413 
THE ARTILLERY IN THE REBELLION 
OF 1798. 
BY 
LIEUTENANT T. M. KOUGH, R.A. 
WHATEVER may be our individual opinion of the action of the Irish 
people in celebrating this year the centenary of ninety-eight, it can 
do no harm if we consider, with minds free from all religious and 
political rancour, the conduct and action of the artillery during that 
eventful period. 
The greater part of the artillery serving in Ireland during the re¬ 
bellion consisted of companies of the Royal Irish Artillery. This 
corps was formed in 1755, and at the time of the Union in 1801 was 
amalgamated with the Royal Artillery. In 1798 it comprised ten com¬ 
panies, of which six were serving in Ireland : a reorganization into 
brigades was also being carried out at the time. The Royal Irish 
Artillery is at present represented in the service by the 3rd, 4th, 9th, 
18th and 28th Field Batteries and No/s 4, 10 and 11 Companies, 
Western Division, Royal Artillery. 
The Royal Artillery proper that took part in the suppression of 
the rebellion consisted of A, B and C Troops, 1 now A, B and C 
Batteries Royal Horse Artillery. These came into action during the 
later hostilities in Wexford, fighting at Ross and Vinegar Hill. 
Besides the Royal Artillery and Royal Irish Artillery, there were two 
battalion guns attached to most infantry regiments. These were 
usually 6-pounders, but sometimes 4-pounders, called from the light¬ 
ness of their mountings “ curricle guns,” took their place. 
“ As might be expected,” says Maxwell, “ the battalion guns were 
neither rapid nor brilliant in their practice.” In the attack on Naas 
on the 24th May, two battalion guns in the possession of the Armagh 
Militia played some part in the defence. A serious attack was made 
by the insurgents on the jail, in front of which one of these guns 
was placed. Its fire was interrupted by a premature cavalry charge, 
but up to this it had had very little effect; and a rebel afterwards 
confessed that one of the gun squad had been suborned and had pur¬ 
posely elevated the gun too high to do any damage. This naturally 
implies gross ignorance on the part of the many, as well as treachery 
on that part of the individual. 
!_Two guns each. 
8. yol. xxv. 
