Towards the end of the 18th century there was many attempts made in Ireland to organise a rebellion and gain national Independence. In 1791 the United Irishmen was formed. Its aim was to unite Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter and form a revolution to break the link with England. They were led by the charismatic Wolfe Tone, a barrister, the son of a protestant coach maker. If well organized and with military support from France the United Irishmen could have been successful but Dublin Castle knew their movements. They also knew they had to act quickly as they estimated the United Irishmen could mobilize 278,896 armed men. That would outnumber government troops 5:1. They had informants who infiltrated the leadership and quickly the vast bulk of the leadership was arrested. One top ranking informant was given lump sum of 5000 and a life pension of 1000 to appear as a witness in the treason trial of Leinster Executive of United Irishmen.

When the British had arrested the bulk of the leadership of the conspiracy. They concentrated on disarming the rank and file of the movement. Sir. Ralph Abercromby commander in chief in Ireland planned to use collective punishment. Troops would be sent to live at "FREE QUARTERS" in the disturbed areas with powers to requisition food, stock fodder and use whatever terror tactics thought necessary to gain information and disarm the rank of the United Irishmen. Troops plundered indiscriminately and before long the arms began to come in.

Wooden triangular scaffolding appeared in the streets of many towns. They were designed for securing a person while he was flogged with a cat-o-nine tails. It was used as a form of torture. There were right handed and left handed floggers who applied the whip on to the bare back of the victim simultaneously. When they got tired they would be replaced by fresh floggers. Needless to say many would die as a result of this brutality. Half hanging was another form of torture . The victim was hung on a special makeshift travelling gallows, when close to death he would be let down, revived questioned for information if not forthcoming the procedure was repeated many times. Usually this process ended in the victim left hanging until he died.

Pitch Capping was another infamous torture. The pitch cap took the shape of a conical cap. It was made of the nearest material to hand - hard brown paper, cloth etc. Into this cone was poured boiling pitch and the upturned cone was pressed down the face and into the eyes and mouth.

The victim was on occasion held and when the pitch had cooled the militia wrenched the pitch cap off, it was accompanied by the hair and most of the scalp. Suspects whose hair was long had their hair cut by shears.

In 1798 the Irish rebellion broke out. In some parts of the country in Ulster and Leinster risings did take place but were quickly put down. They would have some success in Wexford under the leadership of Fr. John Murphy of Boolavogue. They had some initial victories but the soldiers known as croppies were poorly armed mostly with pikes. The British under the command of General Gerard Lake finally suppressed the rising. At Vinegar Hill , Enniscorthy he took no prisoners. He sought and killed every wounded man in field, street roadway and ditch. His troops numbering 20,000 killed everything that resembled a countryman in their follow up operations. The courthouse, which had been turned into temporary hospital filled with 80 wounded insurgents, was burned to the ground with all its patients. Their corpses still hissed in the embers the following day. By July 1798 the rising in Ireland was virtually at an end. General Lake his militia and Yeomen (protected landed gentry) had by their ruthless tactics quelled any hope of much further resistance. His policy of brutality towards rebels found in arms brought him into conflict with the more humane Lord Charles Marquis Cornwallis. He had now assumed the chief command in Ireland and had instituted an Amnesty Act to encourage rebels to lay down their arms. His terror methods in Ireland, which were described as "playing the very devil with the country", are directly credited with fanning the flames of the 1798 Rebellion throughout the Country. Up until now Connacht had virtually escaped from the pillage and suffering and rap of General Lake. The arrival of General Humbert from France with a force of over 1,000 men and Military equipment brought an unwelcome change.

The French revolution 1789-95 had a huge influence on most of Europe including Ireland. The notion of a French invasion of Ireland in cooperation with a native anti- British uprising was neither new nor incredible. In 1795 the national assembly in Paris promised the assistance of France to all nations seeking freedom. Theobald Wolfe Tone had gone to France to seek help for the Irish cause in 1796. The help was promised but unfortunately an expedition under General Hoche a flotilla of 35 ships and 15,000 troops failed to reach Bantry Bay as the fleet was scattered by the onset of near hurricane storm had prevented landing. Ireland was in ferment. Widespread resentment of English rule, of gouging landlords, and of brutal discrimination against the Catholic majority had been fanned and, in amateurish fashion, organized by the United Irishmen movement.

In 1798, the Irish Rebellion broke out. 1st Viscount Gerard Lake then serving in Ireland, Succeeded Sir Abercromby in command of the troops in April 1798. He issued a proclamation ordering the surrender of all arms by the civil population of Ulster which effectively disarmed and crippled United Irish organisation and became known as "dragooning of Ulster". Following the rebellion of May 1798 Tone again sought help from France and on July 19th the French directory agreed to send three expeditions to Ireland. The first of these expeditions left La Rochelle on 8th of August with 1100 troops on board with its commander General Humbert. There was a number of Irish under Humbert's command. These included Matthew Tone Wolfe Tone ‘s brother , Bartholomew Teeling his aide De Camp and Fr. Henry O' Kane . The fleet had originally planned to land in Co. Donegal, but due to storms and maybe influenced by Fr. O' Kane a native of Killala the fleet sailed into Killala Bay. On this division embarked Major General Humbert and Adjutant Generals Fontaine and Sarrazin, Majors Dufour, attached to the staff as supernumerary, Hardouin, commanding the 2nd Battalion of the 70th ½ brigade, and Durival, with 1019 men, comprising the 2nd Bn. Of the 70th ½ Bde., also clerks of the administrative services, and a detachment , &c of the 3rd Regt of Chasseurs, 3 field pieces, 3000 muskets and 3000 Inf Uniforms. On the 21st, land was sighted, and General Humbert gave his small army the name of Army Of Ireland, within sight of the coast of this island. Contrary winds did not permit it reach land the same day. But the following day the division, after battling for twelve hours against the winds and currents, cast anchor in Killala bay at three o' clock in the afternoon.

Kilcummin: On sat 22nd of August three frigates (flying English Colours) The Franchise (Capt Guillotin) , The Medee (Capt Coudein) and the Concorde (Capt Papin) rounded and landed at Kilcummin at a spot called Leac a' Chaonaigh (Flagstone of the Green Moss) . Only after tacking for a long time in the bay, the French managed to entice two fishing boats alongside one of the Frigates. The French had taken the precaution to pull all the troops on board the ships out of sight, so as not to let the enemy on the coast, observing through spy-glass, perceive that the French were arriving. This strategy worked beyond expectations, and soon several boats left the coast and steered in the French Direction. The First boat to come alongside had an English Officer and a fisherman. Out of Courtesy the officer was coming to offer Fresh Fish to the naval officers whom he supposed to be his countrymen. How great was his surprise when he discovered his mistake, and he was hailed and told to come alongside, his whole body changed physically . The second boat not noticing the trap, kept its course and fell into the ambush. The other boats which had set sail, seeing that those 2 had been towed off by the frigates, turned back suspecting the French not to be friendly. The last boat captured were a fisherman and a non commissioned English officer who thinking these ships were bound for England, was bringing a basket of letters to commit to the care of the ship.

Edwin and Arthur Stock, sons of the Protestant Bishop of Killala Joseph Stock who had sailed out to meet them, greeted them. The two were captured , the English flag was taken down and the French flag hoisted. Boats were lowered and soon dozens of soldiers wearing blue and grey of the French army made their way ashore. It was the 22nd of August 1798 . "The year of the French had begun". Soon , over 1000 men were on solid ground after 2 weeks at sea and all boats in the area were hurriedly pressed into service ferrying large quantities of guns ammunition and supplies ashore. 3 light cannons, 3000 muskets, 66000 cartridges and 30000 measures of powder were landed safely. They also had with them one thousand French uniforms.

General Humbert who with his aide de camp Bartholomew Teeling was disappointed to be met in Killala by a few thousand poorly equipped peasants. The French had been led to believe that the whole of Ireland would rise up and join the French once they had landed. Landing in the West of Ireland was not to the advantage of the French expedition. The United Irishmen there had no prominent leaders and were poorly organized. The French distributed the arms and Uniforms which they had brought with them and tried to make an army out of their Irish comrades. The remainder disembarked close to the present pier, at a spot known as Leac A' Bhaid (Flagstone of the Boats) One of the first to disembark was Fr. O' Kane who spoke to the locals in Irish which was the native tongue at the time. Word soon filtered to native Irish throughout mayo and Sligo. Bishop stock also heard of arrival when he was sitting down to dinner with guests he was told the frigates were unloading powder, firelocks and stores while soldiers in blue uniforms were disembarking. He sent messages to local gentry among them the Jacksons, the Knoxs, Binghams, Palmers and Kirkwoods. A second expedition under General Hardy had been scheduled to leave France at the same time as the Killala expedition but it never even got out of Brest harbour

By about 7pm the landing was complete. General Sarrazin , set out with Fr. O' Kane to survey the town 5 miles to the South. The Garrison of 80 men included a handful of regulars of the 17th Foot (Leicestershire Regiment) commanded by Captain Kirkwood but was mainly made up of Yeomanry, an ill-trained part- time paramilitary constabulary .

Yeoman were mainly made up of protestant Anglo Irish gentry and were a kind of local defence force. These invaders were not ordinary adversaries. They were battle hardened from the French Revolution and had fought on the Continent. Marching boldly out to meet the French, Kirkwood took up position just outside the town. Arriving at a fast pace, the French immediately opened fire on the yeomen who after a brief exchange of shots broke and ran for Killala. With a detachment of Sarrazin's force of app 200 grenadiers and with General Fontaine bringing up the rear, circled around the British left flank and the remainder pressing a frontal attack with the bayonet. The unnerved Loyalists fired one ragged volley and then fled in terror. Three Frenchmen were slightly wounded. One man was killed and parson Ellison was shot in the heel as he ran through the Castle Gates. Kirkwood and 20 of his men were captured.

The initial humbling of the oppressors had the desired effect on the local population, bringing forward thousands of eager, though ignorant and ill-disciplined Irish Volunteers who were hastily equipped and formed into companies. Muskets were issued to some, but as in the uprisings elsewhere in Ireland that year, most of the insurgents were armed with crude pikes, scythes and hay- forks. Capt. O' Kane was challenged by a Yeoman from a side street , but was not hit. He shot dead the yeoman. General Sarrazin and his 150 men commanded by Niall Kerrigan and led by Fr. O' Kane arrived in Killala , and were met with a volley from Loyalists. They did not reply but instead attacked with Bayonets and as they had more troops than the yeoman they - soon captured the town. Bishop Joseph Stock was sitting down to a dinner with some guests and all were taken prisoner. His palace was taken over but he was allowed the use of the upper floor. The French officers and their aides took over the rest of the house and it became Humbert's H.Q. Several yeoman were taken prisoner while others fled to Ballina. A French soldier climbed on top of the palace and removed the British Flag, which was replaced by a green and gold letters flag bearing the inscription Erin Go Brach. Bishop Stock was later to complain the French and Irish used 26 tons of his coal and set fire to chimney twice almost burning the house down.

The arrival of the French at Killala and rumours of other French landings spread panic through the English. The British military commander in Mayo sent a despatch to Lord Castlereagh in Dublin seeking help. The French- Irish pack had strengthened in numbers with volunteers from surrounding areas. Hugh Maguire, Richard o' Dowd and colonel Matthew Bellew , a retired Austrian officer and brother of Catholic Bishop of Killala all rallied to the flag. Bellew was appointed leader of the insurgents. Many priests arrived with recruits. Fr. Munnelly, Fr. Owen Cowley, Fr. David Kelly, Ballycroy and Fr. James Conroy, Addergoole. The French were amazed and some of them disgusted at the impoverished state of the Irish poor. Captain Jobit one of the French officers wrote an account of what he saw and how he felt. "We were astonished by the extreme poverty which appeared everywhere before our eyes. Never had any country presented such an unhappy perspective, the women and children are practically naked and have as their only shelter a small bad cottage which barely covers them from the ravages of the season. Moreover they share this primitive habitation with everything from the farmyard. Their daily food is potatoes and sour milk, practically never bread and rarely meat". Again the French wrote:

"Killala was ours ere the midnight

And high over Ballina town

Our banners in triumph were floating

Before the next sun had gone down.

We gathered to speed the good work then

The true men of near and afar

And history can tell how we routed

The Redcoats through old Castlebar".

He contrasts this extreme poverty with the easy life lived by the Protestants who possessed wealth and lived in grandeur. Captain Jobit was not impressed with the religious sentiment of the Irish. "When we pass in front of their disgusting hovels where we would never enter except to glance at as one would glance at a repugnant object, they throw themselves in front of us and recite long prayers for our success. All men and women wear suspended around their necks large dirty, ugly scapulars and rosary beads".

In France during the period 1792-1794 there was a reign of great terror when over 40,000 Frenchmen were executed just for holding fast to the Catholic Faith. The blood lust of the years staggers the imagination even in the retelling, and the campaign against the Church was as diabolical as it was cruel. These French soldiers now in Ireland would have privy to what happened and were not impressed with the Irish religious display of rosary beads and scapulars. Remember at this time the Penal laws were in operation and all Catholic religious display was forbidden. Given what the French had done in their own country one wonders if they had succeeded in Ireland would the same intolerance against the Catholic Church have been perpetrated here, a church already oppressed by the Penal laws.

