Page:History of Redmond O'Hanlon.pdf/20



20 if there arose any suspicion. In the mean time, seven of the north country robbers entered into the little room, and taking advantage of the small guard, dispatched the four men so suddenly that they had no time to cry out; and having cut the cords where with the prisoner was bound, Power mounted one of the horses, and made his escape to the mountains. Redmond himself was the first who gave notice of the escape, and assisted the sheriff, in pursuing the robbers for several miles, until finding an opportunity in the evening, he turned off short, and followed his comrades directly to Longford pass near the bog of Allan.

When the soldiers, in the barrack erected at Carradelvin had marched out of their quarters and fresh ones had supplied their room, Redmond took out with him eighteen men, and went in the night to the barrack, to be revenged on the soldiers for the severe hunting he got when he made his surprising escape. It seems the soldiers were all asleep otherwise it appears improbable that the Raparees could open the door, and steal away eighteen horses, unknown to the guard. However, the, eighteen O'Hanlonians made off with eighteen horses to Ballibey, where there stood an old castle in a valey, at the foot of a great hill. Here they alighted to reconnoitre the army.

How the robbery was discovered is not known, but this is the fact? eighteen horsemen began the pursuit early in the morning, and following the tracks of the horses, came within sight of them about nine o'clock in the morning, in the valley aforesaid. As soon as captain O'Hanlon perceived the pursuers, he ordered his men to draw up the horses into a half-moon. His reason for making out the circle was, that his men might keep the