the Forage or at least make it unserviceable to the Enemy But to return to our own Camp Coll. Coy sent abroad with a Party Monday the 9 th in the Afternoon Coll. Coy went out with a Party of 200 Horse to scour the Country but met with none of the Enemy for they were in a doubtful Condition what measures to take The 10 th Little hapned of moment only the General rid out to observe the Countrey the Popish Chappel in Town was made a Store-house and amongst other Papers of like nature I found one that sometime before had been given to the Priest To pray for the Shoule of Brian Rhode The 11 th There came a Gentleman from the Enemy who told the Duke that their Numbers were not so great as was reported and the Trumpet returned that was sent formerly to the Duke of Berwick for they kept him on purpose for some days that he might not give an Account of their Condition till their Army was got together Thursday the 12 it was given out in Orders That Forage should be fetched from beyond the Town towards the Enemy and that if any Soldier would thresh Corn and bring it to the Commissary he should be paid for it the full value The Majors were ordered to see the Arms of their respective Regiments kept clean and the Soldiers to leave off firing in the Camp because that some unskilful Fellows had done mischief to our own men That none of the Soldiers should Rob or Plunder the Country-people and that there should be a Reserve-Guard appointed in every Regiment consisting of a Captain Lieutenant Ensign and fifty men to be always ready to draw out upon all Occasions Bread brought to the Camp Friday the 13. Two Hundred and Four Load of Bread came to the Camp and four Ships came to Carlingford A Report was in the Camp that our Horse who went a foraging in the morning were engaged with the Enemy which occasioned the General to ride out and all the Collonels that were in Town were ordered to the Camp but the Business was only thus A Party of the Enemies Horse appeared at a distance whilst a Party of ours and some of Collonel Levisons Dragoons were tying up their Forage upon their Horses our Men seeing the Enemy appear threw down their Forage drew up and march'd to meet them as our Men advanc'd they drew back till they were out of sight when our Men had got up their Forage again the Enemy appeared a second time and so a third till a greater Party of Horse went out After this the Duke always ordered a Party of One Hundred Horse to cover the Foragers whilst they were at work The Duke goes to Carlingford but few Ships as yet arrived Next day the Duke went to Carlingford longing to see the Fleet but only four Ships were come and those the night before the Weather then was very tempestuous and orders were given out how the men should receive their Bread this was very good News to them for it had been very scarce ever since we left Belfast but to say truth the Bread we had then and during our stay at Dundalk was full as good in its kind as any we have had since In the Evening we had News The Irish come and encamp at the Bridge of Slane that the Irish Army was come as far as Ardee and part of them to the Bridge of Slane within three Miles of us where they encamped and where their whole Army staid afterwards for some time This Evening it was given out in Orders That none that went a foraging should pass the Horse Out-guards and that the Horse might cut Wood for their Stables and also the Foot for their conveniency so that this was the first publick appearance of our staying here News of the Danes coming Then the Report of the Danes coming was first spread abroad and that we deferred meeting the Enemy upon that account about this time also landed Collonel Viller's Regiment of Horse having suffered much in a Storm and lost one hundred and four Horses In two or three days most of the Wood about Town as also most of the Fruit-Trees in my Lord Bedloe's Orchard were cut down And Sunday the 15th It was ordered that a Collonel should go the Rounds every night and the Officer of the Guard to give him the Word Our Entrenchments begun The Right Wing was to furnish Monsieur Cambon Quarter-master-General with two hundred Men to work at the Trenches at the West-end of the Town next the Enemy where we planted several Field-Pieces and it was not easie for the Enemy to break in upon us that way the Majors were ordered a pound of Powder for each Man and to take care it should be delivered as there was occasion Monday the 16th Six Hundred Men were ordered to work at the Trenches which the Duke saw then convenient to draw round his Camp since he had an Enemy that was too strong for him very near and therefore he must put it out of their power to force him to fight for Wo be to that Army which by an Enemy is made to fight against its will And this is the Advantage of an Entrenched Camp that none can compel you to give Battel but when you please This Method has been practised very much of late especially by the French and yet it is no new thing it being very much in use amongst the Romans yet before the vanquished Pirrhus King of the Epirots they never used any Entrenchments but lay in the open Fields but having found that Princes Army entrenched they liked it so well that ever afterwards they practised it themselves A Battalion mounts to the Trenches But not to digress too far a Battalion was ordered to march next night into the Trenches at the West-end of the Town which was Major-General Kirks no Officers nor Soldiers were to stir out of the Camp all the Collonels were to send for their Detachments that were abroad except that at Newry The Captain that commanded at Bedloes Town that was an House of my Lord Bedloe's about half a mile to the North-West of Dundalk where we had a Guard if the Enemy appeared was to march to the Camp through Dundalk and that a Party of one hundred Foot lye by the Horse-Guard that Night This day or the next came Collonel Tiffins and the rest of the Iniskillin Foot and encamped towards the North-West of the Town but within the Trenches on very safe Ground as did also their Horse What Brigadees of Foot we had Our Brigadeers of Foot were Sir Henry Bellassis Sir John Hanver Brigadeer Stuart and Mounsieur La Millinere we had only one Brigadeer of Horse who was Collonel Villers The General 's Orders for the ordinary Guards Then the General gave the following Orders to be observed and Detachments to be made out of all the four Brigades of Foot as followeth viz. One Brigade was to
furnish all Ordinary and Extraordinary Guards for the day with what little Detachments are to be made for that day to which end the Brigade must furnish Officers and Soldiers as followeth For the Duke 's own Guard a Captain Lieutenant and Ensign with Colours two Serjeants two Drums and Fifty Men the Main-Guard in Town the like Number and the Artillery-Guard as many The Guard for Lieutenant-General Douglas a Lieutenant Serjeant and Thirty Men For Major-General Kirk an Ensign Serjeant and Twenty Men the Guard for the Treasury a Serjeant and Twelve Men in all for the Ordinary Guards three Captains four Lieutenants four Ensigns nine Serjeants eight Drums and two hundred and twelve Men. Each Brigadeer had a Serjeant and twelve Men out of their own Brigade and the Collonels when they were quartered with their Regiments had a Guard of six Men Count Solmes and Major-General Soravenmore had Guards of their own Dutch These were upon ordinary Duty And then the Reserve-Guard of Captain Lieutenant Ensign and Fifty Men out of each Regiment was always to be ready as well out of other Brigades as that which had the Ordinary Guards for the day the Brigade that had the Guards was always to have a Collonel ready in the Camp as well to see the Detachments made as to go the Grand Round through the four Brigades at night The Lieutenant Collonels and Majors were also ordered always to keep with their respective Regiments that in case Detachments were to be made every one might be ready in his turn to march And the Majors of the respective Brigades were to attend every night at the General 's Quarters for Orders Next day and the day following one hundred Men out of each Regiment were ordered to work in the Trenches as also a Lieutenant and twenty Men out of each Company to fetch Straw and Wood to build Hutts what sick Men were in the Camp were sent to Carlingford and now our Scouts and the Enemies stood usually within a quarter of a mile of each other Some little Skirmishes hapned hut they turn'd to no account on either side The General went frequently abroad to view the Enemy and ordered on Thursday that a Brigadier should go the Rounds at night and see the Guards in the day An Account that the Irish advanced Friday the 20th In the morning we had an Account that the Enemy advanced towards us and that a Party of two thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse were gone beyond the Mountains to attack the Pass at Newry and fall upon us in the Rear which had been no ill Project but their Design was only to cut off our Foragers and Straglers About ten a Clock a Party of the Enemies Horse did appear in sight of our Camp and they had several Battalions of Foot drawn up in order near their own but upon the advancing of a Party of our Horse theirs retired to their Main Body which was too strong for us to meddle withal The detached Party of the Enemy that we heard was gone beyond the Mountains went to a place call'd the Blackbank and hearing that my Lord Hewet's Regiment of Horse and Sir Henry Ingleby's Foot were marching to the Camp and were in Newry or hard by it that night though they came not thither till the next as also some French Detachments that the Duke had commanded in lay in Newry besides the usual Garison of Fifty Men they came no further that way but struck off to the left towards Sligo whenas its very probable That if our Enemies had been all men of Resolution they might have sent part of their Army in our Rear and whilst we endeavour'd to oppose those they might with the rest have forced our Camp and destroy'd us but Providence was our best Guard We had sent several men sick to Carlingford by this time I hapned to be there that day and we had News that the Enemy had taken Newry and were upon their march to Carlingford this was not believed by us but however the Irish that remained there thought it true and 't was very observable with what Joy the Little Boys as well as the silly Old Women received the News running together and whispering nor was it possible for them to conceal their inward satisfaction As I went to the Camp that Evening I observed a small Party of Light Horse cross the Rode a litte before me in great haste and when I got about a mile further I understood that they were a Party of the Irish that had killed five French men and two Iniskilliners as they were a foraging towards the Mountains Great Rains This Afternoon came the first of our Ships up to Dundalk from Carlingford with Ammunition and Provisions In the Night the Rains were extreamly violent and both Horse and Foot had orders to forage towards Carlingford for the Forage was destroy'd on the other side The Irish draw out their Army and proffer Battel Saturday the 21st About Nine a Clock in the Morning it being a very clear sunshine-day our Camp was alarmed the Enemy display'd their Standard-Royal and all drew out both Horse and Foot bringing along a very handsome Field-Train A great Body of their Horse drew up to the South-West of the Town about half a mile from our Out-works the Duke went out to observe them and sent for Collonel Beaumont's Regiment into the Trenches beyond the Town and about an hour after for Collonel Earls It was reported that several great Officers were for fighting and desired the Duke to send for the Horse home who were most of them gone a foraging as far as Carlingford but his Answer was Let them alone we will see what they will do He received several fresh Accounts that the Enemy advanced and always bid Let them alone A Body of their Foot came to the side of a Bogg and fired upon a Party of our Horse not far from the Duke but they knew the Horse could not come at them else I suppose they would scarce have come so near Then our Gunners sent from the Works to see if they might fire amongst the Enemy who by this time were within Cannon shot but the Duke would not suffer it except they came within Musquet-shot of our Trenches He observed the Enemies motions and postures and said He saw no sign of their designing to fight only-once they drew their Army into two lines as if they would and then he sent Lieutenant-General Douglass to the Camp to order all the Foot to stand to their Arms and sent to the Horse That upon the firing of three Pieces of Cannon they should return to the Camp but till then to go on with their Foraging Mean time the Duke as if there was no fear of danger for all this for he used to say That it was not in their power to make him fight but when he pleased alighted from his Horse and sate him down upon a little Hill where he seem'd to sleep for some
left and so died and all of us had but indifferent Lodgings that Night amongst the Ruins of the old Houses at Newry So little did the poor Men value dying that some of them being in a Stable over-night the next day two were dead and the rest intreating me to get a Fire which I did coming about two hours after they had pull'd in the two dead Men to make Seats of The ninth Day the rest of our Army marched from Dundalk the Duke giving Orders first to burn some Arms and Provisions that could not be got off because the Waggons were imployed to carry the Men and some few sick Men were left that could not be removed those were at the Mercy of the Enemy who did not use them ill but buried several that were dead At their first coming to Dundalk they removed the Corps of our three dead Colonels out of my Lord Bedlow's Vault and buried them nigh the Church-door but did not abuse them as was reported Some Men killed As the Rear of our Army was marching off from Dundalk a small Party of the Enemy's Horse came as far as Moyery-Castle two Miles from the Town where they killed the Adjutant of my Lord Kingston's Regiment with two or three Souldiers that were behind the rest but a Party of our Horse advancing the Enemy retreated towards Dundalk which they had possession of within an hour after we had left it And that nothing might be wanting for the good of the Souldiers the General before he left the Camp viz. on the 23 d of October set forth an Order how all Subaltern Officers and Souldiers were to be subsisted and cleared according to which all Colonels and superiour Officers were to take care that their Men were paid as they would answer the contrary at their Perils A Remarkable Story Sometime after our coming to Quarters I was told a very remarkable Story relating to the manner of our decamping at Dundalk It was by one Mr. Hambleton of Tollymoore a Justice of Peace in his Country and a sober rational Man which was to this effect Himself and two other Gentlemen with their Servants coming from Dublin into the North at least a Year before our Landing As they came towards Dundalk about nine a Clock at Night they espied several little twinkling Lights in the Air with two larger than the rest They staid some time in the Town and designing for Newry that Night Mr. Hambleton went a little before his Company and saw the same Lights again as nigh as he could guess about the Ground where we afterwards Encamp'd On the side of the Hill as he was to go towards the Mountains he turned about and look'd at them and at the same time he heard the most dismal and heavy Groans in the World This startled him something and presently his Company came up who all saw the Lights and heard the Noise which continued till they got almost to Newry but the Lights they saw no more after they turned their Backs off the Plains of Dundalk They have a great many Stories of this kind in Ireland And the Inniskilling-Men tell you of several such things before their Battels but I have only the Reader 's Pardon to ask for the trouble of this How our Army was quarter'd The Army at our decamping was dispersed all over the North to Winter-Quarters which were but very indifferent and what with coming to warm Fire-sides with some and others having little or no shelter to secure them and very little Provisions the Country being all wasted and destroyed nor was it possible to send Provisions every where till Storehouses were fixed And then most of the Men being very weak before they left the Camp and marching in the Cold and Wett to come to those Places we had more that died when they came to Quarters than died in the Camp I have a Copy of the Order by me which directed how and where all Regiments were to be disposed but it 's needless to insert it only our Frontier Garisons were Green-Castle and Rostriver where quartered Beaumont and Stuart Newry where was Sir Henry Inglesby Taudrogee Sir Henry Bellasis and some of Levison's Dragoons Legacory had some of the French and at Armagh were Drogheda and Deering at Clownish Monohan and those places were Hastings and some of the Iniskilliners The General had his Head-Quarters at Lisburn and the Hospital was ordered to be at Belfast which is a very large Town and the greatest for Trade in the North of Ireland it stands at the head of the Bay of Carickfergus and the Inhabitants have lately built a very famous Stone-Bridg but the Wars coming on it is not as yet quite finished I doubt not but most People will be curious to know how many died this Campaign and in Quarters and what could be the occasion of such Mortality as likewise how many the Enemies Numbers were when they lay so nigh us and wonder why two Armies should lie so near together for our Front and theirs were for above a Fortnight not two miles asunder and yet so little of Action happen The Reasons of our Mens dying As to the first whatever the World may think yet I can attribute those Distempers amongst us to nothing else but the Badness of the Weather the moistness of the Place the unacquaintedness of the English to hardships and indeed their lazy Carelessness for I remember a Regiment of Dutch that Encamp'd at the end of the Town were so well hutted that not above eleven of them died the whole Campaign but it 's the same thing with the English whenever you take them first out of their own Country as it was here and let Men be in other things never so happy if they have Courage and know the use of their Arms yet when they come upon Duty if they have not Bodies inured to hardships they lie under a great disadvantage But in truth we could scarce have been more infortunate either in a Place or in the Weather than whilst we were there for it would often rain all Day upon us when there was not one drop in the Enemies Camp this they used to call a Judgment but it was because we lay in a Hollow at the Bottoms of the Mountains and they upon a high sound Ground the Enemy did not at first die so fast as we did because they were born in the Country and were used to bad lying and feeding but before they decamped they were nigh as ill as we and abundance died after they got to Quarters Chirurgions ill provided One thing I cannot omit and that is that our Surgeons were very ill provided with Druggs having in their Chests only some little things for Wounds but little or nothing that might be useful against the Flux and the Feaver which were the two raging Distempers amongst us and yet I cannot but think that the Feaver was partly brought to our Camp by some of those People that
