Carlow where he met with some Accounts from England upon which he exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on as far as Chappel Izard and there he was employed for about Three days in hearing Petitions some of which related to the violation of Protections and the Outrages committed by Lieutenant General Douglas's Party As also others about Abuses and Inconveniences from the late Commission and several Complaints were made against Col. Trelawney's Regiment then in Dublin Here the King gave Orders that Count Sehomberg's Horse Col. Mathews's Dragoons Col. Hasting's and Col. Trelawney's Foot with one Troop of Guards should be shipt for England A second Declaration and on the first of August published a Second Declaration not only confirming and strengthning the former but also adding That if any Foreigners in Arms against Him would submit they should have Passes to go into their own Countries or whither they pleased And another Proclamation came out dated July 31. Commanding all the Papists to deliver up their Arms and those who did not were to be look'd upon as Rebels and Traytors and abandoned to the discretion of the Soldiers A Proclamation for a Fast And at the same time was likewise published a Proclamation for a General Fast to be kept constantly every Friday during the War in all parts of the Kingdom under his Majesty's Obedience for asking God's Pardon for our Sins and imploring a Blessing upon Their Majesties Forces by Sea and Land At this time also Mr. Poyne Mr. Reves and Mr. Rothford Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal began to act and received Instructions from the King how to proceed And now the King received a further account from England that my Lord Torrington and several more were secured and that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented That the Loss at Sea was not so great as was at first reported and that the French had only burnt a small Village in the West of England and gone off again month August so that the danger of this being partly over His Majesty resolved to The King returns to the Army return to the Army he lessened his Baggage and Retinue giving his spare Horses to the Train and then on the 2 d of August went back towards his Army which he found then at Goulden Bridge on which day a Soldier was hang'd for mutining Here the King stay'd a day or two and had Accounts from several Deserters of the Preparations the Enemy was making for their own defence and safety On the 6 th the King with his Army march'd to Sallywood having the day before sent a Party of Horse towards Limerick And on the 7 th his Majesty march'd to Carigallis within five miles of Limerick Upon our approach thither the Enemy burnt and levell'd all the Suburbs as also set fire to all the Houses in the Country between us and the Town A Party sent toward Limerick On the the 8 th of August early in the Morning my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stuart were sent towards Limerick with about Eleven hundred Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon shot of the Town but met with little opposition from the Enemy and before they returned his Majesty went out with about Three hundred Horse being accompanied with Prince George the Heer Overkirk Major General Ginkle and several other great Officers When these went nigh the Town a Party of the Enemies Horse advanced toward them But Captain Selby of my Lord of Oxford's Regiment having the Advance Guard drew towards them with a design to charge them which they perceiving thought fit to draw homewards their Cannon firing from the Town several times Then in the Evening Lieutenant General Douglass with his Party join'd the Kings Army The 9 th of August in the morning early the King sends three Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons with a Detachment of One Thousand Foot commanded by Sir Henry Bellasis as Brigadeer my Lord Drogheda and Colonel Earle as an Advance Guard to make the first approach The whole Army make their Approach and all the Army both Horse and Foot followed in order About six a Clock our Advance Party discovered some of the Enemy upon the top of an Hill three Miles on this side the Town our Men drew up and then marched slowly forwards and as we proceeded the Enemy disappear'd by degrees till they were all gone off the Hill We drew forwards and about half a mile further we cou'd see a great part of the Town from a rising ground but could not discover the ways to it nor who were between us and it because of a great many thick Inclosures and Lanes in one of which the Enemy appeared again Our Men halted a little till the Pioneers had cut â—…wn the Hedges to the right and left which done they advanced and the Enemy drew back This took some time a doing and therefore the Front of our Army both of Horse and Foot came up The King was here at first riding from one place to another to order Matters as his Custom always was We cut the Hedges in a great many places and went forwards and the Enemy they drew homewards till they came to a narrow Pass between two Bogs within half a Mile of the Town The Neck of Land between these Bogs is not above 150 Yards over and this full of Hedges with a large Orchard a Stone Wall and also the Ruines of a great House upon the Lane-side which the