armed all those who had repaired to his standard, and immediately marched towards Castlebar. In the mean time, being still in hopes of a more powerful support, he prepared a proclamation, in which he entrusted the government of the province to a council consisting of twelve members, and gave orders for the raising of twelve regiments. He also enjoined 66 every individual from sixteen to forty, in the name of the Irish republic, to repair immediately to the French camp," on purpose" to march in a mass against the common enemy of the government of Ireland, the English, whose destruction alone," it was added "can secure the happiness and independence of ancient Hibernia."*

In the mean time major-general Hutchinson anticipated the French, having by a sudden evolution obtained possession of the chief town in the county of Connaught; but on the other hand, the latter completely deceived their adversaries, on their arrival at Ballina, by advancing through Barnahgecby instead of Foxford, and thus experiencing no obstacle whatsoever in the route to Castlebar.

ALTHOUGH he relied chiefly for success on his own troops, yet being desirous to magnify his little army by the appearance of numbers, Humbert had dressed up a number of the natives in uniforms, and afterwards contrived to post his new levies on the flanks in such a manner as to protect his column from the fire of the enemy.

THE field of battle, to which he was now in full march, consisted of a hill, at the north-west extremity of the town, where the English forces were

* This paper, which happened to be discovered among the archives of the provisional government, was never published, as it soon became evident that the mild policy of lord Cornwallis was far better calculated to subvert the spirit of resistance than a system of torture and conflagration.

D

drawn up in two lines*, which crowned the summits; a small reserve was stationed in the rear, two circle and some battalion guns were posted in front, and commanded a rising ground, over which the invaders must necessarily pass : the exact effective strength has never been ascertained, but it appears to have exceeded fifteen hundred men, and it must be allowed that the troops were not injudiciously posted.

ABOUT eight o'clock in the morning, the French with their allies were seen advancing in column, and some of the peasantry, who accompanied them, made an ineffectual attempt to divert the fire of the artillery, which was well served, by driving some cattle before them. On this Humbert, after reconnoitring, halted under cover of a rising ground, and pushed forward a body of his best marksmen, who advanced rapidly, and occupied some hedges in front, whence they extended themselves, with a view of annoying and outflanking the adversary.

THE fire of the opposite lines, instead of being re served, was expended before it could be serviceable, a mistake of which the enemy immediately took advan

* According to Sir R. Musgrave's Memoirs, p. 593, the following disposition took place: the first line consisted of the Kilkenny militia, the skeleton of the sixth regiment of foot, and a subaltern's detachment of the Prince of Wales's fencibles. The Fraser fencibles, with a small corps of Galway yeomen infantry, formed a second line ; the four companies of the Longford were drawn up in a valley in the rear, and a little in the left of the main body of the Kilkenny. The cavalry, consisting of the first fencibles, and a part of the sixth dragoon guards, were stationed in the rear of the first line, some piquets excepted, and some mounted yeoman, who were posted in different quarters. In addition to the artillery mentioned above, which was under the direction of captain Shortall, two more curricle guns were posted in the centre of the town, under lieutenant Blundle of the artillery,

tage; for the main body having rushed forward, and the sharp shooters evincing a design to penetrate into the rear, the detachment posted for the purpose of supporting the guns retired, and they were immediately abandoned. The earls of Ormond, Longford, and Granard, endeavoured to rally their men, and they so far succeeded as to impede for some time the progress of the assailants; but they were pursued with alacrity, and the royal Irish artillery, who had gallantly defended the bridge by means of a single gun, were at length charged by the horse and nearly

cut off.

THE loss sustained upon this occasion has been vaguely estimated at six hundred men and eight pieces of cannon; it is certain, however, that it was considerable, and the suspicion of dissaffection among part of the troops rendered the calamity still greater.

CASTLEBAR, a place of some importance on account of its situation, now became the head-quarters of the invaders, and a number of the deserters from the Irish militia regiments, chiefly actuated by the hopes of booty, joined the invaders; but to the honour of the French commander, he acquired the odium of many of his new allies, by his scrupulous regard to the lives and property of individuals.

