“Army of Ulster, tomorrow we march on Antrim; drive the garrison of Randalstown before you and haste to form a junction with your Commander-in-Chief. 1st year of liberty, 6th day of June 1798”.

Mostly Presbyterian rebels led by Henry Joy McCracken rose in Co Antrim on 6 June. They briefly held most of the county, but the rising there collapsed following defeat at Antrim town. In Co Down, after initial success at Saintfield, rebels were defeated on the 11th at Portaferry and, led by Henry Munro, decisively in the longest battle of the rebellion at Ballynahinch on the 12th.