MASSACRE AT SCULLABOGUE.

I contemplate with horror, and relate with reluftance, an occurrence which took place on the day of the battle of Rofs, which will remain a lafting difgrace to human nature, and an indelible ftain on the county of Wexford. During the encampment of the rebels on Carrickbyrnehill,* a party of them were pofted at Scullabogue,† within half a mile of the camp, where a barn was converted into a prifon for the confinement of proteftant prifoners. Bands of affaffins were fent round the adjacent country in quell of proteftants, whom they meant to extirpate, when they accomplifhed their final purpofe of overturning the government. For the manner in which this barbarous bufinefs was conducted, and the circumftances of cruelty and atrocity which accompanied it, fee Appendix, No. XX. 4, 5, 6.

On the eve of the thirtieth of May, captain King, the proprietor of Scullabogue, was advifed to abandon his houfe, and to carry off what valuable effects he could, as a camp was to be formed the day after on Carrickbyrne-hill, which is within half a mile of Scullabogue.

Next day he made his efcape, and the rebels took poffeffion of his houfe. It appears, on the evidence of different perfons, that one hundred and eighty-four proteftants were burned in the barn of Scullabogue, and that thirty-feven were fhot in the front of it.

The following clrcumftances appeared by the evidence of Richard Silvefter, a witnefs on the trial of Phelim Fardy, one of the wretches concerned in that horrid affair: That when the rebels encamped on Carrickbyrne-hill marched towards Rofs, on the fourth of June, the proteftant prifoners were left at Scullabogue, under a guard of three hundred rebels, commanded by John Murphy of Loughnageer, a rebel captain, Nicholas Sweetman and Walter Devereux, who both held the fame rank: That when the rebel army began to give way at Rofs, an exprefs was fent

* Plate III, 5.    † Ibid. 6.

to Murphy, to put the proteftant prifoners to death, as the king’s troops were gaining the day; but Murphy refufed to comply without a direct order from the general: That he foon after received another meffage to the fame purpofe, with this addition, that the prifoners, if releafed, would become very furious and vindictive: That fhortly after a third exprefs arrived, faying, the prieft gave orders that the prifoners fhould be put to death: That the rebels on hearing the fanction of the prieft, became outrageous, and began to pull off their clothes, the better to perform the bloody deed: That when they were leading the prifoners out from the dwelling-houfe to fhoot them, he turned away from fuch a fcene of horror; on which a rebel ftruck him with a pike upon the back, and faid, he would let his guts out if he did not follow him: That he then attended the rebels to the barn, in which there was a great number of men, women, and children; and that the rebels were endeavouring to fet fire to it, while the poor prifoners, fhrieking and crying out for mercy, crowded to the back-door of the barn, which they forced open for the purpofe of admitting air: That for fome time they continued to put the door between them and the rebels, who were piking or fhooting them: That in attempting to do fo, their hands or fingers were cut off: That the rebels continued to force into the barn bundles of draw to encreafe the fire. At laft, the prifoners having been overcome by the flame and fmoke, their moans and cries gradually died away in the filence of death.

It was proved on the trial of John Keefe, convicted by a court-martial on the fourteenth of April, 1800, on the evidence of Robert Mills, that, after the bloody work began, he faw the prifoner with a pike, the point of which was broken, and the top of the fhaft or handle was bloody > that he carried it to an adjoining forge, whetted it on a ftiarpening-ftone, and then proceeded to the front of the dwelling-houfe where they wer« fhooting the prifoners. Among the perfons moft confpicuous, we find the names of Fardy, Sinnott, Michell or Mifcally, who trampled on the dead and wounded bodies, and behaved otherwife in fuch a ferocious manner, as to obtain fom the rebels the appellation of the true-born Romans.
William Ryan, a farmer, about three miles from Scullabogue, had a daughter who was kept by a gentleman at Duncannon. The rebel guards at Scullabogue thinking that they might extract from her fome important

information relative to the plans of the loyalifts, as her paramour was of that defcription, and dreading that fhe and her friends who were Roman catholicks, nught betray fome of the rebel feCrets to her keeper, lent a body of pikemen in queft of her; but not being able to find her, they were of opinion that her fifter Eleanor, who lived at Mr. Roffiter’s, would anfwer equally well. They therefore led her to the barn, and her father having fhortly after gone there to folicit her liberation, they committe; him and his poor old wife, who went there alfo, in hopes of being able to move their compaffion; but fhe fhared their fate, having been thruft into the barn, where they were all burnt.

