came from Derry for it was observable that after some of them came amongst us it was presently spread over the whole Army yet I did not find many of themselves died of it Number of Men that died at Dundalk As to the Number of our Men that died I am sure there were not above sixteen or seventeen Hundred that died in or about Dundalk but our Ships came from Carlingford and Dundalk about the 13 th of November to Belfast and there were shipt at those two places 1970 sick Men and not 1100 of those came a-shore but died at Sea nay so great was the Mortality that several Ships had all the Men in them dead and no Body to look after them whilst they lay in the Bay at Carickfergus As for the Great Hospital at Belfast there were 3762 that died in it from the first of November to the first of May as appears by the Tallies given in by the Men that buried them There were several that had their Limbs so mortified in the Camp and afterwards that some had their Toes and some their whole Feet that fell off as the Surgeons were dressing them so that upon the whole matter we lost nigh one half of the Men that we took over with us The Enemies Numbers As to the Enemies Numbers and the reason why so little Action happened the Accounts that were given by Deserters both as to the Enemies Numbers and Designs were so various and disagreeing that the General himself was at a Loss what to trust to which if well considered will answer many of those rash Objections made to the management of that Campagne I have seen a List of their whole Army since and the most agree that they had at Dundalk 17 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons with as many Foot as made them nigh forty thousand though their Foot were not all very well armed but some had Scithes instead of Pikes yet Lieut. General Hamilton denies that they were ever so many in the Field And as for so little of Action happening in so long a time the reason on the Duke's side as I humbly conjecture might be that he found himself exceedingly out-done in the number of his Horse nor did the small Body that he had come all at one time but stragling by degrees And therefore he was unwilling to venture a few except he had enough to push for all which he had not And our entrenching our selves might make the Enemy think it was to no purpose to alarm us since they believed it impossible to force our Camp which it certainly was not if we had had any other sort of People to deal withal but Irish But it may be they considered that Maxim that the Invader is still to proffer and the Invaded to decline a Battel A List of our own Army The LIST of our own Army was as followeth Horse and Dragoons Lord Devonshire 6 Troops Lord Delamere 6 Troops Lord Hewett 6 Troops Colonel Coy 6 Troops †Colonel Langston 6 Troops Colonel Villers 6 Troops †Sir John Lanier 6 Troops D. Schonberg's French 9 Troops Col. Woolsely's Inniskilliners 12 Troops Mr. Harbord's Troop 1 Troop Capt. Matthew White 1 Troop Provost Martial's Troop 1 Troop †Col. Hefford's Dragoons 9 Troops Col. Levison's Dragoons 6 Troops Sr. A. Cuningham's Dragoons 6 Troops Col. Gwinn's Dragoons 6 Troops These make in all 13 Regiments besides three Independent Troops 3 of which marked thus †did not come to the Camp and 2 more came late so that we could not make above 8 Regiments of Horse and Dragoons when the Irish drew out upon us and 3 of those were Inniskilliners Foot A Battalion of Blew Dutch Carlesoon's White Dutch Major General Kirk Sir John Hanmer Brigadier Stuart Colonel Beaumont Colonel Wharton Lord Meath Lord Kingston Lord Drogheda Sir Henry Bellasis Sir Henry Inglesby Lord Lovelace then Colonel Zanchy's Lord Roscommon Lord Luburne * Colonel Hamilton * Colonel Hastings Colonel Deering Colonel Herbert Sir Tho. Gower Colonel Earle La Millineir Du Cambon La Callimott Inniskillin and Derry Foot * Col. Gustavus Hamilton * Colonel Lloyd * Colonel White Colonel Mitchelburne * Colonel St. Johns Colonel Tiffany Note that the Foot marked thus * were not at Dundalk but in Garison These make in all counting the Blew Battalion for one thirty Regiments of Foot but those were all that we had in Ireland there were some at Derry and Col. Hamilton's Regiment at Carickfergus some at Inniskillin and others at Sligo till the Irish took it from us Fifty Men were left upon a Party at Newry There were also several killed at Carickfergus and some left sick and wounded at Belfast besides the two Hamiltons Lloyd's White 's St. John's and Hastings's never came to the Camp Sir Henry Inglesby's and two Regiments of Horse came not till our Camp was fix'd and then Maj. Gen. Kirk's Sir John Hanmer's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments had laid long on Ship-board and had been harassed so that they had lost several of their Number Some also were dead or sick and others run away Put all these things together I say and we cannot suppose that the Duke had above 2000 Horse and Dragoons and not many more than 12000 Foot when the Irish proffer'd him Battel I have no warrant from any body for what I am going to say only I think my self obliged to give an account of what I am perswaded is true in answering those Objections which were made by the Army first and then by several of the People of England that had lost their Relations or Friends viz. That the Duke was to blame he did not go on at first without stopping for then we had got Dublin and all the Kingdom would have fallen of course without half that expence of Treasure that England has been at And that we lost more Men by lying at Dundalk than we could have done in a Battel and also a year's time which might have been employed with an Army in the Heart of France These things and several of the like nature have been objected to the Conduct of that Great Man who always thought it better to owe his Victories to good Management than good Fortune since wise Counsels are still within the Power of wise Men but Success is not And what Man in the World would be thought wise and his Actions entertained as the best if only such were so against whom and which no Objection could be made The Memory therefore of such a Man ought not to suffer who all his Life-long had been said to act with the greatest Prudence in the World And for his management in this Affair no doubt he could give very substantial Reasons yet because those are not nor cannot be known to the World I shall only offer some few that I have had from very good Hands and which I know in the main to be true It 's an easy thing for Men to sit at home by a warm Fire-side and find fault with
