Orders that night Towards the close of the Evening the Canons ceased on both sides and Orders were given out that every Souldier should be provided with a good stock of Ammunition and all to be ready at the break of day to March at a minutes warning with every man a green Bough or Sprig in his Hat to distinguish him from the Enemy who wore pieces of paper in their Hats All the Baggage with the Souldiers great â—oats were to be left behind with a small Guard in every Regiment to look after them The word that night was Westminster his Majesty was not idle but about 12 a Clock at night rid with torches quite through his Army and then month July The Battle at the Boyn Tuesday the first of July 1690. The day was very clear as if the Sun it self had a mind to see what would happen about six a Clock Lieutenant General Douglas marched towards the Right with the Foot and Count Schonberg with the Horse which the Enemy perceiving drew out their Horse and Foot towards their Left in order to oppose us Our Right wing draws out the Right wing at first were ordered to pass all at Slane but being better inform'd several Regiments were Commanded to pass at other Fords between our Camp and that place As some of our Horse marched to the River there stood a Regiment of the Enemies Dragoons sent thither over night nigh the Bank on the other side who fired upon us and then thought to have retreated to their main Body but before they could do that they were flanked in a Lane and about seventy of them cut off we met with little more opposition in passing the River but marching forwards we found the Enemy drawn up in two lines we had then twenty four Squardons of Horse and Dragoons with six Battalions of Foot those being too few Lieutenant general Douglas sent for more Foot and in the mean time we drew up in two lines also my Lord Portland advising for the more security to mix our Horse and Foot Squadron with Battalion this is no new way of managing but was first practiced by Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalia against Pompey for he there quite altered the manner of embattleing amongst the Romans covering one of his Flanks with a small River and then placing several Battallions of his best Foot amongst his Squadrons in the other by which he soon routed Pompeys Horse and then falling into the Flanks and Rear of his Enemy obtained the Victory However more Foot coming up our great Officers altered the first Figure and drew all the Horse to the right by which they outflanked the Enemy considerably But as our men were advanceing they met with a great deal of difficulty in the Ground for there were large Corn Fields with great Ditches and those very hard to be got over especially for the Horse who were obliged to advance in order when they were in the face of an Enemy and beyond all those there was such a Bogg as few of our men ever saw before the Horse tho' went to the right of it but the Foot being Commanded to march through found it as great an hardship as Fighting it self yet when the Enemy saw our men take the Bog instead of charging them in it they retreated in hast towards Duleek which Count Schonberg seeing fell in amongst their Foot with his Horse and kill'd a great many The King did not know of this disadvantage of Ground but computed the time when he thought our right wing was got well over and then he ordered his Foot to attack the pass at Old Bridge during all which a great part of the Enemies Horse and Foot were still marching towards Slane where every one expected the main Battle would be and in their march our Canon plaid continually upon them yet tho we kill'd several it did not disorder their Trops The blew Dutch guards post being to the right they were the first that took the River at Old Bridge The Irish had lined the Houses Breastworks and Hedges beyond the River with my Lord Tyrconnels Regiment of Foot Guards and some other Companyes they had posted also seven Regiments of Foot about 150 yards backwards who stood drawn up behind some little hills to shelter them from our Canon which played all this while besides these were 2 Troops of Guards 4 Troops of my Lord Tyrconnels and 4 Troops of Parkers Regiments of Horse posted in the same manner tho if they had posted the French here instead of the Irish it would have been more to their advantage but the reason of this was the Irish Guards would not lose the post of Honour The Dutch Guards take the River The Dutch beat a march till they got to the Rivers side and then the Drums ceasing in they went some eight or ten a breast being presently almost up to the middle in the Stream for they stopt the Current by their sudden motion and this made it deeper than usual the Enemy did not fire till our Men were towards the midst of the River and then a whole peal of Shot came from the Hedges Breast-works Houses and all about yet we could not perceive any fall except one and another stagger'd he that was formost was a Lieutenant of Granadeers who as he got footing on the other side drew up two files of men then stoopt and they fired over him at the next hedge which was not fifteen yards from them at which fire those in the Hedge quitted it which the rest seeing all left their Posts and were followed with a Volley of Shot from our men that were Advancing And are charged by a Squadron of Horse The Irish Foot run scattering into the next Field and before the Dutch could get well over and draw up they were charged very bravely by a Squadron of the Irish Horse who came down in a full carreer but were quickly beat off again One would have thought that Men and Horses had risen out of the Earth for now there appeared a great many Battalions and Squadrons of the Enemy all on a suddain who had stood behind the little Hills We had two French Regiments and Collonel St. John's who passed the River near the same time the Dutch did but about 100 Yards below which Lieutenant-General Hambleton perceiving who commanded at the Pass he Advanced with a party of Foot to the very River and himself with some others went into it giving orders at the same time for my Lord Antrim's Regiment and some more to go and Flank Sir John Hanmer and Count Nassaw's Regiments who were passing about 200 Yards further down but neither would his men stand by him nor could the other be perswaded to come near Hanmer however as Hambleton retreated a Sqadron of their Horse charged our French so bravely that about forty of them broke quite through Monsieur La Callimot's Regiment and wounded himself mortally those must go back the same way or