No lefs than twenty-four proteftants were taken from the village of Tintern, about eight miles diftant, many of them old and feeble, and were led in one drove to the barn, where they perifhed.*

Thomas Shee and Patrick Prendergaft were burnt in the barn, both Romanifts, becaufe they would not confent to the maffacre of their proteftant mafters.

William Johnfon, a very old man, though of the fame perfuafion, fhared a fimilar fate. He gained a livelihood by playing on the bagpipes, and was fo unfortunate as to incur the vengeance of the rebels, by playing the tune of, ‘ Croppies, lie down.’
William Neil, another Romanift, who fuffered there, was by trade a tailor, and had worked for fome time in the garrifon of Duncannon. Having occafion to return to Camolin, of which he was a native, he procured the pafs of general Eawcett for his protection, but it turned out to be the means of his deftruction; for having been intercepted by the rebels, who confidered the pafs as an emblem of loyalty, they committed him to the barn, with his fon Daniel, who happened to accompany him, and they both perifhed in the flames.†

Some perfons have contended that the perfecutions in the county of Wexford were not exclufively levelled againft proteftants, becaufe a few Romanifts were put to death in the barn and at Wexford; but the fanguinary fpirit againft them was fo uniform at Vinegar-hill, on the bridge

* See Appendix, No. XX, 4.

† They burned the wives and fome of the chlldren of the North Cork militia in the barn, who were Roman catholicks; but it was fufficient to provoke their vengeance, that they wert connefted with the foldiers of an heretical king.

of Wexford, and Scullabogue, and indeed in every part of the county, as to remove any doubt on that head.
The witnefs, during this dreadful fcene, faw a child who got under the door, and was likely to efcape, but much hurt and bruifed; when a rebel perceiving it, darted his pike through it, and threw it into the flames. While the rebels were fhooting the prifoners in front of the dwelling-houfe, a party of men and women were engaged in ftripping and rifting the dead bodies; and the prifoner, Phelim Fardy, called out to them to avoid the line of his fire, (as he was bufily employed in fhooting the prifoners,) and in faying fo, he fired at a man who was on his knees, and who inftantly fell and expired.

The barn was thirty-four feet long, and fifteen wide, and the walls were but twelve feet high. Suffocation then muft have foon taken place, as fo great a number of people were compreffed in fo fmall a fpace; and, befides the burning of the thatched roof of the barn, the rebels threw into it, on their pikes, a great number of faggots on fire.

Richard Grandy, who was prefent, fwears, that the prifoners in front of the houfe were led out by fours to be fhot; and that the rebels who pierced them when they fell, took pleafure in licking their fpears.*

A gentleman prefent, who had a narrow efcape, affured me, that a rebel faid he would try the tafte of Orange blood, and that he dipped a tooth-pick in a wound of one of the proteftants who was fhot, and then put it into his mouth. Whenever a body fell on being fhot, the rebel guards fhouted, and pierced it with their pikes.

Samuel and John Jones, two brothers, were put to death in front of captain King’s houfe in the following manner: When they were on their knees, the wife of one of them flood between them, took each of them by the hand, and clofed her eyes; and when they fell, in confequence of being fhot, fhe implored the rebels, as an act of mercy, to put her to death, but they refufed to do fo. She then got a car, and put on it the two bodies which the rebels had ftripped quite naked. She covered them with her cloak and petticoat; but when fhe had led the car to fome diftance, fhe was stopped by a party of rebel women, who

* See his affidavit in Appendix, No. XX. 7.

led it back, and compelled her to return with them. They urged the rebels to put her to death, and fhe appeared to rejoice at the idea of refigning that life which they had embittered by murdering her hufband. They feemed well difpofed to kill her, and would have done fo, but that John Murphy, their captain, prevented them, having faid, that fuch a horrid deed would kindle a blufh on the cheeks of the Virgin Mary.

The Jones’s, who lived at Abbey Brainey, were in good circumftances. Murphy took out of one of their pockets a pocket-book, which, it was faid, contained notes to a confiderable amount. The father of the Jones’s, who was very old, died in a few days after of a broken heart, and he and his fons were interred in the fame grave.
One Sleater, an opulent man from Wales, who came to Ireland every year to buy cattle for the Englifh market, in which bufinefs he dealt very extenfively, was picked up by the rebels, and fhot among the thirty-feven prifoners. He had a pocket-book, which contained (it was faid) notes to the amount of £1,000 which fell into the hands of the rebels.*

On moft occafions, they did not offer any violence to the tender fex; but at Scullabogue, they burned a great many women and children.