the Army was marching through Ardee a French Soldier hap'ned to be very sick with drinking Water and despairing to live pluckt out his Beads and fell to his Prayers which one of the Danes seeing shot the French Man dead and took away his Musquet without any further Ceremony There were none of the Irish to be seen but a few poor starved Creatures who had scraped up some of the Husks of Oats nigh a Mill to eat instead of better Food It 's a wonder to see how some of those Creatures live I my self have seen them scratching like Hens amongst the Cindars for Victuals which put me in mind of a story that I have read in the Annals of Ireland where it is said that in the year 1317. the Ulster Irish roved up and down the Kingdom in a Body whilst the Scots Army was down towards Limerick and those people were so hunger-starved at last that in Church-yards they took the Bodies out of their Graves and in their Skulls boild the Flesh and fed thereupon and women did eat their own Children for hunger so that of ten thousand there remained at last only three hundred the reason of this plague the Superstition of those Times attributed to their eating of flesh in Lent for which this Curse came upon them The Irish Army beyond the Boyne By this time his Majesty understood that all the Irish Army was marched over the Boyn the night before except flying parties so that on Monday morning the last of June very early our whole Army began to move in three Lines towards the Boyn which was but eight short miles off Ours advance The Enemy being near our advance Guards of Horse commanded by Sir John Lanier made their approaches very regularly and by that time they had got within two miles of Drogheda his Majesty was in the front of them Some of our Dragoons went into an old House where they found about 200 Scythes stretch'd out upon Beams which the Irish either had forgot or had not time to carry over they brought one of them to the King who smiled and said it was a desperate weapon His Majesty views their Army A little way further there was an Hill to the East of the Enemies Camp and North from the Town upon this His Majesty went from whence he could see the Town and all the Enemies Camp which lay to the West of the Town all along the River side in two Lines here his Majesty had a great deal of discourse with the Prince Duke Schonberg Duke of Ormond Count Solmes Major General Scravemore my Lord Sidney and other great Officers who were all curious in making their Observations upon the Enemy Major General Scravemore called them une petet Armee for we could not reckon above five or six and forty Regiments that lay Encamped his Majesty Answered that they might have a great many men in Town that there was also an Hill to the Southwest beyond which they might have men Encamped and that possibly they did not shew all their Numbers however he said he was resolved to see very soon what they were Such a great Prince knowing that to be warm in undertaking a great Design and cool in justifying it when it comes to a push is seldom attended with Success or Reputation his Majesty therefore went boldly on and obtain'd both By this time our Horse were advancing a pace and the Enemy we could discern were all in a hurry to get up their Horses which were many of them at Grass and to set all things in order his Majesty sent out several parties of Horse some towards the Town of Drogheda and some towards the pass at Old Bridge and then rid softly along westward viewing the Enemies Camp as he passed he made a little stop towards some old Houses and every one commended mightily the order of our Horse marching in here it was that the Enemy fired their first Guns from a Batterey of six Canons that they had a good way below but they did no hurt two of our Troopers went to the very Ford and took away an Horse as also a Barrel of Ale that the Irish had been taken over At Old Bridge His Majesty rid on to the pass at Old Bridge and stood upon the side of the Bank within Musquet shot of the Ford there to make his observations on the Enemies Camp and posture there stood a small a party of the Enemies Horse in a little Island within the River and on the other bank there were several Hedges and little Irish Houses almost Close to the River there was one House likewise of Stone that had a Court and some little works about it this the Irish had filled with Souldiers and all the Hedges and little Houses we saw were lined and filled with Musquiteers there were also several Brest works cast up to the right just at the Ford. However this was the place thro' which his Majesty resolved to force his way and therefore he and his great Officers spent some time in contriving the methods of passing and the places where to plant our Batteries After some time his Majesty rid about 200 yards further up the River nigh the West of all the Enemies Camp and whilst his Army was marching in he alighted and sate him down upon a rising ground where he refreshed himself whilst his Majesty sate there we observed five Gentlemen of the Irish Army ride softly along the other side and make their Remarks upon our Men as they marched in those I heard afterwards were the Duke of Berwick my Lord Tyrconel Sarcefield Parker and some say Lauzun Captain Pownel of Collonel Levisons Regiment was sent with a party of Horse and Dragoons towards the Bridge of Slane and whilst his Majesty sate on the Grass being about an hour there came some of the Irish with long Guns and shot at our Dragoons who went down to the River to Drink and some of ours went down to return the favour then a party of about forty Horse advanced very slowly and stood upon a plowed field over against us for near half an hour and so retired to their Camp this small party as I have heard from their own Officers since brought two Field Pieces amongst them droping them by an Hedge on the plowd Land undiscover'd they did not offer to fire them till his Majesty was mounted and then he and the rest riding softly the same way back their Gunner fires a Piece which kill'd us two Horses and a Man about 100 yards above where the King was but immediately comes a second which had almost been a fatal one for it Graized upon the Bank of the River and in the rising slanted upon the Kings right shoulder took out a piece of his Coat and tore the Skin and Flesh and afterward broke the head of a Gentlemans Pistol The King wounded Mr. Coningsby now one of the Lords Justices of Ireland seeing his Majesty struck rid up and put
Orders that night Towards the close of the Evening the Canons ceased on both sides and Orders were given out that every Souldier should be provided with a good stock of Ammunition and all to be ready at the break of day to March at a minutes warning with every man a green Bough or Sprig in his Hat to distinguish him from the Enemy who wore pieces of paper in their Hats All the Baggage with the Souldiers great â—oats were to be left behind with a small Guard in every Regiment to look after them The word that night was Westminster his Majesty was not idle but about 12 a Clock at night rid with torches quite through his Army and then month July The Battle at the Boyn Tuesday the first of July 1690. The day was very clear as if the Sun it self had a mind to see what would happen about six a Clock Lieutenant General Douglas marched towards the Right with the Foot and Count Schonberg with the Horse which the Enemy perceiving drew out their Horse and Foot towards their Left in order to oppose us Our Right wing draws out the Right wing at first were ordered to pass all at Slane but being better inform'd several Regiments were Commanded to pass at other Fords between our Camp and that place As some of our Horse marched to the River there stood a Regiment of the Enemies Dragoons sent thither over night nigh the Bank on the other side who fired upon us and then thought to have retreated to their main Body but before they could do that they were flanked in a Lane and about seventy of them cut off we met with little more opposition in passing the River but marching forwards we found the Enemy drawn up in two lines we had then twenty four Squardons of Horse and Dragoons with six Battalions of Foot those being too few Lieutenant general Douglas sent for more Foot and in the mean time we drew up in two lines also my Lord Portland advising for the more security to mix our Horse and Foot Squadron with Battalion this is no new way of managing but was first practiced by Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalia against Pompey for he there quite altered the manner of embattleing amongst the Romans covering one of his Flanks with a small River and then placing several Battallions of his best Foot amongst his Squadrons in the other by which he soon routed Pompeys Horse and then falling into the Flanks and Rear of his Enemy obtained the Victory However more Foot coming up our great Officers altered the first Figure and drew all the Horse to the right by which they outflanked the Enemy considerably But as our men were advanceing they met with a great deal of difficulty in the Ground for there were large Corn Fields with great Ditches and those very hard to be got over especially for the Horse who were obliged to advance in order when they were in the face of an Enemy and beyond all those there was such a Bogg as few of our men ever saw before the Horse tho' went to the right of it but the Foot being Commanded to march through found it as great an hardship as Fighting it self yet when the Enemy saw our men take the Bog instead of charging them in it they retreated in hast towards Duleek which Count Schonberg seeing fell in amongst their Foot with his Horse and kill'd a great many The King did not know of this disadvantage of Ground but computed the time when he thought our right wing was got well over and then he ordered his Foot to attack the pass at Old Bridge during all which a great part of the Enemies Horse and Foot were still marching towards Slane where every one expected the main Battle would be and in their march our Canon plaid continually upon them yet tho we kill'd several it did not disorder their Trops The blew Dutch guards post being to the right they were the first that took the River at Old Bridge The Irish had lined the Houses Breastworks and Hedges beyond the River with my Lord Tyrconnels Regiment of Foot Guards and some other Companyes they had posted also seven Regiments of Foot about 150 yards backwards who stood drawn up behind some little hills to shelter them from our Canon which played all this while besides these were 2 Troops of Guards 4 Troops of my Lord Tyrconnels and 4 Troops of Parkers Regiments of Horse posted in the same manner tho if they had posted the French here instead of the Irish it would have been more to their advantage but the reason of this was the Irish Guards would not lose the post of Honour The Dutch Guards take the River The Dutch beat a march till they got to the Rivers side and then the Drums ceasing in they went some eight or ten a breast being presently almost up to the middle in the Stream for they stopt the Current by their sudden motion and this made it deeper than usual the Enemy did not fire till our Men were towards the midst of the River and then a whole peal of Shot came from the Hedges Breast-works Houses and all about yet we could not perceive any fall except one and another stagger'd he that was formost was a Lieutenant of Granadeers who as he got footing on the other side drew up two files of men then stoopt and they fired over him at the next hedge which was not fifteen yards from them at which fire those in the Hedge quitted it which the rest seeing all left their Posts and were followed with a Volley of Shot from our men that were Advancing And are charged by a Squadron of Horse The Irish Foot run scattering into the next Field and before the Dutch could get well over and draw up they were charged very bravely by a Squadron of the Irish Horse who came down in a full carreer but were quickly beat off again One would have thought that Men and Horses had risen out of the Earth for now there appeared a great many Battalions and Squadrons of the Enemy all on a suddain who had stood behind the little Hills We had two French Regiments and Collonel St. John's who passed the River near the same time the Dutch did but about 100 Yards below which Lieutenant-General Hambleton perceiving who commanded at the Pass he Advanced with a party of Foot to the very River and himself with some others went into it giving orders at the same time for my Lord Antrim's Regiment and some more to go and Flank Sir John Hanmer and Count Nassaw's Regiments who were passing about 200 Yards further down but neither would his men stand by him nor could the other be perswaded to come near Hanmer however as Hambleton retreated a Sqadron of their Horse charged our French so bravely that about forty of them broke quite through Monsieur La Callimot's Regiment and wounded himself mortally those must go back the same way or
else pass through the Village and so wheel to the Left to recover their own Men they chose the latter but were so paid off by some of the Dutch and Inniskillin Foot that not above six or eight of them got beyond the Village most of their Horses stragling up and down the Fields Our Foot Advance beyond the River The Dutch and the rest of our Foot advanced all this while and then the Irish Foot quitted a second Hedge that they were perswaded to rally to another Body of Horse came down upon the Dutch who neglected the Hedges and met them in the open Field but keeping so close that it was impossible to break them but as the Irish came on the Dutch begun to fire by Platoons and both flanked and fronted the Horse by which they killed a great many though not without some loss to themselves before this party drew off Are Charged again By this time some of the French and Inniskilliners were got into the Field from whence the Enemy disturb'd us with their Canon the day before and then a fresh Squadron of Horse coming down upon the Dutch those two Regiments stopt them and obliged them to Retreat with considerable loss Much about this time there was nothing to be seen but Smoak and Dust nor any thing to be heard but one continued Fire for nigh half an hour and whilst this Action lasted another party of the Irish Horse Charged Sir John Hanmer as he passed the River nigh a place where the Enemy the day before had a Battery of six Guns but now they were gone as was most of their Artillery It was the Duke of Berwick's Troop of Guards and as they advanced one that had been formerly in Sir J. Hanmer's Regiment came out singly and called one of the Captains by his name who stepping towards him the other fired both his Pistols at him but was taken Prisoner this Troop was beat off again with the loss of only three of Sir John Hanmer's Men. All our Horse went over to the Right and Left except one Squadron of Danes who passed the River whilst our Foot were engaged and Advancing to the Front Hambleton sent out sixty Horse who charged the Danes so home that they came faster back again than they went some of them never looking behind them till they had crossed the River again The want of Horse was so apparent at this place that the very Country People cry'd out Horse Horse which word going towards the Right and they mistaking it for Halt stopt the Right Wing nigh half an hour which time well spent might have done service This and the Irish breaking through the French Regiment hap'ned much about a time The General killed which I am apt to believe was the occasion of Duke Schonberg's going over so unseasonably for in this hurry he was killed near the little Village beyond the River the Irish Troopers as they rid by struck at him with their Swords and some say that our own Men Firing too hastily when the Duke was before them shot him themselves however it was his mortal wound was through his Neck and he had one or two cuts in the Head besides he fell down and did not speak one word and Captain Foubert was shot in the Arm as he was getting him off Doctor Walker going as some say to look after the Duke was shot a little beyond the River and stript immediately for the Scotch-Irish that followed our Camp were got through already and took off most of the Plunder This Action begun at a quarter past Ten and was so hot till past Eleven that a great many old Soldiers said they never saw brisker work but then the Irish retreated to a rising Ground and there drew up again in order both Horse and Foot designing to Charge our Party again that had past the River Whilst this Action at the Pass lasted the Left Wing of our Horse consisting of Danes and Dutch with Collonel Woolsley's Horse and some Dragoons passed the River at a very difficult and unusual place And the Danish Foot with Collonel Cutts's and some others went over a little above them My Lord Sydney and Major-General Kirk went from one place to another as the posture of Affairs required their presence His Majesty passes the River with the Left Wing His Majesty during those Transactions was almost every where before the Action begun He rid between our Army and theirs with only one Dragoon and had ordered every thing in other places as well as possible He passes the River with the Left Wing of His Horse and that with as much difficulty as any body for His Horse was Bogg'd on the other side and He was forced to alight till a Gentleman helpt him to get His Horse out As soon as the Men were got upon the other Bank and put in order His Majesty drew His Sword which yet was troublesome to Him His Arm being stiff with the Wound He received the day before and marched at the Head of them towards the Enemy who were coming on again in good order upon our Foot that had got over the Pass and were Advancing towards them though they were double our Number but when these two Bodies were almost within Musquet shot of one another the Enemy espied the Left Wing of our Horse marching towards them at which they made a suddain Halt faced about and so retreated up the Hill to a little Church and a Village called Dunore about half a mile from the Pass our Men marched in order after them and at this Village the Enemy faced about and Charged our Horse were forced to give Ground though the King was with them His Majesty then went to the Inniskilliners and askt what they would do for Him and Advanced before them their Officer told his Men who it was and what Honour was done them And Charges several times at the Head of his Men. At the Head of those Men the King received the Enemies Fire and then wheeling to the Left that His own Men might have liberty to Advance and fire they all wheeled after Him and retreated above 100 Yards the King then went to the Left to put Himself at the Head of some Dutch that were Advancing and the Inniskilliners being sensible of their mistake came up again doing good service some of Duke Schonberg's French Horse were here also who behaved themselves well and took one or two of King James's Standards Another party Commanded by Lieutenant-General Ginkel Charged in a Lane to the Left but the Irish being two many for them they retreated which a party of Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons commanded by his Lieutenant-Collonel and another of Col. Levison's commanded by Captain Brewerton perceiving the Officers ordered their Men to alight and Line an Hedge as also an old House that Flankt the Lane from whence they poured in their Shot upon the Enemy Lieutenant-General Ginkel staid in the Rear of his Men being much vext
