DUBLIN CASTLE, 16th June, 1798. Extract of a Letter from Lieutenant General Lake to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, dated Enniscorthy, 21st June, 1798. " MY LORD, I HAVE the Honour to acquaint your Lordship, for his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant's Information, that the REBEL CAMP upon Vinegar- Hill was attacked this Morning, at seven o'clock, and carried in about an Hour and an Half. " The relative Importance of this very strong Position with our Opera- tions, against Wexford, made it necessary to combine our Attacks so as to insure Success. A Column, under Major- Generals Johnson and Eustace, was drawn from RoSS, and began the Attack upon the Town of Enniscorthy, situate upon the right Bank or the Slaney, close under Vinegar- Hill, upon the Right, and rather in the Rear of it. " Lieutenant General Dundas commanded the center Column, supported by a Column upon the Right under Major Generals Sir James Duff and Loftus ; a fourth Column upon the Left, was commanded by the Honourable Major Ge- nera! Needham. To the determined Spirit with which these Columns were con- ducted, and the great Gallantry of the Troops, we are indebted for the short Resistance of the REBELS, who maintained their Ground obstinately for the Time above mentioned; but on perceiving the Danger of being surrounded, they fled with great Precipitation. Their Loss is not yet ascertained, but it. must be very considerable. The Loss on our Part is not great, the Particulars of which I shall report as soon as possible. In the mean Time, I am sorry to say, that Lieutenant Sandys, of the Longford Regiment, is killed ; and that Co- lonel King, of the Sligo, was wounded in gallantly leading his Regiment. Lord Blayney, and Colonel Vesey, of the County of Dublin Regiment, are also wound- ed, but I am happy to add, that the Wounds of these three Officers are very slight. " I cannot too highly express my Obligations, particularly to Lieutenant General Dundas, and the General Officers, on this Occasion, for the Abilities and Ardour so strongly manifested by them ; nor to the Officers of every Rank, and the private Men, for a prompt, brave and effectual Execution of their Orders. To Colonel Campbell, with his Light Battalion, I am much indebted for their very spirited Attack ; and great Praise is due to the Earl of Ancram and Lord Roden, for their gallant Charge with their Regiments, at the Moment the Ca- valry was wanted to complete the Success of the Day. " It is with great Gratitude I also beg Leave to mention the able Assistance I received from Major Generals Hewitt and Cradock, and from Colonel Hand- field, on this, as I do on all Occasions ; and should be extremely wanting to myself, as well as to Lord Glentworth, Lieutenant Colonel Blyth, and Lieutenant Colonel Read, ( who did me the Honour to volunteer their Service, and accom- pany me from Dublin,) were I to omit expressing the high Sense I entertain of their active and useful Aid to me this Morning. I also beg Leave to mention, in the same warm Terms, my Aid- de- Camp, Captain Nicholson. To the rapid and well- directed Fire of the Royal Artillery, and the Gal lantry of their Officers and Men, for which they have ever been distinguished, I consider I consider myself this Day highly indebted; and I am happy in expressing my Obligations to Captain Bloomfield, commanding the British, and Captain Craw- ford, commanding the Irish Royal Artillery, with the Officers and Men under their Command. , " I have, & c. ( Signed) " G. LAKE " P. S. I have just learned that Lieutenant Colonel Cole is slightly wounded. Inclosed is a Return of the Ordnance taken on Vinegar- Hill, in which are in- cluded three taken from us on the 4th of June.'" RETURN of ORDNANCE, as taken from the REBELS on VINEGAR- HILL, 21st June, 1798. 3 Six- pounders, Brass. 1 Three- pounder. 7 One pounders. 1 5 1/ 2 Inch Howitzer. 1 4 1/ 2 Inch Howitzer. 13 Total. ROUNDS of AMMUNITION. 17 Six- pounders. 30 One- pounders. 11 5 1/ 2 Inch Howitzers. Note.— A Cart, with a vast Variety of Balls of different Diameters, had been thrown down the Hill after the Action, and immense Quantities of Lead and Leaden Balls delivered over to the Dunbarton Fencibles. ( Signed) ROBERT CRAWFORD, Capt. R. I. A. Copy of a Letter from Major General Sir Charles Asgill to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, dated Borris, June 21st, 1798. MY LORd " HAVING received Intelligence that many of the REBELS, who probably had escaped from their Camps in Wexford, had collected near Blackstains- Moun- tain, and were prevented from proceeding farther, owing to the Posts which I occupied, by Lieutenant General Lake's Orders, on the Barrow, I marched Yesterday Morning from hence with two Hundred and fifty Men, in two Di- visions, by different Routes, to attack them. I found them scattered through the Country in considerable Numbers; upwards of a Hundred were killed, the Remainder dispersed, and several Arms and Pikes were taken. " Lord Loftus, of the Wexford Militia, commanded one Party under my Orders; Honourable Colonel Howard, of the Wicklow, the other. The Troops behaved, as usual, in the most gallant Manner. " I have the Honour to be & c. & c. CHARLES ASGILL, Right Hon. Lord Castlereagh. Major- General." Copy Copy of a Letter from Sir Hugh O'Reilly, Lieutenant Colonel of the Westmeath Regiment of Militia, to Lieutenant General Sir James Stewart, at Cork, dated Bandon, 20th June, 1798. " SIR, " I HAVE the Honour to inform you, that a Party of the Wejimeath Regi- ment, consisting of two hundred and twenty Men, Rank and File, with two six Pounders, under my Command, were Yesterday