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-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
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
delivering up their Arms a very small return being made through the whole Kingdom they keeping as yet some thousands of all sorts of Arms still concealed which I hope will effectually be taken care of in time The weather was now so violent that the Adventure of London was cast away going to Dublin and several other Ships lost in and about that Bay And the Swallow one of Their Majesties Ships was forced a ground nigh Charles-Fort at Kingsale and there foundred tho' all the Men were saved except two February the 12th John Stone Esq being dead and Captain South imployed elsewhere in the Army a new Commission was granted putting in their Places Colonel Foulks and William Palmer Esquires Commissioners for stating the Accounts of the Army And nigh the same time the Commissary General was sent into England with all the Muster Rolls February 16. the weather breaking up part of my Lord Oxford's Horse driven back by stress of weather Lieutenant General Ginckel's and Major General Ruvigney's Horse with the Princess Anns Foot were all Shipp'd for England The same day Lieutenant General Scravemore went on Board as did Brigadier Leveson in a day or two after Colonel Coy's Horse also are Shipp'd off at Belfast and the Garison of Athlone that had been very uneasie to the Officers and Souldiers all Winter by reason they had no shelter except some small Hutts of their own making was now relieved February the 20th the Commissioners of the Ordnance Arms and Ammunition sent for England had an Order directed to them to send all the Stores of Amunition and other Stores of War that cou'd be spared out of the Magazines for England to be employed elsewhere in Their Majesties Service and accordingly March 1692. a vast quantity of Arms and other Utensils of War were Shipt off February 28 Captain Townsend of the Earl of Meath's Regiment took eight or ten French Men Prisoners who had come a Shoar from a Privateer nigh Castle-Haven and we had an Account from England that His Majesty had Created Lieutenant General Ginckel Baron of Aghrim and Earl of Athlone February 26 An Order was directed to Colonel Foulk to break my Lord George Hambleton's Regiment which was done accordingly in some days after 150 ' of the Men being sent for England and the rest entertained in the Earl of Drogheda's Brigadier Stuart's Sir Henry Ballasis and Colonel Foulk's Regiments March the first a Pass was given out for a Ship to The Hostages go from Cork to France go to France with the Hostages left at Cork and other sick Officers and Souldiers according to the Articles of Limerick And on the third another Order was granted to Colonel Foulk for the raising five Companies of 100 Men in each of the Irish all the subaltern Officers to be of those Reformed in Colonel Wilson's and O Donnel's Battalions and the whole to be commanded by my Lord Iveigh and employed in the Emperor's Service And March the fifth an Order was directed to Mr. Foliot Sherigly chief Deputy Commissary to Disband the Troop of Provoes which was done accordingly March the 17th Lieutenant-General Ruvigny Landed Lieutenant General Ruvigny lands in Ireland from England being made Commander in chief of the Army left in Ireland and Created by his Majesty Lord Viscount Galway and two days after his Lordship and the Lord Viscount Blessington were Sworn of Their Majesties Privy Council as the Bishop of Kildare had been some time before And March the 23 d. the following Proclamation was Published declaring the War of Ireland to be at an end 1692 WILLIAM REX WHEREAS by An Act made in Our Parliament A Proclamation declaring the Wars of Ireland ended at Westminster in the First Year of Our Reign Intituled An Act for the better Security and Relief of Their Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland it was among other things Enacted that all and every Person and Persons whatsoever of the Protestant Religion should be absolutely Discharged and Acquitted of and from the Payment of all Quit-Rents Crown-Rents Composition-Rents Hearth-Money Twentieth Parts Payments and other Chief Rents arising or Payable out of any Houses Lands Tenements Hereditaments Rectories Tyths or Church-Livings incurring or becoming due to us at any time after the Five and Twentieth Day of December in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Eight until the said Kingdom of Ireland shou'd be by us declared to be reduced and the War and Rebellion there ended We have now pursuant to the said Act of Parliament thought fit by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation hereby Declaring that the said Kingdom of Ireland is reduced to Our Obedience and the War and Rebellion there ended And We do hereby Will and Require that all and Singular such Rents and Payments and all other Duties payable to the Crown which shall henceforth grow incur and become due be duely answered and payed to us in such manner and under such Penalties and Forfeitures as if the said Act had not been made Given at Our Court at Kensington the Third Day