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| VIEW OF ENNISCORTHY, CO. WEXFORD. -This view shows a section of the river Slaney and the bridge which connects the two portions of the famous Wexford town. This bridge was the theatre of the bloodiest conflicts, when two desparate battles were fought in Enniscorthy between the United Irish and British troops, in June, 1798. It is said that so terrible was the struggle, the bridge was piled with corpses three and four deep, at points, and that the Slaney ran red with the blood of the slaughtered. In both battles, the Irish displayed those wondrous military qualities which, directed by skill and controlled by discipline, as they were in the French and American, and, unfortunatley, are in the British armies, make them among the most formidable troops the world has known. At Enniscorthy they fought like men inspired by the god of war himself -ruling on the bayonets, swords, and cannon, in solid phalanx, with their primitive but, in those days, very effective pikes, and sweeping all before them in the impetuous torrent of their undisciplined valor. It cannot be denied that the British, on both occasions, displayed a cool intrepidity worthy of admiration. The second battle of Enniscorthy was unfavorable to the Irish, notwithstanding their brilliant courage, and their defeat was followed speedily by the suppression of the insurrection in other parts of the county Wexford. |
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