04/09/2026
Posted by our friends 1798 Rebellion Casualty Database
𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝟐𝟐𝟖 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨
September 3rd 1798
The roads and lanes of northern Galway and Roscommon were awash with thousands upon thousands of His Majesty's army. It was the largest and last marching army to simultaneously gather upon Irish soil, prepared for battle, in modern Irish history. Nearly 30,000 were armed to the teeth and ready to give battle to these Frenchmen. The noose was being emplaced around Humbert's force of around 3,000 French and Irish.
To preoccupy his army, Humbert ordered Castlebar to be quickly made into a fortress. He had his own cunning plans to deal with the heavy odds against him. Hour after hour brought fresh intelligence regarding the numerical strength and manoeuvres of Cornwallis' grand army. Ditches were dug and barricades erected. Cunningly, word also spread to the British camps about these defensive actions. Humbert had no intention of using these defences. His mind was already focused on other plans. He would draw the British towards their intended goal of capturing Castlebar. Humbert had no benefit of maintaining his army's position within the town. He would sacrifice it for the survival of his army. It was all down to the logistics and timing for the plan to succeed. As far as Humbert was concerned, he had succeeded in allowing General Lake and Lord Cornwallis believe they would be facing a short siege at Castlebar. Naturally, if this siege was to occur, the British would naturally send a large force around the town and strike north to cut off the French units across Mayo and their base at Killala and prevent any escape.
Humbert had already sent a communication to the French Minister of the Marine, detailing his ambitious plans. “𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘐𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘻𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘈𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩. 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯."
It was obvious Humbert had penned this letter before he received the full details of Cornwallis' large force that prevented any "zealous" partisans of Roscommon rising up, however, we can see Humbert's general plan of action. His tactics had transitioned from fast attacks to ultimate caution in order to preserve his army. We will see over the coming days how this plan would unfold.
By the evening of the 3rd of September, Humbert knew the British were marching heavily towards him and only a full day away from battle. A spy named Jordan brought intelligence that interested Humbert; the rural, desolate areas of Leitrim and Sligo were nearly void of any British columns. The word coming from the Midlands of a considerably large force of United Irishmen, also took precedence within Humbert's plans. He looked at his maps and his plans were unfolded. The clouds coalesced into a dark, grey mass. Rain dampens the spirits of any marching soldier. It dampens the hearts of an army. It physically dampens their gunpowder and bogs their cannon. It soaks the blistered and callused feet of the thousands, yet for Humbert, and his men, it could be a godsend.
The raindrops started. The ditches were dug and the army informed to prepare themselves for what would come tomorrow. The Irish element were slightly worried for their families at home. They could not get out to see them in fear of being shot by French sentries. Some of the Irish worried about the battle that could be fought tomorrow. Scapulars were rubbed and kissed and Latin prayers said. Pikes were honed and muskets inspected. Sleep was gathered and powder cartridges distributed by the French quartermaster. The existence of the new Irish Republic depended on what tomorrow would bring.
© Colum Ó Ruairc, 2026
