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Joseph Holt (rebel)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Holt was a United Irish general and leader of a large guerrilla force which fought against British troops in County Wicklow
from June–October 1798
. He was exiled to Australia in 1799 where he worked as a farm manager and eventually returned to Ireland in 1814.
in Ballydaniel (Ballydonnell) near Redcross
who arrived in Ireland
as Elizabethan planters.
Holt, upon marrying Hester Long (maternally of the Manning
family) in 1782
, set himself up as a farmer in the vicinity of Roundwood
. He joined the Irish Volunteers
in the 1780s and held a number of minor public offices such as an inspector of wool and cloth but became involved in law enforcement as a sub-constable, billet
master for the militia and a bounty hunter
.
Holt was involved in The Battle of Vinegar Hill which was an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy, County Wexford.
Despite Holt's apparent loyalism, he became a member of the Society of United Irishmen in 1797
and gradually began to attract suspicion until finally in May 1798 his house was burned down by the Fermanagh militia
, instigated by the local landlord Thomas Hugo who owed Holt a sum of money. Holt then took to the Wicklow mountains, gradually assuming a position of prominence with the United Irish mostly Catholic rebels. Avoiding set-piece battles, Holt led a fierce campaign of raids and ambushes against loyalist military targets in Wicklow
, striking at will and reducing government influence in the county to urban strongholds. The defeat of the County Wexford
rebels at Vinegar Hill
on 21 June saw surviving rebel factions heading towards the Wicklow Mountains
to link up with Holt's forces. Emerging to meet them, Holt was given much of the credit for the planning of the ambush and defeat of a pursuing force of 200 British cavalry at Ballyellis
on 30 June 1798. However the subsequent midlands campaign to revive the rebellion was a disaster and Holt was lucky to escape with his life back to the safety of the Wicklow Mountains.
Holt rallied the remaining rebels and continued his United Irish guerrilla campaign as before allegedly even solving gunpowder shortages by inventing his own concoction known as 'Holt's Mixture'. Eluding a number of large-scale sweeps into the mountains by the army following the collapse of the rising, Holt together with Rebel Captain Michael Dwyer
tied down thousands of troops and his forces were augmented by a steady supply of recruits, a significant proportion of whom were deserters from the militia.
aid but news of the defeat of the French at the Ballinamuck
together with his ill-health brought about by the hardships of his fugitive life, age and family considerations prompted Holt to initiate contact through intermediaries as his wife Hester Long sister worked at Powerscourt
for Lord Richard Wingfield, 4th Viscount Powerscourt
with the Dublin Castle
authorities with a view to a negotiated surrender. Dublin Castle
was eager to end the rebellion in Wicklow
and allow him exile after incarceration in the Bermingham Tower without trial in New South Wales
. Bank of Ireland
Peter La Touche
paid for his pregnant wife Hester Long and son Joshua Holt's passage and for their daughter to be educated in Ireland.
Holt went out on the Minerva (along with Henry Fulton
) and on it met Captain William Cox
who had been appointed paymaster of the New South Wales Corps
. The ship arrived at Sydney
on 11 January 1800, and shortly afterwards Holt agreed to manage Captain Cox's farm. He always claimed in Australia that he was a political exile and not a convict. In September 1800 he was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in a plot against the government, but was soon afterwards released as no evidence could be found against him. He was successful in his management for Cox, and afterwards bought land for himself which eventually yielded him a competence. In 1804 a group of convicts plotted to over throw a garrison at Parramatta and head up the river in order to take a ship and sail back to Ireland and escape but Holt sold out the plan earlier to the Governor and was given a pardon in exchange for his information. In April 1804 he was sent to Norfolk Island
and put to hard labour. After he had been there 14 weeks Governor King
sent instructions that he should be recalled to New South Wales, but delays occurred and it was not until February 1806 that he arrived at Sydney again.
, it had to be handed in to the government when Governor Macquarie
arrived. Holt, however, was officially pardoned on 1 January 1811 and in December 1812, having sold some of his land and stock, with his wife and younger son took passage to Europe on the Isabella; also on board was Henry Browne Hayes
. The ship was wrecked on one of the Falkland Islands
, and Holt showed great resolution and ingenuity in making the best of the conditions on the island. He was rescued on 4 April 1813 but did not reach England
until 22 February 1814 as he went via the United States
. Holt retired to Ireland where he lived for the rest of his life, but regretted he had left Australia. He died at Kingstown
now Dún Laoghaire
near Dublin on 16 May 1826 and is buried in Carrickbrennan Churchyard
at Monkstown. He was a man of great courage and force of character, a good leader of men.(see Bolton) His elder son Joshua Holt married and remained in New South Wales
, and the younger son Joseph Harrison Holt also went there via the United States
after his father's 1826 death.