each Regiment march by him enquiring the Officers names and what other things concerning them he thought fit The Commissaries taking an exact List of all the private Men both Horse and Foot that appeared in the Ranks And it was observable that with Heat Dust Marching and other inconveniencies most people in the Army had got very sore Lips nor was his Majesty himself exempt from this inconveniency for he had toild and labour'd as much as the best of them Because several people may be curious to know what Number of Men we had at the Boyn and also how many the Enemy were I have here inserted the Exact Number of our own Horse and Foot as it was taken at Finglass And likewise a List of the Irish Army as it was delivered first to the Duke at Lisburn and afterwards to the King An Abstract of the Private Men of his Majesties Army which appeared at the Review taken at Finglass the 7 th and 8 th of July 1690. Regiments Men. English Horse First Troop of Guards 140 Â Granadeers 47 52 Â unmounted 5 Third Troop 133 Â Granadeers 40 43 Â unmounted 3 Earl of Oxfords 368 Sir John Laniers 357 360 Â unmounted 3 Colonol Villers 244 245 Â unmounted 1 Col. Russel 242 Col. Coy 236 Col. Byerley 244 Col. Langston 225 Count Schonberg 242 Duke Schonbergs French 387 395 Â unmounted 8 Col. Woolsley 423 Captain Harbords Troop 38 Dutch Horse Troop of Guards 143 145 Â unmounted 2 Lord Portland 351 357 Â unmounted 6 Monopovillans 168 171 Â unmounted 3 Leuten Gen. Ginkel 148 152 Â unmounted 4 Col. Scholks 157 167 Â unmounted 10 Van Oyens 161 164 Â unmounted 3 Reidessels 173 174 Â unmounted 1 Bancour 176 178 Â unmounted 2 Nyenhuys 174 175 Â unmounted 1 Danes Horse Col. Jewel 264 268 Â unmounted 4 Col. Donop 250 263 Â unmounted 13 Col. Schescad 267 281 Â unmounted 14 Â Total of Horse 5881 Dragoons Col. Matthews Royal Reg. 406 Col. Levison 246 Col. Gwinns 260 Sir Albert Cuningham 337 358 Â unmounted 21 Col. Eppingers Dutch 618 621 Â unmounted 3 Â Total of Dragoones 1870 English Foot Major General Kirk 666 Brigadeer Trelawney 553 Colonel Beamont 526 Brigadeer Stuart 660 Sir John Hanmer 593 Colonel Brewer 571 Col. Hastings 606 Earl of Meath 678 Col. Fouks 439 Col. Gustavus Hambleton 560 Sir Henry Bellasis 628 Lord Lisburn 611 Lieutenant Gen. Douglas 648 Earl of Drogheda 660 Col. Earl 693 Briggadeer La Millineer 529 Col. Cambon 640 Col. Callimot 562 Col. Mitchelburn 664 Col. Tiffin 625 Col. St Johns 589 Lord George Hambleton 583 Â Total of English Foot 13335 Dutch Foot C. Solms 3 Battali 1850 1931 Â 2 Compan of Cadets 81 Count Nassaws Regiment 652 Brandenburg 631 Col. Babington 416 Col. Cutts 543 Col. Grobens 490 Â Total of Dutch Foot 4663 Danes Foot Regiment of Guards 698 Queens Regiment 634 Prince Fredericks 555 Prince Christans 547 Prince George's 547 Zealand Regiment 527 Juitland Regiment 554 Findland Regiment 519 Â Total of Danes Foot 4581 Â Dutch Foot 4663 Â English Foot 13335 Â Foot 22579 Â Dragoons 1870 Â Horse 5881 Â Total of Horse Foot and Dragoons 30330 Reform Officers of Horse 111 Reformed Officers of Foot 372 Â Total 483 Colonel Deering Colonel Herbert Colonel Hambleton Colonel White Were all in Garrison and not included And note that neither Officers nor Serjeants are included in the former List nor yet those that were sick or absent as several were but these all marched in the Ranks before the King so that the compleat number was much greater A List of the late King James's Army taken Apr. 9. 1690. Regiments of Horse Duke of Tyrconel 9 Troops in a Regiment 53 Men in a Troop Lord Galmoy Col. Sarsefield Col. Sutherland Six Troops in a Regiment 53 Men each Lord Abercorn Col. Henry Lutterill Col. John Parker Col. Nicholas Purcel Horse Guards Lord Dovers Troop 200. each Troop Duke of Berwicks Troop Troop of Granadeers Col. Buttlers 60 Dragoons Lord Dungan 8 Troops in a Regiment 60 men each Sir Neal O Neal Col. Simon Lutterel Regiments Col. Robert Clifford Six Troops in a Regiment 60 Men each Sir James Cotton Col. Tho. Maxwel Lord Clare Regiments of Foot Royal Regiment 22 Companies and 90 each Earl of Clancarty Col. Henry Fitz James Col. John Hambleton Earl of Clanrickard Earl of Antrim Earl of Tyrone Lord Gormanstown Lord Slane Lord Galloway Lord Louth Lord Duleek Lord Killmallock Lord Kenmare Sir John Fitz-Gerald Sir Maurice Eustace Col. Nugent Col. Henry Dillon Col. John Grace Col. Edward Butler Col. Thomas Butler Lord Bophni Col. Charles Moor. Col. Cormach O Neal. Col. Arthur Mackmahan Earl of Westmeath Col. Cavenaugh Col. Uxbrough Col. Mac. Carty Moore Col. Gordon O Neal. Col. John Barret Col. Charles O Bryan Col. O Donavan Col. Nicholas Brown Col. O Gara Sir Michael Creagh Col. Dom. Brown Col. Bagnal Col. Mackellicut Lord Inniskillin Col. Hugh Mac Mahon Col. Walter Bourk Col. Felix O Neal. Lord Iveagh Col. O Keyley These 44 Regiments were 13 Companies in each and 63 Men in each Company Regiments from France The Red Regiment The Blew Regiment Two White Regiments each divided into several Battalions being in all about 5000 Men. Regiments that were sent to France in Exchange Lord Mountcashels Col. Richard Butler's Col. Daniel O Bryan's Col. Fielding's Col. Arthur