But that army had sustained a long succession of defeats and disgraces, unredeemed by a single brilliant achievement.

It was the fashion, both in England and on the Continent, to ascribe those defeats and disgraces to the pusillanimity of the Irish race, [433] That this was a great error is sufficiently proved by the history of every war which has been carried on in any part of Christendom during five generations.

The raw material out of which a good army may be formed existed in great abundance among the Irish.

Avaux informed his government that they were a remarkably handsome, tall, and well made race; that they were personally brave; that they were sincerely attached to the cause for which they were in arms; that they were violently exasperated against the colonists.

After extolling their strength and spirit, he proceeded to explain why it was that, with all their strength and spirit, they were constantly beaten.