The French, with their Irish auxiliaries, soon
advanced upon Castlebar, the capital of Mayo, the
county in which they landed, and there briskly
attacked and defeated general Lake, who commanded
a small division of the royal troops. This
success opened their way into the interior of the
country, and, besides increasing the number of
their insurgent allies, spread consternation among
all ranks of the royalists throughout the kingdom.

Cornwallis, however, was soon on his march at
the head of ten thousand men, in order to wrest its
short lived triumph from the invading standard.
He was about three day's march from the metropolis,
when Edward Barrymore and his friends
joined him. Sir Francis Hamilton received from
the Lord Lieutenant all that cordial and friendly
welcome, which, from his knowledge of that nobleman's
warmth of heart, he expected; and was
immediately appointed to the office which he had
been solicited to accept. Edward's father was so
well pleased with his orders having been so
promptly obeyed, that he received his son with
much kindness.

“This is right, Edward,” said he, taking him
aside, “you will now have a more honourable employment
than sighing at the feet of a woman.”

“Ah! sir,” replied Edward, “you do not know
that woman, otherwise you would not speak so
lightly of her.”

“So you think, foolish boy. I see she has you
still in her chains. But I shall not at present reproach
you. I indeed admire your obedience and
zeal on this occasion the more, that I perceive
what they have cost you. But when you choose
a wife, if you would please me, you must choose
one well connected.”

“Oh father, this lady's connexions are not properly
known to you.”

[figure description] Page 194.[end figure description]

“I have heard of them.”

“But permit me to say that you have heard
misrepresentations.”

“Was not her grandfather a rebel chief, condemned
to the gallows?”

“Yes, sir; but deservedly pardoned. He was
always virtuous, humane, and honourable.”

“Is her father not an outlaw for murder?”

“No, sir!”

“And what is he?”

“His name is Sir Francis Hamilton.”

“What! he who came here to-day with you, and
whom his excellency esteems so much?”

“The same is Ellen Hamilton's father.”

“Why, I was told that O'Halloran is her name,
and that her grandfather to save her from the disgrace
of bearing that of a murderer, gave her his
own.”

“He gave it to her from affection, as he brought
her up from her infancy, her father having had to
fly the country.”

“It is true then, he was an outlaw?”

“Yes, but not for murder. His wife's honour
was assailed by a villain. For her he fought, as,
in similar circumstances, you would have done, and
conquered.”

“Well, my son, we shall speak more of this hereafter,”
he said, perceiving the Lord Lieutenant
and Sir Francis Hamilton advancing towards them.

“Mr. Barrymore,” said his excellency, “permit
me to become acquainted with your son, of whom
my friend, Sir Francis Hamilton, whom I beg
leave to introduce to you, speaks so highly.” The
introduction having taken place, the party accompanied
Lord Cornwallis to his quarters.

They had scarcely sat down, when an express
arrived with intelligence that the enemy had penetrated
as far as Tuam, in the county of Gallway,

[figure description] Page 195.[end figure description]

little more than a day's march distant, where they
had chosen ground for an encampment, which they
had commenced entrenching, as if they intended
there to await an attack. Their number was not
ascertained, but, including the French, it was supposed
to be nearly twenty thousand.

Orders to move forward, were immediately
issued. The trumpets sounded, the drums beat to
arms, and in a few minutes the army resumed its
march.

The honourable Thomas Barrymore at the head
of a squadron of horse, led the van. His son had
a station assigned to him in the same corps, in order
that he might be near his father.

That night brought them within ten miles of the
enemy; and, at about nine o'clock the next morning,
they perceived the insurrectionary banners in
the vicinity of the tri-coloured flag, floating in the
air on the opposite hill, about a mile distant, which
was covered with a countless multitude, but who
were evidently, with the exception of the French,
quite destitute of every thing like military discipline.