Having captured Killala Humbert sent two groups under General Sarrazin with 500 men and one cannon on the way, a group of enemy cavalry were taken by surprise as they fed horses. Running off in all directions they left horses, saddles and pistols behind. That night a fight took place between Sarrazins troops and the British. A troop of French and Irish, led by Patrick Duffy (another exiled Mayoman) set out for Ballina, between the Abbeys of Moyne, Belleek and Rosserk they routed a considerable British force. The British eventually retreated in confusion. Colonel Sir Thomas Chapman, commander of the Ballina garrison, advanced boldly up the Killala road at nightfall with a force of several hundred Prince of Wales Fencibles and Yeomen. About a mile north of Ballina , Chapman's force confronted the French, and a brisk fire-fight ensued . The British were holding their own, until out of the darkness on their left burst a howling mob of pike-and-musket -armed Irish Rebels led by French Colonel Fontaine. The British broke and ran. The next morning the French/Irish troops captured Ballina under cover of darkness. The Irish peasants lit bundles of straw to show them their way. Humbert despatched a group of French to reconnoitre the strength of the British Garrison at Ballina, the group split in two, one advancing by Barr na dearg (the Red Gap), the other goes by Bothar na sop (The Road of the Straw), where their way was lit by the locals who burned straw torches and gave them food.

In appreciation, the French soldiers cut off the brass buttons from their uniforms and handed them to the locals. This approach road to Ballina has been known as Bothar na sop for a long time before this as carts carrying hay used to come in this way to market. They took Ballina without much resistance. Before departing Ballina, the British captured a young United Irishman called Patrick Walsh, and having discovered a French Commission authorising him to recruit for the Irish republic on his person, they hanged him from a public crane in Walsh Street. The French were shocked to see the HIS body so much so when they came on the scene, Sarrazin first kissed the corpse, before ordering his entire troop to file past, saluting with colours lowered. He addressed the people standing around urging them to join forces with the French and rid themselves of their English oppressors . He had been sent in advance to reconnoitre. Humbert's instructions were to establish a bridgehead and then wait for Hardy's larger force to join him, unless the Irish forces would prove strong enough for independent action. Humbert knew he needed more Irish soldiers if he were to be effective. He feared that the peasant volunteers in his army would scatter at the first sound of a cannon.

Groups of men, young and old, were now streaming steadily into Killala. Some out of curiosity, most to join the French. From every corner of the Northwest they came. Tall, strapping, wild and unkempt, they were all eager to throw in their lot with these strange looking foreigners who would lead them to victory over their old enemy. It was first come first served. Early arrivals were fully kitted out with boots, stockings, grey trousers and long blue coats. Latecomers received only coats and probably marched barefoot during the rest of the campaign. Bishop stock in his "narrative" says it was amusing to watch a small French sergeant standing on a powder keg as he pushed a new French hat down on the head of a recruit, not caring if it ever came off again.

In order to motivate an uprising of the Irish People and to give him a larger supply of men from whom to forge an effective fighting force, Humbert decided that he must advertise his presence in Ireland and fan the flame of hope that the risings of 1798 had ignited. He chose to engage the British. He had learned of a force of 3500 British troops advancing on his position. He surmised that he could be successful if he engaged the British at Castlebar. Defeating the British at Castlebar, especially since the commander of the British forces was General Lake who had defeated the Irish Pikemen in Wexford, would be the kind of demonstration that the Irish people needed to show that they could, with French help, defeat the British. The British for the most part fled towards Foxford where they would have their forces waiting for the French advance on Castlebar.

There are two roads leading from Ballina to Castlebar. The British commander in Co. Mayo, General Hutchinson, expected Humbert to continue south along the only decent road out of Ballina towards Castlebar, the commercial and strategic centre of the region. Where the road crosses the River Moy at Foxford, Hutchinson placed a strong blocking force with ample artillery. Clashes of French and British patrols along the Ballina- Foxford road appeared to confirm British expectations. In reserve at Castlebar itself, Hutchinson (superseded in command at midnight, 26-27 August, by Lieutenant- General Lake) had 1,610 men: 1 company of the 6th Foot (1st Warwickshire Regiment) got a battle honour, a half-battalion of Fraser's Fencibles (Scots), a battalion each of Longford and Kilkenny Militias, 1 company of Galway Volunteers, 1 squadron of Lord Roden's Fencibles Dragoons, 4 squadrons of the 6th Carbineers, and 11 Guns. The other road branches from Ballina in a westerly direction, winding around Lough Conn, a lake noted for the majestic beauty of its rocky banks. At Crossmolina the road turns abruptly south crosses the mountains of Fanogue. It passes under the shadow of the great Nephin, an imposing mountain over 2,000 feet high, and at a point called Barnageehy (windy gap) becomes a narrow defile that, properly defended, could defy the assault of another Xerxes. About 15 miles in a direct line south of Crossmolina lies Castlebar in a plain near a large Lough.

Humbert closely questioned the locals, learned that there was an alternative route to Castlebar, a barely- practicable goat trail that ran west of Lough Conn, over the windy gap pass, then south to the town. To further the deception, the Franco-Irish forces marched out of Ballina along the Foxford road at sunset on August 26 with ostentatious noise and shouted boasts of expected victory at Foxford, At dusk they changed direction they double backed in silence and darkness veering west of lough conn through Ballinahaglish and on to Crossmolina. As luck would have it, the heavens opened and all through the night torrential rain lashed down making the already poor roads almost impassable. At Crossmolina, two field guns were left behind only one being taken along. But for the sheer strength of the rebels who dragged it through the mountains by hand, that too would have been left behind. They camped on the fairgreen at midnight, Humbert's army was in Lahardane. The Local priest, Father Andrew James Conroy, was fluent in French from his time at seminary in Nantes. He gave precious directions to the French Officers and Marshalled the people to provide food and assistance to the troops. In Lahardane locals gave the soldiers provisions like bread, milk, chicken when they arrived at midnight. The rest was brief, they were quickly drawn up in line to resume their march. They stayed an hour in Lahardane the people gathered around them in the green but they couldn't understand the French language. The insurgent ranks swelled with recruits from Glen Nephin-men from Derrysallagh, Glenavinne and others joined up. The night was so treacherous with rain and wind that an artillery piece had to be abandoned. Fr. Conroy rendered another important service to Humbert. Learning that a man named William Burke had been despatched to the British commander with information as to the route of the French, he overtook the messenger and made him retrace his steps and take the United Irishmen oath.

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Cornwallis, takes the field and sends requests for urgent reinforcements to England but in the interim all available forces were concentrated at Castlebar under the command of General Gerard Lake. The Build-up of the British forces at Castlebar had reached numerous soldiers with dozens of artillery pieces and huge caches of supplies by dawn of 27 August. General Hutchinson and Trench reinforce the town against possible attack.

Humbert took a combined force of about 2000 French and Irish on August 26 to march on Castlebar. The obvious nature of his objective presented the reinforced British there with the apparent advantage of being able to deploy their forces to face a head-on attack from the Ballina road and their forces and artillery were accordingly arranged.

The French were surprised by the lack of military training among the Irish who supported them. Nonetheless, over 3000 Irish recruits joined their ranks on the march to Castlebar, many armed only with pikes and pitchforks. This Franco-Irish force marched along the remote west shore of Lough Conn over rough uneven ground. They passed Barrnageeha (The Windy Gap) where they drove in all the cattle about the Gap. They descend "anair aduaidh" and arrived at Castlebar to face a startled British garrison under the command of General Lake.

Many were the hardships of the army during the tramp over the Fanogue Mountains. The Heavy rains made the road almost impassable, and when the men were not stumbling over rocks or into crevices they found themselves up to their knees in incipient bogs. The two curricle guns and the ammunition wagons drawn by farm horses, proved a serious obstacle to the advance, for they were constantly sticking in the mud. In fact the poor beasts soon became entirely unserviceable, and had to be replaced by the Irish peasants, who performed the tedious tasks with cheerfulness. The carriage of one of the guns broke down , and its repairing caused delay in the army. Yet no signs of faltering were visible in the countenances of the weary but determined men. The French had surmounted greater difficulties than these, and had never known defeat. They hummed snatches of patriotic songs to keep up their spirits , and exchanged compliments with the Irish contingent, some of whom aroused no little good-natured mirth by their awkward movements and unsuccessful attempts to assume a martial bearing. Not a incident occurred during the whole march to ruffle the harmonious relations of the allies, so different in sentiments and temperament.

After a vigorous night- march of 40km (25 Miles) Humbert's 800 French, 1500 Irish, and 1 laboriously manhandled gun reached Castlebar. At 5am on Monday Morning A keen eyed yeoman farmer spotted the French columns advance army the farmer had been out tending to his cattle. He immediately fled on horseback to Castlebar to warn the British Commander of the imminent arrival of the French/ Irish forces. At first he was not believed and 200 cavalry under the command of General Trench were dispatched in the direction of the gap to investigate. The party rode three miles in a northerly direction. Coming within range of French outriders they were fired on and they too raced back to the town. There was no doubt about it now. The French were coming, and at a rapid pace too! The horsemen whipped up their steeds and galloped back to Castlebar, with similar feelings to the Yeoman farmer.

In a few moments after their arrival the stillness of the morn was broken by the sound of alarm bells, the bugle's blast, and the shouts and vociferations of the excited soldiery. Realizing the gravity of the situation and his own helplessness, General Lake gave Hutchinson carte blanche to arrange the troops in line of battle. Hutchinson at once sent orders to the various division commanders with instructions to march to an elevation at the northeast extremity of the town, known as Mount Burren, which had been selected the day before as an alarm post. In Castlebar, consternation and confusion reigned as a result of the unexpectedness of the alarm, . The French were coming from an unexpected direction and worst still they were almost there. After an hour of frantic activity however all the outposts and battle lines were manned and by 6am when Humbert set eyes on Castlebar for the first time, everywhere he looked, between him and the town, the slopes were covered with soldiers in red uniforms numbering about 1400 strong with guns, was drawn up in an imposing battle array, prepared to receive the enemy. It was 27th of August and the Battle of Castlebar was about to begin.

It is well to state to state that this calculation as to the strength of the English at Castlebar is based on the most reliable authority. General Hutchinson in a statement to Lord Cornwallis a month later, placed the number of loyalists at 1,600 or 1,700 cavalry and infantry, 10 pieces of cannon and 1 howitzer, Mr Froude accepted his testimony as unimpeachable. Sir Richard Musgrave a loyalist wrote the most detailed account of the battle. Musgrave as a loyalist, carefully avoids mentioning figures altogether, but as he gives a list of the various infantry regiments present on the field, it is comparatively easy to approximate their numerical strength, which by the lowest calculation must have aggregated 5000 men. Francis Plowden, another writer of the day, also a loyalist, different calibre to Musgrave, states Lake's army to have "fallen little short of 6000 men", including the cavalry, an assertion supported by many actors in the short and bloody drama.

To reduce the matter to a few words, Humbert's army of 800 men- found itself opposed to a force several times its superior in size.

Since his arrival in Killala, Humbert's movements were being closely monitored by the Commander of the Kings Forces in Connaught. Major general John Hutchinson was worried. Information coming to his attention indicated that Castlebar would be the objective of the French. He did not wait for orders from Lord Cornwallis or Lake, Hutchinson set about mobilising all his available troops, and early on Saturday the 25th he set out for Castlebar with 2,500 soldiers, yeoman and militia, as well as 7 cannons and ammunition. More reinforcements were added at Tuam. Arriving in Castlebar on Saturday evening, he had over 4000 men under his command.

On Sunday with no time to lose, Hutchinson rode out to survey the northern approaches to the town. Brigadiar General Robert Taylor from Sligo was dispatched to Foxford to slow the French Advance. On Sion Hill 3 heavy guns were sited. There were to be 3 lines of defence stretching from Tuckers Lake to Rathbawn. Humbert would have to be stopped and on no account be allowed to get within cannon shot of Castlebar. Satisfied Hutchinson returned to the town. Later Sunday night General Lake arrived from Athlone. Being commander of His Majesty's Forces in the Field he outranked Hutchinson, and resented him being there. Taking over command it is said that he swept Hutchinson's maps and plans off the table saying that half the preparations would be enough to stop a few worn OUT Frenchmen and a crowd of Peasants. He hated the peasants with a passion. Soon he would show the Croppies in the West the error of their ways! In spite of Hutchinson's executive ability and his popularity amongst the men , so great had become the demoralization of the army that preparations for encountering the invaders were attended with great difficulty. Fights and broils between the regulars and the militia were of hourly occurrence, indulgence in intoxicating liquor were not infrequent. These scenes reached a climax in the middle of Sunday 26th. The main body of the Longford militia had entered town. The men were bivouacked on the green, eating bread and cheese, when a shot, discharged from a window close by , fell in their midst. Immediately a stupendous uproar ensued. In the Middle of the night a mysterious gunman fired a single shot into the green where hundreds of soldiers were camped for the night. "in the dark of the night" "four thousand enraged soldiers in the town! A noise arose- the clamour of irritated passions. Arms clashed against each other, the glass flew from windows, whilst the enraged men called for vengeance on the culprit. The general shouted for the officer commanding (captain chambers) to stand in the street until the affair should be over. A riot ensued as soldiers ran amok breaking down doors and shooting at windows. Not much sleep was had by anyone in Castlebar that night.