Dillon's Regiments that were Raised and never taken into pay but Disbanded Lord Castle Connel Col. Roger O Connor Col. Charles Geoghagan Col. John Brown Col. James Butler Col. Manus O Donnel Col. O Cahon Col. Edward Nugent Col. Charles Kelly Col. Brian Mack Dermot Col. James Talbot These last are all meer Irish and consequently good for little so that no wonder if they were broke But these were all the Forces that the late King had in Ireland and a great many were in Garrison in Munster and other places but as to their Numbers at the Boyn some of their own Officers call them five and twenty and others seven and twenty thousand About the eighth or ninth of July the King had an Account of the misfortune of the Dutch and English Fleets and Wednesday the ninth he divided his Army and went himself with the greatest part of it beyond the Town of Dublin in order to go Westwards sending at the same time Lieutenant-General Douglas with three Regiments of Horse two of Dragoons and ten of Foot towards Athlone which is fifty miles North from Dublin The Regiments that went upon this Expedition were these Horse Langston Russel and Woolsley Dragoons Sir Albert Cunningham and Gwin Foot the Lieut. Generals own Regiment Sir Hen. Bellasis Sir Jo. Hanmer C. Babington L. Droheda C. Gust Hambleton C. Mitchelburn C. Tiffin C. St. John's and L. Geor. Hambleton I shall leave therefore his Majesty going Westwards and give an Account of L. G. Douglas's Affairs till he joyns the King at Cariganliss within five miles of Limerick Lieutenant-General Douglas
was taken exactly next day In Lieutenant General Douglas's Regiment Wounded Sir Charles Fielding Capt. Rose mortally wounded Capt. Guy Capt. Trevor Capt. Rose junior Capt. Wainsbrough Lieut. Wild mortally wounded Lieut. Wybrants Lieut. Lacock Lieut. Rapine Lieut. Lloyd Ensign Goodwin Ensign Burk Kill'd Major Hambleton Lieut. Ennis Lieut. Morison Ensign Tapp Ensign Pinsent In Colonel Cutts's Regiment Wounded Colonel Cutts Capt. Newton Capt. Foxon Capt. Massham Lieut. Levis Lieut. Barrock Lieut. Cary. Lieut. Trenchard The Adjutant Mr. How 's a Voluntier Kill'd Capt. Hudson Ensign Mead. In the Earl of Meath's Regiment Wounded The Earl of Meath L. C. Newcomb mort wounded Lieut. Blakeney Lieut. Hubblethorn Kill'd Lieut. Latham Ensign Smith In Brigadier Stuart's Regiment Wounded Brigadier Stuart Major Cornwall Capt. Pallferey Capt. Galbreth Capt. Stuart Capt. Casseen Lieut. Stuart Lieut. Cornwall Lieut. Cary. Ensign Stuart Kill'd Capt. Lindon Capt. Farlow Lieut. Russell In my Lord Lisburn's Regiment Wounded Major Allen. Capt. Adair Capt. Holdrich Capt. Hubbart Lieut. Hillton Lieut. Goodwin Ensign Hook Kill'd Capt. Wallace Capt. West Ensign Ogle These make in all Fifty nine whereof Fifteen were killed upon the Spot and several dyed afterwards of their Wounds the Granadeers are not here included and they had the hottest Service Nor are there any of the Forreigners who lost full as many as the English so that I 'm afraid this did more then countervail the loss that the Irish had during the whole Seige at least in the numher of Men. Next day the King sent a Drummer in order to a Truce that the Dead might be buried but the Irish had no mind to it and now the Soldiers were in hopes that the King would make a second Attack and seem'd resolv'd to have the Town or dye every Man But this was too great a hazard to run at one Place and they did not know how scarce our Ammunition was it being very much wasted the day before this day however we continued Battering the Wall and it begun to Rain and next day it was very Cloudy all about and Rain'd very fast so that every Body began to dread the Consequences of it The King therefore calls a Council of War wherein it was Resolv'd to quit the Town and Raise the Siege which as the Case stood then with us was no doubt the most prudent thing that could be done The Siege Raised We drew off therefore our heavy Cannon from the Batteries by degrees And on Saturday August the 30. we marched greatest part of them as far as Cariganliss the Guard being the Earl of Drogheda's and Brigedeer Stuart's Regiments The Rain which had already fallen had softned the ways and we found some difficulty in getting off our Guns especially since for the most part we were obliged to draw them with Oxen a part of our Train Horses being disposed of to the Enemies use before and this was one main Reason for Raising the Siege for if we had not granting the Weather to continue bad we must either have taken the Town or of necessity have lost our Cannon because that part of the Country lies very low and the Ways are deep Therefore on Sunday the last of August all the Army drew off having a good Body of Horse in the Rear As soon as the Irish perceived we had quitted our Trenches they took Possession of them with great Joy and were in a small time after over all the Ground whereon we had Encamped two days before we Raised the Siege a great many Waggons and Carriages were sent towards Cashell and Clonmel with sick and wounded Men which was the Reason that we were forced to leave a great many Bombs Hand Granades and other things behind which we buried in the Artillery Ground but with a Train to blow them up so that when it took Fire the Irish were mightily afraid and thought we were beginning a new Seige from under Ground But yet they dug up most of our dead Officers and Soldiers only to get their Shirts and Shrowds month September The Army removes The Army Encamped that day at Cariganliss and then the Artillery marched forwards to Cullen whither the Army followed the day after but as soon as the Protestants that dwelt in that Country understood that the Army was drawing off they prepared to march along with Bag and Baggage which most of them did and lookt something like the Children of Israel with their Cattle and all their