of March 1691 2. in the Fourth Year of Our Reign God save the King and Queen After which time little of moment happened save March 1692. that the Lords Justices by Directions from Their Majesties appointed a time for those that pretended to the Benefit of the Articles of Limerick or Galway to give in their Names and make good their claims by the 20th of February which time was by Proclamation enlarged to the first of April and afterwards to the 15th Wednesday the sixth of April was appointed the first Day to begin upon those Claims all those concerned being to enter their Names sometime before with the Clerk of the Council which Names were to be posted up at least ten Days before their Cause was to be heard their Claims being to be made out by at least three Credible Witnesses one of which was to be a Protestant Accordingly on the sixth of April the Council met upon this Affair and continued every Monday Wednesday and Friday so to do which was a much easier way and more to the Interest and Advantage of the Irish than any Court of Claims erected only for that purpose cou'd have been CHAP. XI A brief Account of the former and present Circumstances of Ireland The Division of it into Provinces and Counties Bishopricks and Parishes The Soil of Ireland Sir John Davis his Reasons why Ireland was so long in being entirely subjâ—cted to the Crown of England What Tanistry is This a reason why the Irish did not improve their Country Of Fosterings and Cosherings A Brief Estimate of the Expence of the former Wars of Ireland An Essay towards the reckoning the Charge of this last The former evils still remain The Interest of the King and People of England in general to advance the Power and Trade of the English in Ireland The Interest also of the Roman Catholicks
contrived towards the King's Island 206 A Breach made in the Wall 210 Guns planted near St. Thomas's Island 213 Collonel Earl sent into England 214 My Lord Lisburn killed 215 A Party pass the River upon a Bridge of Boats 216 The Irish in a great Consternation 217 Debates whether the Siege should be continued or turned into a Blockade 220 Orders in case of an Alarm 222 Our Forces pass the River a second time 223 The Attack at Thoumond Bridge where six hundred of the Enemy were killed 224 A Remarkable Paper found in the Pocket of a Collonel in the Irish Army 225 The Enemy beat a Parley 228 A Cessation agreed to Hostages exchanged 229 230 The Irish Proposals rejected by the Generals ibid. Articles agreed to 231 The General 's Letter to Sir Ralph Delaval giving him an Account of the Cessation 232 A brief Account of what happened in other parts of the Kingdom during this Month 268 c. CHAP. IX THE Lords Justices come to the Camp 238 The Articles signed ibid. The Articles at large both Civil and Military with Their Majesties Confirmation of them 239 c. Our men take possession of the Irish Town 256 A Lieutenant-Collonel imprisoned for denying to go into France 257 A Declaration from the General 258 My Lord Lucan's Arguments to the Irish to persuade them to go into France 260 Their Foot drawn out and put to the trial ibid. The Lords Justices return towards Dublin ibid. Our Army decamps and goes to Quarters 263 Some of the Irish go towards Cork 264 CHAP. X. THE Campaign ended and Irish Prisoners of War released 268 Some Rapparees deliver up their Arms 269 A Proclamation of pardon to the rest ibid. The Ulster Irish return home with their Cattle 270 The French Fleet comes into the Shannon 271 Some Objections against the Articles of Limerick answered 275 The last of the Irish march from Limerick 281 The General goes to Dublin and thence for England 288 Major-General Mackay and Major-General Talmash go for England 284 The Danes ordered to be shipt off ibid. Fortifications of Ballymore and Mullingar demolished 285 Our Transport Ships that carry the Irish return from France 288 The Late King's Letter to the Irish at their Landing 289 Their Reception in France ibid. My Lord Lucan's Release to the General 292 The Irish that stay'd with us very unruly in their Quarters Orders and Instructions for breaking them all except two Battalions 294 295 The Oaths taken according to the New Act of Parliament 296 An Order to turn out all Papists from our Regiments 297 A Proclamation declaring the War of Ireland ended 302 CHAP. XI A Brief Account of the former and present Circumstances of Ireland 304 Its Division into Provinces and Counties Bishopricks and Parishes Cities and Corporations It s Soil c. 305 306 Sir John Davis's Reasons why Ireland has been so long in being intirely subjected to the Crown of England 307 What Tavistry is 309 This a Reason why the Irish did not improve their Country 310 Of Fosterings and Cosherings ibid. Ireland ought to be put into a Condition to bear its own Burden 314 What Methods the Irish first took to make the old English joyn with them 315 A brief Account of the Expences of the former War ibid. An Essay towards the Charge of this 316 A modest conjecture at the Numbers lost on both sides and in the Country during the VVar 317 The Interest of England to advance the power of the English in Ireland 318 Our Ancestors sensible of this 