being done with the Duke's consent who took Mackarty for a man of Honour the Governor was acquitted The beginning of January our Regiments being all very thin and it appearing a little difficult to recruit them in England most people being then out of humour for the loss of their Relations and Acquaintance nor altogether that number of Voluntiers appearing then as formerly therefore several Regiments were broke one into another and the supernumerary Officers continued at half-pay till Provision could be made for them in other Regiments Sir Tho. Gower being dead my Lord Drogheda's Regiment was broke into his and his Lordship made Collonel of it my Lord Roscommon's Regiment was broke also into Collonel Earl's and Collonel Zanchy's formerly my Lord Lovelace's Sir Henry Inglesby's and Collonel Hambleton's of Inniskilling were broke into other Regiments and about the 12th 16th and 20th most of the Officers designed for that Service went from Lisburne towards England for Recruits to the Army January the 18th A Proclamation was published strictly forbidding Cursing Swearing and Prophaneness in Officers or Soldiers under the Penalties enjoined in the Articles of War and his Grace's utmost Displeasure but neither this nor yet the Judgments of God then hanging upon us for those and a great many other sins had that effect that the General and other good men heartily wished for and no doubt of it the Debaucheries in Armies are the high-way to Ruin since those both obey and fight best that are the most sober The 22 d. Brigadier Stuart went with a Party of Five hundred Horse and Foot towards Dundalk destroying several Cabins amongst the Mountains where the Irish used to shelter themselves and his Party brought in a considerable Prey at their return The 25th the General went from Lisburne in order to visit our Frontier Garisons and appointed stores of Bread Cheese Shooes and other Necessaries at several places especially at Armagh the Metropolis of the whole Island On the 11th of February a part of our Army being The Irish Army in motion drawn together to attend the Enemy's Motion who we understood were then in a Body towards Dundalk The General himself went to Drummore and so to Loughbritland in order to give the Enemy Battel if they advanced our Men and Horses having recovered by this time from their late Diseases to a Miracle Sir John Laneir and Brigadier La Mellionere advanced with a Party towards Carlingford but returned with an Account that there were only three Regiments at Dundalk as formerly but the Design of the Irish lay another way For whilst the Duke was abroad on that side Collonel Woolsley had notice that the Enemy were resolved to fall upon Belturbet where he then commanded to which purpose they had already crouded a Garison of theirs called Cavan eight miles from Belturbet at what place they expected a greater Force in a day or two but Collonel Woolsley to be before-hand with their visit marched from Belturbet on the 12th about Four in the Afternoon with Seven hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse and Dragoons hoping to surprize the Enemy next Morning early but he met with so many Difficulties in his march that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was fair day-light before he came near it the Enemy had also taken the Alarm and were so far from being surprized that instead of the usual Garison which we only as yet expected there the first thing that our men saw was a Body of the Enemy's drawn up in good order and judged to be about Four thousand It was rather therefore a surprize upon us than them however we fought and routed The Battel of Cavan them killed Brigadier Nugent with several other Officers and about Three hundred Soldiers taking Twelve Officers and Sixty private Men Prisoners burnt the Town and returned with a good Booty having lost Major Trahern Captain Armstrong and Captain Mayo with about Thirty private Men and double the number wounded And to let the Enemy see that we were ready Sir John Lanier goes to Dundalk with a Party for them on all sides Sir John Lanier marched again on the 15th towards Dundalk with a Party of One thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons he came before the Place early next Morning which the Enemy had fortified very regularly And placing some of his men near the Works on the North-east Side towards the Bridge he sent a Party of Collonel Leveson's Dragoons cross the River who took Bedloe's Castle an Ensign and Thirty men surrendring themselves Prisoners In the mean time another Party marched in at the South-west End of the Town and burnt most of what was left without the Works in which Service we lost a Lieutenant and two or three Dragoons our Men returning with a Prey of Fifteen hundred Cows and Horses The beginning of March landed the Duke of Wertenberg The Danes land in Ireland with Six Thousand Danes being proper men very well Cloathed and Armed On the 12th Colonel Callimot with a Party endeavoured to burn the Wooden Bridge at Charlemont which he set fire to and killed about Twenty of the Enemy lost his own Major with about Six men and so returned March the 14th Five thousand French Foot under 5000 French land in Ireland Count Lauzune and the Marquess de Lery landed at Kinsale in order to join the Late King's Army for whom in exchange Major-General Macharty and near the same number of Irish were sent into France our English Fleet then attending the Queen of Spain made this Undertaking more easie to the French April the 6th Collonel Woolsley with a Party of Seven hundred men attacked the Castle of Killyshandra seven miles from Belturbet where the Enemy had a Garison of One hundred and sixty men commanded by one Captain Darcy after some Mines were fixed and a brisk Assault or two made upon their Works in which we lost Eight men the Besieged surrendred and we left a Garison of One hundred men in the Place Nigh which time a great many Recruits as also Collonel Cutt's Collonel Babington's with a Danish Regiment of Horse landed at White-House April the 18th Sir Clousley Shovell went into the Bay Sir Clousley Shovell takes a Frigat out of the Bay of Dublin of Dublin and brought from a Place called the Salmon Pool a Frigat of Sixteen Guns and Four Pattereroes loaden with Hides Tallow some Plate and other Rich Moveables designed for France the Late King and several of his Irish Regiments marching as far as Rings-End where they were all Witnesses of so wicked an Action as they called it done on so good a Day it being Good-Friday May the 2 d Lieutenant-Collonel Mackmehon with Relief put into Charlemont about Four hundred men Ammunition and some small quantities of Provisions got into Charlemont in the Night but our French and other Regiments posted thereabouts watched him so narrowly that though he made two or three Attempts yet he could not
this Declaration as others before it of like nature had not the wished-for effect since the Irish are generally of that Temper as to think you are most afraid of them when best Terms are proferr'd This made the Irish Peasants value themselves mightily upon King William's first Declaration after the Rout at the Boyne who then look'd upon themselves to be the most considerable part of the Irish Nation because they had Terms proferr'd before the Great Ones The sixth a Proclamation was published by the Lords-Justices A Proclamation prohibiting the destroying Improvements and Council prohibiting all Officers and Soldiers to plunder or take away the Goods either of Protestants or Papists nor cut down Improvements as some unreasonably went about nor to take the Horses and Cattle out of the Plough or to exact and levy Money Of all which there had been frequent Complaints and therefore the Soldiers were commanded to pay their Quarters with their Subsistence which was ordered them and the Officers too from the first of January Nigh this time Francis Sheldon and John Green two Commissioners sent over to build Ships in Ireland that were Skilful in the Art of Building Ships were both sent over in equal Commission by Authority of the Navy-Board in England to build Ships for Their Majesties Service at Waterford or Wexford nigh which Places and in the County of Wickloe there is good store of suitable Timber and other Advantages for building Ships at easier Rates than in England but what progress has been made herein I am uncertain February the 8th Colonel Brewer and Major Boad with a Party of 150 Horse and 200 Foot march'd from Mullingar towards Meers-Court to Relieve that and some other Garrisons with Provisions and some Men which having done Colonel Brewer went with a Party towards Ballymore to view the Posture of the Enemy at that place he met with a small Party of them at a Pass a Mile on this side the Fort whom he put to flight and pursued to the Garrison nigh which he kill'd six or eight and burnt the House at the Pass when he returned bringing the Owner away Prisoner February the 10th Sir Richard Reynolds Lord Chief Justice of the King's-Bench came from England and sate as Judge in that Court being afterwards sworn of the Privy-Council And nigh the same time we had an account that considerable Numbers of Recruits both for Horse and Foot lay ready at Bristol to be ship'd for Ireland The Montague and Dover Frigats bring into Kinsale a Privateer of St. Maloes of 24 Guns and six Pettereroes A Party of our Army quartering at Bally-Hooly in the County of Cork went into the Enemies Country and kill'd 25 Rapparees and soon after Major Kirk kill'd 16 more taking two Officers Prisoners yet for all this the Enemy watched all opportunities of Advantage killing our Men by surprize in a great many places but especially keeping Correspondence with the protected Irish in all corners of the Country they stole away our Horses The Irish steal away our Horses to Recruit their own Army sometimes in the Night and often at Noon-day when our Men least suspected it by which means they recruited their own Horse considerably and did us no small disservice nor is it probable unless they had made use of some such ways they could have brought any Body of Horse into the Field worth taking notice of the succeeding Campaign whereas we were sensible afterwards that their Horse were once not contemptible The 9th two Officers and a Soldier desert from Limerick and come to Cashel And a Day or two afterwards about 100 Protestants are permitted to come away who all agree that the Irish were more dissatisfied since my Lord Tyrconnel's Landing than before since the Money and Cloaths brought them from France were both in themselves very contemptible the one for quantity and the other for quality We had also an Account that Sarsfield was made Sarsfield made Lord Lucan Earl of Lucan and Lieutenant-General of the Army Dorington Major-General and Barker General of the Foot One Langton was Hanged at Kilkenny for endeavouring to seduce a Souldier of Count Nassau's Regiment and some others And at Birr the Rapparees killing one of Colonel Hamilton's Souldiers drew out his Guts and mangled his Body after amost barbarous and unusual manner Several Ships arrive at Waterford with Meal Bisket Corn and other Provisions for their Majesties use and a great many Merchant Ships come to that and other Ports with Victuals and other conveniencies for the Army and Country On the 13th about 400 of the Irish Army Commanded A Party of the Irish burn Edenderry by Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to Edenderry and burnt greatest part of it killing 7 Men and a Woman and had 11 of theirs kill'd by a Militia Troop then in Town who were obliged to defend the strongest Houses and the Irish returning by Phillips-Town burnt Bally Brittan And now the Civil Government begun to look with a Judges appointed to go their several Circuits better countenance than formerly for February the 17th the Judges were appointed for their several Circuits viz. Munster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Reynolds Mr. Justice Cox Leinster Circuit Lord Chief Justice Pyne Mr. Justice Jefferson North-East Circuit of Vlster Lord Chief Baron Healy Mr. Justice Lyndon North-West Circuit Mr. Baron Eclyn Mr. Serjeant Ryves These all went their districts accordingly and found things much out of order in several places by reason of the looseness of the Times and the general inclination of most people to a disorderly way of living February 24th a large French Pinck bound from Bourdeaux to Connaught with Wine Brandy Salt c. was driven by stress of Weather into Arcklow-Haven the Men being made Prisoners the Ship and Cargo were seized for The Duke of Berwick and others of the Irish Army go for France their Majesties use And nigh this time we heard that the Duke of Berwick and some other great Officers of the Irish Army were gone off from Limerick to France being discontented as 't was said at my Lord Tyrconnel's way of Proceeding in the Government The 25th Lieutenant Colonel Lillingston went from Roscreagh with a Party to Monogall where he surprised a Company of Colonel Oxburrough's Regiment and several Rapparees kill'd 35 and took 5 Prisoners with one O Conner who Commanded The 26th in the Morning Lieutenant General Ginckel and Sir John Lanier having drawn a considerable Body both of Horse and Foot together they advanced from Streams-Town towards Athlone The Enemy never wanted Intelligence of our Motions by reason of their Friends always amongst us and therefore as we approached we found a Body of Horse and Foot to the number of about 2300 Commanded by Brigadeer Clifford drawn on at a Pass 4 miles from Streams-Town the place it self was of great advantage its natural situation being improved by Art but as soon as a Party of ours under Captain Pepper of The
Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Colonel Earl's Regiment advanced on the other side the Irish quitted the Pass being followed by our Horse and Dragoons towards the Mote of Greenoge where a greater Body of their Army was Posted upon the side of an Hill and those also upon seeing what happened retired into the Town at the entrance of which there was a very defensible Ditch with a Pallisado'd Work which the Irish quitted and March'd towards Athlone our Advance Party being 10 of my Lord of Oxford's Horse 12 of Sir John Lanier's Commanded by Cornet Lisle and sustained by Lieutenant Monk's Dragoons those were four choice Men out of a Company in Major General Kirk's Regiment mounted on Horseback and Commanded by Lieutenant Monk who always did Dragoon service and a Party of Colonel St. John's Foot under Captain Worth and all Commanded by Colonel Woolsley those overtook the Enemies Foot before they were got out of Town very soon obliging them to disperse into the Woods and Boggs several being killed and whilst this was adoing our Advance Party of Horse followed the Enemies Horse so fast upon the great Road that leads towards Athlone that our Body of Horse behind could not come up though they endeavour'd it by marching very hard A great many of the Irish fearing to be overtaken quit their Horses Boots and Arms making what haste they could to their usual shift the Woods and Boggs and thus it continued for six miles till they were got near Athlone They lost all their Equipage and Baggage with a great many Horses and Arms and had about Two Hundred Kill'd two Hundred kill'd We lost only one Trumpeter and had four men more Wounded Major General Kirk stayed behind and took Cairn Castle and the General at his return took Castle-Conway in some few days dispersing his Men to their respective Quarters The 28th several Rapparees were killed and hanged by the Militia near Montrath they being usually more March 1691. severe upon those sort of People than the Army was March the 7th a Cornet two Quarter-masters and some other Deserters came from the Enemy to Dublin Some Deserters come in and encouraged by the General where the General then was and received them very kindly allowing them subsistence to encourage others to follow their examples Several Ships arrive at Cork Waterford Kinsale and Dublin with Provisions and other necessaries for the Army and the Militia kill some Rapparees and bring in their Heads a Custom in that Country and encouraged by a Law which allows so much for every Head according to the Quality of the Offender though the usual way is by Proclamation from the Government wherein the Offender and his Price are March 1691. named Nigh this time three of the Danish Soldiers deserting upon major-Major-General Dorington's Declaration or what other Inducements I know not but they were met upon the Road between Limerick and Cashel by four others that had belonged to the Irish Army and now deserting to us these very fairly set upon the Danes took them Prisoners and brought them back to Cashel where they were afterwards hanged A Party of Colonel Villers's and some Danish Horse march from Tallow within the Enemies Frontiers kill two and take some few Prisoners And Colonel Blunt High-Sheriff of the County of Tipperary with his Militia Troop of Dragoons a Danish Troop of Horse and others to the Number of 200 went from Clonmel as far as Mitchels-Town nigh twenty Miles within the Enemies Quarters in which Expedition they kill'd forty seven Rapparees took thirteen Prisoners and burnt several Cabbins where they used to shelter Captain Palliser of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went with a Party from Carolante towards Portumna where he surprized some of my Lord Galmoy's Horse and took several Prisoners as also good store of rich Plunder with Arms Cloaths and several other things of value Cornet Russel and one Crofton come from the Enemies Quarters and give an Account that Balderock O Donnel had got several Men together again but wanting Arms and other Accoutrements they begun to desert And we also heard that Judge Daily was secured for being suspected to endeavour the delivering up of Gallway to our Forces And that Provisions and Forrage were very scarce in Connaught The Lords-Justices and Councel to encourage the bringing of Arms and Ammunition into Ireland by Merchants and others they set out a Proclamation declaring A Proclamation to encourage the Importing of Arms. that they shall be Duty-free pursuant to which Her Majesty made an Order of Council in England dated March the 3d. That no Duty shall be hereafter demanded or payable in Ireland for any Arms which shall be carryed to such parts of that Kingdom as are or shall be at the time of Importation under Their Majesties Obedience provided that the Parties exporting Arms from any other parts of Their Majesties Dominions do enter into sufficient Bonds for landing the same in such Parts of Ireland as aforesaid and no others The Rapparees at this time were very troublesom nigh Several Rapparees kill'd in the County of Longford Fox-Hall in the County of Longford till Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcel at three several times kill'd about one hundred of them in the last of which they kill'd fifty two and returning towards Quarters they were way-laid by the greatest part of Sir Donold O Neal's Dragoons Our Party were thirty five Dragoons and one hundred and forty Foot one Quarter-master Topham being with nine Dragoons commanded as an Advance-Party to view the Enemy as soon as discovered by us and seeing them in a confusion at his appearing he charged their Front who running away made all the rest of the same humour every one endeavouring to get first to their Garrison at New-Castle three were kill'd and one Dillan with four more taken Prisoners This Party its said was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Barnwell Upon this Defeat one Mack-Guire comes from the County of Longford with several hundreds of the Creights and most of the Stock that was left them for which and themselves they obtained Protections About the 10th of March we had an Account by some Protestants that came out of Connaught that the Irish a little after my Lord Tyrconnel's landing being out of humour with the Brass Money little or nothing being to be The Irish cry down their Brass Money had for it they cry'd it down by Proclamation the Crown piece to three Pence the Half-crown to three half-Pence the Shilling to a Penny and the Six pence to an half-penny After which the Soldiers lived upon free quarters Provisions also being scarce and no Markets for want of Money those Parts begun to be under worse Circumstances every Day We had Notice from Tallough that Sarsfield had Rendezvous'd part of his Army and some of the Irish Militia at Knockhany and that he had detached ten Men out of a Company and as many out of each Troop to Attack the Pass at
ten Granadiers who are to take to the Left and clear the Rampart of the Enemy 5. After these fifty Work-men whereof Twenty-five are to follow the Lieutenant-Colonel to the Right and Twenty-five to go after the Major to the Left with Hatchets Pick-Axes Shovels and Hammers 6. After them shall follow the two Battalions of Stuart and Prince Frederick whereof Stuart is to go to the Right and Prince Frederick to the Left and the Officers are to take care that the Men do not press on too fast but cover themselves from the Enemies Fire as soon as they can 7. After these two Battalions two hundred Foot to carry Fascines and each of them to carry Tools along with them 8. After these shall follow the Regiments of Brewer to sustain Stuart and Count Nassau to sustain Prince Frederick 9. The Work-men are to open as soon as possible the two Gates of the Town that the Horse and Foot may come in that way 10. The Lieutenant-Colonels or Major or both that shall come first to the Ford on the left of the Bridge is to take care to prevent the Enemies Sallying that way and also that their Men do not fire one upon another 11. All these foregoing Detachments are to be Commanded by major-Major-General Mackay and the Brigadiers Stuart and Vittinghoff To sustain all these a good Body of Horse were got ready and a Lieutenant of Colonel Cambon's Regiment according to Orders having the Advance Party of thirty Men went under Covert of certain Hills within a hundred and fifty Yards of the Breach then Advanced upon the Plain before his Men and the rest of the Detachments following the Enemy fired upon us very smartly but our Men went on and kept their fire till they were at the Breach which the French Lieutenant first mounted throwing his Granade and firing his Piece ordering his Men to do the like and with great bravery encouraged his Party though he lost his Life in the Action Our Granades so galled the Enemy and the Men pressed so fast upon the Breach that the other quit their Works and run towards the Bridge whither we pursued them and even to the foot of the Draw-Bridge the The English-Town taken Irish in their hurrying over the Bridge crowded forwards so fast that several were crushed to death and not a few forced over the sides of the Bridge who were either kill'd or sore bruised When our Men had possession of the Town they rung the Bell and covered themselves at the Bridge foot We lost not above twenty men and had about double the number Wounded the Enemy had about sixty killed and more wounded Brigadier Stuart was Wounded in this Action and one Captain with three private men of the Enemies taken Lieutenant-Colonel Kirk of Brigadier Viller's Regiment was unfortunately killed by a great Shot from the Town as he lay viewing the Action upon the side of an Hill That Evening our three Guns were drawn off from the Ford and nine Guns from the Battery into the Town June the 21st several Detachments of Horse were Batteries planted against the Irish-Town sent abroad one Commanded by Colonel Woolsley went towards Ballymore to meet the eleven Guns and three Mortars that were upon the Road and also to hasten the Pontoons This Evening a Battery was begun at the foot of the Bridge to the Right for five Twenty-four Pounders and a Floor made for six Mortars The 22d about five in the Morning our Batteries were finished and by six the Cannon and Mortars begun to play very briskly on the North-East side of the Castle where it was weakest and by seven in the Evening a large Breach appear'd in the Wall In the Afternoon a French Lieutenant-Colonel was brought off by our Men who had laid under the Bridge since the Attack he was sore bruised and his Back almost broke but seemed not to be so much afflicted with his own private Misfortune as in being engaged with a People who were like to prove but very indifferent defenders of his Master the French King's Interest in that Kingdom The 23d our Guns and Mortars continued firing all Night with that success that by five in the Morning the whole side of the Castle was beaten down and our Bombs had that effect upon it as to make it very unserviceable to the Enemy who were now forced to make an Hole on the West-side of the Wall to get out and in though in a day or two they had no business there at all About two that The Tin Boats come up Afternoon our Tin Boats Floats and other Materials came to the Camp with Colonel Byerley's and my Lord of Oxford's Regiments and a great many People were set to work to repair those Boats that were spoiled the Year before nigh Limerick for there being more New ones expected from England than really came and what we had being judged too few those Old Boats were brought out of a place where they had been thrown by and so were fitted up to lay next the Shore which occasion'd a Report that they were concealed on purpose by the Store-keeper but the thing was as it is here related The same Afternoon a Prisoner was taken nigh the Bridge who gave an Account that Sixty-four Men were in a Mill upon the Bridge which being fired by our Granades and those within not being able to quench it nor get thence they were all consumed with the Fire except the Prisoner and one more that escaped by leaping into the Water A Drummer comes to the General from the Town with an Answer of his Letter sent the Day before about the exchange of Prisoners The 24th was spent in raising three Batteries one below the Bridge another above it and a third without the Town-Wall by the River-side opposite to a Bastion the Enemy had made on the other side the River That Evening one of my Lord Lisburn's Men going under the Bridge to see for Plunder found a pair of Colours amongst the dead Men and tho' the Enemy fired a great many Shot at him yet he brought them off flying and presented them to the General who rewarded the Soldier with five Guinnea's We begin now to contrive Methods of passing the River and a Lieutenant of Horse was commanded with a Party to a Ford towards Lanesborough where the General was informed there might be an easie and undiscovered Passage for most of our Army whilst our Cannon amused the Enemy at the Town This Party went and found the Pass according to Information but tho' he was positively ordered to return as soon as he had passed the River yet such are the powerful Charms of Black Cattle to some sorts of People that the Lieutenant espying a Prey some distance from him on the other side must needs be scampering after them by which means our Design was discovered and the Enemy immediately provided against it by throwing up strong Works on the other side The Lieutenant I beard was afterwards try'd and
by Their Majesties special Direction and Command do by this Our Proclamation Publish Declare and Promise that All and Every the Private Souldiers now in Arms against Their Majesties in the Enemies Army who shall within three Weeks after the Date of this Our Proclamation surrender up Themselves their Horse Arms and Furniture to the Commander in Chief or any other Their Majesties Officers shall not only be paid a reasonable Rate for their Horse Arms and Furniture which they shall so deliver up but shall be fully and freely Pardoned of all Treasons and other Crimes and Offences against Their Majesties and that All and Every Person or Persons who now are Governours Officers Commanders or Souldiers of or in any Cities Towns Forts Castles or other Garrisons in Their Kingdom of Ireland not already under Their Majesties Power and Obedience who shall surrender deliver and yield up any such City Town Fort or Garrison unto the General or other Officer of Their Majesties Army within three Weeks after the Date of this Our Proclamation and All other Officers and Souldiers now serving or being in the Enemies Army or Quarters who shall within three Weeks time after the Date of this Our Proclamation come in and bring with them their Regiments Troops or Companies or some considerable part thereof and submit themselves to Their Majesties Obedience and deliver up their Horses Arms and Furniture of War they and every of them both Officers and Souldiers shall be fully freely and absolutely Pardoned of all manner of Treasons Crimes or Offences committed against Their Majesties Their Crown and Dignity and shall also be Restored to and put in Possession of all their Estates forfeited for such Treasons Crimes and Offences and if any Citizens and Inhabitants or other Persons Residing in the City of Limerick or Town of Galway shall within the time aforesaid either of themselves or by joyning with any other be Instrumental or assisting in delivering up either of the said Places to Their Majesties Obedience they and every of them shall be likewise fully freely and absolutely Pardoned of all manner of Treasons Crimes or Offences committed against Their Majesties Their Crown and Dignity and shall also be Restored to and put in Possession of all their Estates forfeited for such Treason Crimes or Offences and we do hereby further Publish and Declare that if any Officers and Souldiers now in Command in the Enemies Army or in any of the Cities Castles Forts or Garrisons of the Enemy not having any Estates forfeited or to which he or they can be Restored shall render unto Their Majesties any of the Services aforesaid such Person and Persons Officers and Souldiers shall be fully and liberally Rewarded by the General of Their Majesties Army in such or greater Proportion as the Services by them done shall deserve and such of the said Officers and Souldiers as shall desire to Enter into Their Majesties Pay shall be Received in the like or better Post and Condition as they now Serve under the Enemy and lest those who are to take Benefit by this Proclamation may be Apprehensive of being prosecuted for Exercising their Religion tho Their Majesties have sufficiently manifested to the World by the Rest and Quiet not only Roman Catholicks of this Kingdom but those of England have injoyed under Their Government may be sufficient to Remove any such Apprehensions we are commanded further to Publish Declare And we do Hereby Publish and Declare that as soon as Their Majesties Affairs will permit them to Summon a Parliament in this Kingdom They will endeavour to procure them such further security in these particulars as may preserve them from any disturbance upon the account of their Religion and we do hereby Advise and Admonish all such Persons who still Adhere to the Enemy Carefully and Prudently to consider the ill Estate and Condition whereunto they are Reduced and seriously to recollect into their Minds and Memory the Quiet and Blessed Estate and Security which they enjoyed under the English Government and the vast difference betwixt that and the Tyranny of France and withal the terrible Consequences which must follow if they any longer neglect returning to their Duty and thereby lose the Benefit of Their Majesties most Benign and Gracious Compassion and Intention towards them Given at Their Majesties Castle of Dublin the 7th Day of July 1691. in the Third Year of Their Majesties Reign God Save the KING and QVEEN July the 8th all the heavy Baggage was a passing over the River and it was ordered that the Officers of the Quarter-Guards should go frequent Rounds and send all the Souldiers they found Gameing or Drinking after Taptoe to the Provoe's the General being much displeased at such Disorders by means of which a great many irregular things were done especially Plundering and Robbing of Tents which yet was continued tho several were made Examples to the very end of the Campaign It was also ordered that an Account of all those that were killed and wounded since our coming to this Town should be returned to the Adjutant General which was about Sixty Killed and a Hundred and Twenty wounded And that the General might leave nothing unattempted which might contribute to the bringing the Enemy over by fair means he settled Allowances of Subsistance to all Persons that would come off according to their several Qualifications viz. Collonels of Horse and Dragoons 11 l. 10 s. per Month and Foot 10 l. per Month and so proportionably to every one July the 9th proved a very hot day till about 5 in Extraordinary Rains and Thunder the Afternoon when it fell a Raining and then such Thunder Hail and a Hurrycane of Wind as the like had scarce been seen before this continued for two Hours in which time two Men and a Boy were killed by Lightning and two or three more hurt in the Prince of Hess's Regiment The Town being now pretty well cleared and new Works raised on Conaught side On Friday the 10th Our Army March from Athlone of July the General having left Col. Lloyd Governour of Athlone with his own and Lieut. Gen. Douglas's Regiments he moved forwards with the Army and Encamped that Night at Killcashel 7 Miles nearer to the Enemy whence the General went to view the Pass at Ballynasloe a small Village upon the River Suck where stands a Castle built formerly by the Ancestors of my Lord Clanrickard from hence the Enemy was retired 3 Miles further Saturday the 11th we marcht to Ballynasloe and encampt along the River Suck upon the Roscomon side this is a good Pass and the Irish might have given us some trouble in gaining it but that they had found out a much better place as will soon appear As our Army was Encamping our Great Officers went to the Hills of Knocksdunloe in the County of Galway about a Mile distant from our Camp from whence they could see the Enemies out-Guards upon the Hills of Corbally who upon our