Humbert had indeed made every arrangement
in his power, to repel the formidable attack which
he knew he was about to sustain; and something
like a regular division of his forces into four bodies
appeared to have taken place. His own men
were in the centre, where the ground was most
accessible. Behind them, and on each side, large
bodies of the Irish, covering almost the whole
rising ground, were placed. The French artillery
was stationed at intervals along the front of their
line.

Between the two armies there was a low broken
hedge, along which, on the side next the royal
army, ran a small stream, but which, at this time,
owing to a long series of dry weather, contained

[figure description] Page 196.[end figure description]

very little water. However much assured of victory,
the military caution of Cornwallis, would not
permit him to make the attack until he had ascertained
the most practicable spot for passing the
obstruction with his cavalry.

For this purpose he despatched colonel Barrymore,
with a party of about fifty horsemen, up the
streamlet, while another trusty officer, with a similar
party, went on the same errand in the opposite
direction. Edward attended his father on this
duty, and Jemmy Hunter who had, on his arrival
at the camp, obtained permission to join the cavalry,
was also of the party.

The detachment which went down the stream
soon found such a passage as their general wanted;
and immediately returned. As the Barrymore detachment,
therefore, gained the brow of a small
hill, about half a mile distant from where they had
set out, they heard the royal trumpets sounding;
and immediately a heavy cannonade was commenced
by the king's troops, reciprocated almost
instantly by their opponents. Knowing by this,
that the object of their search was elsewhere discovered,
they were about returning to their former
station, when they observed a body of about a
hundred and fifty insurgent horsemen descending
the hill, leading from the extremity of the enemy's
right, and approaching towards them at full speed.
They immediately formed into a compact body,
and riding briskly among the insurgents, whose
very speed had deranged their order, if they had
ever possessed any, in a few minutes put them to
flight with considerable loss. They had scarcely
pursued the fugitives to the bottom of the hill,
when two men on horseback were perceived rushing
furiously down in order to rally them. One of
these men in particular displayed great energy.
With a drawn sabre he endeavoured to arrest the

[figure description] Page 197.[end figure description]

progress of those who seemed resolved to fly past
him, exclaiming, “Cowards! see what a handful of
men you fly from! Turn, for heaven's sake, and
fight. This day decides the fate of your country.
Follow me; if ye are men, follow me!”

Only about thirty of the most resolute reined
their horses and followed him, as foremost and almost
alone, he rushed on his opponents. The
first and second of Barrymore's horsemen he met
scarcely obstructed his flying speed. He gave
each only a passing blow with his sabre, by which
he clove them from their horses, as if he had
struck twigs from their stems. Opposition seemed
to give way before him; and, almost unobstructed,
he directed his fearful course towards colonel Barrymore.

Edward, alarmed for his father's safety, galloped
forward to arrest the death-blow, which he saw
aimed against him; but ere he could prevent it,
that blow was given, and his father had fallen.
With uncontrollable fury, he rushed to meet his
terrible antagonist, who perceived him, while he
was yet some paces distant; and redashing his
spurs into his horse, darted towards him.

The horses met with a dreadful momentum, and
were both overthrown. But in an instant, their
riders had gained their feet. The same instant
they recognised each other, and paused, as if surprise
had for a moment paralyzed their strength.

Edward first exclaimed, “M`Cauley!” “Barrymore!”
was the immediate reply.

That moment Edward heard a groan from his
father as some person raised him from the ground.
“Villain! die! you have killed my father,” he
shouted, flying with the force and agility of a lion
on his antagonist, who, however, coolly parried the
attack without returning it, crying out, at the same
time,

[figure description] Page 198.[end figure description]

“By the life of him you saved from the gallows!
Barrymore, I will not hurt you, if you should
slay me on the spot.”

An instinctive feeling of reluctance to destroy a
man thus voluntarily throwing himself in his power,
occasioned Edward to desist from the attack.
Another of the insurgents now rode forward, crying
out, “Slay him, M`Cauley! Down with the young
traitor. Had you slain him when I advised you,
at the Point Rock, you would not now have to
fight him. But, by God! there's another traitor
that I'll smite to the earth.”

