Battle of Antrim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Antrim
Part of the Irish Rebellion
Date 7 June 1798 Location Antrim, County Antrim Result British victory
Belligerents
United Irishmen Defenders	British Army Loyalists
Commanders and leaders
Henry Joy McCracken James Hope John Storie John Orr	Major Daniel Seddon William Lumley Col Durham Col Cleavering
Strength
~4,000 1 Artillery Piece	~200 – later reinforced by 4000 8 Artillery Pieces
Casualties and losses
~400 killed	~150 killed and wounded

The Battle of Antrim was a fight that happened on June 7, 1798. It took place in County Antrim, Ireland, during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The battle was between British soldiers and Irish rebels, known as the United Irishmen, who were led by Henry Joy McCracken. The British army won this battle. They stopped the rebels from taking over Antrim town after more British soldiers arrived. Sadly, the county governor, John O'Neill, 1st Viscount O'Neill, was badly hurt and later died.

Why the Battle Happened

When the United Irishmen started their rebellion in Leinster on May 23, 1798, their friends in Ulster wanted to join the fight. However, the United Irish group in Ulster had been weakened the year before. The British had taken away many of their weapons. Also, the new leaders in Ulster were not as eager to fight without help from France, which they were hoping would arrive soon.

After waiting two weeks, while the rebellion was happening in the south, the regular members of the United Irishmen in Antrim decided to meet on their own. They chose Henry Joy McCracken to be their main leader. They decided to start fighting right away. McCracken and James Hope quickly made a plan. They wanted to attack and capture all government posts in County Antrim. Their main target was Antrim town. After taking Antrim, they planned to use the cannons they captured there to march on Belfast. They hoped to join forces with other rebels in County Down.

McCracken believed that many soldiers from the local army (called the militia) would leave their posts and join him. He thought many of them were unhappy with the government. This idea came from the fact that four soldiers from the Monaghan militia had been executed in Belfast in May for being disloyal.

The Rebellion Starts in Antrim

On June 6, McCracken and James Hope announced that the United army of Ulster should rise up. Their first steps were successful. They captured the towns of Larne (the first town in Ulster to fall, early on June 7, led by James O'Rourke), Ballymena, Portaferry, and Randalstown (captured by James Dickey). They also damaged the bridge at Toome. This was to stop the government from sending more soldiers into Antrim from west of the Bann. The rebels then gathered at Donegore Hill. They were getting ready to march and attack Antrim town. A meeting of the county's important officials, called by Lord O'Neill, was supposed to happen there.

About 10,000 rebels gathered at Donegore Hill. But many were not ready for a big fight. Some stayed on the hill as a backup, and others left later. So, probably fewer than 4,000 rebels actually took part in the attack. Most of the United Irishmen in Ulster were Presbyterian. They were joined by Catholic Defenders. There was some tension between these two groups during the march, which might have caused some people to leave. These problems slowed them down, and the attack was delayed. McCracken had to change his plan. He had wanted to attack the town from four different places all at once.

The Soldiers in Antrim

Antrim town had a small group of about 200 soldiers. These included local police (called yeomen), cavalry (soldiers on horseback) led by Lt-Col William Lumley, and armed volunteers. They also had four cannons. The delay in the rebel attack gave them time to ask for help. Reinforcements were already on their way from Belfast and Lisburn. The soldiers in Antrim set up their defense near the wall of Antrim Castle. They placed their cannons at the front and their cavalry at the back. Their sides were protected by the Market House and the Presbyterian Meeting House. The soldiers also burned down part of the Scottish Quarter in the town. They thought many rebel supporters lived there.

The Attack Begins

The attack finally started just before 3 PM. The rebels began to march carefully through the town. As the first rebel groups reached the soldiers' defense line, the cannons fired at them. This made the rebels pull back to a safer distance. A lot of dust and smoke filled the air. Along with the fires from the Scottish Quarter, this made it hard for the soldiers to see what was happening.

The soldiers thought the rebels were running away completely. So, the cavalry rode out to chase them. But the cavalry rode right into a trap. The rebels were protected by a long churchyard wall and were hiding in houses along the main street. The cavalry suffered heavy losses from the rebels' gunfire and pikes.

After defeating the cavalry, the rebels attacked the rest of the soldiers. The soldiers then started to retreat to the safety of the castle wall. A new group of rebels arrived and thought the retreating soldiers were attacking them. This caused the new rebel group to panic and run away. In all the confusion, Lord O'Neill, the county commander, was trapped with his officials. He was badly wounded by a man named John Clements. Clements avoided being put on trial by joining the army. The rebels tried to capture the cannons, but soldiers hiding behind the castle wall just barely stopped them.

At this very important moment, British reinforcements from Belfast arrived outside the town. They thought the rebels had already taken over the town. So, they started to fire their cannons at it. This caused more rebels to leave, and the rebel army began to fall apart. However, a small group led by James Hope protected their retreat. They fought a successful battle from the church grounds along the main street. This allowed most of the rebels to get away safely.

After the Battle

When the army entered the town, they started to loot, burn, and kill. The soldiers from the Monaghan militia were said to be the most eager to do this. They wanted to prove their loyalty and make up for their friends who had been executed for disloyalty. The town of Templepatrick was completely burned down. Old Stone Castle was also destroyed. McCracken, Hope, and their remaining supporters went north. They set up camps, which became smaller and smaller as more people left. When they heard about the defeat at Ballynahinch, their group finally broke up. McCracken was arrested by local police on July 7. He was hanged in Belfast on July 17. He had refused an offer to be set free if he told them about his friends.

One hundred years after the battle, a parade was held in Belfast on June 6, 1898, to remember it. This parade, organized by people who wanted an independent Ireland, caused riots by people who supported the British government.