the General resolving to make all the Force he could they had also their part both of the Honour and Service of the Action And tho Brigadeer Stuart is there set down it 's only as to his Post for he was then at Dublin ill of his Wounds received at Athlone Col. Lloyds Regiment was also in Garison at Athlone and two more left at Balynasloe so that we were not altogether so strong as this Line of Battle makes us In this order the Morning proving Foggy our Army stood till nigh 12 a Clock and then were Commanded to Advance the General going with a party before to view the Enemy and perceiving some of their out Scouts upon the Hills ordered a party to beat them thence upon whose advance the Enemy retired from place to place till they were within half a Mile of their Camp by which means the General had an opportunity from an high Hill to the Right of the Enemy to view their whole Army posted as before described by which posture they had the advantage by at least 1000 men but being assured of the valour of his Army the General resolved to draw nearer and expect what further opportunities of advantage might offer in order to which and for the security of our own Army he saw the necesity of gaining that Pass to the Right of the Enemy called Vrachree where the Irish had some men posted he sent therefore a Danish Captain with 16 Troopers to force it but the men run away from a less number than themselves tho the Officer behaved himself very well and the rest retrieved their Honour afterwards upon this the General ordered two Hundred of Sir Albert Cunninghams Dragoons to march to certain Ditches nigh the said Foord to keep the Enemy from coming over and in the mean time our Army was marching forwards by this time it was Two a Clock and the General finding the necessity of having that Foord and other ways that led to the Right of the Enemy as the most proper ways to assault them he ordered Cunninghams Dragoons at the Ditch to advance towards a Party of the Enemy that stood on the other side were sustained by a considerable Body behind the House of Vrachree all which at the advancing of our Dragoons retired behind an Hill nigher their Camp and where a greater Body was posted then some of our Dragoons pressing on too far were obliged to retreat a little disorderly the Enemy sustaining their Men by several fresh Parties which the General perceiving he ordered Briggadeer Eppinger's Dragoons to get between them and their Camp but this was discovered by the Enemy who had the advantage of pouring in so many Men upon us that they would have been too hard for our Dragoons still if they had not been quickly seconded by greatest part of the Earl of Portlands Horse who behaved themselves with great Bravery and lost several Men and Horses in this part of the Action And what was at first only a Skirmish had by this time engaged a considerable Body on both sides fresh Parties being still sent out tho after about an hours dispute the Enemy were obliged to retire in some Disorder over the Brook that flanked the Right of their Army no considerable dammage being done as yet to either side Then all things seemed pretty quiet for a while and our General Officers coming together began to consult whither it was fit to give the Enemy Battel that Night considering the disadvantages we were to expect in Attacking them some therefore were for deferring the Battle that Night and so to fall on by break of day next Morning which was so far agreed to as that our Tents were ordered to be sent for and pitched along the other side the Bogg but then perceiving the Enemy to be in some Disorder by what had already happened they concluded not to delay their Attack lest the Enemy should March off in the Night and so afford us no more opportunities it was therefore agreed to prosecute the Battel on the Enemies Right by that means proposing to draw part of their strength from Aghrim Castle nigh which their main Body was posted that so our Right might have the easier Passage over to Attack their Left and then our whole Army might have opportunity to engage This I am told was the Advice of Major General Mackay a Man of great Judgement and long Experience and it had its desired Success Our Army was disposed of as you see in the Line of Battel only the General moved up and down as he saw occasion as did also the rest of the General Officers and before the Battel began there was no distance left between the first and second Line since a great part of the second Line were the first that engaged The Irish Army was commanded by Monsieur St. Ruth Lieutennant General D'usson Monsieur De' Tessec Lieutenant General Sarsefield Major General John Hambleton Major General Dorington and several other About half an hour past Four in the Afternoon a part of our Left Wing moved towards the Enemy and by Five the Battel began a fresh A Party of our Foot marched up to their Ditches all strongly guarded with Musketiers and their Horse posted advantageously to sustain them here we fired one upon another for a considerable time and the Irish behaved themselves like Men of another Nation defending their Ditches stoutly for they would maintain one side till our Men put their Pieces over at the other and then having Lines of Communication from one Ditch to another they would presently post themselves again and flank us this occasioned great firing on both sides which continued on the Left nigh an hour and an half e're the Right of our Army or the Centre engaged except with their Cannon which played on both sides All this while our Men were coming up in as good Order as the Inconveniency of the Ground would allow and now Major General Mackay and the rest seeing the Enemy draw off several Bodies of Horse and Foot from the Left and move towards their Right where our Men pressed them very hard they laid hold on that advantage and ordered the Foot to march over the Bogg which fronted the Enemies main Battel Colonel Earl Colonel Herbert Colonel Creighton and Colonel Brewers Regiments went over at the narrowest place where the Hedges on the Enemies side run furthest into the Bogg These four Regiments were ordered to march to the lowest of the Ditches adjoining to the side of the Bogg and there to post themselves till our Horse could come about by Aghrim Castle and sustain them and till the other Foot had marched over the Bogg below where it was broader and were sustained by Col. Foulk's and Brigadeer Steuarts Col. Earl advanced with his Regiment and the rest after him over the Bogg and a Rivulet that ran through it being most of them up to their Middles in Mudd and Water The Irish at their near approach to the Ditches
sired upon them but our Men contemning all Disadvantages advanced immediately to the lowest Hedges and beat the Irish from thence The Enemy however did not retreat far but posted themselves in the next Ditches before us which our Men seeing and disdaining to suffer their Lodging so near us they would needs beat them from thence also and so from one Hedge to another till they were got very nigh the Enemies main Battel But the Irish had so ordered the matter as to make an easie Passage for their Horse amongst all those Hedges and Ditches by which means they poured in great numbers both of Horse and Foot upon us which Colonel Earl seeing encouraged his Men by advancing before them and saying There was no way to come off but to be Brave As great an Example of true Courage and Generosity as any Man this Day living But being both flanked and fronted as also exposed to all the Enemies Shot from the adjacent Ditches our Men were forced to quit their Ground and betake themselves to the Bogg again A Party of our Foot beat back whither they were followed or rather drove down by main strength of Horse and Foot and a great many killed Colonel Earl and Colonel Herbert were here taken Prisoners the former after twice taking and retaking got free at last tho not without being wounded Whilst this was a doing here Col. St. Johns Col. Tiffin Lord George Hambleton the French and several other Regiments were marching over below upon the same Bogg The Irish in the mean time laid so close in their Ditches that several were doubtful whether they had any Men at that place or not but they were convinced of it at last for no sooner were the French and the rest got within twenty yards or less of the Ditches but the Irish fired most furiously upon them which our Men as bravely sustained and pressed forwards tho they could scarce see one another for Smoak And now the thing seemed so doubtful for some time that the By-standers would rather have given it on the Irish side for they had driven our Foot in the Centre so far back that they were got almost in a Line with some of our Great Guns planted near the Bogg which we had not the Benefit of at that Juncture because of the mixture of our Men and theirs M. G. Ruvigny's French Horse and Sir John Laniers being both posted on the Right were afterwards part of Our Horse pass the Bogg near the Castle of Aghrim them drawn to the Left where they did very good Service And the Right Wing of our Horse in the mean time were making what haste they could to succour our Foot for seeing their Danger and indeed that all was in hazard by reason of the Difficulty of the Pass they did more than Men in pressing and tumbling over a very dangerous place and that amongst Showrs of Bullets from a Regiment of Dragoons and two Regiments of Foot posted conveniently under Cover by the Enemy to obstruct our Passage Our Horse at this place were sustained by Major General Kirks and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton's Foot who after we had received the Enemies Fire for a considerable time marched under the Walls of the Castle and Lodged themselves in a dry Ditch in the throng of the Enemies Shot from the Castle and some other old Walls and Hedges adjoining Those that have seen the place and considered the Disadvantages that our Men had at such a Juncture to encounter withal must needs Acknowledge the Action very Brave For it s reported that Monsieur St. Ruth seeing our Horse draw that way and then begin to scramble over at a place where only two a Breast could pass and that too with great difficulty after all which they had no other way to march but to go within thirty yards of the Castle The French General seeing our Men attempt to do this askt What they meant by it And being answered That they would certainly endeavour to pass there and Attack him on the Left he is said to reply with an Oath They are brave Fellows it s a pity they should be so exposed or Words to that purpose Our Horse with much difficulty made good that Pass Sir Francis Compton with my Lord of Oxford's Regiment being one of the first that could be in a posture to Engage he fell at Random in amongst the Enemy and charged them briskly with Sword in Hand and tho his Men were once or twice Repulsed yet being seconded with part of Major General Ruvigny's Horse Colonel Langston's and some of Colonel Byerley's Horse as also Brigadeer Leveson's Dragoons they soon made Good their Party on that side tho' not without the loss of several both Men and Horses The Major General Talmash seeing the Disadvantage Major General Talmash Succours our Foot our Foot laboured under in the Centre he shewed at once an extream concern for his Countrymens being repulsed and as much Generosity and Courage by hastning to Succour those that at that time stood most in need of it coming up therefore in all haste with some fresh Men he gave Orders for our broken Regiments to halt and face about which they did immediately and returned the same Measure to the Irish that some of themselves had met withal the very Minute before that is they knockt them on the Head for the Irish followed us toward the Centre of the Bogg which tho not two hundred yards from the lowest Ditches yet before the Enemy could recover those again our Men had killed above three hundred of them and then marched boldly up to their old Ground again from whence they had been lately beat which is only natural to English Men for it 's observable that they are commonly fiercer and bolder after being repulsed than before and what blunts the Courage of all other Nations commonly whets theirs I mean the killing of their Fellow Soldiers before their Faces At the same time Major General Mackay had fallen upon the Enemy with a good Body of Horse on their Left and then Major General Ruvigny went along the side of the Bogg with another Party of Horse who did extraordinary Service bearing down all before them then the Horse and Foot of our Right and their Left mixing there was nothing but a continued fire and a very hot dispute all along the Line The Irish indeavouring to defend their Ditches and our men as forward to beat them from thence But the thing was doubtful not much longer for Mons St. Ruth when he first saw our Foot in the Centre repulsed in a great Ecstasy told those next him that he wou'd now beat our Army back to the Gates of Dublin But seeing our Horse press over towards the Castle he ordered a Brigade of his own Horse to march up then Riding to one of his Batteries and giving orders to the Gunner where to fire he was marching towards the place where he saw us indeavour to come over but was
four executed two more were hanged at Carlow by Sir Thomas Butler's Orders and one of Mackabe's Servants kill'd and thus ended the Month of August CHAP. VIII September 1691. Our Bombs set the Town on fire The Irish design a Salley but are repulsed by my Lord Drogheda 's Regiment Brigadeer Leveson routs a Party of the Irish in Kerry A Design to pass the River A new large Battery made towards the King's Island A Breach made Some thoughts of storming it Guns planted nigh St. Thomas 's Island The Cannon and Bombs play at the Cathedral and why Colonel Earl sent into England Rejoicing in the Camp for the Defeat of the Turks My Lord Lisburn killed A Party ordered to pass the River by a Bridg of Boats The Irish in a great Consternation The Castle on the Weir taken Debates whether the Siege should be continued or turned into a Blockade Orders in case of an Alarm Some Guns shipp'd Our Men pass the River a second time The Attack at Thoumond Gate Six hundred of the Enemy killed A remarkable Paper found in the Pocket of a Colonel in the Irish Army The Enemy beat a Parley A Cessation agreed to Hostages exchanged The Irish Proposals rejected by the General Articles agreed to The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Delaval giving him an Account of the Cessation A brief Account of what happened in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. SEptember the First Col. Woolsley with a Party of 500 Horse and Dragoons went towards Killalow it being reported that Sarsfield was moving that way upon some secret Expedition into our Quarters All last Night and that Morning our Bombs and Cannon plaid upon the Town setting it on fire in some Places which was no small trouble to those within to put it out It Our Bombs set the Town on fire was ordered that Afternoon that most of our Guns and Mortars should be shipp'd again and at Night Maj. Gen. Tettan commands in the Works A little after our Guards were relieved we understood the Irish designed a Salley in order to which a considerable Body of their Men advanced towards our Works between Nassau's Fort and the great Battery where the Earl of Drogheda with his Regiment was then upon Duty His Lordship The Irish intend a Salley perceived the Irish were coming and therefore ordered his Men not to fire till they should advance within Pistol-shot of us and then to give them a whole Volley But the Souldiers perceiving the others Approach would not forbear to shoot amongst them which was the reason that the Irish could not be perswaded to advance any But are repulsed by my Ld Drogheda's Regiment further though they had then a very good Opportunity since there was but one Regiment at that time to defend above 300 Yards of the Works We had one Man kill'd and two wounded and were in a small time reinforced by Col. Venner's Regiment and a Party of Horse were sent down to remain all Night as near the Works as they could conveniently The Guns plaid and Mortars also for some part of the Night but the General saw that our Batteries were too far off and therefore new Measures were consulted on LYMRICK A Council of War was this day held and also a Court Martial whereof the Earl of Drogheda was President at which amongst other things a Woman was condemned for endeavouring to intice some of our French Souldiers into Town whom she took to be Roman Catholicks This Evening two great Mortars 18 Inches and an half Diameter that were brought from Ship-board were mounted and several Bombs thrown but they did not do the hoped-for Execution which occasioned the drawing them and the Guns off from the Batteries with a design to attempt something elsewhere or if it could be to pass the River which the Enemy having private A Design to pass the River notice of they removed their Horse-Camp about two Miles to the North-East of Limerick posting four Regiments of Dragoons to guard the Shannon below Anighbegg where they had three Regiments of Foot lay intrenched The Cannon however had been so troublesom to the Inhabitants that most of them left the Town and encamp'd under Sheets and Blankets with what else they could procure nigh a Party of their Horse where they and their Army wanted nothing so much as Salt The General seeing the Enemies Camp removed went to a convenient Place to view them The third the Guns and Mortars put on board were again unshipp'd upon new Measures being taken and brought up to the Artillery-Ground One of Col. Nugent's Dragoons deserted from the Enemy leaving them the Night before and says that 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons belonging to their Army were most of them at that time beyond the River but neither well equipp'd nor clad nor were the Regiments nigh full The 4th Lieut. Col. Peck with the Princess Ann's Regiment came to the Camp and in the Evening a Party of 300 Horse and Dragoons were sent to reinforce Brigadeer Leveson and some Reports there were that he was surrounded by the Enemy upon which the General sent to him to return but it proved only a Prey of Cows that the Enemy had taken from some of the Countrey-People who had bought them from the Brigadeer's Party at the Rout they gave the Irish However the Brigadeer had Orders afterwards to secure the County of Kerry and to endeavour the reducing the Enemies Garisons there six Guns being ordered for that Service For the Enemies keeping some small Garisons between our Camp and Cork was a great Disadvantage to us in point of Provisions which otherwise we might have expected Plenty of from that part of the Countrey The Duke of Wyrtemberg as 't is said by the Advice of my Lord Castle-connel who was come to our Camp had A new Battery contrived nigh the Kings Island now found out a Place for a new Battery nigh the King's Island on the River-side which was thought nearer the Town than the former and from whence we could batter the English Town more effectually This Place in our publick Accounts was said to be within Carbine shot of the Wall and yet it was at least 300 Yards from it Nor was there any Conveniency to raise a Battery any nearer against this part of the Town by reason of the River to the Right and a low Morass Ground on the Front But some Disputes about this new Battery were raised before it self though at last it was concluded on and several Regiments both of Horse and Foot were ordered to move towards the Right as well for the security of our Battery as to front the Irish Army who were gone that way before us We were at work also very hard upon a Line of Contravallation raising three or four new Forts between the old Church and the King's Island to secure the remaining part of our Army in case some of them should be commanded over the River September the 5th
with an Officer desert the Enemy a Sergeant of theirs gave us notice where their Ammunition lay and our Guns fire very hard all Day at the Place the General and all the great Officers continuing the whole Afternoon at the Battery and were very well pleased to see a Bomb blow up some part of their Powder At Night our Works were double mann'd and our great Guns beginning to the right the whole Line made three running Fires which were seconded by as many from several Regiments both of Horse and Foot drawn up at the Heads of their respective Camps this was for Joy of the Christians Success in Guns fired for Joy the Turks were defeated in Hungary Hungary against the Turks but it alarm'd the Irish who stood at their Arms all the Night being much puzzled to know the meaning of it some saying that our Fleet had beat the French and others that it was only for a Blind at our going off and every one as they fancied Orders were now given for the demolishing Castle-connel Carick a Gunnell and other Places upon the Shannon and several Miners were at work upon them The fifteenth the Finnan Regiment of Green Danes march towards Clonmell in order to go to Waterford and most of our Guns were drawn off from the Batteries as a Blind to a Design at Night being a great many Men at work all day to prepare our Tin-boats and Floats That Afternoon my Lord Lisburn then upon Duty with his Regiment to the Left of the Great Battery his Lordship having laid down to rest him in a little Trench-Tent just in the rising up was unfortunately shot by a My Lord Lisburn killed great Gun from one of the Enemies Batteries being a Man of excellent Parts and who had shewed himself very diligent and forward upon all Occasions since the beginning of this War In the Evening it was ordered that four hundred Granadeers A Party ordered to march over the River so soon as 't was dark should parade at the Head of Major General Kirk's Regiment from whence they marched about nine at Night being joined with six hundred Workmen with the Tin-boats and sustained with five Regiments of Foot commanded by Major General Talmash and a Body of Horse and Dragoons under Major General Scravemore with six Field-pieces Those all march to a Place of the Shannon about two Miles above our Camp and by twelve at Night begin to lay the Boats over In the mean time the Granadeers commanded by Sir David Collier with Capt. Ketchmay of Sir John Hanmer's Captain Alnut of my Lord Drogheda's Captain Parker of Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's Regiment another Captain and eight more Officers were wafted over by the Tin-boats into an Island where the Bridg was laying and from whence it was fordable to the other side beating some few Straglers of the Enemy from thence who now and then fired at the Workmen but with little or no Loss to us for the Night being very dark and the Enemy secure because they judged us going off the Bridg was almost compleated before they suspected it The 16th at Day-light our Bridg was finished and A Bridg laid and our Men pass over it Colonel Matthew's Dragoons beginning to pass into the Island by which time Brigadeer Clifford had got the Alarm who was not far off with four Regiments of Dragoons he seemed not very forward in the Matter tho his Dragoons came down on foot and pretended to make some Opposition as did also a Body of the Enemies Foot being about four or five thin Regiments who advanced towards the Ford when Major General Talmash immediately commanded the Granadeers to wade thrô which done they possess'd themselves of an old House and an Hedg or two about an hundred Yards from the Enemy and were commanded not to be lavish of their Shot but receive the Enemies Fire till our Dragoons and some Horse were got over which were passing Then the Enemy endeavouring to flank our Granadeers on the Right the Major General commanded a Detachment of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons to beat them from that Post which being done and a good Party soon got over Major General Talmash ordered the Granadeers to advance being sustained by a Regiment of Foot commanded by Colonel Tiffin and Lieutenant Colonel Bristow a Party of Dragoons and a Party of Colonel Coys's Horse This was done and after some faint Resistance the Enemy run towards a large Bog and a Wood that was in their Rear throwing away their Granadoes Muskets and every thing that proved troublesom our Men pursued them and killed several upon the Bog taking a French Lieutenant Colonel a Captain and some more Prisoners Our advance-Party received Orders to halt till all were got over and then march'd to the Left up towards the Enemies Camp But by this time the News of our passing the River was got to their Horse and also towards the Town both Parties providing for their Safeties as well as they could for the People that were encamp'd without endeavoured to get into Town but those within drew up the Bridg and would not admit them and it 's almost incredible what a Noise and Confusion there was then at Thoumond Gate their Horse tho begin to buckle to Arms and made a shew of fighting which was only to gain time to secure their Tents and Baggage and their Dragoons having their Horses two Miles off at Grass were forced to shift for themselves Our Horse expected Orders to pursue them but they were commanded by the General and Lieut. Gen. Scravemore who were now come up to halt till a greater Body advanced to sustain them Some of the Irish were now pulling down their The Irish in a great Consternation Tents others driving away the Cattle and every one in a Hurry making what haste they could towards the Mountains and then the General ordered our Men to advance towards their Horse-Camp where they found Brandy Beef and a great many other things And a Party of our Granadeers met with about three hundred Dragoon Saddles and other Accoutrements which they burnt by Order We did not pursue however for fear of an Ambuscade but sent to observe the Enemies March The Irish also nigh the Town were very busy in breaking down two small Bridges cross a Causey leading to the Town but the firing of two of our Field-pieces put a stop to their Proceedings in that Place There is a small white House about half a Mile from the Town on Thoumond side nigh which two Squadrons of the Enemies Horse were drawn up and about a Regiment of Foot posted in the Hedges to secure their Lords Justices the Records all their chief Ladies and Treasure which all were there and had been as then no difficult though a very good Prize But after some of our Parties had seen them go off in the greatest Confusion that could be we set two or three Houses on fire and staying on that side till about two a Clock in
the Afternoon we had Orders to return leaving a Guard in a Fort newly cast up on the other side to secure our Bridg whenas it 's not improbable had we pursued our good Fortune the Irish Horse had been routed and the Town delivered upon our own Terms The Irish had still a small Garison in S. Thomas's Island which now submitted where we got two pretty small Brass Field-pieces There was also an Ensign with twenty Men in a Castle in the midst of the River a little below the Island who were made Prisoners This is The Castle on the Wier taken called the Wier Castle because it stands on a Salmon Wier In the former Wars the Irish had a Garison here also who deserting the Place betook themselves to the River but being shot at part of them came on shoar towards the West who had Quarter promised them by a Captain in Colonel Tuthill's Regiment and yet were stripp'd and killed by the Colonel's Orders who was tried and cashiered for it but the rest coming a-shore on the East where Colonel Inglesby was had better Treatment and sent to the Town Ireton being very angry at the others Breach of Faith We had only one Serjeant killed in all this Day 's Adventure and about twenty Men wounded and the Enemy lost not above fifteen or twenty at most One Capt. Taaf in the Irish Royal Regiment deserts and says the Besieged had not above ten Days Bread and that our Bombs had destroyed a great part of their Ammunition And that nothing might be left unattempted to shew their Majesties Clemency the Government 's Lenity and the General 's generous Compassion towards the Irish he orders the following Declaration to be sent them By Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of their Majesties Forces ALthough their Majesties have already been more gracious than could be expected or the Behaviour of the Irish has deserved yet to leave no means untried that may bring them to a Sense of their Interest and Duty and this Kingdom to that quiet and settled Condition it formerly enjoyed they have been pleased to impower me to assure the Enemies Army and the Garison and Inhabitants of Limerick that if within eight Days from the Date hereof they shall surrender and submit themselves to their Majesties Obedience they shall have that Pardon of their Offences Restitution of their Estates and Reward of their Services and all the Benefits promised by the Lords Justices in their Proclamation of the 7th of July last from which they are not debarred by any Act of Parliament as they are falsly made to believe by some Persons who live by sacrificing their Country to the Tyranny and Ambition of France and ought for that reason to be excluded from Mercy by both Sides But if they shall still continue obstinate and neglect to lay hold on this Favour which is the last that will be offered them they must be answerable for the Blood and Destruction they draw upon themselves for I hereby acquit my self before God and the World and wash my Hands of it Given at the Camp before Limerick this 16th Day of September 1691. On the 17th a Council of War was held wherein it Disputed whether the Siege continued or a Blockade was hotly disputed whether we should go on with the Siege or march over the River and destroy all the Enemies Forage in the County of Clare and then make a Blockade and it was so far carried for the latter that an Engineer was ordered to go with a Guard towards Killmallock and fortify that Place but before he got out of the Camp he was countermanded and a great many Pallisado's were brought up to Mackay's Fort as if we intended to winter there three hundred Cars with Bullets Bombs and other Necessaries come to the Camp from Dublin and our Guns play still from the great Battery Eleven of the Enemies Troopers desert and a Standard was brought in that was taken the Day before and my Lord Lisburn's Corps were sent hence towards Dublin there to be interred Our Bridg of Boats was this Evening removed towards St. Thomas's Island but being too short it was carried to another Place where it had also the same Inconveniency The 18th Orders were sent to the Men of War and other Vessels in the River to set some Men on Shoar in the County of Clare to destroy all the Forage they could meet with since this was the time of Harvest and if we must needs remove the General was resolved to make the Irish Quarters as bare as possible and several of our heavy Cannon were put on Ship-board The 19th it being resolved to pass the River with a Party either to prosecute the Seige or at least to burn the Forage a Battery was raised between Ireton's Fort and the old Church to flank the Irish in Case of a Sally from St. John's Gate it being reasonable to expect one when part of our Army once pass'd the River and now our People were very busy in lengthning our Bridg which they found some Difficulty in fixing because the the Rains had swelled the River and we had not Boats enough to reach over but that Defect was supplied by some large Carts and Barrels that were industriously fixed next the Sides and so the Work was compleated a Guard being always on the other Side for its Security and my Lord Lisburn's and Colonel Creighton's Foot were encamp'd by it on our side This Afternoon four Mortars were brought from the great Battery to Mackay's Fort that Place being judged the fittest for bombarding since the whole Town lay in a Line from thence Three Rapparees were also brought in by the Militia and accused for murdering several of our Men as they straggled from the Camp to dig Potatoes one of them produced a Pass as being of my Lord Gallmoy's Regiment of Horse but this was an usual shift for in a Day or two there being evident Proof against them they were condemned by a Court-Martial the General gave Orders that they should be broke upon the Wheel but being told that this way of Torture was against the Laws of England they were first hanged and then their Quarters dispersed and hung upon the Hedges on the adjacent High-ways to the Camp That Evening the General was informed that the Enemy resolved to make a Sally and therefore most of our Horse and Dragoons were ordered to remain sadled all Night And in case of an Alarm the Commander in chief where it should be Orders in case of an Alarm given was immediately to acquaint the General with it upon which three Guns were to be fired from the Artillery to warn the Regiments those on the left were to defend the left Trench Kirk's Earl's and Hales's were to defend from the Place my Lord Lisburn was killed to the great Battery the other five Regiments of that Brigade were to defend from Mackay's Fort to the Well and those Regiments of the Prince of Hesse and
