We were all occupied with our drill at daybreak on the morning of the
27th of August, when a mounted orderly arrived at full gallop, with
news that our troops were in motion for Castlebar, and orders for us
immediately to march to their support, leaving only one subaltern and
twenty men in ‘the Castle.’
The worthy bishop was thunderstruck at the tidings. It is more than
probable that he never entertained any grave fears of our ultimate
success; still he saw that in the struggle, brief as it might be,
rapine, murder, and pillage would spread over the country, and that
crime of every sort would be certain to prevail during the short
interval of anarchy.
As our drums were beating the ‘rally,’ he entered the garden, and
with hurried steps came forward to where Colonel Charost was standing
delivering his orders.
‘Good-day, Mons. l’Évêque,’ said the colonel, removing his hat, and
bowing low. You see us in a moment of haste. The campaign has opened,
and we are about to march.’
‘Have you made any provision for the garrison of this town, colonel?’
said the bishop, in terror. ‘Your presence alone here restrained the
population hitherto. If you leave us-----’
‘We shall leave you a strong force of our faithful allies, sir,’ said
Charost; ‘Irishmen could scarcely desire better defenders than their
countrymen.’
‘You forget, colonel, that some of us here are averse to this cause,
but, as non-combatants, lay claim to protection.’
‘You shall have it, too, Mons. l’Évêque; we leave an officer and twenty
men.’
‘An officer and twenty men!’ echoed the bishop, in dismay.
‘Quite sufficient, I assure you,’ said Charost coldly; ‘and if a hair
of one of their heads be injured by the populace, trust me, sir, that we
shall take a terrible vengeance.’
‘You do not know these people, sir, as I know them,’ said the bishop
eagerly. ‘The same hour that you march out, will the town of Killala be
given up to pillage. As for your retributive justice, I may be pardoned
for not feeling any consolation in the pledge, for certes neither I nor
mine will live to witness it.’
As the bishop was speaking, a crowd of volunteers, some in uniform and
all armed, drew nearer and nearer to the place of colloquy; and although
understanding nothing of what went forward in the foreign language,
seemed to watch the expressions of the speakers’ faces with a most keen
interest. To look at the countenances of these fellows, truly one would
not have called the bishop’s fears exaggerated; their expression was
that of demoniac passion and hatred.
‘Look, sir,’ said the bishop, turning round, and facing the mob, ‘look
at the men to whose safeguard you propose to leave us.’
Charost made no reply; but making a sign for the bishop to remain where
he was, re-entered the pavilion hastily. I could see, through the window
that he was reading his despatches over again, and evidently taking
counsel with himself how to act. The determination was quickly come to.
‘Mons. l’Évêque,’ said he, laying his hand on the bishop’s arm, ‘I find
that my orders admit of a choice on my part. I will, therefore, remain
with you myself, and keep a sufficient force of my own men. It is not
impossible, however, that in taking this step I may be perilling my
own safety. You will, therefore, consent that one of your sons shall
accompany the force now about to march, as a hostage. This is not an
unreasonable request on my part.’
‘Very well, sir,’ said the bishop sadly. ‘When do they leave?’
‘Within half an hour,’ said Charost.
The bishop, bowing, retraced his steps through the garden back to the
house. Our preparations for the road were by this time far advanced. The
command said, ‘Light marching order, and no rations’; so that we
foresaw that there was sharp work before us. Our men--part of the 12th
demi-brigade, and a half company of grenadiers--were, indeed, ready on
the instant; but the Irish were not so easily equipped. Many had strayed
into the town; some, early as it was, were dead drunk; and not a few had
mislaid their arms or their ammunition, secretly preferring the chance
of a foray of their own to the prospect of a regular engagement with the
Royalist troops.
Our force was still a considerable one, numbering at least fifteen
hundred volunteers, besides about eighty of our men. By seven o’clock
we were under march, and with drums beating, defiled from the narrow
streets of Killala into the mountain-road that leads to Cloonagh; it
being our object to form a junction with the main body at the foot of
the mountain.