Irish had burnt the Day before But there were Three Lanes that led this way towards the Town the middlemost being the broadest the Irish Horse stood in it on the Pass beyond this old House and whilst our Pioneers were at work the Front of our Horse went up so close that there were several little Firings but not much damage done on either side To the Right and Left of the Irish Horse the Hedges were all lined with Musqueteers of whom our Foot were got now within less than two hundred Yards The Pioneers laboured at the Hedges all this while and the Army made their Approaches in excellent Order The Detached Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Centre the Horse a little to the Right of them followed by the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Lieutenant General Douglas at the Head of them my Lord Drogheda himself being upon the Advance Guard The Danes were towards the Left led on by the Prince of Wirtemberg and Major General Kirk The Blue Dutch and several English Regiments were upon the Right All those were lined with Horse and these supported again with more Foot So that all Men that understood it said it was a most curious sight for though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet it was so ordered that the Front kept all on a Line except the advance Party who went always some distance before Whilst things were going on thus the King ordered Two Field-Pieces to be
the field But the Report of these Forces obliged the General to send a considerable Body of Horse and Foot that way and he himself February the 11 th went towards Drummore in order to wait the Enemies Motion It was very observable how much the Men and Horses were now recovered from what they had been two months before Sir John Lanier and Col. La Millinier were sent out with a Party who went as far as Carlingford and returned with an account that there were only 3 Regiments at Dundalk as formerly But the Design of the Irish lay another way for whilst the Duke was upon this Expedition Col. Woolsely had notice that the Irish had a design to fall upon Belturbet to which purpose a considerable Number of them was come to Cavan and more to follow in a day or two Col. Woolsely to prevent them marched from Belturbet with 700 Foot and 300 Horse and Dragoons he began his march in the evening thinking to surprize the Enemy next morning early the distance between being about 8 miles but he met with so many Difficulties in his March and the Enemy had notice of his coming that instead of being at the Place before day as he designed it was half an hour after day-break before he came in sight of it so that instead of surprizing them the first thing our Men saw was a Body of the Enemy drawn up in good order judged to be nigh 4000 this was severe but there was no help for it fight we must for retreating was dangerous Col. Woolsely encourages his Men and tells them the Advantages of being brave and the inevitable Ruin of the whole Party if they proved otherwise they were as ready to go on as he to desire it And then he sends an advance-Party of Inniskillin Dragoons towards the Enemy who were presently charged by a great Party of the Enemies Horse and beat back past the Front of our own Foot who were so enraged at them that some of M. G. Kirk's and Col. Wharton's Men fired and killed 7 or 8 some of the Enemies Horse pursued them so far that many of them were kill'd by our Foot as they endeavour'd to get off By this time the Body of our Party was advanced pretty near the Irish who were posted upon the Top of a rising Ground not far from the Town As our Men advanced up the Hill the Irish fired a whose Volley upon them and then set up the Huzzah but scarce killed a Man for they shot over them our Men however went on till they were got within Pistol-shot of them and then fired by which they galled the Irish so that they immediately run towards the Town We pursued and they retired to a Fort but Col. Woolsely's Men falling to plunder in the Town the Irish sallied out and gave us a very fierce Attack Col. Woolsely having 250 Foot and about 80 Horse for a Reserve the Enemy was beat off again their Horse flying beyond the Town and their Foot taking to the Fort. Our Souldiers got good store of Shoes and all sorts of Provisions and about 4000 pounds in Brass Money a great deal of which the Souldiers threw about the Streets as not thinking it worth the Carriage their Ammunition was blown up and their Provisions destroyed for Col. Woolsely was forced to set the Town on fire to get his own Men out in the time of the Salley The Colonel knew not what might happen and therefore he drew off his Men and marched homewards The Irish they say were commanded by the Duke of Berwick who had his Horse shot under him and in two or three days they were to have 10000 Men at Cavan to fall upon Belturbet and other places The Enemy lost in this Expedition Brigadeer Nugent and as they say O Riley Governour of Cavan with a great many Officers and about 300 Souldiers In this Action we lost about thirty with Maj. Traherne Capt. Armstrong and Capt. Mayo who were killed by pursuing too far a French Reformed Officer and Capt. Blood an Ingineer were wounded We took twelve Officers and about sixty Souldiers Prisoners who were brought soon after to Carickfergus I have