Whitehall, June 26, 1798. A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received from his excellency the lord lieutenant of Ireland, by his grace the duke of Portland, his majesty's principal secretary of state for the home department. Dublin Castle, June 22, 1798. I have the satisfaction of transmitting to your grace an extract of a letter received this morning by lord viscount Castlereagh, from lieutenant-general Lake, dated Enniscorthy, the 21st instant, and a letter dated the same day at Borris, from major-general sir Charles Asgill, which contain details of the advantages obtained by his majes ty's forces against the rebels in the county of Wexford. Private accounts mention that lieutenant-general Lake had his horse shot under him. I also inclose to your grace the copy of a letter from sir Hugh O'Reilly, lieutenant-colonel of the Westmeath regiment of militia, which contains a report of an action against a body of insurgents, near Cloghnakilty, and which I shortly mentioned to your grace in my dispatch of yesterday. I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS. His grace the duke of Portland, &c. Extract of a Letter from Lieutenant-General Lake, to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, dated Enniscorthy, June 21. seven o'clock, and carried in about an hour and a half. The relative importance of this very strong position with our operations 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 of Slaney, close under Vinegar-hill, upon the right, and rather in the rear of it. Lieutenant-general Dundas commanded the centre column, supported by a column upon the right, under major-generals sir J. Duff and Loftus; a fourth column, upon the left, was commanded by the hou. major-general Needham. To the determined spirit with which these columns were conducted, 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 sor ry to say, that lieutenant Sandys, of the Longford regiment, is kill. ed; and that colonel King, of the Sligo, was wounded in gallantly leading his regiment. Lord Blayney and colonel Vesey, of the county of Dublin regiment, are also wounded; but I am happy to add that the wounds of those three officers are very slight. I cannot too highly express my obligations, particularly to lieutenant-general Dundas, and the gene(F 2) ral ral 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 cavalry 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 Handfield, 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 accompany 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 aide-de-camp, captain Nichol nance taken on Vinegar-hill, in which are included 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 threepounder, 7 one-pounders, 1 five half-inch howitzer, I four half-inch howitzer. Total 13. Rounds of Ammunition. 17 six-pounders, 30 one-pounders, 11 five half 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. ROBERT CRAWFORD, R. I. A. My Lord, Having received intelligence that many of the rebels, who probably had escaped from their camps in Wexford, had collected near Blackstains Mountain, 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 divisions, by different routes, to attack them. I found them scattered through the country in considerable numbers; upwards o an hundred were killed, the remainder dispersed, and several arm and pikes were taken. Lord Loftus, of the Wexfor militia, commanded one party an der my orders; the bonourable c lonel Howard, of the Wicklow the other. The troops behaved usual, in the most gallant manner I have the honour to be, &c. CHARLES ASGILL, maj.-ge Right hon. lord Castlereagh. SIR, Bandon, June 20. pare 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 have the honour to inform you, that a party of the Westmeath regiment, consisting of two hundred and twenty men, sank and file, with two six-pounders, under my com. mand, was yesterday attacked on our march from Cloghnakilty to Bandon, near a village called Ballynascarty, 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 with 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 that they were joined by a 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 an hundred men of the Caithness legion, under the command of major Innes, on its march to replace us at Cloghnakilty, hearing 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 showed itself on the heights in our rear. A vast number of pikes appeared, and some with hats upon them, and other signals, I suppose, to collect their forces. I ordered the guns to pre 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-commissioned 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 honour to be, &c. H. O'REILLY, Lt.-col. Westmeath regiment. Lieut-gen. sir James Stewart, bart. Whitehall, June 26, 1798. Dispatches have been received here from his excellency the lord lieutenant of Ireland, which bring the intelligence of lieutenant-general Lake's having taken possession of Wexford on the 22d instant. Whitehall, June 26. A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received from his excellency the lord lieutenant of Ireland, by his grace the duke of Portland, his majesty's principal secretary of state for the home depart your grace a dispatch received by lord viscount Castlereagh, this day, from lieutenant-general Lake, dated Wexford, the 22d instant, to gether with a letter from brigadiergeneral Moore, containing an account of his important successes. I also inclose a copy of the proposals made by the rebels in the town of Wexford, to lieutenantgeneral Lake, and his answer. I have the honour to be, &c. CORNWALLIS. His grace the duke of Portland, &c. My Lord, Wexford, June 22. Yesterday afternoon I had the honour to dispatch a