It was with some trepidation that Humbert surveyed this awesome spectacle. Gone now was the hope of surprise attack and he was hopelessly outnumbered. The town was surrounded by high ground and bristled with artillery. In the front line 2000 men (est), behind them over 1,500 (est) cavalry sat their horses. Behind that again another 2000 (est) infantry were strung out. The rest occupied positions in the town itself. At least 10 field guns were deployed along these lines of defence. The furthest outpost from the town which presented the biggest obstacle was at the Rock of Rathbawn. Three guns were in place there, commanded by Captain Shorthall. After a brief consultation with his generals, Humbert decided to test the enemy. If all failed he could pull back to Crossmolina. General Sarrazin with 150 men was despatched towards the English left flank where the Kilkenny artillery were Major Ardouin to the right where the Kilkenny regiment were. Down the centre General Blake led 500 rebels across open ground and up a slope towards the first gun emplacement. With shouts of "Erin go Bragh" they raced bravely towards the guns which were strangely silent. As the rebels in tight formation, got to within 100 yards of Shorthall’s position, his cannons suddenly erupted and a withering hail of canister, cannon ball and grapeshot accompanied by musket fire ripped into the Irish ranks. The Survivors- most of whom in their unfrequented regions had never, until that day heard the report of a musket, much less witnessed the effects of artillery fire- were overwhelmed with terror. They turned upon their heels and sped down the mountain side in wild confusion. They took no further share in the battle of Castlebar.

At 6.00am the British artillery opened fire on the advancing Franco-Irish and cut them to pieces. Two further charges were repulsed before Sarrazin identified an area of rough terrain in a defile directly in front of the British artillery which afforded some cover of hedges and small buildings, but apart from keeping up an ineffective fire on the gunners they were not making much progress. This town is situated on a little hill which lies east and west, another little hill which lies in the same direction, faces it in the north. The sun, which until then had been hidden by a very thick mist, appeared in its glory, and showed us this town in tiers on the hill opposite us. We also saw a column of a regiment which was debouching on the town, and was advancing along the road which we were on, at the same time another column was debouching from another street of Castlebar, and was deploying in the fields used as pastures and surrounded by hedges and walls of loose stones. As the ground where they were taking post sloped slightly down towards us, it was easy to estimate numbers.

In the front line of the enemy were manned by the Kilkenny Militia , the Royal Irish Artillery (Under Captain Shorthall, The prince of Wales fencibles, The 6th Foot (Warwick under Major Mcbean) and most of the Artillery. In the second line were Frasers Fencibles, The Galway volunteers. The Longford militia were on the 3rd line. The Cavalry were in reserve.

Generals Humbert and Sarrazin, 50 paces in front of Grenadiers, seeing a mass of men far greater than they had expected, were rather surprised, but without hesitation they decided that we had no other course open to us than to conquer or die. In consequence of this resolve, they returned at once to the head of the column halted it. The French soldiers , being used to warfare, were accustomed to forming a correct estimate of the strength of troops, and began discoursing on the danger there was in attacking an enemy 5 times as numerous as they were (estimates vary between 1600 and 4000, 5000, 6000), but Adjutant General Sarrazin appropriately made them a laconic and pathetic speech.

This is approximately what he said to them "Soldiers! The French never count their enemies, the greater their number, the greater the fame they win in defeating them. All our comrades of our other armies have their eyes fixed on us, as has the whole of France, they expect great things of our valour, they will not, I am sure, be deceived in their expectations, and this land which has not yet witnessed French courage will proclaim it, I have no doubt, as do all the other parts of the world where we have borne victorious arms. Besides, there is only one course we can adopt under present circumstances, which is to conquer or die. The ships that brought us to this country have left for France, if we take one step backwards, we shall be thrown into the sea, if we lay down our arms, we shall be made to perish miserably in "prisons ships", that is to say raze ships. Which one of you would not prefer death to a shameful and dishonourable act? If we are to end our careers on this soil so far from our native land, our brothers in arms and our parents will glorify our memory, remembering that our last moments were for them, for the honour and prosperity of our native land. I shall not conceal from you the fact that the danger is great, but you will always see us at your head sharing it with you , Long live the Republic!"The men answered with shouts of "Long live the Republic! Long live our generals".

The Initial attack, with the Irish advancing in column in the centre and the French working forward under cover on both wings, was repulsed by artillery fire. After half an hour, the French and Irish redeployed in open order and made a general advance. British morale wavered and cracked, the first-line guns were overrun and turned against their owners, and Lake's army dissolved. There was confused fighting for the next hour in the town as knots of the more stalwart British, notably the Fraser Fencibles and Roden's Dragoons, attempted to make a stand.

The strength of Lake's army lay principally in the cavalry, which comprised the best troops in the king's service. There was "Lord Jocelin's Light Horse", there was the 6th carabineers, the23rd Light Dragoons, Lord Roden's Roxborough Fencible Cavalry, and several squadrons of Yeomanry horse. The bulk of this imposing body of mounted men occupied a large space in the rear of the first line, intention being to throw them upon the foe as soon as the artillery and musketry fire had sown confusion in his ranks. English and Anglo-Irish noblemen were among the officers commanding the forces. It never occurred to them that, with numerical superiority, the choice of position, and an enemy exhausted by 15 hours of steady marching, any other result could be possible.

It was now the turn of the French to face Shorthall's fire. Sarrazin's Grenadiers, undisturbed by the precipitate flight of their Irish allies, marched steadily up the slope with fixed bayonets, and approached the British centre It was now the turn of the French to face Shorthall's fire. At the same time a battalion of the line moved to the British left. The French were aided in their movements by a peculiar formation of the ground, which intersected by stone walls and high hedges, afforded them excellent shelter against the musket fire of the enemy.

The French troops advanced at a run (au pas de charge), deployed under the fire of twelve pieces of cannon and a terrible discharge of musketry, which failed to slow down their spirited advance. While the enemy were so boldly attacked on their front, General Sarrazin, at the head of the grenadiers and some companies of the centre, pressed forward to force back the enemy's left and drive it into Castlebar. The troops that moved forward first and came under the fire of two thousand men, were obliged to fall back; The English artillery , superbly served, once more performed its deadly office. One of Shorthalls shots cut clean through the Infantry Battalion, who, seeing themselves taken at a disadvantage, ran to the cover of a small house nearby. The grenadiers then wheeled half way, and under a galling musketry and artillery fire rushed too help their brethren. After this the attacking force retreated down the slope, leaving many dead and wounded. A very brief period intervened before the next attack. The French this time attempted to neutralize the effects of the enemy's marksmanship by driving some cattle in front of them, but such of the poor brutes as were not shot down at the first discharge scampered, terror-stricken, into the very ranks they were intended to screen, nearly causing irremediable disorder.

So far the tide of fortune had been against the assailants, yet from this very circumstance there gleaned for Humbert a ray of hope. The inertness of the British, and their neglect to follow up their advantages, satisfied him that they were badly led. The moment had arrived to hazard a bold stroke-no less than a general attack along the whole length of the enemy line. To do this it became necessary to extend the French front until it should overlap his left wing. At the word of command the sturdy little Frenchman deployed from the centre with the rapidity and precision of a dress-parade, and when they commenced their next advance up the steep incline the British looked down in amazement on a long, thin line line in open order, its full strength not exceeding five hundred bayonets! Was this skeleton force about to brave to brave the entire British front? Such audacity was scarcely conceivable.

It was a critical moment. A combined effort of the English would probably have given the day to them. As it was, the infantry supporting the guns seemed to have lost their heads. Instead of awaiting their foe at close quarters they commenced firing in a desultory fashion at so great a distance as to produce no effect. Orders of any kind from the commanding general were lacking, and the cavalry corps stood inactive within its lines. Only Frasers Fencibles posted behind a fringe of bushes on the British left and the artillery appeared to understand their duty, and to perform it.

Perceiving the lack of cohesion among the British, Sarrazin ordered the pas de charge sounded, the French rushed forward to some hedges immediately in the enemy's front. Under cover of these they continued to advance in separate bodies, uttering the while their war cries and firing as rapidly as they could reload. As they came nearer some confusion was perceptible in the English ranks. The artillery was vomiting canister, but the fire of the infantry had slackened. Now that the soldiers of the republic were at hand with their deadly bayonets, the English warriors felt their hearts fail within them. Someone raised the cry that the French were on the flanks, and of a sudden the entire British infantry- regulars, yeomen and Fencibles- wavered, broke and beat a hasty retreat, leaving on the field Major Alcock, sorely wounded, and many others dead and dying. Sarrazin's men engaged the artillery on the right of the enemy position, while Chief of Battalion Ardouin attacked the Frasers and the Galway men on the left. Shorthall had already lost his best soldiers, but instead of retiring he pulled up his sleeves and took a stand at one of the guns himself. A French officer rushed towards him with levelled weapon, and missing fire, drew his sword. The Englishman, like many of his compatriots adept at boxing, doubled his fists and knocked down his opponent. He then mounted horseback and rode away in a cool way. but Sarrazin, at the head of the grenadiers, rushed to support them, and hurled back the enemy on to their ground. However , recognizing the impossibility of driving this wing of the English army from its post, he ordered the companies of the centre to contain it without returning the terrible fire directed at them; after which he pressed forward rapidly against the other wing, routed it and took 3 pieces of cannon. General Sarrazin own account of this move is as follows "After fire had slackened, I took advantage of a sunken path to march against the extreme right of lord Lake's line, and I debouched unexpectedly, hurrahing. While the right- hand battalion was manoeuvring to repulse me, I threw myself on it in column formation, I routed it". The enemy's centre soon followed the backward movement of the right, and the troops left to hold the left wing in check forced the enemy to seek refuge in the town.

Entrenched in the houses and supported by their artillery. The English offered vigorous resistance to the republican troops who tried to dislodge them. Fighting on both sides was fierce; at last a charge by the chasseurs of the 3rd Regt. Force the main body of the enemy to retreat over Castlebar bridge Charges by Sarrazin and Fontaine were successful and the enemy, driven from all their positions, abandoned their artillery and the greater part of their baggage, were hotly pursued for the space of twelve leagues. The English forces took up position at Sion Hill just outside the town. Humbert approached and took account of the English Position. Following a number of attacks in which they were hit by British cannon, Humbert decided to regroup and divided his troops, splitting them to the left and right so as to attack the British flanks. The Irish drove a herd of cattle ahead of them causing confusion in the English rank. The French/Irish made an effective bayonet charge through the centre. The English retreated down Staball Hill. Another attack occurred at Main St Bridge.

The English defended the bridge for some time using forces from the Longford militia (commander Lord Granard) he "Begged and beseeched " his men to rally, but in vain, and he finally broke down in tears. The flight of the crown forces was precipitous. and Kilkenny militias (commander marquis of Ormond) and Fraser’s Fencibles (a Scottish regiment with 2 cannons) the Frasers wore their national tartans, plaids and feathers. They were eventually routed and most of them fled to Tuam and Athlone. The earls of Longford and Ormond vainly endeavoured to rally them. They were only drawn into the current themselves. Ormond threw himself among his men, in a frenzy of mortification and despair. He implored them impassionedly to turn and face the foe. Finding they heeded him not he lost all self -control, and with curses and imprecations laid about him with his sword. He ran two men through the body and left the field with tears of anger streaming down his cheeks. Even when rallied in a churchyard, with a thick wall to protect them, the militia refused to make a stand. The first appearance of the French caused them to scamper over the tombstones like frightened sheep and make their way out the rear.

At the bridge over Castlebar river a horrible crush ensued. The main body of the British army had converged to that point, and the narrow structure was blocked with field guns, Caissons and supply wagons, against which the struggling mass of humanity surged in unreasoning terror. Here it was everyone for themselves, the alternative to the luckless foot soldier being death under the hoof or plunge to the waters underneath. To increase the confusion some shots fell in among the fugitives, and in their desperation they turned their weapons against each other. How many perished at the bridge has never been ascertained, but for weeks afterward the river and the lough nearby threw up mutilated corpses in the uniform of the British line and of the Anglo-Irish yeomanry.

But the battle was not yet over. The most desperate fighting was yet to come. By the exertions of the Earl of Granard, Major Thompson, and Captain Chambers and Armstrong, a comparatively large number of men were gotten together to cover the retreat of the army. This they endeavoured to do by maintaining a musketry fire from behind hedges and thickets on the approaching sans-cullotes. Unable to hold their ground they retired to the bridge, and took up a position there with a curricle gun. At the same moment the Highlanders and some carabineers, after being driven from the left wing at the point of bayonet, stationed themselves in the public square of Castlebar., where Lieutenant Blundell with two curricle guns had been posted early in the morning. To dislodge the enemy from both these positions, Humbert detached his cavalry from his centre and moved it on to the town, with some infantry under Sarrazin and Adjutant- General Fontaine.

