The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-07-07
0.NETL AND sEAGRAVE.
THE FAMOUS SINGLE coMBAT IN THE PRES
ENCE OF TWO ARMIES.

Irish history, song and story, have COM
tiued to celebrate the most romantic and
thrilling incident of the wars waged to-
wards the end of the sixteenth century, by
the famous Hugh O'Neil of Tyrone, against
Elizsbeth's generals and srmies. We refer
to the deadly single combat between Hugh
O'Neil himself and the English General
Seagrave. We are fortunate in having the
story as told by the inimitable pen of John
Mitchell, as follows:
It was about the middle of June, 1895 /;
the castle of Monaghan which had been
taken by Con. o 'Neill, was now once more
in the hands of the enemy, and once more
besieged by the Irish troops. Norreys,
with his " whole force was in full march to
relieve it, and O'Neill, who had hitherto
avoided pitched battles, and contented
himself with harassing the enemy by con-
tinnal skirmishes in their march through
the woods and bogs, now resolved to meet
this general fairly in the open field. He
chose his ground at Clontibret, about five
miles from Monaghan, where small
stream running northward through val
ley, is enclosed by low hills. Ga the left
bank of this stream, the Irish, in battle
array, awaited the approach of Norreys.
We have NO account of the number Oh each
side; but when the English general came
up, he thought himself strong enough to
force passage. Twice the English infantry
tried to make good their way over the
river, and twice were beaten back, their
gallant leader each time charging at their
head, and being the last to retire. The
General and his brother, Sir Thomas, were
both wounded in these conflicts, and the
chosen body of English horse, led on by
Sesgrave, q Meathisn officer of gigantic
bone and height spurred fercely across the
river, and charged the cavalry of Tyr o wen,
commanded by the Prince in person. Sea-
grave singled out O'Neill, and the two
leaders laid lance in rest for deadly com bat,
while the troops on each side lowered
their weapons and held their breath,
awaiting the shock in silence. The var
riors met and the lance of each was splin-
tered on the others corselet; but Seagrave
again dashed his horse against the chief,
flung his giant frame against his enemy,
and endeavored to unborse him by tire
mere weight of his gauntletted hand.
O'Neill grasped him in his arms, and the
com battants rolled together in that fatal
embrace to the ground.
Now. gallant Saxon, hold thine own.
No maiden 3 arms are round thee thrown"
There was a moments deadly wrestle
and q death h-groan the shortened sword
of ONeill was buried in the Englishman's
groin, below his mail. Then from the Irish
ranks roee such q wild shout of triumph
90 those hills had never heard before. The
still cha lander. cloud burst into q tempest
those equestrian statues became as winged
demons--and with their battle cry of
"Lamh dearg aboo," and their long lances
poised in Eastern fashion above their
heads, down swept the chivalry of Tyr
Owen upon the astonished ranks of the
Saxon. The banner of st. George wavered
and went down before that furious charge.
The English turned their bride reins and
fed headloug over the stream, leaving the
field covered with their dead, and, worse
than al, leaving with the Irish that proud
red -croes banner, the first of its disgraces
10 those Ulster wars. Norreys hastily re-
treated southward, and the castle of Mon
aghan was yielded to the Irish Weekly
Union.