Carlow where he met with some Accounts from England upon which he exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on as far as Chappel Izard and there he was employed for about Three days in hearing Petitions some of which related to the violation of Protections and the Outrages committed by Lieutenant General Douglas's Party As also others about Abuses and Inconveniences from the late Commission and several Complaints were made against Col. Trelawney's Regiment then in Dublin Here the King gave Orders that Count Sehomberg's Horse Col. Mathews's Dragoons Col. Hasting's and Col. Trelawney's Foot with one Troop of Guards should be shipt for England A second Declaration and on the first of August published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthning the former but also adding That if any Foreigners in Arms against Him would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither they pleased And another Proclamation came out dated July 31. Commanding all the Papists to deliver up their Arms and those who did not were to be look'd upon as Rebels and Traytors and abandoned to the discretion of the Soldiers A Proclamation for a Fast And at the same time was likewise published a Proclamation for a General Fast to be kept constantly every Friday during the War in all parts of the Kingdom under his Majesty's Obedience for asking God's Pardon for our Sins and imploring a Blessing upon Their Majesties Forces by Sea and Land At this time also Mr. Poyne Mr. Reves and Mr. Rothford Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal began to act and received Instructions from the King how to proceed And now the King received a further account from England that my Lord Torrington and several more were secured and that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented That the Loss at Sea was not so great as was at first reported and that the French had only burnt a small Village in the West of England and gone off again month August so that the danger of this being partly over His Majesty resolved to The King returns to the Army return to the Army he lessened his Baggage and Retinue giving his spare Horses to the Train and then on the 2 d of August went back towards his Army which he found then at Goulden Bridge on which day a Soldier was hang'd for mutining Here the King stay'd a day or two and had Accounts from several Deserters of the Preparations the Enemy was making for their own defence and safety On the 6 th the King with his Army march'd to Sallywood having the day before sent a Party of Horse towards Limerick And on the 7 th his Majesty march'd to Carigallis within five miles of Limerick Upon our approach thither the Enemy burnt and levell'd all the Suburbs as also set fire to all the Houses in the Country between us and the Town A Party sent toward Limerick On the the 8 th of August early in the Morning my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stuart were sent towards Limerick with about Eleven hundred Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon shot of the Town but met with little opposition from the Enemy and before they returned his Majesty went out with about Three hundred Horse being accompanied with Prince George the Heer Overkirk Major General Ginkle and several other great Officers When these went nigh the Town a Party of the Enemies Horse advanced toward them But Captain Selby of my Lord of Oxford's Regiment having the Advance Guard drew towards them with a design to charge them which they perceiving thought fit to draw homewards their Cannon firing from the Town several times Then in the Evening Lieutenant General Douglass with his Party join'd the Kings Army The 9 th of August in the morning early the King sends three Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons with a Detachment of One Thousand Foot commanded by Sir Henry Bellasis as Brigadeer my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle as an Advance Guard to make the first approach The whole Army make their Approach and all the Army both Horse and Foot followed in order About six a Clock our Advance Party discovered some of the Enemy upon the top of an Hill three Miles on this side the Town our Men drew up and then marched slowly forwards and as we proceeded the Enemy disappear'd by degrees till they were all gone off the Hill We drew forwards and about half a mile further we cou'd see a great part of the Town from a rising ground but could not discover the ways to it nor who were between us and it because of a great many thick Inclosures and Lanes in one of which the Enemy appeared again Our Men halted a little till the Pioneers had cut â—…wn the Hedges to the right and left which done they advanced and the Enemy drew back This took some time a doing and therefore the Front of our Army both of Horse and Foot came up The King was here at first riding from one place to another to order Matters as his Custom always was We cut the Hedges in a great many places and went forwards and the Enemy they drew homewards till they came to a narrow Pass between two Bogs within half a Mile of the Town The Neck of Land between these Bogs is not above 150 Yards over and this full of Hedges with a large Orchard a Stone Wall and also the Ruines of a great House upon the Lane-side which the Irish had burnt the Day before But there were Three Lanes that led this way towards the Town the middlemost being the broadest the Irish Horse stood in it on the Pass beyond this old House and whilst our Pioneers were at work the Front of our Horse went up so close that there were several little Firings but not much damage done on either side To the Right and Left of the Irish Horse the Hedges were all lined with Musqueteers of whom our Foot were got now within less than two hundred Yards The Pioneers laboured at the Hedges all this while and the Army made their Approaches in excellent Order The Detached Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Centre the Horse a little to the Right of them followed by the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Lieutenant General Douglas at the Head of them my Lord Drogheda himself being upon the Advance Guard The Danes were towards the Left led on by the Prince of Wirtemberg and Major General Kirk The Blue Dutch and several English Regiments were upon the Right All those were lined with Horse and these supported again with more Foot So that all Men that understood it said it was a most curious sight for though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet it was so ordered that the Front kept all on a Line except the advance Party who went always some distance before Whilst things were going on thus the King ordered Two Field-Pieces to be
Army I wondred much to see their Horses and Equipage hearing before what Feats had been done by them they were three Regiments in all and most of the Troopers and Dragoons had their Waiting-men mounted upon Garrons those are small Irish Horses but very hardy some of them had Holsters and others their Pistols hung at their Sword-Belts they shewed me the Enemies Scouts upon a hill before us I wisht them to go and beat them off and they answered With all their hearts but they had Orders to go no further than where they saw the Enemies Scouts tho they seem'd to be dissatisfied with it and added They should never thrive so long as they were under Orders Newry burnt And yet if those men had been allowed to go on in their old forward way it 's very probable they might have saved the Town of Newry from being burnt for the Duke of Berwick was then in it and a Troop of the Enemies Horse advanced that afternoon some three miles from the Town towards us but seeing the Iniskilliners they retreated in haste to the Town only leaving some few Scouts to bring a further account of our motion Those in the Town were startled at the news and made ready to march off but seeing no Enemy approach they took time to set it on fire and take all the people with whatsoever was valuable along with them They went away about Sun-set and next morning came to Dundalk where we heard that some of their great Officers exprest themselves very melancholly as if they had but small hopes to withstand the English The General not knowing that the Town of Newry was burnt nor that the Enemy had deserted the Pass gave Orders for 70 men out of each Regiment of Foot in all 1200 with a Party of Horse and Dragoons and four Field-Pieces to be ready to march by three of the Clock in the morning this Party was commanded by Coll. Wharton and was designed to attack the Enemy whom we expected at the end of the Town there being an old Church with several other convenient places from whence they might prevent our marching nor could we well go about without a great deal of trouble and several days march and then we must leave the Enemy on our Rear which was not to be done We march to Newry The Party marched according to Orders and the whole Army followed about Six of the Clock But on our march the Duke had an account by one Mr. Humphreys of Belfast That the Enemy had retreated and Burnt the Town the General then went forwards and found the Flames not quite extinguished and with Coll. Levison's Dragoons and some of the Iniskillin Horse he went at least two miles further but nothing of an Enemy appearing he returned and gave Command for his Army to encamp a mile short of Newry The bad weather had disturb'd us before but now the Rains and Wind were so extreamly violent that it was very difficult for us to pitch our Tents so that every one was forced to shift for himself as well as he could Provisions were also very scarce for there wanted Horses to bring them after us We encampt here next day also from whence the Duke sent a Trumpet to the Irish to let them know That if they burnt any more Towns he would give no Quarter I went abroad into the Countrey where I found all the Houses deserted for several miles Customs of the Native Irish most of them that I observed had Crosses on the Inside above the Doors upon the Thatch some made of Wood and others of Straw or Rushes finely wrought some Houses had more and some less I understood afterwards that it is the custom among the Native Irish to set up a new Cross every Corpus Christi day and so many years as they have lived in such a house as many Crosses you may find I asked a Reason for it but the Custom was all they pretended to Here the Corn also was either lying and rotting on the ground or else was shaken by the violent winds for the People were all gone the Protestants the March before and the Irish now at the retreating of their Army some fled for fear and those that had a mind to stay were forced away by the Army with all their Cattel and whatever else was portable In the Evening the Duke sent a Detachment of 520 Foot with a Party of Horse and Dragoons commanded by my Lord Lisburn towards Dundalk they got there the next morning but found it forsaken by the Enemy and not burnt tho it had been better for us if it had as it fell out afterwards There is an old square Tower in Newry which they call the Castle this was left standing and not above five or six Houses more the Town it self had been a pretty place and well built standing upon a very advantageous Pass the Tide coming up above the Bridge by a Bay that comes from Carlingford In this Castle the Irish had left some salt Beef and Herrings but they were salted so very much after the Irish fashion that the Soldiers for all they were very hard put to it for Victuals yet they could not eat them I believe the greatest reason was a fond conceit they had got amongst them that the meat was poisoned There was also a small Gun left in the Castle and another Twelve-Pounder thrown over the Bridge into the River In this Castle the General left Fifty men of Sir Tho. Gowers Regiment commanded by Captain Pallifer The Army marched to Dundalk and on Saturday the 7 th of September the Army marched to Dundalk in our way thither we found two Redoubts nigh a place called the Four-mile-house for Mareschal de Rose the French General was at Dundalk some time before our Army approached and enquiring whether the River was fordable he found it was in several places then he went on to Newry and finding it a convenient Pass he ordered it to be defended at the same time commanding those Redoubts to be made which if the Enemy had mann'd they might have given us no small diversion for there are vast Mountains on each hand and a Bog between them through which there was only a Causeway with a deep Ditch and a small Stone Bridge about the middle of it at the farther end of the Causeway the Forts were placed a convenient distance one from another from whence the Irish might easily have retired if we had forced the Pass for neither could our Horse follow nor knew our Foot how to tread the Bogs after them This place was formerly very woody and was fortified by O Neale Earl of Tyrone against Sir Charles Blunt Lord Deputy which he found great difficulty in passing but next year he built a Fort some two miles nearer Dundalk called Moyery Castle The Countrey between Newry and Dundalk is one of the wildest places of all Ireland being the haunt some years ago of the famous Tory Redman
Foot began to march at one a Clock in the morning and their Horse followed in the Rear burning their Camp at the Bridg of Fane and removing to Ardee We had also an account That the Duke of Berwick with a considerable Body of Horse was gone towards Iniskillin to rescue Major General Maccarty upon which a Detatchment of the Iniskillin Horse and Foot Coll. Russels Horse and Eight Grenadeers out of every Regiment mounted on Horse-back were sent on the 8 th to keep a Pass between us and Sligo On the 9 th the General had an Account from one Hempson and Johnston with four more who came from Dublin in an open Boat on the 7 th and landed at Carlingford That King James had given Orders to victual that place for his Winter-Quarters and that the discourse was there of dividing the Army in order to quit the Field because they thought it was impossible for us to attempt any thing that Winter as indeed it was That night a Party of 100 Horse were sent out towards Ardee but coming near an old Castle where the Enemy had posted themselves they fired upon our men which occasioned some of the French Horse to retreat but all the harm that was done was one of the Troopers had his Thigh bruised An Honourable Quarrel About this time there hapned a Quarrel between two French Officers belonging to Duke Sconberg's Regiment of Horse they were afraid to fight nigh our Camp lest the General should have notice of it and so try them by a Court-martial therefore they agreed to ride out towards the Enemies Camp where they fought with Sword and Pistol and being both wounded they told at their return that it was the Enemy had done it Both Forage and Firing grew now very scarce and the Weather was mighty bad so that Mr. Shales had Orders to deliver out two Tuns of Coals to each Regiment About the 8 th or 9 th Sir John Lanier's Colonel Langston's Horse and Colonel Hefford's Dragoons with Colonel Hasting's Foot landed at Carlingford from Scotland We had an account that there were more landed with them and that when they joined us we should march forwards but now it was too late and they did not come to the Camp but were ordered to Armagh Clownish and Places thereabouts The General gave Orders that no Colonel or any one whatever should give Passes for any to go from the Camp and that the Officers should visit the Souldiers Tents night and morning to see what they wanted The Sick order'd on Board On the 13 th it was ordered that all the Sick should be sent on Board and that the Officers took care to see that those who were well should have Hutts made and the Quarter-masters were ordered to fetch Shoes Bread Cheese Brandy and Coals And all the Surgeons in the Army were appointed to meet Dr. Lawrence next day at 10 a Clock to consult I suppose what Methods could be taken to prevent the Flux and Feaver which then were very violent The General Count Solmes Lieut. Gen. Douglas Maj. Gen. Kirk and M. G. Scravenmore or some of them were out every day either to observe the Enemy or view our own Camp And on the 15 th we were told by three or four Deserters that the Enemy had entrenched themselves at Ardee and designed to continue there for some time but the first was a Mistake for it was the Town that they were fortifying whilst they lay there that they might leave a Garison in it when the Army went off to Quarters A Colonel was ordered to go the Rounds every night and a Brigadier once in three nights And we had at this time about 105 Ships at Carlingford besides those at Dundalk Our Horse encamp at Carlingford The 16 th all our Horse except the French the Inniskillin and Col. Levison's Dragoons march'd towards Carlingford for the conveniency of Forage That day Capt. Ralph Gore was buried in Dundalk-Church and the day following Col. Deering as had been several Officers before Sir Edward was very much lamented in the Army by all that knew him He left a good Fortune in England purely to serve the King in this Expedition as did three more of his Brothers one of which viz. Capt. John Deering died since at Taudrogee being a very ingenious young Gentleman On the 17 th a Party of Inniskillin Horse and some of Levison's Dragoons were got so nigh the Enemy that a Party of twenty Horse came behind them thinking to keep a Pass whilst others charged them in the Front Four Irish Men killed but our Men discovering their Error faced about and charged those in the Rear whereof they killed four and took six Prisoners A Priest hanged for a Spy The same day a Priest was hanged who came from the Enemy as a Deserter but proved a Spy he served then in station of a Captain And to be even with us they caught a Spy of ours some days after in Priests habit and hanged him The 20 th Capt. Withers of Maj. Gen. Kirk's Regiment was made Adjutant-General of Foot and next day it was again ordered that all our Sick should be sent on board at Dundalk and Carlingford though those Orders were not executed till a fortnight after We remove our Camp beyond the Town However we removed our Camps some beyond the Town and some towards the Artillery leaving the Huts that we had made full of sick Men. I know not the distinct number of the Sick in every Regiment at that time but besides what were dead and gone to Carlingford before as also some in the Town we had 67 that were not able to march about twice twelve score to fresh ground whom we put into those Huts leaving the Surgeon with an Officer and twelve Men purposely to attend them The Chaplain likewise went to see them once a day but always at his going found some dead Those that were alive seemed very sorry when the others were to be buried not that they were dead for they were the hardest-hearted one to another in the World but whilst they had them in their Huts they either served to lay between them and the cold Wind or at least were serviceable to sit or lie upon And since the Enemy were now drawn off the Guards were taken from the Ships and from Mortimer's Castle leaving only a Sergeant and twelve Men at the Gate that leads to Bedloes Castle and because some Companies were so thin that there were scarce twelve healthful Men in them it was therefore ordered that every Company should do Duty according to strength Tuesday the 22 d great part of the Army were marched beyond the Town and encamp'd some towards Bedloe's-Castle and some down towards the Shipping in so much that those that went over were ordered to do Duty as three Brigades and those that staid as one the Chirurgeon of each Regiment was ordered to see the Sick on Board An Officer was sent to take
