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Previous to the return of Hutton with the foregoing
note, containing Nugent's ultimate offer, a
man on horseback, who said he had travelled all
night, arrived at the insurgent camp, with the following
letter for O'Halloran:

June 7th, 1798.

“Dear Sir—It has fallen to my lot to communicate
to you the unfortunate news of the forces we
assembled this morning, being completely defeated
and dispersed, after a severe conflict with a large
body of the king's troops, near Ballynahinch, in
which it is supposed, that we lost upwards of one
thousand men.

“According to previous arrangement we began
about midnight to assemble in the neighbourhood
of Saintfield, where we had a slight skirmish with
a small body of militia stationed there, over whom
we obtained the advantage, having, with only the
loss of one man, killed six of theirs, and compelled
the rest to retreat.

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“We then proceeded to Ballynahinch, and encamped
on lord Moira's demesne adjoining the
town. Here our numbers increased so rapidly,
that before noon, we were nearly twelve thousand
strong. Colonel Munroe joined us about ten o'clock
with a large body from the neighbourhood of Lisburn
and Hilsborough. About one o'clock the
king's troops arrived from the camp at Blarrismoor,
and halted on a hill opposite, part of the
town being between us.

“They soon commenced a cannonade, which we
attempted to return, having three small field-pieces,
but we could not manage them to much advantage,
whereas their fire annoyed us extremely. Being
conscious of our superiority in point of numbers,
it was, therefore, agreed that we should rush
over the intermediate ground, and charge them
with pikes. For this purpose, we had completed
the necessary arrangements, and were proceeding
forward, when we were attacked with a volley of
musketry from behind, by a party, which, unnoticed
by us, they had detached round the hill, and
which thus took us in the rear by surprise. Many
of our men immediately fled; but the greater number
rushed on to the intended attack.

“When within thirty yards of our opponents,
we received a dreadful discharge of musketry,
which checked us for an instant by levelling hundreds
of us to the ground. My left arm was broken
on this occasion; but I was impelled along
by the press of the multitude, which had resumed
its motion forwards.

“We soon reached our adversaries, and made
on them a very effective charge, for in a few minutes
they were compelled to retreat some distance
from the hill, but there, facing about, they poured
upon us another fire so destructive that hundreds

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fell to the ground, while hundreds more threw
down their arms and fled.

“At this important crisis, the troops behind us
also repeated their fire and increased our confusion.
To prevent our rallying, for though much
broken, some of us would still have made a stand,
their cavalry now galloped furiously amongst us
and completed our defeat.

“The cavalry in continuing the pursuit, committed
dreadful havoc throughout the country. The
greater part of Ballynahinch, the whole of Saintfield,
and country houses without number, have been
consigned to flames, and are now only smoking
ruins.

“The destruction is not yet over. From the hill
on which I am concealed, we can see every moment
new volumes of conflagration arising. My
heart sickens at the disasters of the day. I trust
in God, you have been more fortunate in your
county. If not, I much fear that the cause for
which we have been so long and so anxiously preparing
to make this struggle, is indeed lost, and that
we shall now have, each of us to await with what
fortitude we can, the fate which an oppressive, cruel
and highly incensed government, may think fit to
award us.

“The unfortunate religious jealousy that exists
among the people has been one great cause of our
failure. Some accounts of the misconduct of the
Catholics in the South arrived here the day before
yesterday, which cooled the ardour of the
Presbyterians, in whom consisted our main strength.
Not one in ten of that persuasion, in whom we confided,
have joined us; and although, as you well
know, the Catholic population of the county is not
one to twenty, yet more than the half of those who
took arms were of that body.

“If you be yet in force, endeavour all you can,

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I bessech you, to prevent the poison of the Wexford
news from infecting the minds of your men, otherwise
all hopes of liberty for poor Ireland will indeed
soon be over. It is to put you on your guard
in this matter, that I make such haste to dispatch
this courier, who, as he is acquainted with the
country, and has the advantage of the night to
travel in, will, I hope, reach you in safety.