It has been faid, and indeed proved, that John Murphy, the rebel captain, who commanded the guard at Scullabogue, refufed to maffacre the prifoners, till he had received the orders of a prieft of the name of Murphy, for that purpofe. Brien Murphy, parifh prieft of Taghmon, is fuppofed to be the perfon alluded to. The affidavit of Michael Afkins, which the reader will find in Appendix, No. XX. 9. throws great light on it.

The following occurrence, relative to a prieft, happened on the fame day, and fhews what great influence the facerdotal order had over the mifguided multitude: Patrick Dobbyn, and his three fons, William, Richard and Samuel, were taken prifoners at Old Court, in the parifh of Adamftown, where they refided, by Thomas Cavenagh, and fome more popifh banditti, who committed them to prifon at Scullabogue; the former on the fecond, the latter on the firft day of June. Elizabeth,

* The perfon who led him out to execution, was a ruffian of the name of Cowrean, whom he had employed in buying cattle, and who had gained confiderably by his kindnefs and generofity.

the wife of Patrick Dobbyn, went to father Shallow, parifh prieft of the union of Adamftown and Newbawn, who refided at Ballyfhannon, one mile from Scullabogue, and implored him to have her hufband and fons releafed; but he refufed, and informed her, that he fhoukl be in as much dianger as they, if he went near the rebel camp; and yet the fame prieft liberated from the barn,* and faved a young man of the name of Lett, the fon of a Mr. Lett of Kilgibbon, within three or four miles of Ennifcorthy; and it appears alfo by affidavit fworn before general Fawcett, that father Shallow took an active part in the rebel camp at Carrickbyrne.†

William Fleming, a proteftant, and a yeoman in the Taghmon cavalry, having the protection of a prieft, went to the barn on the feventh of June, to look for the body of one Robert Cooke, a friend, for the purpofe of interring it; but the bodies were fo much injured by the fire, that he could not diftinguifh one from the other. I fhall refer the reader to his affidavit in Appendix, No. XX. 8. containing many curious particulars relative to the rebellion, particularly the exhortation of father Roche, the general, in the camp of Slievekilta,|| to extirpate orangemen and difaffected perfons, and in which he affured the rebels, that they were fighting for their religion.

The life of Fleming was often faved by the pafs of father Brien Murphy, a prieft of Taghmon, of which I give an exaft copy:

“Mr. Wm. Flemmon has complied with every condition required of him, and therefore is to be ftoped by no man.
June 2d, 1798.
Revd. BR. MURPHY.”

On the trial of Thomas Clooney, a rebel leader, at Wexford, the fifth of June, 1799, it was proved, that, while the camp was at Carrickbyrne, he at the head of three hundred rebels went to Old Rofs to burn the proteftant church, and the houfes of fome proteftants there; and that while the former was burning, he faid, the Devil’s houfe is on fire.
The ferocity of the rebels was fuch, that they often murdered each other with impunity in their camps, or during their marches.

8 Appendix, No. XX, 5.    † Ibid. 10.     || Plate VII. 7.

A boy of the name of Bennett, about fourteen years old, entered the lawn of Mr. King, at Scullabogue, on horfeback, the day preceding the maffacre. One Hanlon, a fchoolmafter, infifted on getting his horfe; and on being refufed, he ran the boy through the body with his pike and killed him. Bennett’s brother, a young man, having arrived next day, afked permiffion to get revenge for the death of his brother; and having obtained it, inftantly killed the fchoolmafter. He was buried in a place feparate from the proteftants; for the rebels were heard to declare, that they would not inter him with hereticks.

The bodies of the proteftant prifoners were buried by a fubfcription, raifed by the rebel chiefs; Bagenal Harvey, who was filled with horror and fhame at the maffacre, having fet it on foot.

One Templeton, a yeoman, was taken prifoner at the battle of Rofs, by the rebels, and carried to Scullabogue, where he faw one Walter Devereux, a farmer, fitting on the wheels of a car, within ten paces of the barn; and Devereux pointing to it, faid, “That all proteftants and loyalifts fhould be ferved in that way.” On entering the barn, he faw the bodies in the fame fituation as defcribed by William Fleming.

Walter Devereux was taken at the cove of Cork, when attempting to make his efcape to America, and the protections of five different general officers were found on him; though he was afterwards charged with the maffacre of fome of the Wexford regiment at Newbridge, be. fides that at Scullabogue, which was proved by informations fworn before colonel Ram at Cove, and on the trial of Devereux at Cork.