his handkerchief upon the place his Majesty took little notice of it but rid on for about forty yards further where there was an high Bank on either side but it being open below we returned the very same way again the Enemies Canon firing upon us all the while they did some damage amongst our Horse that were drawing up just before them killing two of the Guards and about nine of Coll. Coys Horses with three Troopers and also some few more out of Coll. Byerleys and other Regiments which made the King give orders for his Horse to draw a little backwards to have the advantage of a rising ground between them and the Canon When the Enemy saw their great Shot disturbed us they set up a most prodigeous shout all over the Camp as if our whole Army had been undone and several Squadrons of their Horse drew down upon a plain towards the River but in such a place as they knew it was impossible for us to come at them the River being very deep and a Bank of nigh ten yards high on our side I have often observed the Irish very fond of shouting and Hallowing before an Engagement and there is a Tradition amongst them that whosoever does not Shout and Huzzah as the rest do in Battle he 's suddainly caught up from the ground into the Air and so into a certain desart vale in the County of Kerry where he eateth Grass and lapeth Water hath some use of reason but not of Speech but shall be caught at length by Hunters and their Hounds and so brought home but this story is a little too light for so grave an Author as Cambden tho' he only relates it as a foolish fancy The King went to change his Coat and get his shoulder dressed and then rid about to see his Army come in which were all this while marching and encamping in two Lines And here I cannot but take notice of a signal peice of Providence in the preservation of the Kings Person for whatever ill effects it might have had for the future it would have been of fatal consequence to the Army at that time if he had fallen since instead of our going to them the Irish would have been ready to have come to us next morning and how we would have received them there 's none can tell I have met with several that will not believe that the King was touched with a Canon Bullet at all and if so that it was impossible it should not kill him but I was present when the thing hapned and therefore can affirm the truth of it I have seen a great many odd accidents in wounds with Canon Bullets and yet the Parties live particularly one of my Lord Drogheda's Men who had all the Flesh of his right Cheek shot from the bone without breaking his Jaw and he 's yet alive and very well Tho it seems at the Court of France they could not believe any such thing when they made Bone-fires for King Williams death But to go one with the Story Our Guns arrive about three a Clock the first of our Field Pieces came up and we lost no time but took two or three of them down towards the River and Planted them on a Furry bank over against the pass the first shot made by one Nelson we kill'd an Officer that lay sick in the House beyond the River and the second or third we dismounted one of those Field Pieces that the Irish had been so brisk withal and then their Horse that were drawn up towards the River made what haste they could into the Camp we continued all that afternoon pelting at them and they at us their Canon did us little more harm but our Gunners planted several Batteries and threw a great many small Bombs into their Camp which obliged them to remove some of their Tents one Bullet as we heard afterwards fell very nigh a Crowd of great Officers that were at the late Kings Tent and kill'd a Horseman that stood Centinel they then removed their Counsel to some other place and were not admitted to crowd there any more A French-Man of ours that afternoon run thro the River before our faces to the Enemy When they saw him coming a great many of them came down to receive him and crowding about him to hear news our Canon threw a Bullet amongst the very thickest of them which kill'd several and as t was said the Fellow himself however the rest made what hast they could back again We had some Deserters also that came from them to us but I heard of no more that left our Army except that one man There was one Deserter that gave the King an account that the Enemy were about 25000 Men and that they had sent away part of their heavy Baggage towards Dublin The King calls a Counsel of War About 8 or 9 a Clock at night the King called a Council of War wherein he declared that he was resolved to pass the River the next day which Duke Schonberg at first opposed but seeing his Majesty positive in it he advised to send part of our Army that night at 12 a Clock to pass the River at or near Slane-bridge some three miles above and so to get between the Enemy and the pass at Duleek which was about four miles behind them but this advice was not taken One thing under consideration was where to get Guides that were trusty and good whilst this matter was in question my Lord George Hambleton was by who immediately brought four or five of his Iniskilling Officers that knew the Fords very well and took upon them to Guide the Army next day and here it was concluded how the Army should March and who should Command at the different Posts which was ordered thus Lieutenant General Douglas was to Command the Right wing of the Foot and Count Schonberg the Horse who were to march early towards the Bridge of Slane and other Fords above to flank the Enemy or get between them and Duleek my Lord Portland and my Lord Overkisk had their Posts here as Mareschals de Camp the left wing of our Horse were to pass between the Enemies Camp and Drogheda whilst in the mean time a Body of Foot forced their way at the Pass at Old Bridge The Enemy held likewise a Council of War wherein Lieutenant General Hambleton advised to send a party of Dragoons to a Ford that was below the Town of Drogheda which we either knew not of or else did not regard and all the rest being eight Regiments with their whole left line towards the Bridge of Slane King James's Answer was that he would send fifty Dragoons up the River which the other seem'd to be Amazed at the place to be defended being of such importance however they resolved to defend the Passes and if it were possible to retreat with their Army towards Dublin in order to which they drew off most of their Canon in the night
else pass through the Village and so wheel to the Left to recover their own Men they chose the latter but were so paid off by some of the Dutch and Inniskillin Foot that not above six or eight of them got beyond the Village most of their Horses stragling up and down the Fields Our Foot Advance beyond the River The Dutch and the rest of our Foot advanced all this while and then the Irish Foot quitted a second Hedge that they were perswaded to rally to another Body of Horse came down upon the Dutch who neglected the Hedges and met them in the open Field but keeping so close that it was impossible to break them but as the Irish came on the Dutch begun to fire by Platoons and both flanked and fronted the Horse by which they killed a great many though not without some loss to themselves before this party drew off Are Charged again By this time some of the French and Inniskilliners were got into the Field from whence the Enemy disturb'd us with their Canon the day before and then a fresh Squadron of Horse coming down upon the Dutch those two Regiments stopt them and obliged them to Retreat with considerable loss Much about this time there was nothing to be seen but Smoak and Dust nor any thing to be heard but one continued Fire for nigh half an hour and whilst this Action lasted another party of the Irish Horse Charged Sir John Hanmer as he passed the River nigh a place where the Enemy the day before had a Battery of six Guns but now they were gone as was most of their Artillery It was the Duke of Berwick's Troop of Guards and as they advanced one that had been formerly in Sir J. Hanmer's Regiment came out singly and called one of the Captains by his name who stepping towards him the other fired both his Pistols at him but was taken Prisoner this Troop was beat off again with