iation
of United Irishmen. On his information, warrants were issued against
several of the principal conspirators: as, Messrs. Emmet, Sampson, and
McNevin, and Lord Edward Fitzgerald. The three former of these were soon
apprehended; but Lord Fitzgerald concealed himself for some time;
and when discovered he made such a desperate resistance, killing a
magistrate and wounding others sent to apprehend him, that Major Sirr
lodged the contents of a pistol in his shoulder, from the effects of
which he soon after died. He was the leader of the conspirators. But
notwithstanding his fall, and in spite of the flight or arrest of every
member of the "executive." the Irish flew to arms on the 23rd of May:
that being the day appointed for their muster. A body of pikemen,
amounting to 14,000, and headed by Father John Murphy, soon made
themselves masters of Wexford and Enniscorthy; and having procured some
artillery, they fortified a position on Vinegar Hill. Colonel Walpole
with a small detachment of Cork Militia fell into an ambuscade, and was
slaughtered, together with nearly all his men, by the insurgents; and
encouraged by these and other successes they made a rush at Newross,
where they began to plunder the inhabitants. But here they received a
check. Like the London rioters, they soon became mad with drink; and
being attacked by General Johnson, nearly three thousand were either
slain or captured. This victory over them was followed by another
more decisive: on the 21st of June General Lake attacked the fortified
position at Vinegar Hill, and carried it with a frightful loss to the
insurgents. The rebels, indeed, never rallied again; and though some
fearful atrocities were committed by isolated bands of them, they were,
in effect, from that time subdued. Soon after, Lord Camden was
recalled from the lieutenancy of Ireland, and he was succeeded by Lord
Cornwallis, who brought with him a general pardon to all who submitted.
Four of the leading conspirators were executed; O'Conner, McNevin,
Emmet, and Sampson were banished; and others were pardoned. The
rebellion was somewhat revived in August, when three French frigates
reached Killola, and threw on shore nine hundred troops of the line,
commanded by General Humbert; but though these troops were joined by
some catholics, and though Humbert defeated General Lake, and advanced
into the heart of the country, he was eventually beaten by the advanced
guard of General Cornwallis, who w