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University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 (1)
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expand1997 (1)
1Author:  McHenry James 1753-1816Requires cookie*
 Title:  O'Halloran, or The insurgent chief  
 Published:  1997 
 Subjects:  University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 
 Description: It was on the evening of the fourth of June, that a messenger arrived from Belfast, at O'Halloran Castle. He delivered to its owner the following note, and passed on to circulate others of a similar import throughout the country. “The signal is given. The mail coach has not arrived. Our informant says it was stopped yesterday at Swords. The south is in arms—Wexford is taken. Let the rising be on the 7th inst. The general rendezvous for this county is Donegore hill. The small parties of the military quartered in the country towns must be captured, if possible, by surprise. The bearer will proceed with intelligence along the coast. You will despatch messengers through the interior, by Ballynure, Ballyclare, Ballyeaston, Ballymena, &c. Expedition is requisite. “I am now a prisoner in the hands of the insurgents; and you may be sure I am well treated, when I inform you that I have had influence enough to persuade them to postpone an attack, which, just as I was brought here, they were on the point of making upon you. “Sir, we are to the number of sixteen hundred men in arms, prepared to attack the garrison under your command. But to give you an opportunity of saving your soldiers from destruction, we have thought proper, first, to apprize you of our intention, and to summon you in the name of our country, to surrender your party, both military and others, with all your warlike stores, into our hands. As our prisoners your lives will be safe, and as much attention as possible paid to your comforts. The lives, families and properties of such of our town's-men as have joined you, shall also remain unmolested. Our attack shall be suspended, in expectation of your compliance, for three quarters of an hour, but no longer. “Sir, enclosed is my reply to the rebel chieftains. By it you will see that you anticipated truly, when you supposed that I would not agree to an unconditional surrender. I am sorry that you are in their power; but it is pleasing to find that they are not disposed to abuse their good fortune, by acts of wantonness or cruelty. It may yet be in my power to show that I can esteem humanity, even in such an enemy. “In answer to your message, I have to inform you that rather than comply with your demands, my party and myself are resolved to meet destruction amidst the ruins of the place, which it is our duty to defend. Do not, however, suppose that we shall fall an easy prey. It is true, your number exceed ours by ten to one; but were they a hundred to one, as we are fully supplied with the means of defence, we know too well how to use them, not to make our enemies deplore the dearness of any victory they may gain over us. In your case, it is apparent that victory is at least doubtful. Some traits of humanity displayed by you have been communicated to me, in consideration of which I give you my promise, and all the gentlemen of the town, who have so gallantly come to my assistance, will guarantee its performance, that if you lay down your arms, and return peaceably to your allegiance, all that you have yet done shall be overlooked, and pardoned, and the full and free protection of the laws of your country shall once more be extended towards you. Should you reject this offer, I can only deplore your infatuation; I must resist you unto destruction, and the blood of those who may fall on both sides, be upon your heads. “Dear Sir—It has fallen to my lot to communicate to you the unfortunate news of the forces we assembled this morning, being completely defeated and dispersed, after a severe conflict with a large body of the king's troops, near Ballynahinch, in which it is supposed, that we lost upwards of one thousand men. “Sir, being informed that you have the rebel chief, O'Halloran, in custody, I am induced, in consequence of some representations made to me in his favour, by a person well acquainted with him, to pardon his offence, on condition that he shall pay a fine to be assessed by you to any amount, not exceeding ten thousand pounds, which sum shall be appropriated to the relief of those royalists who have suffered from the rebellion in the county of Antrim. “Dear Barrymore—I have at length followed you. Excited by my ardent desire to see the peerless beauty, who could so completely subdue a heart which was impregnable to all the attacks of the Dublin fair, I eagerly embraced the first moment, in which I could, with propriety, undertake the journey. The day before I left the city, I waited on the Lord Lieutenant, with the letter you enclosed from the Recluse, who, I understand, is to be no longer a mendicant, but is to appear in society in his own proper character of Francis Hamilton, Esq. of Hamilton-hall, in the county of Tyrone. His excellency was much pleased to hear from him; and, without delay, not only granted to him his request, but wrote to him a long letter, which on finding I was about to take a Northern trip, he entrusted to my care. “Dear Sir—It is with great satisfaction that I acknowledge the receipt of your's of this morning, covering the commands of his excellency, the Lord Lieutenant, respecting you, which, of course, it is my duty, as well as my pleasure, to obey. I shall make the agreeable communication known without delay to all the justices of the peace, jailers, and other officers, whom it concerns, so that you will be in no danger of personal molestation; and may appear in public whenever you think proper. “My Son—A few days ago, I received from you a very foolish letter, requesting me to consent to your marriage with a woman I never saw, nor, until that very moment, ever heard of. I took, of course, some pains to inquire concerning her, and her connexions. The only person from whom I could obtain much information, is your old mendicant protagee, who praises her in a style that I cannot well understand; but from which I can gather that she is a great beauty. I presume, therefore, that in the ardour of your admiration, you have endowed her with angelic qualities, for in the eyes of every love-sick young man who has a handsome mistress, she cannot be aught else than an angel. “* * * * * * * * * At what an awful crisis,” said he, “have I been entrusted with the government of this unfortunate country? Treason, rebellion, massacre, and invasion, have shaken her to pieces, and have prostrated her into the depth of misery.
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