320 The former Evils still remain ibid. The Interest of the Irish-Papists themselves to advance the Power of England 321 Two Objections answered 322 Religion in the first place to be taken care of 323 An Invasion from France at this Juncture upon any of these three Kingdoms not practicable 326 A Remark upon the last that endeavoured it 328 A Continuation of the Impartial History OF THE WARS of IRELAND CHAP. I. A brief Account by way of Introduction of the Cause of the War The state of the Protestants in that Kingdom The Late King 's landing there The Sessions of Parliament in Ireland Protestants Routed at Drummore and other Places Derry Besieged and Relieved The Irish beat at Croom Castle Duke Sconberg lands in August 1690. Carigfergus Surrendred Newry Burnt The Army march'd to Dundalk And Encamp there nigh ten Weeks Sligo taken by the Irish A Party of theirs Repulsed at Newry The Battel of Cavan The Danes land in Ireland 5000 French Foot land at Kinsale Charlemont Surrendred THE Actions of Great Men have generally been esteemed so powerful for the instructing of those that come after that most Civil States have made it their Business to Transcribe and preserve them to posterity for their Example and Imitation Even the Irish themselves when they were far from being one of the most Reformed Nations in the World had their Bards and Ballad-makers who have taken no small pains in their way to render the Chieftains of their own Country as famous as others Nay the Greatest Generals and Emperors have in the midst of their Conquests imployed some of their time to leave the immortal Memory of their own and other Great Mens Actions in writing the omission of which has been a great defect in the middle Age of the World since those are commonly the most Competent Judges of the management of Affairs and ablest to give a true Account But because in this Fighting Age wherein we now live their time is other ways imployed and Great Men have scarce leisure to read much less to write great Books we must be contented to take the best Accounts we can get of their Actions from meaner Hands such as have been Eye-witnesses of them or at least have good grounds for what they tell us And forasmuch as the Disturbances in Ireland have made so great a noise in the Ears of all Europe whilst they lasted and my self as a constant Attendant on their Majesties Army having been an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable Occurrences I shall not scruple to tell the World all I know which as it is for the most part little else but the bare matter of Fact I hope it may not be despised though it come from so mean a Hand and in so homely a Dress I need not trouble the Reader with a long Discourse about the Occasion of the War The general Aversion of the People of England to Popery and their being ill treated by a Prince of that Persuasion made such a sudden Change in that Kingdom as the like never happened before in any Age or Countrey But Ireland was under different Circumstances the Roman-Catholick Party being there by much the stronger at least more numerous of whom my Lord Tyrconnell had during the late King's Reign been modelling an Army that might be ready on all Occasions to maintain the Popish Interest by which the Protestants in that Kingdom were brought upon the very brink of Ruine and then
such a Pass or Wood precisely at such a time o' th' night or day as it stood with their conveniency and tho' you could not see a Man over night yet exactly at their hour you might find three or four hundred more or less as they had occasion all well Armed and ready for what design they had formerly projected but if they hapned to be discovered or over-powered they presently dispersed having before-hand appointed another place of Rendezous ten or twelve miles it may be from the place they then were at by which means our Men could never fix any close Engagement upon them during the Winter so that if they could have held out another year the Rapparees would have continued still very prejudicial to our Army as well by killing our Men privately as stealing our Horses and intercepting our Provisions But after all least the next Age may not be of the same humour with this and the name of a Rapparees may possibly be thought a finer thing than it really is I do assure you that in my Stile they never can be reputed other than Tories Robbers Thieves and Bogg-trotters The Insolence of those People however in the Bogg of Allen was curbed by Colonel Foulks and Colonel Piper before their return who killed one Gibney a Captain and several others About which time the King disposed of all January 1691. the vacant Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Preferments void in Ireland since the death of King Charles the Second On the 14th of January about sixty of the Garrison of A Party of ours march beyond the Shannon Castle-Forbes in the County of Longford with some of the Militia passed the River Shannon and burnt several places on the other side bringing off a good Booty without any loss And seventeen Transport Ships with two Men of War were ordered from the Bay of Dublin towards Kinsale to carry the Earl of