Rebels Break Camp, Needham Sends Cavalry to Pursue Them

Ambush at Ballyellis: Rebel Victory Amid Retreat

During the later stages of the 1798 Irish Rebellion, rebel forces in County Wexford executed a brilliant tactical ambush:

- After breaking camp, the rebels began withdrawing through the countryside, pursued by General Needham’s cavalry.
- At Ballyellis, the rebels set a clever ambush, catching the pursuing cavalry in a narrow defile.
- The result was a crushing defeat for the government forces — the cavalry column was nearly annihilated, with heavy losses in men and horses. It became one of the worst government setbacks of the rebellion.
- By that evening, the rebels camped at Kilcavan, regrouping after their success.

This ambush was one of the final victories for the Wexford rebels and demonstrated their continued resilience and tactical skill, even in retreat. However, the broader campaign was faltering under pressure from better-equipped and numerically superior British forces, and rebel momentum would not last much longer.