his ftudies of philofophy and theology, craves a line from me

* Appendix, No. XVIII. 5.
† Michael Fitzpatrick, who headed the gang of affaffins that murdered him, was convicted of that crime at Wexford, the twenty-eighth of September, 1799, and hanged.
‡ See Plate III. 2.

I have the honour to be, kc.
JAMES CAULFIELD.”

At his return from France, he became an officiating prieft at Ballycanew, and behaved himfelf there with very great propriety, till the rebellion broke out; but, under the veil of sanctity, he concealed a furious and fanguinary fpirit, which difplayed itfelf on the morning of Whitfunday; when, at the head of a numerous party of his parifhioners, whom his evangelical inftructions had converted into robbers and affaffins, he proceeded towards Oulart, burning the houfes of proteftants, and murdering fuch of their inhabitants as could not efcape.

I have been well affured, that he narrowly efcaped from the deftructive fpirit of French republicanifm, when his order was on the point of being annihilated in France; and yet he manifefted a ftrong predilection for the principles of that nation, and a defire to join them, fhould they land in Ireland.

The moft memorable event occafioned by the fanatical rage of the rebels on Whitfunday, was the defeat of a detachment of the North Cork regiment at Oulart, near Kilmuckridge,* of which the affticted family of the reverend Mr. Burrowes were eye-witneffes, a few hours after their own cataftrophe happened; and as it was in a great meafure the caufe of the dreadful fcenes of carnage and plunder which foon after happened in the county of Wexford, I think it right to give the reader a circumftantial account of it.

On the morning of Whitfunday the twenty-feventh of May, 1798, at an early hour, the town of Wexford was alarmed by the arrival of Edward Turner of Newfort efquire, a magiftrate, who informed the officer commanding the garrifon, that his houfe had been befet that morning by a large body of infurgents, who had feized the pikes which they had

* Plate III. J.   † Ibid. III. 4.

surrendered to him a few days before, after having taken oaths of allegiance, and that they were affembling in great numbers.

The garrifon confifted of part of the North Cork militia, captain Boyd’s yeomen cavalry, and doctor Jacob’s yeomen infantry. A detachment of the cavalry was ordered to fcour the country; and about the hour of eleven in the morning, one hundred and nine picked men of the North Cork, under the command of lieutenant-colonel Foote, marched out to attack the infurgents; and on their march towards Oulart,* they were joined by colonel Lehunte’s yeomen cavalry. From that time the fituation of the town was truly diftreffing: The rebels were underftood to be in confiderable force; and the anxiety of the inhabitants for the fate of the brave men who marched out to oppofe them, was aggravated by the reports of the horrid atrocities they had committed in their progrefs through the country; for between two and three o’clock they had received Intelligence at Wexford, of the murder of Mr. D’Arcy, the reverend Mr. Burrowes, and the reverend Mr. Turner; and the fuppofed murder of Mr. Dawfon, and the burning of their refpective houfes.

All was folemn filence and anxious expectation! but ftill encouraging accounts were received of the North Cork militia, before whom the rebels were faid to be flying in every direction. But this delufive hope was of fhort duration; for about the hour of four o’clock, Mr. Perceval, the high fherilf, rode into town, with the melancholy account of their total defeat and deftruction; and foon after lieutenant-colonel Foote, and one ferjeant, the wretched remains of that fine and valiant body of men, were feen penfively riding over the bridge, and approaching the town: And now the folemn filence of that awful morning was fucceeded by a truly heart-rending fcene. Moft of the North Cork, who fell in the action at Oulart, were married men; and as foon as their fate was known, their widows and orphans ran into the ftreets, filling the air with their cries, difmaying every heart, and piercing every foul with fhrieks of anguifh and defpair.
This fatal affair took place at Oulart, about eight miles off, where the rebels, to the number of five thoufand, were pofted on the fide of a hill. A detachment of them defcended from it, apparently with a defign to engage the king’s troops; though this turned out in the event to be but a

* Plate III. 2.

ftratagem, for the purpofe of furrounding and furprifing them. The rebels, having been broken and difperfed by a general volley, fled up the hill towards the main body, and were purfued by the North Cork militia, who were broken into fmall parties during the purfuit, from the number of hedges which they had to clamber over. In the mean time, father John Murphy, who commanded the rebels, fent numbers of them circuitoufly under cover of the hedges, to attack the militia on either flank, and in the rear, while the main body charged them in front. This artifice fucceeded; for they were furrounded, overpowered by numbers, and the entire party was cut to pieces, except the lieutenant-colonel, a ferjeant, and three privates. They were attended by colonel Lehunte’s corps of yeomen cavalry, in which there were twenty-four Roman catholicks; and of thefe, twenty deferted to the rebels on that morning before the action began, which contributed to their fuccefs.

This action was thus defcribed to me by perfons of veracity, who were fpectators of it. Lieutenant-colonel Foote has given the following relation of it in a letter to a friend: “I marched to a hill called Oulart, where between four and five thoufand rebels were pofted. From their great fuperiority of numbers, it was not my intention to have attacked them, unlefs fome unforefeen favourable circumftances would warrant that meafure; however, my officers were of a contrary opinion. I met here part of a yeoman cavalry corps, about fixteen; the remainder, with their ferjeant, having that morning joined the rebels. I halted with this corps, while I fent a note by their trumpeter to Wexford, with orders for two officers and forty men to march thence to us to fupport our detachment; apprehending that the rebels, from their numbers, might intercept our retreat, afterwards, when I joined the party, I found that they were moved forward by the officer next in command; and the foldiers cried out, that they would beat the rebels out of the field. By this movement we were immediately engaged with the rebels, who fired from behind the hedges, without fhewing any regular front. We beat their advanced party from one hedge to another, which they had fucceffively occupied, and fired from on us, killing great numbers of them, till they retreated in much diforder to the main body, which confifted moftly of pikemen. I confidered this a favourable opportunity of forming the detachment, for the purpofe of retreating, or of receiving the enemy in a good pofition; and

I ufed every exertion to effect it; but unfortunately the too great ardour of the men and. officers could not be reftrained. They rufhed forward, were furrounded, and overpowered by numbers. They difplayed great valour and intrepidity, and killed a great number of the rebels.* Of this detachment, none have as yet returned to Wexford, but myfelf, a ferjeant, and three privates. I received a wound from a pike in my breast, a flight one in my arm, and feveral bruifes and contufions.”

The colonel had a faithful fervant, who had lived eighteen years with him; and who, regardlefs of his own danger, remained clofe to him during the action, and often warned him that the rebels were taking aim at him, but he was foon fhot himfelf.

