Bagenal Harvey facts for kids
Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey was an important figure during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. He was a barrister, which is a type of lawyer, and a leader of the United Irishmen. He played a key role in the Battle of New Ross.
Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey was born into a well-known family in Wexford, Ireland. His father was Francis Harvey, who lived at Bargy Castle. Beauchamp studied at Trinity College in Dublin. He had two sons.
Harvey was a Protestant, but he believed in fair treatment for everyone, including Catholics. He supported Catholic emancipation, which meant giving Catholics more rights. In 1792, he joined the Dublin Society of United Irishmen. This group was started by James Napper Tandy and Archibald Hamilton Rowan. They wanted to bring about political change in Ireland.
Just before the 1798 Rebellion began, Harvey was arrested at his home on May 26, 1798. He was held in Wexford Gaol. When the rebels took over Wexford, they freed him. He was then made the Commander-in-Chief of the rebel forces. His first plan was to lead the rebels west towards New Ross and into County Kilkenny. He hoped to find more people to join the rebellion there.
Battle of New Ross
Harvey led the rebels in the Battle of New Ross on June 5, 1798. The rebels had more fighters than the British forces. Harvey sent a messenger, Matt Furlong, to offer terms for surrender. However, Furlong was shot while carrying a flag of truce. This made about 500 rebels, led by John Kelly of Killanne, charge forward.
The rebels had some early success and took control of two-thirds of the town. But they quickly ran out of ammunition and had to use their pikes. When British reinforcements arrived, the rebels were defeated.
After the Battle and Capture
After the defeat at New Ross, Harvey felt very disappointed. On June 7, he stepped down as Commander-in-Chief. Philip Roche took his place. Harvey went back to Wexford town and became the head of the town committee. He believed that a peace agreement would be made for the rebels.
He then went to his family home at Bargy Castle. Soon after, he and John Henry Colclough tried to escape. They dressed as peasants and went to a cave on Greater Saltee Island. They planned to sail to France from there.
However, they were betrayed. Ralph James, an officer, arrested Harvey and brought him back to Wexford town. Harvey was put on trial, found guilty, and executed by hanging on Wexford bridge on June 28, 1798. John Henry Colclough, Philip Roche, and Cornelius Grogan were also executed with him.
Harvey's friends later found his body and buried it in Mayglass cemetery. He was not married at the time of his death. His brother, James, inherited the family estates later on.
Some records show that Harvey supported the rebels even before the rebellion started in April 1798. A government spy had also reported his republican views as early as 1793.
A diary entry from June 16, 1798, suggests that the rebels might have removed Harvey from command instead of him resigning.
Family Life
Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey had two sons. He was a relative of the person who founded Bagenalstown in County Carlow. He was also an ancestor of General Beauchamp Doran.
See also
- Wexford Rebellion of 1798
- John Henry Colclough, Cornelius Grogan, Matthew Keogh, Philip Roche, John Kelly of Killanne - Rebel leaders executed on Wexford bridge, June 1798