Stuff footing it from Aegypt though most of those poor People had no Promised Land to retire to but were driven into a Wilderness of Confusion for I saw a great many both Men and Women of very good Fashion who had lived plentifully before yet now knew not which way to steer their Course but went along with the Croud whither Providence should direct them In a day or two after we were removed from before Limerick Monsieur Boisleau the Governour made a Speech and told the Irish Monsieur Boiseleau's Speech to the Irish That with much ado he had perswaded them to defend the Town which with Gods help they had done but assured them it was not Fear but Prudence and Policy that had made the Enemy quit the Siege as might appear by their slow Marches and withal he told them his Opinion that the next time the Enemy came they would have it Which said he took leave and went to the French Forces then at Galloway and designing for France His Majesty goes for England His Majesty that day we Raised the Siege went to Cullen and so to Clonmel from thence to Waterford in order to take shipping for England accompanied with the Prince the Duke of Ormond and several of the Nobility From Waterford His Majesty sent back the Right Honourable Henry Lord Viscount Sidney and Tho. Conyngsby Esq to the Camp Lords Justices Appointed they with Sir Charles Porter having a Commission to be Lords Justices of Ireland The King set Sail with a fair Wind for England where he was received with an universal rejoicing and the Two Lords Justices on the Fourth of September came to the Camp then at Cullen where they staid till the Sixth in which two days they and the General Count Solmes ordered all Affairs relating to the Army And here we received Money which was very acceptable for it had been very scarce all the Campaign both with the Officers and Soldiers and yet every body were content and our Wants were no Obstruction to our Duties as His Majesty was pleased to take notice afterwards in His Speech to the Parliament From Cullen we marched on the Sixth to Tipperary blowing up a strong Castle when we Decamped and the two Lords Justices took their Journey towards Dublin in order to enter upon their Government Some that are Men already prejudiced will pretend to be Judges in this Affair though they never saw the Place or the Country and affirm that the Irish made never a false step but one during this whole
Siege and that was in not Fortifying the Pass and Cromwell's Fort without as also in not drawing a large Trench from the River towards the East and then runing it round that part of the Town on which they might have raised several Forts and Breast-works from whence they might have retarded our Approaches but indeed they had not time for all this though they had done something of that kind towards the West where they keept Men Encampt all the while we lay before the Town and they had made also some Forts towards the East but they could not put Courage in their Men to defend them especially when Walls were so near to fly to Objections against the Siege at Limerick What Objections they make against us were these that we ought to have divided our Army and sent a part beyond the River as also to have broke down the two Bridges one between the two Towns and the other on the County of Clare side by which means we had prevented the Irish Communication between the two Towns and also from without the greatest hazard that we could run being to Attack a Town that had one side open to bring in what Men and things they pleas'd All these and a great many more inconveniencies were seen into at that Instant but the dividing the Army was impracticable because that when one Part had been over the River they must have marched several Miles to the Right and then down again before they could come nigh the other side of the Town by reason of a vast Bog that runs from the Town a great way cross the Country and then it was no easie thing to bring Provision to those and besides if the Rains had fallen as it often threatned us that part of the Army which had gone over must have run the hazard either of starving or fighting their whole Army or both for the Shanon rises all on a sudden and the least swelling in the World would have made it impassible for the Army since it was with great difficulty that single Regiments could get over as it was and it never has been seen so low in many years Nor had we Men enough to make what Works were convenient to secure both Parts of the Army from Sallies or Assaults from without if we had been divided We know Caesar at the Siege of Alexia shut in Eighty thousand Guals made a Line of Countervallation of Eleven Miles Circumference and one of Circumvallation that was Fourteen Fortifying both these with Sharp Stakes and vast Holes in the Ground slightly covered over by which he both reduced that great Army within to his Mercy and kept off a much greater that design'd to Raise the Siege But his Army were Men of Fatigue and Labour as well as Courage and his Numbers six times as great as ours And though we were Commanded by a Prince of as great Courage and Resolution as ever Caesar was and he had Men that were as willing yet several of them were beginning to be sick and were not able to endure the Fatigue except both our Time had been longer and the Season better and though Kings are Gods in Wisdom as well as Power yet there is one in Heaven that limits them Lieutenant General Douglass Decamps September the 7 th Lieutenant General Douglas with his own Regiment Brigadeer Stuart's Sir Henry Ballasyse's Lord George Hambilton's a Derry Regiment the Third Troop of Guards Colonel Russel's Horse and Guinn's Dragoons marched from Tipperary towards the North to Winter-Quarters and the rest lay encamped September the 8 th my Lord Lisburne with a Party of Foot being about Four Hundred and