GENERAL HUMBERT being determined to take advantage of the consternation occasioned by his victory, and hoping also to be able to obtain succours and assistance in proportion as his troops advanced into the heart of the country, he moved with his whole force through Swineford and Tubbercurry, towards Tuam, as if with intention to reach the capital, now only eight miles distant. But his career did not extend beyond that town; for lord Cornwallis, with great propriety, determined to take the field in person, and having collected a formidable body of troops, marched against the invaders. On this, the French commander, knowing that his force must cease to be formidable, the moment that it ceased to act offen

sively, generously determined on the preservation of such of the insurgents as had joined him, although their conduct had in no instance entitled them to his esteem, and in more than one case not even to his protection; he however, made a retrograde but circuitous march, partly on purpose to enable them to escape, and partly with the hope of receiving reinforcements from France.

In the men time, the army under the lord lieutenant advanced with hasty steps, on purpose to cut off the progress of the invaders, who in the course of seventeen days had penetrated a considerable way into the kingdom, fought and gained a battle, and appeared to be in possession of the whole of Connaught. At length, a column of troops under lieutenant-colonel Crawford, burning with impatience to wipe off the late disgrace, came up with the rear of the retiring foe at Ballinamuck; and after a short but sharp contest, the French, who, to the astonishment of their conquerors, amounted to no more than eight hundred and forty-four men, surrendered themselves prisoners of war.* The loss of the British

wounded, and missing, of

*Return of the killed, the king's forces at the battle of Ballinamuck, Sept. 8,

1798.

"Officers, none killed; privates, killed three, wounded twelve, missing three; horses, killed eleven, wounded one, missing one.

"Ordnance, arms, and ammunition, taken.-Three light French four-pounders; five ditto ammunition waggons, nearly full of made-up ammunition; one ditto tumbril; seven hundred stand of arms, with belts and pouches; with a great number of pikes.

"Officer wounded.-Lieut. Stephens, of the Carabineers."

"Return of the French army taken prisoners at the battle of Ballinamuck, Sept. 8, 1798.

"General and other officers, ninety-six; non-commnissioned officers and soldiers, seven hundred and forty-six ;

was contemptible; but a great slaughter took place among such of the insurgents as, trusting to their good fortune, had not disbanded; for a considerable number of these perished in their flight, about one hundred only having been taken prisoners, among whom were three of their chiefs.*

SCARCELY had a month elapsed, when a small squadron carrying a reinforcement to the French. troops was descried, attacked, and discomfited, by sir John Borlase Warren, and the whole captured, two frigates only excepted. Among the prisoners seized upon this occasion was Theobald Wolfe Tone, with whom had originated the plan of the society of United Irishmen, and the idea of an Irish republic,

horses, about one hundred. N. B. ninety-six rebels taken-three of them called general officers, by the name of Roach, Blake, and Teeling. The enemy in their retreat were compelled to abandon nine pieces of cannon, which they had taken in the former actions with his majesty's forces."

"Names of the principal officers of the French forces taken at the battle of Ballinamuck, Sept. 8, 1798.

"Humbert, general en chief; Sarazin, general de division; Fontaine, general de brigade; Laserure, chief de brigade, attache a l'etat major; Dufour, ditto; Aulty, chef de battailon; Demanche, ditto; Toussaint, ditto; Babin, ditto; Sibernon, ditto; Menou, commissaire ordonnateur; Brillier, commissaire de guerre; Thibault, payeur; Puron, aid-de-camp; Framair, ditto; Moreau, capitaine waguemestre general; Ardouin, chef de brigade; Serve, chef de battailon; Hais, ditto, Mauchaud, ditto; Brand and Massonet, officers de sainte.

"Recapitulation-sous-officers, ninety-six; grenadiers, eight; fusiliers, four hundred and forty; carbineers, thirty-three; chasseurs, sixty; cannoniers, forty-one :-total, officers, ninety-six ;-eight hundred and forty-four. P. ARDOUN."

Teeling, Blake, and Roach.