A protestant citizen present at the battle thus relates some of the details of this conflict: "colonel miller", he says "rushed into the town crying:" clear the street for action!" when in a moment, as a dam bursting its banks, a mixture of soldiers of all kinds rushed in at every avenue; a sergeant wanted every woman to go to the barracks; Four brave highlanders at a cannon kept up a brisk fire on the French, but were killed while loading, the gunner taken, and the guns turned on our men. Now the street action became hot; before it was peal answering peal, but now thunder answering thunder,; a black cloud of horrors hid the light of heaven- the messengers of death groping their way, as in gloomy hell, whilst the trembling echoes which shook our town concealed the more melancholy groans of the dying. When the French approached the new jail, a Fraser Fencible killed a Frenchman, charged and killed another, shot a third and a fourth, and, as, he fired at and killed a fifth, a number rushed up the steps, dashed his brains out, tumbling him from his stand, and the sentry-box on his body.

Between Staball hill and the bridge, where a bottleneck was now developing, with wagons, gun cartridges and supplies being abandoned, the Scottish Highlanders did hold their position and fought ferociously with 2 curricle guns. A lord Roden also managed to regain partial control of his unit and placing himself on the bridge, denied passage to all. Hundreds jumped into the river and either drowned or escaped to the south. Hand to hand fighting raged back and forth through the narrow streets as the clash of sabre duels, the rattle of musketry and the roar of the cannons reverberated throughout the town. The French and Irish now totally exhausted after 12 hours marching and 4 hours fighting, were almost on the verge of defeat yet again, when General Fontaine coming in from the Battlefield with one hundred mounted soldiers galloped wildly down Staball Hill and overcoming the stubborn highlanders fought his way to the bridge. A group of French marksmen forced their way into some of the houses on either side of the street and from the upstairs windows and roofs proceeded to pick off English soldiers in the streets below. Lord Roden could take no more and fled south, pursued for three miles by a small company of French cavalry. At a place known today as "Frenchill " he turned about and challenged his pursuers, killing three of them. A monument to their memory now stands on the spot.

The street action lasted nearly an hour, during which period every foot of ground was obstinately disputed. The British, still having the advantage of position and numbers, inflicted severe losses on their opponents, and were only overcome in the end by sheer pluck and hard fighting of the French. Death had no terrors for these sons of the Republic, even though to them it men at not an awakening in another and better world, but chaos and an end of all things. Utterly regardless of grape and canister, of sword and shell, they flung themselves upon the foe. One grenadier, after sabering two gunners, placed his thumb on the touch-hole of a cannon in time to extinguish a burning fuse. He earned his epaulettes for the bold deed, which saved the head of the advancing column from certain destruction. Here and there the town defenders succeeded in barricading themselves within private dwellings, whence they maintained a galling fire through shutters and improvised loopholes of every description, thus necessitating a series of separate assaults, in which the bayonet played as active a role as the bullet.

When the main portion of the town was in the hands of the French they turned their attention to the bridge. There, as has been mentioned, a body of British with a curricle gun had taken stand. A desperate melee was the result. Worked up to the pitch of fury by the bitterness of the preceding conflict, neither side gave nor demanded quarter. The defenders of the bridge consisted of the remnants of many of the regiments present on the field an hour before. There were some Longford and Kilkenny men, a sprinkling of "Frasers", and a corporal's guard or so of the 6th Regiment. The gun itself was worked by the few remaining survivors of Captain Shorthall's Royal Irish Artillery corps. The French began by installing themselves in the deserted buildings near the river's banks, and from here and the roads leading to the bridge they poured volley after volley on the enemy. As soon as the last gunner had fallen a squadron of French horse, emerging from the cover of a neighbouring house, dashed at the gun, hoping to reach and spike it before assistance arrived. In this they were foiled by the energy of the British officers in command; but in the hand-to-hand combat that followed fully half of the bridge defenders were mercilessly cut down. The Chasseurs lost two of their men and drew back; then , reinforced by the arrival of the infantry, they charged once more and swept the enemy from the field.

Acts of heroism were mot lacking during the obstinate struggle. Captain Chambers, on the British side, fought like a very demon. With his own hand he killed or wounded several Frenchmen, including an officer. Throwing away his sword he seized a musket from a soldiers hands and continued to fight until a grenadier had run a bayonet clear down his throat, and driven the point of it out at the side of the neck. A French Chasseur, on the other hand, received a ball in his right arm. Grasping his sword with his left, he went on to fight desperately. Presently a ball entered his left breast; but, still undaunted, he remained on the spot, slashing at the enemy with might and main. In the end a royal soldier pierced him with a bayonet, and the brave Frenchman fell to the earth a corpse.

Captain of Grenadiers Laugerat was struck by a shell which shattered his shoulder. Raising himself as well as he could, he continued to encourage his men. "Friends", he cried, "do not trouble yourselves about me. Go forward to victory; she awaits you. Let me remain here, for I die happy". These were his last words: "Take these cartridges; send them to the rascals." Then grasping his gun in a feverish embrace, he exclaimed, "thus dies a French grenadier1" Even in the last agonies of death the man's love of display had not deserted him.

Thus ended the Battle of Castlebar, a glorious event for the French who defeated so completely an enemy so superior in numbers. Six Hundred killed (est)an English company came over to the Irish Side. Twelve hundred prisoners (est), twelve pieces of cannon and 5 flags, as well as a large amount of Baggage were the trophies of victory, on the French-Irish side two hundred killed Major Guigon one of them

While the better men of the British forces were spilling their blood in defence of the flag and their country's honour, their comrades were speeding over the highroad to Hollymount and Tuam. Lake, accompanied by his staff, rode furiously along in their midst, with livid face and compressed hips. He cast not a head behind him, nor heeded the turmoil around him. His haughty and aggressive spirit was smarting under the humiliation of defeat, for which he knew he was alone to blame. Hutchinson felt the pangs of mortification no less than his commander, but to him this was not the time for vain regrets. He directed all his efforts to rallying the men and turning the flight into the semblance of an orderly retreat. He was not successful. Neither persuasion, commands nor threats availed to stem their wild stampede.

As well as the above Castlebar was defended by the Kerry Militia, The Galway yeomanry, the 6th foot Regiment (Warwick), lord Roden's Dragoons (Foxhunters), the Fencible Cavalry, The Prince Of Wales Fencibles, the Fencible and Royal Irish Artillery (4 curricle guns) in all an army of at Least 4000 men, of which 600 were superbly mounted cavalry. There was no shortage of Top Brass either the notorious General Lake Commander of His Majesty Forces in Ireland, General Hutchinson Commander of Forces in Connacht, Lord Ormond, Lord Granard, Lord Longford.

Despite some British heroics, the tide of panic was unstoppable. By Midday the town is liberated and 11 big guns and huge supplies captured. The beating of French drums signalled an end to the fighting. Captured soldiers were offered the choice of joining the French or following their comrades south. The English flee to Hollymount and Tuam and some as far as Athlone in which in "the year of liberty" calls "one of the most ignominious defeats in British military history and what the Irish called "THE Races of Castlebar". Humbert sends a report to France and asks for immediate reinforcements.

Although a spectacular victory was achieved, the Franco-Irish losses were greater than the British, due mainly to the cannonade at the commencement of the battle. Following the victory, hundreds of volunteers flocked to the Franco-Irish ranks, including some 200 members of the Longford and Kilkenny militias.

Captain Jobit who kept a diary of the expedition, described Castlebar as "a tough nut to crack, for a little army like ours between 800 and 900 French and about 700 or 800 untrained but determined pikemen from many parts of Co. Mayo.

Brave mayo men faced pounding artillery with nothing but pikes hammered out by skilled blacksmiths who had worked night and day for five days. To confuse the enemy further, Humbert suddenly changed tactics. He launched his full reserve, changed from closed formation to open files, he rose in his saddle, brandished his sword and gave the order in Irish "Eirinn Go Brach", the drums sounded the "pas de charge" and a blue line, now within a few paces of the enemy, regrouped back into closed lines and moved swiftly forward, their bayonets gleaming in the morning sun, a fierce and threatening determination in their countenances.

The famed army of the French Revolution was here in the fields of Mayo, veterans of many victorious campaigns on the continent, men who had endured much and who believed passionately in their cause, they had measured their enemy and marked them down as the defenders and upholders of tyranny and injustice.

The sasanaigh and their Irish militias and yeomen hesitated, and then turned their backs and fled in terror. Panic reigned and French snipers took over vantage points and picked off the bewildered enemy, fierce sword and sabre duels ensured in the streets as a whole army fled in disarray. General Lake's personal baggage was found abandoned in the street. Well and truly and aptly were the events of the day called the "Races of Castlebar". Sections of the Longford and Kilkenny militias turned their coats and hoisted the green flag. Jobit estimated the numbers who changed sides at 574 men. For this, many of them were singled out afterwards for particularly brutal treatment and execution.

All of the following info is from the Napoleonic Wars Data Book

Thus: Castlebar, 27 Aug 1798. French- Humbert (GDEB) w/2nd BN, 70th Demibrigade of the line; about 1 coy each from Infantry Regiments Lamourex, Lee, O'Meara, La Chatre and Feydur. 11 men of the 12th Huss; ½ Squadron of the 3rd chass a cheval. Total French 1200. French losses not known exactly, but cited as "very light".

British: MG Lake w/1 coy 6th foot, 1 sq. Lord Roden's Fencible Dragoons, 1 Bn each of the Longford and Kilkenny militias, ½ Bn Fraser's Fencibles, 1 coy Galway Volunteers, 4 Sqn's 6th DG (Dragoons Guards) Artillery (not enumerated). Total British 5000. British losses cited as 400 men, 10 guns and 8 colours. From the NWDB: "Apart from the 6th foot, the artillery (100 men) and Roden's Fencible Dragoons, the Anglo-Irish force panicked and fled. The Quantity of colours claimed to have been taken seems most excessive for the regiments present. French win; sources given as Fortescue, Bodart, Charrie.

John Moore was involved in the Joining up of the French prior to arrival at Castlebar as was a considerable number of his tenants. After the Battle of Castlebar which took place on Aug 27 1798, General Humbert , on 31 August 1798, issued the Following decree, which inter alia appointed John Moore as the President of the Government of the Province of Connaught:

Army Of Ireland

Liberty, Equality

Headquarters at Castlebar, 14TH Fructidor, sixth Year of the French Republic, One and Indivisible.

General Humbert, Commander in Chief of the Army of Ireland, desirous of organizing with the least possible delay, an administrative power for the Province of Connaught, decrees as follows:

1. The Government of the Province Connaught shall reside at Castlebar till further orders.
2. The Government shall be composed of twelve members, who shall be named by the General-in-chief of the French Army.
3. Citizen JOHN MOORE is named President of the Government of the Province of Connaught, he is specially entrusted with the nomination and reunion of the members of the Government.
4. The Government shall occupy itself immediately in organizing the Military power of the Province of Connaught, and with providing subsistence for the French and Irish Armies.
5. There shall be organized eight regiments of infantry, each of twelve hundred men, and four regiments of cavalry, each of six hundred men.
6. The Government shall declare rebels and traitors to the country all those who have received clothing and arms, shall not join the army within four and twenty hours.
7. Every individual from sixteen years of age to forty, inclusive, is REQUIRED in the name of the Irish Republic, to betake himself instantly to the French camp, to march in a mass against the common enemy. The tyrant of ANGLICIZED IRELAND, whose destruction alone can establish the independence and happiness of ANCIENT HIBERNIA.

The general commanding-in-chief

HUMBERT

The above decree refers to an Irish Republic, not a Republic of Connaught. Hence, strictly speaking, it appears to be incorrect to refer to any formal establishment of a Republic of Connaught or of John Moore being appointed its president. Instead, an Irish Republic has been proclaimed and John Moore, was appointed the President of one of its provinces, Connaught. Nevertheless, as civil or political appointments were not made for any other province of the short lived 1798 Irish Republic, the Republic of Connaught is the name for that Irish Republic that has long been commonly used.

The general tasks with which Moore was entrusted as President are apparent from the above decree. However, the rebel Republic was a puppet state and was very short lived. Nevertheless, among the things which President Moore did have time to do was to issue "paper money to a considerable extent.... (i)n the name of the French Government.

After the battle was over at Midday Humbert set his H.Q. at Geevys Hotel (now Paddy Faheys). The above Republic was declared with John Moore selected as president. A victory ball was held in the Linen Hall (Town Hall) which was well attended. On the evening of the Battle of Castlebar, Citizen Huet, a staff officer, was ordered to conduct prisoners to the enemy headquarters. He was told to inform the English General that General Humbert and all the French were indignant at the assassination of two cavalry soldiers escorting Citizen Biron who was sent under a flag of truce. A small party under Bartholomew Teeling pursued Lord Roden rear guard . Their flag of truce was attacked and five French Cavalry were brutally murdered. The place where they fell is known as French Hill. A magnificent pyramid like monument at French Hill, 3 miles south of Castlebar, marks the spot where a party of French Cavalry, travelling under a flag of truce, were killed by English forces. It is said to commemorate all of the 200 or so French soldiers who died for Irish freedom, mostly at Castlebar and Collooney.