The humble Addess of the Clergy of the Church of Ireland now in Vlster An Address presented to his Majesty GReat Sir We your Majesty's Loyal Subjects out of the deepest sense of the Blessing of this Day with most joyful Hear to congratulate your Majesty's safe Landing in this Kingdom And as we must always praise God for the Wonders he hath already wrought by your Majesty's Hands so we cannot but admire and applaud Your remarkable Zeal for the Protestant Religion and the Peace of these Kingdoms We owe all imaginable Thanks to God and Acknowledgment to your Majesty for the Calm and Safety we have enjoyed by the Success of your Arms under the happy and wise Management of his Grace the Duke of Schonberg And we do not doubt but God will hear the Prayers of his Church and crown your Majesty's Arms with such Success and Victory that those happy beginnings of our Joy may terminate in a full Establishment of our Religion and our Peace and with lasting Honours to your Majesty May Heaven bless and preserve your Majesty in such glorious Vndertakings give strength and prosperity to such generous Designs that all your Enemies may flee before You that your Subjects may rejoice in Your easy Victory and that all the World may admire and honour You. Give us leave great Sir after the most humble and grateful manner to offer our selves to your Majesty and to give all assurance of a steady Loyalty and Duty to your Majesty of our Resolution to promote and advance your Service and Interest to the utmost of our Power And that we will always with the most hearty importunity pray That Heaven may protect your Royal Person from all Dangers that we may long enjoy the Blessings of your Government and Victories and that after a long and peaceful Reign here God may change your Lawrels into a Crown of Glory The King staid at Belfast till Thursday where on the 19 th he sent out a Proclamation encouraging all People of what perswasion soever to live at Home peaceably commanding the Officers and Souldiers upon no Pretext whatever to Rob or Plunder them That day the King dined at Lisburn with the General and then went to Hillsburough where he sent out an Order on the 20 th forbidding the pressing of Horses from the Countrey People And seeing that things did not go on so fast as he desired he exprest some Dissatisfaction saying that he did not come there to let Grass grow under his Feet The Army takes the Field And he made his Words good for the whole Army now received Orders to march into the Field on the 21 th several English Regiments met and encamped at Loughbritland some being already at Newry with Maj. Gen. Kirk and Lieut. Gen. Douglass between Hambleton's Ban and Tandrogee with 22 Regiments of Foot and eight or nine of Horse and Dragoons The Enemy had formed a Camp sometime before this at Ardee whither K. James came about the 18 th with 5000 French Foot leaving Col. Latterel with about 6000 of the Militia in Dublin who when the late King was gone shut up all the Protestants in Prison so that all the Churches and publick Places were full of them The Enemy at Dundalk About the 19 th or 20 th the Enemies Army came and Encamped beyond the River at Dundalk all along where our last Camp had been the Year before A Party of ours falls into an Ambush On Sunday Morning the 22 d a Party of Col. Levisons Dragoons commanded by Capt. Crow and a party of Foot under Capt. Farlow in all about 200 went from Newry towards Dundalk to discover the Enemy and to see if the Ways were mended according to the Duke's Order We had sent out several small Parties before and the Enemy had notice of it which occasioned them to lay an Ambuscade of about 400 Men at a place half-way where they had cast up some Works the Year before In that next the Pass they had placed part of their Foot and had the rest with the Horse some distance off the Morning was very foggy and favoured their Design so that after greatest part of our Foot were got over the Pass and the Dragoons advanced about 200 Yards beyond it then the Irish fired from the Fort and at the same time another party charged our Dragoons who being some of them Recruits retreated past our own Foot but most of them advanced again and the Engagement was pretty sharp yet our Party not knowing but the Enemy might have more Men in covert retreated over the Pass and there drew up but the Irish did not think fit to advance upon them Capt. Farlow and another Gentleman were taken Prisoners and we had about 22 kill'd but the Enemy lost more as we understood by some Deserters that came off next Day The King comes to the Camp that Afternoon His Majesty Prince George the General the Duke of Ormond and all the great Men came to the Camp at Loughbritland The King had given Orders before His coming that we should remove our Camp from the South side of the Town to the North west that His Majesty might take a View of the Regiments as they marched the Weather was then very dry and windy which made the Dust in our marching troublesome I was of opinion with several others that this might be uneasie to a King and therefore believed that His Majesty would sit on Horseback at a distance in some convenient place to see the Men march by Him but He was no sooner come than He was in amongst the throng of them and observed every Regiment very critically This pleased the Soldiers mightily and every one was ready to give what Demonstrations it was possible both of their Courage and Duty The King and the Prince had their moving Houses set up Those Houses were made of Wood but so convenient that they could be set up in an hours time and never after lay out of the Camp during Their stay in Ireland His Majesty lost no time but sent Major General Scravemoor who now was come over that Evening with 500 Horse and a good Detachment of Foot commanded by Lieutenant Collonel Caulfield to discover the Ways and observe the Enemy they marched over part of the Barony of Phuse and almost to Dundalk returning the 23 d in the Evening That Morning His Majesty with a Party of Horse went four Miles beyond Newry and return'd towards the Evening to the Camp at Loughbritland At His coming back some brought Him a Paper to Sign about some Wine and other things for His Majesty 's own use but He was dissatisfied that all things for the Soldiers were not so ready as he desired and with some heat protested That He would drink Water rather than His Men should want A little after His Majesty received a Letter by an Aid du Camp from Major General Kirk Acquainting the King That the Party he sent out that Morning went
at their retreating and was in some danger by our own Dragoons for the Enemy being close upon him they could not well distinguish however the Dragoons did here a piece of good service in stopping the Enemy who came up very boldly and our Horse Rallying both here and to the Right after near half an hours dispute the Enemy were again beat from this place and a great many of them killed Lieutenant-General Hambleton finding his Foot not to answer his expectation he put himself at the Head of the Horse and Lieutenant-General Hambleton taken Prisoner when they were defeated he was here taken prisoner having received a wound on the Head When he was brought to the King His Majesty asked him Whether the Irish would fight any more Yes said he an 't please Your Majesty upon my Honour I believe they will for they have a good Body of Horse still The King lookt a little aside at him when he named his Honour and repeated it once or twice Your Honour Intimating as He always says a great deal in few words that what the other affirmed upon his Honour was not to be believed since he had forfeited that before in his siding with my Lord Tyrconnel and this was all the Rebuke the King gave him for his breach of Trust There were several other prisoners taken here also but not many of note How things went to the right of our Army Now you must know that whilst all this hap'ned here our Men on the Right were making their way as well as they could over Hedges and Bogs towards Duleek and as they Advanced the Enemy drew off till they heard what had hap'ned at the Pass and then they made greater haste yet they could not retreat so fast but several of them were killed especially of their Foot amongst whom a party of our Horse fell in but they presently scatter'd amongst the Corn and Hedges till they got beyond a great Ditch where our Horse could not follow Collonel Levison with a party of his Dragoons got between some of the Enemies Horse and Duleek and killed several yet if they had not minded retreating more than fighting he might have come off a loser When most of them were over the Pass they drew up and fired their great Guns upon us and we ours upon them though we could not easily come at them with our small Shot for there are several Boggy Fields with Ditches at Duleek and in the midst of these a deep strait Rivulet very soft in the bottom and high Banks on each side there is only one place to get over and there not above six can go a breast Their confusion however was so great that they left a great many Arms and a considerable quantity of Ammunition in that Village of Duleek and indeed all the Country over but our Men were so foolish as to blow up the Powder wherever they met with it and few or none of the Men escaped that came in their Hands for they shot them like Hares amongst the Corn and in the Hedges as they found them in their march Reasons why so few killed By that time therefore a Body of our Horse was got over the Pass that was sufficient to Attack the Enemy they were gone at least a mile before their Horse and Artillery in the Rear and their Foot marching in great haste and confusion we went after them for at least three miles but did not offer to Attack them any more because of the Ground Then night coming on the King with some of the Horse return'd to the Foot that were Encamping at Duleek but the greatest part of them remained at their Arms all night where they left off the pursuit The Number of the dead On the Irish side were killed my Lord Dungan my Lord Carlingford Sir Neal O Neal with a great many more Officers they lost at the Pass at Dunore Duleek and all the Fields adjoyning between 1000 and 1500 men one thing was observable that most of their Horse-men that charged so desperately were drunk with Brandy each man that morning having received half a Pint to his share but it seems the Foot had not so large a proportion or at least they did not deserve it so well On our side were killed nigh four hundred The Dutch Granadeers told me before we got to the Church at Dunore that they had lost seventeen and the rest proportionably the French also lost several but all this was nothing in respect of Duke Schonberg who was more considerable than all that were lost on both sides whom his very Enemies always called a Brave Man and a Great General I have heard several reasons given for the Dukes passing the River at that juncture but doubtless his chief design was to encourage the French whom he had always loved and to rectifie some mistakes that he might see at a distance However 't was this I'm certain of that we never knew the value of him till we really lost him which often falls out in such cases and since it was in our Quarrel that he lost his life we cannot too much Honour his Memory which will make a considerable Figure in History whilst the World lasts He was certainly a Man of the best Education in the World and knew Men and Things beyond most of his time being Courteous and Civil to every Body and yet had somthing always that lookt so Great in him that he commanded respect from men of all Qualities and Stations Nor did we know any fault that he had except we might be jealous he sometimes was too obliging to the French As to his person he was of a middle stature well proportion'd fair complexion'd a very sound hardy man of his age and sate an Horse the best of any man he loved constantly to be â—…at in his Clothes and in his Conversation he was always pleasant he was fourscore and two when he died and yet when he came to be unbowelled his Heart Intrails and Brain were as fresh and as sound as if he had been but twenty so that it 's probable he might have lived several Years if Providence had not ordered it otherways Monsieur Callimot an honest worthy Gentleman died soon after him of his Wounds having follow'd that great Man in all his Fortunes Some who pretend to more skill than possibly they are really Masters of will needs affirm that there were two oversights committed at this time one in not pursuing the Enemy closser after they were once broke which had been less hazardous considering all things then what followed afterwards my Lord of Oxford and my Lord Portland were for sending three thousand Horse with each a Musqueteer behind him to fall upon them in the Rear as they retreated which might have done great matters for the Enemy were in such a Consternation that they marched all that night in great fear and confusion expecting us at their Heels every minute But those that have seen the
And hereabouts were the first English planted in Ireland they were a Colony of West-Country men and retain their old English Tone and Customs to this day I am credibly informed that every day about one or two a Clock in Summer they go to Bed the whole Country round nay the very Hens fly up and the Sheep go to Fold as orderly as it were night The Duke of Ormond goes with a party to Killkenny The Army rested a day at Castle Dermot and the next day marched beyond Carlow sending forwards a party of Horse under the Command of the Duke of Ormond to take possession of Kill Kenny and to secure the Protestants and other Inhabitants in the Country about from being Plundred by the Enemy for by this time some of them adventured to look behind them and to return to take along what they had not time nor conveniency to carry off at first here the Army staid a day also and the next day marched to a place called Kells two miles beyond Loughlind Bridge and the day following to Bennets Bridge three miles to the Northest of Kill-Kenny upon the same River The 19. his Majesty dined with the Duke of Ormond at his Castle of Kill Kenny this House was preserved by the Count de Lauzun with all the Goods and Furniture and left in a good Condition not without the Cellars well furnished with what they had not time to drink at their going off Killkenny signifies the Cell or Church of Canick who for the Sanctimony of his Solitary Life in this Country was highly Renowned this was one of the best Inland Towns in Ireland the Irish Town has in it the said Canick's Church now the Cathedral of the Bishop of Ossory The English Town was built by Randolph the third Earl of Chester and fortified with a Wall on the West side by Robert Talbot a Nobleman and this Castle by the Buttlers Ancestors to the present Duke of Ormond On Sunday the 20 th They marched six Miles farther and Encamp'd at a Place called Rossed-Narrow upon the Estate of one Mr. Read where the King had an Account of one Fitz Morrice Sheriff of the Queens County that was under Protection and afterwards went off in the Night with his Family and all his Stock the King had also News that the Enemy had quitted Clonmel whither Count Schomberg marched with â— Body of Horse This is one of the strongest Towns in Ireland and cost Oliver Cromwel at least 2000 Men in taking it the Irish made some Pretensions to hold it out now in order to which they levelled all the Suburbs and Hedges but all they did was to make the Inhabitants pay them 300 l. to save the Town from being burnt or plundred it stands upon the River Sure in a pleasant and fruitful Country Here my Lord George Howard and some more came in and submitted who had Protections The Army goes to Carruck Monday the 21 st The Army marched to Carruck situate upon a Rocky Ground whence it took its Name being called from Carruck Mack Griffin the Habitation formerly of the Earls of Ormond which together with the Honour of Earl of Carruck King Edw. II. Granted unto Edward Boteler or Buttler whose Posterity the present D. of Ormond still enjoy it There the King received an Account of the State of Waterford by some that escaped from thence and of the Resolution of the Garison to hold out There also the King had some Intelligence of the Condition of the City of Cork and that County with great Sollicitations from the Inhabitants to hasten to their Relief which at that time they represented as a thing very easie On the 22 d. Major General Kirk with his own Regiment and Colonel Brewers as also a Party of Horse went towards Waterford more Forces designing to follow Waterford summon'd The Major General sent a Trumpet to Summon the Town who at first refused to surrender there being Two Regiments then in Garison their Refusal however was in such civil Terms that we easily understood their Inclinations for soon after they sent out again to know what Terms they might have which were the same with Drogheda but not liking those they proposed some of their own which were That they might enjoy their Estates The Liberty of their Religion A safe Convoy to the next Garrison with their Arms and proper Goods those would not be Granted and then the heavy Cannon were drawn down that way and some more Forces ordered to march And Surrendred but the Irish understanding this sent to ask Liberty to march out with their Arms and to have a safe Convoy which was granted them and accordingly on the 25 th they marched out with their Arms and Baggage being conducted to Mallow In the mean time the Fort of * This Fort was also given John Talbot Earl of Shrewsburry but afterwards by Act of Parliament it was annexed to the Crown for ever Duncanon Seven Miles below Waterford was summon'd This is a Strong and Regular Fortification being at that time Commanded by one Captain Burk and well furnished with Guns and all other Necessaries the Governour required Seven days to Consider of it which being denied him he said he would take so much time but upon the approach of our Forces and the appearing of some Ships before it he surrendered upon the same Terms with Waterford The day that Waterford Surrendred the King himself went to see it and took great care that no Persons should be disturbed in their Houses or Goods Here we found my Lord Dover who was admitted to a more particular Protection he having formerly applyed himself when the King was at Hillsborough by a Leter to Major General Kirk to desire a Pass for himself and Family into Flanders The City of Waterford was built first by certain Pyrates of Norway and afterwards won from the Irish by Richard Earl of Pembrook The Citizens hereof had large Privileges granted them by King Hen. 7. for demeaning themselves Loyally against Perkin Warbeck It was Granted by Patent from King Hen. 6. to John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and his Heirs who by the same Patent were to be Senescals of Ireland But this City afterwards was annexed to the Crown The King speaks of going for England At the King 's returning to the Camp His Majesty held a Council wherein he declares his Resolution to go for England In the mean time our Horse Encamped between Carruck and Clonmell and the Earl of Granard came to wait on His Majesty he receiving at the same time an Express from Lieutenant General Douglass who gave but an indifferent Account of that Expedition On the 27 th the King left the Camp at Carruck and went towards Dublin in order for England which occasioned various Conjectures and some Apprehensions that the Affairs of England were in no pleasing Posture Count Solmes left General His Majesty left Count Solmes Commander in Chief and went that night to