the loss of only three of Sir John Hanmer's Men. All our Horse went over to the Right and Left except one Squadron of Danes who passed the River whilst our Foot were engaged and Advancing to the Front Hambleton sent out sixty Horse who charged the Danes so home that they came faster back again than they went some of them never looking behind them till they had crossed the River again The want of Horse was so apparent at this place that the very Country People cry'd out Horse Horse which word going towards the Right and they mistaking it for Halt stopt the Right Wing nigh half an hour which time well spent might have done service This and the Irish breaking through the French Regiment hap'ned much about a time The General killed which I am apt to believe was the occasion of Duke Schonberg's going over so unseasonably for in this hurry he was killed near the little Village beyond the River the Irish Troopers as they rid by struck at him with their Swords and some say that our own Men Firing too hastily when the Duke was before them shot him themselves however it was his mortal wound was through his Neck and he had one or two cuts in the Head besides he fell down and did not speak one word and Captain Foubert was shot in the Arm as he was getting him off Doctor Walker going as some say to look after the Duke was shot a little beyond the River and stript immediately for the Scotch-Irish that followed our Camp were got through already and took off most of the Plunder This Action begun at a quarter past Ten and was so hot till past Eleven that a great many old Soldiers said they never saw brisker work but then the Irish retreated to a rising Ground and there drew up again in order both Horse and Foot designing to Charge our Party again that had past the River Whilst this Action at the Pass lasted the Left Wing of our Horse consisting of Danes and Dutch with Collonel Woolsley's Horse and some Dragoons passed the River at a very difficult and unusual place And the Danish Foot with Collonel Cutts's and some others went over a little above them My Lord Sydney and Major-General Kirk went from one place to another as the posture of Affairs required their presence His Majesty passes the River with the Left Wing His Majesty during those Transactions was almost every where before the Action begun He rid between our Army and theirs with only one Dragoon and had ordered every thing in other places as well as possible He passes the River with the Left Wing of His Horse and that with as much difficulty as any body for His Horse was Bogg'd on the other side and He was forced to alight till a Gentleman helpt him to get His Horse out As soon as the Men were got upon the other Bank and put in order His Majesty drew His Sword which yet was troublesome to Him His Arm being stiff with the Wound He received the day before and marched at the Head of them towards the Enemy who were coming on again in good order upon our Foot that had got over the Pass and were Advancing towards them though they were double our Number but when these two Bodies were almost within Musquet shot of one another the Enemy espied the Left Wing of our Horse marching towards them at which they made a suddain Halt faced about and so retreated up the Hill to a little Church and a Village called Dunore about half a mile from the Pass our Men marched in order after them and at this Village the Enemy faced about and Charged our Horse were forced to give Ground though the King was with them His Majesty then went to the Inniskilliners and askt what they would do for Him and Advanced before them their Officer told his Men who it was and what Honour was done them And Charges several times at the Head of his Men. At the Head of those Men the King received the Enemies Fire and then wheeling to the Left that His own Men might have liberty to Advance and fire they all wheeled after Him and retreated above 100 Yards the King then went to the Left to put Himself at the Head of some Dutch that were Advancing and the Inniskilliners being sensible of their mistake came up again doing good service some of Duke Schonberg's French Horse were here also who behaved themselves well and took one or two of King James's Standards Another party Commanded by Lieutenant-General Ginkel Charged in a Lane to the Left but the Irish being two many for them they retreated which a party of Sir Albert Cunningham's Dragoons commanded by his Lieutenant-Collonel and another of Col. Levison's commanded by Captain Brewerton perceiving the Officers ordered their Men to alight and Line an Hedge as also an old House that Flankt the Lane from whence they poured in their Shot upon the Enemy Lieutenant-General Ginkel staid in the Rear of his Men being much vext
furnish all Ordinary and Extraordinary Guards for the day with what little Detachments are to be made for that day to which end the Brigade must furnish Officers and Soldiers as followeth For the Duke 's own Guard a Captain Lieutenant and Ensign with Colours two Serjeants two Drums and Fifty Men the Main-Guard in Town the like Number and the Artillery-Guard as many The Guard for Lieutenant-General Douglas a Lieutenant Serjeant and Thirty Men For Major-General Kirk an Ensign Serjeant and Twenty Men the Guard for the Treasury a Serjeant and Twelve Men in all for the Ordinary Guards three Captains four Lieutenants four Ensigns nine Serjeants eight Drums and two hundred and twelve Men. Each Brigadeer had a Serjeant and twelve Men out of their own Brigade and the Collonels when they were quartered with their Regiments had a Guard of six Men Count Solmes and Major-General Soravenmore had Guards of their own Dutch These were upon ordinary Duty And then the Reserve-Guard of Captain Lieutenant Ensign and Fifty Men out of each Regiment was always to be ready as well out of other Brigades as that which had the Ordinary Guards for the day the Brigade that had the Guards was always to have a Collonel ready in the Camp as well to see the Detachments made as to go the Grand Round through the four Brigades at night The Lieutenant Collonels and Majors were also ordered always to keep with their respective Regiments that in case Detachments were to be made every one might be ready in his turn to march And the Majors of the respective Brigades were to attend every night at the General 's Quarters for Orders Next day and the day following one hundred Men out of each Regiment were ordered to work in the Trenches as also a Lieutenant and twenty Men out of each Company to fetch Straw and Wood to build Hutts what sick Men were in the Camp were sent to Carlingford and now our Scouts and the Enemies stood usually within a quarter of a mile of each other Some little Skirmishes hapned hut they turn'd to no account on either side The General went frequently abroad to view the Enemy and ordered on Thursday that a Brigadier should go the Rounds at night and see the Guards in the day An Account that the Irish advanced Friday the 20th In the morning we had an Account that the Enemy advanced towards us and that a Party of two thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse were gone beyond the Mountains to attack the Pass at Newry and fall upon us in the Rear which had been no ill Project but their Design was only to cut off our Foragers and Straglers About ten a Clock a Party of the Enemies Horse did appear in sight of