It appears, that the rebels were rendered bold and defperate by intoxication; and that from twelve to fifteen of them fingled out and attacked each of the foldiers, who did not refign their lives but at a dear rate to their affailants.

Lieutenant Ware, nephew to lieutenant-colonel Foote, a young gentleman juft of age, and poffeffed of a good landed property, was on the point of making his efcape on horfeback, after the difperfion of his party; when a fmall boy, one of the band of mufick, who had been wounded, called out to him, and implored him to fave his life; on which Mr. Ware stopped his horfe, and humanely endeavoured to raife him on his faddle, and to carry him off; but before he could accomplifh his benevolent defign, he was dragged from his horfe by a rebel, with a hook annexed to his pike, and was immediately butchered.

The officers who fell in this unfortunate affair were, major Lombard, the honourable captain De Courcy, lieutenants Williams, Ware, Barry, and enfign Keogh.

Whitfunday, the day after this defeat, the fervant of one of the officers who fell, having been warmly attached to his mafter, went to Oulart, to have his body interred; but the rebels murdered him, as foon as they difcovered his generous defign. The fubfequent fuccefs of the rebels in the county of Wexford, arofe, in a great meafure, from the arms and ammunition which they obtained, and the confidence with which they were infpired by this victory over the king’s troops, whom they had hitherto confidered as invincible, however inferior their numbers might have been. All the night after this action, the rebels continued to burn the houfes,

* The rebels have faid, that they loft but feven men killed.

and deftroy the property of proteftants, and to murder fach of them as fell into their hands.*

The day after the action at Oulart, orders, written in red ink, were iffued by father John Murphy, and difperfed over all the adjacent country, commanding, at the peril of their lives, all perfons capable of bearing arms, to join his army forthwith, for the purpofe of attacking Ennifcorthy; at the fame time, the old men were ordered to bury the dead.

Two perfons, employed in that tafk, found fome remains of life in one of the Cork foldiers, and one of them conveyed him to his pig-ftye, with the humane intention of refloring him, if poffible. By fupplying him with nourifhment, he recovered the ufe of his fpeech, and had every fymptom of convalefcence: He faid that his name was Sullivan. The merit of his preferver was the greater, as the crime of refcuing a foldief or a yeoman from deftruction, if known, would inevitably have occafioned his own.

A ruffian of the name of Rofterfon, having heard of this act of humanity, repaired to the houfe of the perfon who performed it, and cenfured him for it as a criminal act. He faid in his defence, “That the poor patient was a good Roman catholick”, but the favage retorted, “That his religion was no excufe, as he was a foldier”† and he inftantly plunged his pike into his body.

As foon as the garrifon of Gorey heard of the defeat of the North Cork at Oulart, and of the immenfe numbers who were flocking to the ftandard of father John Murphy, they, defpairing of being able to maintain their pofition againft fo great a fu.periority of numbers, retreated to Arklow, and were followed by all the proteftants of the town, and the adjacent country, who dreaded the fanguinary rage of the rebels. They, with infancy and decrepitude in their train, and with little or no means of fubfiftence, prefented a woeful fpedlacle; and as all the houfes at Arklow were occupied by the military and yeomen, thefe poor fugitives fuffered very great diftrefs, fleeping in barns and out-offices, and even in ditches.

On Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, major Hardy, who commanded at Arklow, ordered the garrifon to return to Gorey, by which they gained

* For a defcription of their atrocities, fee Samuel Whealey’s affidavit in Appendix, No. XVIII. 2.

fome fame, and rendered the moft important fervice, in repulfing a numerous body of rebels who attacked that town on the thirtieth of May.

The murder of the reverend Francis Turner of Ballingale,* about three miles from Ferns, and reftor of Edermine, was attended with circumftances of peculiar atrocity. On the morning of Whitfunday, a party of about three hundred affaffins, headed by Denis Carthy and James Maher, fet out from the houfe of William Carthy of Ballycarney,† uncle of the former, and declared their intention of putting him to death in the prefence of Mrs. Carthy, who endeavoured to diffuade them from it, affirming that Mr. Turner was univerfally efteemed and refpected. The houfe was defended for fome time by him, and eight of his proteftant parifhioners, who had fought an afylum in it. Mr. Turner, foon after the attack was made, received a fhot in his jaw, which entirely difabled him from attending to the defence of his houfe. As it was double, and the affailants feemed to direct all their fury againft its front, the befieged, after the death of Mr. Turner, paid no attention to the rear, into which the rebels entered, having been admitted (it is faid) by the treachery of the butler.

After having murdered Mr. Turner, and five of his proteftant parifhioners, they fet fire to his dwelling-houfe and out-offices, in which the bodies of the deceafed were confumed. An affaffin of the name of William Beaghan, infultingly flourifhed the blade of a fcythe over the dead body of Mr. Turner, and uttered fome expreffions indicative of favage joy.
In front of the houfe, they ran a pike through the neck of William Chriftian, one of Mr. Turner’s proteftant guards; and while the weapon was infixed in the wound, they fhook his head very violently, to increafe the agony of his pain; and when his body fell on the ground, they raifed it up on their pikes, and toffed it in the air, to extinguifh any remains of life which might have been in it.

After the perpetration of this horrid deed, Denis Carthy and James Maher, boafted at their return to the houfe of William Carthy, of having executed it; and the latter openly declared, that a quantity of blood which appeared on his breeches, was that of the reverend Mr. Turner.

Thus this worthy gentleman, whofe benevolence and amiable manners had juftly entitled him to univerfal love and efteem, and whofe mind was highly adorned with profound and elegant learning, fell a prey to the

* Plate II. 7.           † Ibid,

fanatical rage of a popifh rabble, headed by his tenants and neighbours, whom he had never failed to treat with kindnefs and beneficence.

The principal leader in this atrocious act was Michael Keogh, Mr. Turner’s proctor, who was raifed to a ftate of comfort and affluence from downright poverty, by his kindnefs and generofity.

The circumftances attending this tragical affair were related to me by his two nephews, and a fervant of the late Mr. Turner, who were eewitneffes of them; and moft of them were verified by affidavit.*

One of the former, of the age of twelve years, fometime after this melancholy event, went to the garden of his deceafed uncle to pull fome fruit, when he was infulted by a rebel boy about fifteen years old, who attempted to expel him from it; having declared, that he had no right to be there, as his family had informed him that the garden was his property.

The mafs of the people muft have been univerfally filled with an idea of exterminating all thofe who were connefted with England by religion, intereft, or confanguinity, and of appropriating this ifland exclufively to themfelves, when a child of that age made fo open and prompt an avowal of it.