Two Local men James Daly and Patrick Nally erected a monument to their memory in 1876. The Monument bears the inscription "In grateful remembrance of the gallant French soldiers who died fighting for the freedom of Ireland on 27th August 1798. They shall be remembered forever". The links with that era still remain-1798 memorial in the Mall, The Linenhall, The Humbert Inn (Now Paddy Faheys) John Moore's Grave, Frenchill monument, the gravestones of the Frasier’s Fencibles inside gate of Church of Ireland. There also exists a wealth of Place names associated with the period e.g. Frenchill, French Field, Staball Hill. As well as this there are several sites reputed to be Frenchmens’ graves and indeed a vast amount of folklore pertaining to this era. There is no doubt that the memories of this time will go on for a long time.

August 28 1798: The day after "the races of Castlebar the English Garrison evacuated Foxford and retreats to Boyle. Insurgents seize Westport, Newport, Ballinrobe, Swinford and Hollymount. Claremorris has already been taken. Lord Cornwallis has arrived in Athlone but decides not to counterattack until he has a massive army.

At Castlebar a municipality of eight members had been established. The main function was to provide soldiers with bread, they nearly always needed it. There was an abundance of Potatoes and Meat. Beef and Mutton were plentiful and the insurgents wasted it. 5 or 6 of them would eat a bullock they took 40 or 50 pounds of it leaving more than half go to waste . In 8 days they eat for a army of 40,000 men for a long time.

During their time in Castlebar the French were organising the Irish. The patrols harassed the enemy every day on roads from Tuam to Boyle while grenadiers bivouacked every night at the branching of the Hollymount and Tuam Roads. Spies told of the Lord Cornwallis Approach with his Select troops. Proclamations were issued daily. Messages were despatched to the Directory in France describing in glowing terms their successes in Mayo.

On the day Castlebar was liberated, 27 August 1798, James Napper Tandy sailed from Dunkerque with 270 French Grenadiers and a large Quantity of Weapons, powder and artillery, on board the corvette Anacreon, reputed to be the fastest vessel in the French navy. They made land in Burtonport County Donegal on Sep 16. Two years after General Hoche Ill-fated attempt at landing in Bantry Bay, a more modest force of 5000 under Hardy, was ready to leave Brest for Ireland but an English blockade was preventing them from getting out.

Humbert declared that when all the enemy were cleared across the Shannon he would march on Dublin and hopefully capture the Capital. All men between 16 and 40 were ordered to come to Castlebar and enlist in an "army of Ireland" which Irish Generals would command. Massive reinforcements were expected soon from France. Humbert was on the horns of a dilemma. Should he keep up momentum or consolidate his won position and wait for help from France. The French were becoming more and more disappointed with the response from the gentry, all of whom were expected to join them. Only a few did such as Captain O'Dowd from Bonniconlon and John Moore were outstanding examples. The peasants did not take much notice of the proclamation and those that came were not too fond of the rigid discipline imposed by the French. According to Captain Jobit, Humbert spent most of the week getting drunk and occasionally galloping up and down the streets on his white horse shouting "Erin go Brach" at French and Irish alike as they stood to attention. It is easy to understand Humbert's frustrations. With the capture of Castlebar he had surpassed all expectations and delivered most of Connaught into rebels hands. Garrisons from all the smaller towns and villages had fled to safer areas to the south. With a beachhead now stretching more than 25 miles inland, conditions could not have been more favourable for landing the second wave of the invasion.

However due to bungling and inefficiency back in France, the hoped for reinforcements had not even left port. In spite of the heroic showing of the French at Castlebar, the landed gentry resigned themselves to a wait-and-see attitude. Such a small army they felt couldn't possibly stand up to the superior numbers of the Crown Forces when the latter got their act together and mounted a serious counter attack. Humbert knew only too well it would take months, not days, to make any kinds of soldiers out of new recruits and their main use would be to fill uniforms and create illusion of a much larger army than was the case. As far as security was concerned, Castlebar was leaking like a sieve and all week a steady stream of useful information regarding strength and future plans were finding its way south to very interested quarters. While Humber was waiting in Castlebar, large numbers of well-trained English regiments had arrived from England and Commanded by Lord Cornwallis , were making their way slowly but surely towards the West. In a show of strength designed to discourage any ideas of disloyalty among protestants and to intimidate would be rebels, he was taking his time.

The French plan was to announce everywhere that we are going to the north. Cornwallis would then remove his troops from the Shannon bridges and would march towards Sligo. French-Irish would cross the Shannon at Ballintra and would arrive in Dublin 24 hours before the English forces. We would release the imprisoned leaders there, who would place themselves at the head of their followers. The arsenal contains 60,000 guns with which to arm the people of Dublin. There was not a single soldier in Dublin, military duties were being performed by the yeomanry. Cornwallis was reliant on troops coming in from England to defend Dublin. General Humbert and Fontaine approved the plan and the march on Dublin was determined on.

Having tarried too long in Castlebar the news Cornwallis was in Hollymount 15 Miles away with 18,000 men, finally prompted Humbert into action. With the hope of further help from France fading fast, two hundred soldiers were recalled from Killala and on the 4th September, with his army now reduced to less than 800 (he had lost nearly 200 taking the town), he slipped quietly out of the town. General Blake with 1500 insurgents followed (no record of Irish losses but they must have been high). They marched TO Foxford , then to Swinford where a short rest was taken. Late that night camp was made at Bellaghy (Charlestown did not exist at that time). The weather which had been sunny and pleasant during the 8 days spent in Castlebar had changed and now driving rain lashed the troops on the long march. Next morning the 5th, word came that lake with 7000 men had moved from Frenchpark and was now encamped at Ballaghadereen less than 10 miles away. Sarrazin proposed to attack him and break out east but Humbert refused. Sligo and the north was the only route left open. With a convoy of 17 cannons and supply wagons he left Bellaghy and headed for Sligo.

Meanwhile, back in Castlebar, things had taken a turn. On the day Humbert left the town, parson Ellison- a staunch loyalist- recovered his horse which he had hidden in a disused lime kiln for over a week, and headed as fast as possible for Hollymount where lord Cornwallis was camped with 18000 men (est). 5 miles out, he met Colonel Crawford with 500 cavalry galloping towards Castlebar. There being no more than 10 French soldiers (some wounded), and a handful of Irish insurgents left in the town, Ellison was able to reassure the colonel that there would be very little resistance. At 10PM that night Crawford with his "Hompesh" regiment (a mixture of German, Italian and French mercenaries) stormed in and re-took Castlebar. John Moore 4 days President of Connaught, was beaten up and thrown into prison he died a few weeks later. Rebels caught with weapons were killed on the spot. French were taken as prisoners of war, and a company of Scottish soldiers were left in charge of Castlebar.

Early on the 5th, Crawford headed for Bellaghy and having rendezvoused there with General lake, he was from then on, to trail Humbert acting as lake's advanced guard. Cornwallis set out from Hollymount towards Carrick-On-Shannon with all possible speed. His objective to keep between Humbert and the Midlands at all costs., as reports had indicated that there was a possibility of about 3000 rebels ready to take up arms in the Longford/Granard area. Humbert had also heard and it was on the strength of this belief that he was now forced-marching his army towards Granard. Crawford and lake had a free hand to do as they pleased and from Bellaghy on, the whole countryside was plundered. All Cabins on either side of the route were burned and the whole

At the time of the capture of Castlebar, three English frigates and two cutters came to cast anchor in Killala Bay close to the town. They Burned two brigs of French Possession. The Occupants of the Frigates tried several times to disembark below Killala. They were always driven back and compelled to retire hurriedly. The French were waiting Bompards squadron.

On the 3rd of September Humbert and his forces numbering 3000 (est) men marched out of Castlebar under cover of darkness towards Sligo, on hearing that Lord Cornwallis and his troops were within a day’s march . They covered 58 Miles in 36 hours passing through Swinford, Bellaghy, Tubbercurry and on to Collooney. The English Retook Hollymount and prepared for the Dawn Raid of Castlebar. The next morning while Humbert’s troops were having breakfast they were attacked by Colonel Vereker and his men who had come from Sligo. Humbert managed to outmanoeuvre the English and they retreated to Sligo and Ballyshannon. Bartholomew Teeling show outstanding bravery, Humbert changed direction and headed towards Dromahaire. Meanwhile, the United Irishmen of Longford and Westmeath had assembled. They captured Wilson's Hospital near Mullingar but fail to take Granard. Humbert, on hearing of the midlands rising decide to link up with the insurgents there. He is now near Manorhamilton but changes and goes straight for Granard. The plan was to be faithfully adopted and on the day the 7th of September they would go to Granard, on the next day, the 8th , to Trim, and on the 9th to Dublin- in accordance with plan proposed in Castlebar. He abandons heavier guns so as to make more speed. So far he has eluded the cordon closing in around him. On the evening of the 6th the Franco/Irish forces reached Drumkeeran where a Cornwallis envoy offered terms of surrender but Sarrazin rejected them. Cornwallis has now divided his army in two, half under General Lake to pursue the enemy and other half, under his command, to protect the line of the River Shannon. The French and Irish "must not cross".

By the 2nd of September, Cornwallis had 7,800 men, including two reliable Scottish Regiments (the Sutherland and Rehy Fencibles) concentrated at Tuam, organized into four brigades under General Hunter, Campbell, Hutchinson, and Moore, and a further 2,800 at Boyle. Cornwallis advanced from Tuam on the 4th of September, but on arriving at Castlebar on the 5th found only a small Franco-Irish rearguard.

Aware of the impossibility of defeating the well-equipped and far more numerous Crown Forces, and with no sign of reinforcements from France, Humbert had marched off to the east on 4th of September, hoping to evade the British cordon and blaze a trail of revolution across Ireland. With great luck, he might raise a large enough force of Irish rebels to break through to Dublin and conquer the country.

In another feat of hard marching, Humbert's army moved 50KM northeast to Tubbercurry, where late on 4 September he routed a small body of Loyalist Yeoman under Captain O' Hara. O'Hara alerted the commander of the garrison at Sligo (a further 34km northeast) Colonel Vereker. On the morning of the 5th of September, Vereker marched out between 300 and 400 men of the Limerick Militia, 20 Essex Fencibles, 30 Yeomanry infantry, 20 men of the 24th Dragoons, 30 Yeomanry cavalry, and 2 guns. He took up a position just north of the Village of Collooney, with his left protected by the Ballysadare River and his right anchored on a steep, wooded hill. The French advanced on the right along the river, while the Irish rebels deployed to the left. Their advance was held up by the fire of Loyalist guns, one of which was directed by a gunner of uncommon skill. In what may be one of the greatest feats of individual bravery in the long history of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Colonel Bartholomew Teeling, a United Irishman holding a French commission, galloped forward alone to the British line, pistolled the enemy gunner at point- blank range, and rode back unscathed under a hail of musket-fire. Inspired by his example, the Irish and French surged forward and routed the Loyalists.

The time for departure from Collooney was about 6 o' clock -pm. It was expected the French Irish would be disturbed a position was arranged to meet the enemy. General Fontaine guarded Boyle to Tubbercurry, Sarrazin defended Sligo approaches, while Humbert defended the town. Outposts were driven around 3pm by 300/400/550/800 (est) English from Sligo Garrison. Three hundred men were posted in front of bridge at Collooney and felt the shock of their advance. The Grenadiers who had declared unable to fight, were first to fly to arms and move forward to stop enemy advance. There was artillery and musketry fire for an hour. The English position was examined. The left was on Owenmore river, which turns west outside the town and joins river Arrow 1 mile from sea. The right was completely exposed and they did not occupy height from which difficulty to dislodge would happen. High ground was taken with 200 men and soon the rear of enemy was reached. The colonel commander was wounded. English losses 150 killed and wounded and 200 prisoners. 40 Killed and wounded on French side. 2 cannon and a large number of guns were captured.

At 10pm, the column began its march to Dromahaire. With the 16 cannon they were delayed till the following day. At 9am. Much embarrassed by the captured English artillery, we rendered it useless and threw it into the river Garavogue which, flowing through Lough Gill, enters the sea at Sligo. We kept only our own four pounders. They halted half a mile beyond Dromahaire to refresh. A castle owner with a cellar of Foreign wines distributed them to the army. After halting and before the Distribution Captain Ellenchamp , came in Despondent and told generals the Grenadiers were neglecting their duties. General Humbert and Sarrazin went to interview them. They said it was necessary to surrender, that they were being followed by Thirty or Forty thousand men, that the intention of the French government was not to sacrifice uselessly brave men, that they were obliged to abandon the artillery which had cost them so dearly to take, that the help from France had not come. They were told there was only minor engagements to expect, through the manoeuvres Cornwallis army was behind by 24 hours, they were going for Dublin where they would be joined by 60,000 Irish, they could rest easy about the injured because of the way the French had treated the English injured, they owed obedience to their chiefs, and that the chiefs shared the hardships and dangers. The murmurs stopped, and the grenadiers asked for the march to be continued. .

On 6th of September at midday the march continued towards Manorhamilton. Arriving at the Branch of the roads leading to the town and to Dublin, the head of column was posted on the road to the North. They halted in order to give enemy time to watch us , to inform Cornwallis of the move North. The purpose accomplished they took the road to Dublin.

