Year: 1878

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battle around him, but he was TOO
good a soldier to disobey, He
watched the sun as he sunk behind
him in the woods and eagerly longed
for the din and clash of battle. He
had not much longer to wait. Sud
denly with roar the English artil-
lery opened, and under cover of
their fire the whole army advanced
to the charge. This was the decis-
i've moment. Munroe with his whole
strength determined to fall upon
his enemy and crush him at a blow.


At moment the Irish General
emerged from the woods, and ac-
cohpanisd by his staff, galloped in
the direction of his Colonel of caval-
ry. Their greeting was short and
curt.


| Colonel, do you see these troops
advancing on the right?


Yes, General.


They number two thousand five
hundred men, and are the flower of
the English army.


Yes, General.


! Their lines must be pierced and
broken, and put to rout, OF else the
day is lost. On you devolvss that
honor. You know your duty. Good
| by.


A grim smile lit up the counte-
nance of the Slasher as the General
rode back to his own personal com
mand, and, turning to his troopers,
he said:


Men, before the enemy reach yon-
der knoll that rises between them
and us we must be upon them. For
ward! and follow me.


Dashing the spurs into his charg-
er's fanks he rushed into the open
space between him and the foe, fol-
lowed by every man in his command.
The onslaught was fierce and terri
ble, but of short duration. The
Slashsr, with one fearful blow,
Glove the English standard bearer
to the chin and leaped into the
midst of the enemy's ranks. His
terrible shout could be heard above
the peal of musketry that greste d
him, but, unharmed, he rushed on
scattering death and destruction
around him. For a while it was
body to body with push Of pike, but
brave as the Britons were thew
could not withstand the fiery and
fearful shock of Myles the Siasher.
Before his rushing charge thev
went down, and beaten and defeat
ed, Munroe fed, leaving behind him
three thousand of his best and brav-
est troops dead on the field.


Tie brave general who had so
wisely planned and bravely won the
battle of Benburb did not long sur
Vive to wear his honors. He was
treacherously poisoned by a spy of
the enemy, and Lord CaStlehaven as
sumed command. Being encamped
near Granard, in the county of Long
ford, Castlehaven ordered the Slash
er to proceed with chosen dstatch-
ment of horse to defend the bridge
of Finea against Munroe, his old en-
emy, who was then bearing down on
the main army with a superior force.


Myles took up his station on the
bridge just as the enemy came in
sight, and the latter, confident of
success, dashed forward. But they
never gained the center. Their fore
most files went down before the sa-
bers of the Slasher and his men, and
their leader fell, killed by the hand
of Myles himself. Charge after
charge they made, their General
hurting the black masses of his
troops against that small and devot-
ed band of horsemen. One by one
they fell, until the gallant O'Reilly
was left with a mere handful to de-
fend the bridge. His horse had
been shot under him, and he now
fought on foot. The enemy mad
dsned by repulss and the death of
so many comrades, rushed forward
with impetuosity, determined to
sweep all before them. Nothing re-
manned for the few brave fellows
but retreat or death. 1t was impos-
sible for scarcely thresscore men to
Withstand the shock of a thousand
fierce and savage grenadiers. The
bridge must be yielded at last.


The bold Slasher, however, was
equal to the emergency. Placing
himself in the very center of the
bridge, and grasping his terrible
weapon in his hand, he awaited the
assault. On they came, and for full
ly twenty minutes the Slasher held
the bridge, and all that came within
his reach went down. More than
twenty perishsd by his hand alone,
and more than three times that num-
Der fell before the swords of his gal
lant comrades.


Covered with a thousand wounds,
and dripping with blood from head
to foot, he still stood there and
blocked the way. At length he
fell, struck down by the sword of a
gigantic Scot, and as he closed his
eyes in death he heard the tramp of
Castlehaven's troops, as they rushed
to the rescue. They came too late
to save him, but he had saved the
bridge, and died content.


Tradition adds that the officer who
gave him his death-wound was also
a man of extraordinary strength and
stature, and laid open his cheek with
one cut of his sword, but that the
Slasher held the blade between his
teeth as firmly as if held in a smiths
vice, until he cut down the Scotch
man with his own sword. The Slash
er'S body was discovered on the fol
lowing day and conveyed to ths
Monastry of Cavai, where it was in
TERED in the tomb of his ancestors.


Stanley in Europe.