The fingular fortitude and integrity of Mrs. Gambia Carthy, wife of William Carthy, in profecuting James Maher and Denis Carthy, her hufband’s nephew, juftly entitle her to univerfal efteem and admiration. She is daughter of furgeon Maw of Gorey, and of the proteftant religion. When thefe ruffians deliberately expreffed their defign of murdering Mr. Turner, on the morning of Whitfunday, fhe endeavoured to diffuade them from it, and afterwards, fhe appeared as a witnefs againft them on their trial; though, by doing fo, fhe was fure of provoking the vengeance of all her hufband’s relations, who were of the popifh perfuafion, and moft of whom were deeply and actively concerned in the rebellion.

On the murder of the reverend Mr. Burrowes at Kyle, his widow and her family were conveyed to Oulart, and afterwards to Caftle-annefley,† the feat of Mr. Clifford, who was her brother; and Mrs. D’Arcy, his

* See in Appendix, No. XVIII. 6. the affidavit of John Horton, James Doyle, and Cambia Carthy.  † Plate III.

mother-in-law, repaired there alfo, expeding to find fecurity and fome confolation under the roof of fo near a relation; but, alas! they foon difcovered that it was as much the houfe of woe as their own manfions.

Having heard of the calamities which had befallen his fifter’s family, Mr. Clifford went to Oulart, on the twenty-feventh of May, to relieve them, but finding that the irebels were in poffeffion of it, he endeavoured to make his efcape; and in doing fo. one of the rebels fired a piftol at him, and wounded him in the fhoulder.

On Wednefday the thirtieth of May, he refolved to go to Kyle, to fecure fuch part of his fifter’s property as had not been plundered; but thinking that the protection of the parifh prieft would be neceffary for his fafety, he repaired to the houfe of father Michael Lacy* for that purpofe. As foon as he arrived there, another man of the name of Lacy fired four fhots at him with a mufket, but fortunately miffed him; and yet Mr. Clifford continued all the time on his knees, imploring mercy from the favage. Lacy then gave the mufket to a man of the name of Boulger, whom he knew to be a better markfman than himfelf, and he fired, and gave him a defperate wound in the head, as the charge confifted of flugs and horfe-nails. On falling to the ground, the rebels beat him in a moft cruel manner, and diflocated his fhoulder, fo that they left him for dead. They then fhot his faithful attendant, a proteftant fervant, who had lived twenty-five years in his family.

As this amiable gentleman was diftinguifhed for general benevolence, and every good quality that could endear, it was believed that he had not an enemy on earth; but his religion was his only crime. Mr. Clifford, who might have foothed the anguifh of his aged mother-in-law Mrs. D’Arcy, and Mrs. Burrowes and her five orphans, was conveyed, with his poor fervant, on a car to his houfe, where he continued delirious, and in convulfions for a month; during which time his afflicted wife and fix children daily expected his diffolution; and to heighten their diftrefs, the houfe was occupied by a party of rebel guards, who were daily relieved from a neighbouring camp at Upton,|| the feat of

* Father Lacy, the prieft, might have faved his life by the turn of his finger.  || See Plate III. I, i.

Plate IV: A Map of Enniscorthy and Vinegar-hill where the Rebels were pofted previous to the Action on 21st of June 1798 by Alex Taylor Captn. in His Majesty’s Royal Engineers. [Facing p.347.]
[Inset text:] Gen. Sir James Duff & Loftus advanced by the Ferns road when the latter turned to the left at A by the road to the fields B. The dotted line represents the advance of the Rebels C. The point at which Gen. Lake began the attack.

Mr. James White. While they continued prisoners at Caftle-annefley, their food was fo bad, that they were often on the point of ftarving.

The inhabitants of the country contiguous to Carnew,* nine miles from Gorey, collected in fuch numbers on the twenty-feventh of May, under the aufpices of father Michael Murphy, that they had the confidence to attack that town.

On that morning, the garrifon confifting of a company of the Antrim militia, commanded by captain Rowan, two corps of yeomen infantry, and one of caivalry, making in the whole about two hundred men, having received intelligence that they were approaching the town, marched out, met, and engaged them, at a place called Bullinrufh, killed nine, and took two prifoners, and difperfed the remainder, who fled to Ferns,† poffeffed at that time by the rebels.The garrifon had the mortification to behold all the loyalifts houfes. in flames, as far as they could fee.

While the infantry were refting themfelves, a detachment of captain Wainright’s troop, who had been on an out-poft, were driven in about four o’clock in the evening, by the main body of the rebels from Ferns, who were advancing to renew the engagement.

The little garrifon formed and. marched to attack them on Kitthomashill,† where they were judicioufly ported. The rebels having been broken in about a quarter of an hour by the fire of the infantry, were charged by the cavalry,§ though up a fteep hill, and difperfed in all directions. In the purfuit, about one hundred and fifty of them were killed; and of the garrifon but one man was flightly wounded. They took a great number of horfes, fome of which had belonged to the unfortunate Mr. Turner, who was that day murdered at Ballingale. There were three priefts in that action, one of whom was the famous father Michael Murphy, killed at the battle of Arklow on the ninth of June.

On Friday following, the firft of June, the unfortunate colonel Walpole marched into Carnew, and reconnoitred the rebels, pofted on Ballymore-hills, twice before the fatal fourth of June.

The rebellious inhabitants of the country, encouraged by the fuccefs of father John Murphy againft the North Cork regiment, flocked to his ftandard at Oulart in fuch numbers, that he refolved to attack the town.

* See Plate n. 4. ‡ Ibid. 7. Near Slievebuoy mountain, Plate II. 5.  § The Shilela cavalry, commanded by captain Wainright, earl Fitzwilliam’s againft it, who in various actions shewed great valour and good fenfe.

of Ennifcorthy,* about fix miles diftant, on Monday morning the twenty-eighth day of May; but firft I think it right to give the reader an account of the garrifon which defended it.

Ennifcorthy† is a market, a port, and a borough town, which returned two members to parliament. It is divided into two parts by the river Slaney, over which there is a ftone bridge.| The market-houfe, the court-houfe, and the principal ftreets are on the fouth fide of it. Two fuburbs called Templelhannon|| and Druingoold§ lie on the north fide, and at the foot of Vinegar-hill, a mountain which is quite clofe to the town. It is about twelve miles from the town of Wexford, fixteen from Rofs, eighteen from Gorey, eight from Taghmon, fix from Ferns, and nine and three quarters from Newtown-barry. As the tide ebbs and
flows

* Plate III. i.   † Ibid. IV.   ‡ Ibid.   || Ibid. 5.    § Ibid. 6.

flows to it, which makes the river navigable for barges of fome burden, it was a place of confiderable trade; and the inhabitants were between four and five thoufand, before the defolating fpirit of rebellion banifhed or deftroyed a great portion of them.