Bagenal Harvey, who was a man of honour and humanity, though deluded by abfurd political fpeculations, was filled with the greateft horror on hearing of the maffacre at Scullabogue; and, therefore, the day after, he iffued general orders,* denouncing the penalty of death againft fuch perfons as fhould murder their prifoners; for which humane effort to check that fanguinary fpirit, which now for the firft time began to appear, he was depofed; and that inhuman favage, father Philip Roche, was elected in his ftead, at the camp of Carrickbyrne; and it appears that Edward Roche, who had been elected fecond in command of the republican army at Wexford, then became commander in chief, as appears

* See Appendix, No. XX. 13.

by a paper* figned by him, dated the feventh of June, 1798The reverfe of fortune which general Harvey experienced in the eourfe of feven days, was no lefs rapid than unexpected, and convinced him of his folly and temerity.

A refpectable proteftant, who was taken prifoner by the rebels, and compelled to ferve in the camp at Carrickbyrne, informed me, that father Roche, in a publick harangue, denounced all proteftants as hereticks, and that they could not have luck or grace while any of them were permitted to ferve in their ranks: That on the fame day, he met Roche in a tent, and that he, with fingular diffimulation, affured him, that they made no religious diftinctions, and never regarded a man’s religion, provided he was loyal and true to their caufe: That Bagenal Harvey, on hearing Roche’s harangue, lamented to him, that the war unexpectedly turned out to be purely religious: That the priefts had got abfolute fway: That he feemed quite diftradted, and wifhed he could make his efcape.

On the eighth of June, the day after Bagenal’s Harvey’s depofition, Francis Glafcott, efquire, of Pilltown, his intimate friend, wrote to him for his protection; but he wrote in anfwer, that he was unable to protect himfelf. This letter marked ftrongly the diftrefs and perturbation of mind which he at that time fuffered.†

He lamented in this letter, that Mr. Tottenham, of Rofs, refufed to fpeak to Furlong, whom he fent with a flag of truce to general Johnfon, on the morning that the rebels attacked Rofs; and fome perfons have been fo weak and abfurd as to condemn general Johnfon for what happened on that occafion; but which human wifdom could not prevent.

A foldier, at an out-poft, fhot Furlong, a man of mean appearance, when in full gallop towards the town, and without any other emblem of his being a herald, or a meffenger of peace, than his having a white handkerchief in his hand; and the letter which was found in his pocket, contained nothing but a peremptory requifition to general Johnfon, to furrender the town to Bagenal Harvey, commander in chief; with which that brave officer would not have complied.

It has been faid, that Bagenal Harvey was depofed, becaufe he fhewed a want of courage in this action; but that is fcarce credible, for he difplayed

* See it in Appendix, No, XX, 15.    † Ibid.

very great firmnefs in various duels which he had fought in the courfe of his life.

Bagenal Harvey, on his depofition, was appointed prefident of the council at Wexford, confifting of a few leading members of the newlyeftablifhed republick, which fat for the regulation of their aflairs; and we find his name, with that of Nicholas Gray, his fecretary, to many orders iffued by them. See the oaths prefcribed by the council for the rebel officers and privates to take.*

Some days after the taking of Ennifcorthy, father Kearns, Patrick Sutton, and William Barker, all rebel chieftains, marched a body of rebels from that town towards Lacken-hill. They stopped at St. John’s, the feat of doctor Hill, clofe to Ennifcorthy, and took him and his brother with them, in order to leave them as hoftages, at Slievekilta camp, to fecure the lives of any of their leaders who might fall into the hands of the loyalifts. They remained at Scullabogue, twelve miles off’, the firft night, under the guard of fifteen favage pikemen, who flept in a fmall room with them. A hogfhead of whifkey was carried on a car, in the midft of the rebel column. Impatient at not having it drawn faft enough for them, one of the favages knocked in with a ftone a ftave of the calk, in confequence of which the liquor was loft.

One of the rebels led Mr. Hill to the barn, which had been burnt two or three days before, and he faw a great number of the guard turning up the bodies, in queft of money and watches, and who afterwards owned that they had been fuccefsful in their fearch.