Two roads led from Ballina to Castlebar--one to the eastward, the other
to the west of Lough Con. The former was a level road, easily passable
by wheel carriages, and without any obstacle or difficulty whatever;
the other took a straight direction over lofty mountains, and in one
spot--the Pass of Barnageeragh--traversed a narrow defile, shut in
between steep cliffs, where a small force, assisted by artillery, could
have arrested the advance of a great army. The road itself, too, was
in disrepair; the rains of autumn had torn and fissured it, while heavy
sandslips and fallen rocks in many places rendered it almost impassable.
The Royalist generals had reconnoitred it two days before, and were so
convinced that all approach in this direction was out of the
question, that a small picket of observation, posted near the Pass of
Barnageeragh, was withdrawn as useless, and the few stockades they had
fixed were still standing as we marched through.
General Humbert had acquired all the details of these separate lines of
attack, and at once decided for the mountain-road, which, besides the
advantage of a surprise, was in reality four miles shorter.
The only difficulty was the transport of our artillery, but as we merely
carried those light field-pieces called ‘curricle guns,’ and had no want
of numbers to draw them, this was not an obstacle of much moment. With
fifty, sometimes sixty, peasants to a gun, they advanced at a run, up
places where our infantry found the ascent sufficiently toilsome. Here,
indeed, our allies showed in the most favourable colours we had yet seen
them. The prospect of a fight seemed to excite their spirits almost
to madness; every height they surmounted they would break into a wild
cheer, and the vigour with which they tugged the heavy ammunition-carts
through the deep and spongy soil never interfered with the joyous shouts
they gave, and the merry songs they chanted in rude chorus.
‘Tra, la, la! the French is comin’,
What ‘ll now the red-coats do?
Maybe they won’t get a drubbin’!
Sure we ‘ll lick them black and blue!
‘Ye little knew the day was near ye,
Ye little thought they ‘d come so far;
But here’s the boys that never fear ye--
Run, yer sowls, for Castlebar!’
To this measure they stepped in time, and although the poetry was
lost upon our ignorance, the rattling joyousness of the air sounded
pleasantly, and our men, soon catching up the tune, joined heartily in
the chorus. Another very popular melody ran somewhat thus:--
‘Our day is now begun,
Says the Shan van voght,
Our day is now begun,
Says the Shan van voght.
Our day is now begun,
And ours is all the fun!
Be my sowl ye ‘d better run!
Says the Shan van voght!’
There were something like a hundred verses to this famous air, but it
is more than likely, from the specimen given above, that my reader will
forgive the want of memory that leaves me unable to quote the remaining
ninety-nine; nor is it necessary that I should add, that the merit of
these canticles lay in the hoarse accord of a thousand rude voices,
heard in the stillness of a wild mountain region, and at a time when
an eventful struggle was before us; such were the circumstances which
possibly made these savage rhymes assume something of terrible meaning.
We had just arrived at the entrance of Barnageeragh, when one of our
mounted scouts rode up to say, that a peasant, who tended cattle on
the mountains, had evidently observed our approach, and hastened into
Castlebar with the tidings.
It was difficult to make General Humbert understand this fact.
‘Is this the patriotism we have heard so much of? Are these the people
who would welcome us as deliverers?! _Parbleu!_ I’ve seen nothing but
lukewarmness or downright opposition since I landed! In that same town
we have just quitted--a miserable hole, too, was it--what was the
first sight that greeted us? a fellow in our uniform hanging from
the stanchion of a window, with an inscription round his neck, to the
purport that he was a traitor! This is the fraternity which our Irish
friends never wearied to speak of!’
Our march was now hastened, and in less than an hour we debouched from
the narrow gorge into the open plain before the town of Castlebar. A few
shots in our front told us that the advanced picket had fallen in with
the enemy, but a French cheer also proclaimed that the Royalists had
fallen back, and our march continued unmolested. The road, which was
wide and level here, traversed a flat country, without hedgerow or
cover, so that we were able to advance in close column, without any
precaution for our flanks; but before us there was a considerable
ascent, which shut out all view of the track beyond it. Up this our
advanced guard was toiling, somewhat wearied with a seven hours’ march
and the heat of a warm morning, when scarcely had the leading files
topped the ridge, than plump went a round shot over their heads, which,
after describing a fine curve, plunged into the soft surface of a newly
ploughed field. The troops were instantly retired behind the crest of
the hill, and an orderly despatched to inform the general that we
were in face of the enemy. He had already seen the shot and marked its
direction. The main body was accordingly halted, and defiling from the
centre, the troops extended on either side into the fields. While this
movement was being effected Humbert rode forward, and crossing the
ridge, reconnoitred the enemy.
