The Irish standard., 1886-05-08
FRIDAY, JUNE 9TH, 1916.
The Way in Which Five Thousand Irishmen
Beat Ten Thousand Britishers on
That Memorable Day.
OWEN R0E's lMPETU0Us MEN.
Advance" Cried O'Neill, "And Give
Not Fire Until You Are Within
Pike Length"

Arrna virumque Canimus! Our theme
is Owen Roe and the magnificent day
OF Benburb--a day that should be
remembered in Ireland until the last
syllable of recorded time. BeDburb
stands out distinctly as a great Irish
battle. Although it was an engage
ment of which some English chroni-
clers affect utter ignorance, its details
are remarkably well known. Indeed,
it is questionable whether such full
particulars could be had of the battles
Of TeI-el-Kebir or Teb, fought only a
couple Of years ago, as are to be got
concerning The incidents OF this fight
about which it has sometimes suited
the English book to affect incredulity.
1t is remarkable above all things III
this-that it was victory gained by
the Irish forces in the face Of appalling
odds. O'Neill's force was hardly more
than half that Of his antagonist, Mon
roe. 1t numbered only five Thousand
foot soldiers, and five hundred horses;
and he had not a single piece Of artil-
lery. The Scottish generals army
showed q total of all arms Of more than
ten thousand men; and he had besides
splendid park Of artillery, consisting
of several field pieces. Besides his
troops were furnished in every respect
for the tieId--full accoutrements, am
munition, commissariat, we'll otficered
and we'll drilled-hardy Scotch SOL
djers, and equally hardy listers levles.
The Irish troops, on the other hand,
were largely composed of men who
had never before exchanged musket
shot OF crossed halberd in anger-men
upon whom Owen Roe had spent
months in licking into military shape.
Mixed with them, of course, he had a
large number OF seasoned troops--for
he had been fighting, or playing Fabius
UuncJator, off and on by this time for a
couple OF years. But, cooking at the
the fight every way, perhaps no two
men ever joined battle under more un-
equal circumstances than O7Neill and
Monroe that day at Benburb.
The fight was fought on Friday, the
5th day June, 1916, according to the old
style, equivalent to the 18th present
style. It's exact location is given by
can Ulster Archaeological in the
Transactions OF the Ossory Arch@olo-
gical Society," and by Thomas Davis,
as q place called Thistle Hill about two
miles westward from the old castle Of
Benburb, and about seven miles from
Armagh. The reason it was fought was
this-that Monroe had determined to
march, with the whole Scottish and
British forces in Ulster. on the city of
Kilkenny to smash the Confederation.
Owen Roe had been for some time in
the county Cavan PATIENTLY drilling the
army with which he intended, God will
ing, to smash the British power in Ire
land. Though his preparations to fight
were far from completion, he knew that
the supreme moment had come, and he
WctS 11Ob GlC u&tiA W ouAAh u1o ACopOAA-
sib;lity. 1t the Confederation was to be
saved, the strong force Of Monroe must
be stopped in its march by his own
weak one, even though the attempt
meant anuihilation. Fortunately for
O'Neill, the enemy's army was to be
made up in two large contingents, one
coming from Carrickfergus under the
command OF Monroe himself, the other
from Coleraine under the command Of
his brother.
The junction was arranged to have
been effected at Glasslough, in county
Monaghan, a few miles distant from
Armagh. 1t should have taken place
on the morning Of the 5th OF June; and
when that morning came the English
learned to their dismny that Owen Roe's
army was in Benhurb ready to prevent
any junction that he did not approve.
He had marched out Of Cavan just lat
the proper moment, and had chosen d
position which the most consummate
generalship would certainly select as
one for an inferior army to defend. His
right rested on wet bog, and bis left
on the junction of the rivers Blackwat-
er and Oonagh; rough broken ground
covered with 'scrogs" and bushes, pro-
tected his front. The rear was protect
ed by a dense wood. h O'Neill held the
bridges crossing the river with ,sufti-
cient forces to repel any attempt to
gain them. The battle began by a skir-
mish between force Of cavalry sent
out by the Scottish general to commune
icate with the advancing forces of his
brother. They were repulsed, while at
the same time the Coleraine army was
held in check and driven back, though
not without some loss by the Irish cav
airy. Thus the great object Of diyld-