He had that moment seen Jemmy Hunter, who
was advancing to Edward's assistance. He hastened
towards him, exclaiming, “Accursed villain! I owe
you a deadly debt. Receive this!” But before he
could wield his weapon, Jemmy's sabre had fallen
with well-aimed and resistless force, on his neck;
and his head hung half severed from his body, as
if a school-boy's wand had broken down the head
of a thistle, and he immediately reeled from his
horse.

“Darragh! you were owre lang a gettin' this,”
cried Jemmy. “Had I gein ye't a twal month
ago in M`Gorley's stable in Larne, ye would hae
gane to your lang hame wi' fewer sins on your
head.”

“Is it you, traitor!” cried M`Cauley; “but you
shall pay for it;” and he aimed a fierce and sudden
blow at Hunter. But the stroke was dexterously
avoided, although it did not fall without mischief,
for Hunter's horse received it in his neck, and
tumbled to the ground. M`Cauley would have
repeated the blow with fatal effect, had not Edward
sprung forward, and struck the falling blade
with such force that it almost forsook its owner's
grasp.

“Desperate wretch!” cried he, “will you

[figure description] Page 199.[end figure description]

commit another murder in my sight, and expect I will
look tamely on it? Ah! hear you my father's
groans? O Heaven! he has been slain by an assassin—
a monster!”

“Assassin!” reiterated M`Cauley, assuming the
countenance of a fiend—“By Heaven! that word
has sealed thy doom.—Away with it!” cried he,
as if he was discharging some troublesome feeling
that seemed tenaciously to harbour in his breast;
“away!—all regard for the preserver of O'Halloran
is now fled.”

So saying, he withdrew a step backwards, as if
to come forward with a surer aim, and redoubled
force. Edward met him with equal force; and
his father's groans still ringing in his ears, with a
higher degree of rage than he had ever before felt.
Fury flashed from the eyes of both, and when
their weapons met the clash shook the air, the fiery
sparks fell around them, and they both reeled with
the concussion.

Edward was an expert and educated swordsman;
and he now applied his science for his safety.
A forward thrust by M`Cauley, who conceived
that he had a fair opportunity for such a
manœuvre, was so well observed and so dexterously
turned aside, that the weapon passed without doing
injury, while Edward's was instantly buried in his
antagonist's body, who fell, but uttered not a groan.

Edward immediately ran to his father, whom
he found almost speechless. But on hearing his
son's voice he faintly uttered, “Pursue the enemy!”

A sense of public duty rushed on Edward's
mind, and mounting the horse of a man whom he
ordered to remain with his father to support him
and keep his wound staunched, he galloped after
his men, who had again discomfited the insurgent
party, and were just commencing a new pursuit.

[figure description] Page 200.[end figure description]

Having followed them to the very verge of their
camp, which was now getting fast into confusion,
he withdrew them back to the scene of his late action,
in good order, no attempt being made by the
enemy to follow them.

Indeed by this time the attention of the insurgents
all over the hill was principally engaged in
providing for their own safety. Cornwallis had
ordered a large party of both horse and foot to
march by the passage over the stream, that had
been discovered as before mentioned, for the purpose
of out flanking the enemy's left, while his
powerful artillery continued to commit great havoc
among them in front. As soon as this detachment
reached its destination, and opened its fire, the insurgents
on the whole of the left and rear of the
French, fled in all directions, and were pursued
with a too terrible slaughter by the cavalry.

General Humbert seeing that it was in vain to
resist longer, hoisted the white flag. The firing
immediately ceased on both sides, and after a short
negociation, the French having lost about one third
of their number, surrendered themselves prisoners of
war. The insurgents to the right of the French,
now followed the example of those who had occupied
the left; and in a short time, there was no
enemy to be seen on the field.

