The Irish standard., 1919-04-19
Easter w eek
In Dublin
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In from HAgland, with heavy guns,
and some of the best artillery men.
Who is fighting England's battle in
France all this time? 1 have it from
one who was on the wires that Eng
land poured 10000 men into Dublin in
two days. This mighty force, support
ed by the most modern engines Of war
made ready to subdue a mere handful
of brave Irish patriots. How would
they go about it? They we're sore
puzzled. At every point they found
the long-sightedness of Sim Fein lead.
ers an obstacle; so much so, that some
of the English officers were heard to
say, "By George these are brainy
men; if we had these fellows in
France, we would be in Berlin long
ago" And an old woman answered,
"You would have them, too, if you had
treated our poor country properly; but
sure you're too stupid to do anything
right"
BY Wednesday night they had de-
cided, or rather Maxwell had decided.
His plan was as simple as it was char
acteristically stupid. Turn heavy
guns on the city and blow these fell
lows out; pour in incendiary bombs
and they will be forced to leave the
burning CITY," Even with this simple
command some of the officers made
mistakes: One is worthy of mention.
One of England's choice regiments,
the Sherwood Foresters, landed at
Kingstown and marched on Dublin,
coming in at the South Side. They
had advanced near Mount Street when
the officer was told to be careful, that
the Sim Feiners were waiting in am
bush in the houses on either side of
the street. He answered, II know my
own business; he advanced with his
men. The rest can be conjectured;
the Sherwood Foresters were cut to
pieces at the Battle of Mount Street"
Time will not permit me to enter into
any more details. General Maxwell's
orders were followed to the letter.
From Wednesday on, heavy guns fired
their twelve Founders into the heart
of the city; we on the outskirts cried
q fearless cry for our friends and we
prayed to the Defender of the Weak
for our suffering people. At night the
cry went up, "The city is on fire."
Yes, they had done the worst-Max-
wells orders were being acted on. Our
imaginations pictured terrible scenes;
our dear ones burned to death and we
not there to help; they could not even
hear our parting cry. Was their own
Dublin to be the funeral pyre of these
pure souled friends of Ireland? Dub
Inns famous Libraries, museums, her
ancient seats of learning, what of
them? And all this from her who is
the defender of small nations! From
her who could hold up her hands in
holy horror over Louvain and Rheims!
Enough.
Against such odds the Sinn Feiners
could not hold out; we marvel now at
the fight they did show. Dublin was
theirs, even though in ruins, and they
remained in it, fighting bravely, whilst
they thought there was the fainest
hope. The number of dead, lying I'M
buried, gave cause for alarm, and on
Saturday evening at p. M, the white
flag of truce is seen, and short re-
spite is allowed to the living that they
might bury the dead. Later in the
evening hostilities were resumed.
Much must now be left to the imagi-
nation of the kind reader. During
these last days Of siege the attitude
Of the English soldiers to the inhabi-
tants of Dublin changed visibly. They
who, in the beginning, had been SO af-
fable, now, when once they felt the
worst was over, became naughty and
surly-they would come now, demand
meal and give you no thanks for it!
Late on Saturday night, Patrick H.
insurgents, surrendered unconditional
", an example which was followed
eventually by the other leaders, their
position under fire becoming impos-
sible. However, sniping continued for
several days and skirmishes took place
here and there. By Wednesday of the
following week all was quiet-Dublin
once again lay at the feet of the merci-
less tyrant.
The rest is sad and full Of pathos-
1t is enough to steel the nerve and fire
the heart Of any Irishman worthy Of
the name. It is easily told. The lead
ers were taken, tried by court-martial
and shot as rebels. Defenders of JUS
ttce, where are you? The story Of
those secret trials, we do not know,
but this We do know-they were con-
demned by General John Maxwell,
who would not be living at the time Of
the Dublin 1nsurrection IL Justice had
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