spoke with several Irish Officers since and they will not allow their Loss to be so great or ours so little in this Action as we make them yet give us the Advantage to a great degree At the General 's return to Lisburn he received an Account from Col. Woolsely of this Action much to the same effect as I have related it Sir John Lanier's Expedition to Dundalk And on the 15 th of February Sir John Lanier with a Party of 1000 Horse Foot and Dragoons went from Newry towards Dunkalk it was in the Evening when he marched and next Morning early being Sunday he appeared before the Town The Enemy had Fortified it very well so that the Major-General did not think fit to attaque it nor do I believe he had any Orders to do it he drew up his Foot however on the side of an Hill between the left of our old Horse-Camp and the Town a good Musquet-shot from the Bridg his Horse he sent nearer somewhat to the Right at the side of the Lane The Enemy at the Allarm appeared without the Town at first but as we advanced they retreated till they got within their Works from whence they fired incessantly Whilst the main Body was so posted Maj. Gen. Lanier sent a party of Horse and Dragoons beyond the River who burnt the West part of the Town from Mortimer-Castle to Blake's House being a great part of the Suburbs At same time a Party of Col. Leviston's Dragoons attaqu'd Bedloe's Castle and took the Ensign that Commanded it with 30 Prisoners we lost a Lieutenant and three or four Dragoons and had four Horses shot Our Men brought from beyond the Town and about it nigh 1500 Cows and Horses The Ensign that was taken was brought to Lisborn and carried before the Duke into his Garden where he commonly used to walk before Dinner Before the Duke ask'd him any Questions me-thought he gave him a pretty Caution to be sincere in his Answers though the General knew at the same time he being a Prisoner was not obliged to say any thing You says the Duke have a Commission and for that reason if not otherwise you are a Gentleman this obliges you to speak Truth which if you do not I can know it by examining of other Prisoners and then I shall have no good Opinion of you After some publick Questions the Duke took him aside and talk'd with him nigh half an hour but I suppose he could or at least would say little that was material month March The Danes arrive in Ireland The beginning of March came 400 Danes from Whitehaven to Belfast and the Week following all the Foot arrived from Chester with the Prince of Wittemberg their General The Duke went down to see them and was very well pleased for they were lusty Fellows
Charlemont was surrendered Col. Woolsely went with a Party of 1200 Men to a Castle called Bellingargy in which the Enemy had a Garison of above 200 Men. This was seated in a great Water so that our Men must wade up to the middle to come at it Col. Foulks commanded the Foot and marched at the Head of them through the Water The Enemy fired and killed us several Men however they saw we were resolved to have it and so after several Fascins brought to fill up the Ditches and smart firings on both sides they hung out their white Flag and agreed to march away without their Arms. Col. Woolsely going down to encourage the Men was shot in the Scrotum but soon recovered We had 17 Men killed 43 wounded besides two Captains and an Ensign killed Three Gentlemen come from Dublin with an exact Account of the Posture of Affairs there About the middle of May came one Capt. King Mr. Wingfield a Lawyer and Mr. Trench a Clergy-men with five or six more from Dublin in an open Boat and gave the Duke a more exact Account than any he had formerly how all things went with the Irish As to the Civil Affairs the Government was in the hands of Five viz. my Lord Tyrconnel Sir Stephen Rice Lord Chief Baron Lord Chief Justice Nugent Bruno Talbot Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir William Ellis All Business in Matters Civil was done by them and if a Protestant petitioned the late King it was referred to those and never any answer given except it was indorsed on the Back this solicited by such an One who must be some eminent Papist and then perhaps it was answered These Men ordered all the Protestants Goods to be seized that were fit for Traffick and sent to France The late King pretended to pay them the half value in Brass Mony but that was scarce ever got and often if a Man was known to have Mony he was sent to Goal under pretence of High-Treason Col. Simon Lutteril was Governor of Dublin As to the Churches the late King seemed to incline to continue Protestants in them but what endeavours he made to restore Churches in the Country they were frustrated sometimes under pretence that the King had no Power in those Matters and some say he never design'd they should and therefore his Orders were not to be obeyed or else his Clergy had not so easily disswaded him from performing what he had promised except in the Business about the Church of Limerick wherein he observed that when it was for the purpose of the Papists to have the Protestants turned out of Town then they were very numerous and consequently dangerous but when the contrary answered their Ends as in the Instance of desiring the Church of Limerick then the Protestants were made very few which he took