Information having been received that James Lacy, a fhopkeeper, wast at the head of a traitorous confpiracy, he fuddenly difappeared. On fearching his houfe, fome treafonable papers were found in it; which exafperated the yeomen fo much, that fome of them ruihed into it and deftroyed a great part of the furniture. This man was afterwards commiffary general of the rebel army, on Vinegar-hill; and his brother, a prieft, frequently attended the camp there, and faid mafs for the rebels.

On Saturday evening, the twenty-fixth of May, captain Pounden and the reverend Mr. Handcock, both magiftrates, agreed on the expediency of feizing and laying under requlfition all the gunpowder to be found in the fhops; not only to prevent its falling into the hands of the rebels, but to fupply the loyalifts, fhould there be a deficiency of it. That night the garrifon lay under arms in the ftreets, and the neceffary guards and patroles were eftablifhed.
From Saturday evening till Monday morning, proteftant families, in great numbers, were coming into the town, flying from the fanatical vengeance of the rebels, and bringing their children, their baggage, and their furniture on cars.

On that evening a handfome young woman, of the name of Piper, came galloping at full fpeed into the town, with horror and fright in her countenance, and crying out, “Murder! Murder!” and faying, that the maffacre had begun. I have already related the cruelty of the rebels towards her family at Tincurry.

About feven o’clock on Monday morning, the twenty-eighth day of May, a man arrived there, and informed the garrifon, that they would be attacked before three o’clock in the afternoon; and at that time the troops were much exhaufted in mind and body, from being conftantly under arms, from fupplying patroles and videttes, and from fcouring the country; andfoon after captain Snowe received a letter from lieutenants colonel Foote, with an account of the defeat of the North Cork at Oulart. Captain Ogle, of Belview* new member for the city of Dublin,

* Plate III. 4.

marched to the relief of the garrifon on Sunday morning, with a numerous corps, of infantry but having received intelligence that his own country was difturbed, he was imder the neceffity of returning to it, accompanied by the Healthfield corps of cavalry, commanded by captain John Grogan.

On Monday morning the twenty-eighth day of May, about nine o’clock, the drums beat to arms, as a report was fpread, that the rebels were advancing towards the town in great force. The different pofitions. and rallying pofts were immediately affigned to the garrifon. The North Cork occupied the bridge, the Ennifcorthy cavalry the ftreet leading to it from the town, the Ennifcorthy and Scarawalfh infantry the Duffrey-gate-hill, at the Newtown-barry road. A confiderable guard was pofted in the market houfe, where the arms and ammunition were fiodged, and’ Tome fufpicious perfons were confined; and another in the caftle, where fome notorious rebels were in ftrict cuftody.

About half an hour before the enemy appeared, a rebel fpy, with a white cotton jacket, and a white hat with a broad green band, was feized near the town, and as a rebel commiffion was found in his pocket, he was hanged. .
At length, about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, the videttes at the Duffrey-gate* came galloping in, and announced, that the rebels who had affembled at Bally-orle hill, which is on the north eaft fide of the town, and about two miles diftant from it, were advancing on the Newtown-barry road, in an immenfe column, which extended a mile -in length, and was fo thick, as to fill up the road.

Some officers in the garrifon, who had feen a great deal of actual fervice, declared that their number was between five and fix thoufand. They ftaid at Bally-orle hill till father John Murphy faid mafs for them.

In the courfe of the morning they fet fire to fome houfes, in hopes of drawing the garrifon out of the town.

As many avenues led into the town, it would have been impoffible for the yeomanry to occupy them for its defence, from the paucity of their numbers, fhould the rebels be allowed to approach it. For this reafon, captains Cornock and Pounden led their corps forward in a line about four hundred yards from the Duffrey-gate on which the rebel column

* Plate IV. 2, 3.

halted about the fame diftance from them. Soon after, three rebel leaders* who were on horfeback, with drawn fwords, began to move among them, and to give orders; on which great numbers of the rebels filed off in the fields on the right and left, to the diftance of about half a mile from the main body; which they did with a defign of outflanking the yeomen, of cutting them off from the town, and of entering it by the different avenues which led into it. After this movement, having advanced a little, they drove a number of horfes on the road againft the loyalifts for the purpofe of throwing them into confufion. They then fired a general volley, both from the main body, and the flanks; by which lieutenants Hunt and Pounden were mortally, and captain Cornock flightly wounded, and fome of the privates were killed and wounded. One Thompfon, who had volunteered among the fupplementary yeomen, received a fpent ball in the neck, which he extracted, and fired at the enemy.† The yeomen returned the fire, with confiderable effect. The rebels ftill advanced, firing at the fame time from, behind the hedges, with fuch fteadinefs and celerity, that captain Brury, who had ferved the whole of the American war, and who volunteered that day, declared, he had never experienced a heavier or better-directed fire. As the county of Wexford abounds with water-fowl, the occupation of a fowler is fo profitable, that numbers of the lower clafs of people are not only expert in the ufe of fire-arms, but excellent markfmen.

As the rebels ftill continued to advance, and “to extend their wings, for the purpofe of furrounding the yeomen, the latter retreated near the town, and fent to captain Snowe, who guarded the bridge, where he was Supported by the cavalry commanded by captain Richards, to requeft he would reinforce them with the North Cork, and he accordingly repaired to the Duffrey-gate, attended by the cavalry, to fupport the yeomanry; but as a detachment of them were between him and the enemy, and exactly in his line of fire, he cwdd not do any material fervice, withour running a rifque of injuring the loyalifts; and, as apprehenfions were entertained that the rebels would crofs the river to attack Temple Shannon, he repaired to his former poft at the bridge, and at the fame time,

Two of thefe were father John, Murphy, and Roach, colonel Lehunte’s permanant serjeant.

† An officer, who affifted him in extracting it, affured me of this.

ordered the cavalry to cover his retreat, as a large body of the enemy had come near his laft pofition. Captain Richards then charged and difperfed them, but in effecting it, nine of his men were killed, and three wounded; and fixteen of his horfes were either killed or fo feverely wounded, as to be unfit for fervice.

The high clay banks, improperly called in Ireland hedges, formed the fences of the town-fields round Ennifcorthy, and afforded breaft-works to the rebel markfmen, behind which they fired with fecurity and deliberation on the loyalifts.