It was, as he afterwards observed, a stronger force than he had
anticipated, consisting of between three and four thousand bayonets,
with four squadrons of horse, and two batteries of eight guns, the
whole admirably posted on a range of heights, in front of the town, and
completely covering it.
The ridge was scarcely eight hundred yards’ distance, and so distinctly
was every object seen, that Humbert and his two aides-de-camp were
at once marked and fired at, even in the few minutes during which the
reconnaissance lasted.
As the general retired the firing ceased, and now all our arrangements
were made without molestation of any kind. They were, indeed, of the
simplest and speediest Two companies of our grenadiers were marched to
the front, and in advance of them, about twenty paces, were posted a
body of Irish in French uniforms. This place being assigned them, it was
said, as a mark of honour, but in reality for no other purpose than to
draw on them the Royalist artillery, and thus screen the grenadiers.
Under cover of this force came two light six-pounder guns, loaded
with grape, and intended to be discharged at point-blank distance. The
infantry brought up the rear in three compact columns, ready to deploy
into line at a moment.
In these very simple tactics no notice whatever was taken of the great
rabble of Irish who hung upon our flanks and rear in disorderly
masses, cursing, swearing, and vociferating in all the license
of insubordination; and O’Donnell, whose showy uniform contrasted
strikingly with the dark-blue coat and low glazed cocked-hat of Humbert,
was now appealed to by his countrymen as to the reason of this palpable
slight.
‘What does he want? what does the fellow say?’ asked Humbert, as he
noticed his excited gestures and passionate manner.
‘He is remonstrating, sir,’ replied I, ‘on the neglect of his
countrymen; he says that they do not seem treated like soldiers; no post
has been assigned, nor any order given them.’
‘Tell him, sir,’ said Humbert, with a savage grin, ‘that the discipline
we have tried in vain to teach them hitherto, we’ll not venture to
rehearse under an enemy’s fire; and tell him also that he and his ragged
followers are free to leave us, or, if they like better, to turn against
us, at a moment’s warning.’
I was saved the unpleasant task of interpreting this civil message by
Conolly, who, taking O’Donnell aside, appeared endeavouring to reason
with him, and reduce him to something like moderation.
‘There, look at them, they’re running like sheep!’ cried Humbert,
laughing, as he pointed to an indiscriminate rabble, some hundred yards
off, in a meadow, and who had taken to their heels on seeing a round
shot plunge into the earth near them. ‘Come along, sir: come with me,
and when you have seen what fire is, you may go back and tell your
countrymen! Serasin, is all ready? Well then, forward, march!’
‘March!’ was now re-echoed along the line, and steadily, as on a parade,
our hardy infantry stepped out, while the drums kept up a continued roll
as we mounted the hill.
The first to cross the crest of the ascent were the ‘Legion,’ as the
Irish were called, who, dressed like French soldiers, were selected for
some slight superiority in discipline and bearing. They had but gained
the ridge, however, when a well-directed shot from a six-pounder smashed
in amongst them, killing two, and wounding six or seven others. The
whole mass immediately fell back on our grenadiers. The confusion
compelled the supporting column to halt, and once more the troops were
retired behind the hill.
‘Forward, men, forward!’ cried Humbert, riding up to the front, and
in evident impatience at these repeated checks; and now the grenadiers
passed to the front, and, mounting the height, passed over, while a
shower of balls flew over and around them. A small slated house stood
half-way down the hill, and for this the leading files made a dash and
gained it, just as the main body were, for the third time, driven back
to re-form.
It was now evident that an attack in column could not succeed against a
fire so admirably directed, and Humbert quickly deployed into line, and
prepared to storm the enemy’s position.
Up to this the conduct of the Royalists had been marked by the greatest
steadiness and determination. Every shot from their batteries had told,
and all promised an easy and complete success to their arms. No
sooner, however, had our infantry extended into line, than the militia,
unaccustomed to see an enemy before them, and unable to calculate
distance, opened a useless, dropping fire, at a range where not a bullet
could reach!