O Hanlon whose Ancestors were wont to brag that they were Standard-Bearers in times of old to the Kings of Vlster Our encamping there We Encampt about a mile on this side the Town of Dundalk in a low moist Ground having the Town with the River towards the West between us and the Enemy the Sea towards the South the Newry Mountains to the East and toward the North were Hills and Bogs intermixt the Protestants that were left there told us the Irish boasted when they went away that they would drive us all back into the Sea again or else we would die of our selves the English not being used to the Field especially in a strange Countrey and at that time of the year At our coming thither we got about 2000 of my Lord Bedlow's Sheep which came in very good time to the Army for it had gone hard with us before for want of Provisions however Bread was so scarce that the General gave Orders that what there was should be for the Men and not for the Officers because he judged they could shift better It was also ordered the first night we came there That an Officer with a Party of men out of every Regiment should go back and take up what men they met withal upon the Road sick for several were beginning to faint already by reason of the Bad weather and constant marchings and want of Provisions Gasper de Coligny sometimes Admiral of France and one of the most knowing Men of his time was wont to say That War is a great Monster which begins to be formed by the Belly meaning that Food ought to be the very first care of a General for his Army this Duke Sconberg knew as well as any one and now his Ships not being come he takes part of his Train-horses to send for Bread Maj. General Kirk joins the Army On Sunday the Eighth Major General Kirk's Regiment Sir Jo. Hanmer's and Brigadeer Stuart's join'd us and that Afternoon we had a Report that a Party of my Lord Delamere's Horse were surrounded by the Enemy but it proved false for there were none of them within ten miles of us Monday the 9 th The Soldiers had Orders not to stir out of the Camp on pain of death for they stragled abroad and plundred those few People that were left and some of them were murthered by the Rapparees a word which we were strangers to till this time Rapparees from whence Those are such of the Irish as are not of the Army but the Country people armed in a kind of an hostile manner with Half-Pikes and Skeins and some with Sythes or Musquets For the Priests the last three or four years past would not allow an Irish man to come to Mass without he brought at least his Rapparee along that they say in Irish signifies an Half-stick or a Broken-beam being like an Half-pike from thence the Men themselves have got that name and some call them Creaughts from the little Huts they live in these Hutts they build so conveniently with Hurdles and long Turf that they can remove them in Summer towards the Mountains and bring them down to the Vallies in Winter I went this Afternoon with some others to Carlingford this is a little Town on the Sea-side some eight miles backwards from Dundalk there being an excellent Bay here our Ships had orders at Bellfast to sail thither there had been a small Town and it was known in Q. Elizabeth's time by reason of a Defeat that Sir Henry Dockwra gave the Irish not far from hence but the Irish about the time they burnt Newry burnt this also only there stood five old Ruinous Castles upon the Shore and a prodigious Mountain hung almost over these into the Sea Our business was to see if our Fleet was come or at least in sight but a small Fisher-boat was all the Fleet this place afforded at that time nor had we any Ships there for several days after Late King's Army at Drogheda By this time the General had an Account that part of the late King's Army was at Drogheda a considerable Town on the Sea-side sixteen miles from Dundalk one of the Enemies Ingineers came over to us who told the Duke that the Enemy was drawing together as fast as they could but that they could not make above 20000 well-armed men You must know that every body who knew Duke Sconberg believed he would not come into Ireland without a good Army and in all respects well provided and same had made our Army twice as many as they were the Irish Army was likewise harrassed by being at Derry and several of them both Horse and Foot were gone into the Country to Recruit so that when we came first to Dundalk they were in such disorder that most of them retreated beyond Drogheda and I was told since by some of themselves that they had not at that time above 8000 men in a Body Mareschal De Rose was very much concerned at this and he with some others were for deserting Drogheda and Dublin and retreating towards Athlone and Limerick as they did this year this my Lord Tyrconnell heard of where he was sick at Chapell-Izzard and went immediately to Drogheda where he told them that he would have an Army there by the next Night of 20000 men which accordingly proved true for they came in from Munster on all hands But when De Rose heard that Duke Sconberg halted he was sure he said that he wanted something and therefore advised to make what haste they could to get their Army together They come to Ardee and a day or two after that some part of their Army moved towards Ardee This is a small Town between Drogheda and Dundalk where my Lord More and Sir Henry Titchburne defeated a Party of the Irish in the late Rebellion the People here are most of them Protestants so that when the Irish retreated towards Drogheda they expected the English Army and therefore they provided great quantities of Ale Bread and other Provisions for the Soldiers but the Irish Army returning it was all seized by them several of the poor People stript and some of them glad to save their lives by flying in the night to our Camp Whether it was that the General did not expect the Enemy to advance towards us or at least that they would not come to encamp so near us or what other Reasons he had I am not able to judge but since it happen'd we stay'd there so long in all appearance here was a good Opportunity lost in not sending to Ardee for all this Provision as also in not getting in or at least in not destroying the Forage between Ardee and Dundalk for when the Enemy came and sate down by us they got a great quantity of Forage between our Camp and theirs and burnt a great deal afterwards before our Faces but they say that was the first thing the General order'd to cure all
time though I believe his thoughts were at work how to repulse the Enemy if they should attack him Lieutenant-General Douglass came to the Camp and all the Soldiers with the greatest joy in the World stood to their Arms several that had not stirr'd out of their Tents for a Week before now got up their Musquets and all were glad to think that they had an opportunity of beating their Enemy for they never supposed the contrary and so to march forwards from that sad place which they begun already to be very weary of But refused by the Duke We stood looking upon one another for some time and most people desired that they might march through the Town and have a fair Tryal for it but the Duke had no such thoughts and therefore he did not so much as send for his Horse home besides he knew that the Enemy could not easily force our Camp without a great deal of hazard to themselves and that he believed they would scarce be brought to And therefore about two a Clock when the Enemy begun to draw off the General sent orders for the Soldiers to return to their Tents My Lord Lisburne and Collonel Woolsley made some proffers to beat the Enemy back or with one thousand men to beat up their Guards that night but this was not so easy a Task as they made it and the Duke refused it considering if they did it the Honour was theirs but if they miscarried the disadvantage was his As the Enemy retired a Party of Collonel Levison's Dragoons killed about four or five of them and some of the Iniskillin-men stript themselves and pursued the Enemy killing two or three more tho some of themselves fell in the attempt but the Action of that day was very inconsiderable for neither could they come at us nor we go to them without such disadvantages as are to be well considered of in such cases And that the General acted this day as well as before and after according to the Rules of Art and Prudence and that too for the best may partly appear towards the latter end of the Campaign I had almost forgot to tell you that the Late King was at the head of his Army that day having come to the Camp some days before The Officers commanded to exercise their men The Orders were that Night That none should forage nor stir out of the Camp next day and that the Brigades that did not mount the Guards should be exercised at firing at a Mark when it was Fair weather as 't was very seldom for the Duke knew most of his men had never been in service and therefore he would have them taught as much as could be Part of the Irish Army remove Next day being Sunday we had news that the Enemy was removed towards Drogheda and had burnt their Camp this was partly true for they removed some of their Army and formed a Camp hard by Ardee to the East nigh the side of a Bog My Lord Hewett's Horse and Sir Henry Inglesby's Foot came this day to the Camp the latter being relieved at Carigfergus by Collonel Gustavus Hambleton from Chester and two French Granadeers were apprehended as they were going to the Enemy A Plot discover'd But next Morning there was a further discovery made And first Four Soldiers and a Drummer then Sixteen more apprehended several Letters were found about some of those as one to Monsieur d'Avaux and as they say one to the Late King those it seems were writ by one Du Plessey who served as a private Soldier in M. Cambon's Regiment and had for some time kept a Correspondence with the Enemy Enquiry being made into the thing about Two hundred men all Papists in Callimot's Cumbon's and La. Millineir's French Regiments were secured disarmed and sent with a Guard on Shipboard and so for England but what became of them afterwards I know not Monday morning the Enemy came and burnt all the Forage that was left between our Camp and theirs the General would not send out a party for fear of an Ambuscade and the Soldiers seemed to be pleased with it because they said they could not get leave to fight them The Weather for two or three days proved pretty fair and the Soldiers were exercised with firing at Marks but it was observable that a great many of the new men who had Match-Locks had so little skill in placing of their Matches true that scarce one of them in four could fire their Pieces off and those that did thought they had done a feat if the Gun fired never minding what they shot at Tuesday Two Granadeers of Coll. Beaumont's Regiment were Hanged for deserting and there was a Council of War designed between Major-General Kirk and Sir Henry Inglesby about the business of Derry the latter saying That Derry might easily have been relieved much sooner with a great deal more to that purpose but it came to nothing and was no more talk'd of On the 25th the Army was Mustered and several Regiments were grown pretty thin by reason of the distempers then beginning to seize our Men. Six Frenchmen Hanged On the 26th Six of the principal Conspirators amongst the French were Hanged upon a pair of Gallows built for that purpose near the High-way as we went from the Camp to the Town They all died Papists and confessed their design to take over as many to King James as they could and that this was their intentions when they first Listed themselves and that if we had engaged the Enemy the Saturday before they were to have put our Army into Confusion by firing in the Rear and so deserting They prayed for Ring William and Queen Mary and ask'd Their Pardons for their Treachery Du Plessey the chief of them had been formerly a Captain of Horse in France from whence they say he fled for a Murder but hearing what Regiments were to be raised in England he came thither under the notion of a poor Refugee and for what Service he proposed to do the Late King he both expected his Pardon from the King of France and the Command of a Regiment in Ireland He served as a Private Centinal the better to carry on his design He was certainly one that knew his business and amongst other things was a good Engineer and the more to blind the World he went often in the Trenches at Carigfergus and being wounded he would needs stay and encourage the Pioneers so difficult it is to find the bottom of mens hearts except by Chance or rather Providence The French before were very insolent which made them hated at all hands but this Treachery of their Countrey-men made them so odious that the Soldiers wanted only some body to begin and then they were ready to punish all for the faults of some Collonel Woolsley some time before this had sent a Spy to Dublin who had brought him a particular Account of all Affairs there amongst other things
them a Weeks Pay and there was a Party appointed to conduct them to Newry The Inniskilliners Decamp Saturday he 2 d the Duke ordered the Inniskilliners both Horse and Foot to march towards Home since News was brought to the Camp that Sligo and James-Town were taken by the Irish For Sarsfield with a considerable Body coming that way those at James-Town not thinking it tenable quitted it and marched to Sligo losing some of their own Party and killing some of the Irish who prest upon them in their Retreat Sligo taken by the Irish Sarsfield with his Army next Day came before Sligo which made Colonel Russel retreat to Ballishannon and he advised the Foot also to quit the Town There was a French Captain with the Detached Party of Granadeers that went from our Camp and Colonel Lloyd with some Inniskilliners these staid in the Town and from thence retreated to the two Forts at the end of it Lloyd into one and the French-man with his Granadeers into the other Colonel Lloyd went away that Night and lost several of his Men in his Retreat But the French Captain had carried in Provisions and found three Barrels of powder in the Fort. The Nights were dark and he fearing the Enemy might make their Approaches to the Fort undiscovered he got a great many Fir-Deals and dipping the Ends of them in Tarr they made such a Light when set on Fire and hung over the Wall that he discovered the Enemy coming with an Engine they called Sow but having killed the Ingineer and two or three more the rest retired and he burnt the Engine When Day appeared the Enemy were forced to quit a small Field-piece they had planted in the Street our Men plyed them so with Shot from the Fort and then making a Sally several of them were killed But their Provisions being gone and there being little or no Water in the Fort our Men surrendred it one the 3 d Day upon Honourable Terms viz. to march out with their Arms and Baggage At their coming over the Bridg Col. Sarsfield stood with a Purse of Guineas and proffered to every one that would serve King James to give him Horse and Arms with Five Guineas Advance but they all made answer that they would never fight for the Papishes as they called them except one who next Day after he had got Horse and Arms and Gold brought all off with him So steadfast were the poor Men in what they had undertaken that tho they had indured a great deal of Hardship yet would dye rather than be Faithless There were several also that were taken Prisoners as they stragled from the Camp or upon flying Parties and tho they indured all the Miseries of a severe Restraint yet they could by no means be wrought upon to take up Arms against the Interest they had come thither to venture their Lives for Nay even those that were a dying in the Camp were wont to express no other Sorrow than Plague on these Papishes that we must dye here and not have leave to go and fight them The French Captain's Name as I remember was Monsieur de St. Sauvem he died afterwards at Lisburn of a Feaverr The Castle of Sligo is one of the most Ancient in Ireland it was formerly the Seat of the O Connors who would not for a great while yield to King Henry the Second calling themselves the Ancient Kings of Ireland But to return from this Digression On Saturday in the Evening it was ordered that a Colonel and a Brigadeer should go the Rounds and stay in the Camp all Night to see the Guards all right to enquire what Officers lay out of the Camp and to acquaint the General with it and because they found there was abundance of sick Men that neither could march nor was there Room for them in the Ships therefore Waggons were ordered to be ready at the Bridg-End next Morning to carry them all to Carlingford and Newry The Colonels Lieutenant-Colonels and Majors of each Regiment were ordered to be there and see their sick Men taken care of and to give them Money there was also an Officer out of each Regiment appointed with a Guard to attend them A great many Sick Next Morning the poor Men were brought down from all places towards the Bridg-End and several of them died by the way the rest were put upon Waggons which was the most Lamentable Sight in the World for all the Rodes from Dundalk to Newry and Carlingford were next day full of nothing but dead Men who ever as the Waggons joulted some of them died and were thrown off as fast The General very seldom used to be from the Church but that day he was for some hours at the Bridg-end to see all the care taken for the Men that could be and was very much displeased that all the Field-Officers were not so careful as he had given Command they should The Ships were then filling with Sick and as many dying on that side they were ordered to goe into Deep-water and sail with the first fair Wind for Belfast The Weather all this while was very dismal and yet we were obliged to stay till both the Ships were got into Deep-water and the sick gone by Land lest when we were gone the Enemy should spoil our Ships and kill our Men. Monday the 4 th of November it was ordered that all who had any sick Men on Board should send an Ensign with ten Men to take care of them and if the Men wanted any thing they were to send to Mr. Shales for it The Tents that were by the Water-side were to be taken on Board to keep the sick Men warm and every Regiment was to have the same number again that they brought thither The Fifth it was confirmed that the Enemy were gone to Quarters and the Sixth we had Orders to march Next day Stuart Herbert Gower Zanchy formerly my L. Lovelace's towards Newry Hanmer Deering Drogheda Beaumont Wharton Bellasis before the Duke of Norfolk's and Roscommon were to march towards Armagh Maj. Gen. Kirk and the Dutch were to go by Newry and so down to Antrim The Souldiers were ordered six days Bread and a Fortnights Subsistence I remember next Morning as we were marching off word was brought to us that the Enemy was approaching and God knows we were in a very weak Condition to resist them those that were best being scarce able to carry their Arms however they were very hearty and began to unbuckle their Tents at the News and said If they came they should pay for our lying in the Cold so long but it proved only a small Party who took two or three of our Men Prisoners as they were stragling Thursday the 7 th of November the Regiments above-named marched the Hills as we went along being all covered with Snow for what was Rain in the Valley was Snow on the Mountains several that were not able to march up were forced to be