La Melâ—oner's Brigades were to draw up at the Head of their respective Camps and there remain till further Orders so that our Army being disposed of on this manner the Irish would have met with a very scurvy Welcome if they had come at any time to visit us but they considered better of it and so staid at home The 20th most of the rest of our heavy Canon were Some of our Guns shipp'd drawn off and sent on Shipboard Several Deserters come in and some of our Prisoners make their Escape through a Hole in the Goal which our Cannon had made and inform the General of the State of the Town that it was not so very bad as some People made it for unless we kept them in also on the other Side we could not hope to carry it which Story had been very often told On the 21st the General received an Express with an Account of Sligoe's being surrendred to the Earl of Granard and it being fully agreed to pass the River next Day and a probable Consequence of that being that the Irish must needs then or never endeavour to attempt the forcing of our Works on this side when they saw our Army divide therefore it was ordered that in case of an Alarm there should be a Signal given which was by the lighting of a Torch upon a Pike at Mackay's Fort the Charge of which was committed to the Officer of the Quarter-Guard and he ordered to be very vigilant the Regiments being disposed of for Defence as before The Quartermasters were also ordered to be be at Major General Tetteau's by break of Day And therefore September the 22 d the General himself the Duke of Our Men pass the River a second time Wirtemberg Lieutenant General Scravemore with all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by Major General Ruvigny except Colonel Coys's Horse and fifty out of each Regiment of Dragoons with ten Regiments of Foot and fourteen Guns viz. ten 3 Pounders and four 12 Pounders taking also seven Days Provision along march'd over our Bridg of Boats into the County of Clare leaving Major General Mackay and Major General Talmash to command on this side All that Morning as our Horse and Foot march'd by this side of the Town the Enemy fired continually upon us from several Batteries but did us no great Injury At twelve a Clock all our Men had passed the River and about two eighteen of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons being our advance-Party were attack'd by a Party of the Enemy who out-numbred ours and obliged us to retreat till sustained by a greater Party as was also the Enemy and some small Firings continued till about four that our Foot came up we advancing still and the Enemy retiring till they were got under their Cannon Then all the Granadeers of our Party commanded by Colonel Tiffin Lieutenant Colonel Hudson and Major Noble sustained by Kirk's Tiffin's St. John's and my Lord George Hamilton's Regiments were commanded to advance and attack the Works that cover Thoumond Bridg being one Fort to the Right above Musket-shot from the Bridg The Attack at Thoumond Gate another on the Left somewhat nearer besides several natural Fortifications of Stone-quarries and Gravel-pits in all which the Enemy had posted a Detachment out of eighteen Regiments of about eight hundred Men. The Dispute was pretty hot at first and their Cannon playing from the King's Castle and two or three more Batteries as also their small Shot from the Walls the Attack seemed very hazardous and our Men ordered not to approach so nigh the Town as they afterwards did However the Irish being now pressed upon by our Granadeers they quitted their first Posts and then were reinforced by another Detachment from the Town but all this could not do their business for our Granadeers were so very forward and despised all Dangers to that degree that they put the whole Body to flight in despight of their Forts Cannon and all other Advantages and pursued them so close that a French Major who commanded at Thoumond Gate fearing our Mens entring the Town with their own he ordered the Draw-bridg to be pluck'd up and left the whole Party to the Mercy of our Souldiers those that were behind pressing the others forward and throwing them down over the Fall of the Draw-bridg then the rest cried out for Quarter holding up their Handkerchiefs and what else they could get but before killing was over they were laid on Heaps upon the Bridg higher than the Ledges of it so that they were all either killed or taken except about a hundred and twenty that got into Town before the Bridg was drawn up and many of those cut and slash'd to the purpose The number of the Dead is said to be 600 of the Enemy killed six hundred amongst whom we may reckon one hundred fifty four that were drowned in being forced over the Fall of the Draw-bridg and reckoned afterwards cast up upon the Shore The Prisoners were Colonel James Skelton who died afterwards of his Wounds Lieutenant Colonel Edmond Hurley Lieutenant Colonel Francis Dempsey Major Matthew French John Nelvil Aid-Major of Limerick besides nine Captains seven Lieutenants six Serjeants and ninety seven private Men all whose Names I have but they are not worth the while of writing down or reading afterwards We took also five Colours and as some say three small brass Guns that were with a Party of their Horse And we lost in this Action Lieutenant Starlin with twenty five private Men and had about threescore wounded One thing here remarkable is that Colonel Skelton's A remarkable Paper Pockets being search'd when he was taken Prisoner the following Paper was found amongst other things The Paper it self I have and will not be answerable either for the Orthography or Sense however take an exact Copy of it And first something like the fashion of a Spear's Head or a Wound as he calls it being slovenly drawn upon Paper the following Words were writ about it THis is the Measure of the Wounds of the Side of our Saviour Jesus Christ wich was brought from Constantinoble to the Emperor Charmaine in a Coffin of Goulde and is a most precious Relique to the end that he or she that carried the same about him no Fire nor Water no Wind Tempest Knaife Launce or Sword nor the Divil cannot hurt him and the Woman with Child the day she seeth the same Measure shall not dey a sudden Death but shall be delivered by and if any Man carre the same about him with good Devotion shall have the Honor and Victorey of his Enimy The day that any doth read the sam or heard it read shall not dey an evil Death Amen Animis scriptoris in manu Saluatoris I have more Charity for any in Colonel Skelton's Post than to believe that he could write this Paper himself for whoever did understood neither English nor Latin nor yet Common Sense I therefore believe it the Hand-writing of
some poor ignorant Irish Priest and kept by Colonel Skelton either out of Ridicule or possibly out of some Religious Design since I have heard that they had a great many of those Papers printed and kept amongst them with a great deal of Devotion and if we 'll look amongst them we may find a great many Instances of the like nature and altogether as great Absurdities for Colonel Skelton was no Irishman nor could he well be fond of the Fopperies of that Nation In the former Wars we have several Relations of such like Religious Papers found upon the Irish with a great many Charms and other such like Stuff particularly at the Battel of Knocknaclashy the last of that Rebellion and parallel to this in several Circumstances for amongst other Charms taken at that time this one is remarkable viz. This is the Print of our Lady's Foot and whoever wears it and says twenty Ave Maries shall be free from Gunshot Cox p. 68. But this Digression I 'm afraid is scarce pardonable and therefore when our Men had lodged themselves within ten Yards of the Bridg notwithstanding an high Tower that stood near that End of the Bridg next to them the Irish being then cut off from all Communication with their Horse and despairing of Succours from France they began soon to think upon giving up the Town but it must needs be thought very unaccountable that when they saw our Forces divide and part of them indeavouring to approach the Town on their Side they should not then have brought all their Army together and given us Battel rather than suffer the Town to be surrounded nor could they have been so pinn'd up in the Town by us if they really had been beat but that their Horse and Dragoons might have fought their way out again at some time when we had not been at our Arms for there was no Forage left nigh the Town and our Horse could no more stay long near it than theirs within it But it 's probable e're this time that they were grown jealous of one another and a great many of them weary of the War it self and it 's as probable that if their Horse and Dragoons after a brisk Trial of Skill had been forced towards the Town they had been served the same sauce by the French Major as their Foot were and therefore they were wiser and kept at a good Distance beyond Six-mile-Bridg and nigh Ennis towards whom the General sent a Party of our Horse Next Day being Wednesday the 23 d one hundred Cattle taken from the Enemy the Day before and six hundred more sent out of the County of Kerry by Brigadeer Leveson were divided amongst the Army And though the Day proved very rainy yet our Guns and some Mortars ceased not to play upon the Town nor the Enemy to fire more furiously than they had done for some time before One Lieutenant Colonel Corbet came off from the Enemy and proposed to the General the bringing over my Lord Tyrconnel's and Galmoy's Regiments of Horse and out of those two to make one good Regiment to serve their Majesties in Flanders provided he might have the Command of them Towards Night the Rain begun to cease and both Storms were ended together for about six a Clock the Enemy beat a Parly The Enemy beat a Parly on both Sides the Town one Colonel Ruth coming towards Mackay's Fort where the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment then were upon Duty But Major General Talmash shortly after coming that way and being acquainted with it he referred the Matter to Lieutenant General Scravemore and the Marquess Ruvigny The General being then beyond the River Major General Waughup or Lieutenant General Sarsfield went out to him and a Cessation was concluded for that Night The 24th in the Morning Lieutenant General Sarsfield A Cessation agreed to and Major General Waughup came out to the General and desired it might be continued for three Days longer till they could send to their Horse who then were encamp'd towards Clare in order to their being included in the general Capitulation which they then proposed and the Request was granted The Enemy had now in Town two hundred forty and odd Prisoners of our Army and Militia that had been taken in the County of Cork and other Places who remained there all the Siege and were pretty well look'd after whilst the Protestants had leave to stay who were inexpressibly kind to them but no sooner were they turn'd out of Town but the poor Prisoners were in a miserable Condition being exposed to the Fury of our own Guns and Mortars and about thirty of them killed during the Siege This Afternoon those alive were brought out to us and delivered between Mackay's Fort and the Town many of them in a miserable Condition those of them that were not able to walk were brought out upon poor lean Garrons and some died upon the Spot where they were set down being weak and unacquainted with the open Air Nay so barbarous had the Irish been in this Particular that they had not so much as ordered the Wounds of some of our Men to be dressed that they had got in Prison by our own Guns but after several Days keeping them in that Misery they brought them out and made us all Witnesses of their Barbarity I give one Instance of a Dragoon in Colonel Matthews's Regiment who had his Hand shattered to Pieces and being never dress'd he died within an Hour after his bringing out The same Day we had an Account that Galloping Hogan a Fellow that had got upwards of one hundred Rapparees together Horse and Foot and got much Plunder by robbing the Sutlers and other People that came into his Power he was now so bold as to set upon a Party of Carrs coming towards the Camp with little or no Guard nigh Cullen and took away with him seventy one small Horses though he durst not stay to do any further Mischief The 25th Lieutenant General Sheldon the Lords Their great Officers come from the Horse Camp to consult with the rest in Town Galmoy Westmeath Dillon and Trimblestowne Mack Guire the Titular Primate the Titular Archbishop of Cashell Sir Theobald Butler and several more of the Irish Officers came from their Horse Camp and dining with the General they went afterwards into Town in a Boat rowed by French Seamen there being then three Vessels drawn up within the Key and one of them sunk a-cross it to prevent our coming up the River in the Night by way of Surprize as they rid by the End of the Bridg towards the Boat a Party of their own Men were burying the Dead killed in the last Action they stopp'd and enquired for several People whom they there found dead and the Cessation was continued till next Day at ten a Clock The 26th Sarsfield and Waughup dined with the General and it was agreed that Hostages should be exchanged in order to a further Treaty Accordingly in
he admitted my Lord Dover to a more particular Protection than ordinary because he had applied himself formerly by a Letter to Major-General Kirk to desire a Pass for himself and Family to go into Flanders His Majesty at his return to the Camp declared The King intends for England his Resolution to go for England and leaving Count Solmes Commander in Chief he went as far as Chappel-Izard nigh Dublin with that Intention ordering one Troop of Guards Count Sconberg's Horse formerly my Lord Devonshires Collonel Matthews's Dragoons Brigadier Trelawny's and Collonel Hastings's And sends some Forces thither Foot to be shipt off for that Kingdom And on the first of August His Majesty published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthening the former but also adding That if any Foreigners then in Arms against him in that Kingdom would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither else they pleased A Proclamation was also published for all the Irish in the Countrey to deliver up their Arms and those who refused or neglected to be abandoned to the Discretion of the Soldiers As also another Proclamation for a Weekly Fâ—st And then His Majesty appointed Richard Pine Esq Sir Richard Reves and Robert Rochfort Esq Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal who began now to act accordingly But the King received a further Account from England But returns to the Camp That the loss at Sea was not so considerable as it was at first given out and that there was no danger of any more French Forces landing in that Kingdom they having already burnt only a small Village and so were gone off without doing any further damage The danger of that being therefore over His Majesty returned to the Army which he found encamped at Golden Bridge nigh Cashell and about seventeen miles from Limrick where His Majesty had intelligence of the Posture of the Enemy in and about that City August the 8th Lieutenant-General Douglas and his Limerick Besieged Party from Athlone joined the King's Army at Cariganlis And on the 9th the whole Army approached that strong Hold of Limerick without any considerable loss the greatest part of their Army being Encampt beyond the River in the County of Clare His Majesty as soon as his Army was posted sent a Summons to the Town which was refused to be obeyed by Monsieur Boiseleau the Duke of Berwick Sarsfield and some more though a great part of their Army were even then willing to Capitulate Next Morning early the King sent a Party of Horse and Foot under major-Major-General Ginckell and major-Major-General Kirk to pass the River which they did near Sir Samuel Foxon's House about two miles above the Town The same day some Deserters from the Enemy gave his Majesty an account of their Circumstances and one of our own Gunners did as much for us who informed the Enemy of our Posture in the Camp as also of Eight Pieces of Cannon with Ammunition Provisions the Tin-Boats and several other Necessaries then upon the Road which Sarsfield with a Party of Horse and Dragoons had the luck to surprize two Some of our â—â—ns surprized days after at a little old Castle called Ballynedy within seven miles of our Camp killing about Sixty of the Soldiers and Waggoners and then marched off with little or no opposition tho his Majesty had given Orders for a Party of Horse to go from the Camp and meet the Guns the night before Tuesday the 12th Brigadier Stuart went with a Party Castle Connel taken and four Field-Pieces to Castle-Connel a Strong-hold upon the Shannon four miles from Limerick the besieged being 126 under one Captain Barnwell after some time submitted and were brought Prisoners to the Camp Sunday the 17th at night we opened our Trenches Our Trenches opened which were mounted by Seven Battalions under the Duke of Wirtenbergh Major-General Kirk Major-General Tetteau and Sir Henry Bellasts beating the Irish out of a Fort nigh two old Chimneys where about Twenty were killed and next night our Works were relieved by Lieutenant General Douglas my Lord Sidney Count Nassau and Brigadier Stuart with the like number and the day following we planted some new Batteries which his Majesty going to view as he was riding towards Ireton's Fort he stopt his Horse on a sudden to speak to an Officer a Four and twenty pound Ball the very moment grazing on the side of the Gap where his Majesty was going to enter which certainly must have dash'd him to pieces had not the commanding God of Heaven prevented it who still reserves him for greater matters This I saw being then upon the Fort as I did that other Accident at the Boyne before Wednesday the 20th we attack'd a Fort of the Enemies A Fort taken nigh the South East Corner of the Wall which we soon took and killed 50 taking a Captain and twelve men Prisoners and about an hour after the Enemy sallyed with great Bravery thinking to regain the Fort but were beat in with loss there being killed in the Fort and the Sally about Three hundred though we lost Captain Needham Captain Lacy and about Eighty private men A PROSPECT of LIMERICK BEARING DUE WEST Exactly shewing the Approaches Batteries Breach ct Sold by R. Chiswell in St. Pauls churchyard Next day the Soldiers were in hopes that his Majesty would give orders for a second Attack and seemed resolved to have the Town or lose all their lives but this was too great a risque to run at one place and they did not know how our Ammunition was sunk especially by the former day's work we continued however our Batteries and then a storm of Rain and other bad weather begun to threaten us which fell out on Friday the 29th in good earnest upon which his Majesty calling a Council of War it was concluded the safest way was to quit the Siege without which we could not have secured our heavy Cannon which we drew off from the Batteries by degrees and found much difficulty in marching them five miles next day Sunday the last of August all our His Majesty raised the Siege Army drew off most of the Protestants that lived in that part of the Countrey taking that opportunity of removing further into the Countrey with the Army and would rather leave their Estates and all their Substance in the Enemies hands than trust their persons any more in their power His Majesty seeing the Campaign nigh an end went towards Waterford where he appointed Henry Lord Viscount Sidney Sir Charles Porter and Tho. Conningsby Esq Lords Justices of Ireland and then setting And returns to England sail with a fair Wind for England his Majesty was welcomed thither with all the Joy and Satisfaction imaginable CHAP. III. September 1690. The French Forces quit Ireland Birr besieg'd by the Irish who draw off towards Banoher Bridge Count Solms 's Answer to the Duke of Berwick 's Letter Lieutenant-General
Fermoy and beat up our Quarters at Tallough and thereabouts upon which a Party was detached from Youghall to strengthen that place but Sarsfield only viewed his Men and pick'd out the most serviceable of the Militia to serve in the Army Nigh this time one Lonan a troublesom Fellow was hanged at Killkenny for Seditious words And on the 14th a Party of Colonel Byerly's Regiment with some of the Militia overtook a Party of Rapparees that were stealing away the Cattle near Montrath killing six and took two who were hanged next Morning The 17th a Party of the Irish Army besieged Ballynagooly a Frontier Ballynagooly attack'd by the Irish Garrison of ours in the County of Cork but were beat off with the death of five of their Men and seven left Prisoners Lieutenant-Colonel Lillingston having the Command of a Party of three hundred Foot and some Horse detach'd from Birr Roscreagh and the neighbouring Garrisons he Nenagh burnt by a Party of our Men. march'd towards Nenagh in the County of Tipperary where there is a strong Castle belonging to the Duke of Ormond Long Anthony Caroll was Governor of this Place having with him about one hundred Men but in the places adjacent there lived a great many Tories and Rapparees whom Caroll could upon any alarm bring together to the Number of at least two thousand He now had notice of our Party's approach and laid an Ambuscade for them which being discovered his Men drew homewards and we followed them into Town which we burnt but the Castle was not to be attack'd without Cannon for tho' it was taken by Lieutenant-General Ginckel and a Garrison put into it during the former Siege of Limerick yet upon our Army 's drawing off part of the House within was burnt and so quitted by our Party which was no sooner done but the Irish put a Garrison in it by which they kept great part of a very good Country in their possession But seeing our Men could not Attack the Castle they took a good prey of Cattle in getting of which and burning the Town they kill'd about sixty Men amongst whom was one Caroll an Officer and a Man of great Bravery We lost only three Men in this Expedition A Party of Horse and Foot went also about this time from Mountmelick to some adjoyning Woods where they understood a Body of Rapparees were got together we kill'd that Day twelve and the next Day six taking a Lieutenant of their Army Prisoner Six of Colonel Lutterel's Dragoons desert the Enemy and sixteen Rapparees were hanged at Clonmel and four were killed as they were making towards a greater Party of the Enemy Twenty seven Rapparees kill'd and thirteen taken Prisoners near Caperquin Twelve Troopers and about thirty Foot went from Caperquin towards A Glyn where they had Information that forty Rapparees were lodged but they proved a much greater Number than was expected and obliged our Horse to shift for themselves which a Trumpeter seeing who was upon a little Hill at a distance he first sounded a March then a Charge and gave a great Shout as if some more Horse were falling on which took so well that it frighted the Rapparees and made them run towards the Wood in which posture our Foot and Horse falling upon them kill'd twenty seven and took thirteen Prisoners three whereof were called Captains but being known Rogues they were all hanged March the 18th a good Detachment was sent from Cashel towards Emly in the County of Limerick to meet with the Enemy who were got into a Body thereabouts As we came towards the place the Enemy retired and had twelve killed in their going off About this time Colonel Russel's Regiment of Horse formerly my Lord Delamere's was broke at Antrim and Colonel White 's Regiment of Foot which were all the Forces that were broke this Year Colonel Tiffin makes an Excursion towards Sligo and met with no formed Body of the Enemy so that his Men had leisure to take a good prey and bring off several Families who removed into our Quarters March 21. A detached Party of four hundred Horse and Foot under the Command of Major Culliford march'd from Cork towards Balycleugh where the Enemy were entrenching themselves but when they saw our Men a-coming they deserted their Works and left seven of their Men to be made Prisoners four of whom were Officers Three hundred of Sir David Collier's Men and Militia march from Bandon towards Bantry where they kill'd nigh seventy Rapparees and took fifteen Prisoners Some Rapparees were taken between Trim and Mullingar And a Party of the Militia under Lieutenant Powel were sent from Dublin to bring in some Rogues who were concern'd in the Murdering six of Colonel Foulks's Soldiers but he and his Party were set upon by one O Neal and twenty eight more who by the management of Lieutenant Powel and his Party were most of them kill'd March the 28th one Mark Baggot formerly very Mark Baggot taken as a Spy going into Dublin well known in Dublin and Serjeant at Arms in the late King's time was taken coming disguised in Womans Cloaths into that City he was shortly after Tryed as a Spy and Condemned but Execution for some time was respited in hopes of his doing service to the Government by some material Discoveries One Beecher a Gentleman in the County of Cork seized upon an Island on that Coast from whence he did much damage to the Irish thereabouts And some considerable Men in Killkenny were seized for holding Correspondence with the Enemy About this time Landed several Recruits at different Ports from England with an Account of the French King 's besieging the City of Mons which occasioned various discourses according as people were inclined In the beginning of April six Souldiers of the Garrison April 1691. of Birr were barbarously Murdered by the Rapparees as were others in several places whensoever they met with opportunities A Spy was taken and Sentenced to be Hanged there but brought from the Gallows upon a discovery of several protected Papists holding Correspondence with the Enemy One Captain Darby of the Leap habiting himself and some of the Militia with a small party of the Army like Rapparees they easily came up with about Eighty of the Enemy who taking our men to be of their own Tribe ten of them were killed and the rest made their escapes April the 9th Brigadeer Stuart sent fifty Fire-Locks and twenty Dragoons from Belturbet to scoure the County of Letrim towards Mohill they discovered two A Party sent by Brigadeer Stuart towards Mohill Troops of the Enemies Dragoons and a Company of Foot Guarding the Creights and their Cattle whom they fell upon killed thirty and took five Prisoners with most of their Horses and what small Baggage they had And nigh the same time thirteen Rapparees were Hanged at Belturbet being Tryed by a Court-Martial A Party of Lieutenant Colonel Purcell's Garrison fell upon some of the Irish Dragoons in
now there is neither House nor Cabbin standing A little to the right of the Town as you go to Athlone stood a pretty Church upon a rising ground about a hundred and twenty Yards from which there lies a spot of Ground about six Acres which is almost an Island by reason of a great Lough to the East North and North-East and on the North-West there is Bogg a small neck of Land running from the Church on the South-West prevents it from being altogether an Island This Isthmus had been formerly Fortified with a double Ditch and within that a Stone Wall and then there stood a pretty strong House where one Widow White lived the year before when Lieutenant-General Douglas march'd that way to Athlone who took Protection and secured a good stock of Sheep and Cows in this Peninsula whilst we lay Encamp'd by the Town At the further end next the broadest part of the Lough stood a strong Danish Fort as this Kingdom is every where full of them now Fortified with a Ditch twenty Foot broad and ten Foot deep being also Pallisado'd round Towards the East and North-East the Lough is so broad that Cannon can do no execution over it but towards the South-East there is a large round Hill which overlooks the Island and from whence you may see into all places of it This place was neglected by us last year as being so poor in it self that it could not support a Garrison but the Irish seeing the natural strength of it and withal the advantage of disturbing our neighbouring Garrisons from thence they presently fell to work and Fortified it here they kept a Garrison all Winter and towards the Spring sent that Detachment thither which we now found By ten a Clock at night four Batteries were raised one below the Hill on the East towards the Lough side Four Batteries planted of six Guns two more of four a piece towards the Church and another for four Mortars On Munday the 8th about Sun-rising these Batteries began to play and some time after the General sent a Summons to the Governour That if he would not deliver up the Place within two hours he should have the same Treatment that his Serjeant met with the day before But he pretending to mistake the Message and desiring his Excellency to let him have his pleasure in Writing the General sent a Gentleman again with this following Note Since the Governour desires to see in Writing the The General 's Message to the Governour sent afterwards in Writing Message which I just now sent him by word of mouth he may know That if he Surrenders the Fort of Ballymore to me within two hours I will give him and his Garrison their Lives and make them Prisoners of War if not neither he nor they shall have any Quarter nor another opportunity of saving themselves However if in that time their Women and Children will go out they have my leave Given at the Camp this 8th day of June 1691 at 8 a Clock in the Morning Bar De GINCKEL But nothing less than marching out with Bag and Baggage Drums beating Colours flying c. would satisfie this Noble Governour Upon which the General ordered all our Guns and Mortars to fall to work the Bombs tearing up the Sandy Banks and the Irish running like Conies from one Hole to another whilst the Guns were battering the Works and making a Breach the Irish in the mean time did what they could with their two Guns and small Shot but Lieutenant-Colonel Burton their Ingineer had his Hand shot off from one of our Batteries and their Works went down apace which made the Irish very uneasie This Siege however was very delightful to our whole Army who had a view of it from the adjoyning Hill My Lord Justice Coningesby also who was now in the Camp and stay'd here for some time having the satisfaction of being an Eye-witness of the forwardness of our Soldiers About twelve a Clock the Enemy beat a Parley and A Parley beat hung out a white Flag but the General would not take notice of it and our Batteries went on with that success that two Breaches were made one in the uttermost Fort next the Town the other on the Works on the same side within the Island and the General seem'd resolved to Storm the Fort next morning at the coming up of the Tin Boats there were four large Boats however then in the Camp which were the Fleet prepared last Year for Hoard's Expedition upon the Shannon and were all Winter at Mullingar These the General ordered to be Launched upon the Lough and filled with Armed Men. The Enemy seeing this and their Island being altogether open on that side they were most terrible affraid of being all destroyed So that about seven a Clock they began to beat a Parley again and hung out their Flag begging Quarter for God's sake which the General hearing and being in his own temper a very Merciful Man he was pleased to order the Guns and Mortars to forbear firing and by eight of the Clock the Governor and some of the Officers coming out they surrendred The Fort surrendred the Place at discretion Upon which Colonel Earl with eight hundred Fire-Locks march'd in over the Breach that our Guns had made and the Enemy laying down their Arms were continued Prisoners in the Fort all Night June the 9th About six a Clock in the Morning the What Stores and Provisions found therein General went to view the Fort wherein were found fifty one Officers seven hundred and eighty Soldiers and two hundred and sixty Rapparees who were most of them Arm'd these were all sent Prisoners to Dublin and from thence all except the Officers were sent to Lambay an Island above a League from the Continent There were also nigh four hundred Women and Children all crouded up in this sad place who were set at liberty Our Men found also in the Fort four hundred and thirty Sheep about forty Cows and fifty Garrans and good store of Oat-meal We lost in this Action only eight Men and the Irish had about forty kill'd by our Bombs and Cannon But it seemed very inaccountable to most People that the Enemy neither endeavoured to relieve or quit this place since they lost in it above a Regiment of their best Men tho' this was but what they did afterwards at several places nigh Limerick The 10th In the Morning early two hundred Men Ballymore better fortified were drawn out to work at the Fort which the General had ordered to be better fortified by a Line of Communication from the Out-works to the Danish Fort and other additions towards the Water-side our Men fell to work at first in repairing the Breaches but were obliged to desist by bad Weather however they levelled all the Batteries and Trenches that we had made against the Fort. And Orders were given out that Night for one hundred Men of a Regiment to be for
