Anthony Perry (c. 1760– 21 July 1798), known as the "''screeching general''" was one of the most important leaders of the
United Irish Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 ...
rebels during the
1798 rebellion
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a Irish republicanism, ...
.
Background
Perry was born in
County Down, Ireland to a
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
family and lived a prosperous life at Inch,
near the Wexford/Wicklow border as a gentleman farmer.
He enlisted in the local
yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army Reserve, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of different military roles.
History
Origins
In the 1790s, f ...
corps as a second lieutenant responding to the Governments appeal to save the kingdom from radicalism during the height of anti-
Jacobin paranoia in the mid-1790s. He took the United Irish Oath in 1797 and was made a colonel.
As a
United Irish colonel, Perry was responsible for the organisation and recruitment of the movement in north
Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 ...
. A measure of this success was evident by the fact that the brutal coercion campaign unleashed by the Government 1797–98 did not identify Wexford as a United Irish stronghold until barely a month before the eventual outbreak.
Arrest and torture
The arrival of the counter-insurgency campaign in Wexford, embodied by the dispatch of the North Cork Militia, ensured that high-profile radicals like Perry would be the first to be subjected to arrest and interrogation. On 23 May Perry was arrested and taken by the North Cork Militia to
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
for interrogation.
After enduring 48 hours of torture including being
pitchcapped, Perry broke and revealed some names of comrades in the south Wexford movement but little of the north Wexford organisation. Acting upon the information tortured out of him, the authorities released Perry on 26 May and concentrated mainly on a round up of the United Irish leaders in Wexford town.
The rebellion erupts
While the authorities concentrated on extracting intelligence about the rebel organisation from southern leaders such as
Bagenal Harvey
Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey (died 28 June 1798) was a barrister and a commander of the United Irishmen in the Battle of New Ross during the 1798 Rebellion.
He was the eldest son of Francis Harvey of Bargy Castle, Wexford, who was one of the six ...
, Edward Fitzgerald, and John Henry Colclough, the rebellion erupted rapidly after being sparked off by a clash at The Harrow where rebels under Fr. John Murphy attacked and defeated a small yeoman cavalry force. A bloody series of raids for arms and attacks on loyalist forces ensued across the northern half of the county countered by roaming bands of yeomen burning and killing indiscriminately. Victories at
battle of Oulart Hill and
Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountain ...
followed, leaving the rebels in total control of the area between Enniscorthy and
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
by 29 May.
Despite his horrific wounds, Perry reported to the rebel camp at
Vinegar Hill
Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to ...
, Enniscorthy on 29 May and was appointed as second in command to the northern army. His first command ended in defeat when indiscipline and lack of firearms led to a bloody defeat by the
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
at Ballyminaun Hill. However, he was then instrumental together with Fr. Edward Roche in planning the devastating counterattack upon an advancing British spearhead at the
Battle of Tuberneering on 4 June which destroyed half of the British army in North Wexford in one fell swoop.
4–9 June
The victory at Tuberneering shocked the military who withdrew as far as
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has a ...
town to regroup in safety and gave Perry his nickname the "screeching general" from his practice of screaming at the enemy when leading rebel attacks. The rebels failed to follow up the victory despite the fact that much of County Wicklow, including
Arklow
Arklow (; ; , ) is a town in County Wicklow on the southeast coast of Ireland. The town is overlooked by Ballymoyle Hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 re ...
town, was left unoccupied by the British during these critical days.
Part of the reason for this failure to effectively follow up the victory was undoubtedly down to the fact that the rebel forces lacked military discipline, but also that the victorious rebels took advantage of their new power to settle old scores by hunting down and taking revenge upon local enemies. For example, on 7 June, Perry led a raid upon
Carnew
Carnew () is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is the most southerly town in Wicklow situated just a mile from the border with County Wexford. For historical reasons it has often been described as "a Protestant enclave".
Location
Car ...
, scene of the
Carnew executions of rebel suspects on 25 May, burning most of the town to the ground. He was also suspected of involvement in the execution of two of his yeomen torturers at the
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
camp on 8 June.
Battle of Arklow
When the decision was finally taken to march on and capture
Arklow
Arklow (; ; , ) is a town in County Wicklow on the southeast coast of Ireland. The town is overlooked by Ballymoyle Hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 re ...