Monsieur La Forest with a Party of Five hundred Horse were sent to Killmallock a Place between Cork and Limerick where the Enemy had a Garrison of about two hundred Men who when they saw our Party and Four Field-Pieces which they brought along they yeilded upon the first Summons and had Conditions to march out with their Arms and Baggage From the 8 th to the 13 th nothing of Moment hapned except the General 's sending out several Parties unto all the little Towns and Castles thereabouts having Engineers along to see what could be done in order to their Defence on which account Dr. Davis Dean of Ross was very serviceable who understood the Countrey thereabouts very well And Major General Kirk with the rest of the English This took up time till the 13 th when Major General Kirk with Seven Foot Regiments viz. Kirk Hanmer Meath Cutts Lisburne Earle and Drogheda's and Sir John Lanier with his own Lord of Oxford's Langston's Byerley's Horse Levison's Dragoons and part of Cunningham's marched towards Bi r Which way we heard that Sarsfield was making being then with a Body of about Five Thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons at a place called Banohar-Bridge not Eight Miles from Bir. The same Day Major General Scravemore and Major General Tatteau with Twelve hundred Horse and Dragoons as also Two Regiments of Danish Foot went towards Mallow in order to go to Cork where we had a Report that my Lord Marlborough designed to land There were some Deserters also that came from the Enemy that gave us an Account that my Lord Tyrconnel Count Lauzun Monsieur Boiseleau with all the French Forces were gone from Galloway towards France for hearing of my Lord Marlborough's Fleet coming abroad they made more haste than they designed and so left several of their Men sick at Galloway They brought an excellent Field-Train in the Spring out of France which they took along with them when they returned The rest of the Army remove to Cashel September the 14 th the rest of the Army removed to Cashel and from thence were dispersed to Quarters part of the Danes and Dutch went towards Waterford some to Clonmell and others staid at Cashel The French went towards the County of Carlow And so the Army was dispersed Count Solmes commanded the Army from His Majesties Departure till the Camp broke up and then he went to Dublin in order to go for England On the Day following a Captain of Colonel Levison's Dragoons with his Troop routed a Body of Irish Rabble that were got together and a Party of Horse were sent after a Company of Rapparees that had kill'd some of our Men as they were a forraging Lieutenant General Ginkle was now Commander in Chief of the Army and went towards his Head Quarters at Killkenny Sarsfield besieges Bar. At Major General Kirk's coming to Roscreagh he understood that Sarsfield â—nd his Party had besieged the Castle at Bi r in which was only a Company of Colonel Tiffin's Regiment The Enemy had brought several Pieces of Cannon one of which was an Eighteen Pounder with which they did the Castle some damage but however the besieged defended it stoutly and killed them several Men. Relieved by Major General Kirk Tuesday the 16 th Major General Kirk and his Foot marched from Roscreagh
or about the City of Dublin after the 25 th of December next And now His Majesty designing for Holland and having thoughts of making my Lord Sidney one of the Secretaries of State sent for him over who on Monday the 15 th of December Embarqued with a Fair Wind for Chester leaving every one sorry for his departure in that by his Affable and Courteous Demeanor and his Diligence in His Majesties Service he had gain'd the Hearts of all People And on the 24 th Sir Charles Porter one of the Lords Justices came from England who on the 29 th was sworn Lord Chancellor receiving the Purse and Great Seal from the late Commissioners Part of the Army march to Lanesborough We had now a part of our Army on their March towards Lanesborough-Pass Commanded by Major General Kirk and Sir John Laneir the Foot were my Lord Lisburn's Regiment my Lord George Hambleton's part of Col. Brewer's some of Major General Kirk's and several others A Party of the Militia also were ordered from Dublin and those in the Country were to be up on all hands At the same time Lieutenant General Douglas was to march towards Sligo and fall upon the Irish on that side On Wednesday the 31 st of December part of our Army under Colonel Brewer went towards Lanesborough The Enemy appeared on the Bog on this side the Town being as they say nigh Three Thousand and had cut several Trenches cross the Causeys that go through the Bog towards the Town these they disputed for some time but losing some of their Men they retired into Town and from thence to beyond the Shanon defacing the Fort on this side and breaking the Bridge behind them You 'll say they were not very closely pursued that had time to do all this However our Men took possession of the Town and Fort as they had left it and if we had had the Boats we might have gone over the Enemy quitting the other side for at least Three Days but then we were too small a Party and before the rest of our Men came up Three Regiments of the Irish were posted on the other side the River and then little hapned of moment only some small Firings and sometimes they made Truces Colonel Clifford and the other Irish Officers drinking Healths over to our Men and those on our side returning the Complement When this Party marched to Lanesborough there was a Detachment of 300 Men out of L. Drogheda's Sir Jo. Hanmer's and Col. Hambleton's Regiments ordered from Bi r to joyn them and so to cross the Country from Bi r to Mullingar But in their March they were set upon by about Fifteen Hundred of the Irish Army and Rapparees Our Party had but Thirty Dragoons with them and the Enemy brought