Marlborough's and Colonel Fitz-Patrick's Regiments into Flanders together with the Prisoners taken at Cork and Kinsale these having joyned some other Vessels suffered much in their Voyage to Flanders by reason of bad Weather and some of them forced upon the Coast of England one or two Ships being lost And nigh the same time the Dover Frigat brought into Kinsale a French Privateer of 22 Guns and 10 Pettereroes belonging to St. Maloes Several Prisoners are now taken in scampering Parties and some Deserters come in who all give an account of the extraordinary scarcity of Provisions and other Necessaries amongst the Irish tho' this was only true in part for Prisoners will stretch to gain favour and Deserters are commonly prejudiced so that they make things as they would have it or speak by hear-say few of them telling any thing of their own knowledge for before a Man deserts any side he commonly converses with those that are most disaffected and consequently least trusted he comes off partial however so that no extraordinary stress is usually to be laid upon such Informations Nigh this time several Ships arriv'd at Gallway from France My Lord Tyrconnel returns from France and brought over my Lord Tyrconnel Sir Richard Neagle and Sir Stephen Rice with about only 8000 l. in Money which was a great disappointment to the Irish who had a small distribution by way of Donative but not as pay There came also some Soldiers-Coats and Caps but such sorry ones that the Irish themselves could easily see in what esteem their Master of France had them A Party of the Militia of Bandon advance into the Enemies Quarters and killing some few stranglers brought off a good Prey according to the custom of the Country But afterwards about 1500 of the Enemy pass the Black-Water A Party of the Irish besiege Fermoy near Fermoy where there was some of the Danes posted in a Fort which the Irish pretended to Attack upon their near approach our Men fired and the Irish seemed resolute for some time but sixteen of them being killed with a French Officer the rest were presently a little more calm and then they made an attempt on the other side on Fermoy-Bridge but were beat back with two small Field-Pieces which they had Intelligence were removed and six of them killed at that place but by this time part of Colonel Donep's Horse were come to Castle Leons and fifty of them with 30 Militia Dragoons engaged a greater Number of the Irish and killed sixty pursuing the rest nigh two Miles till they came towards their main Body which was commanded by Brigadier Carol who was obliged to retire without what he came for Richard Pyne Esquire formerly one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal is now made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas And Jan. 26 some Recruits are sent from Dublin to re-inforce the Garrison of Kiâ—meague in the Isle of Allen and other places in the County of Kildare And now to satisfie both the Army and Country as much as could be comes out a Proclamation That all Persons who had given subsistence of Provisions c. to the Army should receive satisfaction for the same according to the Rates made publick in the beginning of Winter And that all Arrears of Pay due to Officers or Soldiers who died were killed or removed from Their Majesties Service should be paid to their Relations In order to which there were certain Commissioners appointed to state the Accompts of the Army February 1691. These Commissioners were William Robinson John Stone Edward Corker John South and Edward Molineux Commissioners appointed to state the Accompts of the Army Esquires who some of them here sate every Day for many Months together upon this Affair Jan. 29. A Ship belonging to Chester-Water was cast away in the Bay of Dublin Ball the owner and all the Passengers being lost The same Day upwards of 200 Prisoners were put on Board there and sent to Cork with Orders to be transported to Flanders A Detachment of the Garrison of Cork being two hundred Foot and 300 Dragoons march towards Church-Town and Buttafant two of the Enemies Frontier-Towns in that County where they had a Party of Horse and Foot but they withdrew at our approach leaving the Places to be burnt by our Men which was done accordingly The beginning of February a Party of the Army with some of the Militia march'd from Clonmell within ten Miles of Limerick meeting with little opposition killed only about twelve stragling Rapparees and burnt what Cabbins and other places of shelter for the Irish they met withal returning with a prey of Cattle and three or four Prisoners February the 4th A Declaration was published at Dublin A Declaration from the General to the Irish by Lieutenant-General Ginckel setting forth That Their Majesties had no design to Oppress their Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom in either their Religion or their Properties but had given him Authority to grant reasonable Terms to all such as would come in and submit according to their Duty But
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
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
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