He stated that already nearly 16,500 men from the Volunteers had joined the Army, and he could not understand why Government was so chary of giving assistance to train and equip this force.

There was no doubt as to the mass of men available.

Figures supplied by the police to the Chief Secretary estimated that between September 24th, when the split took place, and October 31st, out of 170,000 Volunteers, only a trifle over 12,000 adhered to Professor MacNeill.
But in Dublin the opponents were nearly 2,000 out of 6,700; and two strong battalions went almost solid against Redmond.

These battalions, along with the Citizens' Army, were destined to alter the course of Irish history.

It was specially true of them, but true generally of all the minority who left Redmond, that they were kept together by a resolute and determined group who had a clear purpose.
The "Irish Volunteers," as the dissentients called themselves, were made to feel that they were a minority, and an unpopular minority in more than one instance.