The Battle of Naas took place in Ireland on 24 May 1798.

Background

One of the first engagements of 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, ...

, a force of over 1,000 rebels, led by Michael Reynolds attacked

Naas Naas ( ; ga, Nás na Ríogh or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. In 2016, it had a population of 21,393, making it the second largest town in County Kildare after Newbridge. History The name of Naas has been recorded in th ...

, the strongest Crown garrison in County Kildare, following the successful mobilisation of

United Irishmen The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association in the Kingdom of Ireland formed in the wake of the French Revolution to secure "an equal representation of all the people" in a national government. Despairing of constitutional refor ...

Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: *Defense (military) *Defense (sports) **Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The Defender'' (1994 f ...

and rebels throughout county Kildare on the night of 23 May. The garrison at Naas numbered approximately 250 men, supplemented by a number of local

yeomen Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...

, some of whom had already deserted to the rebels. Importantly, the defenders had some cannon.

Attack

The rebel attack was launched from three directions at around 2:30 a.m and achieved a degree of surprise, driving the garrison back to a barricade outside the gaol, on a slight hill at the centre of the town's main street. Rebel assaults on the barricade were eventually beaten back when the military managed to bring two

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

pieces to bear, firing at close range into the mass of rebels advancing on the then gaol from the north. Hemmed in by buildings, the rebels could not manoeuver, and cavalry were sent in to take advantage of the confusion. The rebels then began to retreat and the bulk of their casualties, about 135, were inflicted at this stage for the loss of about 25 of the military. On the same night the Battle of Prosperous about 6 miles north of Naas resulted in a rebel success.

Footnotes

Battles of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 History of County Kildare {{UK-battle-stub