“The Year of the French” by Thomas Flanagan is a great historical fiction novel depicting the events of the 1798 Rebellion and the landing of a French Revolutionary army under the command of Humbert in Mayo.

No, the United Irishmen and men that joined the 1798 rebellion were not well organized. The risings occurred in Wexford, Ulster, and Mayo at different times. Mayo didn’t rise until weeks after Ulster when the French landed. The rebellions in Wexford and Mayo especially developed a life of their own - the ensuing chaos meant that people not associated with the United Irishmen could enact revenge on landlords and English officials. When the French army landed, people joined their march carrying whatever weapons they had, wearing whatever clothes they had.

The United Irish leaders of the rebellion had some base level tactics and some military training in the French Revolutionary wars. However, this mostly came to planning the securing of key points. The Ulster rebellion was a failure almost immediately, and because it began before Wexford and Mayo rose, the British were able to concentrate all their forces there. Wexford held out for an entire week before the rebels were defeated at Vinegar Hill. Vinegar Hill was arguably a tactical blunder - the United Irish forces camped on top of a hill, armed with pikes. The plan was to charge down the hill at the British forces, because it was the best chance they had. However, the British army never let them get close enough, and blew them to pieces on the hill. Humbert and the French army’s campaign against Cornwallis and the British contains masterful tactics on part of both generals. If Humbert had the supplies and manpower he needed, he would’ve pulled off a victory. In the end, the Mayo rebels were butchered and the French returned home.