The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-31
a FRENCH INVASION.
An Unknown But Interesting
Chapter II Irish History.


within ahundred years ago Is known
10 comparatively few; fewer Sill are
acquainted with the details. English
historians contcDting themselves gen
orally with bare mention u the fact
Although the occurrences about 70 be
narrated took place in the west Of Ire
land, yet they were of 30 extraordinary
a nature that a history Of them will be
found Interesting
By way Of preface, il may be neces-
sary 70 say that the Irish rebellion Of
1913 had jssssbeen suppressed. and nj
though during the rising the Irish had
looked 10 france for aid for enc rem
son or other Il had not been forthcom-
ing, until. fortunately IN the British
government, IL was too late. On Tic
nd 81 August, i79s. as tie fSEshop Of
Killala, county Mayo, was holding a
visitation VI bis clergy At his residence
there, three frigates two Of forty-four
guns and one Of thirty-eiglit. under
English colors. entered the bay and
dropred anehor Two 81 the bishops
sons aud the port surveyor rowed out
10 the ships with the intention Of
boarding them; On doing 50. they were
informed. 70 their great establishment.
that they were the prisoners Of The
French republic The same even
ing about three hundred French
troops were landed and i'm mediately
advanced Oh tho town. Notice was
instantly sent on to Eallinn. seven
miles to the southwark, where a small
English force was stationcds and. mean
while. the garrison, composed 81 yeo-
Inanry and feneibles 10 the number Of
fifty. galiautIy advanced TO meet the
invaders. Being overwhelmed BY NUM-
bcrs, however, and losing two Of their
party by fusilfade from the French,
they turned ard fled, twenty Of them
being taken prisoners Thus the
French effected landing and gained
possession 81 Knlala The whole
forces 81 the French were now landed.
consisting u about eleven hundred Off
GERS anA men, with two guns, under
Gen. Ifnmbeft; but they calculated on
being joined ~ the Irish indictments,
for whom they had brought arms and
uniforms, Next morning an advance
column Of one hundred men, Of whom
forty were mounted On horses srcquisi-
toned" for the purpose, advanced on
Baliina- and were soon followed by the
main body. on tile evening Of the 25th
they entered Ba1lina, the garrison OF
which fed after a 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 anxiliaries Hum
bert, encouraged BY these additions to
his forces, determined not 10 give them
any time for reelection, but advanced
at once on Castlebar, the chief town Of
Mayo, where large British force was
stationed.
The troops at Castlebar, made up
mostly Of militia and yeomanry, in d
bad state Of discipline, numbered 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 we're expected to advance BY
the main rcad from Ballina. on which
force bad been stationed To watch
them, and the British dispositions
were made accordingly; Tut Humbert,
who was a veteran in the art Of war.
chose a road by which he was not ex-
pected, namely, 10 the west by the
pass 81 Barnagee, which had been
considered impossible, and 50 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; but, all the same, determined to
maze at least some show Of resist
ance. The English, on the other hand,
had been taken unawares; and.
surprised by the 1anlx movement
Of the French, had hastily to
take up new position about d
mile from their former one, This, and
the Warllise appearance Of the French
troops, did not tend to increase their
confidence. The French advanced on
the right and left Of the English posi-
tion in small bodies amii d 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 movement to turn
their lift, which unfortunately was un-
defended, retreated, were seized with
panic, broke, and Ned in \confnsion
through the town, cavalry and infantry
mixed IN Wild disorder A more dis
graceful defeat had, In short, seldom
befallen the British arms Artillery,