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
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
his handkerchief upon the place his Majesty took little notice of it but rid on for about forty yards further where there was an high Bank on either side but it being open below we returned the very same way again the Enemies Canon firing upon us all the while they did some damage amongst our Horse that were drawing up just before them killing two of the Guards and about nine of Coll. Coys Horses with three Troopers and also some few more out of Coll. Byerleys and other Regiments which made the King give orders for his Horse to draw a little backwards to have the advantage of a rising ground between them and the Canon When the Enemy saw their great Shot disturbed us they set up a most prodigeous shout all over the Camp as if our whole Army had been undone and several Squadrons of their Horse drew down upon a plain towards the River but in such a place as they knew it was impossible for us to come at them the River being very deep and a Bank of nigh ten yards high on our side I have often observed the Irish very fond of shouting and Hallowing before an Engagement and there is a Tradition amongst them that whosoever does not Shout and Huzzah as the rest do in Battle he 's suddainly caught up from the ground into the Air and so into a certain desart vale in the County of Kerry where he eateth Grass and lapeth Water hath some use of reason but not of Speech but shall be caught at length by Hunters and their Hounds and so brought home but this story is a little too light for so grave an Author as Cambden tho' he only relates it as a foolish fancy The King went to change his Coat and get his shoulder dressed and then rid about to see his Army come in which were all this while marching and encamping in two Lines And here I cannot but take notice of a signal peice of Providence in the preservation of the Kings Person for whatever ill effects it might have had for the future it would have been of fatal consequence to the Army at that time if he had fallen since instead of our going to them the Irish would have been ready to have come to us next morning and how we would have received them there 's none can tell I have met with several that will not believe that the King was touched with a Canon Bullet at all and if so that it was impossible it should not kill him but I was present when the thing hapned and therefore can affirm the truth of it I have seen a great many odd accidents in wounds with Canon Bullets and yet the Parties live particularly one of my Lord Drogheda's Men who had all the Flesh of his right Cheek shot from the bone without breaking his Jaw and he 's yet alive and very well Tho it seems at the Court of France they could not believe any such thing when they made Bone-fires for King Williams death But to go one with the Story Our Guns arrive about three a Clock the first of our Field Pieces came up and we lost no time but took two or three of them down towards the River and Planted them on a Furry bank over against the pass the first shot made by one Nelson we kill'd an Officer that lay sick in the House beyond the River and the second or third we dismounted one of those Field Pieces that the Irish had been so brisk withal and then their Horse that were drawn up towards the River made what haste they could into the Camp we continued all that afternoon pelting at them and they at us their Canon did us little more harm but our Gunners planted several Batteries and threw a great many small Bombs into their Camp which obliged them to remove some of their Tents one Bullet as we heard afterwards fell very nigh a Crowd of great Officers that were at the late Kings Tent and kill'd a Horseman that stood Centinel they then removed their Counsel to some other place and were not admitted to crowd there any more A French-Man of ours that afternoon run thro the River before our faces to the Enemy When they saw him coming a great many of them came down to receive him and crowding about him to hear news our Canon threw a Bullet amongst the very thickest of them which kill'd several and as t was said the Fellow himself however the rest made what hast they could back again We had some Deserters also that came from them to us but I heard of no more that left our Army except that one man There was one Deserter that gave the King an account that the Enemy were about 25000 Men and that they had sent away part of their heavy Baggage towards Dublin The King calls a Counsel of War About 8 or 9 a Clock at night the King called a Council of War wherein he declared that he was resolved to pass the River the next day which Duke Schonberg at first opposed but seeing his Majesty positive in it he advised to send part of our Army that night at 12 a Clock to pass the River at or near Slane-bridge some three miles above and so to get between the Enemy and the pass at Duleek which was about four miles behind them but this advice was not taken One thing under consideration was where to get Guides that were trusty and good whilst this matter was in question my Lord George Hambleton was by who immediately brought four or five of his Iniskilling Officers that knew the Fords very well and took upon them to Guide the Army next day and here it was concluded how the Army should March and who should Command at the different Posts which was ordered thus Lieutenant General Douglas was to Command the Right wing of the Foot and Count Schonberg the Horse who were to march early towards the Bridge of Slane and other Fords above to flank the Enemy or get between them and Duleek my Lord Portland and my Lord Overkisk had their Posts here as Mareschals de Camp the left wing of our Horse were to pass between the Enemies Camp and Drogheda whilst in the mean time a Body of Foot forced their way at the Pass at Old Bridge The Enemy held likewise a Council of War wherein Lieutenant General Hambleton advised to send a party of Dragoons to a Ford that was below the Town of Drogheda which we either knew not of or else did not regard and all the rest being eight Regiments with their whole left line towards the Bridge of Slane King James's Answer was that he would send fifty Dragoons up the River which the other seem'd to be Amazed at the place to be defended being of such importance however they resolved to defend the Passes and if it were possible to retreat with their Army towards Dublin in order to which they drew off most of their Canon in the night
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