At laft, the yeoman infantry, perceiving that they muft foon be furrounded, and cut off by the long extended wings of the enemy, while the main body engaged them, divided themfelves into fmall parties, and occupied the different avenues which led into the town, where they made a moft gallant defence, having killed great numbers of the rebels; though they, fuffered much from the treachery of the difloyal inhabitants, who not only fired at them from the windows, but their fanaticifm was fuch, that they fet fire to their own houfes, to annoy the yeomen; for, in a fhort time, three large fuburbs, called Guttle-ftreet, Drumgoold, and Irifh-ftreet,* and two lanes in the centre of the town, were in flames; yet the loyalifts were fo confident of fuccefs, from having completely repulfed the rebels, that they gave three cheers. The enemy, defeated in the many attempts which they made on the north and weft fide of the town, made an effort to crofs the river, about a quarter of a mile above the bridge, where there is an ifland, in which they fucceeded; but were foon repulfed by captain Richard’s corps, part of whom fired at them with carbines, from a place about one hundred yards above the glebe houfe, and killed great numbers; at the fame time they were feverely galled by the Nork Cork on the bridge.

They then attempted to crofs the river higher up, out of the reach of the fire of the North Cork. On this, captain Snowe detached lieutenant Prior, with a ferjeant and fixteen men of his corps, to oppofe them, which they did moft effectually; for having taken poft behind a hedge, they continued to kill great numbers of them, till their ammunition was expended. Soon after captain Cornock came to captain Snowe at the bridge, bleeding copioufly, from a pike wound he had received in the neck, having the crown of his hat cleft from a blow of a pike, and demanded a rienforcement, as the rebels, under cover of

* See Plate IV. 3.

the fmoke, had forced into the town in confiderable numbers, at the Duffrey-gate and Irifh-ftreet. At the fame time the difaffected inhabitants fired on the yeomen from their windows. One column of them attacked captain Pounden’s, the other captain Cornock’s corps, which had fuffered materially. The ftreets were entirely involved in fmoke, fo that the yeomen could not perceive the rebels till they were charged by their pikes. The flames from the houfes at each fide of the ftreet were fo great, as to unite over their heads, and to form an arch. Their hair was finged; the bearfkin in their caps was burnt. The loyalifts, bravely difputing every inch of ground, retreated to the market-houfe,* an open fpace, like a fquare, where they made a determined ftand, and killed great numbers of the enemy. By this effort the loyalifts turned the fcale, and drove the rebels completely out of the town, the ftreets of which at each fide of the river prefenting an awful fcene of conflagration. While the troops were thus engaged in the fouth fide of the town, another body of the rebels croffed the river, about three quarters of a mile above the bridge, but were foon routed by captain Snowe, on which occafion his men fhewed great dexterity, as markfmen, having feldom failed to bring down fuch individual rebels as they aimed at. Captain Snowe then ordered captain Richards to charge them, which he did moft effectually, but with the lofs of two men killed, and fome wounded.

As a party of the rebels which came from Vinegar-hill towards the glebe ftill remained unaffailed, and their numbers feemed to increafe, they were attacked by captain Drury, with half a company of the North Cork, and he difperfed them with confiderable flaughter. Thus ended an action which lafted more than three hours, fought on a very hot day, and in the midft of a burning town, the difaffected inhabitants of which fet fire to their own houfes, to annoy the loyalifts, and fired on them from their windows. In this the yeomen and proteftant inhabitants performed prodigies of valour, in fupport of the conftitution in church and ftate, and in defence of their property and their families. They loft near one third of their number, which did not exceed three hundred, and the rebels whom they encountered, were faid by fome to amount to five thoufand, by others to fix thoufand.

* See plate IV. 4.

A return of the killed and wounded in defence of the town of Ennifcorthy, on Monday the twenty-eighth day of May, 1798.

Captain John Pounden who commanded the fupplementary yeomen, lieutenant Hunt of the Ennifcorthy infantry, and lieutenant Carden of the Scarawalfh infantry, were killed. The latter, who had ferved with reputation as an officer during the whole of the American war, was fhot from the window of one Denny an apothecary, it is faid, by one Barnet his fervant. In the number of the killed and wounded, I have not inferted a great many proteftants who fuddenly joined the troops with guns, piftols, pikes or fwords, and of whom many fell in the action.

Of the garrifon eighty-eight were killed and wounded; and deducting feven of the North Cork, there remain eighty-one loyal proteftants who bled that day in defence of the conftitution in church and ftate.

It was generally believed, that not lefs than five hundred of the rebels were killed or wounded. The banks of the river, and the island in it were ftrewed with their dead bodies, and numbers of them fell in the ftreets; but it was obferved that the difaffected inhabitants were always ready to drag them into their houfes, whenever they could get a fafe opportunity, that the fight of them might not difcourage their furviving friends. To keep up their courage, every artifice was ufed; for even women, as if infenfible of their danger, were feen in the midft of the carnage, adminiftering whifkey to their rebel friends.

“When the action terminated, the rebels were completely routed and expelled from the town; however, the loyalifts did not think it tenable for the following reafons: It was in a ftate of conflagration; and the rebels, who continued to hover round if, would have attacked it in the night, and would have been affifted by the Roman catholick inhabitants, who were very numerous; As there were many avenues leading to the

town, and as the loyalifts, under arms, had loft near one third of their number, which did not originally exceed three hundred, they muft have been overpowered and maffacred in the night. The officers therefore, after mature deliberation, refolved to abandon the town, and to march to Wexford, on the eaft fide of the river by St. John’s; but, from the fuddennefs of the retreat, only a few of the proteftant inhabitants could attend them; and they could carry with them no other comforts or neceffaries but the wearing apparel which they wore. Imagination cannot form a more tragical fcene than the melancholy train of loyal fugitives, of whom fome were fo feeble from their wounds, from ficknefs, the tendernefs of old age, or infancy, that they could not have effected their efcape, had not the yeomen cavalry mounted them on their horfes. Some parents were reduced to the dreadful neceffity of leaving their infants in cottages, on the road fide, having, at the fame time, but a faint hope of ever feeing them again.

