Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-11
Centennial ANNIVERSARY of Ireland's
Struggle mr Liberty.
IT'S 0BgERVANCEM Be GENERAL
Celebration of VhS Event Began
Sund@d Last.
ROBERT EMMEf'S BIRTHDAY

tennial anniversary of the last great strug-
gle made by the people of Ireland to Sc
cure their emancipation from English rule
began last Sunday. which was the ar
niversary of the birth, of Robert, Emmett.
They will continue at intervals throughout
the entire English-speaking world during
the next four months. The services in
memory of Emmet took place under the
auspices Of the Ancient Order of Hiber-
aians.
1t is expected that pigrimages to the
old battlefields will be, made and monu-
nents erected on many OF them by Irish
men from America. Europe and Australia
Preparations for this event began seven
teen years ago in Boston and New York
The centennial dates proper are from the
18th of March, when. the leaders of the
revolution were imprisoned in Dublin, to
the 21st and 22d of June, when the last
and most disastrous battle was fought at
Vinegar Hill. The revolution of 1898 is
enc in which a vast number of Americans
sympathized. The uprising followed close
on the heels of our own war for independ-
ence. and it is believed the success of the
Americans was a powerful agent in pre-
cipitating the Irish effort.
The preliminary steps to the organization
of this uprising began in 1871, when three
patriots-Wolfe Tone, Nelson and Nc
II,
took an oath to free Ireland or die. 1t
was but a short time before the British
government began TO prosecute the new
society. 1t soon became secret in its work.
ings and began to enroll a regular army
which in the course Of a comparatively
short time numbered 100000 members The
23d of May was fixed upon for a rising
throughout Ireland. The British govern
ment, however. became aware of the move
ment, and Dublin, upon which much had
been counted, was placed under martial
law and the leaders of the intended rebel
lion arrested. The instruction was. there
fore, only partial. and was confined to the
counties of Kildare, Wicklow and Wex-
ford, though there were some slight at
tempts at Carlow and Meath. The people
were, however, almost without arms dis
clpllne, plan or leaders,
Defeat at Tara.
Three days later body of 1900 revolu-
tiOnists was defeated at. Tara. The next
day an uprising occurred in Wexford. Here
the revolution assumed religious charac-
ter, which it had not shown elsewhere
After number Of small battles there
transpired at Arklow, June o. a contest on
which the revolution *ttrned. Nearly 80, 900
men armed with pixies and 5000 with mus
kets, supported by saTnel artillery advanc-
ed against the British but they We're de-
feated The revolHtieBists then took up
their military position at Vinegar Hill,
where tNSy were attacked the list of June
by the British army i8op9 strong, and
go badly beaten as II be- practically ami
hilated. ,15
The most romantic phases of this revolu-
ton were two expeditions from France that
set out to aid the Frfsh forces. The first
one, which Wolfe Zone had gone from
America to Paris to- organize, sailed from
Brest harbor, France, December 16. 1886. 1t
was under commanded the French general
Hoche 1t had fortysthree vessels and
5000 veteran sodi.is: But a gale came
sup and separated the comma nding generals
ship from the rest of thee feet ;Groueffy,
who. by his hardness, lost Waterloo for
Napoleon, was second in command. He
reached Bantry bay with portion of the
feet, but hesitated 10 disembark without
the presence of his commanding general.
Another gale came up and the remainder
of the feet was scattered and driven star
out to sea- The remnant of the eXpedi-
ton put back to France. !.
Humbcrts Expedition.
The next ill-starred French naval expe-
ton was got together by the interchangeable
Wolfe Tone two years later. This was
known as Humbert's expedition. 1t sailed
from La Rouchelle August 4. There were
three frigates, with fighting force of only
LOO men, but Il large. stand of arms was
taken in anticipa ton of arming the Irish
peaSantry. A landing was made at Killala
and for three weeks the invader held his
own against every difficulty, defeating sew
aral forces in the field, one at the lowest
calculation being seven eight times his
superior in numbers captured an entire
province and surrendered to overwhelming
odds after outmaneuvering the British dur
ing a weeks march. The French had by
that time penetrated 100 miles into the in
terror of the country. An unfortunate de-
lay OF few hours prevented their juno
ton with large body of Irish insurgents
Had this been accomplished the road to
Dublin would have been thrown open to
them and the history of ireland might have
been changed.
one of the saddest incidents of the war
occurred at the surrender of the French
Wolfe Tone, who was among the officers
taken, was unprecedented as a traitor He
was tried by court-martial and condemned
TO death by hanging. being refused a SOL
dlers more honorable death by shooting.
lie managed, however, to open vein in
his neck and before the ignominious death
OF the gailows could be inflicted he had
passed away in his cell. He was buried
at Bordentown, near Dublin, and to that
place, as to a shrine. thousands upon thou
sands OF the devoted Irish patriots will go
this year, as the Mohammedans do to
Mecca.
Robert Emmett Executed.
Robert Emmet, another hero of the revo-
luton of '9S, was executed in Dublin in
September, 1888, for treason-felony. En-
oir 70;