Maryborough, April 20th, 1799.

My Dr. Friend,

Being desirous of making public the valour of the Troops of this town under the command of Major Matthews of the Royal Downshire Regiment, against the Rebels, I send you a plain narrative of facts as follows:

On the 24th of June 1798, four hundred of the Downshire Regiment, with their Battalion guns, Captain Pole, with the Ballyfin Troop of Yeomen Cavalry, and Captain Gore, with the Maryborough, (both Troops under the immediate command of Capt.Pole) proceeded towards the Collieries of Castlecomber and Donane, by order of SirCharles Asgill. On the Road we saw Castlecomber on fire; soon after we arrived at Moyad, and saw the Rebel Army in great force on the high grounds above Donane; we then received intelligence that SirCharles had engaged them at Castlecomber that morning, and that his force was at least double ours, but that he had retired to Kilkenny. It was now too late in the evening for us to attack; we therefore fell back on Timahoe, determined to be at them in the morning. At Timahoe an express met us from SirCharles, desiring we should return to Maryborough; this was answered by an express from us, proposing to SirCharles to attack the Rebels next morning on the road from Donane, and that we would attack on the road from Timahoe. The answer to this proposal we received at 7o'clock next morning from SirCharles, who could not agree to it, as he said his Troops were fatigued, but left it to us to fight, we could do it with security, where we were, or to return to Maryborough. We chose to risque the former, and the proper arrangements being made, returned to Moyad, where we had last seen the Rebels: when our Cavalry arrived there, they found the Rebels had gone off to the Ridge; there we pursued them, and were again disappointed in bringing them to action, as they had marched for Gore's-Bridge: our Cavalry then proceeded to Old Leighlin, from which place Capt.Pole, who had gone forward for intelligence, sent an express to inform SirCharles Asgill of what he had done, and of our intention to attack the Rebels wherever we found them. At Old Leighlin we met with Mr.Vigars, to whom our intention of attacking the Rebels was made known, and he, seeing our men much fatigued, immediately supplied us with a number of cars to carry them, without which assistance we should have been much distressed; he likewise accompanied us to the scene of action, and was always in front giving us every assistance in his power. The whole Corps arrived at Leighlin-Bridge about twelve at night. In two hours after an express came from SirCharles, desiring us to meet him at Gore's-Bridge at five in the morning; we instantly marched, but on the road we got such intelligence as induced our Commanding Officer to alter his route, in order to get between the Rebels and the mountains; an account of which he sent to SirCharles, by Mr.Moore, Collector of this place, who, with his brother Mr.Pierce Moore, marched with us, and to whose able advice and knowledge of the country I heard Major Matthews say, we in a great measure owed our success. After a march of about three hours we came in sight of the Rebels; and, as soon as we got within a proper distance, fired some cannon shot at them: they retired from us about a mile and a half to form their line; we followed in Column, with our guns in front, and our Cavalry in the rere; just as we got orders to form our line for the attack, we heard SirCharles's cannon on the other side of the hill; at this instant our Cavalry were ordered to charge, which they did in a most gallant stile; the Rebel line was instantly broke, and we joined SirCharles's Troops in the pursuit, which continued with great slaughter for above six miles; all the cannon, horses, stores and prisoners they had were taken, and their Army dispersed.

When it is known that the Rebel Army would not have been brought to action, or even an attempt made upon them, but for the exertion of this little Corps—and when it is known that this Corps pursued a large body of Rebels at least five thousand strong, with ten pieces of cannon, for nearly forty miles, without orders or directions from any general Officer whatsoever, and that, except some bread they got at Leighlin-Bridge, not a man of them tasted food for forty-four hours, I think you will agree with me that they did their duty, and that their country ought to know it.

Yours, &c. &c.——