As they travelled to Wexford, the rebels fired at them from the oppofite fide of the river, wherever they could get an opening.
Such of the loyal inhabitants as were unable to join their departing friends, took a melancholy farewel of them, and waited the fatal hour, when they were to fall victims to the fanatical vengeance of the rebels, who, when they got poffeffion of the town, proceeded with favage delight, to commit unbounded carnage and plunder. The following extract of a letter written by a very refpectable beneficed clergyman, the reverend Mr. Handcock, rector of Kilcormick, who fought with the king’s troops in defence of the town, will give the reader a perfect idea of the fufferings of the proteftant inhabitants on that day:

“Finding that we could no longer keep our ground, I rufhed fingly through the ftreets, with a blunderbufs cocked, and prefenting it at every perfon who looked at me, running for my life, but without the fainteft hope of faving it, or that of my family, yet determined to fhare their fate, and with great difficulty getting into my houfe, locked and barricadoed by the frighted inmates, I dragged my wife down ftairs with my children, juft as they fat in her fick room;† and obferving which way the fugitives were moving out of the town, I forced them along with the

* Plate IV. 4.   † She lay in but two days before.

tragical cavalcade, until my wife, overpowered with terror and the heat of the flames, fell on a burning pile of rubbifh, where, unable myfelf from fatigue to raife her, fhe would have been fuffocated or trampled to death, had not a gallant fellow of the North Cork militia, wounded, and fcarce able to drag his legs after him, affifted me, fwearing the Munfter oath, “By; J—— s, you did not forfake us, and I will not defert you.” The poor fellow accordingly ftuck by us till we arrived at Wexford.
In return for this, having got my wife and children behind or before mounted yeomen,* I procured a horfe for his wife, and carried his mufket as far as 1 was able. When we came within three or four miles of Wexford, we were met by the yeomen cavalry of it, who turned out, on hearing our difafter, to cover our retreat.

The rebel army having got poffeffion of the town, broke open the gaol and liberated all the prifoners. They then proceeded to burn and deftroy every houfe belonging to a proteftant of any diftinction. Before fun-fet the principal part of the town was in flames; and, late in the evening, a great number of old men, women and children, of the proteftant religion, fled into the adjoining woods, left they fhould perifh in the flames, or by the fanguinary rage of the rebels. Such of them as were not fortunate enough to make their efcape, were maffacred. The rebels having broke open the cellars, continued to commit every wanton cruelty and barbarous excefs, which favage ferocity, heightened by fanaticifm and ebriety, could dictate.

When they entered the town, fome ladies of diftinguifhed beauty, wild with horror and affright, waded over the river Slaney at the rifk of their lives, with one child on their back, and another in their arms. Numbers of both fexes fled to the wood of St. John’s,† better known by the name of Ring-wood, where they paffed the whole night, petrified with horror, at hearing fhots conftantly fired, the fhouts of the rebels, and the groans of the dying. They kept a gloomy filence, not venturing to fpeak to each other, left they fhould be difcovered.

The rebels having heard next day, that a number of proteftants were in the wood, fent a party, well armed, to fcour it; and they killed fuch

of them as were not fortunate enough to make their efcape. They continued for fome days after, to beat it as clofely as a pack of fox-hounds would.

A party of ladies who fled towards the river, when the rebels entered the town, informed me, that feveral fhots were fired at them; and that in their retreat, they met a boy about fixteen years old, armed with a pike, who approached them with a ftern air; on which they afked him, if he was going to kill them? and he faid, “No; but it is no matter where you go, for you will all be killed.”

As foon as the rebels began to enter the town, many of the Roman catholick inhabitants fiequently exclaimed, particularly the women, “That they would have no herefy amongft them; that they would put an end to hereticks; and that they would have all or none.”

They murdered Richard Whaley, a lockfmith, near one hundred years old, as foon as they entered the town; and Edward Sly, a proteftant, was fhot by his neighbour William Lee, when he was kindly reaching him a quart of beer. Numbers were dragged from their houfes, and barbaroufly maffacred in the prefence of their wives and children.

The town, the morning after the rebels got poffeffion of it, prefented a dreadful fcene of carnage and conflagration; many bodies were lying dead in the ftreets, and others groaning in the agonies of death; fome parts of the town were entirely confumed, and in others the flames continued to rage with inextinguifhable fury; no lefs than four hundred and feventy-eight dwelling-houfes and cabins were burned in the town and its fuburbs, befides a great number of ftores, malt-houfes, and out-offices.

Early next morning, the rebels formed a camp on Vinegar-hill, made entrenchments round it, and placed fome batteries in them. They then ftationed a large garrifon in the town, which was relieved every day by an officer’s guard from the camp. Such great numbers of the lower clafs of people from the adjacent country flocked to their camp, that it foon confifted of at leaft ten thoufand men. They pofted ftrong picquet guards, centinels, and videts, in all the avenues leading to the town, and for fome miles round it.
They then proceeded to deftroy the church of Ennifcorthy, and having pulled down the organ, the pews, the communion table, and reading defk, they burned them to afhes before the church-door, where they

tore the bibles and the prayer-books; and then proceeded to demolifh the remainder of the infide part, leaving nothing but the roof and the bare walls. They took down the bell, and mounted it between two beams on Vinegar-hill, for the purpofe of marking the progrefs of time, and of alarming the camp in cafe of furprife.

They committed fuch proteftants as were not fortunate enough to retreat to Wexford with the loyalifts, or to efcape into the woods, to a prifon on the hill, formed by the walls of an old wind-mill, and then proceeded to try them by a court-martial, which fat conftantly for that purpofe. The only charge againft them was, their being orangemen, which was fynonimous with proteftant.*

On the morning of Tuefday the twenty-ninth of May, they put to death twenty-four perfons of the eftablifhed church, by fhooting fome, and piking others in front of the rebel line, of whom one was Mr. Henry Hatton, portrieve of the town of Ennifcorthy, an innocent unoffending gentleman.§ They burned the glebe-houfe of Ennifcorthy to afhes; but converted the out-offices into ftores for holding provifions and arms for the camp.

A committee of twelve, confifting of fome rebel officers and three priefts; viz. fathers Roche, Kearns and Clinch, and at times father John Murphy, continued conftantly to fit, and to fuperintend and regulate the concerns of the camp, and the newly-eftablifhed republick. When the bufinefs of the day was over, they dined together at a table, regularly furnifhed with the beft viands which the country could afford, and with delicious wines taken from the cellars of the neighbouring gentlemen.

They fent gangs of affaffins round all the adjacent country, commanded by rebel officers, in queft of proteftants, who feized fuch of them as could not make their efcape, and committed them to prifons at the foot of the hill, or in the town. I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX.|| for the mode in which this infamous bufinefs was conducted, and for fome

* See in Appendix, No. XIX. 8. the confeffion of James Beaghan.
§ For a defcription of this horrid fcene, fee Appendix, No. XIX. in the affidavits of Catherine Heydon, Benjamin Warren, Richard Sterne, Robert Whitney, Margaret Hunt, Edward Stacey, and Ann Piper.
|| See extracts from the trials of Thomas Clooney, James Beaghan, William Fenlon, Andrew Farrell, and Nicholas Walfh.

of the atrocities which were perpetrated by the rebels while they continued in poffeffion of Vinegar-hill.