the Works in the Morning with a Captain Lieutenant and Ensign The Sutlers that were ready to go to Mullingar were to have a Guard at the Hospital where they were to take up what Men were sick or wounded And the Majors of each Regiment were to have a particular Care that the Mens Arms were fix'd and clean which Orders were often repeated June the 11th One Captain Taylor and two private Men desert from the Enemy who acquaint us that my Lord Tyrconnel by a Declaration dated May the 15th had ordered all the Rapparees into Connaught to recruit their Army and that the General St. Ruth at his going towards Athlone had ordered Brigadier Maxwel's Men to drive all the Cattle in those parts in the Rear of the Army for their support and that the Irish talk'd of giving us Battel tho' they were generally dissatisfied with the few and mean Cloaths sent them out of France and the small allowances of Provisions c. This Evening it was given out in Orders that the Chaplains should say Prayers at the Heads of their respective Regiments at ten in the Morning and seven at Night and to admonish the Men from Swearing a Vice too common at all times amongst us The 12th the Soldiers were prohibited Gaming and all Guards were to be relieved constantly at nine a Clock Our Line of Communication was then finished and we were working upon a Spur Half-Moon and Horn-Work with a good Ditch to cover the Draw-Bridge and Entrance to the Out-work There was also a Bastion begun to the Right towards the Lough and a large Half-Moon towards the Left both which command the new uttermost Work and the Fort was ordered to be amended by throwing part of it down and building it a new A Work was likewise designed along the Lough-side to cover those within that side being open and none could stir in the Fort but were exposed to Shot from the Hill A Platform was also designed for eight Guns on the top of the Mount The same Day ten Guns and three Mortars left at Mullingar were brought up and four Troopers desert the Enemy who confirm the Report of their being at Athlone with the greatest part of their Army June the 13th One hundred Prisoners were sent from the Camp to Carne-Castle a place three Miles hence where the Rapparees used to shelter themselves and demolished it And stealing being become very common in the Camp a Fellow was hanged for stealing an Horse which wrought some Reformation for a time The 14th and 15th we continued improving the forementioned Works On the 16th a strong Party of Horse was sent to view Athlone And on the 17th Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Purcell was left Governor of Ballymore with four Companies of Lieutenant-General Douglas's Regiment who went himself towards the North and from thence to Flanders The same Day my Lord Lisburn was sent out towards Lanesborough with a Party of two thousand Foot and five hundred Horse who meeting with a small Party of the Irish Horse kill'd two or three and the rest fled in haste towards the Shannon but mistaking the Ford one or two more were drown'd That Evening Orders were given out That no Sutler or other Person whatever should buy any Ammunition Arms or Accoutrements or any thing that belongs to the Soldiers on pain of Death because the Soldiers for a little Money would be apt to sell their Cloaths or Shooes And if as great Care were not taken of most of them as of Children they would soon be in a very indifferent condition June the 18th The Army march'd from Ballymore The Army march towards Athlone and is joyned by the Duke of Wirtenberg and encamp'd that Night at Ballyburn Pass near Twoy where we were joyned by that part of the Army commanded by the Duke of Wirtenberg and Count Nassau being all Foreigners and seven thousand in Number and now our Army is about eighteen thousand The General with a Party of Horse views Athlone where he could see several of the Enemy's Horse upon the little Hills nigh the Town and their Camp about two Miles beyond the River upon a narrow Neck of Land between two Boggs where they remain'd till the Town was taken June the 19th Very early in the Morning our Advance-Party We approach the Town march'd and by nine a Clock had beat the Enemy from several out Ditches to within the Walls of the English Town on this side the River our Men lodging themselves in the same Ditches For tho' the Irish quitted it the Year before and burnt the Houses both without and within the Walls upon the approach of Lieutenant-General Douglas yet they designed to show more Courage this time and defend this side the River also which made some blame Lieutenant-General Douglas as guilty of an Over-sight in not demolishing the Walls when he quitted it the Year preceeding but those that accompanied him in that Expedition know that he had not time for it And since the Irish seem'd so Brave the General was resolved to lose no time ordering three Guns to be planted nigh a Ford on Lanesborough-side which play'd all that Day upon a Breast-Work that the Enemy had on the other side About six in the Evening our Guns came up to a Battery planted between Isker and Athlone and that Night we were hard at work in raising another Battery on which we mounted nine eighteen Pounders And June the 20th about eight a Clock in the Morning Batteries planted our Battery began to play on a Bastion not far from Dublin-Gate by twelve we made a Breach the breadth of the Bastion and continued firing to prevent the Enemy from raising any Works within About three a Clock a Council of War was held wherein the following Rules were agreed upon in order to the storming the Place at five Which because they show the Method of Attacking Towns by Storm it will not be impertinent here to insert them Order of the Attack at ATHLONE the Twentieth of June 1691 at Five in the Afternoon There are to be Commanded from each Wing a hundred The Order of the Attack at Athlone and fifty Granadiers in all three hundred which are to be Commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel and Major six Captains twelve Lieutenants twelve Serjeants and that Detachment shall be disposed of as followeth 1. A Lieutenant Serjeant and thirty Granadiers who as soon as they shall enter the Breach shall take to the Right towards the Bridge to prevent the Enemies getting that way into the Town but if they find any Retrenchment before the Bridge they shall Post themselves in Covert as well as they can thereabouts 2. After them a Captain two Lieutenants two Serjeants and fifty Soldiers 3. Then the Lieutenant-Colonel three Captains five Lieutenants five Serjeants with a hundred and twenty Granadiers who shall follow the two former Detachments towards the Bridge 4. After these the Major with two Captains four Lieutenants four Serjeants and a hundred and
suffered for it That Night the Enemy raised two Batteries above The Enemy plant new Batteries the Castle the one close by the River the other at a greater distance from it upon a rising Ground the one of four the other of three six Pounders with the latter of which June 25. they play'd on the old Walls in the Town where our Men were lodged but did little or no harm with the other they shot into some of our Regiments encamped near the River which obliged them to remove to a greater distance Our Battery of six Twenty-four Pounders below the Bridge play'd on the Enemy's Breast-Work on the other side which did it very great Damage and also ruin'd most of the Houses that were as yet left standing which so exposed the Enemies other Works to our view that they were forced to quit most of their Trenches none appearing but some few behind the Castle The 26th was spent in firing from seven Batteries Seven Batteries now at work upon the Enemies Works and a great many were kill'd in endeavouring to repair them About thirty Waggons loaden with Powder come to the Camp and that Night we possess our selves of all the Bridge except one Arch at the farther end on Connaught side which was broken down and we repair another broken Arch in our possession and all Night our Guns and Mortars play most furiously For the Design of passing the River at the Ford being frustrate the General and the other Great Officers resolve to try what can be done in forcing our way through Athlone it self and therefore we labour hard to gain the Bridge but what we got here was Inch by Inch as it were the Enemy sticking very close to it though great Numbers of them were slain by our Guns And this Service cost us great store of Ammunition The 27th seven Rapparees were brought in being taken at Ballynehewen to which place the General ordered a Garrison of a Lieutenant and twenty Men. That Afternoon one hundred Carrs came from Dublin to the Camp loaden with Cannon-Ball And all that Day our Guns and Mortars fired without intermission We raised also a Battery of five Guns in the Meadow below the Town to stop the way the Enemy had on that side of coming into the Town And in the Evening our Men burn the Breast-Works the Enemy had on the other side the broken Arch with throwing their Granado's for most of these being made of Fascines and the Weather being hot they soon dried and easily took fire That Night we wrought very hard on the last Arch in the Enemies possession So that on Sunday the 28th in the Morning our Beams were laid The Enemy ruin our Works over and partly planked which the Enemy perceiving they detach'd a Sergeant and ten Men out of Brigadier Maxwell's Regiment being all bold and daring Scots these were all in Armour and came over their own Works with a design to ruin ours but were all of them slain and yet this did not discourage as many more from setting about the same piece of Service and they effected it by throwing down our Planks and Beams maugre all our Firing and Skill tho' they all lost their Lives as Testimonies of their Valour except two who escaped amongst all the Fire and Smoak This made us resolved to carry on our Work by a close Gallery on the Bridge which was done But all last Night and that Morning the Enemy were hard at work in repairing some old and making new Trenches in the Meadow opposite to our new Battery and our Guns are now playing very briskly especially on a place called Connaught-Tower which stood on the North-side the Castle and was so solid that it took up more time to bring down than any one part of the Castle This Afternoon a Council of War was held wherein A design to pass the Shannon it was concluded That next Morning we should attempt passing the Shannon one Party to go over the Bridge a second to pass upon the Floats and Pontoons and a third Detachment were to go over the Ford below the Bridge where our Horse were also to pass and second the Foot a large Breach being made on the other side for their entrance And accordingly at Night Orders were given out That forty three Granadeers eighty three private Men three Captains five Lieutenants two Ensigns and seven Sergeants out of each Regiment with fifteen Shots a Man and every one a green Bough in his Hat should be ready by six a Clock in the Morning under the Walls of the Town and all to be commanded by Major-General Mackay but the whole to be done with the greatest silence and secresie imaginable Killkenny was the Word that Night The 29th in the Morning our Men were ready according to Orders and march'd to the Town-Wall where they stood at their Arms but before our Boats and their Appurtenances could be drawn into the Town it was ten a Clock and all this Morning we observed great Bodies of the Enemy march into the Irish Town though our Cannon were very troublesome to them for the Irish guessing at our Design or rather being assured of it by some Deserters they drew a very considerable Body of their choicest Men to their Works But whilst these Preparations were making on both sides the Granadiers of both Parties that defended the Breast-works on the Bridge throwing The Enemy burn our close Gallery Hand-Granadoes one at the other the Enemies Granadoes set fire to our Fascines that lay close on the broken Arch where our Gallery was which suddenly flamed so violently that our Men could not endure the Fire and Smoke that blew in their faces and though they laboured very hard to extinguish it yet could not prevent the burning that part of the Breast-work next the broken Arch but preserved all the rest by raising another Breast-work on a sudden just behind the burnt one By this time it was past twelve a Clock and the Generals finding the Attack upon the Town that way like to cost many Lives they deferr'd it till new Measures were Consulted on nor knew they well what to think at present seeing themselves defeated in so great a Project and as it fell out Providence in all appearance had ordered it for the best for it 's probable that if our Men had really forced the Bridge at that time they would have run great hazards in storming the Town the Enemy being so well provided for them and then our Retreat could not have been without the ruin of more Men than it has pleased God we lost in all the Actions since All that Afternoon our Guns continue firing And also June the 30. Our Canon play without ceasing and in the Afternoon another Council of War was held wherein the difficulties of staying there any longer were represented all the Forrage being consumed A Council of War for several Miles round so that they must resolve to do something with Expedition
Approach retired to the Isker of Liscappull two Miles from Ballynasloe upon which we advanced to the Hills of Corbally whence we could take a view of the Enemies Camp which lay on the other side Aghrim Castle three Miles beyond Balynasloe and extended it self from the Church of Killeommodon on their Right to a place called Gourtnapory above two Miles in length on their Left ran a small Brook having The Enemies Camp and Posture describ'd steep Hills and little Boggs on each side next to which was a large Red Bogg almost a Mile over at the end of which stood the Castle of Aghrim Commanding the way to their Camp passable for Horse no where but just at the Castle by reason of a small River which running through a moist Ground made the whole a Morass or Bogg which extended it self all along to the Enemies Right where was also another Pass called Vrachree having a rising Ground on each side of it the Enemies Camp lay along the Ridge of an Hill on the side of which stood two Danish Forts from thence to the Bogg below was nigh half a Mile and this cut into a great many small Enclosures which the Enemy had ordered so as to make a Communication from one of them to another and had lined all those very thick with Small Shot this shewed a great deal of Dexterity in Monsieur St. Ruth in making choice of such a piece of Ground as Nature it self could not furnish him with a better considering all Circumstanstances for he knew that the Irish naturally loved a Breast-work between them and Bullets and here they were fitted to the purpose with Hedges and Ditches to the very edge of the Bog The General upon viewing the Posture of the Enemy and a Map given him of the Ground he found it no easie matter to Attack them but resolved however to march toward them next day and therefore it was given out in Orders at Night that all the Army except two Regiments left to Guard the Baggage should The Orders that Night be under Arms next Morning without beat of Drum and no Baggage to stir nor any Tents to be removed nor yet any to march with the Regiments but such as carry Arms and those to march as strong as possible with all their Arms fixt and clean those that wanted Ammunition were presently to have it from the Stores the Granadiers were to be drawn to the Right and Left of each Regiment with two Shells a piece and five Pyoniers to be ready at the Head of each Regiment when called for the Word that Night was Dublin Monsieur St. Ruth at the approach of our Army seeing us resolved to give him Battel he gave his Men all the due Encouragement that possibly he could ordering Masses and Prayers to be said in all Parts of the Army And as the Report goes the Irish were obliged by their Priests not to give Quarter to any Soul living but to pursue every Man to Destruction they being assured of a most glorious Victory and St. Ruth himself is said to have made the following Speech to the Irish the day before the Battel it being found afterwards amongst the Papers of his Secretary who was killed in the Field Gentlemen and Fellow Souldiers I Suppose it is not unknown to you and the whole Christian Mounsieur St. Ruths supposed Speech to the Irish World what Glory I have acquired and how Successful and Fortunate I have been in Suppressing Heresie in France and propagating the Holy Catholick Faith and can-without Vanity boast my Self the happy Instrument of bâ—inging over thousands of poor deluded Souls from their errours who owe their Salvation to the pious care of my thrice Illustrious Master and my own Industry assisted by some holy Members of our unspotted Church while great numbers of those incourigable Hereticks have perished both Soul and Body by their obstinacy It was for this reason that the most Puissant King my Master Compassionating the miseries of this Kingdom hath chosen me before so many worthy Generals to come hither not doubting but by my wonted Diligence I should Establish the Church in this Nation on such a foundation as it should not be in the power of Hell or Hereticks hereafter to disturb it And for the bringing about of this Great and Glorious Work next the Assistance of Heaven the unresistable Puisance of the King my Master and my own Conduct the great dependance of all good Catholicks is on your Courage I must confess since my coming amongst you things have not answered my wishes but they are still in a posture to be retrieved if you will not betray your Religion and Countrey by an unseasonable Pusilanimity THE LINE OF BATTLE July 12. 1691 Titus Livius before a Battle frequently brings in the Roman Generals saying a great many fine things and making long Speeches which possibly they never dreamt of tho most of them were well bredmen and if they did make use of those Speeches that way of treating Armies is now quite out of Fashion especially it 's improbable it should be done by a General who understood as little Irish as most of his Army did French Nor is it to be believed that Monsieur St. Ruth was a man of that Boasting vain-glorious humour that this Speech makes him tho I have heard from some of the Irish Officers since that he told them they had gained the Character of Cowards both at home and abroad and now was their time to retrieve it and that they Fought for their Religion King and Country c. However it was all who saw the spot of Ground he had made Choice of can but admire his Conduct in this particular And no doubt his Army had all the Masses Persuasions and other incouragements that could be thought of amongst the rest that powerful one of Brandy which made a Dragoon of ours tell some of their Prisoners after the Battle that they had the advantage of us both in Prayers and Brandy The English being indeed too remiss in point of Devotion not looking up to that Power to which we are most indebted for all that we can pretend to that's Good But to return to our own Army Sunday July the Our Army march in sight of the Enemy 12. about Six in the Morning we marcht the Foot over the Bridge the English and French Horse at the Foord above and the Dutch and Danes over two Foords below with directions to put themselves in order of Battle when all past the River which was done on a kind of uneven hilly Ground and the method being agreed before the two lines of Battle were thus as in the Copper Plate are described It 's to be observed that My Lord Portland's Horse is not in this Line of Battle because they came not up till after it was ordered hower they had their full share in the Acton and Col. Foulks's Regiment was always to guard the Train but being then convenient for it and
was so far from being serviceable to Galway that his Design was to keep amongst the Mountains till he could make Terms for himself upon which account he writ to the General before our Army removed from Galway Nigh the same time Judge Daily who lived in that part of the Country had sent to the General desiring that a Party might be sent for him who should seemingly force him from his Habitation this Gentleman and some others of the Irish had kept a Correspondence with our Government for several Months past and had proposed the surrendring of Galloway and some other things which was the occasion of a part of our Armies marching to the Shannon the Winter before but whether they were real and sincere in what they proposed or they did it only to gain time and by that means to benefit their own Party may well be questioned since those very men continue still the greatest Patrons of the Irish and what they told the General at that time was at best a Mistake for they informed him that the Garison of Gallway was five thousand men at least and those well armed that the Stores were considerable and the Town almost impregnable that Sarcefield with the whole Body of the Irish Horse was upon his march with a Resolution to raise the Siege and that Balderock's Party was above six thousand strong But tho' the General had no great reason to believe all this yet he thought it convenient to suppose the worst and therefore was doubtful whether to befiege the Town or to stay for the heavy Cannon which were at Athlone yet upon the repeated Assurances of several Protestants that those were only Tricks to gain time he resolved to approach the Town of Gallway the day following Orders were therefore given out that the Army should march in two Colums with an hundred men of each Wing for a Rear Guard Commanded by a Lieutenant Collonel of the Right-Wing A Captain Lieutenant and Ensign with fifty Fire-Locks were to march at the Head of each Regiment The ninteenth we marched from Athenree the General The Army march to Gallâ—way leaving three thousand Horse and Dragoons there under the Command of Lieutenant Gen. Scravemore and Major Gen. Ruvigny as well for the Conveniency of Forrage the Ground nigh Galloway being very Barren and Rocky as to observe the Enemies Motion by securing the Passes and by that means our great Guns that were designed to come from Athlone if the Town did not submit without putting us to the Trouble The Town The Town described of Galloway is no doubt one of the Ancientest and Greatest in Ireland and yet I do not find many remarkable things of it formerly it being always rather a place of Trade than Action of another Nature It was first governed by a Provost then Sovereign and Bayliffs then a Mayor and Bayliffs now by a Mayor and Sheriffs It was most of it burnt in the year 1500. but soon rebuilt by reason of the Richness of the Inhabitants the Houses within the Walls are generally very strong and the Streets narrow it was blockt up by Sir Charles Coot and Major General Ludlow in the year 1652. and surrendred to Sir Charles on the 12th of May following the loss of which carried with it at that time the Fate of Ireland There lived a great many rich Merchants in it of late by reason of the conveniency of its Situation for Trade with Spain or France but most of them are Irish which might be one great reason to expect the having it delivered upon reasonable Terms rather than by resistance to have it ruined The Town is Seated at the Foot of a narrow ridge of Land having Galloway-Bay on the South and South-East a large River coming from Lough Cerbe on the West and towards the North there lies a low Bog through the midst of which runs a narrow but deep River proceeding from the Great one that slides by the Town this River and Bog each about a Mile and an half towards the North-East and then end together the River sinking under ground at the Foot of a large Hill but appears again at an Old Castle nigh Oran-More where it runs into the utmost Creek of the Bay The Ridge of Land between the Bog and the Bay towards the East is but very narrow and may with no great difficulty be Fortified without which the Town is not to be defended since an Army may approach under covert of this Ridge within less then an hundred Yards of the Town-wall where there is a rising Ground that overlooks a great part of the Town There had been some works upon the neck of this Ridge in former times and the French had begun to repair them but had not brought them to any perfection the Irish however were hard at work upon a Fort at the end of this Ridge and nigh the South-East Corner of the Wall they had levelled all the Hedges nigh the Town as also the Suburbs towards the East-Gate and several very strong Works were cast up to defend that part of the Town within the Wall on that side there stands a round Citadel with eight Guns having a Platform nigh it of six Guns more at the South-East corner of the Wall were eight or ten Guns planted there stands also a Turret towards the middle of a large Curtain that runs along next the Bay on which were three Guns and towards the River they had planted five more which with those that lookt towards the West and North made in all about forty six Guns most of which were amounted upon little mean Carriages something like those they commonly have on Ship-board We had no opposition at all in approaching the Town but the Irish that they might do something burnt my Lord Buffin's House seated by the River nigh a Mile from the Town some of them staying in the Orchards till they were beat from thence by a Party of our Horse they burnt also their Suburbs towards the North-West Gate and made a shew as if they were preparing for a vigorous resistance Assoon as a part of our Army was drawn as near as the The Town Summoned General thought convenient he sent a Trumpet to the Town profering them the Benefit of the Lords Justices late Declaration if they would surrender without any further trouble whilst the Trumpeter was in Town the Irish fired three or four great Guns which is not usual in such Cases but they pretended afterwards that it was done by some Gunners that knew not of the Trumpets being there the Answer however sent by my Lord Dillon who was Governor was to this effect That Monsieur de Ussone who Commanded in Chief was of the same opinion with himself and the rest of the Officers and that they were resolved to defend the place to the last That Afternoon was spent in the posting of our Army The Irish in the mean time firing their great Guns from the Town tho' with little
