The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-04-21
THE BATTLE OF BENBURB.
BY WESTON ST. JOHN JOYCE.

In 1876 Owen Roe O'Neill was Com
uaaniler Of the Irish troops in Ulster,
and in the spring of that year he tray
eled to Kilkenny TO meet Rinucclni, the
Pope's Nuncio, who brought him money
and supplies. He then returned to the
North to collect his forces. and IN the
month of May had assembled an army
eff 5000 foot and 500 horse. Early il
June while drilling his troops at Cal
lanagh, in Cavau, news reached him
that the whole Of the English and Scotch
garrisons in Ulster were to start lplnledl-
ately from their quarters, unite i'll oLe
great army under Major General Mum
roc, and advance by forced marches on
Kilkenny to suppress the assembly OF
representatives there. The Intended
point Of rendezvous was Glaslough, III
the north of Monaghan. The main
body under Major General Monroe HIM
self, was to march there iron, Belfast,
another detachment under his brother
George was to proceed south wards from
Coleraine, crossing the Blackwater at
Benburb, and these two forces united
were to be ;oined at Clones by the Done
gal contingent,
To prevent the uuion OF all these
sroops was now O'NeilPs plan; there
was no time for hesitation, he therefore
resolved to throw all his strength into
one swift ani telling blow before the
two first mentioned forces should effect
. junction. y'he 9Th OF June was the
Gay appointed for the meeting OF the
brothers Munroe at Glaslongh. O'Nei}l
was there by the 9TH; thence he marched
northw&rd, crossing the Blackwater into
Tyrone, ana encamped at Benburb.
He then sent strong body Of cavalry
northwarsls to intercept George Munroe
and beat him back upon bis route, and
be despatched another force to hold the
ford at Portmore, lest either party
shoclJ attempt 10 cross there.
Mean while, OF same day (4th), the
main body, under Maj General Mum
rec, had marched from Dro1nore, IN
Down, to Ilougladyar, ncar Poyntzpsss,
on tue borders OF Armagh, about twenty
miles iron, Benburb. Munroe had sent
Oh in. advance email force Of light cav.
airy 10 cross the Blackwater at BenburE
aud meet his brothers forces on thelr
way to Glaslough, BY accident this
cavalry fell in with few OF the Irish
scouts, and succeeded in making prison
ore OF one, from whom they elected the
startling intelligence that O'Neill was
already eutrenched OF Benburb Quick
ly retracing thelr steps they bore tleia
prisoner back to their commander, vino
chen learned that O Neill lay right be-
tween him and his brothers. forces.
Although it was now lutte at might, Mun'
roe reused his army from their slumbe1f
and instantly despatched all his cavalry
to Armagh. while the infantry and ar
tillerv struck their tents. broke up camp.
and followed.
About eight o'clock on Friday morn
ing, 5th Of June, General Munroe and
array rode out from Armagh and made
are reconnaissance of the enemy's position
at Benburb, which he observed TO be
very strong, as they held both the bridge
and tile ford. He then held council
with his officers, at which It was decided
that it would be imprudent to risk an
engagement with the Irish in so advan-
tageous a position, but that the best
plan would be to march about six miles
higher up the river to ford at Caledon
{then Kinard), cross the river there, and
thus draw the enemy out of the strong
position which they held.
Accordingly they marched along the
river in view of the Irish and succeeded
in crossing at Caledon without meeting
resistance; but when they had proceed
ed some distance at the other side to-
wards Benburb their vanguard was at
tackled, and O smart engagement ensued
between them and the advanced body Of
the Irish at the wooded pass OF Bally-
Filgeviu, three miles north Of Caleaou.
The English ultimately forced this
pass and drove the Irish out of it.
O'Neill meanwhile had abandoned his
position on the river, and advanced
westward to meet the English, taking up
his position on ''scroggred high hill"
called Knocknacloy, about two miles
west of Benburb and Immediately west
ward Of the confluence of the Oona and
TIE Blackwater. His army then faced
southeast, and his left wing was pro.
tected by the Oona river and his right
by an impossible swamp. Munroe then
came up and deployed his troops IN bat
tie line on another hilloek about 500
yards to the southwark, looking north
west so that the two armies now stood