Battle of Vinegar Hill

From Freepedia

Battle of Vinegar Hill
Image:Vinegar hill.jpg "Defense of the rebels at Vinegar Hill" (George Cruikshank)
Conflict: 1798 Rebellion
Date: June 21, 1798
Place: Enniscorthy, Wexford
Outcome: British Victory, regain control of county Wexford
Combatants
Irish Rebels	British Army
Commanders
Rebel Council	Gerard Lake
Strength
20,000	15,000
Casualties
1,000 (inc. 600 women & children)	100
1798 Rebellion Ballymore-Eustace – Naas – Prosperous – Kilcullen – Carlow – Tara Hill – Oulart Hill – Enniscorthy – Newtownmountkennedy – Gibbet Rath – Three Rocks – Bunclody – Tuberneering – New Ross – Antrim – Arklow – Saintfield – Ballynahinch – Ovidstown – Foulksmills – Vinegar Hill – Ballyellis – Castlebar – Collooney – Ballinamuck – Killala

The battle of Vinegar Hill was an engagement on 21st June 1798 between forces of the British Crown and Irish rebels when over 10,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, then the largest rebel camp and headquarters of the Wexford rebels. It marked a turning point in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 as it was the last attempt by the rebels to hold and defend ground against the British military and forced rebels to rely on tactics of mobile warfare for the remainder of the Wexford rebellion. The battle was actually fought in two locations, on Vinegar Hill itself and in the streets of nearby rebel-held Enniscorthy.

Bombardment of Vinegar Hill

The battle began shortly before dawn with an artillery bombardment of rebel positions on the hill. Advance units quickly moved forward against rebel outposts under cover of the shelling, and moved artillery closer as forward positions were secured. The rebel strength was estimated at some 20,000 men but they were accompanied by thousands of women and children who had sought refuge in the camp. The tightening ring forced the thousands of rebels into an ever shrinking area and increased exposure to the constant shelling including new experimental delayed fuse explosives resulting in hundreds of dead and maimed. At least two mass charges by the rebels on Vinegar Hill brought temporary relief and heavy casualties but failed to break the advancing lines of military.

Attack on Enniscorthy

In Enniscorthy town, the military simultaneously launched an attack on the town to cut off escape via the bridge. British progress in the town was much slower and they suffered heavy casualties as Enniscorthy experienced heavy street fighting for the second time in the space of one month. The rebels were finally driven to the bridge but were reinforced by a large contingent of newly arrived rebels, and prevented the military from breaking through.

Taking of Vinegar Hill

The rebel position on the Vinegar Hill was becoming more desperate and when troops crested the eastern summit of the hill a withdrawal began through a gap in the British lines known as “Needhams Gap” after the General whose late arrival allowed the bulk the rebels to reach safety. When it became clear that the rebels were retreating, a cavalry charge was ordered and a massacre of stragglers, mostly women and children, ensued causing hundreds more deaths. The rump of the rebel army were not pursued and were able to reorganise their remaining forces.