The walls of the old windmill on the top of the hill ferved as a fold to contain the viftims who fupplied the facrifice of the day; and when the rebel ranks were on parade, they were led forth and butchered in their prefence, and as a regale to them; and what was very frngular, the executioners often knelt down, croffed themfelves, and faid a prayer, before they immolated the viftims, who were frequently almoft famifhed before they were led to execution, from the bad and fcanty food with which they were fupplied.

The camp was conftantly attended by from ten to twenty priefts, who daily faid mafs at the head of each rebel column, and afterwards pronounced an exhortation to animate them in the extirpation of herefy, and in the exclufive eflablifhment of their own, the only true orthodox faith.

Mr. Stephen Ram, of Ramsfort, in the county of Wexford, brother-in-law to lord Courtown, who is defervedly loved and revered by his tenants, informed me, that fuch of them as were of the Roman catholick religion, and had been unfortunately concerned in the rebellion, were very communicative to him, and informed him, that they entered into it at the inftigation of their priefts; that it was ufual in the rebel camp, for the prieft of each parifh to call over the names of his own parifhioners; and that his coadjutor did fo, if he was prevented from age, infirmity, or any other caufe.

Commiftaries were appointed in every parifh, to provide provifion for the camp, according to the directions of the committee, or the commander in chief, and each of the commiffaries had a certain number of pikemen under his command.

The commander in chief, at each camp, gave written orders to the commiffaries to fupply the different rebel corps or individuals with provifions, of which I give the reader copies of fome originals which fell into my hands.

“The commander in chief requefts commiffary Brennan to give bread for forty men to captain Devereux’s corps.

June 15th, 1798. ROCHE.”* Lacken-hill.

* This was father Philip Roche.

Whenever any of the country commiffaries fent provifions or cattle into one of the camps, they obtained receipts for them from the commiffary general, as appears by the following:

This camp, which was the grand rendezvous of the rebels, fent large detachments to thofe who fought the different battles in the county of Wexford. Their tents were formed of carpets, quilts, ftieets, blankets, window curtains, and various articles of furniture which they had feized in proteftant houfes.

Mrs. M.J a refpectable gentlewoman, who remained the entire night of Monday the twenty-eighth of May, 1798, in Ringwood, gave me the following relation of the dangers and diftreffes which fhe and her hufband fuffered. It will ferve to fhew the favage and fanguinary difpofition of the rebels.

Mr. Bennett, of Birmount,§ lay concealed in the wood that night. Next morning, about feven o’clock, when we were almoft finking with

* He had been a member of the Healthfield cavalry, and in violation of his oath of allegiance deferted and joined the rebels.
‡ This is not really the initial letter of her name, which I conceal, left it might expofe her to rebel vengeance.
§ Plate III. 3.

cold and hunger, he kindly invited us to his houfe, which lay clofe to the river Slaney, at the oppofite fide of it. Having gone there, about feven o’clock in the evening, a woman came to us, trembling with fear, and faid, “That the rebels were approaching in all directions to burn the houfe, and to murder us.” Mr. Bennett hid himfelf in his garden. We were advifed to get fome green boughs, as the emblem of rebellion, and to go out to meet them; and having accordingly done fo, they defired us not to be frightened, as they never injured women; and they afked us if we were chriftians, (meaning Roman catholicks,) and very fortunately we told them we were. They informed us, that they had juft killed Mr. Edward White* of Roxana, and his fon, who lived near Vinegar-hill; having, as they faid, fearched his houfe for arms and Orangemen. Having found Mr. M. in the garden, they prefented their firelocks, and were on the point of fhooting him; but faid they muft fufpend his execution till their officer, who was abfent, arrived. They took him off, mounted behind one of them; when they fortunately met a rebel, who had a particular regard for Mr. M., and who galloped off fpeedily to Vinegar-hill camp, and procured him a protection from father John Murphy, who was then commander in chief there.

“On Thurfday I went to Vinegar-hill, in hopes of getting a protection from father Philip Roche,† a rebel chieftain, and in our way thither, we faw the bodies of Mr. White and his fon, lying dead and naked in the lawn before his houfe; for the rebels would not fuffer them to be buried.

“In our way to Ennifcorthy, we faw twelve dead bodies lying on the road; and on entering the town, we were filled with horror at beholding a great number of them in the ftreets.

“The camp at Vinegar-hill prefented a dreadful fcene of confufion and uproar. A number of female rebels, more vehement than the male, were marching out to meet the army from Newtown-barry. This was a large body which father Roche led from Vinegar-hill to the attack of that towm, which took place the firft of June. Great numbers of women

* This aged gentleman was a magiftrate, and had been always friendly to the Roman catholicks. His fon was almoft an idiot. The rebels made them kneel in a potatoe trench, fhot them, and fome days after covered them lightly with earth. They murdered on Vinegar-hill his brother, Mr. John White, of Whitefield, a magiftrate, and very far advanced in years.
† Edward Roche was the lay-general.

were in the camp. Some men were employed in killing cattle, and in boiling them in pieces in large copper brewing pans; others were drinking, curfing, and fwearing; many of them were playing on various mufical inftruments, which they had acquired by plunder in the adjacent proteftant houfes; and this produced a moft dilagreeable and barbarous diffonance.

“At laft I met father Roche in Ennifcorthy, and he gave me a protection, not only for Mr. M. but one for Mr. Bennett’s houfe, in the following words, which was pofted up in the hall: “No man to moleft this houfe, or its inhabitants, on pain of death!”

“However, next day, a rebel guard came to Mr. Bennett’s, and compelled him and Mr. M. to go before the parifh prieft of Bree, in order to fend them to the attack on Rofs; but Mr. John Devereux, a rebel captain, on feeing Roche’s protection difcharged him; and foon after father John Sutton of Ennifcorthy, and a Mr. William Barker, a rebel general, gave them protections, and certified that they had been tried by a court-martial, and acquitted.

“We then repaired to Mr. Jofhua Lett’s, a mile beyond Ennifcorthy, where we ftaid fome days. During our refidence there, we daily faw great crowds of rebels, who often boafted of the number of proteftants they had put to death, and even in what manner they had piked them. They faid, “That Cork and Limerick had capitulated to them: That Dublin was furrounded by forty thoufand united Irifhmen: That the whole kingdom would be foon in their poffeffion; and that there fhould be no other religion but the Roman catholick.” They compelled us to go to mafs, which we did, to preferve our lives.