Father Kearns returned in the morning, and defired them to prepare to march to Lacken-hill, near Rofs. He made them halt at Newbawn chapel, about a mile from Scullabogue, where he faid mafs’ for them, having a broad crofs belt, and a dragoon’s fabre under his veftment. The rebel chiefs knelt round the altar, from which Kearns, when mafs was over, endeavoured to exhort the rebels, in the fame ftrain that Murphy and Roche ufed at Vinegar-hill and Carrickbyrne; but the current of his eloquence was foon stopped by ebriety, his illiteratenefs, his grofs ignorance and vulgarity.

Some readers may regard thefe aneedotes as trifting and uninterefting, but it fhould be confidered that it would be impoffible to depict

* See it in Appendix, No. XX. 16.

the fpirit of the rebellion, and the true character of the favages concerned in it, without giving a circumftantial account of the events which occurred in the courfe of it.

Mr. Stephen Ram, of Ramsfort, informed me, that many of his popifh tenants, who had been in the rebellion, were very communicative, and owned that they entered into it at the inftance of their priefts. They alfo declared, that it was ufual in the rebel camps, for each prieft to call over his parifhioners, and that the coadjutor acted in his ftead, if he was prevented by age or infirmity from doing fo. Thofe who appeared reludant were liable to cenfure.

When father Roche, the commander in chief, was encamped on Lacken-hill, he wrote the following letter to father Doyle:

“Revd. Sir,

“You are hereby ordered, in conjunction with Edmund Walfh, to order all your parifhioners to the camp on Lacken-hill, under pain of the moft levere punifhment; for I declare to you and to them, in the, name of the people, if you do not, that I will cenfure all Sutton’s* parifh with fire and fword. Come to fee me this day.

Lacken-hill, June 14th, 1798.  ROCHE.”

To the Revd. James Doyle.

It was given out in general orders, that the commander in chief fhould fend out guards, to compel fuch perfons as they fhould find loitering at home, and that fuch guards fhould punifh with death thofe who fhould refift them. Thofe who were found loitering fhould alfo be tried by a court-martial, and punifhed with death. See Appendix, No. XX. 1 3.
This is according to the French fyftem of terror.

The next memorable action which took place in the rebellion was the battle of Arklow, which happened on the ninth of June.

The rebel leaders knew, that if the metropolis fell, there would be a general infurrection of the popifh multitude all over the kingdom. They refolved therefore to make one defperate effort to gain it, knowing that immenfe numbers would flock to their ftandard in their progrefs thither, and that the mafs of the people in it would rife, as foon as they

* It is prefumed that Doyle was coadjuter to Sutton.

approached it. Flufhed with the victory which they had gained at Tubberneering near Clough, they were fure that their efforts would be crowned with fuccefs.

The melancholy intelligence of colonel Walpole’s difafter fpread a general gloom through the metropolis, where it was received the evening of the day it happened. The confequences that might have refulted from it were not eafily to be forefeen. The hopes of the difaffected were raifed to the higheft pitch. Plans of infurrection were formed by the rebels in Dublin, as they had the moft fanguine hopes of being joined by their brethren in arms, who had given fuch an extraordinary and unexpected inftance of prowefs againft the king’s troops. Reports were induftrioufly propagated, magnifying the numbers of the rebel force; and ferious apprehenfions were entertained by many for the fafety of the capital.

The following letter was written by the rebel general, father Michael Murphy, at Gorey, on the fixth inftant, to Thomas Houfton, of Thomas-ftreet, Dublin, which fufficiently proves the determination of the rebel chieftains to march to, and attack the metropolis. Soon after the battle of Arklow, general Skerret met a foldier, who had fome plunder in his hands; among other things, a watch, a crucifix, and the following letter which he had found on the body of father Murphy:

“Friend Houfton!	Gorey, 6th June.
“Great events are ripening. In a few days we fhall meet. The firft fruits of your regeneration muft be a tincture of poifon and pike, in the metropolis, againft hereticks. This is a tribunal for fuch opinions. Your talents muft not be buried as a judge: Your fons muft be fteeled with fortitude againft herefy, then we fhall do; and you fhall fhine in a higher fphere. We fhall have an army of brave republicans, one hundred thoufand, with fourteen pieces of cannon, on Tuefday, before Dublin; your heart will beat high at the news. You will rife with a proportionable force.
	Yours ever.
Decipher, B. I. K. M. Y.***	M. MURPHY.”