“Munroe and several of our leaders have been
captured. Death, no doubt, will be their portion.
Their doom is perhaps already awarded, for our
merciless pursuers will lose no time, when they
seize any of us, in glutting their vengeance.

“May heaven preserve you from such misfortunes
as we have experienced! I am, with an aching
heart,

When O'Halloran had communicated the contents
of this letter to his fellow chiefs; “it is in
vain,” said he, “to contend longer. A battle here,
even if we could persuade our men to risk one,
would only be additional slaughter. A victory itself
could scarcely retrieve the prospects with
which we set out. It is our duty, therefore, for the
sake of these people, to accept whatever conditions
may be offered. For myself, should I be demanded
as a sacrifice, I am resigned to my fate, and
shall submit, I hope, without murmuring. I did not
engage in this enterprise without calculating on
the chance and consequences of failure, and preparing
my mind, if it should be necessary, to endure
the severest forms of death.”

Porter and M`Cracken deliberated a few moments.
They then exclaimed, “It must be so; we
must yield to fate! Since we can do no more for
our country, we care little for ourselves; and to

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whatever lot Providence has ordered for us, we
shall, as becomes us, submit. But Nugent's messenger
returns; let us hear the terms, and then, all
resistance out of view, we can decide as to the
steps we must take.”

The reply of Nugent to their proposals was given
to O'Halloran. He read it aloud to the people.
When he had done, all remained silent in expectation
of receiving his opinion; he perceived it;
and spoke as follows:

“My friends, you have sufficiently proved your
attachment for the cause of liberty and your country.
Fate forbids that cause to prevail; and it is
now become necessary for you to relinquish the
pleasing hope, and yield once more to that government
you have attempted to resist. These are the
terms offered for your submission. You will obtain
no better. From their benefits, I and some of
my dearest friends are excluded. But we must
give way to our destiny. I should abhor myself,
if from any personal consideration, I could be withheld
from giving you what I conceive to be the
most salutary counsel, in your present situation.
You ought to accept of these conditions, and surrender.
I have just become acquainted with circumstances
which leave you no other alternative.
Our friends in the county of Down have met with a
total and irretrievable overthrow. Farewell! I and
my proscribed friends, will provide for our own
safety, as prudence may dictate.”

He immediately mounted his horse, and accompained
by Porter, M`Cracken, and the other exempted
persons, galloped from the hill. The multitude,
struck with admiration, for several minutes
gazed after them in profound silence. M`Claverty
then addressed the people.

“My friends and fellow subjects,” said he, “I
admire the magnanimity of your late leader, and

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sincerely hope that he may ultimately escape the
dangers that surround him. A free pardon is offered
to you, will you accept it? The messenger
awaits your reply.”

“We will—we will accept it,” was answered by
a thousand voices. A man of the name of Quin
now stepped forward, and said aloud to M`Claverty

“Sir, be our representative in this affair. Be
it your care to prevent any infringement of these
conditions.”

“It shall be my care,” replied M`Claverty. The
people then threw their arms on the ground, and
returned every man to his own home.

Thus terminated this insurrection in the North,
the only part of the kingdom, of which, from the
intelligent and persevering character of the people,
the government was seriously apprehensive;
and thus, in a few days, was blown into air, those
magnificent but impracticable schemes of social
equality, and national independence, over which
the fond imaginations of thousands of Irishmen
had for years been brooding.

The impolicy of the Southern insurgents in betraying
so early a zeal for the destruction of that
religion which was by far the most prevalent
among their Northern coadjutors, unquestionably
contributed more to the speedy overthrow of this
ill concerted conspiracy, than either the vigilance
or force of the government. Indeed so much were
the Northerns disgusted and alarmed at the conduct
of their Southern confederates, that out of the nine
counties of Ulster, which contained upwards of two
hundred thousand United Irishmen, in only two
had the insurrection been of any consequence; and
in these two, a coolness in the cause was immediately
manifested by the populace when intelligence
was received of the Southern atrocities.

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