Affairs of the greatest Moment tho they know no more than the Man in the Moon what such things mean and if we get but into a Coffee-house or over a Bottle in a Tavern we can be greater Statesmen and Generals in opinion than those that are really so and can do that in conceit in two hours which the greatest Men find a difficulty to perform in some years The Duke therefore I humbly conceive had more Reasons for what he did than I can think on or possibly ever heard of But what I have to offer are these as The Reasons why the General went no further than Dundalk 1. Where the Fault lay I know not but I was at Chester when the Duke had been above a week in Ireland and all or most of the Waggon-Horses and some of the Train-Horses were there then nor did they come over till we had been some time at Dundalk The Country as we marched was all destroyed by the Irish so that by that time we got to Newry I was forced to go and dig Potatoes which made the greatest part of a Dinner to better Men than my self and if it was so with us it may easily be supposed that the poor Souldiers had harder times of it This the Duke was very sensible of and sent for Mr. Alloway Commissary to the Train and told him that he must send back his Horses for Bread for the Men And when the other urged it was a thing never known that the Train-Horses were employed to any other Use than what belonged to the Train it self the Duke replied He knew the truth of that but that he had rather break any Rules than his Men should starve and accordingly some of the Horses were sent for Bread as I have observed before 2. For want of Horses and Carriages the Duke was forced to ship the greatest part of his Train and several Necessaries for a Camp at Carickfergus and gave Orders that the Ships should sail with the first fair Wind for Carlingford-Bay but though the Wind was very favourable they did not stir in ten days after nor did there any Ships come to Carlingford till we had been at Dundalk at least a week and then only four came at a time I have heard indeed that he who had the Sailing Orders went some-where with them and the Ships lay still for want of them but how true this is I know not 3. It was said that the General had assurance given him before he left England that an Army should be landed in the West of Ireland at his marching through the North and accordingly we had it several times affirmed that it was so This no doubt would have distracted the Irish and made the Duke's Passage to Dublin much more easy But the General had an account I suppose that this could not be and therefore he must stand or fall by himself Nor would any that knew Duke Schonbergh believe he would ever come abroad with so small an Army and so ill provided And I have heard say that that Army was never designed to conquer Ireland but to defend the North. 4. It was no difficult thing for him to march his Army as far as Dundalk and that safely by reason the Country was full of Mountains and Bogs and the Enemies Horse could not do him much harm though if they had pleased they needed not have let us come past Newry and yet their Horse had then newly come from Derry and were gone to recruit But if he had pass'd that Place it was a plain and open Country and we might easily have been surrounded and our Communication both from the North and also from our Ships cut off for if we past Dundalk we could have no more benefit of our Shipping till we had been Masters of Drogheda or else have gone to Dublin and then we must have gone over the Boyne which thrice our Number and that too in a dry Season in the midst of Summer found some difficulty in passing and all this we must have performed in two or three days or else have starved 5. Suppose that if we had marched on and made an halt at Dundalk we might have gone to Dublin the Irish Army not being got together for I have heard it was debated whether Drogheda should have been surrendred if we advanced thither and it was once carried in the Affirmative But the Duke was not certain of the Enemies Condition nor if he had Would it have been any prudence to have gone on without Provisions without Ships and a great many other things that were absolutely necessary He knew he was safe at Dundalk and therefore he chose to stay there and understand the posture of the Enemy and expect his own Things and Forces rather than run the hazard of gaining that by meer Fortune which if she had frown'd the Damage was certainly irreparable 6. The General was a meer Stranger in the Country and therefore he must look at a great many Things with other Mens Eyes and some of those were dim enough nor had he any Counsel assigned him but had the whole shock of Affairs upon himself which was the occasion that he scarce ever went to Bed till it was very late and then had his Candle with a Book and Pensil by him this would have confounded any other Man and was fit for no Body to undertake but Duke Schonberg or his Master that employed him Before the Duke could be ready therefore to march forwards the Irish Army was come and sat down by us and then it was too late And why he did not fight the Irish Army Nor do I think he was more to blame in refusing Battel when the Irish seem'd to proffer it for though it 's probable that the Irish at our first coming over took our Numbers to be greater than they really were yet by that time we had been a Week at Dundalk they knew our Numbers and our Circumstances as well as we our selves did both by the Intelligence they had in the Country and by several of the French that had a mind to betray us For all things considered we had not above 14000 Horse and Foot and very few of those Horse nor was the Duke to go according to our reputed Numbers but to what we were in Reality The Enemy had nigh four times our Number of Horse and Dragoons with double ouâ— Number of Foot nor could we have drawn out upon them without a manifest disadvantage there being several Bogs and Causeys between us and them that whosoever gave the Attaque all things else considered it was odds against them Besides most of our Souldiers were new Men and had never seen a Sword drawn in Anger nor a Gun fired in Earnest in their Lives and what such Men will do till they be tried there 's none can tell I believe the Men had as good Hearts and were all as ready I am sure to engage as was possible but several of them were ignorant
of the true use of their Arms for when they came afterwards to fire at a Mark singly they gave too great proof to any Man of sense of their Unskilfulness This is no Reflection upon the Officers for it 's scarce possible to make new-raised Men good Souldiers till they have seen some Action and yet several Officers might have taken more care than they did If it be objected that the Enemies Men were far worse in this respect than ours I answer Not for a great many of them had been Souldiers for at least four Years before and if we had gone out into the Plain and had our Foot charged by their Horse at the rate we were afterwards at the Boyne I know not what might have followed Besides we had an Enemy in our Bosom at that time undiscovered I mean the French and if those at the beginning of an Engagement should have fired in the Rear or Flank of our Army upon our own Men and then run over to the Enemy as was designed this might quickly have bred an appreâ—hension of Treachery in the whole that a Consternation and from this such a Confusion that our whole Army might easily have been disordered for those that understand Armies know that a small thing in appearance may do a great deal of Mischief at such a time And some are of Opinion that the Irish did not design to fight that Day but only drew out to see who would come over to them because they were made believe that all the French and a great many English would for the Duke who was a great Judg often said when he saw the Enemy appear That they did not look as if they would fight except once but that they designed something else But God be thanked the English were stedfast and true to a Man and they were disappointed of their Foreigners too Upon the whole Matter I doubt not but it will appear to any Man that pleases to consider it that the Duke did better in not hazarding that in a moment which may be was not to be redeemed again in many Ages since not only the Safety of these Kingdoms did in a great measure depend upon it but a great part of the Protestant Interest in Europe had a Concern in it And where the Fates of Kingdoms and the Lives and Interests of Thousands are at Stake Men are still to act on solid Reasons and Principles the Turns of a Battel being so many and are often occasioned by such unexpected Accidents which also proceed from such minute Causes that a wise and great Captain such as Duke Schonberg was will expose to Chance only as much as the very Nature of War requires And as to what happened at Dundalk by the Mens dying afterwards this was not the General 's Fault for he could not march back till the Enemy was gone his Men then being so very weak had all been cut off nor could he foresee what Weather it would be whilst he staid nor how the English Constitutions would bear it And as to his Care that they should want nothing let any but consider the Orders through the Camp and he will find it was scarce in the power of any Man to do more But I am affraid it will be thought impertinent to indeavour the defence of so great a Man's Actions and to do it no better Former Misfortunes at Dundalk I only add therefore that this Town of Dundalk has by turns been unfortunate to the People of the three Nations It was in Time past a Town very strongly walled which Edward Bruce Brother to the King of Scots who had Proclaimed himself King of Ireland burnt but he was near this place afterward slain with 8200 of his Men. Afterwards the Irish under Shan O Neal laid siege to it but were repulsed with very great loss Then in the Year 1641 my Lord Moore and Sir Henry Tichburn beat three thousand Irish out of Dundalk and killed a great many of them having only 750 Foot and 200 Horse And the Misfortune of the English last Year was not inferiour to any of these But to return to Matter of Fact 1700 of the Irish fall upon Newry The Enemy had left eight Regiments at Ardee when they Decamped out of which Regiments so soon as we were gone to Quarters they detached 1600 Men and those with 100 Voluntiers were to force the Pass at Newry and then go along the Line to destroy our Frontier Garisons which at that time had been no difficult Task to have performed they march'd all Night Saturday the 23 of November and came on Sunday Morning by break of Day or before to the other side of the Bridg at Newry this Party was commanded by Major General Boisleau having with him a Brigadeer three Colonels and other Officers proportionable there was then in the Garrison most of what were left of Colonel Inglesby's Regiment which were not many above sixty and not forty of those able to present a Musquet the Enemy sent a Party of a 100 Men to pass the River a little above the Bridg and come in at the North-east-end of the Town whilst the main Body marched over the Bridg beyond which we had two Centinels placed at 100 paces distance from each other the first challenged thrice and then his Piece missed fire and he was killed the next challenged and fired upon them which alarmed the Garison As they advanced near the middle of the Town in a strait place near the Castle a Sergant and twelve Men being upon the Guard drew out and fired then retreated to the old Walls charged and fired again by this time all the Officers and Souldiers that were able to crawl were got into the Market-place with some few Townsmen the Enemy came in both ways and fired doing us some damage the poor fellows that were not able to come out fired their Pieces out at the Windows of some small Houses that were left standing others that could not do better got their backs to the old Walls and so were able to present their Musquets And are repulsed by an handful After some firing on both sides the Enemy believing us to be a great many more than we really were begun to shrink which occasioned our Men to Huzzah and then the Rogues run away many of them for haste wading through the River up to their Necks the Tide being high at that time they were followed down to the Bridg by a Captain and a very small party of Men and though they were both threatned and intreated by their Officers to rally again yet all would not do They had a Lieutenant-Colonel killed and left six Men dead on the place but afterwards we were informed they carried off twelve Horses loaden with dead and wounded Men we took only one or two Prisoners and if we had had a party of Horse or Dragoons to pursue them not many had gone home to tell the News those that were kill'd had not
December Major General Mackarty made his Escape from Inniskillin who had remained there a Prisoner ever since the Rout at Newtown-Butler he had been Sick and at that time writ to Major General Kirk to get leave of the Duke to have his Guard removed which he complained of was troublesome in his Sickness this was done but at his Recovery they say a Serjeant and some Men were put upon him again The Town it seems stands upon a Lough and the Water came to the Door of the House where he was confined or very near it He found means to corrupt a Serjeant and so got two small Boats called Cotts to carry him and his best Moveables off in the Night The Serjeant went along with him but returned that Night to deliver a Letter which and Mackarty's Pass being found in the Lining of his Hat he was the next Day shot for it The General was much concerned when he heard of Mackarty's Escape and said he took him to be a Man of Honour but he would not expect that in an Irish-Man any more Col. Hamilton the Governour of Inniskillin was blamed for his Negligence but he came to Lisburn and desired a Tryal which could not be for want of Field-Officers till the 15 th of March at what time he produced Major General Kirk's Letter to him by which he was cleared About Christmas there happened an unlucky Accident at Belfast Cranmer Bowls and Morley three Lieutenants in Major General Kirk's Regiment happened to kill two Masters of Ships and being tryed by a Court-Marshal the thing appeared so ill that they were all three Shot month January On the 8 th and 10 th of January there were several Regiments broke one into another by reason of the fewness of Men in them viz. The Regiments broke were my Lord Drogheda's Col. Zanchy's Sir Henry Inglesby's Lord Roscommon's Col. Hamilton's and the Officers were continued at hâ—lf Pay till there could be Provision made for them in other Regiments The 12 th 16 th and 20 th several Officers went over into England for Recruits And Sir Thomas Newcomb's House in the County of Longford Sir Thomas Newcomb 's house surrendred was surrendred upon very good Terms it being held out by his Lady against a great Party of the Irish for the House is strongly situated and she got about 200 of her Tenants into it who defended the Place till the Irish brought Field-pieces against it tho it was above 20 Miles from any of our Garisons Of the Men that were in it one hundred of them were entertained by Sir John Hanmer in his Regiment and the rest were provided for by the Duke at Lisburn But though our Army had been much afflicted with Sickness and Mortality yet this was little taken notice of by a great many who gave themselves up to all the Wickedness imaginable especially that ridiculous Sin of Swearing A Proclamation against Swearing of which complaint being made to the Duke by several of the Clergy then at Lisburn and frequent Sermons preached against it this occasioned the Duke to set out a Proclamation bearing date January 18. Strictly forbidding Cursing Swearing and Profaneness in Commanders and Souldiers which he said were Sins of much Guilt and little Temptation but that several were so wicked as to invoke God more frequently to damn them than to save them and that notwithstanding the dreadful Judgments of God at that time upon us for those and such like Sins fearing that their Majesties Army was more prejudiced by those Sins than advantaged by the Courage or Conduct of those guilty of them And therefore he commanded all Officers and Souldiers in his Army from thence forward to forbear all vain Cursing Swearing and taking God's holy Name in vain under the Penalties enjoined by the Articles of War and of his utmost Displeasure Commanding also the said Articles to be put in the strictest execution For no doubt the Debaucheries in Armies are the high way to Ruin since those both obey and fight best that are most sober Brigadier Stuart's Stratagem to fall upon the Irish January 22. Brigadier Stuart with a Party of 500 Horse and Foot went from Rostriver and Newry beyond the Mountains towards Dundalk and Carlingford burning most of the Cabbins where the Irish sheltered themselves and took a considerable Prey of Cattle The Irish had some People dwelt amongst us who had agreed upon giving them a Sign when any Party of ours was to march out which was by making Fires in several Places this the Brigadier understood by a Prisoner and so made Fires three or four times which alarum'd the Irish at first but when they found it done several times and no Party appear they neglected the Sign so that when our Party marched indeed they took no notice of it which gave the Brigadier opportunity of marching where he pleased without opposition There came one Mr. King an Attorney from the Enemies Quarters and gave the Duke an account how things stood at Dublin And about this time the Irish had got a trick having always good Intelligence to come in the night and surprize our Men in their Beds as they quartered in the Country in single Houses They stole five or six of my Lord Droghedah's Men nigh Tondragee which obliged the Officers to order all the Men to lie in the Town for the future The 25 th of January the Duke went from Lisburn to Legacory and so to several Places on the Frontiers as Lieut. Gen. Douglas had done before And a great Store was ordered at * Armagh is the Metropolitan of the whole Island where S. Patrick the Irish Apostle ruled in his life-time and they say rested after death tho there is as much Contention about his Grave as Homer's in honour of whom it was of such venerable estimation in that time that not only Bishops and Priests but Princes paid their great Respects Armagh and several others up and down the Country for the most conveniency to the adjoining Garisons month February On Sunday Febr. 2. a Party of my Lord Drogheda's Regiment of 100 Men with 20 Dragoons and about 60 of the Country People marched from Tondragee and Market-hill Their business was to surprize two Companies of Irish Foot who lay nigh the Mountains of Slavegollion and defended a great number of Cattel there The Enemy had some notice of their coming and seem'd to design fighting but considered better of it and ran away 17 of them took to a Bog in which were taken one Lieutenant Murphey and four more one Man being killed only our People brought home about 500 Cattel February the 8 th the General had an account that the Enemy were drawing down some Forces towards Dundalk and that they had laid in great Store of Corn Hay and other Provisions in order to disturb our Frontier-Garisons from thence The Duke sent a Ship or two towards Dundalk who burnt some of the Irish Gabbords The General draws some Forces into
