RUNNING FIGHT WITH IRISH REBELS.

CHASED TO THE MOUNTAINS.

From Our Own Correspondent. Cork, Sunday.

The details gleaned during to-day and yesterday of the fight near Macroom on Friday go to show that, though the casualty list was a light one, the conflict was more prolonged than any that has yet taken place in this country between the forces of the Crown and the rebels. The first shot was fired before nine in the morning, and the expenditure of ammunition lasted until dark. The contending parties were not all the time in conflict, for the Volunteers wisely withdrew towards the mountains before the reinforcements summoned from Cork and Ballincollig had time to arrive, but during the pursuit, which lasted throughout the day, the military at intervals got within rifle shot of the rebels, and each time they did so the fight was renewed. The rebels, it is officially stated, maintained good military order during the retreat, but it is certain that they divided forces in the vicinity of Ballyvourney village, and that while some went due north towards Millstreet, others marched westwards and crossed into co. Kerry.

It is said that the Volunteers were closely pressed during the afternoon, and that they suffered heavily, but there is evidence that the force which crossed the boundary into co. Kerry late in the evening were in military formation, and were not encumbered with any dead or wounded.

It is possible, however, that the section which faced towards Millstreet, and which numbered about sixty, suffered at the hands of a patrol of the Royal Fusiliers that came into contact with them on the mountain road between Ballyvourney and Millstreet. The moment fire was opened the rebels left the road, and a running fight ensued across the bogs. Some were seen to fall, but the rebels, when they gained the hills with which the bogs are surrounded, turned back and endeavoured to work round towards the military motors left on the road, and entrap the soldiers in the bogs. The soldiers perceived this in time to withdraw without casualties, just in time for the rebels were numerically stronger and expending ammunition at a rate which indicated no lack of supplies.

How the volunteers came to be aware that the Auxiliaries were to travel the Ballyvourney road on Friday morning it is impossible to ascertain. One story is that the rebels had a communication sent to the military that armed men had been seen in the neighbourhood of Ballyvourney. Acting on this information, the Auxiliaries, seventy in number and under the command of Major Seafield Grant, who was killed in the ambush, left Macroom in four Crossley tenders and four motor-cars for the village named, but had got only part of the way when fire was opened on them.

The police casualties were: Major Grant, dead; Constable Keane, died of wounds; and District Inspector Fisher, Lieutenant Miller, Lieutenant Soady, Lieutenant Fothergill, Lieutenant Roots, D.C.M., and Temporary Cadet Tesseyman, wounded. A young man named Lucey, of Ballyvourney, was wounded and taken prisoner, and two or three others whose names are not known also fell into the hands of the military.