Father Murphy, in the conftant hurry and confufion in which he had been kept, in preparing for the attack of Arklow, had not time or

opportunlty to forward this letter, which remains as a proof of the bold and malignant defigns of the facerdotal hero and his fanatical fectaries.*

So great was the confternation in Dublin, that the countefs Camden failed for England, and many ladies not only of rank and fafhion, but even of middling and mean fituations, followed her example. The regular military force in the capital was fmall but the loyal citizens enrolled as yeomen, to the amount of about four thoufand, well-armed and difciplined, nobly ftood forward to fave their country, completely overawed the difaffected within the city; and enabled government to detach from the garrifon the Cavan battalion of militia, and a fmall party of the Rea fencibles, who were fent off on the day following, in carriages impreffed for the purpofe, to Wicklow, to join there the debris of colonel Walpole’s column, and to endeavour to recover the town of Arklow. The honourable general Needham was appointed to the command of thefe troops, and reached Wicklow on the evening of the fifth of June. On the fixth, the column moved forward without oppofition to Arklow, but found the country altogether deferted by the male inhabitants, who had, almoft to a man, gone off to join their friends at Gorey.

The arrival of frefh troops from Dublin revived the drooping fpirits of thofe who had been defeated under colonel Walpole; though moft of them were in a deplorable ftate, having thrown away their packs, containing alltheir neceffaries, to lighten them in their retreat; and the fhoes they had, were completely worn out. On the march the column was joined by the Arklow corps of yeomanry, all loyal proteftants. As their houfes and property had been deftroyed by the rebels, they formed themfelves into fmall parties, before they joined general Needham; and fet fire to many houfes, of which the male inhabitants were knovm to have joined the rebels at Gorey; but thefe acts of revenge were completely put an end to by the general, and all the ftraggling yeomen were called in.. When the column approached within three miles of Arklow,† a

* From this letter, the reader may conceive to what a ftate of plunder, carnage and conflagration, the metropolis would have been reduced on the night of the twenty-third of May, if the pikemen had rifen and occupied the ftreets before the yeomen were alarmed, as they would have been joined by many thoufand-rebels from the country, who were waiting for the fignal to rufh into it.
† Plate II.2.

ftrong party of dragoons was fent forward to reconnoitre. They pufhed on to the town, and on their appearance, fome few fellows who had committed acts of violence and rebellion, after the retreat of the king’s troops to Wicklow, made their cfcape to Gorey.

The town was taken poffeffion of by the dragoons without any oppofition; and about four o’clock, on the fixth of June, the main column marched in. It is impoffible to defcribe the joy which their arrival diffufed through the town, as moft of the proteftant inhabitants had deferted their houfes, and fled to the beach, to avoid the deftruction which feemed to impend over them and their families, and made their efcape in boats; but on feeing the column enter the town, they returned. The feventh and eighth, the troops remained unmolefted; though they were in conftant expectation of being attacked. Patroles were kept conftantly in motion, and every precaution was adopted that prudence could fuggeft. Some fences were levelled, to clear the only polition which it appeared act vifable to occupy in cafe of an attack. The difpofition of the forces for that event was refolved on; and ground was marked out for encamping the entire body outfide the town,* that on any alarm they might turn out and form with greater promptitude.

Effective return of the forces under the command of the honourable major general Needham at Arklow

About four o’clock in the afternoon, the out-poft at the charter-fchool A, was ordered in; and another cavalry patrole was fent there, and they obferved at fome diftance, the enemy deploying the immenfe mafs which had marched by the Coolgreney road, from Gorey, and extending themfelves into a kind of irregular line of great depth; the right being at the little rock of Arklow B, where a very ftrong column was formed, which marched by the fea-fide road, and was deftined to attack the lower end of the town, or fifhery C. On the Coolgreney road another immenfe column was formed, to attack the right of our pofition, at the upper end of the town D. When thefe arrangements were made, which took up half an hour, the enemy fent forward a numerous patrole of cavalry and infantry, wWch attempted to furround the patrole, which we had fent to the charter-fchool, and obliged them to fall back to the garrifon. In the mean time the king’s troops prepared for adioa, having made the following difpofition: A part of the Antrim, with fome fupplementary yeomen, commanded by captain Rowan, were deftined for the defence of the barrack E, and lined the walls on a temporary banquette erefted for the purpofe.

Another detachment of the Antrim, under the command of lieutenantcolonel O’Hara, was pofted at the upper end of the town at D, with a barricado fuddenly formed of cars and boxes in their front, and having one of their regimental field-pieces with their own gunners. The line of the king’s forces was formed with the Durham on the right, in the circular pofition FFG, which gave fome advantage in point of ground; but, after the firing began, the troops on the left of the Durham moved forward, under cover of the hedges, their front GGG, where they remained during the reft of the action. The Suflblk fencibles and the Tyrone light companies, with fome of the fupplementary yeomen hned the very ftrong hedges HHH; a fmall party was pofted in the churchyard I, and another at the end of the ftreet K, for the defence of the lower end of the town.

