Charles Edward Jennings de Kilmaine - Irish Assault

Irish Assault

Meanwhile Kilmaine's health was slowly declining. The duties of a 47 year old Kilmaine were alike harassing and arduous, as he had to superintend the equipment and organization of this vast force, composed of men of all arms and several nations, and he was repeatedly summoned to Paris, even in the middle of the night, by couriers who overtook him in his progresses, thus, though suffering under severe ill health. The Directory once brought him on the spur from Bruges early in July, and again from Brest about the end of the same month only to bring him back a few days later.

During the summer of 1798, the European press were full of words expressing admiration for Kilmaine.

Citizen d'Arbois, an officcer on the staff of Kilmaine, in a letter published a glowing account of Jennings in the Parisian papers of the 7th August, 1798, stating ;

"The eagerness with which our troops, both by sea and land, await the moment when, under the brave and brilliant warrior Kilmaine, they will engage the English, is the best pledge of our approaching success, and the defeat of our enemies."

Around this time too, a Brussels print states,

"We are assured that the French republicans shall be able to make a successful descent upon Ireland, the Belgian youth will be employed in that country under General Kilmaine, who, being a native of it, will there have the command of the French and Irish forces."

Doubts hovered in the minds of the Directory, even if there were none in the hearts of their soldiers and generals and long delays ensued. General Hoche, who was the main spring of the projected movement in favor of Ireland, had died. And Bonaparte, to whom Kilmaine, Tone, Shee, and others of the Irish patriots turned, had no longer any sympathy with their cause, as all his views were now directed towards a warfare in the East.