Sligo to view the Posture of the Enemy thereabouts and it being reported that Lieutenant General Sheldon's Horse were in that part of the Country two hundred Horse and Dragoons were sent abroad to discover the Truth of it Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey with the rest of the Party marched to Ballysedara Bridge four Miles from Sligo where he found old Sir Teague O Regan with eighty Horse and about two hundred Foot very Advantageously posted to hinder our passage that way but our Party attacking them they gave ground after some time and Sir Francis Hambleton with some of the Militia and a Troop of Colonel Winn's Dragroons coming in the mean time the Enemy were pursued almost to the Fort of Sligo about thirty of them killed and ninteen taken Prisoners amongst whom were two Lieutenants and an Ensign and the Store-keeper of Sligo Sir Teague himself narrowly escaping for his mean Appearance was the reason that a Lieutenant was seized instead of him The Earl of Drogheda's Regiment had now Orders to march from the Queens County to Mullingar where the men were daily imployed to improve and strengthen the Works my Lord himself marched always with his Regiment and then took a great deal of pains as well in seeing the Works compleated as in forwarding the Stores and also in hearing and redressing Complaints and Grievances relating as well to the Army the Country A Party of the Militia bring in some Prisoners from the Island nigh Lanesborough who were afterwards sent to Dublin Seventeen Rapparees were killed in the County of Kildare by two Parties of the Militia and three hanged at Edenderry five hundred of the Militia of the County of Cork under the Command of Colonel Beecher met with about four hundred of the Irish beyond a place called Shibbareene and after a small dispute the Enemy were put to flight by which means our Party had almost surpriz'd Mackarty Moore and Colonel O Donavan who were not far off the Enemy lost nigh sixty and the Militia got a considerable Booty of Cattle and nigh the same time one Barry a Captain with ten of his men deserted from the Enemy On the Thirtieth of July part of the Militia of the County of Wickloe being two Troops of Horse two of Dragoons and five Companies of Foot rendezvoused on the Murrough five Miles from Wickloe where they were viewed by Major Brooks and Captain Phillips appointed by the Government as Superintendents of the Militia of that County And thus ended this active month of July in Ireland where more execution was done then in all Europe besides notwithstanding the great Preparations CHAP. VII Several fresh Regiments ordered towards the Camp to Recruit the Army Brigadier Leveson sent with a Party towards Nenagh that place deserted by long Anthony Carol. A Treaty with Balderock O Donel. The Army marches to Cariganlis The General with a Party views Limerick News of the Death of my Lord Tyrconel Irish Lords Justices act after my Lord Tyrconels death A Party sent to meet our Guns Colonel Lumnley goes with a Party towards Charlevil A Spy returns with an account of the Estate of Limerick An Order about the Rates of Provisions Another prohibiting the buying Cattle without the Generals License Our Army goes to Limerick Iretons Fort taken then Cromwels Fort. Col. Donep killed Our heavy Cannon came up A Party sent to Castle-Cannel Our Ships come up nigh the Town Batteries planted The Enemy afraid of our passing the River Brigadier Leveson sent into Kerry Some Protestants released from St. Thomas 's Island Major General Talmash commands in the Trenches A brief Account of what hapned in other places of the Kingdom during the Month of August THe General being assured that the Irish were Fresh Regiments sent for to the Camp using their utmost skill and industry to rally and re-inforce their shattered Army and not knowing how far despair might carry Men that were come now to their last Stake considering also that we had a strong Town before us which would be the work of some Time to reduce if the Enemy made what Resistance might justly be expected his own Troops being likewise harrassed by continual labour and toil suffering often through scarcity of Bread and other Necessaries by reason of continual marching Those and other Considerations prevailed with the General to send for all the Regiments that had been left in Munster and other places except Colonel Hastings at Cork and some Inniskilliner's in the North and some of them being already upon their march we were joyned on the First of August at Banoher The Army marched to Banoher Bridg. Bridge by Colonel Matthews Dragoons and Colonel Lloyd's Foot the latter upon further consideration being ordered back to Athlone for that Balderock's Party was still on foot Banoher is about fourteen miles from Athlone down the River towards Limerick and is a very strong Pass at which the Irish kept three Regiments all the precedeing Winter building small Huts to shelter thâ—mselves from the Weather The Bridge it self consists of seventeen large Arches one of which was broke down by the Irish and another is since fallen At the Bridge end on Leinster side had been a considerable Stone Fort built in the former Wars now demonished by the Irish but on the other side of the River they had cast up a Work close to the Bridge and there planted four Field peeces behind which stood an Old Castle not to be forced without Cannon and nigh that a very Regular Fort and well palisado'd so that it was not so easie a thing to force this place at any time during the former Winter as some Coffee-House Generals and pot valiant Souldiers made it but Men that have been bred up that way and are actually upon the Place are commonly best Judges of what is fit to be attempted in such a Case though it is not convenient they should alwayes give Reasons for what they do to every one who pretend to be concern'd Our Army encamped here on a narrow Neck of Ground left by the slopeing of the River on the Right and a vast Bog on the Left The Encampment being so strong that it had been impossible for any Army or numbers of Men to have forced us from our Ground August the Second the Army halted and a detachment Brigadier Leveson sent forwarwards with a Party of four Men out of each Troop of Horse with a Party of Dragoons making in all five hundred men under the Command of Brigadier Leveson were sent forwards to scowre the Country On the Fourth this Party went to Nenagh where stands the Remains of an Old Castle built by King John and now the Inheritance of the Duke of Ormond The Roof of this Castle was burnt by a Party of our Army at our decamping last year but the Walls and some other conveniencies remain still being possest all Winter by long Anthony Carol whose Party was now about five hundred Hearing therefore of Brigadier Levesons approach he
who have surrendred themselves But in case the Persons invited by this Declaration should neglect in time prescribed to lay hold on the same they must never more expect the like Advantageous Terms and Condiscentions Given at the Camp by Nenah the Eleventh Day of August 1691. in the Third Year of Their Majesties Regin Bar. De Ginckell The Army that day marched to a place called Shalley in a wild and desolate Country nigh the Silver-Mines where in the former Wars about seventeen of Sir George Hambleton's Followers were slain by the Kenedies and here Major General Trelawyng's Regiment joined us the 12th we marched to a place called Tulla where we halted next day and our Advance Guards brought in one of the Enemies Outscouts a Prisoner Several Deserters also come off to us amongst whom were two of the Horse Guards who inform the General that the Irish Foot were drawn into Limerick and their Horse having burnt several places that escaped their fury last year were retired likewse near the Town we understand also that my Lord Tyrconnell was taken suddenly very ill and there were several disorders amongst the Chief Officers in Limerick some of them being suspected to incline to our side From hence the General sent a Spy who took several of the Declarations in order to disperse them in Town The 14th we marched to Cariganliss and the General The Army go to Cariganliss with the rest of our Great Officers went with a Party within two Miles of Limerick near which three of the Enemies Scouts being posted upon the top of a round Hill towards our left two of them deserted to us as our Party drew off The 15th in the Morning early fifteen hundred A Party go towards Limerick Horse and Dragoons commanded by Major General Ruvigny and one thousand detached Foot as a reserve in case of danger commanded by the Prince of Hess with six Field-peeces were ordered to march towards Limerick with whom went the General and all the Chief Officers in order to view the Town The Enemy had lined the Hedges in several places with Foot and there appeared two Squadrons of Horse and a Party of a Dragoons about a Mile on this side the Town who fronted our Men for some time but when they saw our Advance Party resolved to push them they retired nearer home and afterwards their Foot fired several Small-shot but without any harm to us tho' about seven of the Enemy were killed by our Dragoons We stayed several hours within less then Cannon-shot of the Town upon the Ground where we encamped the year before we could see that they had repaired Ireton's Fort and built another some distance to the Right where formerly stood an Old Church and a third was begun also with a Line of Communication from one to the other but not as yet finished they had then two Field-peeces in Ireton's Fort but did not fire them and drew them off to the Town next day Whilst we staid there first a Drummer and then one Hagan a Captain came off to us who informed the General that my Lord Tyrconnell died the day before some say of Grief because things went My Lord Tyrconnell dies at Limerick not according to his desire and that after all his Endeavours and good Services to promote the Catholick Cause he was slighted to that Degree that whilst their Camp lay by Athlone one Lieutenant Colonel Conner came to my Lord's Tent and bid him be gone from the Camp else he would cut his Tent-Cords My Lord Tyrconnell knowing that he durst not be so impudent without a considerable Faction to support him went next Morning early towards Limerick where he remained till his death which some say was not without suspition of foul play in being poisoned with a Cup of Rattafeau this is nothing but Apricock-stones bruised and infused in Brandy which gives it a pleasant Relish some of which my Lord Tyrconnell had given him at an Entertainment and falling ill upon it he often repeated the word Rattafeau which made several believe that he had received Poyson in that Liquor because he would not comply with the prevailing Faction then in Town But most People say that he died of a Fever However it was he certainly had managed the Affairs of that Kingdom from his entrance upon publick Business to his dying day with as much dexterity and zeal for the Interest he * As to his encouraging one Jâ—nes to Assassinate King William in the year 1690. proved by Original Letters under his own hand I leave others hereafter to give a more particular account of pretended to serve as any man could have done At the General 's return from viewing the Town he found a considerable quantity of Bread-Waggons come to the Camp under the Convoy of the Militia Horse and Dragoons of the County of Tipperary whom the General viewed and sent home again We had now a Train of nine 24 Pounders nine 18 Pounders and three Mortars with Ammunition and other Utensils of War proportionable which left Athlone on the 12th under the care of Col. Lloyd's Regiment and a Party the Militia who were met upon the Road by the Earl of Drogheda's and Colonel Venner's Foot Regiments with a small Party of Horse but the General remembring what hapned to our Train the year before and that the same People were still as industrious as formerly Major General la Forrest with a good Detachment of Horse and Dragoons was sent on the 16th to meet our Cannon The same day a Captain and a Lieutenant desert from the Enemy and confirm the Report of the death of my Lord Tyrconnell and withal that Francis Plowden Esq one of the Commissioners of the Revenue in the late King's time had brought over a Commission from the late King out of France appointing Sir Alexander Fitton Sir Richard Neagle and the said Francis Plowden Esq to be Lords Justices of Ireland which Commission lay dorment till my Lord Tyrconnel's death by which it appeared that his Adversaries were like to prove too many for him if he had lived and that tho he had promoted the late King's desires tho' not his real Interest to the utmost and was of the same Religion too with himself yet he was in a fair way of being served as Some of the Irish Officers suspected for holding a Correâ—pondence with our Ar others had been before him We understood also that Colonel Henry Lutterill was not only suspected to hold a Correspondence with our Army but was taken into Custody and tried for his life in that he with some others had consulted about the surrender of the Town for which they designed to put him to death but that they either wanted clear Proof or else waited for Advice from France about it but the occasion of Colonel Lutteril's confinment was upon the account of a Letter brought him by a Trumpeter from some great Officer in our Army when the Garison of Gallway was conveyed
to Limerick for the Trumpeter having given one to Sarcefield denied his having any more Letters but being threatned with hanging if searched and any more Letters found about him he produced another to Col. Lutterill upon which the said Colonel and Lieut. Col. Burk that came from Gallway were both confined They were jealous also of Brigadier Clifford tho' they did not think fit at that time to take any great notice of it all which accounts we had confirmed by a Pacquet of Letters intercepted upon the Road to Killmalock amongst which was one from a Priest giving the Irish great hopes of Victory after all For that God had scourged the Nation round for their sins and now he hoped he would cast the Rod into the Fire That Afternoon Sir John Hanmer with his own Regiment Colonel Hales's the Brandenburg and a Danish Regiment of Foot and Colonel Coy's Horse joyn the Camp and those with two Regiments more that came up with the Train made us a stronger Army then at the opening of the Campaign The 17th the Weather being exceeding Stormy Sir William King who had been formerly Governour of Limerick but a Prisoner for part of these two years past came to our Camp who was very serviceable to the General both in his Advice and otherways during the remainder of the Campaign The 18th Colonel A Party sent towards Charlevil Lumley went out with a Party of four hundred Horse towards Charlevili where we understood some of the Enemy had posted themselves but having notice of our approach they quitted the place tho' some of them A Party sent towards Charlevill were killed in the going off and one Captain Massey staied behind and fired his Pistols at our Advance Party but he and a Cornet being seized and Protections found in both their Pockets they were afterwards hanged as Deserters The 19th A Spy sent from Tulla to disperse the A Spy returns from Limerick General 's Declarations in Limerick returned having effected his business without being discovered and some other people seized upon suspition of doing it he gave also a good Account how Matters stood then with the Irish that their Horse and Dragoons called 5000 in number were encamped beyond the River in the County of Clare that a vast number of Creights and their Cattle were all drawn towards the Town and that the bad weather was as injurious to them as us in that most of their Foot were in the Town and in their works which lying low were almost filled with Water but that they had demolished some of their new works on this side the Town least their men should desert from thence to our Army and that the Irish talked of a Pacquet-Boat come from France by which they were encouraged to hold out having promise of Provisions and immediate Succours to follow The same day a Trumpet was sent to Limerick about the exchange of some Prisoners we then had with the Irish that were taken formerly upon small Parties in the Country And on the 20th two Troopers and a Dragoon desert from the Enemy but the weather was now so very bad that the Army could not move and it was much feared that our Guns would not be got up the ways were grown so deep however our men were not idle but in the midst of all the rain and wet they made Faggots and other necessary Preparations to being the Seige The General had now some suspicion that Balderock O Donnel was not sincere in what he had promised as appears by his Letter sent this day to Col. Lloyd then on his march with the Guns part of which was as follows SIR BY a Letter this day received I have some reason The General 's Letter to Col. Lloyd to apprehend that O Donnel is not so sincere in his Treaty as is to be wished For that reason assoon as you have convoyed the Cannon till they join the Detachment under the Marquess La Forrest's Command I would have you return with your Regiment to Athlone and send the Northern Militia back to their Country to prevent any Inroads he may make that way But if you find that O Donnel submits as he promised or that Sligo is surrendred you must continue your March according to your former Orders c. Camp at Cariganless Aug. 20. But this was only Misinformation for O Donnel made it appear afterwards that he was sincere in his Intentions and that he had no mind to join with Sir Teague O Regan as was suspected The 21st the Badness of the Weather increased and several Regiments were forced to remove their Camps the Water overflowing their former Ground Major O Conner and nine more desert the Enemy and inform the General that if we had either of the Passes at Killalow or Bryans-Bridg a great many of the Enemies Horse and Dragoons would desert And this Evening our Tinboats came up to the Camp being brought by Water from Athlone towards Killalow The General taking notice of the extravagant Rates Orders about ascertaining the Rates of Provisions the Sutlers and others that furnished the Camp with Provisions had raised their Goods to he sent out an Order that all Ale from Dublin or Wickloe should be sold at 6 d. per Quart all other Ale coming above forty Miles at 5 d. and all under forty Miles at 4 d. White Bread to be sold at 3 d. a Pound Brown Bread at 2 d. Claret at 2 s. 6 d. per Quart Rhenish at 3 s. Brandy at 12 s. per Gallon c. And that no Person should presume to exceed those Rates on the Penalty of forfeiting all his Goods and suffering a Month's Imprisonment But they presently found out a Trick for this and called all Drink that came to the Camp Dublin or Wicklow Ale and were so far from observing this Order that Drink growing scarce towards the close of the Campagn they sold their Ale at 14 d. per Quart Another Order was likewise published about the buying of Cattle as followeth By Lieutenant General Ginckell THat all Persons may avoid the buying of Cattle of An Order against the buying of Cattle without the General 's Licence the Officers and Souldiers which has hitherto been attended with great Inconveniences I have thought fit to order and declare That whosoever shall buy any Cattle from any Officer or Souldier of the Army without Leave first had in Writing from my self shall forfeit the said Cattle to their Majesties Use and be delivered to the Civil Magistrate to be proceeded against as a Receiver of stollen Goods And for the Encouragement of all those who shall detect any of the said Abuses I do farther direct That whosoever shall discover any Cattle thus bought and bring them or so secure them that they be brought to my self shall have one half of the same for a Reward of his Pains and Care he has taken This Order was dated the day before and now published in the Camp which
prevented a great many Followers of the Army from committing several Disorders that of themselves they were very much inclined to August 22. the Weather begun to amend and Francis Burton Esq was sent by the General to the Squadron of Ships then in the River with Orders for them to sail nearer the Town The 23 d two hundred and fifty fresh Draught-Horses were sent out to hasten up the Train and each Regiment was ordered to make ready 2000 Fascines to begin the Work at Limerick One Dowdall a Counsellor and Sheldon a Lieutenant in the Irish Foot-Guards desert and two Troopers and a Sutler were condemned at a Court Martial the two Troopers for robbing and the Sutler for buying Goods of them contrary to the General 's strict Orders That Evening also our Guns came within sight of the Camp and the Weather now seeming to promise us our wonted Success the General resolved to move forwards but since the Irish Army were all in and about the Town and 't was probable they might design us some Trouble in our Approach therefore it was ordered that at break of Day next Morning the Army should be ready to march but without beat of Drum six hundred Horse three hundred Dragoons and one thousand Firelocks and two hundred Granadeers out of each Line for an Advance-Party these were to march in two Lines at the Head of either Wing with four Field-pieces each and twenty five Pioneers a piece to cut down any Rubs that might be in their way the whole Body of Horse were to march after the detached Foot with each Man three Fascines before him which they were to leave where ordered so that the Enemy might see we were resolved to spare no Pains rather than go without the Town a second time Then all the Foot were to march and after them the Train and no Baggage whatever to march near the detached Party who were to march directly to the Quakers House and there to make a Halt till the Foot came up Then the Right Line to fall into the Road on the right Hand and the Left Line on the other Road from the Quakers House and all to draw up afterwards in order of Battel so to march easily towards the Town making several Halts to observe the Enemies Motion These Orders I have set down to shew the Reader the Method of approaching Towns when an Army expects Opposition from an Enemy though the Irish did not give us much disturbance in this But before we leave Cariganless I know not whether it may be worth the Reader 's while to be informed of a Tradition that the People in the Neighbourhood have concerning 2 old Castles that stand nigh half a Mile from this place and not above a stone's cast one from another they say that in former times two Brehons or Irish Judges lived in those two Castles who hapned at last to have some Disputes about their Properties and their Wives though they were Sisters used to stand upon the Battlements of their own Houses and scold at one another for several hours together which at length one of them being weary of she found out a Trick only to appear and begin the Fray then she would place an Image that she had dress'd up in her own Clothes in such a posture as her Sister could not discern it from her self at that distance who not sensible of the Cheat she used to scold on and at last fretted her self to death because she could not be answered in her own Language But I 'm afraid the Women in this Country will scarce pardon this Story And therefore according to the former Orders Friday the 25th the Army marched towards Limerick Our Army approaches the City of Limerick leaving two Regiments of Foot and one hundred Horse till the Cannon come up next day Our Advance-Party of Horse and Dragoons met with no great Opposition only some small firings between them and the Irish Out-Guards with no great damage to either side We made our Approaches much after the same manner we did the Year before tho we drew more to the Left and nearer the Shannon but fix'd our Camp further from the Town When greatest part of our Army was got up our Detached Body of Foot under the Command of Lieut. Gen. Mackay was ordered to Attack Ireton's Fort and the old Church-Fort where we expected the Enemy had lodged a Party our Men made a Line cross the Fields and were sustained by several entire Regiments of Foot and a Body of Horse We advanced towards both the Forts at one time and found the upper one deserted and when we came almost within Musquet-shot of Ireton's Fort the Irish quitted that also and retired towards a little stone Fort nigh the Outworks of the Town Our Men seeing them draw off rushed forwards and fired but to no great purpose for the Enemy after some faint Returns presently lodged themselves in the other Fort And towards the Evening Count Nassau with a Party attacked Cromwel's Fort standing to the left of the other which the Irish had made pretty defensible and wherein they had then about 500 Men lodged Our Granadeers were in the Front who were saluted with a Volley of Shot from the Enemy but this being a thing they were now pretty well used to they ran forwards and threw in their Granades and then being followed by the whole Party the Irish in less than half an Hour left the Fort to our Discretion We had only tow or three killed and the Enemy about ten though some made them a great many more Oliver Cromwel in the former Wars of Ireland never went further than Clonmel for there receiving Orders from the Parliament to go for England he entrusted the Management of the Army to Ireton who at the besieging of Limerick built several Forts two of the most remarkable bearing the Names of Ireton's and Cromwel's were now ordered to be called Mackay's and Nassau's Forts because gained under those Commanders and by those Names we shall call them for the future when there is occasion to mention them When we came up towards the Town we found a Man newly hanged upon the Gallows who the Irish said was an Officer of theirs and put there for endeavouring to desert to our Army The General having some Intimation of a Salley designed from the Town that Night and judging it not improbable since they had so good a Body of Horse behind it he commanded therefore that our Horse should not unsaddle but each Troper to lie all Night by his Horse's Head to be ready upon the first Alarm Col. Donep who commanded our advance Party of Horse was killed that Evening by a random Shot being a Gentleman who had a very good Character both among the Danes and English The 26th all our Train came up as also a great many Carriages with Bombs Ball Shovels and Pickaxes and 800 Barrels of Powder This Night we broke Ground and made our Approaches with no great
Ginckel made Commander in Chief of the Army Lords Justices begin their Government The Earl of Marlborough sent with a Fleet into Ireland Cork and Kinsale taken The Irish make Attempts upon our Frontiers Part of our Army move towards the Shannon Rapparees in the Bog of Allen Those People serviceable to the Irish Interest and how My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France Sarsfield made Earl of Lucan The Irish defeated at the Mote of Greenoge Several Adventures with the Rapparees and Parlies of the Irish Army Some of our Regiments take the Field at Mullingar ON the sixth of September our Army marched to Tipperary about fourteen Miles from Limerick where they begun to disperse towards their respective Quarters And we had an Account by some Deserters that my Lord Tyrconnel and all the French Forces were Ship'd off at The French leave Ireland Gallway for France The reason of this was also enquired after by a great many that the French shou'd absolutely quit Ireland at a time when we had raised our Siege which might have given them hopes of re-gaining the next Year what they lost this at least to defend the Province of Connaught against us and so protract the War beyond what they cou'd have hoped for if the Town had been taken and that if the want of Provisions was an Objection it was easier to carry those to the Men than bring the Men to their Provisions But the reason that I have heard given for their departure was That the late King appearing very unexpectedly in France at a time when all People were over-joyed with the News of the Battel of Flerus won at Land and a Victory also gained at Sea to palliate matters therefore as to himself he laid all the blame upon the Irish that they wou'd not fight but many of them laid down their Arms in such order as if they had been Exercising which indeed some of them did Upon which the Fr. K. concluding that all was lost in that Kingdom he sent Orders to Count Lauzun to make the best of a bad Market and so come off for France as well as he could with all his Men. But the Irish taking heart of grace at our Fleets and the Dutch Armies misfortunes they held out beyond expectation And those Orders of the French Kings not coming till after His Majesty had raised the Siege of Limerick Count Lauzun waited about twelve Days for a Countermand but that not appearing he set sail for France tho' he met with contrary Orders at Sea but then it was too late For His Majesty had been a Fortnight at London before they heard at Paris that the Siege of Limerick was raised which shewed that whatever good Intelligence they might have from England or Ireland at other times they wanted it now but whether the Wind was cross or what else was the reason I am uncertain About the fourteenth we heard that Sarsfield with a part of the Irish Army had marched over the Shannon at Banoher-Bridge and besieged the Castle of Birr wherein Birr besieged by the Irish was only a Company of Colonel Tiffin's Foot who stoutly defended the Castle the only temble place but major-Major-General Kirk marching thither with a part of our Army the Enemy quitted the Siege and marched off At this time Count Solms who commanded in Chief was at Cashel where he received a Letter by a Trumpeter from the Duke of Berwick then at Limerick complaining that they heard of a Design of ours to send all those Prisoners we had taken at several places to be Slaves in the Foreign Plantations and withal threatning ours with the French Gallies But this was only a trick of the Irish Officers themselves to prevent their Soldiers from deserting making them believe there was a Contract to sell them all to Monsieur Perara the Jew for so much Bread which made the name of the Jew very terrible to the Irish But this was a mere Story of their own framing and therefore Count Solms sent the following Answer to the Duke's Letter Henry Count de Solms General of Their Majesties Army in their Kingdom of Ireland HAving never before heard of a Design to send those Numbers Count Solms's Answer to the Duke of Berwick's Letter of your Men we have Prisoners to the Foreign Plantations we detained your Trumpeter here for some Days in hopes we might have been able to trace this Report which you send us word is spread about of such our Intentions but no enquiry we have made giving us the least light therein we have reason to think that neither those Prisoners we have of yours need fear so long a Voyage nor those few of ours in your hands be apprehensive of yielding a small Recruit to the French King's Gallies However we think fit to declare that your Men shall severely feel the effects of any ill usage you shall offer to ours for which they may reckon themselves obliged to their Generals Given at our Head-Quarters at Cashel the 21st Day of September 1690. To the Duke of Berwick or the Officer in Chief commanding the Enemies Forces Soon after this Count Solms went for England and the Lieutenant-General Ginckel made Commander in Chief Baron de Ginckel was made Lieutenant-General and Commander in Chief of the Army who went to his Head-Quarters at Kilkenny Towards the middle of September Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Thomas Coningesby Esquire two of the Lords-Justices went to Dublin where they took the usual Oaths of Chief Governors of that Kingdom before the Commissioners of the Great Seal and immediately begun their The Lords-Justices go to Dublin work of putting the Country in as good a condition of Safety as the nature of the times would bear Whilst the King was imployed in the Field with his Army against the Town of Limerick it was first proposed by the Earl of Nottingham to my Lord Marlborough and afterwards approved of in Councel as very Advantageous to Their Majesties Affairs to send a Party from England who joyning with a Detachment from the King's Army might reduce those two important Garrisons of Cork and Kinsale and provisions were made accordingly But not being ready so soon as was designed His Majesty upon His return for England sent the Earl of Marlborough with his own Regiment of Fusiliers Brigadier Trelawny's Princess Ann's Earl of Marlborough sent into Ireland Colonel Hastings's Colonel Hales's Sir David Collier's Colonel Fitz-Patrick's one hundred of the Duke of Bolton's and two hundred of the Earl of Monmouth's with my Lord Torrington's and Lord Pembrook's Marine Regiments CORK CITY After the taking of those two Towns the Irish that lay October 1690. in the County of Kerry made several Incursions and burnt some small Villages in the County of Cork and near the same time another Party burnt Balliboy a Village 8 miles The Irish make some attempts upon our Quarters from Birr wherein there was then six Companies of the Earl of
