The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-09
A FRENCH INVASION.
An Unknown But Interesting
Chapter IN Irish History.

That the soil of the British islands
was desecrated b. q French campaign
within hundred years ago IS known
! to comparatively few; fewer still are
| acquainted with the details. English
| historians contenting themselves gen
| orally with bare mention of the fact
| Although the occurrences about to be
narrated took place in the west of Ire
| land, yet they were of so extraordinary
a. nature that history of them will be
found interesting.
| By way of preface, it may be neces-
| sary TO say that the Irish rebellion of
| 179S had just been suppressed. and al
| though during the rising the Irish had
looked to France for aid, for one rea-
son or other it had not been forthcom-
| ing, until, fortunately Tor the British
| government, it was too late. On the
! 22d OF August, 1913 as the bishop OF
KiIlala, county Mayo, was holding
visitation of his clergy at his residence
! there, three frigates, two of forty-four
| guns and one Of thirty-eight, under
| English colors, entered the bay and
| dropped anchor Two of the bishops
| SOUS and the port surveyor rowed out
TO the ships with the intention of
boarding them; on doing so, they were
informed, to their great establishment.
that they were the prisoners of the
French republic. The same even
ing about three hundred French
/ troops We're landed and i'm mediately
advanced on the town. Notice was
d.
miles to the southwark, where n small
English force was stationed; and mean
while, the garrison, composed of yeo-
many and fencibles to the number of
fifty. gallantly advanced to meet the
invaders. Being overwhelmed by num-
bers, however, and losing two of their
party by fusillade from the French.
they turned and fed, twenty of them
being taken prisoners Thus the
French effected q landing and gained
possession of Killala- The whole
forces of the French were now landed,
consisting of about eleven hundred Off
GERS and men, with two guns, under
Gen. Humbert; but they calculated on
being joined by the Irish malcontents,
for whom they had brought arms and
uniforms Next morning al advance
column of one hundred men, of whom
forty were mounted on horses "requisi-
toned" for the purpose, advanced on
Ballina, and were soon followed by tho
main body. On the evening of the 18th
they entered Ballina, the garrison of
which fed after faint resistance.
Here several hundred Irish Joined the
standard Of the "Liberators," making,
together with those who had joined
since the landing of the French, about
fourteen hundred auxiIiaries. Hum
bert, encouraged by these additions to
his forces, determined not to give them
any time for reflection, but advanced
at once on Castelar,, the chief town Of
Mayo, where large British force was
stationed.
The troops at Castelar,, made up
mostly of militia and yeomanry, in
bad state of discipline, mum bered about
four thousand, with fourteen guns,
under Gen. Hutchinson; but at the
last moment Gen. Lake, as senior Of
ficer, took over the command, which
occasioned great discomfort and some
confusion among the troops. The
French were expected to advance by
the main road from Ballina, on which
force had been stationed TO watch
them, and the British dispositions
were made accordingly; but Humbert,
who was a veteran in the art of war,
chose a road by which he was not ex-
pected, namely, to the west by the
pass of BarnaGee, which had been
considered impossible, and so came
upon the British on their left flank
When Humbert came in sight Of the
formidable array opposed to him, he
concluded that surrender must be his
fate; bat, all the same, determined TO
MAKE at least some show of resist
ance. The English, on the other hand,
had been taken unawares; and,
surprised by the flank movement
of the French, had hastily to
take up new position about a
mile from their former one. This, and
the warlike appearance of the French
troops, did no: tend to increase their
confidence. The French advanced on
the right and left of the English posi-
ton in small bodies amid a cloud Of
smoke, and under smart fusillade and
hot fire from the English artillery,
which, however, did not check their
advance The English, becoming
alarmed at the unusual tactics Of the
French. and by a movement to turn
their left, which unfortunately was IN
defended. retire ated, were seized with
panic. broke, and fed in confusion
through the town, cavalry and infantry
mixed in wild disorder. A more dis
graceful defeat had, N short, seldom
oeiallen the British arms Artillery,
ammunition, arms and everything that
could impede their fight were aban-
doned 70 the enemy. On they fed
to Tuam, thirty-eight miles from the
field Of battle. After a short rest,
they posted on again tO7sards Athlone,
where an officer Of carabineers and
sixty ren arrived al one o'clock on
Tuesday the 2Sth-
The French celebrated their victory
in a eharact eristic fashion: The officers
gave a ball and supper 10 the ladies Of
the town, and so well did they dePort
themselves that they very soon be
came general fa7oTites. But business
had 10 be attended 20 IS well as
pleasure Having by this victory
gained possession % Mayo. Hum bert
inmediatesy established a provisional
. government and formed districts, over
eacn Of which he placed 2 magistrate,
and. 90 make all complete. appointed
Nr. Moore. q gentleman % the district,
as provisional president ProelaEna-
( lions were issued IN the name Of the