attacked on our March from Cloghnakilty to Bandon, near a Village called Ballynafcarty, by the REBELS, who took up the best Position on the whole March. " The Attack was made from a Height on the Left of our Column of March, with very great Rapidity, and without the least previous Notice, by between three and four hundred Men, as nearly as I can judge, armed mostly with Pikes, and very few Fire Arms. We had hardly Time to form, but very soon repulsed them with considerable Loss, when they retreated precipitately, but not in great Confusion ; and when they regained the Height, I could perceive they were joined by a very considerable Force. I, with the greatest Difficulty, and Risk to the Officers, restrained the Men, halted and formed the greater Part of them, when I saw that the Enemy were filing off a high Bank, with an Intent to take Possession of our Guns. " A Detachment of a hundred Men of the Caithness Legion, under the Com- mand of Major Innes, was on its March to replace us at Cloghnakilty, and hear- ing our Fire pressed forward, and very critically fired upon them, whilst we were forming, and made them fly in every Direction with great Precipitation. At the same Moment a very considerable Force shewed itself on the Heights in our Rear. A vast Number of Pikes appeared, and some with Hats upon them, and other Signals, I suppose in order to collect their Forces. I ordered the Guns to prepare for Action, and very fortunately brought them to bear upon the Enemy with good Effect, as they dispersed in a short Time, and must have left a considerable Number of Dead. Some were killed in attempting to carry away the dead Bodies. It is impossible to ascertain the Loss of the Enemy, but a Dragoon, who came this Morning from Cloghnakilty to Bandon, reports that their Loss is One Hundred and Thirty. " I feel most highly gratified by the Conduct and Spirit of the Officers and Men of the Westmeath Regiment, and had only to complain of the too great Ardour of the latter, which it was almost impossible to restrain. I cannot give too much Praise to Major Innes, Captain Innes, and all the Officers, non commission Officers and Privates of the Caithness Legion, for their cool, steady Conduct, and the very effectual Support I received from them. Our Loss was one Serjeant and one Private. " I have the Honor to be, & c. & c. & c. ( Signed.) « HU. O'REILLY, " Lt. Col. Westmeath Regiment-" Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant Pearce, of the City of Cork Militia, to Lieutenant Colonel Hunter, commanding at Rathcool, dated Hazel- Hatch, 20th June, 1798. " SIR,- " HAVING this Day sent a Serjeant and four Men to escort a Prisoner to Salins, at Ponsonby Bridge they fell in with a Number of REBELS. The Ser- jeant immediately retired, and sent off an Orderly with the Account. I in- stantly - " - [ 4 ] stantly dispatched a Serjeant and eight Men to his Assistance, and being joined on the Spot by three of the Yeomanry, an Engagement took Place, in which twenty- five of the REBELS were killed. One of the Serjeants received a alight Wound on the Hand from a Pike. " I have the Honour to be, Sir, & c. & c. " ELIAS PEARCE, Lieutenant City of Cork Militia." N. B. They put the REBELS totally to the Rout. Brigadier General Dunn has reported, from Monasterevan, that on the 19th instant he had sent a strong Patrole, under the Command of Captain Pack, of the Fifth Dragoon Guards, towards Prosperous, from Rathangan ; and that Captain Pack having fallen in with a Hundred of the REBELS, well mounted and appointed, he instantly attacked and defeated them, taking eight Horses, and killing from twenty to thirty Men. Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, of the Fifth Dragoons, having been detached to Prosperous on the Evening of the 19th instant, found a Body of REBELS posted on a Hill on the Left of the Town, which fled into the neighbouring Bog on his Approach. His advanced Guard having been fired upon from the Town, he brought two Curricle Guns to bear upon it, and set Fire to Part of the Town. Much Cattle was left behind by the REBELS, which they had pinned up near the Mess- Room of the Barrack, together with many Pikes and Drums. Eight of the REBELS were killed. On the 19th instant, a Detachment from Mount- Kennedy, under Command' of Lieutenant M'Laun, of the Reay Fencibles, and Lieutenant Gore, of the Mount- Kennedy Cavalry, attacked a Body of near Three Hundred REBELS, near Ballinarush. The Fire commenced from the REBELS, who were posted behind a Hedge on the Top of a commanding Hill. After an Engagement of about twenty Minutes, they gave Way in every Quarter, leaving twenty dead behind them. DUBLIN: Printed by GEORGE GRIERSON, Printer to the KING's Most Excellent Majesty. Note : This document includes a number of handwritten notes as follow " Committe of Execution at Wexford, when possesed by the Rebels butchered 95 Prisoners and then threw them over the Bridge and had not Moore's arrival prevented it all prisoners and protst in Wexford would habe been murdered --- Sutton & Hearns & other popish Inhabitants Morgan Hinselagh shopkeeper Frans & Wm Cod papists all Patk Sutton, a papist , who had failed for £ 6000 / Brot Fog [?] a yeoman in Captn Richards's Enniscorthy yeomanry with .. he marched to Wexford, there deserted , & commanded the Rebels [ at] Vinegar Hill. At Wexford Mr Grogan a man of £ 8000 [?] pn An is taken : Hay Heugh & Roache a popish Priest, Rebel Capt. hanged, the latter was appointed to displace B. Bagnal a man of £ 2000 An. Captn of the Rebels who refused to burn 150 Protestants in a Barn - which Roache executed - Harvey is not yet taken" ( fi- rt^ e A^ ttto* // I