The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-15 00:00:00

INTELLIGENCE.

Callan, Sept. 13, Five o'clock P.M.
Having come to this town .to-day for the purpose of
ascertaining the truth or falsehood of the various flying
rumours as to the position, strength, and exploits of the
insurgents yesterday encamped on Aheny-hill, which
you have already given to your readers, I now proceed
to inform you of the statements which may be depended
upon as strictly true, and those which were exaggerated
through the terror of the narrators. You were fully
correct in stating that the authorities in the neighbour-
hood of Carrick had apprehended an outbreak, and had
taken precautions to meet any sudden attack upon that
town, during the latter end of last week ; and it ap-
pears that on Monday the insurgents began to muster
upon the hill of Aheny, or Kilclispin, near the slate
quarries, where they were drilled by their leaders,
and supplied themselves with food by levying con-
tributions from the surrounding farmers, who were
compelled to send in several head of cattle. Who the
leaders were remains unknown at present, and it is very
doubtful whether they were men of greater experience or
information than the masses who composed the main
body of the rebels. I believe that the first act of actual
aggression was made against the constabulary party
stationed at Portlaw, in the county of Waterford. A
detachment of insurgents surrounded the barrack, and
demanded a surrender of the policemen's arms. The
party within refused to comply, and several shots were
then fired on both sides. The police escaped altogether
uninjured; but the insurgents sustained a loss of two men
killed upon the spot and some wounded, which caused
them to retire in great confusion. About four o'clock,
rem., another detachment from the camp of Aheny pro-
ceeded to the slate quarry police station, which they
found deserted, and then burned, as you have already
stated, the constabulary having retired upon Piltown.
They also went to the house of Mr. G. Sheppard, of
Kiltracy, and endeavoured to extort 501. from him; but
permitted him to depart upon his making oath that he
did not possess such a sum. At about seven o'clock
in the evening a body of 100 men, armed with pikes and
guns, proceeded to surround the police station at Glen-
bower. The various constabulary parties in the district
had, during the day, received orders to retreat to Car-
rick, and convey their property with them, as they were
exposed to much danger whilst remaining in their iso-
lated position, and so near the rebel camp. The Glen-
bower men were in the act of placing their effects upon
cars for the purpose of removal, when they perceived
the enemy approaching, and they then immediately be-
took themselves to the barrack. The insurgents pounced
upon the clothes-boxes of the men, which they broke
open with large stones, and then deliberately proceeded
to array themselves in the various articles of apparel
which they found therein, throwing away the old
clothes which they had previously worn. They then
demanded a surrender of the policemen's arms, but
the constables, eight in number, had been occupying
themselves in making the arrangements for defence, the
trick of which they were so well taught by Mr. Trent at
Farranrory, and accordingly replied to the demand by
tiring a volley at the besiegers. Just at this critical
moment the eight policemen who formed the Nine-mile-
house party, and who were on their march to Carrick,
arrived at Glenbower. They immediately gave the in-
surgents a volley in the rear, and the fellows did not
stand to receive their furthersompliments, but ran away
in all directions. Two men fell before the barracks,
one of them was wounded, and the constabulary made
him a prisoner; the other was killed on the spot. The
latter was a person residing in the neighbourhood, and
well known to the police—he had upon his feet a pair of
boots rifled from one of the boxes, and his own old
brogues were found where he had thrown them by
the road-side when he had fitted himself more
to his liking. An old woman, whom I met
at the place, stated that she was looking
on at the entire engagement, and that after
the " boys" ran, one of them, whilst crossing the
hill was struck by a ball from the barrack, and fell, but
got up again and was assisted off by his comrades. She
also said that several others of the attacking party were
believed to have been wounded. The constabulary party
of Nine-mile-house remained at Glenbower, fearing that
they might be interrupted in their march to Carrick, and
an intimation of their precarious condition was conveyed
to Sub-InspectorTrant, to Callan, by a letter entrusted to
the guard of the Cork and Kilkenny mail, which passed
soon after the skirmish. Upon the receipt of this billet,
immediate preparations were made of going for the rescue
of the constables. A portion of the 57th Regiment was en-
camped at Callan, and the head-quarters of the 83d had
arrived from Kilkenny, en route fur Fermoy. Notwith-
standing the fatigue of the day's march already sustained,
two companies of the latter gallant corps turned out with
the utmost alacrity and cheerfulness, and with two com-
panies of the 75th, and about thirty policemen, under
command of P. Blake, Esq., C. 1., and Thomas Trent,
Esq., 5.1., proceeded to Glenbower. They, however,
found that the constabulary had left previous to their
arrival, having been relieved by a company of the 3d
Buffs, and a company of the 83d from Carrick, who came
to their assistance on jaunting-cars as soon as the news
of their danger reached that town, and made prisoners of
several people whom they found congregated neer the
Glenbower station. Theso men, though found in this
position, were not armed, and we believe no charge will
be sustained against them. The 75th and 83d Regie
ments, with the Callan constabulary, bivouacked for the
night at Glenbower, in the open air. On the following
morning communications were held with the troops in
Carrick touching the advisability of marching from either
point on the hill of Aheny, and giving the insurgents
battle. However, upon making observations of the
ground it was found that the rebel force had evacuated
the camp and disappeared into the various woods
and mountain passes of the district, to dislodge them
from which would require a much larger force and more
matured plan of operation. Accordingly the troops and
police returned from Glenbower to Callan to-day,
and I believe the 83d is to continue its march to Fethard
to morrow. You will perceive from this statement that
the reports in Kilkenny last night, and which were con-
veyed chiefly by fugitives from the neighbourhood of
Kilmeganny, were much exaggerated ; and I believe
that the number of insurgents actually appearing in
arms was much over-rated. The police were nowhere
disarmed, as you were led to believe, but, on the con-
trary, wherever they came in collision with the rebels,
the latter wore signally defeated. I was not able to
ascertain the truth or otherwise of the rumour
that there were three pieces of cannon on the,
hill of Aheny, during its occupation by the in-
surgents, but I was assured that Curraghmore had been
t.icaanna-
np,lunndweerreed
amongst
the
arms
gstth whemmic3h
informant
contained—whether
sa
itlno
also assured that there was no turn-out of unemployed
labourers at Thomastown yesterday, all the able-bodied
poor of that place being employed on the railway works.
The insurgents I do not consider as totally defeated.
On the contrary, I fear that, lurking in the mountains,
they will make occasional descents upon the property of
the neighbouring inhabitants, keeping up a guerilla war-
fare, and harassing the troops by frequent forced marches,
without coming to action. It is at all events quite eei-
dent that plunder, and not the assertion of any political
right, is the main object of the outbreak.

