Evening star., 1922-08-24

his little party in a Wild mountain
road between Macroon and Bandon
The chief Of the na-
tfonal army had been visiting Cork
and. accompanied by the members OF
MS headquarters stan. left at
oclock tuesday morning to inspect
the military positions south of Cork
He was escorted by a light armored
car and lorry. carrying soldiers
Altogether. the party is believed to
have numbered about a score, includ-
ing Gen. Sean O'Connell, commander
or the bodyguard, and Maj. Gen.
Dalton' commander Of the Free State
troops. in Cork.
A dispatch rider preceded the large
touring car with Collins and other
omcers; then followed a whippet
armored car. while an ordinary open
tender brought up the rear. The party
visited nearly all the posts to the
t,onai iona army. army. among them skibbereen
ROSS Carbery and Clonakilty. At each
place the ofhcer commanding was in
, terviewed and the party was en-
thusfastically greeted.
Ambushed by zoo Rebels.
munication by the main road, the
party toward evening took q rounda-
bout route for Cork from Bandon
5ealnablath. which is eight miles
from Macroon, lies to the south OF
me main road on the south side OF
t.te, tne Hiyer yer Lee In a hilly. rugged dis
this village at $50 O'clock in the
evening the party was ambushed by
about 200 irreEulars.
ine battle opened with a few shots
nred by the attacking forces: the ma
tionals were taken by surprise, and
one or the first bullets nearly struck
ing him only by an inch or two. The
nationals hastily dismounted and Gen
collins himself assumed leadership. A
nan OF bullets sweeping the road left
MIN quite unmoved, his hrst thought
Seins FOR the safety Of his mon, whom
on both sides of the road.
At the very outset the dispatch
rider In front was badly wounded in
the lungs. and under the direction OF
the commander in -chief was removed
TO temporary safety. Then the ma
ttonais s settled down to reply to the
| nre. and the fact that they were faced
by Tar superior numbers did not daunt
either Collins or his officers, and with
IN few minutes the attack developed
into grim engagement. fiercely con-
tested.
Collins Shot ~ Battle Ends.
Every man Of the ambushed party
had been tried repeatedly and had
proved his bravery and coolness in
action and all OF them showed steadi-
ness In the battle. which lasted close
to an hour. 1t was in the very last
stages that Michael Collins was killed
It ts asserted that the careful, well
directed fire Of the nationals took
heavy toll. a large number of ifregu-
lars being killed or wounded
For forty-fve minutes the only
casualty on the side of the national
! was the dispatch rider. The fighting
was nearly ended and the irregulars
were on the point Of retreating, de-
feated despite their overwhelming &
numbers and advantageous position,
and the firing had become less intense
when suddenly Collins fell. 1t was
obvious that the had been mortally
he still fred from the ground and en-
couraged his men by his unfiinchins 4
bravery.
In a feeble voice the commander
asked for Maj Gen Dalton, and Dal-
ton and Gen. O'Connell, both greatly
distressed. comforted their dying
chief: they whispered a few players
and recited the act Of contrition be-
fore the general passed away. His
body was removed under fire to the
armored car.
The irregulars were by now in re-
treat. leaving many dead and wound i
ed on the field. The nationals were
obliged to leave the touring car, TAX
ing their dead chiefs body in the
armored car. which reached Cork
about midnight.