The ignorance of this movement, and the irregularity of the discharge,
were not lost upon our fellows, most of whom were veterans of the army
of the Rhine, and, with a loud cheer of derision, our troops advanced
to meet them, while a cloud of skirmishers dashed forward and secured
themselves under cover of a hedge.
Even yet, however, no important advantage had been gained by us, and if
the Royalists had kept their ground in support of their artillery,
we must have been driven back with loss; but, fortunately for us, a
movement we made to keep open order was mistaken by some of the militia
officers for the preparation to outflank them, a panic seized the
whole line, and they fell back, leaving their guns totally exposed and
unprotected.
‘They ‘re running! they ‘re running!’ was the cry along our line; and
now a race was seen, which should be first up with the artillery. The
cheers at this moment were tremendous, for our ‘allies,’ who had kept
wide aloof hitherto, were now up with us, and, more lightly equipped
than we were, soon took the lead. The temerity, however, was costly, for
three several times did the Royalist artillery load and fire; and each
discharge, scarcely at half-musket range, was terribly effective.
We were by no means prepared for either so sudden or complete a success,
and the scene was exciting in the highest degree, as the whole line
mounted the hill, cheering madly. From the crest of this rising ground
we could now see the town of Castlebar beneath us, into which the
Royalists were scampering at full speed. A preparation for defending the
bridge into the town did not escape the watchful eyes of our general,
who again gave the word ‘Forward!’ not by the road alone, but also
by the fields at either side, so as to occupy the houses that should
command the bridge, and which, by a palpable neglect, the others had
forgotten to do.
Our small body of horse, about twenty hussars, were ordered to charge
the bridge, and had they been even moderately well mounted, must have
captured the one gun of the enemy at once; but the miserable cattle,
unable to strike a canter, only exposed them to a sharp musketry; and
when they did reach the bridge, five of their number had fallen. The
six-pounder was, however, soon taken, and the gunners sabred at their
posts, while our advanced guard coming up, completed the victory; and
nothing now remained but a headlong flight.
Had we possessed a single squadron of dragoons, few could have escaped
us, for not a vestige of discipline remained. All was wild confusion
and panic. Such of the officers as had ever seen service, were already
killed or badly wounded; and the younger ones were perfectly unequal to
the difficult task of rallying or restoring order to a routed force.
The scene in the market-square, as we rode in, is not easily to be
forgotten; about two hundred prisoners were standing in a group,
disarmed, it is true, but quite unguarded, and without any preparation
or precaution against escape!
Six or seven English officers, amongst whom were two majors, were
gathered around General Humbert, who was conversing with them in
tones of easy and jocular familiarity. The captured guns of the enemy
(fourteen in all) were being ranged on one side of the square, while
behind them were drawn up a strange-looking line of men, with their
coats turned. These were part of the Kilkenny militia, who had deserted
to our ranks after the retreat began.
Such was the ‘fight’ of Castlebar. It would be absurd to call it a
‘battle’--a day too inglorious for the Royalists to reflect any credit
upon us; but, such as it was, it raised the spirits of our Irish
followers to a pitch of madness, and, out of our own ranks, none now
doubted in the certainty of Irish independence.
Our occupation of the town lasted only a week; but, brief as the time
was, it was sufficient to widen the breach between ourselves and our
allies into an open and undisguised hatred. There were, unquestionably,
wrongs on both sides. As for us, we were thoroughly, bitterly
disappointed in the character of those we had come to liberate; and,
making the egregious mistake of confounding these semi-civilised
peasants with the Irish people, we deeply regretted that ever the French
army should have been sent on so worthless a mission. As for them, they
felt insulted and degraded by the offensive tone we assumed towards
them. Not alone were they never regarded as comrades, but a taunting
insolence of manner was assumed in all our dealings with them, very
strikingly in contrast to that with which we conducted ourselves towards
all the other inhabitants of the island, even those who were avowedly
inimical to our object and our cause.