several Squadrons of Horse and though we were attack'd for at least Five Hours together and that at several places of great disadvantage yet they fought their way through and went that Night to Mountmelick having lost only Six Men and Captain Jeffreys of Sir John Hanmer's Regiment but the Irish got all our Baggage This Party was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bristow and Major Caulfield Rapparees in the Bog of Allen The Rapparees by this time were got to the end of the Bog of Allen about Twelve Miles from Dublin this Bog is the largest in Ireland for it reaches through a great part of the Country from hence as far as Athlone and is at least Forty Miles in length having several Islands full of Woods in the midst of it These robb'd and plundered the Country all about for they had an Island on this end of the Bog which they fortified coming out in the Night and doing all the Mischief they could This being so nigh Dublin it made a great noise so that Colonel Fouks with his own Regiment part of Colonel Cutts's and some of the Militia marched out towards them and coming near them in the Night at a place called Tougher Greggs at the entrance of the Bog of Allen he stay'd there till it was light and then advanced upon the Causey having Three Field-Pieces along with him Defeated by Col. Fouks The Irish at first seem'd to defend the Place but as we went forwards they quitted their Posts leaving our Men to fill up the Trenches they had made cross the Causey being Twelve in number Colonel Fouks marched his Horse over and so went to the Island of Allen where he found Lieutenant Colonel Piper who had passed thither on the other side at the same rate The Irish betook themselves to the Woods and we only got some little things they had left It 's thought they had a Thousand Foot thereabouts besides some Horse though most of them that made this Disturbance at this place were only Two Hundred Boys with an old Tory their Commander Who were admitted to administer the Oath and why And now the Lords Justices and Council issue out Two more Proclamations one forbidding all Persons whatsoever except the Lord Mayor Recorder and Sheriffs of Dublin to administer the Oath or give Certificates to the Papists Because some took upon them for Money to certifie they had sworn when they did not or else gave them the Oath without the word Allegiance as did Sir Humphrey Jervace who was imprisoned and fined Three Hundred Marks for it afterwards The other Proclamation required all that had bought any of the Train-Horses or Utensils to bring them in by such a Day For the Carters and Waggoners were very careless and either sold the Horses or suffered them to be stole Maj. Gen. Tetteau marches from Cork with a part of the Army About the time that Lieutenant General Douglas and Major General Kirk marched from the North and South Major General Tetteau marched also in the West towards the County of Kerry and if they all had pusht forwards at one time it had been a great advantage to our Affairs next Campaign All things seem'd to favour the Attempt especially the Weather better never being seen for the Season Major General Tetteau marched from Cork December 28. and on the 29 th was joyned by Brigadeer Churchill Sir David Collier Colonel Coy and a part of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons and the day following they marched through the Country which the Irish had for the most part burnt after they had carried away whatever they could month January On New Years-Day our Men attackt a Fort at a place called Scronclard which was intended to hinder their passage that way We took it in Two Hours though it 's said the Enemy imploy'd 500 Men for Two Months to build it This show'd their Diligence though not their Courage these Two Vertues are sometimes divided between us and them but not always both on either side Near Brewster's Field we discovered some of the Enemies Scouts whereupon Seventy of Eppingar's Dragoons and Colonel Coy's Horse having the Advance-Guard came near a Party of the Enemy of One Hundred
AN IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF THE AFFAIRS of IRELAND DURING The Two Last YEARS WHITE-HALL APRIL 30. 1691. LET this be Printed by Order of the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount SYDNEY one of Their Majesties Principal Secretaries of State W. BRIDGEMAN A TRUE and IMPARTIAL HISTORY OF The Most Material Occurrences IN THE Kingdom of Ireland DURING The Two Last YEARS WITH The Present State of Both ARMIES PUBLISHED To prevent Mistakes and to give the World a Prospect of the future Success of Their MAJESTIES Arms in That NATION Written by an Eye-witness to the most Remarkable PASSAGES LONDON Printed for Ric. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCXCI TO The RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES LORD VISCOUNT MORPETH AND The RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr WILLIAM LEVISON GOWER Bar t. Both MEMBERS Of the Honourable House of Commons These PAPERS About the AFFAIRS of IRELAND ARE HUMBLY DEDICATED THE PREFACE THese Papers were not designed to be published till after the surrender of the City of Mons to the French for since there are some and those too calling themselves Protestants who upon all occasions make it their business to advance the Conquests of that King and at the same time to lessen the Conduct and Success of His Present Majesty representing his Affairs to be in such a Condition at Home and his Army so inconsiderable in Ireland that they presently from thence expect such a Turn of State as if it should happen would certainly prove unfortunate and destructive to themselves as well as other people tho they have no mind or at least do not seem to see it I do not pretend nor do I think it possible to make such men sensible of the folly of their