the field But the Report of these Forces obliged the General to send a considerable Body of Horse and Foot that way and he himself February the 11 th went towards Drummore in order to wait the Enemies Motion It was very observable how much the Men and Horses were now recovered from what they had been two months before Sir John Lanier and Col. La Millinier were sent out with a Party who went as far as Carlingford and returned with an account that there were only 3 Regiments at Dundalk as formerly But the Design of the Irish lay another way for whilst the Duke was upon this Expedition Col. Woolsely had notice that the Irish had a design to fall upon Belturbet to which purpose a considerable Number of them was come to Cavan and more to follow in a day or two Col. Woolsely to prevent them marched from Belturbet with 700 Foot and 300 Horse and Dragoons he began his march in the evening thinking to surprize the Enemy next morning early the distance between being about 8 miles but he met with so many Difficulties in his March and the Enemy had notice of his coming that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was half an hour after day-break before he came in sight of it so that instead of surprizing them the first thing our Men saw was a Body of the Enemy drawn up in good order judged to be nigh 4000 this was severe but there was no help for it fight we must for retreating was dangerous Col. Woolsely encourages his Men and tells them the Advantages of being brave and the inevitable Ruin of the whole Party if they proved otherwise they were as ready to go on as he to desire it And then he sends an advance-Party of Inniskillin Dragoons towards the Enemy who were presently charged by a great Party of the Enemies Horse and beat back past the Front of our own Foot who were so enraged at them that some of M. G. Kirk's and Col. Wharton's Men fired and killed 7 or 8 some of the Enemies Horse pursued them so far that many of them were kill'd by our Foot as they endeavour'd to get off By this time the Body of our Party was advanced pretty near the Irish who were posted upon the Top of a rising Ground not far from the Town As our Men advanced up the Hill the Irish fired a whose Volley upon them and then set up the Huzzah but scarce killed a Man for they shot over them our Men however went on till they were got within Pistol-shot of them and then fired by which they galled the Irish so that they immediately run towards the Town We pursued and they retired to a Fort but Col. Woolsely's Men falling to plunder in the Town the Irish sallied out and gave us a very fierce Attack Col. Woolsely having 250 Foot and about 80 Horse for a Reserve the Enemy was beat off again their Horse flying beyond the Town and their Foot taking to the Fort. Our Souldiers got good store of Shoes and all sorts of Provisions and about 4000 pounds in Brass Money a great deal of which the Souldiers threw about the Streets as not thinking it worth the Carriage their Ammunition was blown up and their Provisions destroyed for Col. Woolsely was forced to set the Town on fire to get his own Men out in the time of the Salley The Colonel knew not what might happen and therefore he drew off his Men and marched homewards The Irish they say were commanded by the Duke of Berwick who had his Horse shot under him and in two or three days they were to have 10000 Men at Cavan to fall upon Belturbet and other places The Enemy lost in this Expedition Brigadeer Nugent and as they say O Riley Governour of Cavan with a great many Officers and about 300 Souldiers In this Action we lost about thirty with Maj. Traherne Capt. Armstrong and Capt. Mayo who were killed by pursuing too far a French Reformed Officer and Capt. Blood an Ingineer were wounded We took twelve Officers and about sixty Souldiers Prisoners who were brought soon after to Carickfergus I have spoke with several Irish Officers since and they will not allow their Loss to be so great or ours so little in this Action as we make them yet give us the Advantage to a great degree At the General 's return to Lisburn he received an Account from Col. Woolsely of this Action much to the same effect as I have related it Sir John Lanier's Expedition to Dundalk And on the 15 th of February Sir John Lanier with a Party of 1000 Horse Foot and Dragoons went from Newry towards Dunkalk it was in the Evening when he marched and next Morning early being Sunday he appeared before the Town The Enemy had Fortified it very well so that the Major-General did not think fit to attaque it nor do I believe he had any Orders to do it he drew up his Foot however on the side of an Hill between the left of our old Horse-Camp and the Town a good Musquet-shot from the Bridg his Horse he sent nearer somewhat to the Right at the side of the Lane The Enemy at the Allarm appeared without the Town at first but as we advanced they retreated till they got within their Works from whence they fired incessantly Whilst the main Body was so posted Maj. Gen. Lanier sent a party of Horse and Dragoons beyond the River who burnt the West part of the Town from Mortimer-Castle to Blake's House being a great part of the Suburbs At same time a Party of Col. Leviston's Dragoons attaqu'd Bedloe's Castle and took the Ensign that Commanded it with 30 Prisoners we lost a Lieutenant and three or four Dragoons and had four Horses shot Our Men brought from beyond the Town and about it nigh 1500 Cows and Horses The Ensign that was taken was brought to Lisborn and carried before the Duke into his Garden where he commonly used to walk before Dinner Before the Duke ask'd him any Questions me-thought he gave him a pretty Caution to be sincere in his Answers though the General knew at the same time he being a Prisoner was not obliged to say any thing You says the Duke have a Commission and for that reason if not otherwise you are a Gentleman this obliges you to speak Truth which if you do not I can know it by examining of other Prisoners and then I shall have no good Opinion of you After some publick Questions the Duke took him aside and talk'd with him nigh half an hour but I suppose he could or at least would say little that was material month March The Danes arrive in Ireland The beginning of March came 400 Danes from Whitehaven to Belfast and the Week following all the Foot arrived from Chester with the Prince of Wittemberg their General The Duke went down to see them and was very well pleased for they were lusty Fellows
as far as Dundalk and seeing no Enemy the Officer Commanding sent a Trooper to the Mount beyond Bedloes-Castle from thence he could see a great Dust towards a place called Knock-Bridge by which he understood that the Enemy were marching off towards Ardee His Majesty when He read the Letter did not seem to be much concerned whether they had staid or not At the same time there were two Ensigns brought to Him who had deserted the Enemy and gave an Account that the Body which then was removed from Dundalk was about 20000. It was the discovery of our Advance Parties which made them draw off and they gave it out that they would stay for us at the Boyne Our Army advances The King sent Orders back to the Major General to march a Party next Morning over the Pass towards Dundalk The 24th in the Morning Lieutenant-General Douglas decamped and marched over the Pass towards Dundalk And that day His Majesty set out a Proclamation to be read at the Head of every Regiment That no Officer or Soldier should forcibly take any thing from the Country People and Sutlers nor press any Horses that were coming to the Camp that thereby we might be the better supplied with Provisions On the 25th we marched from Loughbritland to Newry where a Deserter of Sir Henry Bellasis's Regiment was shot And on the 26th towards Dundalk on our march we heard great Shooting at Sea which we once lookt upon to be the French and English Fleets but it was only our own Fleet coming towards Dundalk We encamped that Night about a mile to the South-East of our last Years Camp As we got near to Dundalk some of my Lord Meath's Men espied several of the Irish skulking not far from the Road to observe our march they pursued them towards the Mountains killed one and took another who proved a French Man that had deserted from Hillsborough about three weeks before On the 27th we marched through Dundalk and encamped about a mile beyond it where the whole Army joyned English Dutch Danes Germans and French Their Number making in all not above 36000 though the World call'd us a third part more but the Army was in all respects as well provided as any Kingdom in the World ever had one for the number of Men. That Afternoon a party of Epingar's Dragoons came within sight of a party of the Enemies Horse who retreated towards their own Camp which then was on this side the Boyne I was told by a General Officer of theirs since that whensoever our Army moved the Irish had a small party of Horse that knew the Country and kept themselves undiscovered in some convenient place to give them an Account of our motions and posture They had fortified Dundalk last Winter very regularly and well not I suppose that they did design to maintain it in the Spring but to secure the Garrison from any attempts that we might make during the Winter As we went through the Town we found several of the Irish that lay dead and unburied and some were alive but just only breathing That evening a party of 1500 Horse and Dragoons went out and next morning early the King followed them His Majesty went as far as Ardee and viewed the Ground where the Enemy encamped last Year He returned to His Camp that night but left the party to make good that Post On Saturday morning the 29th there hap'ned an Irish Man and a Woman to be near a Well that was by the King's Tent they had got something about them which the Soldiers believed was Poyson to spoil the Waters and so destroy the King and His Army this spread presently abroad and a great many Soldiers flocked about them they were immediately both Judges and Executioners hanged the Woman and almost cut the Man in pieces That afternoon the King views the Danish Forces We march to Ardee and early next morning being Sunday the 30th of June the whole Army marched in three Lines beyond Ardee which the Enemy had likewise fortified especially the Castle we marched within sight of the Sea a great part of this day and could see our Ships sail all along towards Drogheda which certainly must needs be a great mortification to the Irish upon the Road as we marched there was a Soldier hanged for deserting and a Boy for being a spy and a murderer A remarkable story the story of this Boy is very remarkable which was thus About three weeks before we took the Field one of my Lord Drogheda's Sergeants was gathering Wood-sorrel nigh his Quarters at Tandrogee this Boy comes to him and tells him if he 'll go along he would take him to a place hard by where he might get several good Herbs he follows the Boy and is taken by five or six Irish Men that were Armed they take him to a little House and bind him but after some good words unty his Hands but withal kept him a prisoner designing to carry him to Dundalk next day he endeavours in the night to make his escape and did it though they pursued him and wounded him in several places the Boy himself being one of the forwardest Next week the same Boy was at Legacory where he was telling some Dragoons that if they would go along with him he would take them to a place where they might get several Horses and a good prey of Cattle they were very ready to hearken to him when at the same time one of my Lord Drogheda's Soldiers going that way by chance knew the Boy for he had been often in their Quarters and having heard the story of the Sergeant told it the Dragoons upon which the Boy was seized and after sometime confessed that all the last Dundalk-Camp he had gone frequently between the two Armies that he had trapan'd several and had half a Crown Brass money for every one that he could bring in that he could observe as he went amongst our Regiments how they lay and what condition they were in both as to Health and other matters that he had lately stab'd a Dragoon in at the Back as his Father held him in talk and that his Father would give him nothing but the Dragoons Hat and Waste-coat which he had then on all this I have heard the Boy say and much more to the same purpose he spoke English and Irish both very well he was brought prisoner to this place and upon the march after he had received Sentence of Death he profer'd for a Brass Six-pence to hang a Country Man that was a prisoner for buying the Soldiers Shooes and when he came to be hang'd himself he was very little concern'd at it The King was always upon Action He observed the Country as he rid along and said it was worth Fighting for and ordered the manner of Encamping that day himself After that with a small party His Majesty before He eat or drank rid about four miles further towards the Enemy As
Ground at Duleek and thereabouts will say that it 's scarce possible to make an orderly pursuit at such a place for whilst an Enemy continues in a Body there 's no going after them as if Men were a Fox-hunting since nothing encourages even a flying Enemy more to rally and fight again than to see a disorderly pursuit of them The Passes therefore were so narrow and troublesome that before we could get over a Body of Men sufficient to attack the Enemy they were got a mile or two before us and new difficulties between us and them nor was the case the same with them for they got over any where as well as they could except the Rear who kept their order as far as we could see them As for his Majesty himself he chose the Field drew up his Army gave his General Orders to his Officers and the best Orders wherever he was in Person but the greatest Captain that ever was or will be is not nor can be of himself sufficient to redress all Disorders or lay hold on all Advantages in an instant when Armies are once ingaged And further his Majesty having committed a considerable part of his Orders to the care of his General the death of him must needs be a disadvantage to the whole Army Another thing they pretend to find fault with was in not sending ten thousand Men immediately from the Boyne towards Athlone and Limerick since we were as nigh those places here as at Dublin and if we had gone behind them Limerick and Galloway would certainly have yielded for it was at least a fortnight before any number of their Army got thither and then they say the Irish Army must either have fought again in the Field or else submitted since Dublin is not to be kept by those that are not Masters of the Field But there are very good reasons why this was not done for his Majesty knew at this time that the French Fleet was hovering nigh the English Coast and therefore would not divide his Army nor draw them from the Sea nor did his Majesty know as yet whether the Irish would not stay for him between that and Dublin and so fight again And before he was assur'd of it the News of the French Fleets success at Sea altered both his and the Irish Peoples measures for this put them into heart again especially when it came with a report spread a broad I suppose on purpose that King William was dead as well as Duke Schonberg and that the Dauphin of France was landed with an Army in England But though there was little of Truth in these reports yet they animated the Irish who of all men living are the soonest discouraged but up again with the least hopes and to work they went in making provisions to defend their Towns especially beyond the Shannon but this I 'm afraid will be thought impertinent at least it 's out of order and therefore to return King James's Carriage at the Battle and after King James during part of the Action at the Boyn stood at the little old Church upon the Hill called Dunore but when he saw how things were like to go he marched off to Duleek and from thence towards Dublin the first news that went to that place was That K. James had got the day our General killed and the Prince of Orange as they call'd him taken prisoner this was very afflicting to the poor Protestants who were shut up in Prisons all over the Town but towards night they observed several Officers come to Town in great confusion some wounded and others looking very dull upon the matter which they thought were no sings of Victory and then begun to hope better things About nine a Clock King James came to Dublin with about two hundred Horse with him all in disorder My Lady Tyrconnel met him at the Castle-gate and after he was up-stairs her Ladyship askt him what he would have for Supper who then gave her an Account of what a Breakfast he had got which made him have but little stomach to his Supper He staid all Night in the Castle and next Morning sending for the Lord Mayor and some others he told them That in England he had an Army which durst have fought but they proved false and deserted him and that here he had an Army which was Loyal enough but would not stand by him he was now necessitated to provide for his Safety and that they should make the best Terms for themselves that they could and not to burn or injure the Town and immediately after took Horse and with about twelve in Company went towards Bray and so to Waterford where he took Shipping for France The Irish Horse came most of them into Dublin that Night and most of the Foot next Morning And before Night on Wednesday they were all gone taking the City Militia along who were all Papists but they released all the Prisoners not out of love to them but for fear lest we had been at their Heels Some say that K. James sent Sir Patrick Trant and another Gentleman towards Waterford to provide Shipping for him before-hand for fear of the worst but I have not heard the certainty of it However this was not the way that Heroes used formerly to take in England for the Romans burnt their Ships when they landed there that their Men might have no hopes of a Retreat but to conquer or die And so did the Duke of Normandy who soon after got the name of Conquerour King Williams But King William gave his Army better proofs of his Courage and Conduct nor can I pretend to be able to give his Majesty the just commendation his merit forces from his very Enemies only this I am sure of that he dare do any thing and has not a Soul subject to fear or any thing that 's below a Prince never had an Army a better opinion of a King than ours of him their only fear was that he would expose himself too far and whatever difference happens between him and them can be only this that they desire to stand between his Majesty and all danger But he alwayes has a mind to put himself between them and it may we long therefore have such a General in a King and he not only Souldiers but Subjects of all professions that love him as well Prince George accompanied his Majesty in most of his dangers and in the greatest of them was always near him and nothing but the bravery of such a King could hinder him of the greatest Charracter in this Account As to our English Forces there were few of them that had an opportunity at this place to shew themselves but those that had acquitted themselves very well the French and Iniskilliners did good service and to give the Dutch Guards their due they deserve immortal honour for what they did that day I enquired at several who they were that managed the retreat the Irish made that
