21/06/2018
ON THIS DAY, 220 years ago
June 21st 1798 (Part Three)
"And Poor Wexford, stripped naked, hung high on a cross, with her heart pierced by traitors and knaves"
The distant thumping of the cannons could be heard through the narrow streets of Wexford. People gazed up to the sky, deep in thought. What was coming? Many ripped the green sashes from their waists and hats and disposed of anything that would seem treacherous in the eyes of the coming army. Fr. Phil Roche and Tom Cloney rode into town. Discussions were being held amongst the United Irish committee. It looked bad. They did not doubt the hearts and courage of their men but understood the realism that they could not match the 10,000 strong British force with pikes and empty muskets. A surrender was agreed upon. Matthew Keugh, the Governor of Wexford, officially handed his sword to Lord Kingsborough. All parties agreed that the town should be saved from a devastating siege, which if not acted upon quickly, could be hours away from occurring.
Kingsborough refused to set out to meet the British authorities. Instead, three parties would ride out and deliver the news to the respective commanders. Alongside Crown prisoners, Tom Cloney rode to meet General Lake at Enniscorthy, Edward Hay was to meet Needham at Oulart and Robert Carty was to greet Moore at Taghmon.
Cloney and Hay both later described the devastation from the Vinegar Hill battle. Bodies lay strewn everywhere. Naked women lay dead upon the ditches with their necks slashed. Children crushed by hooves. The wounded that suffered no mercy. The route of retreat was a trail of pure and unwarranted massacre. The fire of Beale's Barn rose high, the ecstatic flames singeing the nearby trees. The flies had already started prancing about upon the hundreds of bodies of the rebel dead.
Along the route, the retreating rebels had accosted Cloney for his bid to surrender. "How dare you all surrender and the morning we have had" shouted some of the exhausted and dust covered rebels. Cloney could see the fear in some eyes, the anger in others and that sullen, lost look in more. They left Cloney be. It was all lost now. Men had lost their wives and children. They had lost their friends. They prayed under their breath as they ran, praying to be reunited with loved ones when the force consolidated at Wexford. "Oh please God above, please let them be there"
Cloney and Hay both reached Enniscorthy unscathed and were separated from their respective soldier escorts. They were made wait. Lake called the shots. He knew they approached with surrender. He knew the yeomen outside fawned for the chance to slit their throats too. There was no panic. Gunboats blockaded the harbour. Moore protected the western flanks of the town whilst his large force commanded central Wexford. The rebels would either disperse or try another foolish attempt of open battle. He knew their heart was beaten. They had lost many of their finest upon the hillside and for many, their loved ones at Darby's Gap. He kept the rebel emissaries waiting longer.
As the rebels made it to Ferrycarrig Bridge, on the northern outskirts of Wexford Town, many broke from the groups and charged straight for the town in search of food. Some of the angered wanted to clarify the truth behind this so called surrendering. Edward Roche ordered an amalgamated camp to be established upon Forth Mountain, which was already home to the battered remnants of Fr. Phil Roche's force. It would be the first time the Northern and Southern Divisions of Wexford would be united since the joyous days of May 30th and May 31st, but by now, they had lost thousands and thousands of old friends and the smiles and cheers were no longer.
News of the surrender didn't fare well with many of the insurgents. Some tried to assassinate Lord Kingsborough, the highest ranking loyalist prisoner, but were stopped by the exhausted Anthony Perry. Everything was collapsing before their eyes. Power was handed to the loyalists. Their guards transferred what weapons they had to the prisoners before fleeing. Also, whispers spread of Harvey and John Henry Colclough sneakily abandoning the town. They swiftly made for their homes to make arrangements. They knew they were marked men to Dublin Castle. Hiring a fishing boat, they secretly made their way out to the Great Saltee island, off the coast of Wexford. There they would hide until they believed Wexford to be safe.
General Moore, knowing the town to be surrendered, moved his force towards Forth Mountain. Before the battered rebels could accommodate a camp upon its summit, they were welcomed by the hundreds of Philip Roche's division hurriedly retreating from its slopes, giving detail of Moore's large force quickly approaching. "What now? More bloody fighting?" There was no time to defend. Edward Roche, knowing time was scarce charged his Shelmalier marksmen and many of the stragglers and made for Wexford Town, where he greeted Perry, Edward Fitzgerald, Garrett Byrne and the wounded Mogue Kearns. A fast meeting was held and quickly concluded. They threw their thoughts on the table. Stand, defend and be wiped out or try outmanoeuvre through the Crown Forces? Garrett Byrne proposed to carry the war to the Wicklow Mountains. They all agreed. It was time to give up their fight for County Wexford. "Gather the men. Anyone you see. Head for the bridge, now!" shouted some of the rebel company commanders.
The entire town of Wexford seemed to trample over the bloodstains upon the thick boards of Wexford Bridge. There was no time to make sure everyone was there. They would get the word and follow on their own account. The exhausted, yet fearfully excited insurgents charged into the Barony of Shelmalier. There was no time to mourn. There was no time to vent anger. Only time to run.
Outside Wexford Town, a smaller assembly of Vinegar Hill refugees combined with some detachments of Fr. Phil Roche's battered and spent army, did not know for some time of Edward Roche and Anthony Perry's actions. The feeling of abandonment must have been prevailing. Knowing of Moore's force ascending Forth Mountain, the smaller column, commanded by Fr. Philip Roche, Fr. John Murphy and Myles Byrne of Monaseed, made their way south to try manoeuvre around Moore's force. It was a remarkable and unquestionably fast retreat for the entire insurgent army of Wexford. They had evaded what Lake and his generals had wanted to do to them.
Moore, unknowing of the insurgent situation, viewed through his lens, the thousands of rebels making their way into Shelmalier, believing them to be townspeople who feared destruction. Some fires were being started and fearing an insurgent scorched earth technique, he rushed his troops into the town's suburbs. The loyalists were immediately set free and some jubilation and emotional reunions occurred. Their war and suffering was over. The way was paved for Lake to symbolically take over the town of Wexford. Matthew Keugh handed himself over, hoping that his kind treatment of prisoners and the gentlemanly word of Lord Kingsborough would secure his life.
As the sun set upon Wexford, two rebel armies were once again on the run. One made its way north, straddling the coastline of Shelmalier and Ballaghkeene. The other column made its way towards the mountainous Carlow border, passing over the bloated remains of the rebel dead at Goff's Bridge. Exhaustion was now the enemy.
So much had occurred on this day. So much life lost. So many friends and families separated. Some would wait weeks to be reunited. Some would not survive. The Army of Wexford was no longer an Army in Wexford. They would break out and continue their fight, for their beloved Model County was no longer theirs. Thousands had fought and died for it. It was all gone.
"Glory O! Glory O! To the brave sons who died for the cause of long downtrodden man"
