Battle of Naas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Naas
Part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Date 24 May 1798 Location Naas, County Kildare Result British victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Great Britain Kingdom of Ireland	United Irishmen Defenders
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Michael Reynolds
Strength
250	1000
Casualties and losses
~25 killed	~135 killed

The Battle of Naas was an important fight during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It happened in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland, on May 24, 1798. This battle was one of the first major clashes of the rebellion.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 was a big uprising against British rule in Ireland. Groups like the United Irishmen and the Defenders wanted Ireland to be independent. They gathered many people to fight for this cause.

• On the night of May 23, 1798, many rebels in County Kildare got ready to fight.
• Their target was Naas, which was a strong military base for the British forces in the area.
• The rebel force had over 1,000 fighters. They were led by Michael Reynolds.
• The British garrison in Naas had about 250 soldiers. They also had some local volunteer soldiers called yeomen.
• The British forces in Naas had cannons, which were powerful weapons.

How Did the Battle Unfold?

The rebels planned a surprise attack on Naas in the early morning.

• The attack began around 2:30 a.m. from three different directions.
• The rebels managed to surprise the British soldiers at first.
• The British soldiers were pushed back to a barricade. This barricade was near the town's jail, which was on a small hill in the main street.
• The rebels tried to break through the barricade.
• However, the British military brought two cannons forward. They fired these cannons at close range into the large group of rebels.
• The rebels were stuck between buildings and could not move easily.
• British cavalry (soldiers on horseback) then charged into the confused rebel lines.
• The rebels began to retreat. Most of their losses happened during this retreat.
• About 135 rebels were killed. The British military lost about 25 soldiers.

What Happened Elsewhere?

On the same night as the Battle of Naas, another battle happened nearby.

• The Battle of Prosperous took place about 6 miles north of Naas.
• In that battle, the rebels were successful.