unaccountable Behaviour at this Juncture only I think it a good Opportunity to let Them and the World know the impartial Truth of the most material Passages of the Two last Campaigns in Ireland with the true State of both Armies as it stood in January last which possibly may serve to mortifie all their Expectations from their Friends in that Kingdom And as to the Matters of Fact I defie all the Enemies of our Government and Religion to contradict me tho at the same time I assure them That I have done their Side all the Right that the thing it self will bear and have concealed nothing that I think could make any way for their Advantage But before I come to this I will take the liberty to speak out since I am to treat of an Affair that concerns all that value either the publick Safety Honour or Peace of their Native Countrey it being every day more apparent than other that we are designed as a Prey to that Nation to whom we nor our Fathers were never yet in Bondage This is no vain and groundless Fear or Pretention but the Reasons for it are many Amongst the rest take only these few First The Late King by his unhappy Management has given up the Cudgels to the French whom it 's not to be doubted he had rather should govern the Nation than those who at present do by this means placing his own Interest and that of all English Protestants in a diametrical opposition to one another since it 's plain that unfortunate Prince has been made instrumental and is so still by the Zealots of the Church of Rome to advance their Religion on the one hand and by his most Christian Majesty on the other to promote his Glory All the Care and Pains that has been taken of late by the Priests in a Business of the greatest moment was not to propagate King James's Family but his and their own Religion for they value not tho He and His Name perish if their Work go but on And suppose the P. of W. really what our Adversaries would have him who can ever imagine that a Successor that there was so much pains taken about will either be bred a Protestant or made serviceable to that Interest especially since he is taken out of the Kingdom and put into the hands of the greatest Enemy to our Nation And as to the French King's part can any one think that he does all this out of a Principle of Honour and Love for the re-establishing of King James All people know that his Generosity extends no further than his Interest Those that will not believe this let them only look back upon his treatment of the same individual Prince some years ago for it 's plain that he has no other Prospect nor regard to Men and Things but his own Greatness and Ambition not spearing even those of his own Perswasion when they stand in his way Every one sees that hsi Brother of Constantinople and he agree much better than his Holy Father at Rome and he ever did or are like to do because the former is more favourable to his Designs than the other If then he falls out with him whom his own Religion obliges to pay all Deferrence and Respect to and honour as a Father what can Protestants nay even English Papists themselves expect but to submit to his Yoke if they once give way for his Admission When the Late King appear'd all on a sudden last Summer in France after the Defeat at the Boyn it was observable that tho the French King was surprized at his Presence yet he received him with all the seeming joy in the World thinking it not fit to discourage a Prince whom he had still further occasion for This has already been seen into by some great Officers even in the Irish Army who begin to be at a stand how to manage since they can have no other Prospect from the success of their own present Affairs but future Ruin to their Countrey Secondly Suppose the War already ended and the Late King sent into England with all the Grandeur that France could afford him and received here by the consent of every Body Yet the French King has a very large Bill to bring in which he 'll certainly pretend cannot be discharged with the Possâ—ssion of Ireland what then can be more rationally intended than that one day or other England may be brought to a severe account for those vast Expences and the non-repayment of them shall be a sufficient Pretence for a War when he finds an Opportunity tho King James himself sate at the Helm For how easy a thing it is to break all Rules whatever when a man has the Power in his own hand is known to most men Those then who favour him most will only have the honour to be last devoured and even those of his own Persuasion will have cause to wish themselves rather under a Protestant Prince than a Popish Tyrant We see further that His Present Majesty has not declared it a War of Religion but is linked in a Confederacy with a great many Princes of the Romish Church that have all the same reason to dread the growing-Power of France who neither spares Protestant when he has an
there was a Ship with Arms Ammunition and some Provisions on Board with about Sixty Officers designed for Limerick but cast away in that River and all the Men lost The Rapparees all this while were very busie about Cashall and Clonmel and did a great deal of mischief this occasioned some of our Army to joyn part of the Militia who went towards Cullen and burnt the Corn bringing away a good Booty without any opposition The Fifteenth of November Colonel Byerly's Horse marched from Dublin to Mount Naelick a Village towards the Frontiers and on the 19 th the Lords Justices Publish a Proclamation Declaring That if any of their Majesties Protestants Subjects had their Houses or Haggards burnt or were Robb'd or Plundred by the Rapparees such Losses should be repaid by the Popish Inhabitants of that County And in regard the Popish Priests had great Influence over their Votaries it was ordered That if any Rapparees exceeding the Number of Ten were