, Perry's position of leadership was weakened by disagreement over tactics with Fr. John Murphy whose units refused to take part. The march on Arklow was also a leisurely affair with Perry having to personally plead with his men to desist from delaying by countless pausing for hurrahs as they passed his house en route. The
disastrous defeat threw the rebels back on the defensive and Perry spent the following days re-organising the scattered rebel forces and skirmishing with probing British units.
Vinegar Hill and aftermath
By 18 June the British had built up a force of some 20,000 troops poised to strike from the north and west. Rebel forces under Perry withdrew from their base at Mountpleasant to meet the threat and formed a large camp at Kilcavan Hill in the north of the county. The British had not expected a large rebel force opposing them until
Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountain ...
was reached and Perry's men threatened to throw the British plans into disarray after holding off several British attacks around Kilcavan Hill on 19–20 June. However a decision was taken by the Rebel council on 20 June to consolidate all rebel forces in
Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 ...
at the main Vinegar Hill camp for the looming battle and Perry withdrew as ordered.
The
subsequent defeat on 21 June eliminated rebel control of territory in Wexford but left at least 10,000 armed men willing to fight on. Perry managed to withdraw a force of some thousands to the south towards Wexford town and with other leaders such as Garret Byrne, Edward Fitzgerald and Esmonde Kyan fought their way through Wexford reaching Kilcavan Hill again by 28 June and defeated a pursuing cavalry force at Ballyraheen Hill on 2 July.
Midlands campaign
Perry and the surviving column then left Wexford and reached the Wicklow hills on 5 July, having fought off a pursuit led by General James Duff (who ordered the
Gibbet Rath executions) at the battle of White Heaps/Ballygullen. Some rebels took to the hills to fight on in a protracted guerrilla war; some returned to their homes; but the bulk set off on a march into the midlands to revive the rebellion under the effective leadership of Perry and Fr.
Mogue Kearns.
Crossing into
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
on 9 July, the rebels captured a keg of gunpowder near
Newbridge and linked up with remnants of the Kildare rebels under
William Aylmer
William Aylmer (1778–1820) was an Irish military officer and member of United Irishmen who participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. On 19 June 1798, Aylmer fought in the Battle of Ovidstown against British Crown forces, which resulted in a d ...
. Following consultation with their Kildare comrades, it was then decided to swing northwards and attack
Clonard in
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...
, partly because they believed stores of arms were located there, but also to elude the thousands of soldiers combing Kildare for rebels.
March on Ulster
The attack on
Clonard was a disastrous failure and a severe blow to the surviving rebels. Many
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
rebels returned to their homes, Meath men were discouraged from joining by the defeat and much of their existing stocks of ammunition was wasted in the futile attack.
A desperate decision was taken to hook up with the rebels in
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
and the surviving column of no more than 1,000 men was constantly harried by pursuing Government troops until forced to stand and fight on 14 July at Knightstown Bog some miles north of the River Boyne in Co Meath, where they were scattered and defeated. Some rebel units managed to reform and the decision was made to head back to Wexford but the surviving column was intercepted and met final defeat on the evening of the same day at Ballyboghill (County Dublin). Perry probably lost contact with the main rebel force before the final battle and fled towards the west in the company of Fr.
Mogue Kearns and others.
[Gahan, Professor Danie]
"The 1798 Rebellion in Wexford"
, ucc.ie; accessed 24 February 2016. They reached
Edenderry
Edenderry (; ) is a town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal runs along the south of Edenderry, through the Bog of Allen, and there is a short spur to the town ...
in
County Offaly before being captured by the local yeomanry and were both summarily hanged on 21 July.
[Holt 1838, pg. 59.] He and Kearns were buried together in the cemetery of Monasteries where a large Celtic cross now marks their grave.
References
Sources
Anthony Perry profile byrneperry.com; accessed 28 October 2015.
* Holt, Joseph (1838) 'Memoirs of Joseph Holt, General of the Irish Rebels, in 1798: In Two Volumes, Volume 1', Corburn, 367 pages.
* O Súilleabháin, Fionntán
republican-news.org; accessed 24 February 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Anthony
Year of birth uncertain
Date of birth unknown
1798 deaths
Irish guerrillas
Irish torture victims
People from County Down
People from County Wexford
United Irishmen