The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-03-04
IRELAND VS.. ENGLAND.

untold misery n proDably result IN
the triumph of England. But although
the defeat Of the Irish would be the
probable consequence of an appeal to
arms, it would not, as many suppose,
have the inevitable result. Because the
English have Invariably defeated the
Irish on their own soil it is generally
supposed that Irish troops are unable
to cope with the British line in battle,
which %supposition is by no means cor.
rect, as a brief review Of the circum.
stances under which the Irish and Eng.
lish have met will fully prove. III
1898 a general uprising occurred
throughout southern Ireland, which
was speedily suppressed by a compare
lively small body of British troops,
with but little trouble. And nc one
can wonder at the result when he con-
siders the means employed. The Eng
lish government employed British
troops TO quell the instruction; the
best drilled, the best disciplined and
LAt DOob hPBOlbtCu oOthiCl III ~ OlI
who had time and again proved irwin
chile on the battle fields of every coun-
try in Europe. Opposed to them were
no troops; the Irish had nothing wor-
thy of the name; merely a numerous
band of undisciplined, ~unorgapized,
and almost unarmed peasantry, who
issued from their cabins with scythes,
knives, and even clubs, to oppose the
veteran soldiery of the British empire.
The wonder is not that they were de-
feated, but that such a defenseless
horde should venture to offer the least
opposition to regular soldiers.
At the time of the original conquest
of Ireland IN the reign of the Planta-
genets, the inhabitants were little bet
ter than savages, armed simply with
weapons of savage warfare; while the
invaders were protected by proof ar
mour and provided with the best weap-
ons OF that period. The Irish kern
were defeated by the mail-clad warriors
of England as easily almost as were the
semi-civilized Mexicans by the soldiers
of Contez, though in both cases we wit
ness a display of unavailing valor
against the overwhelming odds, of SUI
perior organization, arms, and disci-
pline.
An Irish army has never encountered
an English army on Irish ground. An
Irish mob has been met and broken up
by an English army, but an English
force has never defeated or met an Irish
army, for anything approaching an ar
my of native Irishmen has not yet trod
tue soil of Ireland. But an English
army has met an Irish armed force in
other lands and met disaster and defeat
at the same time.
On the 18th of May, lT45, the Eng
lish and French confronted each other
at Fonteroy; the former under the
Duke of Cumberland, the subsequent
hero of Culloden; the latter command
ed by Marshal SAKE, probably the first
soldier of his age. After the battle
had continued for some time n strong
British column was formed, which
bore down on the French line with ir-
resistable power. SAKE called up his
best troops and planted a battery of
artillery in the face of the advancing
column, but all in vain. The British
cleared the way with the bayonet, fore
ing back the flower of the French army,
which was fighting under the eye of
its king, who was present on the
field. The situation of affairs was SO
desperate that SAKE implored the king,
as a means of personal safety, to aban-
don the scene. Louis refusing TO do so,
as q last resort, the marshal called up q
certain portion of the French army
known as the 'Irish brigade, :" so-called
because composed of Irish exiles, and
commanded by Irish officers. Most no.
bly, did this heroic corps respond TO the
call. Advancing to the front they net
the hitherto triumphant British column
with its own weapons, the bayonet, sup
posed at that time to be invincible in
British hands, and hurled them back q
disorganized mass, winning for the
French the most brilliant victory ever
gained by them over the British army.
The Irish are physically the strongest
race in the world. They are courageous
and combative to a fault. Who ever
knew an Irishman to shirk Il fight.
Patriotism is u dormant passion in
the Irish breast. No nationality, per-
haps. have so STRONG n love of country.
Being brave, strong, enduring and pa-
t%riotic, what military characteristic is
lacking? An Irishman possesses the
energy and dash of the Frenchman,
united to the physique, strength and
endurance of the Englishman. Why
should he not make Il better soldier than
either? The battle of Fontenoy bears
evidence that he is more than a match
for either man opposed TO man. The
French army was on the point of de-
moralization beneath the English onset.
The Irish brigade interviewed between
the French and destruction, aud con.
quered the conQuerors. This ~illustra-
ton derives peculiar force from the fact
that Mt Fontenoy the English and Irish
met the first and lust and only time
thua far an ant.a1 farns