The rebel power now begun to decline and we lived some weeks in dread, both of them and the struggling parties of military sent in pursuit of them. From the first time we were protected by the female beggar and by Martin’s mother who still lived with us and neither of whom were ever afterwards deserted by our two families; but, the last either not knowing that we were suffering loyalists, or not caring, often behaved with great insolence. The smaller the party was the more in dread we were of them; and more than once myself and a few more young girls, fearing to pass the night in the house, slept in the centre of a large holly-bush at some distance from it. But, after the rebels were repulsed from Newtown Barry, and after the battle of Vinegar Hill, then they were totally routed, a regular camp was formed within a fields length of my uncles house; we were then protected, for the soldiers were kept under better discipline, and we found an excellent market for our milk and butter, which enabled us to purchase a few indispensable articles of furniture and clothing, and to fit up the out house for the dwelling-house. Lord Tyrone, too, who commanded these men, sent every day a bakers cart to distribute bread to the families of the suffering loyalists, and we frequently bought two loaves each day from it. On Vinegar Hill, being carried by assaults, he sent to our mother desiring her to look if there was any of her furniture amongst the immense amount of plunder that was on it; she went to thank him, but, she need not look for all hers was burned in Enniscorthy. He smiled, and called her a simple woman, and then asked her what she wanted most, for he would give it to her; she said if he could spare a feather-bed, she would be forever grateful, and he immediately ordered two of the beat to be given to her. I shall never forget the joy we felt at being once more enabled to sleep in comfort for, `till then, we had only loose straw thrown on the ground to sleep on. The latter end of July, a field of our barley, which had escaped the plundering, ripened; Mr.Grimes, the miller, who had saved both his life and property, gave us back our oats ready ground; our new potatoes were fit for use, and we never afterwards knew what want was. He did hot, however, build a house `till the next summer, and the blackened ruins of our little factory which - as he managed it was gone - we never rebuilt, are yet to be seen.

A few nights after Vinegar Hill was taken by the Kings forces, I went with a lantern to an unfrequented outhouse, to bring in some straw. Martins mother, when she perceived where I was going, followed me, much agitated, but, I had already reached the little building, and as I removed the sheaves, I was dreadfully shocked to see thy concealed three or four ghastly creatures who, on seeing me, entreated in the most piteous manner that I would not betray them. They were the rebels who had been badly wounded in the battle, and the women who had sheltered them there and who had supplied them with food from my uncles house, now joined her entreaties to theirs, and I promised faithfully I would be silent. In four days more one died and was buried privately by the two poor women, and the rest were able to remove. I have since been blamed for not giving them up, but, I have never repented for it.

It was just six weeks from the beginning of our troubles that, as I was passing near the ruins of our house, I was startled at hearing within it the deep sobs and surpressed cries of some person in sorrow. I ventured to look and found they descended from a man who was sitting on a low part of the fallen wall, with his head sinking in his knees. When he heard my steps he arose and I saw my brother, but, if it had not been for the strong likeness he yet bore to my father, I should never have known him. From a fair, ruddy, robust boy, he had become a tall, haggard, subharmed man, so thin that his waist might have been spanned; and yet he was not seventeen, this change had been wrought in him by hardship and war in the space of little more than ten months, for it was just so last since we had last met. He immediately stared when he saw me, and fled from me at utmost speed. In three days, however, returned to us again, more composed, and able to meet my poor mother with at least an appearance of calmness. He afterwards got occasional leave of absence to assist in forming business, but, he never was able to settle entirely with us `till the winter was past.

In one of his short visits, sitting alone with him one night after all were gone to bed, I ventured to ask him how soon he knew of my fathers death. He looked at me with a sterness and solemnity that awed me and said, " I knew of it long before I was told of it; I knew of it when I was on guard at Duncannon Fort on the third night after the Battle of Enniscorthy, for I saw him as plainly as I now see you. Overpowered with hunger and fatigue, I slept on my post, when he stood beside me and awakened me and, when I opened my eyes, I saw him clearly in the bright moonlight, and he passed away from before me; and I knew by what I felt that he was no living man" This may have been but a dream yet who can say that he was not permitted to save his son from the death that inevitably awaited him if caught sleeping on his post.