Year: 1867

Not half the Fenian party were armed, and large
proportion of them consisted of nero boys. 1t was
chiefly these latter who fell into the hands of the
police and the detachment of lancers who were then
coming up the road. The able and well armed men OF
the party, instead of making for home, went and
took part in the attacks ON Stepaside and Glen
AS to the affair at Drogheda, the facts are some
what similar. At about half past twelve at night
some 800 or 800 men and boys assembled in the mar
ket square of the town, and were having arms and
ammunition served out to Them when the police to
the number OF forty appeared the and poured
two yollies into them. The Fenian crowd, unpre-
pared for battle were unable to withstand this, and
they fled Immediately in all directions. The police
followed III pursuit and captured several.


The numerous attacks on police barracks through
ont the south were attended with various results.
IN many cases the barracks were taken and burnt,
and the men made prisoners. In others the Fenians
Jailed TO diSlOdge them, which is hardly surprising,
seeing the advantage possessed by the police in fight
ing from the inside of substantial stone buildings,
the doors and windows of which were Sc
otherwise well barricaded. The fighting at the
kllmallock barracks was severe and prolonged; the
assallans were beaten off only when relntorcement
otoO policemen came suddenly on their flank, poured
Q volley into them, and then charged them with
fixed bayOnets


American readers will have to bear in mind, when
reading of the Irish police, that they body very
differently trained and armed from the police OF
other countries. They are in point of fact an army
and practiced in military evoutions AS they are all
ITishmen. any courage or prowess they have dis





credit of the Anglo-Saxon race" 1t was Irishman
against lrishman, but under very unequal conditions
The difference between them accounts for the fact
that the firing of the police has been much more
effective than that of the insurgents The armament
OF the latter is of very miscellaneous character
and many of them never before fired shot III their
lives No imputation can be cast on the courage of
the men. No better proof of that quality could be
required than their going out at all to engage IN such
desperate business.


One thing which was greatly against this move
ment at the outset was the weather. The rising was
commenced on Tuesday night on Wednesday the
weather rose" tOo-rose in storm and hail and
snow and rain, and the night of that day was really
one of the most that we have known III this
country for years. Human life if exposed to its in
clemency, could not endure it. The mountain sides
on that night would be death TO any party of men
who should remain on them without shelter or some
eSt:raordlnary protection IN the way OF clotning
and compel them to seek their homes with all posi-.
BILE celerity. Of course they could not think of
bringing their arms back with them as the roads
into town certain to be watched by police and
consequently they had to abandon them. Largequan-
titles have since been picked up by the soldIery
and sent in carts TO the castle yard.


Observe that all through this outbreak, which has
now lasted four days not single act OF atrocity"
has been committed by the insurgents They have
done no act that was not fair in war" Immediately
previous to the attacks of the police barracks
they set fire to some neighb0ring hay-rlcks, and
things of that sort, but this was with the view of
drawing the police out of their cover. In one in
stance the ruse succeeded IN Others the police were
crafty enough to know its object, and consequently





them approached the mansion of a country lady, and
halting at the gate lodge, sent up couple OF mes
sengers to request that some food might be sent
them. They would not move up TO the house lest
they should cause the lady any alarm. The
food and drink were sent them, after partaklng
of W which they went on their way without
harming farthing's worth of her property Other
parties visited the houses of several of the gentry
but did not seek to wreck or burn them or take any
punder from them, with the exception of arms.
They wanted the guns and pistols that were 10 bo
had there-nOtlIing else. One gentleman Mr.. Bourne
manager of the Bank at Kilmallock, nearly lost
his life in one of those affairs, but IL was largely
through his own fault. He was asked to give up his
arms. He rashly refused to do So swore he would
die first, and holding loaded revolver in his hand
he presnted il at one of the party The ls ~ tho
menace was a shot, which struck him In the neck IN
flinting terrible wound, from the effects OF which
medical man, Dr. Clery, was brought 10 attend TO
him. unfortunately as he was leaving the house of
Mr.. Bourne he was shot dead cH ne police who at
that time were engaged in repelling the attack ON
their barrack. Whether they fired at him as Fee
man. or whether it a chance shot that struck
him, is at present unknown


Note also the really remarkable aud important
fact that while this serious uprising against En-
glands rule was being matured throughout the length
and breadth of the land, the people instead of de-
moralzing in any way, instead Of growing reckless
of the restraints of law in other respects where they
are concident with the rules of morality, have, in
point of fact been growing more and more orderly
peaceabe, and virtuous In my letter dated February
second, this fact was shown from a letter OF
official statistics which had been published about
that time. Since that time, still more striking ev
dence of this curious circumstance has been placed
before the public. During the past fortnight
while the very threshold OF
an insuuection-the Irish Judges have
been on circuit, and IN every county they
went to they were able to speak in c0ngratnlatory
terms of the ghtness Of the calendar! AZ Limerick
now in blaze of rebelliOn-Mr Justice Fitzgerald
said that, regards crime, the country would conf
pare favOrably with any portion of Her Maestys
domnons THE country" said he, lis in most
peaceabe state life is secure property is respected
and the law is enforced against offenders. In the
Of R0ScOmlnOn .IulQe Christian a
same effect. Similar congratulations to the grand
jures were spoken by the Lord Chief Justice in the
County Meath, Mr.. Justice George in Wexford, Mr..
Justice O'iagan in Waterford and Wicklow, Baron
Deasy in Louth, the Chief Baron in Dongford
Mr.. Justice Fitzgerald III Cork and Baron Fitz-
gerald in DrOgheda. In this latter place, on the
very day before the rising the Judge was presented
with pair of white giores, there being no criminal
business whatever the calendar Surely, in these
facts there is plain evidence that it is spirit of
turbulence impels the Irish people to this wide
spread revolt against British authority, and that
their cause must be one deserving the sympathy Of
good men.