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
from June–October 1798
1798 in Ireland
-Events:* March - Great Britain's Irish militia arrest the leadership of the Society of United Irishmen marking the beginning of the 1798 Rebellion. * 19 May - Rebel leader Lord Edward FitzGerald is arrested in Dublin....
. He was exiled to Australia in 1799 where he worked as a farm manager and eventually returned to Ireland in 1814.
Background
Holt was one of six sons of John Holt, a farmer in County Wicklow. The Holt family were Protestant loyalistsUlster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
in Ballydaniel (Ballydonnell) near Redcross
Redcross
Redcross is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It lies on the R754 regional road, about east of the N11 national primary route.- See also :* List of towns and villages in Ireland...
who arrived in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as Elizabethan planters.
Holt, upon marrying Hester Long (maternally of the Manning
Manning
-Origin and meaning:Ó Mannin is the name of a Galway family who were formerly chiefs of Soghain , a district nearly co-extensive with the barony of Tiaquin...
family) in 1782
1782 in Ireland
-Events:* 'Constitution of 1782', the collective legal changes which restore legislative independence to the Parliament of Ireland, giving rise to "Grattan's Parliament"....
, set himself up as a farmer in the vicinity of Roundwood
Roundwood
Roundwood, historically known as Tochar , is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It was listed as having a population of 589 in the census of 2006....
. He joined the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
in the 1780s and held a number of minor public offices such as an inspector of wool and cloth but became involved in law enforcement as a sub-constable, billet
Billet
A billet is a term for living quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. Historically, it referred to a private dwelling that was required to accept the soldier....
master for the militia and a bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
.
Holt was involved in The Battle of Vinegar Hill which was an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy, County Wexford.
1798
1797 in Ireland
-Events:*General Lake's disarming of Ulster.*Henry Grattan retires from parliament.-Births:*2 June - Joseph Blake, 3rd Baron Wallscourt, socialist .*John Doyle, artist ....
and gradually began to attract suspicion until finally in May 1798 his house was burned down by the Fermanagh militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, instigated by the local landlord Thomas Hugo who owed Holt a sum of money. Holt then took to the Wicklow mountains, gradually assuming a position of prominence with the United Irish mostly Catholic rebels. Avoiding set-piece battles, Holt led a fierce campaign of raids and ambushes against loyalist military targets in Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, striking at will and reducing government influence in the county to urban strongholds. The defeat of the County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
rebels at Vinegar Hill
Battle of Vinegar Hill
The Battle of Vinegar Hill was an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack on Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy, County Wexford, the largest camp and headquarters of the Wexford United Irish rebels...
on 21 June saw surviving rebel factions heading towards the Wicklow Mountains
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Carlow, Wexford and Dublin. Where the mountains extend into County Dublin, they are known locally as the Dublin Mountains...
to link up with Holt's forces. Emerging to meet them, Holt was given much of the credit for the planning of the ambush and defeat of a pursuing force of 200 British cavalry at Ballyellis
Battle of Ballyellis
The Battle of Ballyellis on 30 June 1798 was a clash during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 , between a surviving column of the dispersed Wexford rebel army and pursuing British forces which resulted in a victory for the rebels....
on 30 June 1798. However the subsequent midlands campaign to revive the rebellion was a disaster and Holt was lucky to escape with his life back to the safety of the Wicklow Mountains.
Holt rallied the remaining rebels and continued his United Irish guerrilla campaign as before allegedly even solving gunpowder shortages by inventing his own concoction known as 'Holt's Mixture'. Eluding a number of large-scale sweeps into the mountains by the army following the collapse of the rising, Holt together with Rebel Captain Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer was a Society of the United Irishmen leader in the 1798 rebellion. He later fought a guerilla campaign against the British Army in the Wicklow Mountains from 1798-1803.-Early life:...
tied down thousands of troops and his forces were augmented by a steady supply of recruits, a significant proportion of whom were deserters from the militia.
