CHAP. the dagger-arm. Though thus wounded, and with his 1. dagger fallen from his hand, he still continued a des1793. perate resistance, and was only overpowered and secured at last by the soldiers crossing their muskets on his breast, and forcing him down. 42. Both the principal actors in this terrible tragedy were Death of gallant and determined men; both acted from the highest Fitzgerald sense of public and patriotic duty, and both came to an and Captain untimely end. Captain Ryan, who was a brave and dis Lord E. Ryan. June 4. 1 Dublin Journal, June 2, 1798. 66 tinguished officer under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, in the * His widow received a pension of £200 a-year from the Irish, Government, which was certainly richly deserved, for his character was universally respected, and his seizure of Lord Edward was a mortal stroke to the conspiracy. The base wretch who betrayed the latter for gold received £1000, but his name has never transpired. He was, however, one of the Union, or he could not have been so accurate and correct in his information.-Castlereagh Correspondence, i. 462-468. 1798. 1 Moore's his admiring countrymen, to whom his memory is still the CHAP. object of interest approaching to adoration. Yet must I. the sober judgment of history, while it respects and does justice to his previous character, and appreciates the purity Fitzgerald, of the motives by which he was actuated in his last enter-ii. 371-378; prise, pronounce a very different verdict on the conduct Papers, i. which led to his untimely death.1 Castlereagh 462-464. ter. Lord Edward Fitzgerald, the son of the Duke of Lein- 43. ster, and the nephew of the Duke of Richmond, was a His characbrave and estimable, but rash and misguided man. He had served with reputation in the 19th Regiment, during the American war, and on many occasions had displayed equal valour and conduct. At Gibraltar, where he had latterly been stationed with his regiment, he was universally esteemed by his acquaintances and beloved by his friends. A bill of attainder was passed against him after his death, notwithstanding the opposing influence of the highest personages, including that of the Sovereign himself; but it was justly thought that when so many other inferior conspirators suffered, justice could not permit the leaders to escape. It was reversed in 1819. His influence was great with the conspirators. "The Irish nation," says his associate M'Nevin, "could not sustain a greater misfortune in the person of any one individual than befell it in the loss of Fitzgerald at that critical moment. With unquestioned intrepidity, republicanism, and devotion to Ireland-with popularity that gave him unbounded influence, and integrity that made him worthy of the highest trust had he been present in the Irish camp, to organise, discipline, and give to the valour of his country a scientific direction, we should have seen the slaves of the monarchy fly before the republicans of Ireland, as they did before the patriots of America."* Moore, in his Life of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, admits that the seizure of that nobleman and the 'M'Nevin was the author of the Memoir to the French Directory, already given, chap. i. § 32, note. CHAP. I. 1798. 1 Moore, i. 132. death of Ryan saved Dublin, and ruined the prospects of the conspirators.1 It is impossible sufficiently to lament the calamitous combination of circumstances which brought two such men, both officers of the British army, who were worthy to have stood side by side on the fields of Talavera or Vitoria, into fierce and mortal strife in their own country. Yet must impartial justice make this distinction between them, that the one died in the courageous discharge of his duty to his sovereign and his country; the other in the prosecution of a frantic project of revolution, 2 Ryan's from which a war of extermination was undoubtedly to Castlereagh be anticipated in the outset, and certain ruin to the 462. cause of freedom, whichever side proved victorious, in the end.2 Narrative; Corresp. i. 44. Breaking out of the May 23. Notwithstanding this loss, which was an irreparable one to the rebellion, it broke out, under the direction of new rebellion. leaders, with great violence, on the day appointed, being the 23d May. The Government, under the able direction of Lord Camden and Lord Castlereagh, were so well on their guard in the metropolis that the rising was effectually prevented there, and the public tranquillity was hardly disturbed during the whole day. The mail-coaches, however the preconcerted signal-were stopped in several parts of the country, and instantly the outbreak took place in several counties at the same time. It was particularly violent in the south, in Kildare, Tipperary, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Meath, and King's County; and in Limerick and Antrim in the north. As usual in such cases, the rebels had a very great advantage in the first instance. The insurrection being universal in several districts, and the troops stationed in them extremely scattered, in many cases disaffected, and in all very few in numbers compared to their assailants, it was impossible to prevent several small detachments being cut off. Martial law was at once proclaimed by the Government; and the most vigorous measures