planted towards the Left where they could bear upon the Enemies Horse These fired several times and the Enemy soon quitted that Post Our English Foot were so little concern'd that though they knew the Enemy to be in the next Hedges yet whilst the Pioneers were at work they would sit them down and ask one another whether they thought they should have any Bread to day for they began to want their Breakfasts though some few of them went to the next World for it The Danes to the Left stood with all the Care and Circumspection in the World but observing the Posture of some of our Men and hearing what they said they believed we had no mind to fight yet no sooner were the Hedges down and our Front advancing in a narrow Field but the Irish fired a whole Volley upon them from the Neighbouring Hedges which our Men seeing some of them cry'd aloud Ah ye Toads are ye there we 'll be with you presently And being led on by my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle they ran along the Field directly towards the Hedges where the Irish were planted which the others seeing immediately quitted and then our Men fired upon them as they retreated to the next Hedges and so beat them from one Hedge to another even to the very end of the Suburbs which then were all burnt and levelled During this Action the Danes advanced in the Left and the Blue Dutch with the English on the Right the Horse coming on in the Centre So that in less than half an hour from the first Volley the Irish were driven under their very Walls nor did we lose a Dozen Men in all this Action When as if the Irish had managed this Advantage of Ground and fortified the Pass as well as Ireton's Fort on the Right of it which was built by Ireton on his first coming before Limerick It stands on a Rising Ground and over-looks the Pass on one side and the Town on the other This we commonly called Cromwel's Fort they might have kept us some Days from approaching the Town at least they might have kill'd us a great many Men But the truth is they had not time for all this They had drawn up however several Companies of Men in the Fort but when they saw us coming on they retreated towards the Town without ever firing a Shot The Cannon play We were not as yet saluted with one Great Gun from the Town because their own Men had been between them and us but as soon as they retreated under the Walls they let fly amain amongst us and kill'd several as they marched in amongst others a French Captain had both his Legs shot off and died presently We drew Four Field-Pieces immediately to Cromwel's Fort playing them upon the Town and the Out-works and before Five a Clock in the Afternoon all our Army was marched in and most of them encampt within Cannon-shot In a Siege the first two things that are to be regarded is the safe encamping our Men and the drawing the Line of Countervallation to prevent the Enemy from Sallying but the latter of these we did not much mind because I suppose we did not much fear any desperate Sallies and the former was in some measure prevented by the situation of our Camp The Danes encampt to the Left where they found an Old Fort built by their Ancestors which they were very proud of and from thence they fired Three or Four Field-Pieces upon the Irish that lay entrenched between them and the Town The Detached Party kept an Advance Post till they were relieved about Nine a Clock and the Lord Drogheda's Regiment was placed next the Town nigh Cromwel's Fort where they were to stop the Enemies Career if they attempted a Sally The Town Summon'd As soon as our Army was posted the King ordered a Trumpet to be sent with a Summons to the Town and as we understood since a great part of the Garrison were for Capitulating but Monsieur Boiseleau the Governour the Duke of Berwick and Colonel Sarsfield opposed it with a great deal of Heat telling them that there were great Divisions and Insurrections in England That the Dauphin was landed there with Fifty Thousand Men and that the Prince of Orange would be obliged soon to draw home his Army into England The Trumpeter was sent back from Monsieur Boiseleau with a Letter directed to Sir Robert Southwell Secretary of State not sending directly to the King because he would avoid I suppose giving him the Title of Majesty The Answer That he was surprised at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the Prince of Orange's Good Opinion was by a vigorous defence of that Town which his Master had entrusted him withal That Evening a Party of Dragoons was sent to view the Pass at Annaghbegg Three Miles above Limerick where Six of the Enemies Regiments of Foot Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons were posted on the other side of the River where there stood a large New House with a great many Brick Walls about it and several convenient Hedges were adjoyning to the River They fired from thence upon our Men but did little or no Execution and that Night they marched off to the Town The Cannon play'd on both sides till it grew dark A Party pass the River and next Morning early being Sunday the 10 th the King sent Eight Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons Commanded by Lieutenant General Ginkle and Three Regiments of Foot under Major General Kirk who passed the River without any opposition and immediately His Majesty went thither Himself The Stream was very rapid and dangerous though the River has not been known to be so low these many Years The King at his Return left Major General Kirk with his own Brigadeer Stuart's and my Lord Meath's Regiments who encampt one beyond the Ford and two on this side having a Party of Horse relieved every Twenty Four Hours to support them A Cornet this Morning deserted the Enemy who told the King That a great many in Town were for surrendring but prevented by Sarsfield and Boiseleau That Count Lauzun with the French were encampt nigh Galloway the Irish refusing to receive them into Town because themselves had done so with the Irish some time before at Limerick That my Lord Tyrconnel with most of the Irish Horse and some Foot were encamped on the other side about Six or Eight Miles from Limerick That there were Fourteen Regiments of Foot with Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons then in Town The King sent that Afternoon a small Party of Horse to discover my Lord Tyrconnel but 〈◊〉 was then removed about Ten Miles further off towards Galloway The Town described But it will be convenient that I here give as good a Description of the City and its Situation as I can of a Place that I had not the liberty to go into though I have been sometimes very near it It 's
was taken exactly next day In Lieutenant General Douglas's Regiment Wounded Sir Charles Fielding Capt. Rose mortally wounded Capt. Guy Capt. Trevor Capt. Rose junior Capt. Wainsbrough Lieut. Wild mortally wounded Lieut. Wybrants Lieut. Lacock Lieut. Rapine Lieut. Lloyd Ensign Goodwin Ensign Burk Kill'd Major Hambleton Lieut. Ennis Lieut. Morison Ensign Tapp Ensign Pinsent In Colonel Cutts's Regiment Wounded Colonel Cutts Capt. Newton Capt. Foxon Capt. Massham Lieut. Levis Lieut. Barrock Lieut. Cary. Lieut. Trenchard The Adjutant Mr. How 's a Voluntier Kill'd Capt. Hudson Ensign Mead. In the Earl of Meath's Regiment Wounded The Earl of Meath L. C. Newcomb mort wounded Lieut. Blakeney Lieut. Hubblethorn Kill'd Lieut. Latham Ensign Smith In Brigadier Stuart's Regiment Wounded Brigadier Stuart Major Cornwall Capt. Pallferey Capt. Galbreth Capt. Stuart Capt. Casseen Lieut. Stuart Lieut. Cornwall Lieut. Cary. Ensign Stuart Kill'd Capt. Lindon Capt. Farlow Lieut. Russell In my Lord Lisburn's Regiment Wounded Major Allen. Capt. Adair Capt. Holdrich Capt. Hubbart Lieut. Hillton Lieut. Goodwin Ensign Hook Kill'd Capt. Wallace Capt. West Ensign Ogle These make in all Fifty nine whereof Fifteen were killed upon the Spot and several dyed afterwards of their Wounds the Granadeers are not here included and they had the hottest Service Nor are there any of the Forreigners who lost full as many as the English so that I 'm afraid this did more then countervail the loss that the Irish had during the whole Seige at least in the numher of Men. Next day the King sent a Drummer in order to a Truce that the Dead might be buried but the Irish had no mind to it and now the Soldiers were in hopes that the King would make a second Attack and seem'd resolv'd to have the Town or dye every Man But this was too great a hazard to run at one Place and they did not know how scarce our Ammunition was it being very much wasted the day before this day however we continued Battering the Wall and it begun to Rain and next day it was very Cloudy all about and Rain'd very fast so that every Body began to dread the Consequences of it The King therefore calls a Council of War wherein it was Resolv'd to quit the Town and Raise the Siege which as the Case stood then with us was no doubt the most prudent thing that could be done The Siege Raised We drew off therefore our heavy Cannon from the Batteries by degrees And on Saturday August the 30. we marched greatest part of them as far as Cariganliss the Guard being the Earl of Drogheda's and Brigedeer Stuart's Regiments The Rain which had already fallen had softned the ways and we found some difficulty in getting off our Guns especially since for the most part we were obliged to draw them with Oxen a part of our Train Horses being disposed of to the Enemies use before and this was one main Reason for Raising the Siege for if we had not granting the Weather to continue bad we must either have taken the Town or of necessity have lost our Cannon because that part of the Country lies very low and the Ways are deep Therefore on Sunday the last of August all the Army drew off having a good Body of Horse in the Rear As soon as the Irish perceived we had quitted our Trenches they took Possession of them with great Joy and were in a small time after over all the Ground whereon we had Encamped two days before we Raised the Siege a great many Waggons and Carriages were sent towards Cashell and Clonmel with sick and wounded Men which was the Reason that we were forced to leave a great many Bombs Hand Granades and other things behind which we buried in the Artillery Ground but with a Train to blow them up so that when it took Fire the Irish were mightily afraid and thought we were beginning a new Seige from under Ground But yet they dug up most of our dead Officers and Soldiers only to get their Shirts and Shrowds month September The Army removes The Army Encamped that day at Cariganliss and then the Artillery marched forwards to Cullen whither the Army followed the day after but as soon as the Protestants that dwelt in that Country understood that the Army was drawing off they prepared to march along with Bag and Baggage which most of them did and lookt something like the Children of Israel with their Cattle and all their Stuff footing it from Aegypt though most of those poor People had no Promised Land to retire to but were driven into a Wilderness of Confusion for I saw a great many both Men and Women of very good Fashion who had lived plentifully before yet now knew not which way to steer their Course but went along with the Croud whither Providence should direct them In a day or two after we were removed from before Limerick Monsieur Boisleau the Governour made a Speech and told the Irish Monsieur Boiseleau's Speech to the Irish That with much ado he had perswaded them to defend the Town which with Gods help they had done but assured them it was not Fear but Prudence and Policy that had made the Enemy quit the Siege as might appear by their slow Marches and withal he told them his Opinion that the next time the Enemy came they would have it Which said he took leave and went to the French Forces then at Galloway and designing for France His Majesty goes for England His Majesty that day we Raised the Siege went to Cullen and so to Clonmel from thence to Waterford in order to take shipping for England accompanied with the Prince the Duke of Ormond and several of the Nobility From Waterford His Majesty sent back the Right Honourable Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Tho. Conyngsby Esq to the Camp Lords Justices Appointed they with Sir Charles Porter having a Commission to be Lords Justices of Ireland The King set Sail with a fair Wind for England where he was received with an universal rejoicing and the Two Lords Justices on the Fourth of September came to the Camp then at Cullen where they staid till the Sixth in which two days they and the General Count Solmes ordered all Affairs relating to the Army And here we received Money which was very acceptable for it had been very scarce all the Campaign both with the Officers and Soldiers and yet every body were content and our Wants were no Obstruction to our Duties as His Majesty was pleased to take notice afterwards in His Speech to the Parliament From Cullen we marched on the Sixth to Tipperary blowing up a strong Castle when we Decamped and the two Lords Justices took their Journey towards Dublin in order to enter upon their Government Some that are Men already prejudiced will pretend to be Judges in this Affair though they never saw the Place or the Country and affirm that the Irish made never a false step but one during this whole
there was a Ship with Arms Ammunition and some Provisions on Board with about Sixty Officers designed for Limerick but cast away in that River and all the Men lost The Rapparees all this while were very busie about Cashall and Clonmel and did a great deal of mischief this occasioned some of our Army to joyn part of the Militia who went towards Cullen and burnt the Corn bringing away a good Booty without any opposition The Fifteenth of November Colonel Byerly's Horse marched from Dublin to Mount Naelick a Village towards the Frontiers and on the 19 th the Lords Justices Publish a Proclamation Declaring That if any of their Majesties Protestants Subjects had their Houses or Haggards burnt or were Robb'd or Plundred by the Rapparees such Losses should be repaid by the Popish Inhabitants of that County And in regard the Popish Priests had great Influence over their Votaries it was ordered That if any Rapparees exceeding the Number of Ten were seen in a Body no Popish Priest should have liberty to reside in such a County And it was further declared That the Government would not give Protection to any Person that had a Son in the Enemies Quarters unless such Son return to Their Majesties Obedience before the Tenth of December next following And in regard at this time the Government was apprehensive of some danger nigh Dublin it self they Publish a Proclamation the 22 d. That all Papists who have not been noted House-keepers in the City of Dublin for Three Months last past were within Forty eight Hours to depart at least Ten Miles from the City or else to be proceeded against as Spies and that not above Five Papists should meet together upon any Pretext whatever A Plot discovered About the 24 th there was great talk of a Design discovered to the Lords Justices of sending a Supply of Meal Salt Tobacco Brandy and several other things from Dublin to the Enemies Quarters Those who were carrying these things were pursued and overtaken in the County of Kildare upon a By Road they all made their escapes however but one of them being a Woman dropt a Petticoat in which was found a Letter and also another in a Rowl of Tobacco which gave grounds to believe that a Correspondence was kept between the Papists in Dublin and the Enemy beyond the Shanon and therefore on Sunday Night the 30 th of November a general search was made through the City and most of the Papists secured This Piece of Service the Militia performed very dextrously without noise or suspicion till the thing was done A List of the Privy-Council The last Packquets from England brought a List of the Privy Council appointed by His Majesty for the Kingdom of Ireland as also of several of the Judges The Council were The Lord Primate the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Archbishop of Dublin Duke of Ormond Earl of Meath Earl of Drogheda Earl of Longford Earl of Renelah Earl of Granard Viscount Lisburn Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerrald Esq the Vice Treasurer Chancellor of the Exchequer Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Chief Baron of the Exchequer Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Master of Ordance Sir Henry Fane Sir Charles Merideth William Hill of Hillsborongh Esquire On Monday the First of December several of the said Persons attended the Lords Justices at the Council Chamber and there took the usual Oaths of Privy Councellors The Judges named for the Respective Courts in Dublin were Sir Richard Reynoll Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Richard Stephens one of the Justices of the same Court Mr. Justice Lindon being formerly sworn there In the Common Pleas Mr. Justice Jetfordson Mr. Justice Cox being formerly sworn there In the Exchequer Jo Healy Esq Lord Chief Baron and Sir Standish Hartstone one of the Barons of the Court Mr. Baron Ecklin being formerly sworn there This day we had News of the Enemies passing the Shanon at several Places and Orders were sent to our Frontiers to be in readiness and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton sent a Party from Birr towards Portumna who met with a Party of the Enemy which they routed killing some and brought off two Officers with Eleven Prisoners being Dragoons and Foot month December December the 2 d. A Proclamation was issued out by the Lords Justices and Council forbidding all Their Majesties Subjects of Ireland to use any Trade with France or to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the French King or his Subjects This was the first that was Signed by the Council and these were present viz. Fran. Dublin Drogheda Longford Granard Lisburn Robert Fitz-Gerald Anth. Meath Charles Merideth We had at that time an Account from Cork that on the 22 d. of November last there were 60 of our Horse and Foot who met with near Five hundred of the Rapparees in the Barony of West Carberry near Castlehaven our Men at that disadvantage Retreated towards Castlehaven the Enemy followed in the Rear and fired at a distance several times our Party facing about killed Nine and afterwards being Attackt again they killed one Brown an Ensign of the Enemies Castletown Besieged The Enemy next day Besieged Castletown an House near Castlehaven they were Commanded by O Donavan O Driscoll and one Barry As they approached the House our Men killed Twelve of them this put them into an humour of Retreating though one Captain Mackronine with his Sword drawn endeavoured to hinder them but he and some more of the Party being kill'd the rest got away as well as they could Several of them had Bundles of Straw fastned upon their Breasts instead of Armour but this was not Proof for about Thirty of them were killed upon the Spot amongst whom were young Colonel O Driscol Captain Tiege O Donavan besides several that went off Wounded we lost only two Men. Rapparees defeated At this time Colonel Byerley being at Mountmelick with part of his own Regiment and some of Colonel Earl's Foot he was frequently Allarumed as well by Parties of the Irish Army as by Considerable Numbers of the Rapparees who had a design to burn the Town as they had done several others thereabouts but the Colonel was very watchful and kept good Intelligence a main Matter in this Assair He was told of a Party that designed to burn the Town and he took care to have all his Men both Horse and Foot in readiness to welcome them but they heard of his Posture and durst not venture however on the Third of December he had notice of a Body of Rapparees that were not far from the Town and designed him a mischief he sends out Lieutenant Dent with Twenty Horse and ordered each Horseman to take a Musqueteer behind him when the Horse came almost within sight of the Rapparees they dropt their Foot who marched closely behind the Hedges unperceived by the Enemy When the Enemy espied so small a Party of Horse they Advanced