Eager to snatch the triumph, he was advancing at the head of his column, when, at a turn in the road, he found himself within a few paces of the enemy. A confused en⚫gagement immediately commenced. The insurgents poured in a deadly fire from the fields on either side of the road. Colonel Walpole was shot through the head. The troops were thrown into disorder, and in a few minutes were in full retreat back to the town, which they had left but an hour ago in all the confidence of victory.*

Meanwhile General Loftus heard the firing, but being at a distance, and on another road, he could not reach the scene of action. He immediately dispatched a company of grenadiers across the fields. This however came up only in time to be intercepted by the victorious rebels, and was wholly destroyed. The general continued his march along the highway, and coming round at last to the field of battle, beheld with horror Colonel Walpole stretched upon the earth. He hurried on in the track of the insurgents toward Gorey, and when after this long circuit, he came in sight of the town which he had left in the morning, he found the insurgents posted on a hill which commands it, and was fired upon from the cannon which had just been taken from his own troops. He did not judge it prudent to attack them in this strong position, and while flushed with victory, nor to enter the town under their guns. He accordingly made a rapid retreat to Carnew.

The detachment of Colonel Walpole had not dared to stop in Gorey, but rushing through the town, fled toward

* For the rashness of Colonel Walpole see Sir Richard Musgrave's History of the Rebellion, vol. i. p. 491-494

CRISIS OF THE WAR.

243

Arklow. It was a moment of general panic. The rebel flag floats on Gorey hill! There is a sound of triumph inthe camp. Afar off the terrified fugitives hear the noise of the captains and the shouting. Parties flying from the spot are scattered over the country far and near. Warhorses, with no riders in their saddles, dash away like wild steeds on the desert. Women and children, piled on jaunting cars, go tilting along the road. Now is the time for horsemen to ride. Ride, ride, brave yeomen; your life is in your horses' speed. On, on, up the hill they spur, and down the steep they plunge. Across the bridges they clatter, racing for dear life. At Arklow a council of war was hastily called, at which it was determined to abandon that town. It was not possible to preserve order. Soldiers threw away their packs to lighten their march. Some mounted on horses did not stop until they reached Dublin. Others sank down by the roadside when their horses could carry them no farther.

This was the most critical moment of the war. The hopes of the insurgents were raised to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. Father Michael Murphy wrote to a friend in Dublin: "Great events are ripening. In a few days we shall meet. We shall have an army of brave republicans, one hundred thousand, with fourteen pieces of cannon, on Tuesday, before Dublin. Your heart will beat high at the news. You will rise with a proportionable force.”

The Irish government now became seriously alarmed. The spell of their invincibility was gone. It was evident that the rebellion could be crushed only by an overwhelming force. Men who longed for peace implored the gov

ernment to try conciliation. But it was too late. The war was begun. They were committed to the contest, and were determined to fight it through. They now acted with a vigor worthy of the crisis. The troops which had fled from Arklow were instantly ordered back, and supported by large reinforcements.

CHAPTER XXI.

BATTLE OF ARKLOW AND NEW ROSS.-MASSACRES AT SCULLABOGUE AND WEXFORD. THE ARMIES CONVERGING.--SIR JOHN MOORE DEFEATS THE INSURGENTS NEAR WEXFORD.-BATTLE OF VINEGAR HILL.

HAD the insurgents, immediately after Walpole's defeat, marched upon Arklow, it must have fallen without a blow, and a clear road would have been opened to Dublin. But they were detained several days at Gorey for want of ammunition. And when at last they moved north, Arklow was held by a fresh garrison of sixteen hundred men.

And now the roads were black with approaching masses. As the rebel army drew near the town, they halted to form. Each company had a green flag with the harp of Erin in the center. Officers were seen on horseback riding through the ranks, encouraging the men. Then all moved forward. Raising their hats on their pikes and giving the most dreadful yells, they rushed to the attack. They had been divided into two columns. One of these moving along the sea-shore with great rapidity, drove in the guard, penetrated the town, and set it on fire. The battle now raged on all sides. The

commander-in-chief wished to order a retreat. Colonel Skerrett begged him to stand firm.

The brave

He said,

11

"We can not hope for victory except by preserving our ranks; if we break, all is lost, and from the spirit which I have seen displayed at this awful crisis by the Durham regiment, I can not bear the idea of its giving ground.' Discipline soon evinced its usual superiority over wild courage. The ammunition of the rebels was also exhausted, and they were compelled to fall back toward Gorey.

This kept the rebellion from spreading to the north. Had it burst this barrier, it would have swept through the county of Wicklow, and on to the very gates of the capital. A similar defeat in the south, kept it from spreading in that direction.

While these scenes were transpiring at the north, a battle yet more obstinate and bloody had been fought at the south. The same day that the victorious rebels entered Gorey, the force under Harvey descended from Carrickbyrne Mountain, and advanced to Corbet Hill, within a mile.of New Ross. This town lies on the river Barrow, and is the key to the counties of Kilkenny and Waterford. If this were carried, the insurrection would at once become general throughout the south of Ireland. Reinforcements had been pouring into it for several days. It had now a garrison of twelve hundred disciplined troops. Early on the following morning the battle began, and was the hardest of the war. It raged for ten hours. Never was the native courage of the Irish more fully displayed, nor on the other hand the immeasurable advantage of discipline over wild valor. The insurgents at first

* Gordon's History, p. 157