The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-31

Mas where the insurgents made the
first attack. is a very ancient town. the
old residence of the kings ot Leinster.
1t will be easily reached by the pilgrims
Of Dublin, as Will Swords and all the
points in Meath and Wicklow and Kill
dare. So near were these first sklr-
mishes TO the capital that the guns
could often be heard. Within two days.
however. there was lighting I'm Carlow
away TO the north. Four thousand men
attacked the mansion OF Sir Edward
Crosbie, who was then in jail, having
been arrested by the government for
sympathy with the cause OF the United
Irishmen. although he was Protes-
tant, but the attacking party was rout-
ed They took refuge in peasant huts.
which were fired.
Those who tried to escape were bayo-
neted. Two hundred were tried by
court martial and hanged. among them
Sir Edward Crosbie.
on the 26th 1900 rebels were gathered
on the hill OF Tara, which lies near Nav
an in a bend of the Boyne. The ordi-
nary itinerary Of Ireland does not in
clude Tara; but, like Tea OF the Muir.
you can see this conspicuous hill from
afar off and, having climbed IL without
assistance. would desire il for your
dwelling place" on its summit an
obeliscal unhewn stone leans earthward.
The peasantry declare that this is the
real 'stone of destiny" A church stands
on the hill, and graves. AT the foot is
a humble public house. and down the
entire slope of the hillside, some 700
feet you can trace the foundations of
Taras hall. Some impulse from legend
airy days led 5000 TO the summit Of this
hill to fight for liberty on the site of the
obliterated Irish capital of legendary
days half dozen miles away the hill
of Slane looms through the mist, the
spot where st. Patrick built the first
pascal fire in the island.
IT was a terrible battle. The rebels
fought with pixies for four hours against
artillery fire with no officer in command.
No ten men were doing the same thing
at the same time There was no plan,
while hour after hour the guns belched
their steady fire. Four hundred were
killed. They seemed not TO know
fear. but fell on the gunners. impaling
them at the same instant they them
selves fell
In Kildare the time had brought q
man. William Aylmer developed genius.
THE Geraldinev' was the cry With
down the great Curragh countermarch-
ing, cutting off supplies almost all the
time i'm sight, but maneuvering with
amazing swiftness. Engagement after
engagement took place until the base
of his operations was confined to the
Curragh. and then at last on the hill of
Knock Alvin the surrender took place.
Now comes the most incredible part
of the narrative. From Kildare TO An
trim the rebellion was at an end. The
outbreak was premature, just as the
government intended. The scene was
suddenly shifted to tho southeast COR
ner OF Ireland by the Importation Of the
north Cork Orangemen. So peaceful
was Wexford that there were only 500
troops in the county that was so miles
long and had 10000 inhabitants Some
body blundered
Wexford was not even Celtic Lord
Edward Fitzgerald did not count on IL
for assistance TO the cause, but Wex-
ford was the stage upon which the last
and most thrilling scene was to BE
enacted. In the light of events there
the others are well nigh forgotten The
people were Of Saxon. Flemish and
Cambrian descent. An O. or Mac was
rarely heard of, and the people spoke
the dialect of Spenser and Chaucer. A
Wexford man today is more like a York.