were taken to reinforce the royal troops in the disaffected districts; but before the requisite aid could May 24. I. arrive, several calamitous checks had been experienced. A СНАР. large body of rebels surrounded the village of Prosperous, in Kildare, and massacred the whole soldiers, sixty-nine 1798. in number, who defended it. A conflict of doubtful issue May 24. ensued between a body of 600 rebels and a detachment of May 26. militia, under Sir James Duff, in Wexford, in which both parties claimed the advantage. On the day following, 5000 rebels, under John Murphy, Roman Catholic curate of Bouvalogue, encountered at Oulart, in the same county, 110 of the North Cork Militia, of whom the commanding officer and four privates alone escaped. Wexford was next attacked, and, being abandoned by the Royalists, fell into their hands, with a considerable train of artillery. This last success was of great importance, as putting the rebels in possession of a seaport, by means of which they could communicate with and receive succours from France. 344-346; They here sullied their victory by the massacre of a hun- 1 Cornwallis dred prisoners in cold blood. Bishop Troy issued a pas- Corresp. ii. toral letter to his diocese denouncing the rebellion; but, Castlereagh as usual, with efforts made in opposition to the current, 164, 209. it produced no effect."* "Resolve, we beseech you, to deliver up your arms of every kind, without delay or reluctance, to those appointed to receive them. Unite with all your loyal and peaceable fellow-subjects to put down and crush the wicked spirit of insurrection, so disgraceful to the character of Irishmen. It has already produced the most horrid effects. Assassinations, murders, atrocities of every kind, have been committed. Lose not a moment to manifest your detestation of the principles and causes leading to such consequences."BISHOP TROY to the Roman Catholic Clergy of the Diocese of Dublin, May 27, 1798; Castlereagh Correspondence, i. 210, 211. "The rebels still continue in force in the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, Kildare, Carlow, Meath, and King's County. It is difficult to bring them to any decisive action. They commit horrid cruelties, and disperse as soon as the troops appear. Should the insurrection confine itself within the present limits, a short time will dispose of it. There are some unpleasant appearances in certain parts of the north; but as yet all is, in fact, quiet in Ulster, Munster, and Connaught. . . . The spirit of the country rises with its difficulties. Should the rebellion prove only partial, aided by the reinforcements expected from England I look with confidence to the issue, which, if fortunate, cannot fail to place this kingdom, and, of course, the empire, in a state of security much beyond that in which it has stood for years past."-LORD CASTLEREAGH to MR WICKHAM, May 31, 1798; Castlereagh Correspondence, i. 212. Corresp. i. CHAP. I. 1798. 45. England, and successes of the royal forces. Now thoroughly alarmed, and aware that they had, with the usual apathy of a central government to dangers not immediately threatening themselves, underrated the perils of Ireland, the English Cabinet at length made ments from the most vigorous efforts to meet the crisis. Upon the urgent representations of Lord Castlereagh that the military force at the disposal of the authorities in Ireland was wholly inadequate to meet the pressing demands for assistance which were coming upon them from every part of the kingdom, the English Government sent over considerable reinforcements of regular troops both to the south and north of Ireland.* The successive arrivals of these reinforcements ere long changed the face of affairs, and inclined the balance to the side of Government, though the rebels fought with the utmost resolution, and in some encounters with advantage on their side. The mutual exasperation of the parties, as in all civil conflicts, was hourly on the increase; and before a week was over, quarter was scarcely ever given on either side. Colonel Walpole, with a hundred men, was surprised on his line of march near Tubberneering, and cut off, with his whole party; Gorey and Carlow fell into the hands of the rebels, and affairs wore a very threatening aspect in that vicinity. But these advantages were gained over small bodies of the regular troops only. When they were in greater strength, the usual superiority of disciplined over tumultuary forces appeared. Lord Mountjoy, with the Dublin Militia, repulsed a large body of rebels with great slaughter at New Ross, after an obstinate conflict of ten hours' duration, in the course of which that gallant officer was unfortunately June 5. "In addition to the reinforcement of 3000 infantry and 1000 cavalry already under orders, and in part, I hope, arrived in Ireland, his Majesty's Ministers have this day advised the King to send 5000 more infantry (2000 of the Guards), without delay, to such parts of the kingdom as his Excellency, in his despatches of to-day, seems to point out as standing most in need of reinforcements-viz., the Guards to Waterford, embarking at Portsmouth (I hope, on Wednesday or Thursday next), and the remaining 3000 from Scotland to the north of Ireland."-MR WICKHAM to LORD CASTLEREAGH, June 8, 1798; Castlereagh Correspondence, i. 215. |