indeed the Militia were as active to suppress them However the White Serjeant with one Mackabe and Cavenagh were very troublesome nigh Kildare Those were three Fellows all under the same Circumstances who running away from the Irish Army they got small Parties of Rogues together and haunted the Bogg of Allen and other places of the Country thereabouts which were particularly well known to them and by that means gave the Inhabitants no small disturbance They were hunted by the Militia nigh this time and three of the White Serjeant's men Shot at one time and two of Mackabe's at another and soon after three more were killed near Murney And our publick Accounts tell us of a hundred and ten Rapparees killed by Captain Baggott's Militia Dragoons since the beginning of this Month in several Parties But Cavenagh and his Men being afraid to trade any more in the Bogg of Allen they remove towards the Mountains of Wicklow where Lieutenant Cooly met with them and killing fifteen took their Captain upon which the rest dispersed or joyned with Mackabe and the White Sergeant May the 20th Mark Baggot formerly spoke of Mark Baggâ— hanged being condemned and reprieved till now was this Day hanged having said nothing to the purpose but that our best places to pass the Shannon were Melick and Banoher May 24. Major Welden of the Militia and Captain Phillips of Colonel Earls's Regiment kill thirteen Rapparees near Montmelick Captain Vnderhill of my Lord Lisburn's Regiment with sixty Foot and ten Dragoons goes to Ballenderry May the 26th where they met with a Party of nigh three hundred of the Irish Army whom they engaged killing Captain Geoghagan and four more Officers and as the Account was fifty private Men. Next Day the same Captain went out with only twenty four Men and kill'd twelve but being set upon by a good Party of the Irish commanded by Colonel Geoghagan he made his retreat to Dunore Castle having only one Man kill'd and another wounded The same Day some Dutch Horse being come to the Camp now at Mullingar a Party of them went abroad kill'd several Rapparees and brought in thirty Prisoners At this time Lieutenant-General Douglas was marched Lieutenant-General Douglas encamps with a Party at Ardagh out of the North with a Body of Men and encamped at a place called Ardagh in the County of Longford twelve Miles from Mullingar And the Duke of Wirtenberg was gone towards Thurles where the Foreigners that quartered last Winter in Munster were ordered to Rendezvouz and to be ready to joyn the rest of the Army nigh Banoher where our Great Men had some thoughts at that time of passing Our Train of Artillery was also upon their march from Dublin to Mullingar being such an one as never had been seen before in that Kingdom Major-General Ruvigny is now at the Camp at Mullingar Our Great Officers take the Field whither went Major-General Mackay on the 28th who came lately from Scotland Major-General Kirk and Sir John Lanier go for England and land at Neston on the thirtieth And much about the same time the Duke of Leinster's Regiment of Horse formerly my Lord Devonshire's landed in England and march'd towards Coventry Major-General Talmash being sent by His Majesty to assist the other Great Officers this Campaign in Ireland landed at Dublin the latter end of May having with him Sir Martin Beckman chief Ingineer and in a Day or two he went towards the Camp About this time the Gentlemen of the County of East-Meath meeting at Trim agreed to scoure the Red Bog nigh that place where the Rapparees haunted and had done much mischief during the last Winter the issue was that thirty five were kill'd and six more fairly hanged Some were also kill'd by the Militia of the County of Waterford and others near Kilmallock by Parties that advanced so far By Packets from England the General had an Account by Letters from Monsieur de Opdam Lieutenant-General of the Horse in Holland who went to Breda about the exchange of Prisoners taken at the Boyne Cork Kinsale c. with the Dutch taken at the Battle of Fleur that the French refused to release the Irish Officers under such Characters as they gave themselves but left them under very ill Circumstances upbraiding them in terms very disrespectful tho' they released the Irish Soldiers and sent them to Thoulon Marseilles c. for the Sea-service This Month now draws towards an end and all People that had any business towards the Camp are resorting thither in order to which the Lords-Justices set out a Proclamation Commanding all Sutlers and others to carry no Ale or other Liquors to the Camp but what was good and well brewed and to be at least six Days old to prevent Fluxes and other Distempers There was also another Proclamation Commanding all Persons that designed to be Sutlers to come to Dublin for Licenses and to renew those each Journey But this being found inconvenient for the Army it was recalled May the 30th Lieutenant-General Ginckel went The General goes to the Camp from Dublin and lying that Night at Tycroghan next Day his Excellency came to the Camp at Mullingar where he found Foot viz. Major-General Kirk's Lord Meath's Lord Lisburn's Lord Cutts's Colonel Foulks's Colonel Brewer's Lord George Hamilton's and Colonel Earls's Horse Sir John Lanier's Brigadier Villers's Colonel Langston's Rydesel's Roucour's and Monopovillon's with Colonel Leveson's Dragoons who before his coming over was made a Brigadier by His Majesty The Soldiers every Day in one Regiment or another began to appear fine in their new Cloths and before the Army took the Field the Lords-Justices with the Advice of the General appointed several Officers that had been or were actually then in the Army to Command the Militia in different places of the Kingdom not as being Absolute but rather Superintendents of the whole As in the County of Cork Major Stroud was imployed in the Counties of Wickloe and Wexford Major Brooks and Captain Phillips as were also Major Tichburn Lieutenant-Colonel Toby Caulfield and others in several other places CHAP. V. June 1691. The Fortifications at Mullingar contracted into a narrower compass A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses The Irish march towards Athlone Our Army goes towards Ballymore That place besieged Its Situation described Four Batteries planted The General 's Message sent in writing A Parley beat The Fort surrendred Ballymore better fortified The Army march towards Athlone and joyned by the Duke of Wirtenberg We approach the Town Batteries planted The order of the Attack The English Town taken Batteries against the Irish Town The Enemy ruin our Works A design to pass the Shannon The Enemy burn our close Gallery A Councel of War held A Party ordered to pass the River The Town stormed An Express sent to St. Ruth A part of our Army left in the Country and why Major Culliford surprizes some of the Irish Inniskeen fortified JVne the 1st Very
early in the Morning Grace and Hogan two Rapparee Captains with eighty Men surprized a Castle called Camgart within six Miles of Birr kept all Winter by a Party of the Militia the news of which was brought some time after to Carolante where was a Garrison kept by the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment The Account of this was brought in haste and very imperfect so that Ensign Story who was there with another Officer thinking to hinder the Irish from getting into the Castle or at least if they were in to prevent the burning of it he goes with all speed with a Party of thirty Men from Carolante towards Camgart being not above an English Mile but the Enemy were got in long before and had secured all the Garrison and seeing our Party approach they kept themselves very close within the Works The Ensign and his Men coming nigh the place and seeing no appearance of either Enemies or Friends he posted his Men in an Orchard within Musquet-shot of the Castle and himself with two Men went up towards the Gate but being got too nigh the Works a Woman carrying Water to a Cabbin made a sign that the Enemy was within which occasion'd the Ensign to stop at which they fired a whole Volley upon him killing himself and one of the Men the Party could not bring off the Ensign's Body being so near the Castle but after some stay there they march'd off without any further trouble from the Enemy The other Officer Commanding in Carolante sent back a Drum for Ensign Story 's Body which the Irish made some scruple to deliver but proferr'd to bury him Honourably which they did allowing his own Drum to beat the Dead March before him and themselves fired three Vollies at his Grave acknowledging at his Death some former Civilities from him which is very rare with that sort of People But this particular I mention to show the incertainty of the things of this World for this Officer was well and at liberty at nine a Clock in the Morning but before twelve he was not only in the power but buried by his Enemies and that with great Formality And a Man that is at the Pains to Describe other Peoples Actions may be allowed the liberty to leave one Page to the Memory of his own Brother As soon as the General came to Mullingar he ordered the Works that had been made last Winter for the security of that place to be contracted into a narrower compass that fewer Men might be left for their defence and planted four Piece of Cannon upon the Mount towards the South-side of the Town Whilst the General continued here the Design of passing the Shannon at Melick and Banoher seem'd to be the most plausible and therefore June the 5th the General sent Mr. Trench a Clergy-man and one who has been Mr. Trench sent to the Duke of Wirtenberg very forward in Their Majesties Service to the Duke of Wirtenberg then at Bally-Boy as was expected with Directions to view the afore-mentioned places and encamp thereabouts till the rest of the Army joyn'd him or if he could to surprize a Passage over the Shannon whilst the Enemy were gazing upon the Motion of the other part of the Army Mr. Trench and his Party of thirty Horse with a great deal of difficulty got through the Enemy who then were at Bally-Boy and most of that Country thereabouts to the Duke of Wirtenberg whom he found encamped at Roscreagh but after Mr. Trench's departure the General and the rest of the Great Officers considering that should they decline to the left towards Melick and Banoher and leave the great Road leading towards Athlone if the Enemy would be desperate there was nothing to hinder them from marching even up to Dublin and therefore they sent another Express to the Duke of Wirtenberg on the 7th to march forwards in order to joyn the Army towards Athlone Now you must know the Irish having been very A Stratagem of the Irish to get Horses industrious all the Winter past and ever since to form a Body of Horse as well by stealing ours as by other methods most agreeable to their purpose their last Trick was to order all the Gentlemen Voluntiers in those Countries within their own Jurisdiction to appear with their best Horses and Arms by such a day at Limerick pretending to conferr marks of Honour and Distinction upon the forwardest by which means they Assembled a great many Men and most of them well Mounted who all being drawn up in the King's-Island the greatest part of them were on a sudden ordered to dismount and deliver up their Horses for the use of the Army who they were told could better manage them for the King's Interest In a day or two after this the whole Body They march towards Athlone of their Army being about twenty thousand Foot and five thousand Horse and Dragoons moved towards Athlone which way they understood by their Spies that our Army designed to march Saturday June the 6th the General with his Army Our Army march towards Ballymore march'd from Mullingar to Rathcondra between Meerscourt and Cairn-Castle being about six Miles leaving at Mullingar nine Twenty four Pounders one eighteen Pounder and three Mortars Within a Mile of our Camp we were joyned upon the march by Lieutenant-General Douglas with the following Regiments viz. Foot Lieutenant-General Douglas's Brigadier Stuart's Sir Henry Bellasis's Colonel Tiffin's Colonel St. John's Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's Colonel Herbert's and Colonel Creighton's as also Colonel Woolsey's Twelve Troops of Horse with Colonel Wynn's and Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons The same day a Deserter of my Lord George Hamilton's was hanged upon a Bush as the Army march'd by That night the General sent out a strong Party of Dragoons towards Ballymore as well to prevent relief from getting in as to secure the Enemy from stealing of in the night towards Athlone These meeting with some of that Garrison abroad killed four and brought in two Prisoners one of which was very much wounded and gave an Account That the Garrison in Ballymore was a Detachment of their best Men sent from Athlone being about a thousand in number June the 7th the Army march'd to Ballymore Ballymore besieged and by twelve a Clock had beat the Enemy within the Works and surrounded the Fort the Enemy firing their small Shot and two small Turkish Pieces that were mounted upon old Cart-Wheels But before I give you an Account of the taking this Fort it will not be amiss to give you a slender Description of it I do not find any thing Remarkable of this place The Place described in former times it 's only a small Village upon the Great Road between Mullingar and Athlone being ten Miles distant from each The place has always been very poor and had only two or three Houses of Entertainment in it the rest being all Irish Cabbins to the number of a hundred or thereabouts though
or else to remove with the whole Army to some more likely Pass which wanted not its inconveniencies neither since by this means the Enemy were encouraged and our own men disheartened at the beginning of the Campaign and not only so but upon our removing there was a way open for the Enemy even to Dublin it self at least into all the Countries adjacent by which means we must expose at least our Provisions to hazzard and so be forced to go back to make a defensive instead of an offensive War And on the other hand to make an Attack upon the Town not to succeed and then be forced to remove wou'd be of more fatal Consequence However the Duke of Wertenberg the Major Generals Mackey Talmash Ruvigny and Tetteau urged that no brave Action could be attempted without hazzard and considering the goodness of our own men and the faintness of the Enemy in all great Attacks that had been made upon them hitherto they stood up for the probability of the attempt proffering themselves to be the first that shou'd indeavour to force the Enemies Works in their own persons particularly Major General Talmash very forward and instrumental in promoting was of it which they happily performed accordingly for the Detachment drawn down the day before was ordered still to be in a readiness and A Party ordered to pass the River the General gave Command that they should be all brought three days before by three of the Danes one being a reformed Officer who with two more boldly ventured in the face of all their Works and in opposition to their Vollies which were made at them and that at Noon-day and found passable so that all things being in this order six minutes past six a Clock Capt. Sandys and two Lieutenants led the first Party of 60. Granadeers all in Armour and 20 a Breast seconded by another good Body who all with an amazing resolution took the River the Stream being very Rapid and deep at which time our Great and Small Shot began to play from our Batteries and Works on our side upon the Enemies Works on the other and they fired as thick as possible for them upon our men that were passing the River who forced their way thro Fire and Smoak and gaining the other Bank the rest laid Planks over the broken part of the Bridge and others were laying the Bridge of Boats by which our men past over so fast that in less than half an hour we were Masters of the Town and all the Trenches except one beyond the Town for the Irish being amazed at the suddenness of the thing and the resolution of our men with no great difficulty began to give ground and soon after made the best of their way towards their Camp tho a great many of them were killed in their Works and yet it 's observable that our men when they saw themselves really Masters of the Town were not at all forward to kill those at their mercy tho it was in a manner in the heat of Action but the Rubbish and Stuff thrown down by our Cannon was more difficult to climb over than a great part of the Enemies Works which occasioned our Soldiers to Swear and Curse even amongst the Bullets themselves upon which Major General Mackay told them that they had more reason to fall upon their Knees and thank God for the Victory and that they were brave men and the best of men if they would Swear less The Soldiers however got good store of Plunder What Stors were â—â—und in Town amongst the Ruines and a great many dead men were found in the Castle there were six Brass Guns and two Mortars in Town with about 20 Barrels of Powder 12 Hogsheads of Meal some Wheat and a great many other things We lost in this Action only 12 men and Lieutenant Col. Collumbine with 4 more Officers and 30 Soldiers wounded The Enemy they say lost 500 at this attack and as many more during the Siege as made them 1200 amongst whom were Col. O Gara Col. Richard Grace Col. Art Oge Mackmahon two of the Mack Genuess and several others there were taken Prisoners Major General Maxwell a French Adjutant General Capt. Dalton one Capt. more and two Lieutenants with about 60 private Men. At our mens first entering the River an Express An Express sent to Saint Râ—th was sent from the Town to Monsieur St. Ruth then in the Irish Camp signing Articles against My Lord Tyrconel as some say but going out a shooting as others report who when he heard the news said it was impossible that the English should pretend to take a Town and he so near with an Army to Succour it but being very soon assured that the English were actually possest of the place he lamented his misfortune extreamly and ordered several Detachments to beat the English out again but then he was sensible of a former oversight in not demolishing those Fortifications of Athlone next his own Camp for now the English possest their own Works entire against themselves Tho some say that St. Ruth had given orders for those Works to be thrown down the next day several Parties however of the Irish both Horse and Foot came in all hast towards the Town and stopt their men that were running away at the furthest Trenches Upon which Col. Gustavus Hambleton advanced with a Party of Granadeers and there was a pretty warm dispute for some time and Major General Maxwell newly made a Prisoner was confident they would beat us out again but when he saw them retreat upon our mens advancing and firing he was soon convinced of his mistake Athlone it seems in the last Wars was neither well fortified nor provided for Sir Charles Coot with 2000. choice Horse and as many Foot went towads Sligoe and made a shew of sitting down before it but slipt over the Curlue Mountains and with no great difficulty took Athlone as also Portumna whilst Ireton with the main Body of their Army forced Killalow Pass and sat down before Limerick But this last was an Action that is scarce to be parallelled in History that a strong Town shou'd be taken by Storm cross a great and rapid River when a powerful Army lay within less than two Miles to support it but the same providential attendance that waited upon us at first did now and afterwards assist us But it will not be improper to leave the General and his Army for a while at Athlone and see what happened in these active times in several other places of the Kingdom for tho the Irish had drawn most of their Forces towards Athlone with a design if possible to oppose our passing the Shannon yet they being at this time all of one side and consequently very numerous they ordered matters so as a great many Rapparees and some of their Army were left in different parts of the Kingdom especially in the Counties of Cork Sligoe and Kerry who waited all opportunities to
do us what mischief lay in their power and this was one reason that Col. Coys Horse and Col. Matthews Dragoons with Col. Hastings Sir John Hanmers Princess Anns Major General Trelawny's Col. Hale's the Bandenburgh and Danish Regiment of Foot were left in the County of Cork as well to keep in the Irish on that side as to secure those Garrisons from any foreign Invasion My Lord Drogheda's Regement was left in Westmeath and Col. Mitchelburns and Col. Venners in the A part of our Army left in the Country and why North and besides those we had in most places of the Kingdom under their Majesties Government a very active Malitia who were ready on all occasions to do Service Towards the beginning of June Major Culliford with a Party of Col. Matthews Dragoons and some Militia make inroads into the Enemies Quarters and bring several Preys from thence but with little loss of men to either side But hearing that a Party of the Enemys Horse and Foot to the number of 2000. or more as was reported were ordred to defend a part of the County of Cork and that of Kerry from whence the Irish had got greatest part of their Relief the preceeding Winter and were in hopes still so to do Major Culliford Major Culliford surprizes some of the Enemy with 120. of Col. Matthew's Dragoons and 50 Militia Foot surprised two of the Enemies Troops killed about 20. and pursued the rest to Newmarkit where we killed 15 more and took a prey and after that went four Miles further in hopes of a greater which we met with But Sir James Cotter being nigh the place with about 500. Horse and Dragoons fell upon our men as they were in disorder killed 20 and took as many Prisoners Major Culliford with 80. men made good their retreat and in the mean time 24. Militia and a 11 Dragoons got to a place called Drumaugh with part of the Prey and 20. of our men under Capt. Bower did the Enemy some mischief in their drawing off killing 23 or there abouts The same day Col. Hastings Col. Ogelby c. with 200. of the Army and 500 Militia being at Ballynagooly and understanding Major Cullifords danger they marched beyond Balycleugh to his Relief where the Enemy had lined some Hedges but our men forced them from thence and that Evening killed 50 next morning relieving those who took unto Drumaugh killing 13 and burning all the Country thereabouts Nigh the same time our Militia kill and take several Rapparees near Cashell and Major Welden with a party from Mountmelick kills 14. A party also of Col. Woolsley's Horse being Detached to scowre the Country about Bally-Boy killed 50. Rapparees at several times Judge Cox being made Governour of the Militia Judge Cox orders Iniskean to be Fortified in the County of Cork Fortifies Iniskean and puts a a Garison in it sending some of the Militia under Col. Townsend towards Bantree where they killed nigh a 100 Rapparees and brought off good store of Plunder and Col. Hastings from Cork seizes upon Drummaneer a considerable Post near the Black Water June the 17. A Party marched from Cashel and Clonmell who were in expectation of meeting with 400. Irish nigh Typerary but they having notice of it withdrew only our Party met with about 30 most of whom were killed and the Town Burnt The Rapparees near Roscreagh had a design to steal the Cattle of that Town but in the effecting of it 12. were killed and the Prey rescued Capt. White and some of the Militia went towards the Bogg of Allen where they killed 13 and the rest with Mackabe their Leader escaped for that time June the 19. A Party of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment went from Athy to a place called Clonmellera having along with them Sir Thomas Atkins High Sheriff of the Queens County and a Party of the Militia their design was to surprize several notorious Rogues whom they had information were Harboured in that place they kill'd about 8. or 10. tho they did not meet with those Rogues that they expected June the 20. Two Rapparees were kill'd at Caperquin and two at the Gualtire and nigh the same time there was a party of a ragged Irish Regiment called the Prince of Wales's under one Delany a Franciscan Fryer near Castle-Town not far from Cashell who being frighted with a Rumour that part of our Forces were marching that way they all indeavour'd to shift for themselves Three of our Danes were surprized near Clonmell and carry'd to the Mountains but they and a Militia Trooper getting loose in a place where the Rapparees had bound them kill'd three Rapparees and got safe home Ten more were kill'd near Thurles and Twelve a day or two after near Bally-Boy as also two of Lutterill's Dragoons My Lord Blaney Lord Lieutenant of the County of Monahan having ordered the Militia of that County to be in Arms they kill'd 7 Rapparees at one time and 5 at another in the County of Monahan and two more in the County of Armaugh his Lordship by his diligence being very instrumental in keeping in the Irish from making Excursions from those parts about Sligoe And towards the latter end of June the Lords Justices by a Proclamation ordered the Weekly Fast to be renewed and every Friday to be set a part for craving the assistance of Almighty God in prospering of our Fleet and Army CHAP. VI. The Irish Army Decamp The Dead buried at Athlone The Enemy resolve to give us Battle The Works of Athlone repaired A party of our Horse surprized The Irish Prisoners sent to Dublin The Lords Justices Declaration to the Irish Our Army march from Athlone The Enemies Camp and Posture described The Orders that Night Monsieur St. Ruth 's supposed Speech to the Irish Our Army in sight of the Enemy The Line of Battle The Battle of Agrim A party of our Foot beat off Reinforced by Major General Talmash they beat the Enemy Monsieur St. Ruth kill'd Their Army Routed The number of the Dead And of the Prisoners Our loss at the Battle Instances in former Battles wherein the Irish have been Routed with little loss to the English An account of some Irish Prophecies Our Army lye upon their Arms that night Brigadeer Eppinger goes towards Portumna Loughrea deserted by the Irish Our Army march thither Then to Athenree July 1691. The General goes towards Galway The Town described Siege laid to it Major General Mackay passes the River A Fort taken The Irish beat a parley Hostages exchanged The Articles of Surrender Our Army return towards Limerick A Brief account of what happned in other places of the Kingdom during this Month. THE first of July My Lord Portland's Regiment of Guards Landed at Dublin and marcht in two or three Days towards the Camp upon our taking the Town Mons St. Ruth with the Irish Army The Irish Army decamp decamped that night and marcht towards Milton Pass and next
day about 10 a Clock their Reer Guard of Horse stood on the other side of Melahy their Foot vanishing out of sight toward Balynasloe for Monsieur St. Ruth being out-done in so considerable a matter as the losing Athlone he was resolved to retrieve his loss or Dye since he could not be answerable to his Master that imployed him for what had already happened and therefore he used all the means possible to strengthen his Army find out a convenient place of advantage to try his Fortune in since he saw that we were not shye in affording him opportunities now he begins to be very kind to and familiar with the Irish Officers whom formerly he had treated with Disrespect and Contempt and to Caress the Soldiers tho a little before he would Hang a Dozen of them in a morning for very slender faults as they thought he draws therefore his Army into the most convenient posture he could to watch our Motions The first thing our General did after the Town was The Dead about Athlone Buried taken was to order the Dead in and about the Town to be buryed and in the Evening all our Army was drawn up and 41 pieces of Cannon fared three rounds being seconded by the Horse and Foot and then followed Bonfires for Joy that the Town was taken which had cost us 12000 Cannon Bullets 600 Bombs nigh 50 Tun of Powder and a great many Tun of Stones shot out of our Mortars But after the Town was taken the Soldiers were many of them unruly and committed several outrages therefore it was given out in Orders that night that no Soldier should go to the Town or over the Water on pain of Death and the Sutlers that went to Dublin were ordered to go to the Hospital and take up the sick and wounded Men. And here let me observe once for all that we had much better conveniencies for our Sick and Wounded this Campaign than formerly having a great many large Tents set up in form of a Quadrangle with Quilts and other conveniencies for every Soldier nor was Dr. Lawrence Physitian to the Army Charles Thomson Esquire Chirurgeon General Mr Thomas Proby and the rest of the Chirurgeons wanting in their careful industry to recover and heal the Sick and Wounded which no doubt must be a great incouragement to the poor Soldiers when they know that if any misfortune attends them they shall undoubtedly be taken care for The Enemy Resolve to give us Battle July the 2 d. We had an account by some Deserters that the Enemies Foot were gone beyond Balynasloe and their Horse were Encampt on this side of it that they resolved to stay thereabouts and Fight us tho at present they were in a great Consternation and seem'd doubtful of their own performances A great many of the Country people and Deserters came hourly in and the General gave them all protections assuring them that they shou'd be kept Inviolable against any of our Army or others resolving to punish the Offenders with Death but on the other hand expected all conformity of dutiful Subjects to their Majesties from them and if any were found to carry Intelligence to the Enemy or harbour succour or conceal them they should suffer Death for it This day the General had an account from one Capt. Aughmouty that the Enemy had quitted Lanesbourgh and that he with his Troop had possest himself thereof July the 3 d. The General commanded his Army The Works of Aâ—hlone repaired to begin the repairing the Works of Athlone which were strangely shattered by our Cannon and not one House left whole in all the Town Especially the Castle which was beat down to the ground on the Southeast side as was also the Tower within it we fell to work therefore and put some few shattered Houses in a condition to hold our Magazines and Stores which were daily coming up from Dublin and Mullingar and without which we could not march forwards That morning William Robinson Esquire one of the Pay-masters to the Army came with Money as also many Waggons and Carts with Ammunition and other Mecessaries A Trumpeter returns with an answer of a Letter sent to the Enemy about the exchange of Prisoners The Fourth proved very Rainy yet our Men were imployed in clearing the Streets repairing the Breaches and mounting four of the Enemies Guns taken in the Town upon some of our spare Carriages That Evening a Party of 20 Horse and ten of Kirk's Granadeers A party of our Horse surprized mounted were sent out to view the Enemies Camp being Guided and Commanded by one Higgins a Converted Priest but they fell into an Ambush of 400 of the Enemies Horse in the Woods of Clanoult our men defended a Bridge and fought stoutly for some time but were at last broke 15 kill'd and 4 taken Prisoners the rest escaping with Higgins who was sadly Wounded The 5th Major General Maxwell and other Prisoners were sent towards Dublin but some of them make their escapes Three out of Col. Parker's and as many out of My Lord Antrim's Regiments deserted to us The 6th The Prisoners sent to Dublin one of our men taken Prisoner two days before was released by Lieutenant General Sheldon and that Evening it was given out in Orders to be ready to march by 5 in the morning the left Wing over the Pontoons and the right Wing over the Bridge which was now repaired and every Soldier was to have 15 shot of Powder The 7th the Army marched over the River and a Prisoner that had made his escape going to Mullingar was taken nigh Banoher and having stole a Horse he was hanged with a Rapparee guilty of the like Fact Capt. Villers returns with 30. Horse from viewing the Enemy still at Balynasloe and the Militia possess some Passes upon the Shanon And because a Declaration published this day by the Lords Justices by direction from England made a great noise both in the Enemies Camp and ours as also all the Kingdom over during the remainder of the Campaign being that upon which the Articles of Galway and Limerick and all the Irish Capitulations were afterwards founded it will not be amiss here to give you the Declaration it self at large as it was Published By the Lords Justices of Ireland a Proclamation Charles Porter Tho. Coningsby SInce it hath pleased Almighty God to give so great Success to their Majesties Arms toward the Reduction of the Kingdom of Ireland that in all probability the whole must in a short time be brought under Their Majesties Obedience with great Effusion of Blood and Destruction of Their Majesties Enemies Their Most Excellent Majesties in Compassion to their Seduced Subjects to avoid further Effusion of Blood and that nothing on Their Majesties part be wanting to Incourage and Invite all who are now in Arms against Them to subject themselves to Their Obedience and Government have Commanded us And we the Lords Justices of this Kingdom