letter to your lordship, from Enniscorthy, with the transactions of the day, for his excellency the lord lieutenant's information; and the inclosed copy of a letter from brigadier-general Moore to major-general Johnson, will account for my having entered this place without opposition General Moore, with his usual en terprise and activity, pushed on to this town, and entered it so opportunely, as to prevent it from being laid in ashes, and the massacre of the remainding prisoners, which the rebels declared their resolution of carrying into effect the next day; and there can be little doubt it would have taken place, for the day before they murdered above seventy prisoners, and threw their bodies over the bridge. Inclosed is a copy of my answer to the proposal of the inhabitants of this town, transmitted in my letter of yesterday to your lordship. The evacuation of the town by the rebels renders it unnecessary. I have the pleasure to acquaint your lordship, that the subscriber of the insolent proposals, Mr. Keugbe, and one of their principal leaders, Mr. Roach, with a few others, are in my hands without negotiation. The rebels are reported to be in some force within five miles of this place: it is supposed, for the purpose of submission, to which the event of yesterday may strengthen their inclination. I have reason to think that there are a number so disposed, and that I shall be able to secure some more of their leaders; but, should I be disappointed in my expectations, and find they collect in any force, I shall lose no time in attacking them. I have the honour to be, &c. G. LAKE. From inquiry, the numbers killed yesterday were very great indeed. Lord viscount Castlereagh. Camp above Wexford, June 22. Agreeable to your order I took post on the evening of the 19th near Fook's Mill, in the park of Mr. Sutton. Next day I sent a strong detachment, under lieutenant-colonel Wilkinson, to patrole towards Tintern and Clonmines, with a view to scour the country and communicate with the troops you directed me to join from Duncannon. The lieutenant-colonel found the country deserted, and got no tidings of the troops. I waited for them until three o'clock in the afterncon, when, despairing of their arrival, I began my march to Taghmon. We had not marched above half a mile, when a considerable body of the rebels was perceived marching towards us. I sent my advanced-guard, consisting of the two rifle companies of the 60th regiment, to skirmish with them, whilst a howitzer and a sixpounder were advanced to a crossroad above Goff's bridge, and some companies of light infantry formed on each side of them, under lieut.-col. Wilkinson. The rebels attempted attempted to attack these, but were Wexford, with the inclosed letters. instantly repulsed and driven de- I gave, of course, no answer to the yond the bridge. A large body proposal made by the inhabitants were perceived at the same time of Wexford, but I thought it my moving towards my left. Major duty imme lately to proceed here, Aylmer, and afterwards major Da- and to take post above the town, niel, with five companies of light by which means I have, perhaps, infantry, and a six-pounder, were saved the town itself from fire, as detached against them. The 60th well as the lives of many loyal subregiment, finding no other opposi- jects who were prisoners in the tion in front, had of themselves hands of the rebels. The rebels inclined to their left, to engage the fled upon my approach, over the body which was attempting to turn bridge of Wexford, and towards us. The action here was for a the barony of Forth. I shall wait short time pretty sharp. The re- here your farther orders. Lord bels were in great numbers, and Kingsborough has informed me of armed with both muskets, and different engagements he had enpikes; they were, however, forced tered into with respect to the into give way, and drive, though habitants. I have declined en they repeatedly attempted to form tering upon the subject, but have behind the ditches. They at last referred his lordship to you or gedispersed, flying towards Enniscor- neral Lake. thy and Wexford. rous. to lord Kingsborough to surrender I am, &c. I received your pencilled note Their killed could not be as- during the action of the 20th ; certained, as they lay scattered in it was impossible for me then to dethe fields over a considerable ex- tach the troops you asked for: but tent, but they seemed to be nume- I hear you have perfectly succeedI inclose a list of ours. ed at Enniscorthy with those you The troops behaved with great spi- had. Mr. Roche, who commands rit; the artillery and Hompesch's the rebels, is encamped, I hear, cavalry were active, and seemed about five miles off. He has sent only to regret that the country did not admit of their rendering more effectual service. Major Daniel is the only officer whsoe wound is bad; it is through the knee, but not dangerous. The business, which began be- P. S. It is difficult to judge of tween three and four, was not over the numbers of rebels, they appear till near eight. It was then too in such crowds and so little order. late to proceed to Taghmon. I Information states those we beat to took post for the night on the have been between five and six ground where the action had com- thousand, menced. As the rebels gave way, PROPOSALS OF THE REBELS. I was informed of the approach of June 21, 1798, the 28 and 29th regiments, under That capt. M'Manus shall prolord Dalhousie. In the morning of ceed from Wexford towards Outhe 21st we were proceeding to lart, accompanied by Mr. E. Hay, Taghmon, when I was met by an appointed by the inhabitants of all officer of the North Cork, from religious persuasions, to inform (F 4) the |