At 7pm a camp was made on high Ground in front of Drumkeerin, north west of lough Allen. Country people helped the commissariat, and guarded the Military stores. Local inhabitants brought milk, meat, potatoes. Women showed them the care they had for children, brothers and friends. Soldiers only had to guard against attack. The French got to see at close quarters the friendly nature of the Irish.

At nightfall an envoy under a Truce flag was brought to General Humbert with a message that an English General wished to speak to the Commander in chief of the French army. General Humbert ordered another General to find out the object of the General's visit. The general brought Staff officers Huet, La Roche and Bebin with 4 troops from the 3rd regiment.

When Colonel Crawford, saw French approach he advanced towards them. He told of arrival of two health officers who he handed over, presuming they were essential. He was answered coldly saying that when 30 English officer prisoners were sent back they did not look to speak to Commander in Chief, the French general said he took it for granted there was some important matter to discuss. Crawford said "I would like to speak alone to you in private". He was told he had nothing to hide from the officers accompanying me, nor even from the troopers, and he could speak as freely as if we were alone. "You are not aware" he said, " that you are surrounded by a numerous army commanded by Lord Cornwallis. You have defeated us several times, you have just carried out great marches within sight of our army, you have covered yourselves with glory and have already accomplished more than your government expected from you when it ordered you to Ireland. Lord Cornwallis give you all the conditions you wish provided you agree to surrender". On hearing the word he was interrupted sharply "If I was not, Monsieur, a scrupulous observer of French integrity, I would give to your proposal and with much more reason the impertinent reply which General Lake gave on the day of his defeat at Castlebar when he was summoned to surrender. We have only done our duty and our task is not yet finished. Tell general Cornwallis that the French, anxious to continue to merit his esteem and the esteem of the soldiers of Europe, regard as null and void the summons you have delivered on his behalf. Please assure him that, if the fortunes of war should make him our prisoner, he and all the officers of his army will be treated with the greatest consideration". Colonel Crawford seemed astonished and judged rightly not to argue. He was given to understand that the intention was to remain in position which was very strong. They parted after conversation of strength and positions. On the same evening at 10pm the French left Drumkerrin to cross Shannon at Ballintra.

About two miles from the Shannon the country people told us that the bridge was guarded by strong enemy forces and they were afraid the French would not succeed in forcing their way through. If true the situation would be critical. On our left was Lake Allen, on right Lake Arrow and key, in front was a river that was not fordable., and on our rear an army of 20,000 English. The only thing left would be to go towards Ballinafad, to occupy position between Lough Key and Arrow and return to HQ at Castlebar.

The advance guard under Major Dufour at Ballintra drove back the enemy whose strength was a hundred troops. At 9am the entire French army have crossed the Shannon. Officer Buton a young and brave officer attacked at Ballintra with troops and forced them to retreat in disorder. The bridge is partially blown up to delay march of enemy and troops rest in Ballintra till midday. It was learned that insurgents round Granard had attacked the yeomanry of the town and had been defeated with loss. It was agreed to march immediately to their help. The plan faithfully adopted by General Humbert on that day 7th of September would go to Granard, the 8th to Trim, and on the 9th to Dublin- in accordance with plan adopted in Castlebar.

On the 7th of September they crossed the Shannon at Ballintra Bridge just south of Loch Allen, but they fail in an attempt to demolish the bridge behind them, much to Cornwallis annoyance. Humbert's army shows signs of fatigue and skirmishes with English advance guard become more frequent. The race for Granard quickens. As they left Ballintra the rearguard was attacked by enemy cavalry. A column stopped to repulse the force. 4 columns of rearguard led by Hardouin , attacked the enemy with bayonets they retreated in full gallop. The Franco-Irish army reaches Cloone , in South Leitrim, at 6 o' clock in the evening. Enemy cavalry harassing on all sides make a sharp attack half a mile from Cloone. They advanced up to the bayonets of the infantry to be met by sangfroid and repulsed them with splendid courage. The enemy, seeing all attacks useless and very costly, did not disturb during halt in Cloone. At midday the French went by clone towards Granard. The leader of insurgents at Granard arrived to offer his services. He was armed from head to foot. Peasants from neighbouring counties sent messages to Humbert with promises to join with 10,000 men if he remain till 4am to assist in mobilisation. The French would have departed Cloone at 9pm on 7th of September but for the fact that they were anxious to protect the musterings of the peasants. They were surprised to learn at 4am - the time of leaving that the insurgents dared not to join the French because of small number of French. Cornwallis had a huge army, that as soon as they would leave their homes to join up the enemy would slaughter their wives and children and they would have to defend them. Very disappointed at remaining in Cloone for no purpose, they left immediately for Granard. Due to a want of horses, a powder wagon was dragged by the indefatigable Irish for more than 5 miles. The wagon was abandoned at the approach of English cavalry who took possession of it. When this was reported, the column was halted by Humbert, who himself marched at the head of four companies and after a sharp musketry discharge the enemy was put to flight. The powder wagon- the only one on the French-Irish side was retaken and its contents immediately distributed. During this enemy columns filed off into several positions. While Cornwallis, with 15,000 men is at Mohill, 5 miles away. Col Crawford Cavalry soon overtook Humbert and a fierce engagement took place. Crawford retreated after losing several casualties. Humbert gets news that he is surrounded and outnumbered but decides to push on even if the best he can do is to make token resistance before surrender. Humbert proceeded to Ballinamuck. Cornwallis had managed to get ahead and had the road blocked. General Lake's army attacked from the rear.

The English were already on the French flanks. By their numerical superiority they were in complete control of all their movements. Frech cannoniers distinguished themselves by their skill and fearlessness and did much damage to the enemy. A party of English cavalry dashed into French ranks were killed or made prisoner, Lord Roden their commander surrendered to General Humbert. During this almost all insurgents fled. They succeeded in escaping but were subsequently cut to pieces after dearly sold their lives. The English infantry and cavalry charged 3 times and were driven back with many casualties. French soldiers worn out with fatigue and hunger could scarcely stand in their feet, while the English were at least 30:1 when they succeeded in surrounding the French line with its strength of 400. There was a prisoner for each officer.

General Lake asked General Humbert with surprise where his army was. "over there" said General Humbert, pointing to the 400 men who had just been made prisoner in the last engagement. "And where did you intend to go with such a small force" "to Dublin" replied general Humbert. "it is only a Frenchman's brain", said the English General, "that could conceive such a daring idea".

On 8 September at 11am the French army numbering 800 men , of whom many were wounded , were made prisoners on the battlefield by an army of 40,000 commanded by Viceroy Cornwallis. There was no conditional surrender

The main body of both the French and Irish contingents were drawn up on Shanmullagh Hill above the village, while Blake's Irish battalion and a French Grenadier company under Captain Jobit blocked the road from the north along which Lake was advancing. Hompesch's Mounted Rifles, a Hessian unit forming Lake's vanguard, engaged this detachment. Jobit's Grenadiers advanced, but became mired in boggy ground and were unable to escape when heavy British reinforcements arrived from the southwest. Blake's Irish withdrew through the village and emplaced the two remaining guns astride the road, facing North.

Following up Blake's withdrawal, several companies of British foot and horse ascended the hill towards the main Irish position. Twice they were repulsed by counter charges of Irish pikemen. General lake then sent a large force on a flanking movement around the base of the hill. The French and Irish withdrew a short distance to the east and south. When the British grand assault poured up the hill from three sides, in overwhelming numbers, Humbert gave the order to surrender.

After a short battle of about 30 minutes commenced with Colonel Crawford dragoons cutting through Irish Rebels. When the dragoons reached the French, they was a bloody struggle, but it lasted a few minutes before Humbert put his hat upon the point of sword and held it high above his head in token of surrender. The French officers followed their general's signal and ordered their men to lay down their muskets. The French surrendered, realising they were surrounded from all sides. While the French surrendered was taking place. A second body of British cavalry had reined in seeing the signs of surrender, but Colonel Teeling had not signalled surrender so British infantry advanced on them. Crawford attacked a large contingent of Irishmen with his dragoons, their sabres sparing only those with officers’ insignia, hanging to be their fate.

Humbert and his French were treated with all the consideration that could be given to gallant prisoners after an honourable defeat. Not so the Irish. Accounts vary, but it appears that many of the Irish were cut down where they stood, or driven into the bog south of the hill where they were hunted down and slaughtered. Captured Irish officers, even those bearing legitimate commissions in the French army, were seized and hanged as traitors.

The victory well in hand, a British officer suggested to General lake that the rebels be permitted to surrender. Lake answered that no rebels against the crown were to be given no leeway. Some said that Lake needed bayonets as bloody as Crawford's sabres for the victory of the battle of Ballinamuck to be his. Lake, the defeat at Castlebar still burning, chased the rebels into a bog where they were drowned or bayoneted.

Down on the road south of the village, Gunner Magee was earning his place in the pantheon of Irish heroes and martyrs. With only one gun remaining and only a small body of pikemen in support, Magee's crew fired round after round, exploding an English ammunition wagon and holding off the redcoats until his gun, too, was disabled. The campaign was over.

The 1000 or so Irish Volunteers under General George Blake and Colonel Bartholomew Teeling continued to fight on, that is until they were scattered and ruthlessly pursued The French were treated as prisoners of war and transported, first to Dublin, then to England before being repatriated. Over 500 Irish were killed and several others were hanged at Longford. Among those hanged were Captain O'Malley from Burrishoole, Colonel James O Dowd from Bonniconlon, General Blake and gunman James Magee, Matthew Tone and Teeling were tried and hanged within a week at Arbor Hill in Dublin.

French prisoners numbered 842 of the 859 committed to the Battle. Matthew Tone was one of only eighty Irish prisoners taken out of 1000 in the battle. French soldiers were brought to Dublin where they were exchanged for English prisoners of war.

The rebels of 1798, untrained, virtually leaderless, ill armed with homemade pikes and stolen muskets, were no match for the loyalist militia and yeoman strengthened by the garrison of British regulars. For a time, though, the rebellion had posed a formidable threat to British rule in Ireland.

After Ballinamuck, the Irish took a collective breath. 1798 was a year of many risings, it was a year of defeats, but it was a year that forced the British to reconsider its policies in Ireland. Only 3 years later the Act of Union was enacted which, the British hoped, would settle Ireland in peace and forestall another Year of the French.

There were reprisals also in Mayo. General Portarlington and his men who had come to Ballina from Sligo killed and took all before them, burning Farmhouses on their way. General Trench took Killala on Sept 23rd and several were killed on sight, several more drowned in Owenmore river. As they fled towards Palmerstown, they plunged into the river, which was swollen by high tide and perished. The last stand of the insurgents, 300 of them die, most of them being indiscriminately sabred by the dragoons. There were several public hangings especially in Castlebar. Most notable of these was of Fr. Conroy who was hung in the Mall in Castlebar inscription to be found on Imperial Hotel and Fr. Manus Sweeney executed in Newport.

Ballinamuck 8 Sep1798 French -Humbert (GdeB) w/2nd Bn, 70th Demibrigade of the line; about 1 coy each from Infantry Regiments Lamourex, lee, O'meara, la Chatre and Feydur. 11men of the 12th Huss.; ½ Squadron of the 3rd chass a cheval but less 1100 men and with "artillery" (captured from previous times) but not enumerated. French losses: all captured, 12 guns, 1 colour (2nd BN, 70th DemiBrigade)

British: FM Lord Cornwallis w/1 coy 6th Foot; 1 sqn Lord Roden's Fencibles Dragoons; various Irish militia regiments, artillery (not enumerated)British :8000 British Losses: none. NWDB comment:250 Irish rebels were taken. Lots were drawn between them and 36 were hanged. PTE. Toole of the Armagh Militia took the French colour which can now be seen in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh.

British win. Sources :Fortescue, Bodart.

In September 1798, just weeks after the proclamation. The republic was lost with defeat at the Battle of Ballinamuck. President Moore was captured by the British in Castlebar under Lieut.-Col . Crawford From a letter dated 10 December 1798 from Lord Cornwallis to the Duke of Portland, it appears that President Moore was : "

"taken a prisoner by his majesty's forces at Castlebar where he was found with a commission in his possession from the commander of the French invading army, under which commission he had acted and exercised authority under the enemy, being at war with our Sovereign Lord the King... he had continued to so act until he was made a prisoner".

Moore's trial was delayed for some time as the British authorities took the view that owing to the general strife in County mayo and the presence of rebels, there was a significant chance Moore could be rescued by rebels if they tried to bring him to Dublin to stand trial. Owing to the delay in his trial, an attempt was made to force Moore's release under the writ of habeus corpus. However this was unsuccessful. Moore was subsequently sentenced to transportation. According to accounts the "lenity" of Lord Cornwallis to Moore "and other rebels, gave considerable offence to the violent loyalists". While being taken to Duncannon Fort in Wexford, en-route to New Geneva, he died in the Royal Oak Coaching Inn, the royal Oak, Bagenalstown, Carlow.

