CHAPTER VII. ATTACK ON NAAS-ANECDOTES OF THE ACTION-INSURRECTION IN KILDAREREBELS DEFEATED AT CARLOW-AMNESTY TO THE INSURGENTS - DUFF'S AFFAIR ON THE CURRAGH-STATE OF THE CAPITAL-PARTIAL DISAFFECTION IN THE YEOMANRY-ROMAN CATHOLIC DECLARATION-BATTLE OF TARAA REBEL HEROINE. "If one can imagine such a thing as a tableau, or bird's-eye view of the rebellion from the 23rd to the 30th of May, the appearance it would present would be this. Seven or eight comparatively minor explosions, lighting up the atmosphere for a short space and then going gradually out, viz. one in Meath (Tara), one in Wicklow (Mount Kennedy), a good blaze in Carlow, and four or five in Kildare, which its being Lord Edward's own county accounts for-these were Naas, Prosperous, Kilcullen, and Rathangan. The eye should then be drawn to the mighty and absorbing eruption of Wexford-and taking Vinegar Hill as its crater, it would observe two streams of lava pouring forth, one due west, to Ross-one due north, towards Wicklow-and a third, of somewhat less importance, north-west to Newtown Barry. I rather think the first shot was fired by my regiment at Naas, as Mick Reynolds, who led the rebels, was one of the promptest of the insurgent leaders."* The garrison of the latter town consisted of one hundred and fifty of the Armagh militia, with two battalion guns, and seventy-five cavalry, comprising small detachments of the Fourth Dragoons, Ancient Britons, and sixteen mounted yeomen. The whole were under the command of Colonel Lord Gosford. On the evening of the general insurrection (the 23rd of May), anonymous letters were received by the commanding officer, apprising him that a night attack would be made upon the town by a numerous body of well-armed rebels, and necessary dispositions of the garrison were made to receive the threatened assault. The guards were doubled, the outskirts of the town carefully patrolled, and a plan of defence pre-arranged, to prevent any confusion when the hour for action came. Midnight passed without any thing occurring to cause alarm, and as morning dawned, it was believed that the information received the preceding evening had been incorrect, and the officers retired to their quarters. At half-past two, however, an outlying dragoon galloped in, announcing the advance of a numerous body of rebels; the drums beat to arms, and the garrison occupied their alarm posts. The rebels, who had assembled at the quarries of Tipper, advanced on the town in four divisions, each entering by a different approach i * MS. Journal of a Field Officer. those of Irish rebels, had the contrary effect, and with the utmost fury they assaulted him. He had a case of pistols, which natural courage and love of life, though hopeless, prompted him to use with effect; and being uncommonly active, he burst from them, vaulted over a six-feet wall, and made towards a house where he saw a light, and heard people talking. Alas! it afforded no refuge! it was the house of poor Crawford, whom, with his granddaughter, they had just piked. A band of barbarians, returning from this exploit, met Lieutenant Giffardthere he fell, covered with wounds and with glory; and his mangled body was thrown into the same ditch with honest Crawford and his innocent grandchild.* Thus expired, at the age of seventeen, a gallant youth-the martyr to religion and honour-leaving a memory behind that will ever be respected by the virtuous and the brave." A course of cowardly assassination thus commenced, was continued by the insurgents in their progress to attack Monastereven. Their numbers had increased to ten or twelve hundred men, and they were commanded by a ruffian called McGarry. Such Protestants, as they unfortunately met with, were put to death-and a solitary dragoon, seized as he crossed the Curragh, and inhumanly murdered. About four in the morning they approached the town, and made their preparations for attacking it, On the 24th of May there was not a regular soldier in Monastereven; and an infantry company, with a troop of horse, both yeomanry, formed the little garrison. After a feint by the canal, and a movement by the high road, which was repulsed by a charge of cavalry, they pushed boldly into the town, and a warm conflict took place in the main street. The well-sustained musketry of the infantry threw the head of the rebel column into confusion-when the cavalry charged home, and the rout was complete. Fifty bodies were found lifeless in the town; and as the horsemen followed the flying rebels vigorously, as many more were cut up in the pursuit. The repulse of this attack was most honourable to the defenders of Monastereven-the gallant action was achieved by loyalists alone-and of the brave men who fought and bled that day fourteen of the troop were Roman Catholics. The outbreak of the 23rd of May was attended with many acts of cruelty inflicted upon isolated families, who, either from mistaken confidence, or inability to reach a place of safety, exposed themselves to the fury of savages, whose natural truculence was often inflamed to madness by intoxication. Many individuals of great worth and respectability perished thus. Mr. Stamers, the chief proprietor of the town of Prosperous, was torn from the house of a lady where he had obtained a temporary shelter, and murdered in cold blood. Rathangan was, indeed, a scene of extensive butchery.-Mr. Spensert and Mr. Moore were slaughtered there, although they had surrendered their * When Sir James Duff's moveable column entered Kildare, it passed close to the scene of slaughter, and poor young Giffard's body was removed from the ditch, and interred with military honours. "Thus this worthy gentleman, who was an active and intelligent magistrate, and as remarkable for the amiableness and affability of his manners as the benevolence of |