The main object of the rebels was to outflank and furround our little army, by which they muft have overpowered it by their immenfe fuperiority of numbers; which the excellent difpofition made by general Ncedham was well calculated to prevent.

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The cavalry, with the exception of one troop of the Ancient Britons, and the Arklow cavalry, pofted at L, were ftationed at the bridge, and on the fands outfide the town MMM, where they were perfectly under cover.

The rebels firft appeared on the tops of hedges, in a great circular line, extending from the Gorey or fea fide road to the fand banks near the fea, and was very deep. They put their hats on their pikes, and gave moft dreadful yells. The enemy now moved forward to the attack, and in their progrefs fet fire to Lamberton, the beautiful feat of the reverend Mr. Bayly, redlor of the parifh of Arklow N, which was entirely confumed. The party on the Coolgreney road was warmly received on their firft appearance, by colonel O’Hara, with his gun and party at the barrier D; and they fuffered very feverely from the two guns on the right of the Durham’s. One of the enemy’s fix-pounders was now dragged off the road by the lane N, and advantageoufly pofted on the fummit of an hill O, commanding the pofition of the king’s troops, but which was fo extenfive that they could not with their fmall numbers occupy the whole of it. The other gun which the rebels brought with them was drawn by the Yellow-lane P, and pofted not injudicioufly on an eminence at Q.

The enormous mob which compofed the rebel army was eftimated at twenty-five thoufand men by thofe who were beft informed. In their march they plundered the houfes of all proteftants of every thing valuable, and put in ftrict requifition all the fpirits and provifions that could be fupplied. Under the influence of intoxication and fanaticifm they were led on by their priefts, who infpired them with ideas of their own invinciblenefs; becaufe, as they informed the mifguided wretches, they were engaged in the caufe of heaven, and againft the enemies of God. To maintain that religious phrenzy, which was the only fource of their courage, they, at the end of every mile during their march, faid mafs for them, and ufed every mode of exhortation, and every fuperftitious device that prieftcraft could invent. They advanced in an irregular line, which was frequently broken by their running out to file along the hedge rows lying parallel to the pofition of the king’s troops, of the cover of which they endeavoured to avail themfelves. Their front rank was compofed of thofe who had fire-arms, and who were moftly from the barony of Shelmalier, on the Wexford coaft, where they fubfift during the winter

by fhooting barnacles and other fea fowl, which makes them expert markfmen. They were covered in the rear by the pikemen many deep, and at certain intervals their line was ftrcngthened by numerous mafles of men, who were ready to fupply the places of thofe who feljl, or to act as occafion might require. Each company had a green flag or colour about two feet fquare, with a yellow harp in the centre. Some, however, were party-coloured, and equal in fize to the king’s colours. Their leaders were diftinguifhable riding through the ranks, marfhalling them, and giving orders.

During the engagement the rebels frequently repeated their dreadful yells, which heightened the terrifick appearance of this numerous hoft of barbarians, who feemed confident from their fuperlor numbers, that they could eafily overwhelm our fmall army.
The columrt* on the right of the enemy’s line, which formed at the rock B, and marched by the fea fide road S, attacked the lower end of the town with great fury, fetting fire to the houfes, and advancing under cover of the fmoke, with the moft determined perfeverance. The flames were fortunately interrupted by the interval between C and R, and did not communicate to the reft of the town.

The rebels, notwithftanding their moft defperate efforts, were unable to withftand the heavy and well-directed fire kept up by the party pofted at K; and nevef fucceeded in paffing the point R, at which multitudes of them were killed, but who were inftantly replaced by others; and they were plainly obferved throwing their killed, and, it is believed, many of their wounded into the flames, where they were confumed or buried under the ruins of falling houfes. The attack was fupported with the utmoft obftinacy on this point for two hours and a half, when the enemy began to defift from an attempt which had proved fatal to fo many, and to retire along the ftreet of the fifhery C, and by the fea fide road S.

This being obferved, the cavalry on the bridge, under colonel Sir W. W. Wynne, was ordered to charge, and that officer led them on with his ufual gallantry againft the enemy, many of v^hom were cut down on the fands T T, and the reft made their efcape up the Yellow-lane P, and into the enclofures, where the cavalry could not follow them.