-At a late hour this (Wednesday) night the 60th Rifles
arrived in this city !rum Dublin, en route to the seat of
disturbance.

General M`Donald arrived i❑ Kilkenny last night.
The Freeman's Journal of this morning contains the
following version of the outbreak, from its correspondent
at Glenbower, a little village adjacent to Slievenamon:—
" Glenbower, near Slievnamon, County Tipperary,

Wednesday Evening. -
"having heard of the general rumour of a rising of
the people of the district around Carrick and Pil!town,
and read the alarming accounts given of the • revolu-
tionary' assemblages in the Kilkenny and Cloninel
journals, each of which issued special editions, I pro-
ceeded forthwith to the district in order to ascertain the
precise state of facts—whether, in fact, there was any
movement, and if there was, what was its object and

uxtent.
" I proceeded from Kilkenny this morning to Callan,
where I learned that there had been a movement of the
peasantry in the vicinage of Carrick, in the hilly district,
which is a continuation of the Slievenamon mountain.
A considerable number, amounting to probably from five
to six hundred, for the most part labourers, assembled
on the hill of Aheny, where they formed a sort of
encampment—if I can use that term to an assemblage
of men unprovided with anything wherewith to form
a camp. • The object of the assemblage was altogether
of an agrarian character as far as I could learn,
and so far from there being anything of a political (or as
the alarmist journals had it, revolutionary) character
about the assemblage, I could not learn that a single
man ever known to have taken a part in politics had any
connexion whatever with the proceeding. As to the
presence of Mr. Doheny, Mr. O'Gorman, or Mr. O'Nla-
bony, it is a pure fabrication—none of these gentlemen
we' e even said to have been present by any of the parties
who spoke of what they saw or even heard in the vicinity.
A
ard s appeared
hillt
oCallan,f
Aheny,which
aiss situatein fo rm eadb(oaust
tn iaffi et e milesr wfrom the
thate the affrighted
correctly)
yesterday
evetiia rt,
itnhge
opre
loapslte
nhiagchl
td, i sapned in
,the course of
district on this morning wore its wonted aspect of tran-
quillity. Not willing, however, to trust to- any rumour,
1 resolved to proceed to the scene of action. On my way

