Battle of Ballyellis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Ballyellis |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Irish Rebellion | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Irishmen |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Joseph Holt | Colonel Puleston | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~1,000 (including civilians) | ~200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | 62 killed | ||||||
The Battle of Ballyellis happened on June 30, 1798. It was an important fight during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, also known as Éirí Amach 1798 in Irish. In this battle, a group of Irish rebels from Wexford fought against British soldiers who were chasing them. The rebels won this battle.
Why the Battle Happened
The British had won a big battle at Vinegar Hill on June 21. This meant the rebels no longer had fixed places to stay. But the rebellion was not over. Several groups of rebels were still active in the southeast of Ireland. They moved out from County Wexford to try and spread the rebellion.
One of these rebel groups had about 1,000 people. This group also included women and young people. They were moving around north County Wexford. They kept changing direction to avoid the British soldiers who were looking for them. Joseph Holt led this group, with Denis Taaffe helping him.
The rebels were heading towards Carnew, County Wicklow. They hoped to find safety in the mountains there. But then, a small group of their fighters, who were out looking for supplies, was caught. A British cavalry patrol found and defeated them.
The British realized this small group was part of a larger rebel force. So, about 200 British soldiers gathered near Monaseed. These soldiers included Ancient Britons, dragoons, and three groups of yeomanry (local volunteer soldiers). They started to chase the rebels.
The Battle of Ballyellis
However, the rebels had spotted the approaching British soldiers. A group of rebels went ahead of their main force. They prepared a surprise attack, called an ambush, at a place called Ballyellis.
They chose a good spot behind a bend in the road. This area had tall ditches and strong estate walls on both sides. The rebels placed wagons on the road to block it. They also cut openings in the ditches so they could move easily.
The main rebel force then hid behind the wagons, on the walls, and in the ditches. A small group of rebels stayed on the road in front of the blockades. Their job was to face the British soldiers and trick them into the trap.
When the British soldiers saw the small group on the road, they sped up. They thought they were only chasing the last few rebels of a fleeing group. But when they reached the bend, they were hit by a lot of gunfire. The rebels surrounded them on three sides.
As more British soldiers arrived, they pushed their comrades further into the trap. This made it impossible for them to move or fight properly. Many soldiers were easily killed by the rebels' long pikes.
The soldiers at the back quickly ran away. A few more escaped by making their horses jump over the ditch. But the rebels chased the soldiers without stopping. They tracked and killed them through the nearby fields. In the end, about 60 British soldiers and two officers were killed. One of the officers was a French émigré (someone who had left France). The rebels had no casualties.
What Happened Next
The news of this rebel victory surprised the British authorities in Dublin Castle. They had thought that the rebels could no longer fight after the battle at Vinegar Hill. Reports of the defeat were played down, meaning the British tried to make it seem less important. They also kept the number of losses a secret from the public.
However, the military now understood that Wicklow was the main area where the rebels were active. They began to send more troops there. They expected to start a new campaign to fight against the rebels.
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