Battle of the Harrow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Harrow |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the United Irishmen Rebellion | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Irishmen |
 Ireland |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| John Murphy | Lieutenant Bookey | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| c.40 | c.20 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | 2 killed | ||||||
The Battle of the Harrow was the very first fight of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 in County Wexford. It happened on May 26, 1798. This battle was between government soldiers, specifically a group called the Camolin Cavalry (who were part of the Yeomanry), and Irish rebels known as the United Irishmen. The rebels were led by a local priest, Father John Murphy. He gathered people after hearing about harsh actions by the government forces during the rebellion, which was started by the United Irishmen.
Contents
Why Did the Battle of the Harrow Happen?
News about the rebellion starting in other parts of Ireland reached County Wexford. Along with this news came two military groups known for being very tough: the Royal North Cork Militia and a Welsh cavalry unit called the Ancient Britons.
Also, government soldiers, known as the Yeomanry, were regularly patrolling the countryside. Reports of violent events, like a massacre of prisoners by these soldiers in Carnew, made people very scared. Because of this fear, many people started to gather together to watch for military patrols. Others even left their homes to hide in the countryside.
How Did Father Murphy Gather His Group?
One group, about 40 people strong, was brought together by Father John Murphy. He was a local priest. They met near the village of The Harrow on the evening of May 26.
They pretended they were there to cut turf (a type of fuel), which was a common custom back then. This allowed them to carry turf cutters, which could be used as simple weapons. They also had a few firearms hidden nearby, ready for use if needed.
What Happened During the Fight?
Meanwhile, a group of about 20 government soldiers, from the Camolin Cavalry, were riding towards them. They had heard reports of the rebellion and were looking for people suspected of being United Irishmen.
At first, the soldiers rode past Father Murphy's group without any trouble. But most of the soldiers stopped nearby. Their leader, Lieutenant Bookey, and a private soldier named John Donovan, rode ahead. They went to the home of someone suspected of being a United Irishman.
The Attack and Retreat
When they found the person wasn't home, they set fire to the cabin. Then, they turned back to rejoin their unit. As they rode back, Father Murphy's rebels attacked them. The rebels killed Lieutenant Bookey and John Donovan. The rest of the government soldiers quickly ran away.
The official report from the Camolin Cavalry on May 26, 1798, described the event. It said that Lieutenant Bookey rode ahead and told the rebels to give up their weapons. The rebels then fired shots and threw stones, hitting Bookey and Donovan. The soldiers, feeling outnumbered, fired a few shots and then retreated.