“At laft, the rebels, having difcovered that Mr. M. was concealed in Mr. Jofhua Lett’s houfe, threatened to demolifh it, unlefs he was inflantly difmiffed. As Mr. Lett was obliged to comply with this mandate, we repaired to Mr. Fitzhenry’s of Ballymacus,† about five miles off. In our way thither, we met many parties of rebels, who would have put Mr. M. to death, but for the prieft’s protection; for which they shewed the utmoft refpect. This fhews the great influence of the facerdotal order, and how eafily they might have prevented the maffacres of proteftants.

† Plate III, 3.

“We were there but a few hours, when a rebel guard arrived, and carried us back to Ennifcorthy, where Mr. M. was put into a guard-houfe, containing about a dozen unfortunate proteftants, who were fhot or piked next day in the camp. I was then defired to apply to one of their officers, named Morgan Byrne, whom I found fitting in their committee-room, at a long table, with many books and papers before him. Father Kearns was at the head of the table, round which all the members of the committee fat.

On reprefenting my fituation, and that of Mr. M. Mr. Patrick Sutton, who was a general among them, faid, “He would do his utmoft to ferve Mr. M. and me and Mr. Morgan Byrne* faid, “He would fpare his life, provided he would join and fight with them; but on no other condition.

“Unheard-of barbarities were committed at Ennifcorthy, Vinegar-hill, End in all the adjacent country, before the rebels were fubdued and driven from them.

“The pikemen would often fhew us their pike s all ftained with bloody and boaft of having murdered our friends and neighbours.”
Every morning when the rebels paraded on Vinegar-hill, they put to death from fifteen to thirty proteftants in their prefence, and as a regale to them; and this was done with the folemnity of an execution under a judicial fentence.
Samuel Goodifon, a farmer, worth £400 a-year, of the proteftant religion, was univerfally efteemed for his good moral charafter.

He and his family, confifting of a wife and nine children, remained in Ringwood on the night of the twenty-eighth of May, to efcape the fanatical rage of the rebels. On Tuefday morning, they repaired to St. John’s,† the feat of Doctor Hill, on the Slaney, who offered to let them remain there; but Goodifon faid, he had fuch warm friends among the Roman catholicks, that he was fure of getting a protection from them, if he could arrive with fafety at Ennifcorthy. He left his family at a mill, within a quarter of a mile of the town; and having advanced a fhort way, he was overwhelmed with joy at meeting his neighbour and particular friend, Luke Byrne; but that fanguinary ruffian fhot him inftantly, inftead of affording him that protection which he folicited. A refpectable gentlewoman of Ennifcorthy

* The loyal fubjects called this fellow Santerre, and his father Luke Byrne, who was more fanguinary, Marat.
† See Plate III. 2.

heard him boaft afterwards, that he never ate fo fweet a breakfaft, as he had that morning, for that he had killed Samuel Goodifon and William Carroll.

John Stillman, eighty years old, who had ferved as a foldier the greater part of his life, and George Saunders, feventy years old, flept all Monday night in Ringwood; and having come out of it about twelve o’clock, next morning, they were fhot on the road leading to Ennifcorthy. Saunders died inftantly. Stillman continued alive till next day, and was able to fit up. A rebel out-poft, of about twenty men, amufed themfelves with ridiculing, infulting, and torturing him. They often afked him in irony, (as he was a proteftant) Whether he would have a prieft? They had but one ball among them, and they fired it five or fix times through his body, while proftrate on the ground; and yet he was alive next day. He had but one eye, which they put out with a pike. At length they put him to death. Afterwards the rebels were known to call him their plaything, in converfation at Ennifcorthy; and to declare, he was fo tough an old fellow, that they had great difficulty in putting him to death.

I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. I. for the fufferings of Benjamin Warren, a proteftant yeoman, and the fcene of carnage which he beheld on Vinegar-hill. I faw his wounds in Auguft, 1798. His body had been perforated with pikes in many places.

When the town was evacuated on Monday the twenty-eighth of May, Richard Sterne, a fickly old man, his wife, his fon far gone in a confumption, and a grandchild, five years old, on his back, endeavoured to retreat to Wexford with the proteftant fugitives, but being unable to accompany them, they concealed themfelves in a wood, where they remained four days and four nights, and muft have ftarved, but that they received a few potatoes and about a pint of milk from a fifherman.

I fhall refer the reader to his affidavit. Appendix, No. XIX. 2. for an account of his fufferings, and of fome of the horrors practifed at Vinegar-hill.

In Appendix, No. XIX. 3. the reader will fee an account of the murder of the reverend Mr. Heydon, in the ftreets of Ennifcorthy, who was venerable for his piety and his years, being near eighty years old.

I have been affured that the rebels would not fuffer his body to be interred for fome days, and that a great part of it was devoured by pig.

Richard Sterne was a prifoner in Mr. Beale’s barn, at the foot of Vinegar-hill, where he faw numbers of his fellow-prifoners tried and condemned by a rebel court-martial (at which one Lawrence Power was prefident) for being orangemen, or proteftants, which were fynonimous. Lawrence Power was afterwards taken in Dublin, tried, convicted, and hanged. Richard Sterne, being examined on his trial, depofed, that he faw many perfons led to execution under the judgment of that court; and that he faw one Murtagh Keane fhoot Thomas Simpfon and Jeremiah Smyth, foon after Lawrence Power had pronounced the fentence.

I fhall refer the reader to Appendix, No. XIX. 4. for the barbarous treatment which Edward Stacey, a proteftant farmer, of Tomgar, received from four ruffians, who were fent from the camp in queft of proteftants. I faw the wound which he received, foon after it was healed.

The gangs of pikemen who were fent to roam the country in queft of proteftants, to fupply the grand flaughter-houfe at Vinegar-hill, could not reftrain their thirftfor blood, and often killed their prifoners on the fpot where they feized them, though contrary to the orders of their leaders.

For the fufferings of lieutenant Hunt, of the Ennifcorthy yeomen infantry, fee Appendix, No. XIX. 5.

On the thirtieth day of May, William Neal, Henry and Bryan, his fons, were feized at their houfe at Ballybrennan, by a band of affaffins, who were fent from the camp in fearch of proteftants, and were conveyed to Vinegar-hill camp. Michael Maddock and Jofeph Murphy were leaders of the party. The former called them orangemen, meaning proteftants, and wanted to kill them as fuch, but was over-ruled by fome others of the band. Bryan Neal offered them his horfe and cow to liberate them; but Maddock faid, “That the cattle of all orangemen belonged to them already.”

When they arrived on Vinegar-hill, Murphy faid he would not bring them any more orangemen, unlefs they put them to death directly: On which a conference was held, when the father and the two fons were immediately condemned. They firft led out to execution Bryan, who begged they would fhoot him, inftead of torturing him with pikes.