nhabitants in that part
of the County. In consequence of this information; Lieutenant-Colonel
Foot with Major Lombard, and six other officers, and 106 men of the
North Cork Militia, immediately proceeded from this town, and came up
with the Rebels at an advantageous position they had taken on a hill
near Oulard. Through the rashness of the Major, in charging the Rebels
in an incautious manner, the whole party were surrounded, and not a
man escaped instant destruction but the Lieutenant-Colonel and two
privates. By this defeat the Rebels had acquired a powerful accession
of strength and confidence, having got the whole of the arms and about
57 rounds of ball-cartridge from each man, they not having fired above
three or four rounds when they attempted to charge them with Bayonets.
On the following morning, the 28th, the Rebels attacked Enniscorthy,
and after a severe conflict of three hours, and above 500 of them
being slain, they took the town owing to the treachery of some of the
inhabitants in setting fire to the town during the engagement, which
obliged the Militia and Yeomenry to evacuate it, and they, with all
the Loyal inhabitants that could escape, retired on Monday evening to
Wexford. On Tuesday the 29th, the Rebels formed two powerful Camps,
one at Vinegar-Hill, near Enniscorthy, and the other about three miles
from Wexford, at the Three Rocks, on the road between Wexford and
Ross, and sent threats in here that 10000 men would be detached from
those Camps to attack the town next morning.--On Wednesday the 30th,
information was received that a body of the military, (supposed to be
the 13th regiment) was attacked by the Rebels near their Camp at the
Three Rocks; this induced Lieut. Col. Maxwell, who arrived the day
before with two hundred of the Donegal Militia, to march out with his
men and four troops of Yeomen Cavalry to their assistance; but before
he had come up with them, they entirely cut off the party, which
proved to be a slight detachment of the Meath Militia, of about 100
men who were coming to Wexford with three howitzers; and with these
howitzers the Rebels attacked Col. Maxwell's party, and obliged him
to retreat into Wexford. The 13th regiment, who were coming to our
relief, finding they could not proceed to us without attacking the
Rebel Camp, returned back to Waterford. From these rapid successes,
and their encreasing numbers, (as it was supposed there were then
20000 men ready to attack Wexford) t