The insurgents, of whom we have been hitherto speak ing, consisted almost exclusively of Catholics. They hop ed to be assisted in their plans by the Protestants of the north of Ireland ; but in this they were disappointed. There were, indeed, insurrections in Antrim and Down ; but the Protestants who engaged in then), alter a few skirmishes with the royal troops, gave up the enterprize, chiefly in consequence of being assured that the rest of the Protestants in the north, though in general well dis posed, would not co-operate with them, having learned that the insurrection in \Vexford was totally of a religious character, and that the Catholics engaged in it had repeat edly behaved with great cruelty to the Protestants.
The insurgents in Wexford were thus left to themselves, and measures were taken by government to crush them el fectually and speedily. On the 20th of June, their whole force was assembled on Vinegar-hill, near Enmscorthy• General Lake immediately formed his plan, which was, to surround this post ; and for this purpose, all the divisions of the royal army were put in motion.
In the mean time, the insurgents were guilty of the most atrocious acts of cruelty, not merely against those who had opposed their plans, hut even against these who were known to be favourable to them, in case they were Pro testants. These were dragged to Vinegar-hill, where, without trial, they were either shot or transfixed with pikes, or, in some cases, put to death in a still more barba rous manner. At Kilian, the Protestants of both sexes were collected, with an intention of burning them alive in their parish church, when fortunately their design was prevented by the arrival of a body of yeomen.
General Lake had collected nearly 13,000 troops, with a train of artillery proportionate to that number, for the at tack on Vinegar-hill. This attack took place on the 21st cf June. The town of Enniscorthy was the first object of attack, and the insurgents were driven from their post. They fled through a space of ground which was to have been occupied by the troops of General Needham. These had not come up, whether from missing the road, or some other accidental cause, or, as was supposed, because Gene ral Lake wished to leave the insurgents some outlet, is not ascertained. Wexford was taken by the royal troops the same day as Enniscorthy Previously, however, a battle had taken place at Horetown, between the troops of Ge neral Moore and the insurgents under Roche. The com bat was long doubtful, but at length terminated in the de feat of the rebels. General Moore immediately encamped near Wexford, in order to secure the Protestants in that town from massacre. Before his arrival, however, the re
bels in it had committed great outrages. These were principally directed and encouraged by a man of the name of Dixon. While the rebel force continued in Wexford, this man had not been able to carry his designs into exe cution; but soon after they marched out against General Moore, Dixon, at the head of a mob, which he had previ ously inflamed with whisky, murdered the Protestants in a manner to which, for wanton cruelty, not even the atroci ties of the French revolution can produce a parallel. Inithe mean time, the battle at Vinegar-hill, though strenuously contended by the insurgents, ended in their complete de feat. They were completely broken, and fled ; and their loss in the battle and pursuit was so considerable, that the whole party was completely disheartened.
Before General Moore arrived at this town, many of the inhabitants, being freed from the presence of the insur gents, who had joined their companions on Vinegar-hill, were desirous of submitting, and giving up the place. Lord Kingsborough, colonel of the North Cork militia, was at this time a prisoner in it ; and he agreed to receive the surrender, pledging his honour for the safety of all, except those who had been concerned in the murders. On this pledge, which was made known to the British gene ral, the insurgents who had fled into the town after their defeat at Vinegar-hill, evacuated it, separating into two bo dies, in the full confidence of the ratification of the terms ; but General Lake ordered all the chiefs of the rebels to be seized and put to death.
The movements and proceedings of the insurgents, af ter the battle of Vinegar-hill, were desultory, without uni on or plan. One body of them marched to Arklow, and, finding no royal troops there, massacred many of the inha bitants. Another body, under Murphy, who had originally raised the insurrection in Wexford, directed their march towards the county of Carlow, with the design of stirring up the inhabitants there and in Kilkenny ; but in this they were disappointed, partly by the measures of the royal forces, and partly by the indisposition of the inhabitants. They now determined to return to Wexford, and on the 26th of June arrived at Kilcommy. Here they again chang ed their route, and moved towards the Wicklow moun tains; but they soon found that they had no other chance of safety but by dispersing into small bodies, being no longer capable of withstanding the forces that were sent against them. After various movements and skirmishes, there fore, they finally dispersed.