Surrender
Holt had largely held out in expectation of the arrival of FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aid but news of the defeat of the French at the Ballinamuck
Battle of Ballinamuck
The Battle of Ballinamuck marked the defeat of the main force of the French incursion during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland.- Background :The victory of General Humbert at Castlebar, despite gaining him c. 5,000 Irish recruits had not led to a renewed outbreak of the rebellion as hoped...
together with his ill-health brought about by the hardships of his fugitive life, age and family considerations prompted Holt to initiate contact through intermediaries as his wife Hester Long sister worked at Powerscourt
Powerscourt
Powerscourt may refer to:*Viscount Powerscourt, title in the Irish peerage*Powerscourt Estate, County Wicklow, Ireland**Powerscourt Golf Club, on the estate*Powerscourt Waterfall, the highest waterfall in Ireland, near the estate...
for Lord Richard Wingfield, 4th Viscount Powerscourt
Viscount Powerscourt
Viscount Powerscourt is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland, each time for members of the Wingfield family. It was created first in 1618 for the Chief Governor of Ireland, Richard Wingfield. However, this creation became extinct on his death in 1634. It was created a...
with the Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
authorities with a view to a negotiated surrender. Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
was eager to end the rebellion in Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
and allow him exile after incarceration in the Bermingham Tower without trial in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
Peter La Touche
Peter La Touche
Peter La Touch was an Irish politician.He became a Member of Parliament for County Leitrim 1802–1806.- References :...
paid for his pregnant wife Hester Long and son Joshua Holt's passage and for their daughter to be educated in Ireland.
Transportation
Henry Fulton
Henry Fulton was an Irish-Australian clergyman and schoolmaster.-Early life:Fulton was born in England and educated at Trinity College, Dublin from 1788, graduating B.A. in 1792. In the late 1790s he was a clergyman in the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland. Fulton became involved in the Irish Rebellion...
) and on it met Captain William Cox
William Cox (pioneer)
William Cox was an English soldier, known as an explorer, road builder and pioneer in the early period of British settlement in Australia.-Early life:...
who had been appointed paymaster of the New South Wales Corps
New South Wales Corps
The New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
. The ship arrived at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 11 January 1800, and shortly afterwards Holt agreed to manage Captain Cox's farm. He always claimed in Australia that he was a political exile and not a convict. In September 1800 he was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in a plot against the government, but was soon afterwards released as no evidence could be found against him. He was successful in his management for Cox, and afterwards bought land for himself which eventually yielded him a competence. In 1804 a group of convicts plotted to over throw a garrison at Parramatta and head up the river in order to take a ship and sail back to Ireland and escape but Holt sold out the plan earlier to the Governor and was given a pardon in exchange for his information. In April 1804 he was sent to Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
and put to hard labour. After he had been there 14 weeks Governor King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
sent instructions that he should be recalled to New South Wales, but delays occurred and it was not until February 1806 that he arrived at Sydney again.
Pardon
In June 1809 Holt received a free pardon, but as this had been given after the arrest of Governor BlighWilliam Bligh
Vice Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMAV Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers...
, it had to be handed in to the government when Governor Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
arrived. Holt, however, was officially pardoned on 1 January 1811 and in December 1812, having sold some of his land and stock, with his wife and younger son took passage to Europe on the Isabella; also on board was Henry Browne Hayes
Henry Browne Hayes
Sir Henry Browne Hayes was an Irish-born convict, transported to New South Wales.Hayes was born in Ireland, the son of Attiwell Hayes. Hayes was admitted a freeman of the city of Cork in November 1782, was one of the sheriffs in 1790, and in that year was knighted...
. The ship was wrecked on one of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, and Holt showed great resolution and ingenuity in making the best of the conditions on the island. He was rescued on 4 April 1813 but did not reach England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
until 22 February 1814 as he went via the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Holt retired to Ireland where he lived for the rest of his life, but regretted he had left Australia. He died at Kingstown
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
now Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
near Dublin on 16 May 1826 and is buried in Carrickbrennan Churchyard
Carrickbrennan Churchyard
Carrickbrennan Churchyard located on Carrickbrennan Road, Monkstown, County Dublin, Ireland is a graveyard that can still be seen today, but is no longer in use. It is notable as the burial place of many people who perished in local maritime disasters...
at Monkstown. He was a man of great courage and force of character, a good leader of men.(see Bolton) His elder son Joshua Holt married and remained in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and the younger son Joseph Harrison Holt also went there via the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after his father's 1826 death.
Further reading
- Rebellion in Wicklow: General Joseph Holt's personal account of 1798. Edited by Peter O' Shaughnessy. Four Courts Press 1998.
- The Year of Liberty: the great Irish rebellion of 1798. Thomas Pakenham. Granada 1982.
- Keeping up the flame' General Joseph Holt. Ruan O' Donnell. History Ireland. Vol. 6. No. 2. 1998.