fiscruallan to I,..rge body of 61 sol-
i cliffs. consisting of two companies of the 75th, two of
the 83d, they were accompanied by a large body of po-
lice, headed by the county inspector, who vas accom-
panied by the far-famed Inspector Trent. One of the
military officers in charge of the detachment (mit She
commander), bore in his band a trophy won on the
battle-field, an Irish pike. Ills man Friday, I will so
call him for want of a better name, carried the remaining
trophies—a hammer and a pair of peasant's brogues.
" The military and police body which I met were, as
I learned, returning from Glenbower, a police station
situate at the junction of the Carrick. with the Clonmel
and Kilkenny road, whither they had been summoned
by an express sent the previous night from the consta-
bles at the station by the guard of the Cork coach, at a
late hour, near midnight—stating that a number of the
peasantry had attacked the station, and required aid.
This party confirmed the intelligence I received at Callan
that quiet was perfectly restored, and that the peasantry
who had assembled at Aheny had dispersed. I pursued
my journey to Glenbower, which is situate within a mile
and a half of Aheny-hill, and there I learned that the police
at Glenbower station becoming alarmed at the fewness of
their own numbers, and, I believe, in accordance with the
directions of their officers, resolved on abandoning the
barrack and retreating to Carrick, which is about four
miles distant. The people, on hearing this, and learning
that their effects, clothes, &c., were about being re-
moved, made an effort to get possession of their clothes,
and a body of about 80 or 100 partially armed, sur-
rounded the station, broke open the boxes, which they
found outside, and dressed themselves in the clothes.
The police during this time were securing the doors and
windows, and on being called on to surrender their arms,
fired from the windows on their assailants. Whilst this
was proceeding another party of police from a neigh-
bouring district, also proceeded to Carrick, fired on the
peasantry from behind. One man, I understand, wss
killed, another was severely wounded; and the mass of
the peasantry having fled almost immediately after the
discharge of the second volley, which was discharged
from the rear, the wounded man was made prisoner by
the police without any difficulty. He had on him at the
time a pair of police boots, just taken from one of the
boxes. The two police parties having now coalesced,
remained at Glenbower, and feeling more safe at the
station than if exposed on the road, declined proceeding
to Carrick, and sent the express to Callan, asking for
aid, to which I have already alluded.
" The troops that moved from Callan in compliance
with this request were those whom I met in the morn-
ing. They proceeded, as I stated, to Glenbower, but
found on arriving there that the constabulary had been
relieved by a :company of the 3d Buffs, and another of
the 83d Regiment, who proceeded on cars from Carrick
on hearing of their perilous position. The military who
proceeded from Carrick made prisoners of several per-
sons whom they found in the vicinage of the station,
and I am informed fired several shots in the direction of
a crowd assembled on one of the hills in the vicinage.
As far as I could learn no serious casualty (it' indeed
any) resulted from these shots. The constabulary and
military who had come from Callan remained at "Glen-
bower during the night, and I understand it was agreed
on between the Carrick and Callan forces to move on
the bill of Aheny at an early hour this morning, but
in sending out scouts to reconnoitre it was
found that there was no opposing force. They conse-
quently retired to their respective quarters, the Callan
party bearing the trophies I alluded to, including the
brogues of the wounded. I have dwelt so long
on this affair at Glenbower, that I have hardly time to
give you any particulars with respect to the rumours
which are afloat here, and the causes which hake led to
the late tumultuous assemblage of the peasantry. I
may state, however (and I do so with the utmost con-
fidence), that all who were on the spot, and had faci-
lities for ascertaining the facts, agree in stating that
the movement was altogether of an agrarian character,
and had no political object whatever. The impelling
motives were poverty and privation, not the hope of
political amelioration. You will have another dispatch
from me on to-morrow, if anything important should
occur."

