The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-03
ANECDOTR OF SIR BOYLE ROCHE,

A characteristics Letter Alleged to Have
lBesn Written by "Ths High Priest of
Irish Bulls"
London Spectator,
Perhaps a few particulars about Sir
Boyle Roche, the high priest Of Irish
bulls" might be interesting to your
readers, He was OF the ancient family
OF the De La Russes, Of Fermoy, was a
member for Tralee from l775, and was
created a baroneti in 1882. He began one
OF his speeches in the Irish House Of
Commons as follows: "AIr, Speaker, 1t is
the duty Of every true lover Of his coup.
try to give his last guinea to save the re-
minder OF his fortunes" And another
began: "Sir, single misiortunes never
come alone, and the greatest OF all ma
tional calamities is generally followed by
one much greater" A letter OF his Is
still preserved, supposed to have been
written during the rebellion Of '9S,
though 1t is doubtful II he ever put so
many "bulls" together on paper. 1t is
as follows;
DEAR SIR: Having now a little peace
and quiet, l sit down to inform you OF
the hustle and confusion we are In from
the bloodthirsty rebels, many OF whom
are now, thank Godl killed and dis.
persed. We are in a pretty mess, eau get
nothing To eat, and no wine to drink ex'
Cept whisky. When we sit down To din
ner We arc obliged to keep both hands
armed. While l write this / have my
sword In one hand and my pistol in the
other. | concluded from the beginning
that this would be the end, and l am
right, for 1t Is not half over yet, At
present there are such goings on that
everything is at a standstill. | should
have answered your letter a fortnight
ago, but / only received 1t this morning,
Indeed hardly a mail arrives sale
without being robbed. No longer
ago than yesterday, the mall coach
from Dublin was robbed near
this town; the bags had been very ju.
diClously left behind, and by great good
luck there was nobody In the coach but
two outside passengers who had nothing
for the thieves to take. Last Thursday,
an alarm was given that a gang OF rebels
In full retreat from Drogheda were ad.
yanCing under the French standard but
they had no Colors nor any drums ex.
cept bagpipes. Immediately every man
in the place, including women and
children, ran out to meet them. We
soon found our force a great deal too
little, and were far too near to think OF
retreating. Death was In every face, and
to 1t We went. BY tho time half our
party were killed, We began to be all
alive. Fortunately tho rebels had no
guns except pistols, Cutlasses and pixies,
and we had plenty Of muskets and am.
munition. We put them all to the
sword, and not a soul Of them escaped,
except some that were drowned In an
adjoining bog. In fact, In ashort time
nothing was heard but silence. Their
uniforms were all different, chiefly
green. After the action was over we
went to rummage their camp. All We
found was a few pixies without heads, a
parcel OF empty bottles filled with water,
and a bundle OF blank French commits.
sions filled up with Irish names. Troops
are now stationed round, which exactly
squares with my ideas Of security.
Adieu! Ihave only time to add that l
am yours In great haste. i. B.
up. Sill you do not received this, OF
course 1t must have miscarried there
foreI begyou to write and let me know"