THEIR HEIGHT, FORM, AND STRENGTH. 69 



was raised in Dublin almost entirely of Catholics. 

 Had the gallant officer who raised those men insisted 

 on their declaring their abhorrence of the Mass. 

 France would have had one eagle the more, and you 

 would have had one regiment the less." 



General Montagu Mathew, May 31st, 1811, said in 

 the British House of Commons : " I do not hesitate 

 to say that the great military successes of this 

 country since the commencement of the war were 

 chiefly to be attributed to Scotch and Irish valour. 

 The mere English soldiery had the least share in it. 

 The glorious termination of the campaign 

 in Egypt was reserved for my gallant and revered 

 friend, Lord Hutchinson, an Irishman ; and the work 

 throughout the present campaign was chiefly begun 

 and completed by Irish and Scotch. The men who 

 had stormed Montevideo were Irish Catholics ; the 

 men who astonished the French at Maida were Irish 

 Catholics ; the men who had most distinguished 

 themselves at the battle of Vimiera were Irish 

 Catholics ; in the hottest part of the battle of 

 Busaco was a clear majority of Irish Catholics ; the 

 88th Regiment, who had so admirably charged the 

 enemy in that action, were, to a man, Catholics ; 

 and in the battle of Barrosa . . . need I remind 

 the House what was done by the Irish Catholics 

 upon that memorable day? (Hear, hear.) The 

 87th, to a man Catholic, the brave 87th, the Prince's 