our Camp and they had several Battalions of Foot drawn up in order near their own but upon the advancing of a Party of our Horse theirs retired to their Main Body which was too strong for us to meddle withal The detached Party of the Enemy that we heard was gone beyond the Mountains went to a place call'd the Blackbank and hearing that my Lord Hewet's Regiment of Horse and Sir Henry Ingleby's Foot were marching to the Camp and were in Newry or hard by it that night though they came not thither till the next as also some French Detachments that the Duke had commanded in lay in Newry besides the usual Garison of Fifty Men they came no further that way but struck off to the left towards Sligo whenas its very probable That if our Enemies had been all men of Resolution they might have sent part of their Army in our Rear and whilst we endeavour'd to oppose those they might with the rest have forced our Camp and destroy'd us but Providence was our best Guard We had sent several men sick to Carlingford by this time I hapned to be there that day and we had News that the Enemy had taken Newry and were upon their march to Carlingford this was not believed by us but however the Irish that remained there thought it true and 't was very observable with what Joy the Little Boys as well as the silly Old Women received the News running together and whispering nor was it possible for them to conceal their inward satisfaction As I went to the Camp that Evening I observed a small Party of Light Horse cross the Rode a litte before me in great haste and when I got about a mile further I understood that they were a Party of the Irish that had killed five French men and two Iniskilliners as they were a foraging towards the Mountains Great Rains This Afternoon came the first of our Ships up to Dundalk from Carlingford with Ammunition and Provisions In the Night the Rains were extreamly violent and both Horse and Foot had orders to forage towards Carlingford for the Forage was destroy'd on the other side The Irish draw out their Army and proffer Battel Saturday the 21st About Nine a Clock in the Morning it being a very clear sunshine-day our Camp was alarmed the Enemy display'd their Standard-Royal and all drew out both Horse and Foot bringing along a very handsome Field-Train A great Body of their Horse drew up to the South-West of the Town about half a mile from our Out-works the Duke went out to observe them and sent for Collonel Beaumont's Regiment into the Trenches beyond the Town and about an hour after for Collonel Earls It was reported that several great Officers were for fighting and desired the Duke to send for the Horse home who were most of them gone a foraging as far as Carlingford but his Answer was Let them alone we will see what they will do He received several fresh Accounts that the Enemy advanced and always bid Let them alone A Body of their Foot came to the side of a Bogg and fired upon a Party of our Horse not far from the Duke but they knew the Horse could not come at them else I suppose they would scarce have come so near Then our Gunners sent from the Works to see if they might fire amongst the Enemy who by this time were within Cannon shot but the Duke would not suffer it except they came within Musquet-shot of our Trenches He observed the Enemies motions and postures and said He saw no sign of their designing to fight only-once they drew their Army into two lines as if they would and then he sent Lieutenant-General Douglass to the Camp to order all the Foot to stand to their Arms and sent to the Horse That upon the firing of three Pieces of Cannon they should return to the Camp but till then to go on with their Foraging Mean time the Duke as if there was no fear of danger for all this for he used to say That it was not in their power to make him fight but when he pleased alighted from his Horse and sate him down upon a little Hill where he seem'd to sleep for some
the field But the Report of these Forces obliged the General to send a considerable Body of Horse and Foot that way and he himself February the 11 th went towards Drummore in order to wait the Enemies Motion It was very observable how much the Men and Horses were now recovered from what they had been two months before Sir John Lanier and Col. La Millinier were sent out with a Party who went as far as Carlingford and returned with an account that there were only 3 Regiments at Dundalk as formerly But the Design of the Irish lay another way for whilst the Duke was upon this Expedition Col. Woolsely had notice that the Irish had a design to fall upon Belturbet to which purpose a considerable Number of them was come to Cavan and more to follow in a day or two Col. Woolsely to prevent them marched from Belturbet with 700 Foot and 300 Horse and Dragoons he began his march in the evening thinking to surprize the Enemy next morning early the distance between being about 8 miles but he met with so many Difficulties in his March and the Enemy had notice of his coming that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was half an hour after day-break before he came in sight of it so that instead of surprizing them the first thing our Men saw was a Body of the Enemy drawn up in good order judged to be nigh 4000 this was severe but there was no help for it fight we must for retreating was dangerous Col. Woolsely encourages his Men and tells them the Advantages of being brave and the inevitable Ruin of the whole Party if they proved otherwise they were as ready to go on as he to desire it And then he sends an advance-Party of Inniskillin Dragoons towards the Enemy who were presently charged by a great Party of the Enemies Horse and beat back past the Front of our own Foot who were so enraged at them that some of M. G. Kirk's and Col. Wharton's Men fired and killed 7 or 8 some of the Enemies Horse pursued them so far that many of them were kill'd by our Foot as they endeavour'd to get off By this time the Body of our Party was advanced pretty near the Irish who were posted upon the Top of a rising Ground not far from the Town As our Men advanced up the Hill the Irish fired a whose Volley upon them and then set up the Huzzah but scarce killed a Man for they shot over them our Men however went on till they were got within Pistol-shot of them and then fired by which they galled the Irish so that they immediately run towards the Town We pursued and they retired to a Fort but Col. Woolsely's Men falling to plunder in the Town the Irish sallied out and gave us a very fierce Attack Col. Woolsely having 250 Foot and about 80 Horse for a Reserve the Enemy was beat off again their Horse flying beyond the Town and their Foot taking to the Fort. Our Souldiers got good store of Shoes and all sorts of Provisions and about 4000 pounds in Brass Money a great deal of which the Souldiers threw about the Streets as not thinking it worth the Carriage their Ammunition was blown up and their Provisions destroyed for Col. Woolsely was forced to set the Town on fire to get his own Men out in the time of the Salley The Colonel knew not what might happen and therefore he drew off his Men and marched homewards The Irish they say were commanded by the Duke of Berwick who had his Horse shot under him and in two or three days they were to have 10000 Men at Cavan to fall upon Belturbet and other places The Enemy lost in this