Being persuaded that the rebels were thoroughly
dispersed, and that there was no danger of them
rallying again to give any more disturbance, from
motives of humanity, the viceroy soon ordered the
pursuit to cease, so that this complete and decisive
victory, which terminated the disasterous insurrection
of 1798, was achieved with far less bloodshed
than from the numbers arrayed on both sides, previous
to the engagement, could have been expected.
This was undoubtedly owing to the judicious
and humane plan which the viceroy took to

[figure description] Page 201.[end figure description]

disperse the insurgents, rather by intimidation than
actual slaughter, in which he completely succeeded,
as well as to his ordering the pursuit to be so
soon relinquished. It was fortunate also, that there
were few such resolute and daring men among the
Southern conspirators as M`Cauley, otherwise the
resistance, and consequently the slaughter, would
have been infinitely greater. That unfortunate
man, on hearing of the landing of the French, had
left his concealment at the Gabbons, and, in company
with Darragh, and eight or nine more of the
proscribed Northerns, joined the invaders on their
march from Castlebar to Tuam. These men all
met with their death in this engagement.

When Edward had obtained accommodations
for his father in the house of a gentleman in the
neighbourhood, and had left him under surgical
care, he returned with Jemmy Hunter to where
M`Cauley and Darragh lay, in order to ascertain
their fate. The latter was dead. He had died
almost instantly, his head, as has been already observed,
having been nearly separated from his
body. The former was still alive; but very much
exhausted.

Edward proposed that he should be carried to a
house, and receive the care of a surgeon; but to
this he would not consent.

“Here,” said he, “is the most honourable place
for me to die, and I rejoice that my death has
been occasioned by honourable hands. My life
was rendered miserable, but my spirits were never
depressed; nor was I ever so irresolute as to
abandon my purpose, for fear of dying an ignominious
death;—and Providence has been kinder
to me than I perhaps deserved. I have not always
squared my actions by the rules of conduct, or the
notions of morality generally adopted by men. An
instinctive perception—some might call it the

[figure description] Page 202.[end figure description]

impulse of feeling, but I have flattered myself that it
was the dictate of conscience that generally directed
me in my path, and pointed out what I should do. To
neglect the inspirations of this instinct, which I had
made my guide, I considered as great a crime as
to infringe the prohibitions of a divine law; and
the most questionable action of my life, the destruction
of M`Bride, I considered a positive duty,
because it was suggested by this regulator of my
conduct.

“Mr. Barrymore, I die because I was an assassin,
as you please to term it; for had you not
enraged me by pronouncing a word which I considered
an insult, I should not have fought you;
and you would not have slain me; neither could
you have done so to-day, had I been naturally of
a more blood-thirsty disposition, for then, fifteen
months ago, I should have taken the advice of the
wretched man who lies there, and sent you unseen,
or unheard of, to the grave. But my inward
monitor forbade me, and I dared not do it. And
now, if I have really been such a pest to the world,
such a monster of mischief to society, as my enemies
have called me, by my own forbearance you
have lived to avenge the world, and rid society of
me.

“Hear now my last words; for I feel that I shall
not be able to speak much longer. Let not my
death misgive you any thing; for to you it was no
crime. Vexation for the fall of a beloved father,
prompted you to utter harsh expressions; these
expressions occasioned my death, by causing me
to draw upon you. But it is a death I rejoice in;
the death of a Hampden, on the field of glory, in
my country's cause, and by the hand of an honourable
man. What can be a happier consummation!
But, oh! farewell. Tell O'Halloran that I died
blessing my country.”

[figure description] Page 203.[end figure description]

The last words were almost inaudible, and he
expired in a few minutes after uttering them. When
Edward beheld him dead, his heart smote him. “It
is the first death that has ever been occasioned by
my hand,” he exclaimed—“And, oh! may heaven
grant that neither duty nor accident may prevent
it from being the last!”

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