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Updated: June 26, 2025
"Come now, that won't do. We know there's a meeting of United Irishmen here to-night. We know that the leaders, M'Cracken, Monro, Hope, and the rest are somewhere about. Where are they?" "I don't know," said Neal, "and if I did I wouldn't tell you." The sergeant struck him sharply across the mouth with the back of his hand. "Take that for your insolence.
They are making back into the town. Are they mad? No, by God, they wheel to their right. They are off. They have escaped." The meaning of Hope's manoeuvre broke suddenly on Lord Dunseveric. There was a road at the end of the town leading north-east to Done-gore. By going along it Hope could join M'Cracken and the remains of the army.
His heart failed him at the critical moment, and when pressed by braver men to take the field at once he hung back and gave up his command. He forgot his oath on MacArt's Fort, where he stood side by side with Wolfe Tone. Henry Joy M'Cracken, a man of another spirit, was appointed in his place.
They had separated far from each other since the day of their swearing, but each in his own way Tone among the intrigues of Continental politics, M'Cracken in Belfast, Neilson and Hope among the Antrim peasantry had kept the oath and would keep it until the end.
The dragoons were on the pikes among the pike men, There was stabbing and cutting, pike and sabre clashed. Again the cavalry were driven back, again the musket bullets followed them musket bullets fired by marksmen. M'Cracken, at the head of his men, pushed forward. The dragoons took shelter, the English artillery and infantry opened fire. The street was swept with grape-shot and bullets.
He was hung, amidst the sobs and tears of the populace, in front of the Old Market place of Belfast, and his remains were interred in the graveyard now covered by St. George's Protestant church. Later still in the same year two gallant young officers of Irish blood, shared the fate of Russell and M'Cracken.
It did not end in the capture of the fugitive, because it was founded on a miscalculation. Neal did not make straight for Dunseveric. When he got out of the town and changed his clothes he went to Donegore Hill. M'Cracken and Hope were there with the remains of their army, and Neal was most anxious to join them.
He spoke to Donald Ward, and then calling Neal, questioned him about the condition of the town of Antrim. Neal repeated all that Lord Dunseveric had said, and told how he had been shown a copy of the proclamation. "You will not tell anyone else what you have told me, Mr. Ward," said M'Cracken, "the news that our plans are known to the enemy might be discouraging to the men.
M'Cracken and a handful not more than a hundred are going to Slievemis in the hope of being able to join Monro in County Down, or perhaps to get through to the Wexford men." "I will go with you." "No, no, lad, you've done enough. You've done a man's part. Go home now." "What are you going to do?" "I? Oh, I'm only a poor weaver. It doesn't matter what I do. I'm going on with M'Cracken."
"It was there that Neilson and Tone and M'Cracken swore the oath. That would have been a brave romantic spot for you and me to spend the night. We might have thought of great things there with the stars over us and nothing else between us and God's heaven. But it's a draughty place, lad." The laughter came into his eyes as he spoke.
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