Expedition Brigadeer Nugent and as they say O Riley Governour of Cavan with a great many Officers and about 300 Souldiers In this Action we lost about thirty with Maj. Traherne Capt. Armstrong and Capt. Mayo who were killed by pursuing too far a French Reformed Officer and Capt. Blood an Ingineer were wounded We took twelve Officers and about sixty Souldiers Prisoners who were brought soon after to Carickfergus I have spoke with several Irish Officers since and they will not allow their Loss to be so great or ours so little in this Action as we make them yet give us the Advantage to a great degree At the General 's return to Lisburn he received an Account from Col. Woolsely of this Action much to the same effect as I have related it Sir John Lanier's Expedition to Dundalk And on the 15 th of February Sir John Lanier with a Party of 1000 Horse Foot and Dragoons went from Newry towards Dunkalk it was in the Evening when he marched and next Morning early being Sunday he appeared before the Town The Enemy had Fortified it very well so that the Major-General did not think fit to attaque it nor do I believe he had any Orders to do it he drew up his Foot however on the side of an Hill between the left of our old Horse-Camp and the Town a good Musquet-shot from the Bridg his Horse he sent nearer somewhat to the Right at the side of the Lane The Enemy at the Allarm appeared without the Town at first but as we advanced they retreated till they got within their Works from whence they fired incessantly Whilst the main Body was so posted Maj. Gen. Lanier sent a party of Horse and Dragoons beyond the River who burnt the West part of the Town from Mortimer-Castle to Blake's House being a great part of the Suburbs At same time a Party of Col. Leviston's Dragoons attaqu'd Bedloe's Castle and took the Ensign that Commanded it with 30 Prisoners we lost a Lieutenant and three or four Dragoons and had four Horses shot Our Men brought from beyond the Town and about it nigh 1500 Cows and Horses The Ensign that was taken was brought to Lisborn and carried before the Duke into his Garden where he commonly used to walk before Dinner Before the Duke ask'd him any Questions me-thought he gave him a pretty Caution to be sincere in his Answers though the General knew at the same time he being a Prisoner was not obliged to say any thing You says the Duke have a Commission and for that reason if not otherwise you are a Gentleman this obliges you to speak Truth which if you do not I can know it by examining of other Prisoners and then I shall have no good Opinion of you After some publick Questions the Duke took him aside and talk'd with him nigh half an hour but I suppose he could or at least would say little that was material month March The Danes arrive in Ireland The beginning of March came 400 Danes from Whitehaven to Belfast and the Week following all the Foot arrived from Chester with the Prince of Wittemberg their General The Duke went down to see them and was very well pleased for they were lusty Fellows
commanded by Major Morgison and Captain Carlile towards Lanesbrough Pass but they returned the next day without doing any thing that was Remarkable the Enemy having a Fort well mann'd towards the Bridge and four Companies of Foot in the Town That day one Captain Mackgill a Voluntier was kill'd at our Battery with a Canon-shot from the Castle Our Train at Athlone was only two twelve Pounders ten lesser Guns and two small Field Mortars which when planted against the Castle did it little or no damage This was a misfortune that Lieutenant-General Douglas found Athlone stronger than he expected for it 's said he had what Guns and Men he desired to reduce it withal The firing continued however on both sides and on Tuesday one Mr. Nelson our best Gunner was killed with a small Shot On Wednesday we had news that Sarcefield with 15000 Men was coming to raise the Siege which made the General send all his sick and wounded Men towards Mullingar Next Morning early the Besieged hung out a Bloody Flag which occasion'd smart firing and in the Evening the General called all the Colonels to a Council of War where he told them the necessity of Removing from the Town for we had very little Bread all the while and there was some reason to believe the Irish Army would cut off our Communication from Dublin So that we had Orders to be ready to march at twelve a Clock that Night we begun at the time appointed to send away our Baggage and at break of Day or a little after we marcht off the Enemy not so much as firing one Gun at us Reasons why it was not taken I know that whilst we lay here there were some that profferr'd to pass the River at a Ford a little above the Bridge and so beat the Irish out of their Works but this was sooner said than done for the Ford is naturally very deep and dangerous besides the Irish had fortified the other side with Breast-works two Batteries and a considerable Fort And then if we had forced our way over and could not have taken the Castle in a small time we must have been obliged to fight the greatest part of the Irish Army which was then drawing down upon us Nay if we had been Masters of the Town and Castle the Irish might so have ordered it as to have cut off our Communication from Dublin and so starved us for we were already glad of a very small Allowance of Bread Colonel Grace the Governor had been very active on the Irish side in the last Wars but was now very old and this was the third time that he had burnt that Town the Enemy had in it three Regiments of Foot nine Troops of Dragoons and two of Horse and more lay encamped not far off During our stay here which was from Thursday the 17th to Friday the 25th the Country People of all Perswasions begun to think us troublesome This must be said for Lieutenant-General Douglas that both whilst he staid here and all along on his march he constantly gave out very strict Orders against Plundering or Stragling from the Army But it were better that good Rules were not made than when they are so they should not be observed and the breakers escape punishment For some Peoples taking liberty to break Rules encourage others to lose their Reverence to them Example always goes further than Precept and most Men see better than they understand so that whatever Rules are made in an Army by a General they are to be observed by every one else with what justice can one be punished for the breach of those Orders which others make no Conscience in obeying What Men lost there We lost in this Expedition not above thirty Men before the Town and the Enemy very few but in our march too and again what with sickness hard marching the Rapperees surprising as they straggled and several other disadvantages we fell short of our Number three or four hundred though before we got to the Kings Army we killed and took Prisoners a great many thousands but more of these had four Feet than two All the poor Protestants thereabouts were now in a worse condition than before for they had enjoyed the benefit of the Irish Protections till our coming thither and then shewing themselves Friends to us put them under a necessity of retreating with us which a great many did leaving all their Harvest at that time ready to cut down c. and yet were hardly used by our own Men. On our first Days march backwards the General received an Express from the King some say it was to