Between 2 and 3 am, the morning of the 24th May, around 300 rebels attacked
the town, but were driven off by Captain Jephson's Armagh Militia and some
of the local Clane yeoman cavalry. The yeomanry commander, Richard Griffith
of Millicent, arrived around 3.15 am and took command. The combined military
drove back a second rebel attack from the village. Some houses were burned
by the soldiers and six prisoners were taken (4 were Griffith's tenants),
one of whom was summarily executed. Some of the Armagh Militia had been piked
to death in their private billets and at least three of Griffith's corps
had deserted, but for the moment the town was secure.
A third attack, around 5 am, was led by Rebels dressed in the uniforms, hats
and helmets of the City of Cork Militia and Ancient Britons, whom they had
defeated at Prosperous. Griffith and his men made a stand on the commons and
dispersed them. The 16 yeoman cavalry then charged and routed them.Aware of
the rebel victory at Properous and the large number of rebels in the locality,
Griffith decided his position was untenable and retreated in good order to
Naas. He was joined by his 1st Lieutenant, Dr. John Esmond, who had led the
rebels in Properous. Griffith had learned of his treachery from Phil Mite,
and on arriving at Naas he had Esmond arrested. The five prisoners taken in
the second attack were hanged in Naas. Esmond was tried by court-marital and
hanged as a traitor, with his yeoman coat turned out, on Carlisle Bridge, Dublin
on the 14th June. The next day Griffith's estate at Millicent was attacked
and plundered.William Aylmer and his men ambushed troops and yeomanry on the
4th, 5th and 6th of July near Clane.
Published by Kildare County Council , Written by Mario Corrigan .