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294 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
only gave way to drink on these occasions, but were guilty of some gross outrages for which their frenzy, the result of their sufferings, may palliate but cannot excuse them. When they captured Wexford they hanged forty Protestant Loyalists. After the defeat at New Ross they burned Scullabogue barn with its hundred Protestant loayalist prisoners. These outrages were performed by undisciplined and half-maddened ignorant poor men. None of the lead- ers countenanced such deeds, but, on the contrary, were shocked by the crimes.’
The initial successes of the rebels did not, however, cause the rebellion to spread to other parts of the country, as planned, a fact which doomed their efforts to certain failure.
It was at the iconic height of Vinegar Hill near Enniscorthy, that the Wexford rebels met with their final defeat. There, on 21 June, they were attacked and in a fiercely fought engagement, overwhelmingly and unforgiveningly defeated with great slaughter of men, women, and childen by the inafamous General Gerard Lake, since known as ‘the butcher.’ Lake commanded a force of 14,000 trained soldiers, ably supported by several pieces of artillery. As a result of this defeat the Wexford rebellion was almost at an end. The principal insurgent leaders in Wexford were Father Michael Murphy, who was killed in an attack on Arklow town, Father Philip Roche who was hanged on Wexford bridge, and Bagenal Har- vey and Father John Murphy, both of whom were also executed by hanging. The Wexford rising being quelled, the country was again given over to spoliation, revengeful outrage and mindless bloodshed at the hands of the authorities.
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