n, with
persistence and courage worthy of any cause, placed himself at the
head of a mob of a few hundred peasants and labourers, and without any
well-poised aim or determinate plan of action, proclaimed open revolt
against the queen's government. On the 29th of July he appeared as the
leader of this hopeless corps, to make war against the mightiest empire
in the world. He was, however, compelled to resort to some decisive
measure by the proclamations of reward offered for his arrest, and by
the efforts which were put forth immediately upon the proclamations
having been posted up. Kilkenny was one of the principal _foci_ of the
strength of the confederates, and O'Brien seems to have relied mainly
upon the men of Kilkenny and Tipperary.

While O'Brien, Meagher, and a few others were mustering their poor
forces, others of the leaders appear not to have taken very much
precaution against arrest. Charles Gavan Duffy was taken early in July,
so was Doheny, and several more of the most boisterous of the club
chiefs. Mr. Blake, the county inspector of constabulary in Kilkenny,
arriving at Harley Park, discovered that O'Brien and his forces were
quartered among the colliers of Boulagh, within a mile of Ballingarry.
He immediately sent to Callan, where the constabulary of the district
had been concentrated for some days, to avoid being attacked in small
parties by the populace. Nearly sixty men left Callan, under Inspector
Trant. Mr. Blake sent to Kilkenny, and other military positions, for
troops, which were dispatched so as to surround the neighbourhood where
the confederates had mustered. The country people soon communicated to
Smith O'Brien and his followers these facts; and Mr. O'Brien thereupon
reviewed his force, consisting of colliers and peasants, variously
armed. They all promised faithfully to stand by him. While thus engaged,
Inspector Trant and his police detachment were seen approaching from
Ballingarry, and the insurgents, numbering twenty to one, dashed forward
to meet them. The police perceiving the disparity of force, made for a
farm-house known as the widow M'Cormack's. The mob broke their array,
and rushed also to seize the house; but the police were first there,
and barricaded it with the furniture and such other materials as were
at hand. Mr. O'Brien parleyed with the police, shaking hands with them
through the lower windows, and used every persuasion to induce them to
deliver up their arms, which of course