It is said among persons likely to be engaged in
the approaching trials, that the object in view in
summoning Lord John Russell as a witness is to
examine him as to his own proceedings upon the
occasion of the Reform Bill ; and letters from his
Lordship, counselling a march of the Birmingham
Political Union upon London at that period, are re-
ported to he in existence and producible. What effect
such a course might have upon the jury it is not easy
to say ; but, if permitted by the judges, this resuscita-
tion of the past can hardly fail to be very disagreeable
to the Prime Minister.

The following further particulars are given by the
Clonmel Journal :

" EXPECTED ATTACK. ON CURRAGIIISIORE.—During
Lord Waterford's absence at the Curragh, his r. sidence
was threatened with a siege. On Wednesday, the Mar-
chioness received a communication from Mr. Coulson,
R.M., of Carrick-on-Suir, that an immediate rising of
the people in the -interior of the county of Waterford
was not improbable, the main object of which was to
attack Curraghmore House. Her Ladyship gave imme-
diate orders to have the full guard ready for duty at a
moment's notice, and with great courage deliberately
set about putting in requisition all the defences Tahich
were prepared during the late expected insurrection. A
large body of military from Carrick- on-Suir proceeded
to scour the country, and found no exhibition of hostili-
ties, so that for the present things go on as usual, not-
withstanding the excitement that is apparent everywhere,
and the disaffection of the peasantry, which has under-
gone no diminution.

" The Marquis of Waterford's house is strongly for-
tified ; it has a guard of twenty-one men, who do duty
in turn night and day. There are eight pieces of can-
non mounted, and always ready ; two of them are
swivels, capable of being moved from room to room,
for which there are portable machicolations, so as to
enable them to be used for any window as occasion may
require.
" Portlaw, in the immediate neighbourhood, has an
effective body of specials, who patrol in the district.
" DOHENY'S RECREATIONS.—We have been informed
that Dobeny is a most active man, and one who would
probably show fight to any one or two men who would
attempt his arrest. He carries pistols and a dagger, and
seems inclined now to see out the end of his present
course. He is also represented as being in good spirits,
and as having availed himself of his activity to amuse
his rebel corps. He collects together some horses, and
perchance asses, from among his followers, and having
placed them side by side—two, three, four, and even so
many as five—he then then takes a run, and jumps
clearly over them all, without any assistance whatevet.
He does this frequently for the amusement of his army
during the present cessation of hostilities.
" DOUENY NEAR SLIEVENABION.—Since our last we
received abundant corroboration of the statements
which we made in reference to the locale and doings of
I)oheny—his manner of life, his hair-breadth 'scapes by
flood and field—an inhabitant of mountain caves and
wild forests—now surrounded by a band of
armed desperadoes, and anon a fugitive flying
before his eager pursuers—his history of late has
been full of the wildest adventure. It is most
extraordinary that he has escaped arrest so long, not-
withstanding the large reward offered by Government
and the unremitting vigilance of :the police. We have
been assured by a gentleman that within the past week
he has been repeatedly seen in the neighbourhood of
Slievenamon; a countrywomon told him that on one day
he passed and repassed four times within view of a po-
lice barrack in that quarter, in company with Mr.
O'Mahony, who is said to be his constant companion; it
is also said that both of them were present at Coughlan's
thereom ailsl
farm when 1,500 men collected, professedly for the pur-
posef reaping his corn. There is no doubt of his
o
Al?hmiThar:eanhauvefewondtahyessaugbojectF,
hnaoqus beeestniona bgtottohdediseasltilalbhoouvteßrianiglinatiromuunidt, Cclooornaenal,uaenkd,
and Slievenamon woods.
thehav iinngforbmecal:ioant.

" THE ARMY.—A general order has been just issued
for the formation of a sixth military district in Ireland,
comprising Kilkenny, Waterford, and Clonmol, and
their several vicinities, under the command of Major-
General M'l)onald, whose head quarters have been fixed
at Kilkenny.
DECLARATION AGAINST THE REPEAL OF