After he died, Moore was buried in the Cemetery of Ballygunner temple in Waterford. The location of his grave was forgotten until it was rediscovered by chance in 1960. On 12th August 1961 his remains were exhumed and conveyed under Army Guard to Castlebar. On 13 August 1961, after funeral mass in Castlebar, Moore's remains were reinterred at the Mall in Castlebar at a state military funeral attended by president Eamon De Valera, the Taoiseach, Sean Lemass, several TD'S, the ambassadors of Spain and France, and some of John Moore's living Descendants. The Inscription over Moore's grave reads:

"Ireland's first president and a descendant of St Thomas More, who gave his life for his country in the rising of 1798..... By the will of the people exhumed and reinterred here with all honours of Church and state",

The ancestral link between John and St Thomas More is unproven and was presumably included for emotional and not historical reasons. In 1998, in connection with the bicentenary of the 1798 rebellion, at least 1 member of Mayo County Council proposed that Moore's remains should be exhumed once again and this time reinterred at Moore Hall, the ancestral home of the Moores. Nothing came of the proposal.

On the 12th of September the following happened while effectually disposing of Humbert's "Army of Ireland," the surrender of Ballinamuck did not end the era of bloodshed in the unfortunate province of Connaught. Undismayed by the reverses of their would-be deliverers, the rebels scattered along the line of the River Moy from Killala to Foxford maintained their defiant attitude. More than that, barely three days after the surrender, 2,000 of them left Ballina under the leadership of Major O'Keon and Patrick Barrett, a former member of the local militia, for the purpose of retaking the town of Castlebar, which, as stated, had fallen into the hands of the British after Humbert's withdrawal.

In the early dawn of September 12th two citizens of the town, Edward Mayley and John Dudgeon, while stationed as pickets in the northern suburb, heard the thud of horses' hoofs approaching from the direction of the gap of Barnageehy, and presently descried two horsemen riding at a furious pace. The pickets sprang into the middle of the road and challenged the strangers with a "Who goes there?" "A friend," said the foremost rider, drawing in his rein. "A friend to whom?" "To the French," was the reply. "Oh, very well," returned the pickets; "where are you going?" The strangers happened to be reconnoitres of the advancing rebel army, and, ignorant peasants that they were, felt so jubilant at the distinction conferred upon them by their leaders that they gave free rein to their tongues. "We are going to take Castlebar," they explained; "we are captains, and there are 2,000 men following within half a mile of us." Scarcely had the words passed their lips when the pickets seized the bridles and, levelling their weapons at the riders' heads, ordered them to deliver up their arms under pain of instant death. The two rebels, who had evidently mistaken their adversaries for friends, surrendered on the spot and allowed themselves to be taken as prisoners into the town, where their captors raised an immediate alarm. This action doubtless saved Castlebar from recapture and probable pillage, for its defenders consisted only of a small body of Fraser Fencibles, thirty-four armed townsmen, and a corps of yeomanry cavalry; an insufficient force at any time, but especially so when labouring under the disadvantages of a surprise.

It was fortunate for the Protestant population that their fate lay in the hands of so able and energetic an officer as the commandant, Captain Urquhart. At the very first note of alarm he assembled his men in the market-place, and assigned them to the most advantageous posts of defence. The main body occupied the market cross, commanding the principal avenues, with the only piece of cannon in town; another division was posted between the market-house and one of the city gates; and a third, composed partly of cavalry, he stationed at the north end, where the rebels were expected to make their main attack. With a view to insuring the safety of his small army in case of a retreat, the captain placed a guard of infantry in a western street near the bridge, and a few cavalrymen at the south entrance, on an eminence opposite the church.

In this order the little army anxiously awaited the expected attack, the issue of which, considering the enormous numerical superiority of the foe, seemed scarcely doubtful. By seven o'clock the rebels had concentrated their forces near the north entrance and opened a heavy fire of musketry on the devoted town. It was answered with much spirit by the Highlanders. The latter, being under cover, experienced little or no loss, while their opponents were picked off by the dozen. Seeing this, Major O'Keon formed a column of assault and made a dash forward, with the object of gaining possession of the first line of defence. Smarting under their losses, the rebels rushed furiously to the attack. Some were armed with matchlocks, some with pikes, and the remainder with a variety of weapons improvised for the occasion. They were received with equal bravery by the Highlanders and townsmen, who for the time being remained steadfastly within their defences, firing with method and precision. At last, at a critical moment, Mr John Gallagher, of the volunteer corps, seized by a sudden impulse, broke from the ranks and attacked the rebels at close quarters. His brother, the captain of the corps, did likewise, and their example was immediately followed by the rest of the defenders in that section. So impetuous was the charge that the rebel column scattered before it like chaff and fled from the field in dire panic, carrying with it O'Keon's reserves. With the exception of a small detachment under Lieutenant Denham, which remained behind to guard the town, Urquhart now led his full force in pursuit of the fugitives. Scores of these were cut down by the cavalry or compelled to surrender, and some who attempted to escape by way of the Castlebar River and lake were engulfed in their waters.

The complete defeat of O'Keon's army must be regarded as a blessing, even by those who have the Irish cause most at heart. So inflamed were the rebels by the exhortations of their fanatic spiritual guides and their desire to avenge the massacres in Wexford and Kildare, that the capture of Castlebar would inevitably have been accompanied by the wholesale butchery of the loyalist inhabitants, and that in spite of the restraining influence of O'Keon and Barrett, both men of judgment and humanity. In fact, one prisoner, with his neck torn by a ball and two bullets in his body, confessed, between his dying gasps, that it had been the intention of many of his associates to plunder the town and destroy every man, woman and child in it, including even the loyal Catholics! The feeling of relief that pervaded all when they beheld the distant hills swarming with the flying foe may therefore well be conceived.

16 September- A force of seventy armed United Irishmen led by James Napper Tandy in the French corvette Anacreon makes a brief and fruitless landing on Inishmacadurn in support of the rebellion.

Humbert knew that 2 more French expeditions were due to sail. They were too late. On 16 September a French Corvette sailed into Rutland harbour in Co. Donegal. The veteran United Irishman Napper Tandy stepped ashore, only to find, remarkably, that the local postmaster was an old friend. The postmaster assured Tandy that the rebellion was over. The two men shared several bottles, and French officers carried Napper Tandy, unconscious with drink, back on board and sailed away.

23 September-Battle of Killala: In the last land battle of the rebellion, the British army defeats the remaining rebel Irish and French forces at Killala. Trench was determined that no loophole of escape should be left to the rebel forces. His plan was to attack them from different sides, leaving them no alternative but to surrender or be driven into the sea. Lord Portarlington, who was stationed at Sligo with the Queen's County Regiment, a small body of the 24th Light Dragoons, and several corps of yeomanry, was ordered to march to Ballina and form a junction there with the main body from Castlebar; and at the same time a force of 300 of the Armagh militia at Foxford, under Major Acheson, and another 300 men at Newport, under Colonel Fraser, were to converge to the same point from their respective stations. (64) Lord Portarlington's troops, being the farthest off from the common destination, were the first to move. Almost 1,000 strong, with two pieces of field artillery, they started from Sligo on the morning of September 21 st. They were not molested until nightfall, when a body of rebels approached them at their halting-place, near the village of Grange. One cannon-shot sufficed to disperse the assailants. The British did not get off so easily on the following night. They had scarcely entered the village of Scarmore when they were attacked by a column of pikemen, who had advanced from Ballina under the command of O'Keon and Barrett. A prolonged and obstinate encounter followed, in which the insurgents were at length worsted. Before the commencement of the action, a number of Protestant farmers living in the neighbouring hamlet of Carrowcarden had been impressed into service by the pikemen, and in order to insure their cooperation they were placed in the first line of battle. The natural consequence of this proceeding was their absolute annihilation by the royal troops.

The three remaining British divisions began their march on Saturday, September 22d. Major Acheson was vigorously assailed by a rebel command, but succeeded in beating them off. General Trench, whose army was composed of the Roxburgh light dragoons, the Devonshire, the Kerry and the Prince of Wales' Fencible Regiments, the Tyrawley cavalry and two curricle guns, took the road that had been made memorable by Humbert's advance to Castlebar. His progress was slow, for the rain, falling unceasingly, had converted the highways into beds of slime. The division entered Crossmolina Saturday night, worn out with the wearisome march. News of their approach reached Killala in the afternoon, and the pikemen at once demanded to be led against the foe; for with all their bigotry and ruffianism these uncouth peasants were never lacking in animal courage. Ferdy O'Donnell, of Erris, one of their leaders, placed himself at their head, and the march began. At Rappa the commander was taken sick and the little army halted; but a reconnoitring party of three mounted men, including Roger Maguire, already mentioned, pushed forward as far as the outskirts of Crossmolina. They there fell in with a picket of sixteen cavalry, whom they boldly attacked and put to flight, actually following the fugitives into the town itself. The weakness of the reconnoitring party was concealed by the darkness, and their appearance caused a veritable alarm-the drums beating to arms and the soldiers rushing wildly through the streets. Having attained the object of the reconnaissance the riders departed at full gallop to re-join their comrades, whom they dissuaded from continuing the march, on the ground that too little ammunition was on hand for a general engagement.

The march of General Trench's division was resumed at daybreak on the 23d, and in a couple of hours it entered Ballina to find the town already occupied by Lord Portarlington. Truc and O'Keon had fled at the latter's approach, with the remnant of their followers. No time was now lost in pushing the operations to a final issue. In order to cut off all the avenues from Killala Trench divided his forces, and while advancing with one division by the common highway, he sent the Kerry regiment of militia and some cavalry, under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel Crosby and Maurice Fitzgerald (commonly known as the Knight of Kerry), to the same destination by a detour through the village of Rappa. It is a circumstance worthy of comment that, in spite of the difference in their routes, the two divisions reached Killala at about the same time.

Bishop Stock thus describes the engagement that followed: "The peaceful inhabitants of Killala were now to be spectators of a scene they had never expected to behold-a battle; a sight which no person that has seen it once and possesses the feelings of a human creature would choose to witness a second time. A troop of fugitives from Ballina, women and children tumbling over one another to get into the castle, or into any house in the town where they might hope for a momentary shelter, continued, for a painful length of time, to give notice of the approach of an army. The rebels quitted their camp to occupy the rising ground close by the town; on the road to Ballina, posting themselves under the low stone walls on each side in such a manner as enabled them, with great advantage, to take aim at the king's troops. The two divisions of the royal army were supposed to make up about 1,200 men, and they had five pieces of cannon. The number of the rebels could not be ascertained. Many ran away before the engagement, while a very considerable number flocked into the town in the very heat of it, passing under the castle windows, in view of the French officers on horseback, and running upon death with as little appearance of reflection or concern as if they were hastening to a show. About 400 of these misguided men fell in the battle and immediately after it; whence it may be conjectured that their entire number scarcely exceeded 800 or 900.

"We kept our eyes on the rebels. They levelled their pieces, fired very deliberately from each side on the advancing enemy: yet (strange to tell) were able only to kill one man, a corporal, and wound one common soldier. Their shot, in general, went over the heads of their opponents. A regiment of Highlanders (Fraser's Fencibles) filed off to the right and left to flank the fusiliers behind the hedges and walls; they had marshy ground on the left to surmount before they could come upon their object, which occasioned some delay, but at length they reached them and made sad havoc among them. Then followed the Queen's County militia and the Devonshire, which last regiment had a great share in the honour of the day. After a resistance of about twenty minutes, the rebels began to fly in all directions, and were pursued by the Roxburgh Cavalry into the town in full cry. This was not agreeable to military practice, according to which it is usual to commit the assault of a town to the infantry; but here the general wisely reversed the mode, in order to prevent the rebels, by a rapid pursuit, from taking shelter in the houses of townsfolk, a circumstance which was likely to provoke indiscriminate slaughter and pillage. It happened that the measure was attended with the desired success. A great number were cut down in the streets, and of the remainder but a few were able to escape into the houses, being either pushed through the town till they fell in with the Kerry militia from Crossmolina, or obliged to take to the shore, where it winds round a promontory forming one of the horns of the Bay of Killala. And here, too, the fugitives were swept away by scores, a cannon being placed on the opposite side of the bay which did great execution.

This engagement, so graphically described, nearly proved disastrous to the brave men whose advocacy of the great principle of religious liberty had already exposed them to so many perils. In the indiscriminate slaughter which followed the battle, the royal troops, elate with victory and inflamed by revenge, showed small respect for persons. Charost's escape from death was almost miraculous. After having done his share in the defence of the rebel position, he had returned to the castle and surrendered his sword to a British officer. As he turned to enter the hall he was shot at by a Highlander who had forced his way past the sentinel at the gate. The ball fortunately passed under Charost's arm and pierced the heavy oaken door. The English officer here interposed and tendered an apology for the soldier's act. It is needless to say that every courtesy was shown to the French prisoners after this, exception being made of O'Keon only, who, in spite of his rank in the French army and his claim to French citizenship, was some days later sent a prisoner to Castlebar to be tried for high treason. In response to Bishop Stock's appeal in his behalf, he was acquitted of the charge, but enjoined to leave the country on the shortest notice.

Two days after the battle the three French officers were ordered to Dublin, and one can readily believe the bishop's assertion that he parted with them "not without tears." The story of their honourable and courageous attitude during the long period of disorders having preceded them to the capital, they were received there with many marks of consideration, and they enjoyed the hospitality of no less a person than the lord primate himself. On the report of Bishop Stock the British Government offered to return them to the French authorities without exchange, but this act of courtesy was not accepted by Niou, the French commissary. These men, he declared, had merely followed their line of duty. They had done no more than what was expected of any French officer in a like situation. They were therefore not entitled to special favours.