While this warm conftict was maintained at the lower end of the town, the attack was fupported with ftill more obftinacy againft the barricade

at D; by which the rebels were in hopes of making their way to the rear of our little army. This column was led on by father Michael Murphy, the prieft, of Ballycanew, who endeavoured to animate them by every argument and exhortation that could work on their bigotry. Many of their chiefs, who led them on to fucceffive attacks, were killed within a few yards of our guns.

Murphy, who had hitherto efcaped, headed the column at the charter-fchool, which was ftill very great; but as they fhewed a reluctance to advance, he took out of his pocket fome mufket-balls, which, he faid, were fired by the enemy, and fome of which had hit him without wounding him; and others he had caught in his hands. He affured them at the fame time, that the balls of hereticks could not injure them, as they were under the protection of the Almighty, in whofe caufe they were fighting, provided they were ftedfaft in their faith. By that ftratagem, he prevailed on many of the deluded wretches to follow him; and they fucceffively became victims of their fuperftition and temerity. Father Murphy, after many efcapes, fell himfelf by a cannon fhot, within a few yards of the barricade D, while fhouting to his followers, and waving in his hand a fine ftandard with a crofs, and Liberty or Death infcribed on it. The fall of this church militant hero had an immediate effe6t in damping the ardour of the enemy, which from that moment began to abate.

About eight o’clock, when it was almoft dark, they began to retreat towards Cool^reney, in an irregular and diforderly manner. They carried off nine cart-loads of dead and wounded. If the cavalry had one hour’s day light, they would have purfued them, and have cut off great numbers in their retreat. The lofs of the rebels was faid to be one thoufand killed, and great numbers wounded.

The rebel cannon were worked by fome of our artillery-men, who were taken near Wexford on the thirtieth of May; and as they levelled them too high, their fire was in a great meafure ineffectual; for during the whole engagement, but two fhots had any effect. One of them paffed through the ammunition box of one of our guns, the other broke the carriage and killed three of the gunners.

When our troops got poft’effion of Gorey, on the twelfth of June, a yeoman ot the name of Sherwood, found a popifh confeffion of faith* in the box of a prieft, the original of which is now in the poffeffion of the

* See a copy of it in Appendix, No. XX. 15.

reverend Mr. Bayly of Arklow. It has been publifhed in a pamphlet, entitled, Veridicus, and in another written in defence of the orangemen, in reply to Theobald McKenna, efquire; and as an anonymous writer has treated it as an impofture, from its monftrous abfurdity, I think it right to obferve, that various produftions of the fame nature, but infinitely more abfurd and ridiculous, are conftantly publifhed in Dublin, and circulated among the befotted multitude. Of thefe Fifty Reafons, the book on the Scapular or Carmelite order, the Funiculus triplex, or triple cord of St. Francis, the revelations of father John Murphy the traitor, hanged at Tullow, ftand foremoft.

Another of thefe confeffions of faith was found at Carlow; one was dropped by a drunken prieft of the name of Fitzfimmons, at the houfe of a gentleman in the county of Meath; and another was found in the pocket of a robber, who was killed in the Liberty, in the year 1795.*

I forgot to mention that fome weeks before the rebellion broke out, popifh children at Wingfield, and in the vicinity of Gorey and Arklow, and in many other places in the county of Wexford, wore red tape; and that fome proteftant children who did fo, wifhing to imitate them, were feverely reprimanded by popifh fchoolmafters. George Taylor, in his narrative, mentions it; and tells us, what I have heard from many refpectable perfons, that the pretext for ufing it was, that all the Roman catholick children, under the age of fifteen, were to be vifited by a dreadful plague; and that this piece of tape, which was endued with fupernatural powers, by the benediction of a prieft, would fecure thofe, who wore it, from infection; but it was believed, that the intent of it was to difcriminate popifh from proteftant children, when the general maffacre was to take place in the month of May. The country fhopkeepers brought immenfe quantities of it from Dublin, which they readily difpofed of George Taylor, who lives near Gorey, mentions this circumftance in his narrative of the Wexford rebellion.

Captain Grogan Knox, who commanded the Caftletown yeomen cavalry, and two privates in it, fell in this action. It is fuppofed that they advanced too far in purfuit of the enemy, after they had been driven out of the fifhery, and that by doing fo, they got within the range of our fhot. This loyal gentleman was brother of Mr. Cornelius Grogan, who was hanged at Wexford.

* This confeffion, it is believed, was compofed foon after, and alluded to the maffacre of 1641.