Chapter 182: Turning the Tide (4)
The battle did not end with the collapse of the walls. The British knew they had stirred the hornet's nest among the Irish, so they fought with exceptional ferocity. In the end, the First Division emerged victorious, but not without suffering hundreds of casualties.
The high casualty count left Joseph frustrated. If every stronghold required such a toll to capture, his First Division wouldn't last long in the field. What added to his anger was the British's scorched earth tactic. They set fire to the warehouses, destroying precious supplies.
This counter-sweep, no matter how successful in battle, would undoubtedly cause severe damage to their bases. In these circumstances, the captured supplies became all the more vital. Failing to secure more resources left Joseph increasingly disheartened.
Had he known of the Second Division's success, he would have been even more disheartened. Within a single day, they had taken four strongholds in the direction of Waterford with minimal casualties. General O'Hara, the Second Division's commander, divided his nine hundred troops into four teams, simultaneously assaulting the strongholds and securing them. The Second Division's spoils were far more significant.
In a fit of rage, Joseph not only killed all the British soldiers but also hanged the officers ranked higher than corporal, who had aided in the defense. With everything burnt, they had no use for them.
What Joseph hadn't anticipated was the impact of capturing the British-held strongholds in a night assault.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
When news of the successful British stronghold captures spread, it shattered the confidence of the British troops who were guarding the other strongholds. However, bound by orders, they couldn't abandon their posts. In contrast, the local "Black Dogs," who had joined the defense, had different plans. The British soldiers had nowhere to run if they chose to flee, but the "Black Dogs" had no such inhibitions.
Previously, the "Black Dogs" believed that they could fight alongside the British against the guerrillas and, if things got too tough, they could surrender, expecting not to be harmed by the guerrillas. Hence, they initially sided with the British since there was food to eat, and they had an escape route if the British faltered. But now, it appeared that fighting alongside the British to defend strongholds might not provide an escape route in case of defeat.
Moreover, the results of their defensive battles were evident; they couldn't hold out. So, when Joseph led an assault on the third stronghold in the night, he found that the defense was surprisingly thin. Many areas were left unguarded, and Joseph quickly overran them.
Afterward, he learned that this stronghold had initially been manned by over fifty British troops and over three hundred "Black Dogs." But as soon as the "Black Dogs" heard that Joseph's forces were approaching, they scattered, and the rest is history.
As a result, the British's second major sweep ended anticlimactically. Both sides returned to their respective territories to assess their gains and losses and draw conclusions.
Of course, such failures required accountability. The Duke of Norfolk faced inquiries in London. During the questioning, when members of the Whig Party asked who should bear responsibility for the failure, the Duke candidly admitted his role in it. He attributed his misjudgment to the increased French support for the Irish rebels, stating, "If we cannot sever the French influence over Ireland, this issue will not be resolved in the short term."
While the Whig Party members were dissatisfied with the Duke's statements, no one pressed him further. This was because the British political game was one of "if you think he's incapable, you go and prove your capability." Through the Duke's inquiry, even Whigs came to understand that Ireland was a quagmire, and nobody wanted to jump in. So, it was better to let the Tories continue to handle the situation.
The immediate concern now was to prevent the Irish from receiving further external support.
To this end, the British first renewed contact with the French and proposed new peace conditions.
Compared to previous offers, the British's new terms were remarkably sincere. They nearly acknowledged all of France's territorial gains on the European mainland, except Hanover, which they were willing to discuss for a potential exchange.
In the past, such terms would have likely been accepted by the French. Even now, many found them acceptable. However, Joseph strongly opposed it. He asked Napoleon during his visit to France, "What if peace is achieved? Where will you go to earn your laurels?"
Napoleon replied, "And what about you, Joseph? Where will your armaments consortium get its money?"
Consequently, the French proposed a counteroffer for peace. They suggested that, for the sake of peace, the British should grant the Irish a high degree of autonomy, allowing them to establish a truly representative autonomous government based on the Irish People's Association.
Thus, the peace talks naturally fell apart.