seen in a Body no Popish Priest should have liberty to reside in such a County And it was further declared That the Government would not give Protection to any Person that had a Son in the Enemies Quarters unless such Son return to Their Majesties Obedience before the Tenth of December next following And in regard at this time the Government was apprehensive of some danger nigh Dublin it self they Publish a Proclamation the 22 d. That all Papists who have not been noted House-keepers in the City of Dublin for Three Months last past were within Forty eight Hours to depart at least Ten Miles from the City or else to be proceeded against as Spies and that not above Five Papists should meet together upon any Pretext whatever A Plot discovered About the 24 th there was great talk of a Design discovered to the Lords Justices of sending a Supply of Meal Salt Tobacco Brandy and several other things from Dublin to the Enemies Quarters Those who were carrying these things were pursued and overtaken in the County of Kildare upon a By Road they all made their escapes however but one of them being a Woman dropt a Petticoat in which was found a Letter and also another in a Rowl of Tobacco which gave grounds to believe that a Correspondence was kept between the Papists in Dublin and the Enemy beyond the Shanon and therefore on Sunday Night the 30 th of November a general search was made through the City and most of the Papists secured This Piece of Service the Militia performed very dextrously without noise or suspicion till the thing was done A List of the Privy-Council The last Packquets from England brought a List of the Privy Council appointed by His Majesty for the Kingdom of Ireland as also of several of the Judges The Council were The Lord Primate the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Archbishop of Dublin Duke of Ormond Earl of Meath Earl of Drogheda Earl of Longford Earl of Renelah Earl of Granard Viscount Lisburn Bishop of Meath Robert Fitz-Gerrald Esq the Vice Treasurer Chancellor of the Exchequer Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Chief Baron of the Exchequer Master of the Rolls Secretary of State Master of Ordance Sir Henry Fane Sir Charles Merideth William Hill of Hillsborongh Esquire On Monday the First of December several of the said Persons attended the Lords Justices at the Council Chamber and there took the usual Oaths of Privy Councellors The Judges named for the Respective Courts in Dublin were Sir Richard Reynoll Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Richard Stephens one of the Justices of the same Court Mr. Justice Lindon being formerly sworn there In the Common Pleas Mr. Justice Jetfordson Mr. Justice Cox being formerly sworn there In the Exchequer Jo Healy Esq Lord Chief Baron and Sir Standish Hartstone one of the Barons of the Court Mr. Baron Ecklin being formerly sworn there This day we had News of the Enemies passing the Shanon at several Places and Orders were sent to our Frontiers to be in readiness and Colonel Gustavus Hambleton sent a Party from Birr towards Portumna who met with a Party of the Enemy which they routed killing some and brought off two Officers with Eleven Prisoners being Dragoons and Foot month December December the 2 d. A Proclamation was issued out by the Lords Justices and Council forbidding all Their Majesties Subjects of Ireland to use any Trade with France or to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the French King or his Subjects This was the first that was Signed by the Council and these were present viz. Fran. Dublin Drogheda Longford Granard Lisburn Robert Fitz-Gerald Anth. Meath Charles Merideth We had at that time an Account from Cork that on the 22 d. of November last there were 60 of our Horse and Foot who met with near Five hundred of the Rapparees in the Barony of West Carberry near Castlehaven our Men at that disadvantage Retreated towards Castlehaven the Enemy followed in the Rear and fired at a distance several times our Party facing about killed Nine and afterwards being Attackt again they killed one Brown an Ensign of the Enemies Castletown Besieged The Enemy next day Besieged Castletown an House near Castlehaven they were Commanded by O Donavan O Driscoll and one Barry As they approached the House our Men killed Twelve of them this put them into an humour of Retreating though one Captain Mackronine with his Sword drawn endeavoured to hinder them but he and some more of the Party being kill'd the rest got away as well as they could Several of them had Bundles of Straw fastned upon their Breasts instead of Armour but this was not Proof for about Thirty of them were killed upon the Spot amongst whom were young Colonel O Driscol Captain Tiege O Donavan besides several that went off Wounded we lost only two Men. Rapparees defeated At this time Colonel Byerley being at Mountmelick with part of his own Regiment and some of Colonel Earl's Foot he was frequently Allarumed as well by Parties of the Irish Army as by Considerable Numbers of the Rapparees who had a design to burn the Town as they had done several others thereabouts but the Colonel was very watchful and kept good Intelligence a main Matter in this Assair He was told of a Party that designed to burn the Town and he took care to have all his Men both Horse and Foot in readiness to welcome them but they heard of his Posture and durst not venture however on the Third of December he had notice of a Body of Rapparees that were not far from the Town and designed him a mischief he sends out Lieutenant Dent with Twenty Horse and ordered each Horseman to take a Musqueteer behind him when the Horse came almost within sight of the Rapparees they dropt their Foot who marched closely behind the Hedges unperceived by the Enemy When the Enemy espied so small a Party of Horse they Advanced