way some of them askt this Gentlman the name of that Castle who when he told them that it was called Aghrim one of them replied that was the place where a great Battle was to be fought and that the English men should think their Coats too heavy in climbing up those Hills This was also mentioned by Col. Gordon O Neal found stript amongst the Dead next day and made a Prisoner and several other of the Irish Officers after the Battle which kind of Predictions are never rightly understood till they are past for the Irish interpreted this to signifie the English mens running away from them but they found it by experience that the English thought their Coats too heavy in the pursuit of the Enemy tho some say this Prophecy is meant of the Hills near Ardee the day before the Battle at the Boyn which was so Hot that very few were able to carry their Coats Nor is there any other people more Superstitious in this point than the Irish and yet some of their Predictions are very remarkable especially at Kingsale when the Spaniards landed there where the Lord Montjoy then Lord Lieutenant was shewed the Ground several days before whereon the Great O Neal was defeated by him And this was done by an old Prophecy which puntually named and described the place Towards the end also of the former Wars in Ireland whilst Ireton lay before Limerick my Lord Broghill was sent with a Detachment out of the Army to a place called Knocknaclashy to observe a Body of the Irish My Lord found several people got there before him on purpose to expect the fate of the last Battle of Ireland to be fought on that Ground as their Prediction run and tho the Irish Forces were as then not upon the Spot yet it so fell out that the Battle was fought there the Irish Routed and this the last Field-Conflict that happened during those Wars I have heard also some of the Irish tell us before we got theither that we should not succeed at the first Siege of Limerick and they had no other reason for it but because one of their Prophesies said so But I have spent too much time in these trifles and Our Army lay upon their Armes all night therefore to return Whoever have been concerned in like Cases may easily imagine what satisfaction it was to the General and whole Army to find themselves entirely Masters of the Field and their Enemies all dipersed but the day being gone and few of our Tents come up the men were ordered to lye upon their Armes all Night their dead Adversaries who two hours before had made a considerable Bustle lay now very quietly by without disturbance Next day the General ordered a publick thanksgiving to be kept through the Army for this happy Victory and gave command that all our own dead should be Buried and those of the Enemy also that lay on the ground where our Tents were to be pitched But the rest of the Irish remained still unburied no Inhabitants being left in that part of the Countrey to perform it for it has been an Ancient Custom amongst them still to remove out of the way with their Cattle and all their Substance at the approach of an Enemy And Judge Cox observes that in the Year 1178 towards the beginning of the English Government in Ireland Conaught was invaded by Miles Coghan and Young Fitz-Stephens but they were forced to return for want of Provisions which has since frustrated more well contrived designs and great Expeditions than any other Accident But this was not our case at this time and the greatest mischief that happened by the Irish removing was to have the Carcasses of their Countreymen for want of Burial exposed to the Birds of the Air and the Beasts of the Field many Doggs frequenting the place afterwards and growing so fierce by feeding upon mans Flesh that it became dangerous for any single man to pass that way And there is a true and remarkable Story of a Greyhound belonging to an Irish Officer the Gentleman was killed and stript in the Battle whose Body the Dog remained by night and day and tho he fed upon other Corps with the rest of the Dogs yet he would not allow them or any thing else to touch that of his Master When all the Corps were consumed the other Dogs departed but this used to go in the Night to the adjacent Villages for Food and presently to return again to the place where his Masters Bones were only then left and thus he continued till January following when one of Col. Foulks's Soldiers being quartered nigh hand and going that way by chance the Dog fearing he came to disturb his Masters Bones flew upon the Soldier who being surprized at the suddenness of the thing unslung his Piece then upon his back and killed the poor Dog Next morning after the Battle one Fitz-Gerald and six Troopers came from the Enemy and told us that what of the Army was left made the best of their way towards Limerick But that they were so shattered and frighted that very few of their Foot would be got thither The same day Brigadeer Eppinger with a Party of 1200. Horse and Dragoons Brigadeer Eppinger sent with a Party towards Portumna was ordered towards Portumna and Banoher two Passes upon the Shanon where the Irish kept Garisons all last Winter And on the 14th those places were Surrendred upon Condition to march out with their Arms and Baggage First towards our Camp where they had liberty to lay down their Arms if they pleased or else to go on towards the Irish Army Loughrea Melick and other places thereabouts were also Deserted by the Irish who most of them took towards Limerick as the safest place of Retreat whither they went in no kind of order but rather like people going to a Fair the Roads as they passed being full of Hampers and other stuff which they had been in too great hast to lug along yet that very night after the Battle they Robbed and Plundred one another upon the Road. That Evening it was ordered that all the Officers that were not upon Duty should be at the General 's Quarters next Morning at 9 of the Clock to attend the Funeral of Major Gen. Holstaple and what Soldiers would bring in Muskets to the Artillery should have 6 d. a piece for them by which means they brought in a great many Waggon loads full of the Arms lost and thrown away by the Irish and tho the price was reduced to two pence afterwards yet there still came a great many in Our Hospital was then pitched at Garbally about three Miles nearer Athlone and it was likewise ordered that if there were any Sick or Wounded men that were not sent to the Hospital they should be brought to the Artillery at Five in the Morning where they would find Waggons to carry them to Athlone Six Hundred Waggons being then ordered to bring up Bread
loss to us because of the conveniency of Ground we had to Encamp on There were only three Ships left now in the Bay who anchoring nigh the Town they made off from the Shoar as the Army marched in And there was a Proposal offered to make all our Tin-Boats into four Floats and put two small Field-pieces upon each with which we were to attempt the seizing the Ships in the Bay for it was supposed that if the Ships had Guns yet our Floats would be so flat as to lie under them and so we might with no great danger either board or sink the Vessels but after having made the Floats and mounted some of our Guns upon them the design was found impracticable for several Reasons and we had an opportunity of lamenting our misfortune in not having at that time so much as one English Frigat near us The Boats therefore were to be imployed other-ways for as soon as it was grown dark Lieutenant A Party of Monks pass the River General Mackay with Colonel Tiffins Colonel St. Johns Monsieur Cambons Lord George Hambletons one Dutch and a Danish Regiment of Foot with four Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons were wafted over the River about two Miles above the Town by break of day our men were all safe on the other side meeting with no opposition only a small Party of Dragoons fir'd at the first Party that landed and then scoured off whether the Irish really expected Balderock O Donnell to come into Town that way is uncertain however we had now destroyed all hopes of it and he retired again into the County of Mayo from whence he writ to the General as has been said On Sunday in the Evening not many hours after we appear'd before the Town one Captain Bourk deserted from the Eâ—â—my and gave the General an account that the Fort the Irish were making towards the South-East was almost finished and therefore the sooner it was attacked it would be the easier gained and that it was as necessary for us to take as them to keep it because iâ— commanded a great part of the Wall on that side the Town Nâ—xt Morning early A Fort taken Count Nassau with a Party of Granadeers and two Regiments of Foot was conducted by Captain Bourk the safest way to attack this Fort Major General Talmash would needs go a Volunteer as he usually did when it was not his turn to command we mannaged it so well that our Granadeers were got almost to the Foot of the Enemies works before they discovered us upon which the Irish made some faint firings but our men then rushed forwards and threw in their Granado's which soon forced the Enemy to retire by a Line of Communication that was drawn from the Fort to the Town we lost in this Action only a Lieutenant and five Men having two Lieutenants and eight men more wounded and after the Fort was in our possession the Irish fired both small and great shot upon us from their Walls by which they wounded several and killed one Mounsieur Madronet an Ingineer as he was giving Orders to the Workmen That morning five Troopers desert from Balderock's Party giving some account of his present circumstances tho when the Irish within saw a part of our Army beyond the River they still made shew of resisting and burnt all the Suburbs on that side the Town which were very large and the Irish the readier to destroy them because most of the Houses thereabouts had formerly belonged to the English About ten a Clock and whilst their Suburbs were yet in a flame the Irish beat a Parley the Governour sending The Irish beat a Parley a Drummer wiâ—â— a Letter to the General to desire a safe Conduct for some Persons to come out in order to a Capitulation To which the General returned a satisfactory Answer and presently a Cessation was commanded between the Camp and Garrison those in Town crowding in great numbers upon the Walls and our Souldiers going to the out-side of the Irish Works enquiring each for their Friends and Acquaintance in one anothers Army In the afternoon Hostages were exchanged in order Hostages exchanged to a Treaty Those on our side were Lieutenant Colonel Purcel Lieutenant Colonel Coot and the Marquess de Rhada Lieutecant Colonel to my Lord Cutts The Enemies Hostages were Lieutenant Colonel Linch Lieutenant Colonel Burk and Lieutenant Colonel Reyley The Articles were not agreed upon that day and the Irish prevailed with the General to continue the Cessation till Tuesday at ten a Clock which time being come the General ordered eight Guns and four Mortars to be drawn down to that Fort we took the day before and there to be planted then sent a Drum to command away his Hostages but the Irish had some debates amongst themselves not that they pretended to hold out the Town but about the method of Surrender and the Substance of their Articles Their delayes however made the General impatient and he sent once or twice to hasten their Resolutions At last Lieutenant Colonel Burk one of their Hostages was permitted to go in Major General Talmash as was believed being inclined to lay the Treaty aside desired him When they were ready to begin afresh to give us a sign to secure our selves by firing a Gun into the Air The other replied That they would not fire from within till we provok'd them to it from without But after some further time it was agreed to that next Sunday morning the Town should be delivered up upon the following Articles The Articles of Galloway as they were confirmed afterwards by their Majejesties GUlielmus Maria Dei gratia Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Regina Fidei Defensores c. Omnibus ad quos praesentes Litera Nostrae pervenirint salutem Inspeximus Irrotulamentum quarundum literarum patentium de confirmatione gerenda apud Westmonasterium decimo Septimo die Februarii ultimo praeterito in Curia Cancelaria Nostra Irrotulata ac ibidem Recordo Remanente in haec verba WIlliam and Mary by the Grace of God c. To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Whereas certain Articles bearing date the one and twentieth day of July last past were made and agreed upon by our Trusty and well belvoed Rebort Baron de Ginckel Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief of Our Forces in Our Kingdom of Ireland and the Constable and Governour of Our Town of Galway in Our said Kingdom Whereby Our said General promises that We should ratifie these Capitulations within the space of three months from the date thereof or sooner The Tenor of which said Articles is as followeth Viz. Articles granted to the Town and Garison Articles of Galloway of Galloway by Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces the 21st of July 1691. I. THat the Town and Fort of Galloway shall be given up to his Excellency or such Officer as he shall
Generalis Domini Regis Dominae Reginae pro Regno Hyberniae duximus exemplificandum per praesentes In Cujus rei Testimonium has litteras nostras fieri facimus patentes Testibus nobis ipsis apud Westmonasterium quinto die Aprilis Anno Regni eorum quarto Bridges Examinat per nos S. Keck Lacon W. Child In Cancell Magistros This Town with a good Garison in it might have July 169â— given us more trouble and so have postponed the Siege of Limerick yet considering their present Circumstances they did not manage ill in procuring for themselves those Terms which they had tho' the General might safely condescend to grant any thing included in the Lords Justices Declaration which both the Articles of Gallway and Limerick are At the same time that Gallway was Capitulating there came a Drum from Limerick which put us in hopes that all was over and that they had a mind to make Terms not only for Gallway but for the Irish Nation in general but it was only about the exchange or releasing of some Prisoners which at that time could not be granted or rather it was to understand what became of Gallway that so the others might take their measures accordingly THE TOWN OF GALLOWAY Besieged the 19th of Iuly and surrendred the 14th 1692. About ten a Clock my Lord Dillon marched out with the Irish Garison being not above two thousand three hundred men and those but indifferently armed and worse cloathed they had six pieces of Cannon according to the Capitulation four of which were Iron and drawn by six Teams of our Horses having a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from our Camp to conduct them to Limerick At twelve a Clock the General himself went into Town being attended after his entrance by the Mayor and Aldermen the Recorder making a Speech to wish him Joy In the Evening one Captain Brain O Neal with most of his Company deserted from the Enemy as did also several others and taking the Oath of fidelity to their Majesties were either dismist to their several Habitations or else were entertained in our Army as their fancy led them We found several Guns in Town unmounted and two or three very fine Brass Guns which they had not planted in any place to be made use of there was also good store of Ammunition left besides eight hundred Hogs-heads of Meal and other things of value July the 27th That part of the Army encampt beyond the River under Lieutenant General Mackay marcht through the Town and our men were set to work in improving the Fort which the Irish had formerly begun towards the South-East Corner of the Wall six of our Guns were likewise sent into Town since we had furnished the Irish with Draught-horses for so many of theirs then we levelled all the Batteries and other Works that we had begun against the place and all sick Souldiers that were not able to march were ordered to be taken care of by the Governor except such as were sent in Waggons towards Athlone The 28th we marched back to Athenree and as the Army were in motion Captain Coal with nine Men of The Army removes War and eighteen other Ships appeared in the Bay of Gallway to whom the General sent Orders to sail immediately for the Shannon the twenty ninth we marched to Lougbreagh and the next day proving very rainy the Army rested The 31th the Army marched A Squadron of Ships come into the Bay towards Airs Court a well improved place and a good Country all about but upon occasion of the Waters being swelled by the former days rain or else through the mistake of Orders the Army encamped that night in three several places which had been a good opportunity for a vigorous Enemy to endeavour the retrieving of their Losses but the Truth of it was they were at too great a distance for any such Attempt And since we have brought the Army to the end of A Brief Account of what hapned in other places of the Kingdom this month let us leave them a while on their march towards Limerick and briefly give an account of what hapned much about this time in several other parts of the Kingdom July the 1st Lieutenant Colonel Dawson marcht with a Party of the Militia towards the Comorra Mountains not far from Waterford where he killed three Rapparees and Major Stroud being one of the Officers appointed by the Government to Command the Militia in the County of Cork killed ten Rapparees near Baly-Cleugh and in ten days there were sixty more killed in that part of the Countrey adjoyning to Bandon by Lieutenant Colonel More and others of the Militia and Colonel Blunt killed five near Cashell In the beginning of April one Duppine obtained Letters Patents for the setting up a Linnen Manufacture in Ireland this was very taking at first and a great many of the Chief men in the Kingdom had shares in it On the 8th of July the Lords Justices with several of the Nobility and Judges met at the Tholsâ—ll in Dublin and there admitted several new Members of the said Corporation but what this project will come to in this Kingdom is as yet uncertain The same day our Smirna Fleet came into the Harbour of Kinsale and we had an account that our Grand Fleet was then nigh Cape-Clere About this time five and twenty Rapparees were killed near Mount Melick and part of the Militia of Roscreagh go towards Nenagh upon an expedition for black Cattle and killed ten Rapparees one Captain Warren killed nine also in the County of Killkenny On the 17th ten Ships with Mortars Bombs Ammunition c. came from Dublin to Kinsale being part of those convoyed afterwards by Captain Coale to Limerick and then our Fleet convoyed the Smirna-Fleet from Kinsale towards England Ships also came to Waterford with one hundred Recruits for the Brandenburg Regiment who suffered much in the former Siege of Limerick and some few also for the Danes John Weaver Esq High Sheriff of the County of Westmeath by Order from the Government gives Protections to several Rapparees and those discover a knot of Rogues twenty three of whom were killed by the Militia and three Gun-smiths also who were at work for them on a Forge built in the midst of a great Wood. July the 20th a Party of the Irish Army appear nigh Cashell but marched off again without attempting any thing And Colonel James Barry with a Party of the Militia killed five and thirty Rapparees near Tallough but being way-laid by the Enemy most of his Party were killed or taken Prisoners and himself carried to Limerick where he remained a Prisoner till the Town was surrendred The 22 d. three Rapparees were killed near Cork and four more towards Cahir The 23 d. Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey Captain Kingsly and other Officers with one hundred Souldiers out of Colonel Venner's Regiment formerly Sir Edward Deering's joyned with four hundred of the Militia marched towards
detached a Party towards a Bridge about half a mile from the Place thinking to maintain that Pass till his Men might march safely off towards Limerick but at his coming to the Bridge perceiving our Men marching to the Right and Left to incompass him after some few shots he retreated to Nenagh setting the small part of the Town that was left on fire which was soon Nenagh deserted by the Irish quenched by some English Prisoners that had been kept there but now released when the Irish made towards Limerick when our Men got to Nenagh Major VVood was ordered with a Party to pursue the Irish which he did almost to Cariganlis taking most of their Baggage and about four hundred large Cattle which the Irish were in too great haste to carry off The Third our Army marched to Bi r but the passage over the Bridge at Banoher being exceeding troublesom it was late before the Guns and Carriages could be got up and therefore we rested on the Fourth And now we found that notwithstanding all the supplies of Horses that we had out of England yet there still wanted a great many for the use of the heavy Cannon and therefore it was proposed to bring them down from Athlone to Limerick by Water but that being found impracticable the General sent to Dublin where most of the Nobility and Gentry furnished him with their Coach Horses but all those not being sufficient a great many more were pressed by an Order from the Government The Fifth we marched to Burasicane where there had been a pretty English Plantation but burnt down the former Winter by the Garrison of Bi r because they did not desire to have the Rapparees in so near a Neighbourhood The Sixth we marched to Ninagh where we stayed four dayes for want of Bread and other Necessaries The Army march thither it being no small difficulty to furnish an Army with constant Supplies in a desolate Country when they are still upon their march and where every thing must he carried upon the Axletree Friday the Seventh The Lord Justice Coningesby came to the Camp where he staid nigh a Fortnight And Saturday the Eighth a Party of Horse and Dragoons with several Pioneers went towards the Silver Mines to mend the Roads for our heavy Carriages Another Party at the same time marching towards Killalow Pass who brought in seven or eight Prisoners A Brigadier of the Guards and two more Horsemen desert the Enemy and inform us that they were encamped nigh Cariganlis and making what preparations they could to withstand us forcing all the Irish into Arms that were within their Jurisdiction and arming their Foot anew out of the Stores at Limerick and that they talked of giving us Battle again before we should approach the Town The same day one Mr. Richards came A Treaty with Balderock O Donel. from Balderock O Donel to our Camp where he stayed two or three dayes and then went towards Dublin in order to wait upon his Majesty who was then in Flanders His business was to assure the General of Balderooks affections to their Majesties Service and that if he might have the Men he brought over with him admitted into pay in order to serve his Majesty in Flanders or elsewhere himself made Earl of Tyrconnel to which he pretended a Title from his Ancestors and have two thousand pounds given him for his expences he would then come over to us and bring a considerable Body of the Irish along with him The General therefore considering that it was no ill policy to get the Irish to draw bloud one of another consented to some of O Donnels proposals and the business was shortly after compleated tho' Balderock complained heavily that the thing should be made publick to the great hinderance August 169â— of the Numbers of Men he designed to bring off and almost to the hazard of his own life for this Treaty was first in the Dublin Intelligence and then in the London Gazette dated August the 13th which was before the thing was really compleated but those that have seen Balderock will believe that it was partly his own fault There was also an Officer sent at the same time by Sir Teague O Regan from Sligo about the surrender of that place the Articles being in a manner agreed to but this business was afterwards delayed and the Government obliged to be at the expence and trouble of sending a Body of men from Dublin and other parts of the Kingdom to reduce it by force and it s confidently averred that this hapned meerly by the covetousness of one of our Colonels who had the Secreet of this Affair committed to his management August the 9th Lieutenant Colonel Oxborough of Colonel Lutterill's Horse his Lieutenant and their Attendance desert and come to our camp and a Foot Officer with eleven Musquiteers and their Arms came in also A Man and a Woman were this day hanged in the Camp the Man for robbing Tents and the Woman for being accessary to the Murther of one of our Souldiers nigh Gallway The time limited in the Lords Justices Proclamation dated July the 7th being now expired and the General willing still to use all fair means possible to bring in the Irish without the effusion of more Blood he therefore orders the following Declaration to be prepared By Lieutenant General Ginckell Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces August 1691. THE Enemies of Their Majesties Government A Declaration from the General to the Irish and the Disturbers of the Quiet of this Kingdom having been very industrious to conceal the Grace and Favour which has been offered to such as should return to their Duty To take away all manner of excuse for the future from those that still continue in Arms I have thought fit to publish that tho' the Term prescribed by the Lords Justices in their Proclamation of the seventh of July is expired so that no man can lay claim to the Condiscentions therein made yet if within ten days from the date hereof any Person or Persons shall do the Services therein mentioned I promise with the Consent of the Lords Justices who are thereunto impowered by Their Majesties that they shall have a full and free Pardon of all Treasons Crimes and Offences by them committed against Their Majesties Government and be restored to their Estates forfeited by the said Treasons c. And to shew their Majesties Bounty and Confidence in them that leave the Enemy and have a mind to testifie their Zeal and Affection to Their Majesties Service I do hereby engage that all such Officers and Souldiers as come off from the Irish with a Body of Men or surrender any Town or strong Castle into our Hands within the abovesaid ten days shall have if they desire it the same or better Post or Employment in the Army then they left and a Reward suitable to the Merit of the Service they perform as those have already had
loss casting up some Works nigh the Shannon towards the West behind which the Danes encamped and maintained that part of the Work during the Siege We improved also these Forts deserted by the Irish and drew a new Line from the old Church Fort to Mackay's The 27th in the Morning the Prince of Hess with his The Prince of Hess sent to Castle-Connel own Regiment Col. Tiffin's and Col. St. John's five pieces of Cannon and about 700 Horse and Dragoons marched to Castle-Connel which we had not blown up effectually last Year and wherein the Irish had now a Garison of 250 Men. They refused the Prince's Proffers to them at first but after two Days Siege were content to be all made Prisoners of War The same Day Maj. Gen. Scravemore went with another Party and four Guns to Carick-a-Gunnel a Castle upon the River three miles below the Town wherein was a Garison of 150 Men who also submitted to be Prisoners of War as did one or two Castles more the leaving these Detachments in such places being very inaccountable since they had a mind to defend them no better This seems rather want of Instructions what to do than Courage to perform it for to give the Irish their due they can defend stone Walls very handsomly We read that Sir George Carew President of Munster in Queen Elizabeth's Time took the Castle of Dunboy in the West of Ireland by Assault where the Irish made the most resolute Defence of any of the like nature before or since for the Garison being 130 choice Men were all either killed or hanged for holding out and some of them defended the very Vaults during a whole Night though all the rest of the Castle was taken and one Mack Geoghagan being desperately wounded when he saw the English enter the Vault he endeavoured to cast a lighted Candle into a Barrel of Powder to blow himself and them up together but was prevented in his Design and so died The Irish planted two Field-pieces on the opposite side the River by which they obliged two Regiments of our Dragoons that lay close to the Shannon to remove but as soon as we had placed some Guns to flank their small Battery they drew off Orders were given to fit up 600 Bombs and 1000 Hand-Granades and in the Afternoon eighteen of our Ships came up the River within a mile of the Town and fired some Shots into the Irish Our Ships come nigh the Town Horse-Camp as they sailed along they being encamped at that time nigh the River at a place called Craightulagh This put several of the Irish much out of Countenance for till then they were made believe that either we had no Ships in the River or else those we had would quickly be swallowed up by the French Fleet which they hourly expected The 28th an Order was sent to Kinsale for the rest of the Provision-Ships then in that Harbour to sail to the Shannon And the General went on board some of those Ships that came up the Day before giving Command to bring on shoar several Pieces of new Cannon and Mortars which was performed on the 29th And all the Prisoners that had been taken in several Castles being about 400 in number were sent towards Clonmel with a Party of Horse and Dragoons to guard them This Evening our Line of Circumvallation was finished and our other Works by hard labour much improved the Enemy playing hot upon us from the King's Castle and three more Batteries Our Business was now to raise a Battery for ten Guns and seven Mortars which was performed before next Morning and August the 30th our Guns and Mortars were drawn down to it the first began immediately to play on Thoumond-Bridg and the Houses on that side the Town at Night also our Bombs began to fly with pretty good Success 101 being thrown before next Morning The Enemy now desert Killmallock a Town upon the The Enemy desert Killmallock Road between Cork and Limerick whither the Irish flocked in great Numbers in former times to welcome the Earl of Desmond out of England who was sent over upon some Reasons of State by Queen Elizabeth their first Saluations were to throw Wheat and Salt upon him in token of Peace and Plenty But next day when they saw him go to Church they fell to murmur and spit at him and never would own him more And so hateful was not only our Religion but even the Civil Habits and Customs of the English to some of them that in the same Queen's Reign it was with much difficulty that some of the Irish Nobility could be perswaded to put on their Robes when they were to appear in the House of Lords in time of Parliament And I have heard it affirmed by those that knew it that even in this last War and if I am not much mistaken in the Parliament that was held at Dublin by the late King too it was proposed by some to destroy all fine Houses and every thing else that look'd like Improvement and so return to the former barbarous way of living of their Ancestors that it might not be worth the while for England or any other Nation to seek a new Conquest over them but these Men did not consider that England has been at too much Expence and is now too well acquainted with Ireland ever to be without it August 31. One Capt. Morice a Lieutenant and eleven Dragoons belonging to Sir Donald O-Neal's Regiment deserted from beyond the River and tell us that the Enemy were mightily apprehensive of our getting over but that their Horse and Dragoons would endeavour to watch our Motion and do all they could to prevent us Our Batteries play very hard all this Day and at Night four out of each Troop of Horse and Dragoons throughout the Army were ordered to work at a new Battery to the Right of the former and somewhat nearer the Town they wrought very stoutly and finished their Battery before next Morning This was a thing very unusual for Horsemen especially to work in Trenches but there was in a manner a Necessity for it for our Foot were upon Duty by whole Regiments every second Night beside Detachments and Workmen upon sundry Occasions every Day And therefore Adjutant General Withers was commanded to order the Regiments that marched to the Trenches not to mount with Colours that the Enemy might not be sensible how fast our Duty came upon us The same Day a Party of four hundred Horse was Brigadeer Leveson sent into Kerry sent abroad to scour the Country And Brigadeer Leveson with seven hundred Horse and Dragoons went into the County of Kerry to reduce the Irish in those Parts Which some of the Inhabitants in other Places will needs call the most natural Irish in the Kingdom and yet they say every Cow-boy amongst them can speak Latin on purpose to save them from the Gallows when they come afterwards to be tried for Theft For though
