The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-06-03 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SCENES FROM THE IRISH REBELLION IN 1798; OR, WHAT THE IRISH LOYALISTS HAVE AGAIN TO EXPECT IF MR. GLADSTONE TRIUMPHS.  NO. V.-THE REV. MR. MCGHEE'S HOUSE SIX CESSFULLY DEPENDED AGAINST THE REBELS. WE are able this week to give a picture of a more cheering event in the rebellion, for it shows how a ' handful of courageous Loyalists were able to defeat their dastardly foes : yet it, at the same time, brings home to us how when once the savage cruelty of the Irish race is let loose, as it was befo.v the Union, the house of no honest man is safe ; and that by stubborn fight only could Irish Loyalists protect themselves from massacre. The incident above occurred very shortly after the battle of Vinegar Hill, when the cowardly scoundrels, who fled like chaff before the small force of General Lake, had determined to overwhelm and destroy the Loyalists of Hackctstown, which was garrisoned by a corps of yeomanry and forty of the Antrim regiment. The garrison was terribly weak, for half the yeomanry were cavalry, and practically of no use for such an emergency. The rebels had been joined by a strong body from Wicklow, and were in immense numbers. The commanding officer of the yeomanry was killed as they were falling back on the town • and the position would have been desperate indeed for the infantry, who were prepared for the worst in their barracks, had not the house of the Rev. Mr. McGhee commanded the flank of these barracks, and here the heroic .clergyman and nine friends held the rebels in check. We quote now from the historian : "This was indeed a dangerous post, for though the lower part was tolerably secured, a thatched roof seriously endangered its gallant defenders. The town was immediately entered by the rebels, who fired it in a dozen places. and with the exception of the barrack, and a few houses that were detached, Hacketstown was speedily in a blaze. Besides an enormous number of pikemen, the insurgents mustered a thousand musketeers. To oppose them, 120 Loyalists occupied the barrack, and ten determined allies garrisoned the house which formed the outwork.  "The flaoking position of McGhee's house at once showed the rebels that the barrack could not be attacked successfully until the covering building was reduced. On the outwork, accordingly, their efforts were directed. To cover their people from a fire steadily ma‘ntained from the windows, they attempted to mask their advance by pushing forward cars loaded with feather-beds. This breastwork, however, proved unavailing; 28 of the assailants were shot down, and the rest, after a trial of 20 minutes, retreated in confusion. "The defence of McGhee's house was truly gallant, but the daring party he commanded would not have been able to defend themselves, for want -of ammunition, had not Lieutenant Fenton, of the Talbot's-town cavalry, been accidentally prevented from attending his duty elsewhere by a severe contusion occasioned by a fall from his horse. Seated between two windows, and protected by the pier, he continued to make cartridges for his companions, while his lady, insensible to the danger, boldly continued to visit the marksmen, and supply them with refreshment. When the stock of bullets began to fail, she melted pewter plates, cast them into bullets, and her husband formed them into cartridges. This singular affair commenced at six in the morning, and terminated at three in the afternoon. Besides the destruction of the town, 11 Loyalists were killed, and 16 wounded. The rebel loss has been variously estimated, some calling it 200, and 2lusgrave raising it to five. Irritated by their defeat, the iebels burned, plundered, and murdered everywhere they went, and the few wretched Protestants who fell into their hands were treated with abominable barbarity." It is pleasing to record the above incident, showing, as it does, how ten gallant men, aided by a woman, drove back the WRVC of rebellion; but it is a matter of the gravest import, also, for it shows how even the wives of Irish Loyalists may have to take part in the defence of their houses and their lives if once the abominable proposals of Mr. Gladstone obtain Parliamentary sanction, and the disloyal faction are "slipped" on their unfortunate prey.