draw off and joyn the Army and that he had positive Orders before not to pass the Shannon at all And at the same time we had an Account of a Conspiracy in England against the Queen and that some French were Landed there having burnt some Towns on the Coast And it was reported also that the late King was Landed in that Kingdom We marched back that Day to Ballimore where we staid four Days on one of which there hap'ned the greatest Thunder and Lightning that has been heard of in those parts And about this time several of the Irish that had taken Protections when they could not have the benefit of them began to turn Rapperees stripping and sometimes killing our Men that they found straggling Lieutenant General Douglas marches to joyn the Kings Army On the 30 of July Colonel Babington's Regiment marched from Ballimore towards Dublin and the same day Leiutenant-General Douglas marched with all the rest of his party to Stony-Cross which is out of all publick Rodes from Dublin and so were most of our future marches till we joyn'd the Kings Army which was one reason why we had little or no Bread for almost four days together and after that but a very slender allowance From this place we marched to Balliboy and as we went a long the General ordered one of his own men to be Shot immediately for Morodeing as they called it The General had given out orders that none should stir out of their Ranks on pain of Death however this poor Fellow and four more were not so observant of their duty as they ought to be which the General espying caused them to be seized immediately and throw Dice for their lives month August We had an Account at Ballyboy that the Enemy was at Banoher Bridge with a very strong party to disturb our march which made us next day strike to the left to Roscreaugh instead of going to Bur as we designed for that way was full of Woods and narrow Passes where the Enemy had great Advantage of us We stayed at Roscreaugh the second of August and on the third in the Morning came twelve Troopers from the Kings Army who lay then at Goulden Bridge to hasten our march for the King exprest himself to be in trouble lest the Enemy should be too many for us in that place
Carlow where he met with some Accounts from England upon which he exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on as far as Chappel Izard and there he was employed for about Three days in hearing Petitions some of which related to the violation of Protections and the Outrages committed by Lieutenant General Douglas's Party As also others about Abuses and Inconveniences from the late Commission and several Complaints were made against Col. Trelawney's Regiment then in Dublin Here the King gave Orders that Count Sehomberg's Horse Col. Mathews's Dragoons Col. Hasting's and Col. Trelawney's Foot with one Troop of Guards should be shipt for England A second Declaration and on the first of August published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthning the former but also adding That if any Foreigners in Arms against Him would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither they pleased And another Proclamation came out dated July 31. Commanding all the Papists to deliver up their Arms and those who did not were to be look'd upon as Rebels and Traytors and abandoned to the discretion of the Soldiers A Proclamation for a Fast And at the same time was likewise published a Proclamation for a General Fast to be kept constantly every Friday during the War in all parts of the Kingdom under his Majesty's Obedience for asking God's Pardon for our Sins and imploring a Blessing upon Their Majesties Forces by Sea and Land At this time also Mr. Poyne Mr. Reves and Mr. Rothford Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal began to act and received Instructions from the King how to proceed And now the King received a further account from England that my Lord Torrington and several more were secured and that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented That the Loss at Sea was not so great as was at first reported and that the French had only burnt a small Village in the West of England and gone off again month August so that the danger of this being partly over His Majesty resolved to The King returns to the Army return to the Army he lessened his Baggage and Retinue giving his spare Horses to the Train and then on the 2 d of August went back towards his Army which he found then at Goulden Bridge on which day a Soldier was hang'd for mutining Here the King stay'd a day or two and had Accounts from several Deserters of the Preparations the Enemy was making for their own defence and safety On the 6 th the King with his Army march'd to Sallywood having the day before sent a Party of Horse towards Limerick And on the 7 th his Majesty march'd to Carigallis within five miles of Limerick Upon our approach thither the Enemy burnt and levell'd all the Suburbs as also set fire to all the Houses in the Country between us and the Town A Party sent toward Limerick On the the 8 th of August early in the Morning my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stuart were sent towards Limerick with about Eleven hundred Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon shot of the Town but met with little opposition from the Enemy and before they returned his Majesty went out with about Three hundred Horse being accompanied with Prince George the Heer Overkirk Major General Ginkle and several other great Officers When these went nigh the Town a Party of the Enemies Horse advanced toward them But Captain Selby of my Lord of Oxford's Regiment having the Advance Guard drew towards them with a design to charge them which they perceiving thought fit to draw homewards their Cannon firing from the Town several times Then in the Evening Lieutenant General Douglass with his Party join'd the Kings Army The 9 th of August in the morning early the King sends three Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons with a Detachment of One Thousand Foot commanded by Sir Henry Bellasis as Brigadeer my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle as an Advance Guard to make the first approach The whole Army make their Approach and all the Army both Horse and Foot followed in order About six a Clock our Advance Party discovered some of the Enemy upon the top of an Hill three Miles on this side the Town our Men drew up and then marched slowly forwards and as we proceeded the Enemy disappear'd by degrees till they were all gone off the Hill We drew forwards and about half a mile further we cou'd see a great part of the Town from a rising ground but could not discover the ways to it nor who were between us and it because of a great many thick Inclosures and Lanes in one of which the Enemy appeared again Our Men halted a little till the Pioneers had cut â—…wn the Hedges to the right and left which done they advanced and the Enemy drew back This took some time a doing and therefore the Front of our Army both of Horse and Foot came up The King was here at first riding from one place to another to order Matters as his Custom always was We cut the Hedges in a great many places and went forwards and the Enemy they drew homewards till they came to a narrow Pass between two Bogs within half a Mile of the Town The Neck of Land between these Bogs is not above 150 Yards over and this