Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-02-27

an ardent patriot, and a daring soldier
he was idolized by his men and feared
and hated by his enemies. In battle he
was terrible-helmet and skull were
shattered by blow from his powerful
arm, and but few in the English army
sred meet him alone in single combat.
Many rugged mountaineer who had
followed the flag of Munroe from Ben
lomond, and many Mosstrooper who
had raided on the borders of Berwick
and Carlisle, met his death. from the
sword of the Slasher. When leading a
charge il was invariably his custom, If
he could possibly accomplish it, of rid
ing into the midst of the enemy's ranks
and hacking and slashing all around
him with his ponderous sabre until he
cut his way through or defeated the
enemy.
In the month of June. 1916, the
English army, ten thousand strong,
and commanded by Maj, Gen. Munroe,
lay encamped on the Ulster Blackwater
near the little village of Benburb, in
Tyrone. Gen. Owen Roe O'Neil, who
commanded the northern division of the
Irish army of about six thousand men,
marched to meet and measure swords
with him, On the morning Of the 4th
of June the two armies encountered
each other. The battle was long and
stubbornly contested. The positions
occupied by the belligerents were natur-
ally strong and well defended on both
sides.
Owing to their superiority in men,
the English made several bloody but
Intellectual charges. Each time they
were driven back with great slaughter,
while every attempt of the Irish to
force their lines met with a similar
and bloody ending. And thus the
battle ragged from early dawn Of that
long sdmmer day until the sun was sink
ing low in the West.
Myles the Slasher had remained an
idle but impatient spectator of the scenes
enacted before him. He had been COM
manded by his general to occupy a
position with his cavalry and await his
orders. The fiery soldier chafed at his
inactivity, for he had been kept wait
ing all day listening to the roar and
swell Of battle around him, but he was
too good a soldier TO disobey. He
watched the sun as he sank behind him
in the woods, and eagerly longed for the
din and clash of battle. He had not
much longer to wait. Suddenly with a
roar, the English artillery opened, and
under cover of their fire the whole army
advanced to the charge, This was the
decisive moment. Munroe, with his
whole strength, determined to fall
upon his enemy, and crush him at
blow.
At that moment the Irish general
emerged from the woods. and accom-
panied by his staff, galloped in the
direction of his colonel of cavalry.
Their greeting was short and curt.
"Colonel, do you see those troops
advancing on the right!"
"Yes, General"
"They number 2 800 men, and are
the flower of the English army"
"Yes, General"
ssTheir lines mnst be pierced and
broken and put to route, or else the day
is lost. On you devolves that honor.
You know your duty. Good bye"
A grim smile lit up the countenance
of the Slasher as the general rode back
to his own personal command, and
turning to his troopers he said:
"Men, before the enemy reach yon.
der knoll that rises between them and
us, we mnst be upon them. Forward
and follow me-"
Dashing his spurs into his chargers
| flanks, he rushed into the open space
between him and the foe, followed by
every man in his command. The on
slaught was fierce and terrible, but of
short duration. The Slasher, with one
fearful blow, Glove the English stand
ard-bearer TO the chin, and leaped into
the midst of the Enemy's ranks. His
terrible shout could be heard above the
peal of musketry that greeted him, but,
unharmed, he rushed on, scattering
death and destruction around him. For
awhile it was body to body with push
of pike, but brave as the Britons were
they could not Withstand the fiery and
fearful shock of Myles the Slasher.
Before his rushing charge they went
down, and, beaten and defeated, Munroe
fed, leaving behind him three thousand
of his best and bravest troops dead on
the field.