Battle of New Ross (1798)
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
| Battle of New Ross | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conflict | Irish Rebellion of 1798 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | June 5th, 1798 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place | New Ross, Wexford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Casualties | 2,500 Rebels --- 200 British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | Decisive British Victory, spread of rebellion outside Wexford halted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Battle of New Ross took place in county Wexford in south-eastern Ireland, during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It was fought between the Irish Republican insurgents called the United Irishmen and Crown forces composed of regular soldiers, militia and yeomanry. There had been rebellions all over Ireland in the summer of 1798, but only in Wexford did the insurgents meet with any success. Their attack on the town of New Ross, which stands on a bridge over the river Barrow, was an attempt to break out of Wexford and spread the rebellion to neighbouring counties. The battle ended in a bloody defeat for the rebels.
One of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion began at dawn on 5th June 1798 in New Ross, Co. Wexford when the Crown Garrison was attacked by two of three rebel columns massed outside the town and estimated at well over 10,000 men, in an attempt to spread the revolution across the Barrow into Kilkenny and Munster. The British garrison of 2,000 had prepared defences both outside and inside the town and stationed cannon on approaches to the narrow streets to counter mass charges by the rebels, mainly armed with pikes.
Bagenal Harvey, the United Irish Leader recently released from captivity following the rebel seizure of Wexford town, attempted to negotiate surrender of New Ross but the rebel emissary Matt Furlong was shot down by Crown outposts while bearing flag of truce. His murder provoked a furious charge by advance guard of 500 insurgents led by John Kelly (of ballad fame) who had instructions to seize the Three Bullet Gate (the bhearna bhaoil or “Gap of Death” in Irish National Anthem and to wait for reinforcements before pushing into the town. Another rebel column attacked the Priory Gate but the third pulled back from the Market Gate intimidated by the strong defenses. Seizing the opportunity the garrison sent a force of cavalry out the Market Gate to attack the other two columns from the flanks but they stood and broke the charge with massed pikes.
The encouraged rebels then swept past the Crown outposts and seized the Three Bullet Gate causing the garrison and populace to flee in panic. Instead of waiting for reinforcements, the rebels broke into the town attacking simultaneously along several streets but met with strong resistance from prepared second lines of defence with well armed soldiers in strong positions. Despite horrific casualties, the rebels seized two-thirds of the town, using the smoke from blazing fires for cover, and forced the near withdrawal of all Crown forces but a final counterattack in the afternoon finally drove out the exhausted rebels.
No effort to pursue withdrawing rebels was made but when the town had been secured, a fearful massacre of prisoners, trapped rebels and civilians alike began which continued for days, some of whom were burned alive when rebel casualty station was torched by victorious troops. Reports of such atrocities brought by escaping rebels are believed to have influenced the retaliatory murder of over 100 loyalists in the flames of Scullabogue Barn.
Casualties in the Battle of New Ross are estimated at 2,500 rebels and 200 Garrison dead. The rebel army reorganised and formed a camp at Sliabh Coillte some five miles to the east but never attempted to take the town again. They later attacked General John Moores invading column but were defeated at the battle of Foulksmills on 20 June 1798.
