The French invasion of Ireland in '98 Leaves of unwritten history that tell of an heroic endeavor and a lost opportunity to throw off England's yoke . having taken place between the capture of Killala and thefinal occupation of Ballina. The first fight was the result of a recon-noissance undertaken by General Sarrazin and Captain Huet and abody of grenadiers. The enemy was four hundred strong and waseasily dispersed. The second engagement occurred on the 7thFructidor (August 24th), and its details as given by Fontaine tallywith Humberts report. The third engagement took place on themorning of
The French invasion of Ireland in '98 Leaves of unwritten history that tell of an heroic endeavor and a lost opportunity to throw off England's yoke . having taken place between the capture of Killala and thefinal occupation of Ballina. The first fight was the result of a recon-noissance undertaken by General Sarrazin and Captain Huet and abody of grenadiers. The enemy was four hundred strong and waseasily dispersed. The second engagement occurred on the 7thFructidor (August 24th), and its details as given by Fontaine tallywith Humberts report. The third engagement took place on themorning of the 25th under the walls of Ballina, the British number-ing 1,300 infantry and 700 cavalry ! This last affair is evidentlya product of the writers vivid imagination. According to Bishop Stocks account, there was but one engage-ment, which he describes as follows: He (Humbert) sent on thenext morning (August 23d) toward Ballina a detachment, which, re-treating from some piquet guards or reconnoitring parties of loyal-ists, led them to a bridge under which lay concealed a sergeantsguard of French soldiers. By a volley from these, a clergyman who. Sarrazin, by a happy inspiration, stepped up to the crane, threwhis arms around Ihe inanimate form, and im-printed a kiss on the livid brow. —Page 69, OF IRELAND IN gS. 6? The town of Ballina presented a scene of unutter-able confusion when the defeated troops arrivedthere, all begrimed and gory. The inhabitants ofboth persuasions sought refuge in their homes, theCatholics from fear of the fugitives, the Protestantsfrom fear of the French. One luckless individualby the name of Walsh, who had previously beenarrested on suspicion of disloyalty, but dischargedfor lack of evidence, was caught in the act of incit-ing his fellow-citizens to rebellion. Brought beforeMajor Kerr, a commission was found in his pockets,signed by Humbert, authorizing him to gather re-cruits for the Irish Republic. Without a trial ofany kind he was taken to a crane
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidfrenchinvasi, bookyear1890