full of Hedges with a large Orchard a Stone Wall and also the Ruines of a great House upon the Lane-side which the Irish had burnt the Day before But there were Three Lanes that led this way towards the Town the middlemost being the broadest the Irish Horse stood in it on the Pass beyond this old House and whilst our Pioneers were at work the Front of our Horse went up so close that there were several little Firings but not much damage done on either side To the Right and Left of the Irish Horse the Hedges were all lined with Musqueteers of whom our Foot were got now within less than two hundred Yards The Pioneers laboured at the Hedges all this while and the Army made their Approaches in excellent Order The Detached Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Centre the Horse a little to the Right of them followed by the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Lieutenant General Douglas at the Head of them my Lord Drogheda himself being upon the Advance Guard The Danes were towards the Left led on by the Prince of Wirtemberg and Major General Kirk The Blue Dutch and several English Regiments were upon the Right All those were lined with Horse and these supported again with more Foot So that all Men that understood it said it was a most curious sight for though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet it was so ordered that the Front kept all on a Line except the advance Party who went always some distance before Whilst things were going on thus the King ordered Two Field-Pieces to be
planted towards the Left where they could bear upon the Enemies Horse These fired several times and the Enemy soon quitted that Post Our English Foot were so little concern'd that though they knew the Enemy to be in the next Hedges yet whilst the Pioneers were at work they would sit them down and ask one another whether they thought they should have any Bread to day for they began to want their Breakfasts though some few of them went to the next World for it The Danes to the Left stood with all the Care and Circumspection in the World but observing the Posture of some of our Men and hearing what they said they believed we had no mind to fight yet no sooner were the Hedges down and our Front advancing in a narrow Field but the Irish fired a whole Volley upon them from the Neighbouring Hedges which our Men seeing some of them cry'd aloud Ah ye Toads are ye there we 'll be with you presently And being led on by my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle they ran along the Field directly towards the Hedges where the Irish were planted which the others seeing immediately quitted and then our Men fired upon them as they retreated to the next Hedges and so beat them from one Hedge to another even to the very end of the Suburbs which then were all burnt and levelled During this Action the Danes advanced in the Left and the Blue Dutch with the English on the Right the Horse coming on in the Centre So that in less than half an hour from the first Volley the Irish were driven under their very Walls nor did we lose a Dozen Men in all this Action When as if the Irish had managed this Advantage of Ground and fortified the Pass as well as Ireton's Fort on the Right of it which was built by Ireton on his first coming before Limerick It stands on a Rising Ground and over-looks the Pass on one side and the Town on the other This we commonly called Cromwel's Fort they might have kept us some Days from approaching the Town at least they might have kill'd us a great many Men But the truth is they had not time for all this They had drawn up however several Companies of Men in the Fort but when they saw us coming on they retreated towards the Town without ever firing a Shot The Cannon play We were not as yet saluted with one Great Gun from the Town because their own Men had been between them and us but as soon as they retreated under the Walls they let fly amain amongst us and kill'd several as they marched in amongst others a French Captain had both his Legs shot off and died presently We drew Four Field-Pieces immediately to Cromwel's Fort playing them upon the Town and the Out-works and before Five a Clock in the Afternoon all our Army was marched in and most of them encampt within Cannon-shot In a Siege the first two things that are to be regarded is the safe encamping our Men and the drawing the Line of Countervallation to prevent the Enemy from Sallying but the latter of these we did not much mind because I suppose we did not much fear any desperate Sallies and the former was in some measure prevented by the situation of our Camp The Danes encampt to the Left where they found an Old Fort built by their Ancestors which they were very proud of and from thence they fired Three or Four Field-Pieces upon the Irish that lay entrenched between them and the Town The Detached Party kept an Advance Post till they were relieved about Nine a Clock and the Lord Drogheda's Regiment was placed next the Town nigh Cromwel's Fort where they were to stop the Enemies Career if they attempted a Sally The Town Summon'd As soon as our Army was posted the King ordered a Trumpet to be sent with a Summons to the Town and as we understood since a great part of the Garrison were for Capitulating but Monsieur Boiseleau the Governour the Duke of Berwick and Colonel Sarsfield opposed it with a great deal of Heat telling them that there were great Divisions and Insurrections in England That the Dauphin was landed there with Fifty Thousand Men and that the Prince of Orange would be obliged soon to draw home his Army into England The Trumpeter was sent back from Monsieur Boiseleau with a Letter directed to Sir Robert Southwell Secretary of State not sending directly to the King because he would avoid I suppose giving him the Title of Majesty The Answer That he was surprised at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the Prince of Orange's Good Opinion was by a vigorous defence of that Town which his Master had entrusted him withal That Evening a Party of Dragoons was sent to view the Pass at Annaghbegg Three Miles above Limerick where Six of the Enemies Regiments of Foot Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons were posted on the other side of the River where there stood a large New House with a great many Brick Walls about it and several convenient Hedges were adjoyning to the River They fired from thence upon our Men but did little or no Execution and that Night they marched off to the Town The Cannon play'd on both sides till it grew dark A Party pass the River and next Morning early being Sunday the 10 th the King sent Eight Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons Commanded by Lieutenant General Ginkle and Three Regiments of Foot under Major General Kirk who passed the River without any opposition and immediately His Majesty went thither Himself The Stream was very rapid and dangerous though the River has not been known to be so low these many Years The King at his Return left Major General Kirk with his own Brigadeer Stuart's and my Lord Meath's Regiments who encampt one beyond the Ford and two on this side having a Party of Horse relieved every Twenty Four Hours to support them A Cornet this Morning deserted the Enemy who told the King That a great many in Town were for surrendring but prevented by Sarsfield and Boiseleau That Count Lauzun with the French were encampt nigh Galloway the Irish refusing to receive them into Town because themselves had done so with the Irish some time before at Limerick That my Lord Tyrconnel with most of the Irish Horse and some Foot were encamped on the other side about Six or Eight Miles from Limerick That there were Fourteen Regiments of Foot with Three of Horse and Two of Dragoons then in Town The King sent that Afternoon a small Party of Horse to discover my Lord Tyrconnel but 〈◊〉 was then removed about Ten Miles further off towards Galloway The Town described But it will be convenient that I here give as good a Description of the City and its Situation as I can of a Place that I had not the liberty to go into though I have been sometimes very near it It 's