These things, with native quickness, they soon remarked. They saw the
consideration and politeness with which the bishop and his family were
treated; they saw several Protestant gentlemen suffered to return to
their homes ‘on parole.’ They saw, too--worse grievance of all--how
all attempts at pillage were restrained, or severely punished, and they
asked themselves, ‘To what end a revolt, if neither massacre nor robbery
were to follow? If they wanted masters and rulers, sure they had the
English that they were used to, and could at least understand.’
Such were the causes, and such the reasonings, which gradually ate
deeper and deeper into their minds, rendering them at first sullen,
gloomy, and suspicious, and at last insubordinate, and openly insulting
to us.
Their leaders were the first to exhibit this state of feeling. Affecting
a haughty disdain for us, they went about with disparaging stories of
the French soldiery; and at last went even so far as to impugn their
courage!
In one of the versions of the affair at Castlebar, it was roundly
asserted that but for the Irish threatening to fire on them, the French
would have turned and fled; while in another, the tactics of that
day were all ascribed to the military genius of Neal Kerrigan, who,
by-the-bye, was never seen from early morning until late the same
afternoon, when he rode into Castlebar on a fine bay horse that belonged
to Captain Shortall of the Royal Artillery!
If the feeling between us and our allies was something less than
cordial, nothing could be more friendly than that which subsisted
between us and such of the Royalists as we came in contact with. The
officers who became our prisoners were treated with every deference and
respect. Two field-officers and a captain of carbineers dined daily
with the general, and Serasin entertained several others. We liked
them greatly; and I believe I am not flattering if I say that they
were equally satisfied with us. _Nos amis l’ennemis_, was the constant
expression used in talking of them; and every day drew closer the ties
of this comrade regard and esteem.
Such was the cordial tone of intimacy maintained between us, that I
remember well, one evening at Humbert’s table, an animated discussion
being carried on between the general and an English staff-officer on
the campaign itself--the Royalist averring that in marching southward
at all, a gross and irreparable mistake had been made, and that if the
French had occupied Sligo, and extended their wings towards the north,
they would have secured a position of infinitely greater strength, and
also become the centre for rallying round them a population of a very
different order from the half-starved tribes of Mayo.
Humbert affected to say that the reason for his actual plan was that
twenty thousand French were daily expected to land in Lough Swilly, and
that the western attack was merely to occupy time and attention, while
the more formidable movement went on elsewhere.
I know not if the English believed this; I rather suspect not. Certes,
they were too polite to express any semblance of distrust of what was
told them with all the air of truth.
It was amusing, too, to see the candour with which each party discussed
the other to his face--the French general criticising all the faulty
tactics and defective manoeuvres of the Royalists; while the English
never hesitated to aver that whatever momentary success might wait upon
the French arms, they were just as certain to be obliged to capitulate
in the end.
‘You know it better than I do, general,’ said the major of dragoons. ‘It
may be a day or two earlier or later, but the issue will and must be--a
surrender.’
‘I don’t agree with you,’ said Humbert, laughing; ‘I think there will
be more than one “Castlebar.” But let the worst happen--and you must
own that your haughty country has received a heavy insult--your great
England has got a _soufflet_ in the face of all Europe!’
This, which our general regarded as a great compensation--the greatest,
perhaps, he could receive for all defeat--did not seem to affect the
English with proportionate dismay, nor even to ruffle the equanimity of
their calm tempers.
Upon one subject both sides were quite agreed--that the peasantry never
could aid, but very possibly would always shipwreck, every attempt to
win national independence.
‘I should have one army to fight the English, and two to keep down the
Irish!’ was Humbert’s expression; and very little experience served to
show that there was not much exaggeration in the sentiment.
Our week at Castlebar taught us a good lesson in this respect. The
troops, wearied with a march that had begun on the midnight of the day
before, and with an engagement that lasted from eight till two in the
afternoon, were obliged to be under arms for several hours, to repress
pillage and massacre. Our allies now filled the town, to the number
of five thousand, openly demanding that it should be given up to them,
parading the streets in riotous bands, and displaying banners with long
lists of names doomed for immediate destruction.
The steadiness and temper of our soldiery were severely tried by these
factious and insubordinate spirits; but discipline prevailed at last,
and before the first evening closed in, the town was quiet, and, for the
time at least, danger over.