Civil War ends with order to dump arms

‘further sacrifice of life would now be in vain’, anti-treaty forces told

Dublin, 29 May 1923 - The long running Irish Civil War seems to have come to an end.

An order to dump all arms has been issued by Mr. Frank Aiken, Chief of Staff, to his anti-treaty forces. This instruction was accompanied by a general order from Mr. Eamon de Valera advising that ‘Further sacrifice of life would now be vain’ and that a continuance of the armed struggle would be ‘unwise in the national interest and prejudicial to the future of our cause.’

The orders were dated from May 24th and documents containing the full texts of both were captured and subsequently released to the press by the Government Publicity Department. Both Mr. Aiken and Mr. de Valera acknowledge, in the former’s words, that the ‘enemies of the Republic have for the moment prevailed’, but there is no concession of defeat and the message remains one of defiance and pride from the anti-treaty side.

The Four Courts in Dublin during the Battle of Dublin. The building had been taken over by anti-treaty forces on 14 April 1922 (Image: National Library of Ireland) 

To the ‘Soldiers of the Republic, Legion of the Rearguard’, Mr. de Valera’s order read:

‘The Republic can no longer be defended successfully by your arms. Further sacrifice of life would now be vain and continuance of the struggle in arms unwise in the national interest and prejudicial to the future of our cause. Military victory must be allowed to rest for the moment with those who have destroyed the Republic. Other means must be sought to safeguard the nation's right.

Do not let sorrow overwhelm you. Your efforts and the sacrifices of your dead comrades in this forlorn hope will surely bear fruit. They have even already borne fruit. Much that you set out to accomplish is achieved. You have saved the nation's honour, preserved the sacred national tradition, and kept open the road of independence. You have demonstrated in a way there is no mistaking that we are not a nation of willing bondslaves.

Seven years of intense effort have exhausted our people. Their sacrifices and their sorrows have been many. If they have turned aside and have not given you the active support which alone could bring you victory in this last year, it is because they saw overwhelming forces against them, and they are weary and need a rest. A little time and you will see them recover and rally again to the standard. They will then quickly discover who have been selfless and who selfish — who have spoken truth and who falsehood. When they are ready, you will be, and your place will be again as of old with the vanguard.

The sufferings which you must now face unarmed you will bear in a manner worthy of men who were ready to give their lives for their cause. The thought that you still have to suffer for your devotion will lighten your present sorrow and what you endure will keep you in communion with your dead comrades who gave their lives, and all these lives promised, for Ireland.’

 

National Army troops lined up for a roll call during the Irish Civil War with local children casting an eye over the proceedings (Image: National Library of Ireland) 
                                                                                                                                                                                     

The instruction issued by Mr. Aiken reads:

‘Comrades! The arms with which we fought the enemies of our country are to be dumped! The foreign and domestic enemies of the Republic have for the moment prevailed. But our enemies have not won. Neither tortures nor firing squads, nor a slavish press can crush the desire for independence out of the hearts of those who fought for the Republic or out of the hearts of our people.

Our enemies have demanded our arms. Our answer is, We took up arms to free our country, and we'll keep them until we see an honourable way of reaching our objective without arms'. There is a trying time ahead for the faithful soldiers of Ireland. But the willing sacrifices of our dead comrades will give us the courage to face it in the knowledge that these sacrifices have ensured the ultimate victory of our cause. Their examples and their prayers will help us to be like them, faithful to our ideals unto death.’

Prof. Michael Laffan, The Civil War: A Centenary Perspective

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]