The Irish standard., 1919-04-19

their comrades in Mas, town Six
teen miles down the line, to blow up
the road there, so as to prevent the
possibility of troops getting into the
city.
The Sim Feiners at Mas were over.
powered by the military and police
they failed and the city lay open on
this side. Dublin at this time, had an
army of occupation of about twelve
thousand men. On Tuesday evening
they were ordered out. A regiment
of Lancers were first sent out to re.
connoiter, but Sim Fein bullets could
see further than they, and they were
forced to retire. At about p. m on
Tuesday evening the general advance
on the city was commenced. watched
this advance along the north side OF
the city; / will describe what l saw
there. The mode of attack was simi-
lar at other points. The soldiers ad.
vanced, armed to the teeth, in COM
panies of about one hundred and fifty,
there were four companies of this kind
to take the bridge that was held tby
ABOUT fifteen stout hearted Sim Fein-
.ers. Between the flrst and second
company came artillery. heavy can
non, and wagon loads of ammunition.
The artillerymen opened heavy fire on
the barricade and the first company
rushed. up. The English soldiers
seemed to think that the Sinn Feiners
would not stay behind that barricade,
but they did, and opened fire on the
advancing company. Men fell; the
Red Cross ambulance was busy, and
we realized, for the first time, that
we were in the midst of open war.
After desperate fighting the bridge
was taken, and the young soldiers of
Erin fell back on their second de-
fense, disputing every inch of the
ground; sharp-shooters from the
houses on either side made the ad-
vance of the English hazardous and
expensive. Similar attacks were made
at the different points Of entrance to
the city; some of these were carried,
but always with heavy loss; others re.
NAMED In the hands of the insurgents
"All day long the noise of battle
rolled" and the zip zip of rifle and the
cackle of machine gun counted the
weary moments through the live long
night. We were not yet accustom I'd
to war-we could not sleep.
In the daily rifle practice and man
euvers Of the military I had been
hearing these same sounds, but they
never affected me as now. Lying
awake on that first night of battle
these sounds had new significance.
l realized then, with sort OF creepy
feeling, that they were sounding the
death knell Of the brave. And yet
there was feeling of exultation,-i
Ireland was proving true to her his
tory; her SONS were dying in the sa-
cred cause of liberty.
Wednesday morning there was
lull in the fighting, or else we were
growing accustomed to war. The i'm
provident were beginning to feel the
effects of two days vacation. One
might see respectable old gentlemen
smile all over when they had secured
q loaf of bread. Why, in those days,
men carried milk jugs who had never
before carried anything but a walking
stick. The pantry supply was running
low and things looked serious. It is
remarkable how we can become
friendly when in distress. Men who
moved in different circles of society
spoke to each other as brothers, the
first bashfulness once lifted they quick.
ly exchanged condolences. The zip zip
Of the rifles continued but we did not
seem to heed. Dublin was acting as
II war was it's normal life. Late on.
Wednesday there was an important
piece Of news: General John Max
well. oh. ye brave! ye dead! was ap-
pointed commander-in-chief Of the
British forces. Troops began to pour
CONTINUED On Page g.