there be very severe Laws against it and often put in Execution yet Robbing Plundering or Stealing are accounted but small Crimes amongst the Natives if not done to their Lords or Followers for what they could purchase formerly they thought it clear Gain and Castles built to secure it which thievish Spirit is not as yet quite banished that part of the Country nor scarce any other part of the Kingdom And though this sort of People have been always observed to have dexterous Faculties at more kinds of Mischiefs than Stealing yet it 's no new Complaint That by long Vse it is grown to a mischievous Custom in Ireland that Rebels and Malefactors might with the Money they had gotten by Pillage and Plunder when they set Places on fire procure for themselves Protections and escape without Punishment Cox Vol. 1. p. 415. Brigadeer Leveson at his going into Kerry found the whole Country up in Arms against him my Lord Merion's and my Lord Bretta's Horse being there to assist the Rapparees About a Mile above Limerick there lies a small Island in the Shannon called St. Thomas's Island where formerly stood a Chappel dedicated to that Saint but now ruinous though at present there are two or three small Houses in the Island and some little Inclosures Here the Irish had kept several of the Protestants belonging to the City under a Guard for some time past and now they were released by Major Stroud who kept Guard at Anighbegg with a Party of the County of Cork Militia the Irish Captain and some others of their Guard coming off also with them But what can be a greater Testimony of a rapacious Humour than this for some of the Militia stripp'd their Fellow-Protestants of what the Irish had left them as they conducted them from the Island to our Camp which I would not have said but that I had it from the Mouths of those very People that were so served who during their stay in Town with other Protestants of all sorts had shewed the greatest Affection and Compassion imaginable to those of our Army that were Prisoners there but now the Scene was altered and all the shift that themselves could make for some days was to make up little Places to creep into amongst the Fascines that lay on heaps by the General 's Quarters till our Waggons carried them farther off into the Countrey This Night Major General Talmash commanded in the Major General Talmash commands in the Trenches Trenches by whose Diligence and Example the Works were run nearer and much strengthned though the Enemy fired very briskly all Night and did us some Damage The Battery raised by the Troopers was also improved lying between Nassaw's Fort and the other Battery and eight Guns brought down to it but this being judged also too remote from the Town the Guns were never planted But it 's now time to leave the Camp a little and look backwards to see what was done in other parts of the Kingdom during this Month of August And first at What hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom this Month. Dublin there was great care taken to procure as many Horses as could be got for the necessary Occasions of the Army Provisions likewise of all sorts and Ammunition were sent up continually and the Harvest being now almost ready and very few Hands being left to take care of that Corn which the Irish had sown in several places of Connaught the Lords Justices therefore order a Proclamation to be published August the fourth That whereas since the Battel of Aghrim and the Surrender of Galway the Farmers Cottiers and other Inhabitants of Connaught had withdrawn themselves so that there were not Hands sufficient to get in the Harvest It was therefore proclaimed That all Farmers Cottiers and Under-Tenants following the Enemies Camp that should within fifteen days return to their Habitations in Connaught and apply themselves to the bringing in the Harvest they should not only quietly and peaceably enjoy their several Farms as they formerly did c. but should be fully and absolutely protected if not guilty of private Murder And that all Persons that would mow the Grass and reap the Corn upon the Land of such Absentees as would not return themselves should have one half of such Corn and Hay to their own proper Use and be protected in the quiet and peaceable Possession thereof behaving themselves as good Subjects and bringing the other half to some convenient Place upon the Farm for the King's Service But how good soever the Design might be I heard of little Effect this Proclamation had for several of the Irish last Spring had plowed and sown their Lands in Connaught hoping we would never come thither and those that did not plow expected to come over and get enough on our side the Shannon but when they were disappointed in both these they would yet go along with the Crowd in hopes of returning again in a small time And it 's observable that there have not been so many Marriages for many Years before amongst the Irish as was last Winter in Limerick Galway and all Connaught over whether it was out of confidence that they should certainly be Masters of the Kingdom after all or else that they were crowded into a narrower Compass and so had the more Opportunities of Courting I leave others to judg August the fourth Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons being left at Galway when the Army moved from thence march'd now to Portumna and Athenree and a hundred Foot detached under Major Smith to Loughrea By Letters from Cashell August 5. the Government had notice that great Heats and Debates arose daily amongst the great Officers in the Irish Army and that some Persons endeavouring to get off for France were forced back again and the Ship taken wherein the Goods belonging to Monsieur Saint Ruth the late General were on board and that several Ladies were forced ashore in Kerry or obliged to return to Limerick and that a Privateer brought into Rye a Prize of six Guns and six Patereroes bound from Limerick to France having several Passengers on board amongst the rest my Lord Abercorne who was killed in the Fight as were several more killed and wounded on both sides What Letters and other Papers they had could not be recovered for they threw them over-board Nigh this time Colonel Mitchelburn with his own Regiment and a Party of the Militla invest Sligo and Terms were proposed but not agreed to as is already said Part of the Virginia Fleet being seventy two Sail of Merchant-Ships came into Kinsale Bay on the twelfth of August under the Convoy of the Experience and the Wolf forty Sail more of them being gone to Bristol August the 13th three Leagues West of Cape Clear a French Man of War met with 14 English Merchant-Men homewards bound from Antego Mevis and Monserat and took two of them the rest escaping into Cork and Baltimore Havens Two of our Men of War
in the Evening we begun to work The Battery begun at our new Battery At first the Enemy did not discover us but after some time the Moon shining very bright they found us out and fired both great and small Shot very lavishly killing five or six but still the rest went on bravely with their Work and had soon brought it into such a Condition as to secure themselves The 6th one Barnwell deserted the Enemy and tells us they seem resolved to defend the Town which they might do except we passed the River having all the County of Clare open to go out and in at pleasure Our Men work still at the Battery which being designed for a great many Guns it could not be finished in one Night tho the Rain did us some Damage This Night some Townsmen swam over the River and confirm the Account given by Barnwell the day before that the Irish resolve not to give us the Town except we pass the River since they had a free Passage to bring in and take out what they pleased and amongst other things they had forty Chirurgions Chests that landed from France in Kerry which were conveyed cross the River and so into Town at Thoumond Gate They informed us also that most of the Towns-people having left it and the Souldiers lying continually in the Works our Bombs did not do that Execution that was hoped for but that upon whatever House a Bomb fell the Irish Souldiers presently rushed in and plundered it And tho the Weather seemed to threaten us yet this was no great Discouragement since if it came to the worst we had now our Ships in the River and could at any time put our Guns on board which Conveniency we wanted the Year before The General had now an Account from Brigadeer Leveson out of Kerry that the Enemy according to their usual way of destroying had burnt Tralee and that he had secured two of the Irish Captains that were active in that Affair upon which he sent the following Answer Camp at Limerick Sept. 6. 1691. SIR SInce my last to you I have received your Letter of the and notwithstanding what I writ about your returning to the Camp I now desire you will stay with your Detachment in Kerry for the Safety of that Countrey and secure your self there as well as you can I have sent you the Princess of Denmark 's Regiment to be disposed of as you shall judg best As for those two Captains that burnt Tralee I would have them both hanged if they cannot produce Major General Sarsfield 's or the Orders of the Commander in Chief for what they did and then I desire you 'll respite their Execution till you send me a Particular of their Case To Brigadeer Leveson Bar. de Ginckell September the 7th this Letter was sent the Brigadeer then encamp'd at Lixnaw by Capt. William Fitz-Maurice of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Son to the Lord of Kerry who this Morning left the Camp with about twenty or thirty of that Country-Gentlemen in his Company having also an Order for a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from Asketon But next Day coming to Listoell within five Miles of the Brigadeer's Party one of the Enemies Dragoons mistaking them for a Party of their own Men came hastily up and told them he was at first afraid they had been English but that my Lord Merion's my Lord Britta's Sir Maurice Eustace Sir James Cotter's Dragoons with a Body of between 3 and 4000 Irish lay behind the Hill this Fellow they immediately shot for his pains and sent to give the Brigadeer notice of their Danger making all convenient haste towards Lixnaw But the Enemy soon had notice of them and drew out several Parties to intercept their Passage our Men however with some difficulty gained a Pass and yet the Irish ordered the matter so as to be in a fair way to destroy them all had not the Brigadeer appeared with a Party in the mean time for having received an Account that the Irish were got into a Body in such a place he was going then with a Party to discover them not knowing the Danger our own Men were in Upon the Brigadeer's approach when our Men understood who it was they gave a Huzzah At which the Irish began to draw off and being in great Confusion by reason of their eager haste to pursue our small Party the Brigadeer fell upon them in that posture and killed about thirty taking Lieut. Col. O Ryan and about thirty more Prisoners the rest making too great haste to the Woods and Bogs to be overtaken Our Party then went to the place where the Irish Camp had been and found two Barrels of Powder with a great deal of other Luggage left behind At Limerick the Enemy fired very briskly upon us all that day with eight Guns which they had planted in the King's Island and other places However we finished the Platform of the great Battery and the flooring for the Mortars September the 8th our new Batteries were all ready one to the left of ten Field-pieces to shoot red hot Ball another to the right of 25 Guns all 24 and 18 Pounders The Batteries finished and play upon the Town and in the Center were placed eight Mortars from 18 Inches 3 quarters to 10 ½ Diameter these stood altogether upon the North-east of the Town nigh the Island then there were 8 Guns of 12 pound Ball each planted at Mackay's Fort and some also towards the River on the South-west where the Danes were posted Those fell to work all at a time and put the Irish into such a fright that a great many of them wish'd themselves in another place having never heard such a Noise before nor I hope never shall in that Kingdom One of the great Mortars had a Shell burst in her flinging the Mortar and Carriage nigh two yards from the flooring which is demonstration that the firing the Fuse before you give fire to the Mortar is neither the readiest nor the safest way but this was the method of all our Foreign Bombardeers tho one Lieut. Brown afterwards at Mackay's Fort made use of a much better way as shall in time be related We threw Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses all day long and our Guns were discharged almost without ceasing by which there appeared a considerable Breach in the Wall within the King's Island between A Breach made the Abbey and Ball 's Bridg and our Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses had the like success upon the Houses in Town The 9th more Provision-Ships are ordered from Cork under the Smirna-Merchant We improved our Forts between the old Church and our great Battery and our Guns fire all day at the Breach by which it was widened to a great Degree and also a great many Houses beat down we dismounted also two Guns from a Spur in the King's Island nigh Balls-Bridg and play'd from Mackay's Fort upon four Guns more that disturbed us from a
Place where their black Battery was the Year before The Enemy had cast up a Blind to prevent our beating down Balls-Bridg but as our Battery was planted the Blind was ineffectual though we did not mind the Bridg much on that Side A great many Bombs and Carcasses were thrown into Town which set it on fire and we understood afterwards that several People were killed in the indeavouring to quench it That Morning all the empty Casks in the Army were ordered to be taken up and carried to the Artillery where they were to be made use of when there was occasion for Floats The Enemy that Afternoon made a Pretence of sallying and some of them came out to secure a Ditch not far from our Battery but were soon repulsed and several of them killed with the Loss of one Granadeer on our Side There was also a Work begun close to the River-Side adjoining to the Island but the Spring-Tide over-flow'd it next Day Though several Woolsacks were carried down in order to make an Attack Some thoughts of storming it upon the Island and from thence upon the Breach but this being found difficult the Woolsacks were left with a Sentinel upon them at Night which the Irish perceiving some of them came over the River in the Night in Cots and burnt several of the Woolsacks the Sentinel looking on and alledging for an Excuse That he had no Orders to fire The General gave Command to draw off the Guns from Mackay's Fort to some more convenient Place But Colonel Wythers Adjutant General informing him what Execution some that were planted there did in the Town the Year before he ordered them to continue firing which they did to very good purpose Sept. 10. There was an Order for a Pinnace and its Crew to attend Francis Burton Esq who made several Journeys into the County of Clare and had so ordered the Matter that Clare-Castle was to be delivered up to us though for some Reasons the General neglected the Opportunity till it was included in the General Capitulation In the Morning one Capt. Dobbin a Quartermaster and Serjeant desert the Enemy and told us that the Bombs did great Execution in the Town and had killed several Our Guns fire very hard all that Day and in the Evening a Bomb fell into a store of Wine Brandy Oats and Bisket spoiling a great part of it The Town was also set on fire in several Places which burnt great part of the Night And that Evening two Mortars were brought from on Board and planted at Mackay's Fort being managed by Lieutenant Brown Lieutenant Lieuten Brown our best Bombardeer to Capt. Pitts Miners who did more Execution than all the rest firing three for one of theirs and throwing the Bombs very exact he neither made use of Sand upon the Bomb nor fired the Fuse but putting it into the Mortar with the Fuse down the Flash of the Powder kindled the Fuse as it was discharged from the Mortar Colonel Wythers was sent by Sea and Robert Powley Esq by Land to hasten up our Fleet which we understood was at Cork the General having some Accounts that the French designed to relieve the Town On the 11th the Breach was widened at least forty Paces and Floats being prepared there were great Debates amongst the chief Officers whether it should be attempted by Storm tho most say it was only designed at first for the more conveniency of battering the Town Deserters telling us of a great Ditch without the Wall always full of Water and well pallisado'd besides several Works within which would have rendred the Attempt very hazardous but afterwards we found little Truth in this though indeed we could not do the Enemy a greater Pleasure nor our selves a greater Prejudice in all Probability than in seeking to carry the Town by a Breach before those within were more humbled either by Sword or Sickness for we understood certainly that they had as many Men within as we without besides the Hazard in getting into or keeping the King's Island where there stood a most excellent Fort with a double Line of Communication from thence to the Town mann'd for the most part by the best of their Dragoons dismounted Part of the Guns however were drawn off from Ireton's Fort to a new Battery which was to the Right of the great one and some planted nigh St. Thomas's Island to cut off the Irish Communication Guns planted near St. Thomas's Island by a large Causey that led that way towards the Town Five Deserters came off who tell us of some Officers killed upon the Key by a Bomb that they had only two Tuns of Powder in Town and that their Stores were a great part of them buried in Ruines Some of Sir Albert Cunningham's Officers gave the General an Account from Lieutenant Colonel Ecklin that Sir Albert was killed by a Party of the Irish at Colloony nigh Sligoe where they surprized him in the Morning early most of his Dragoons shifting for themselves and Balderock O Donnel who then had joined him very hardly making his Escape But the English Pacquets brought us better News of the Turkish Army's being defeated in Hungary and a great many Thousands slain The 12th most of our Guns and Bombs are directed The Cannon and Bombs fire at the Cathedral towards the great Church in the midst of the English Town because we understood that it was made their principal Store and four Deserters tell us what great Damage was already done in all Places of the Town But the Irish continuing obstinate and the indeavouring to reduce the Town by Force with such a little Army as we had seeming dangerous considering the very great Strength of their Works which were still intire though the Town was much shattered those and other Reasons were like to render it a Work of longer time than at first we hoped for and the Winter now drawing on apace therefore Orders were given to fit up Killmallock for a Place of Stores And On the 13th the General sent Colonel Earl into England Col. Earl sent into England to acquaint her Majesty with the present Circumstances of Affairs that if we should not take the Town this Season it would be absolutely necessary to send more Frigats in order to block up the River Shannon since Capt. Cole that commanded and other Marine Officers then in the River had given it under their Hands that they could post twenty Frigats so advantageously towards the Mouth of the River under some Islands that they should be able to live all Winter and keep off twice the Number if any Attempt should be made by the French towards the Relief of the Town and that in the mean time the Army was to make as nigh a Blockade as they could This was but melancholy News to both Officers and Souldiers who were all willing to undergo any Hardships rather than go away without being Masters of the Place The 14th some Dragoons
the Afternoon Hostages exchanged my Lord Cutts Sir David Collier Colonel Tiffin and Colonel Piper were sent into the Town for whom were sent out the Lords Westmeath Iveagh Trimblestowne and Louth The 27th the Irish sent out their Proposals which were 1st That their Majesties will by an Act of Indemnity The Irish Proposals pardon all past Crimes and Offences whatsoever 2dly To restore all Irish Catholicks to the Estates of which they were seized or possessed before the late Revolution 3dly To allow a free Liberty of Worship and one Priest to each Parish as well in Towns and Cities as in the Country 4thly Irish Catholicks to be capable of bearing Imployments Military and Civil and to exercise Professions Trades Callings of what Nature soever 5thly The Irish Army to be kept on Foot paid c. as the rest of their Majesties Forces in case they be willing to serve their Majesties against France or any other Enemy 6thly The Irish Catholicks to be allowed to live in Towns Corporate and Cities to be Members of Corporations to exercise all sorts and manners of Trades and to be equal with their Fellow-Protestant Subjects in all Privileges Advantages and Immunities accruing in or by the said Corporations 7thly An Act of Parliament to be past for ratifying and confirming the said Conditions These Propositions were very unreasonable and they say mightily insisted upon by Mack Guire and others of the Priesthood this Man I 'm told was Chaplain to the Spanish Ambassador at Rome when Plunket the Titular Primate was hanged about the Popish Plot in Ireland and few People daring to assume that Title at such a Juncture the Ambassador procured it from the Pope for him When those Proposals were brought out to the General he was so far from granting them that he returned Answer Though he was in a manner a Stranger to the Laws of England yet he understood Rejected by the General and new Batteries ordered to be raised that those things they insisted upon were so far contradictory to them and dishonourable to himself that he would not grant any such Terms and so returned them ordering a new Battery to be immediately raised to the left of Mackay's Fort for Mortars and Guns Then the Irish sent again to know what Terms his Excellency would please to propose to them who after a Consultation sent them in twelve Articles much the same in Substance with those afterwards agreed upon and said he would allow of no other He sent them however all the Prisoners that we had of theirs in the Camp in Requital of ours that were released before their wounded Prisoners having always the same Conveniences with our own Men. The 28th early in the Morning Sarsfield Waughup Articles agreed upon the Titular Primate Baron Purcell of Loughmoe Arch-Bishop of Cashell Sir Garret Dillon Sir Theobald Butler and Colonel Brown the three last Counsellors at Law with several other Officers and Commissioners came to the General 's Quarters whither he sent for all our General Officers and after a long Debate Articles were agreed on not only for the Town of Limerick but for all the other Forts and Castles in the Kingdom then in the Enemies Possession as Ross Clare c. The same Afternoon an Order was signed for part of the Transport Ships to sail from Cork to the Shannon and there to take on Board some of the Irish Forces The following Letter was also sent by the General to Sir Ralph Delavall who he understood was upon the Coast with a Squadron of English Men of War Camp before Limerick Septemb. 28. 1691. SIR I Have notice from my Lord Nottingham that you The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Dalaval were to come with the Squadron under your Command into these Seas which makes me send this to acquaint you that I have entred into a Treaty with the City of Limerick and the Irish Army which is now just come to a Conclusion In the mean time we have a Cessation of Arms at Land and have agreed there shall be one too at Sea upon the Coasts of this Kingdom since several of the Irish Army are to be transported and to make use of French as well as English Ships for that Purpose and therefore I must desire you will not hinder the Transport Ships of France from coming into the Shannon nor the rest of their Fleet into Dingle Bay The French Intendant here has written his Part to the Squadron of their Men of VVar that is expected and gives Assurance that no Hostility will be committed by them and you will please to observe the same on your Side which is very necessary for their Majesties Service and the speedy finishing the Affair we have in hand to which I am sure you will contribute what you may as well as SIR Your most humble Servant Bar. de GINCKELL The 29th all our Horse and Dragoons commanded by the Marquess Ruvigny go to encamp beyond Six-mile-Bridg for the Conveniency of Forage and a friendly Correspondence begun between the Irish and us several of our Army going into Town and others of them coming into our Camp The 30th most of the Irish General Officers dined with the Duke of Wirtembergh nothing further being to be done till the Arrival of the Lords Justices who were sent for to confirm the Articles according to Agreement And by this time the Irish Souldiers and ours were also pretty well acquainted they coming into our Camp and our Men being admitted to view all their Works where we will leave them asking strange Questions one at another and look back a little upon the Actions that hapned in other Parts of the Kingdom during this Month. For whilst the Army was busied in the Field against A brief Account of what hapned in other Places of the Kingdom this Month. the main Strength of the Irish the Government was not wanting to order the Militia in several Parts of this Kingdom to suppress the skulking Tories and other mischievous Persons who laid hold on all Occasions to do Mischief On the 5th of September a Party of Rapparees near Tallough rob some Carriages belonging to the Officers in the Princess Ann's Regiment and got away into the Woods The Militia kill three Rapparees near Caperquin and four more nigh Lismore The 6th our Barbadoes Fleet came into Kinsale under Convoy of the Princess Ann and the Bristol Frigats and the same Day the St. Albans and Soldadoe brought 7 French Prizes into Cork The Militia of Dublin and eight hundred more from the North being joined by Balderock O Donnel with about twelve hundred Irish were at Abby Boyle the 9th of September on their March to Sligoe and on their way they summon'd Loughlin commanded by Colonel Theobald Dillon and another Place commanded by Colonel Charles Kelly both strong Castles and garison'd by the Irish which surrendred and then the Earl of Granard Commander in chief sent to summon Ballymott which refusing to surrender
Foreign Countrey against the real Interest of their own with much more to that purpose and Care was likewise taken to distribute the General 's Declaration Then the Regiments were ordered to march and those that were for France went on but those that were inclined to us had liberty to file off at a Place appointed That which they called the Royal Regiment being then fourteen hundred Men seem'd to go all entire except seven Men which the General was much concerned at then my Lord Ivaeghe's Regiment of Vlster Irish came off entire to our side as did also Colonel Wilsons and about half my Lord Louth's and a great many out of most other Regiments Brigadier Clifford Colonel Henry Lutterel and Colonel Purcel all appeared averse to the going for France And on the seventh the Lords-Justices having performed all that was necessary on The Lords-Justices Return towards Dublin their side they returned towards Dublin and Colonel Earles with a Regiment of Danes march towards Quarters The Irish had kept their Stores pretty entire from the beginning of the Capitulation till after the Division of Men and then they distribute Bread Brandy Claret and some little Money amongst those that staid with them as well to encourage some as to prevent others from going off keeping their Gates always fast lock'd and a strong Guard at each And now the General seem'd displeased that the Irish used indirect means to threaten their Men into a French Voyage telling the Irish great Officers plainly that if they broke the Articles he thought himself no longer obliged to observe them then Colonel Matthews and Colonel Lumley were sent to the Horse-Camp upon the same account And this day and the next my Lord Ivaeghe's Colonel Wilson's part of my Lord Dillon's Colonel Hussey's and other Irish Regiments were mustered nigh the General 's Quarters making 1046 in those two days beside double the number that had Passes to go home those that were mustered had all of them Bread Cheese Brandy and Tabaco with a Fortnight's Subsistence given them by Adjutant-General Wythers who never can be sufficiently commended for the Care and Pains he has taken during the whole War of Ireland The General was resolved to do all things possible to prevent the Irish going in so great Numbers out of the Kingdom as being a strengthning our Adversaries and a weakning of our selves and therefore he orders the following Declaration to be Published By Lieut. General Ginckel Commander in Chief of Their Majesties Forces SInce it has pleased God to bless Their Majesties Arms with that Success as to reduce this Kingdom to their Obedience to the end that all the Inhabitants of it may enjoy the Benefit of that Peace which has cost so much Blood and the effusion of it for the future may be stopt I think fit to make it publick and declare That all Persons of what Quality or Condition soever have free liberty and permission to return to their several Homes with their Goods Stocks and Families and there live quietly and peaceably under the Protection of the Government And whereas several stragling People remain still in Arms and daily infest the Roads committing Robberies and Murders upon Their Majesties Subjects I do hereby require all such whether known by the Name of Rapparies Voluntiers Creights or others to return quietly to their respective Parishes deliver up their Arms and enter their Names with some of their Majesties Justices of the Peace in the Counties to which they belong within the time limited by the Lords-Justices Proclamation upon pain of being exempted from all manner of Quarter And all Justices of the Peace are hereby directed to make Entry and Register of all the Names of all such Persons as aforesaid And I command all Officers and Souldiers of the Army and other Persons whatsoever to forbear committing any Act of Violence or Hostility as they will answer the contrary at their utmost Perils Given at the Camp by Lymerick this 6th of October 1691. Baron De Ginckel October â— Brigadier Levison's Dragoons march from the Camp towards Kerry and the Earl of Portland's with another Regiment of Horse go towards Green Ann Castle to secure the Roads against the Rapparees especially against Hogan and his Party Several of our Regiments move from beyond the River over the Bridge again and many of them being pretty thin by reason of hard Marches and continual Duty some Irish were enlisted to strengthen them an Instance of the various Scenes in humane Affairs that those very Men we were so busie endeavouring to destroy and they ten times more inveterate against us should yet be so far reconciled in so short a time as to have them on our side and eat and sleep amongst us but Souldiers often think no further than Command and we see it in Truces That the very next moment after the sharpest Conflict a Cessation being agreed to the Men are presently as good Friends as if they never had fallen out October 9. Three more Danish Regiments move towards Quarters and a great many of the Irish that came off laid down their Arms at the Train and so had Passes to go home with Money to bear their Charges which made it something scarce amongst our selves though the poor men did not grudge it The 10th Most of our Army returned from beyond the River and 1000 Irish Horse and Dragoons that came over to our side were mustered by Commissary Allen. On the 12th The Irish Horse that designed for France marched through the English Town and so out at the Water-Gate towards Cork being not one Thousand in Number as they passed by our Camp The 13th Lieut. Gen. Ginckel with the Army march from The Army march from Lymerick Lymerick towards Quarters leaving Sir David Collier Governour of Lymerick with his own Col. Venner's Col. St. John's and Col. Craighton's with one Regiment more in the Irish Town my Lord Drogheda's and my Lord Lisburn's being encamp'd nigh the River-side without the Walls till the Irish should march out of the English Town Major General Talmash staid behind to see good Order kept and the Articles observed on both sides according to the Design of them Assoon as our Army marched away the Irish Foot-Guards Some of the Irish march out went out towards Cork they were called 140â— Men the Week before but now as nigh as I could count them they made only 482 nor was this Number left before they got to Cork The 14th The Irish make a distribution of Provisions and some Money amongst their Men and are fitting out their Guns and other Tackle in Town for France And here it may be enquired by some what Security our General had for the Return of so many Ships as must be employed in that Expedition since they were to go into the Country of our greatest Enemy and K. James had a specious Pretext as they were his Subjects to detain them they having no Power to make Articles to his prejudice