Garison of 80 Foot and Dragoons Upon some complaints from the North of Ireland on the 15 th the King sends out his Proclamation Commanding all to pay Tythes as formerly These troublesome Times have fallen heavy upon the Clergy of Ireland who lived very plentifully before and yet it will be a great while ere they be so poor as their Predecessors For they say in times past they had no other Rents or Revenues but three Milch Kine a-piece which the Parishioners exchang'd for others new when they went dry as Adam Brenensis a German tells the Story from themselves as they returned that way on a time from Italy Tho I suppose the People were then as ignorant as the Clergy poor but now the Case is altered and they want neither Encouragement nor Respect Sunday the 17. Monsieur Cambon our Quarter-master General was very diligent in order to have the Trenches opened that night and all things being prepared Seven Battalions consisting of English Danes Dutch and French Foot commanded by the Prince of Wyrtenberg Lieutenant General Major General Kirk Major General Tettau and Sir Henry Bellasis Brigadeer The King I suppose by this mixture thinking to raise an Emulation in his Soldiers or further that they might instruct one another several Regiments having never been in Trenches before they were commonly Seven Battalions on at a time and relieved at Twelve a Clock at night but this method was altered for a reason to be given afterwards This night we advanced our Trenches and attackt the Irish at the two old Chimneys the Granadeers threw in their Granades and then endeavoured to get over this occasioned a general firing from our Trenches and also from the Town the King himself was at Cromwells Fort to see what happen'd as he was constantly every night The Irish in the Fort made no great resistance but after once firing they cry'd out Murder and Quarter but made the best of their way toward the Town those that stay'd in the Fort were knock'd on the head The firing from the Walls and Trenches continu'd for at least two Hours longer by which time we had secured this Fort from the Enemies retaking it A Battery planted Next day being Monday the 18. we planted a Battery below the Fort to the right of our Trenches and dismounted some of the Enemies Cannon All that day the Guns plaid briskly on both sides and at night the Trenches were relieved by Lieutenant General Douglas my Lord Sidney and Count Nassau as Major Generals and Brigadeer Stuart We made our Approaches toward the Fort without the Wall and Lieut. Gen. Douglas's and Brigadeer Stuart's Regiments were posted towards the right It was dark when they went on and they did not perceive the Enemy to be so near them as they really were for there was at that time scarce Twenty yards distance between them they were ordered to lye down upon their Arms which they did and a great part both of the Officers and Soldiers fell asleep The Enemy perceived this and attack'd them which put them presently into a Confusion and several of them gave ground but presently recovered themselves and fired but they did not know at what The Danes to the left took our own Men for the Enemy sallying and so fired upon them they believed the Danes to be the Irish and so return'd the Complement The Irish fired upon both and they at one another This Confusion lasted nigh two hours in which time several were killed nor did the King or any body else know what to make of it At last our Men found their mistake and the Irish were beat in crying quarter and murder as they used to do After this his Majesty ordered the Trenches to be relieved in the day and our Men marched always in and out in the very Face of their Cannon The story of the Irish Deliverer About this time we had an Account of one Balderock Rho O Donnel of the ancient Family of Tyrconnel this Man was born and educated in Spain But there being a Prophecy amongst the Irish that he should free his Country from the English doing great matters in his own Person and more by his Conduct he was sent for on purpose and came to Limerick It 's incredible how fast the vulgar Irish flocked to him at his first coming so that he had got in a small time Seven or Eight thousand Rapparees and such like People together and begun to make a Figure but after a while the Business cool'd and they were weary of one another and he is only now a Colonel in Limerick They had another Prophecy also That we should come to the Field above Cromwell's Fort where stands an old Church where on a Stone hard by we should pitch our utmost Colours and afterwards be undone with a thousand such like Fopperies not worth the naming Tuesday the 19th our Battery plaid upon the Walls and also the Guns from Cromwell's Fort upon the Houses in Town And the Enemy were not idle for their Shot flew very thick His Majesty had a narrow escape insomuch that the King riding softly up towards Cromwell's Fort directly as His Horse was entring a Gap a Gentleman staid His Majesty to speak to him and in the very moment there struck a Twenty four pounder in the very place which would have struck His Majesty and Horse too all to pieces if His usual good Angel had not defended Him it struck the Dust all about Him however tho' He took little notice of it but alighting came and laid Him down on the Fort amongst all the Dust That Night we planted Four Twenty four pounders at the Angle of our Trenches near the South-east corner of the Wall where we made the Breach afterwards A Fort taken from the Irish Wednesday the 20th Colonel Cuts's Granadeers commanded by Captain Foxon and my Lord Meath's by Captain Needham were placed conveniently in the Trenches for an Attack and at Two a Clock in the Afternoon the Signal being given by firing Three Pieces of Cannon they leapt over the Trenches and ran straight to the Fort which the Enemy had to the Right of us at St. John's Gate The Enemy fired from the Fort and from the Walls our Men did the like from the Trenches and the Great Guns went to work on both Sides The Granadeers threw in their Granades and Captain Foxon made an Attempt to climb up but was thrown down again but entred at the second Trial and his Men with him So did my Lord Meath's Men with Captain Needham and in a small time we were Masters of the Fort. There were about Fifty kill'd in it and Twelve with the Captain taken Prisoners and some made their Escapes to the Town The Firing continued however on both Sides for above an Hour and all possible diligence was used to bring down Faggots wherewith to make up that side of the Fort that was open to the Town Before the Attack a Party of our Horse