The fate of the insurgents who escaped sword and bayonet was a far different one. A court-martial to try them began its sessions on Monday morning, the 24th of September, and early on Tuesday the first two victims were handed over to the executioner. These were an irresponsible drunkard named Bellew and one Richard Bourke, of Bellina. They were executed the next morning in the park behind the castle. The authority of the Crown continued to be asserted in a ruthless manner for many weeks afterward, and even six months later fresh victims were found to swell the lengthy list.

On the day before the battle, the advance of the British army was visible miles from Killala- as it was marked by smoke from houses and cabins burned along the route. Prior to battle, rebels and refugees began pouring into Killala - especially from Ballina. Morning there was heavy rainfall but cleared by noon. 4 French officers present- Charoust, Boudet, ponson and Truc. Truc arrived from Ballina the morning of battle.

The main body of Rebels occupied rising ground about a mile outside Killala, on the Ballina road. They were positioned behind low stone walls on each side of the road, acting as breastworks. Other rebels were positioned elsewhere near the town, correctly anticipating thae British would split forces for attack. The British approached the town in 2 divisions, each from a different direction. One division approached in the direction where the rebels were stationed on the Ballina road and a sharp engagement took place when the two sides met. This lasted 20 mins, until Rebels fled back into town. Pursued by British troops as they did so and, as a result, many Rebels were killed- both within the town and in the fields surrounding it.

The defeat was the last major engagement of the 1798 rebellion. Killala had remained for 32 days in the hands of the rebels and French.

Many rebels were killed on the day after the battle also, as the army searched the town and surrounding countryside for fugitives. The British forces burned many houses in the area. On both days, a number of innocent civilians and loyalists were also killed. The French officers surrendered- afterwards they were sent to Dublin, and from there to London. Henry O' Keon, though an officer in the French army, was not treated as such when captured. O'Keon was sent to Castlebar, where he was tried by Court martial. He was expelled from and forbidden ever to return to British territories.

Court martials began the day after battle. The proceedings took place at the house of Owen Morrison in the town. Two Rebel leaders, Richard Bourke and Captain Bellew, were tried on Monday evening and found guilty. They were executed the next morning in the park behind the castle. Another prominent rebel, Roger MacGuire, was transported to botany Bay. MacGuire's father was hanged. Court martial and executions of other rebels continued for a week. 75 prisoners were tried at Killala.

Church of Ireland Bishop of Killala and Achonry, Joseph Stock, left the most detailed eye-witness account of the battle. It was published in 1800.

12 October-Battle of Tory Island: A British Royal navy squadron under Sir John Borlase Warren prevents French Republican ships landing reinforcements for the United Irishmen on the Donegal Coast; Wolfe Tone is captured.

A much larger French expedition, made up to 10 ships of the line under the command of Admiral Jean-Baptiste Bompart, reached Lough Swilly in north Donegal on 12 October. The royal Navy, directed by Sir John Warren, was already there. During a violent storm, in perhaps the greatest sea battle ever fought in Irish waters, the French were overcome. 7 French ships struck their colours, and 1 of the first to step ashore from the captured flagship at Buncrana was the United Irish leader Theobald Wolfe tone. Taken in chains to Dublin, Wolfe Tone faced a military court in the Royal Barracks on Saturday 10 November 1798.

The rebellion of 1798 remained a potent event around which republicans rallied for many generations. The "maid of Erin" monument , sculpted by T.H. Denning, was unveiled in Ballina for the centennial commemoration of the rebellion in 1898 by Maud Gonne Macbride.

The Irish Rebellion of 1798, though suppressed, lived on in legend and song as "The Gold Sun of Irish Freedom, "an inspiration to Irish Nationalists in their long struggle against British hegemony. The tremendous popularity of bicentennial projects conducted in 1998 highlights the continuing importance of the Great Rebellion in the Irish National ethos.

The inscription on the monument reads:

Well they fought for poor old Ireland

And full bitter was their fate

Oh! what glorious pride and sorrow

Fill the name of ninety eight

General Humbert

After his return to France, Humbert was detailed to join Massèna's army, engaged in opposing the Austrians in Switzerland and the Tyrol. The situation there was critical for the French, who were also menaced on their flanks by a host of Russians, under Suvoroff. At the beginning of June, 1799, the surroundings of Zurich became the theatre of several obstinate engagements between Massèna and the Austrian general, Hotze, and in one of these Humbert received a severe wound. He recovered, however, in time to take part in the closing battles of the campaign, which terminated in September with the annihilation of Hotze's army and the retreat of Suvoroff, in the Army of the West in 1800, and in Santo Domingo in 1801-1802. We next hear of him as a member of the expedition sent in December, 1802, by the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte, to San Domingo to crush the rebellion of the black population of that island. It is noticeable that our hero had received no further promotion in the meantime, and that the commander-in-chief, Leclerc, who was Bonaparte's brother-in-law, did not at first invest him with a separate command. This had its reason. Humbert had been one of the opponents of the 18th Brumaire, the coup d'état which practically ended the republican era, and he had consequently incurred the displeasure of the First Consul He was cashiered and sent back to France in disgrace in 1803 for "prevarications, liaisons, and relations with bandit chiefs"

After his Surrender at Ballinamuck he was shortly repatriated in a prisoner exchange, and later participated in several Caribbean campaigns for Napoleon Bonaparte, and was appointed governor of Saint Domingue (Haiti).

A Committed Republican, his displeasure at Napoleon's Imperial pretensions led to a fall from favour and exile to Brittany. Coming under increasing scrutiny and fearful of arrest, Humbert fled to the United States in 1808 where he settled in New Orleans.

He once again fought against the British at the Battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812, The war of 1812 found him actively engaged on the American side, and at the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815, he distinguished himself as the commander of a corps of Creole marksmen. and briefly participated in the Mexican War of independence. (on revolutionaries side) in 1814. As soon as Morelos learned of the arrival at its destination of Humbert's little army, he decided to join it with his available forces, and accompanied by the Congress. The march of the patriots commenced early in November, 1815, and although the royalists hovered around and harassed them continually, no general attack was attempted. Nevertheless, an unforeseen catastrophe prevented their junction with Humbert's hardy band. On November 5th, Morelos, the life and soul of the national cause, was surprised and captured at the village of Tepecuacilco while covering the retreat of his troops with a body of cavalry. The event cast a gloom over the Mexican ranks, not alone because the fate of their beloved leader was sealed, but because all felt he could not be replaced. Humbert vainly awaited the arrival of his allies in a country unknown to him and teeming with foes. He engaged the latter on several occasions, and with invariable success. He was also fortunate enough to receive reinforcements from the Rio del Norte and Nueva Santander. All that availed him nothing in the end. The utter disintegration of the patriot forces, and the advance of the loyalists toward the sea-coast, soon placed him in imminent danger of being cut off from his only means of retreat. He therefore reluctantly concluded to return to the United States At the time of the conclusion of peace between this country and England the situation in Mexico was anything but favourable to the cause of liberty. A patriot Congress convened at Chilpanzingo, ninety miles south of Mexico, had endeavoured to revive the spirits of the people by offering them a democratic constitution; but in the end this body of representatives, by its lack of accord, only proved a hindrance to Morelos' operations in the field. When he or any of his generals proposed a military plan of action the long discussion which it must undergo in the Congress not only occasioned delay, but often defeated the object in view.

It was at this point that Humbert appeared on the scene. He had come in contact with Toledo in the city of New Orleans, and eager to join in any struggle on behalf of the oppressed, he set about to organize an expedition which should help the patriot army, then concentrated in Yucatan, out of the existing dilemmas. He succeeded in assembling over one thousand men of all nationalities and in chartering a vessel to convey them to the small port of El Puente del Rey, situated between Jalapa and Vera Cruz. In addition to this force the vessel carried a large quantity of arms and ammunition, then sorely needed by the insurgents.

As soon as Morelos learned of the arrival at its destination of Humbert's little army, he decided to join it with his available forces, and accompanied by the Congress. The march of the patriots commenced early in November, 1815, and although the royalists hovered around and harassed them continually, no general attack was attempted.

He was involved in insurgency in Buenos Aires in 1814. He showed up, apparently angling for a high command with the Americans, in the Louisiana Campaign of 1814-15.

He then lived out the remainder peacefully as a schoolteacher of French and fencing until his death in New Orleans on January 3rd 1823..

Colonel Francois Fontaine

Provisionally promoted to General de Brigade by Humbert on 6 September, served with distinction along the Danube, in Switzerland, and at the siege of Philipsbourg in 1799, with the GRANDE ARMEE in 1805-07, and in Spain 1808-11 dying in Paris in 1812 at age 49.

Lord Lieutenant Cornwallis

After serving successfully in Ireland, and overseeing the implementation of the Act Of Union, Cornwallis returned to England and was immediately appointed a plenipotentiary to the congress that brokered the treaty of Amiens. In 1805 he was once again posted to India as Governor General and Commander-in-Chief and died there in 1805.

General Lake

In 1799 Lake returned to England, and soon afterwards travelled to British India where he was appointed Commander- in-Chief. He took up his duties at Calcutta in July 1801, and applied himself to the improvement of the east India Company army, especially in the direction of making all arms, infantry, cavalry and artillery, more mobile and more manageable. In 1802 he was made a full general.

On the outbreak the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803 General lake took the field against Daulat Scindia, and within 2 months defeated the Marathas at Kol (now called Aligarh), after storming Aligarh Fort during the Battle of Ally Ghur (1 September 1803). He then took Delhi and Agra, and won a victory at the Battle of Laswari (1 November 1803), where the power of the Scindia was completely broken with the loss of 31 disciplined Battalions, trained and officered by Frenchmen, and 426 pieces of ordnance. This defeat, followed a few days later by major-General Arthur Wellesley's victory at the battle of Argaon, compelled scindia to come to terms, and a treaty was signed in December 1803.

Operations continued against Yashwantrao Holkar, who, on 17 November 1804, was defeated by Lake at the Battle of Farrukhhabad. However Lake was frustrated by Jats and Yaswantrao Holkar at Bharatpur which held out against 5 assaults in 1805. Cornwallis succeeded Lord Wellesley as Governor-General of India in July of that year- superseding Lake at the same time as Commander-in-chief- and determined to put an end to the war. Cornwallis, however, died in October of the same year and Lake pursued Holkar into the Punjabbut by seeing the stronger position of Yashwanrao Holkar and his effort to gather all Indian princes under 1 flag against British, British East India Company signed peace treaty with Holkar giving back to Holkar all his territory with full power of sovereignty with no interference from British East India Company.

Lord Wellesley attributed much of the success of the war to lake's matchless energy, ability and Valour. In September 1804 Lake was rewarded by being created Baron Lake of Delhi and Laswary and of Aston Clinton in the County of Buckingham, he received the thanks of Parliament. At the conclusion of the war he returned to England. He died in London on 20 February 1808.

Bishop Joseph Stock

Of his experiences as a prisoner of the French he left a partial record in his private diary- 23 Aug to 15 September 1798- which was printed in William Hamilton Maxwell's History of the rebellion of 1798, and in 2 letters to his Brother Stephen, published in the Auckland Correspondence. In 1799 he published a more complete account of the French invasion of County Mayo in his Narrative of what passed at Killala in the summer of 1798. By an Eyewitness. The impartiality of this work is said to have been a bar to the Bishop's advancement. IN 1810 stock was translated to the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, and died at Waterford on 13 August 1813.

General Sarrazin

At the battle of Ballinamuck he was the first leader to surrender. Sarrazin was confirmed in the rank of General de Brigade by the First Consul in 1800. He served in Italy in 1799 , Santo Domingo in 1801-02, and was brigade commander of the GRANDE ARMEE in 1805-06. Accused of misconduct towards the civilian population as a garrison commander in Flanders, he commandeered a boat and deserted to England in 1810.

He was believed to have been spying for England throughout his military career. In his absence he was condemned to death but at the Bourbon Restoration he re-joined the army, and was later sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. After his release he returned to England and was in receipt of a substantial English pension. He died there in 1840.

General John Hely-Hutchinson

In 1799, he was in the expedition to the Netherlands, and was second-in-command of the 1801 expedition to Egypt, under Abercromby. Following Abercromby's death in March after being wounded at the Battle of Alexandria, Hely-hutchinson took command of the force. He became Lieutenant-General in September 1803. In reward for his success there, the Ottoman Sultan Selim111 made him a knight, 1st Class, of the Order of the Crescent. In 1811, he became Colonel of the 18th Regiment of Foot. He Became a full General in June 1813. He became a member for Cork City in the parliament of United Kingdom until 1802. In 1801 he was created Baron Hutchinson in the peerage of the United Kingdom (gaining a seat in the House of Lords) and later succeeded to all his brother's Richard's titles. He died on the 29 June 1832.

Bartholomew Teeling

In 1898, the centenary year of the battle, a statue of Teeling was erected in Carricknagat. One of the main streets in Sligo Town, which accommodates the Sligo Courthouse and main police station was later named Teeling Street also in honour of Bartholomew Teeling.