notice of and the Protestants at Limerick keep the Cathedral all this while They gave an account also that our Churches were generally shut up upon any Alarm from Sea or Report from the Army and the Protestants imprisoned As to the Military Affairs they gave an Account that the French about 5000. Men came to Dublin some-time after their landing being well armed and clothed Soon after the possession of the Town and Castle were given to Lauzun whom the French acknowledged to serve and not K. James and they were generally at free Quarter upon the Protestants nor would Monsieur Lauzun set his Guards in Town till he had possession of the Castle That all care was taken to provide Clothes for the Army by obliging the Clothiers to make so many Yards of Cloth a Month the Hatters Hats the Shoemakers Shoes c. And that they had considerable Stores of Corn and other Provisions at Drogheda Trim Navan Dublin Cork Waterford Kilkenny Athlone and Limerick The Method they proposed to deal with K. William's Army was to make good the Pâ—sses upon the Neury Mountains and at Dundalk to spin out the War as by Order from France and dispute their Ground without a general Battel till they came to the Boyne and there to defend the Pass but still without a Battel if they could help it they hoping in a small time to hear some extraordinary thing from a Party for K. James in England and from the French Fleet. Those and several other things they gave an Account of first to the Duke and afterwards to the King Towards the latter end of May we had several small Parties that went abroad one to Finnah and another to Kells bringing off Horses Cattel and some Prisoners And the 6 th of June Count Schonberg came to Belfast At the same time arrived our Train some Arms Ammunition and 200 Carpenters and other Artificers for the Service of the Army month June The King arrives in Ireland And now the general talk and expectation was of the King 's coming over who left Kensington the 4 th of June took Shipping at Highlake the 12 th and on the 14 being Saturday he landed at Carickfergus about four a Clock in the Afternoon His Majesty went through part of the Town and viewed it and notice being given immediately to the General who had prepared Sir William Franklin's House at Belfast for his Majesty's Reception and was there attending his Landing his Grace went in his Coach with all speed to wait on the King Maj. Gen. Kirk and several Officers that were there expecting the King's landing attended the Duke his Majesty was met by them near the White-House and received them all very kindly coming in the Duke's Coach to Belfast he was met also without the Town by a great Concourse of People who at first could do nothing but stare never having seen a King before in that part of the World but after a while some of them beginning to Huzzah the rest all took it as Hounds do a scent and followed the Coach through several Regiments of Foot that were drawn up in Town towards his Majesty's Lodgings and happy were they that could but get a sight of him That Evening his Highness Prince George the Duke of Ormond my Lord of Oxford my Lord Scarborough my Lord Manchester the Honourable Mr. Boyle and a great many Persons of Quality landed only Maj. Gen. Scravenmore staid at Chester till all things were come over who has taken a great deal of pains in our Irish Expedition There came also some Mony a-shore but exceedingly short of what was hoped for Next day the King heard a Sermon preached by Dr. Loyse on Heb. 6. 11. Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms and the same day came several of the Nobility Officers Gentry and Clergy to wait on his Majesty And on Munday Lieut. Gen. Douglass came from Hambleton's Ban where he had been Encamped for nigh a Fortnight and Dr. Walker with a great many more of the Episcopal Clergy presented his Majesty with an Address being introduced by Duke Schonberg and the Duke of Ormond To the King 's most Excellent Majesty
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
Garison of 80 Foot and Dragoons Upon some complaints from the North of Ireland on the 15 th the King sends out his Proclamation Commanding all to pay Tythes as formerly These troublesome Times have fallen heavy upon the Clergy of Ireland who lived very plentifully before and yet it will be a great while ere they be so poor as their Predecessors For they say in times past they had no other Rents or Revenues but three Milch Kine a-piece which the Parishioners exchang'd for others new when they went dry as Adam Brenensis a German tells the Story from themselves as they returned that way on a time from Italy Tho I suppose the People were then as ignorant as the Clergy poor but now the Case is altered and they want neither Encouragement nor Respect Sunday the 17. Monsieur Cambon our Quarter-master General was very diligent in order to have the Trenches opened that night and all things being prepared Seven Battalions consisting of English Danes Dutch and French Foot commanded by the Prince of Wyrtenberg Lieutenant General Major General Kirk Major General Tettau and Sir Henry Bellasis Brigadeer The King I suppose by this mixture thinking to raise an Emulation in his Soldiers or further that they might instruct one another several Regiments having never been in Trenches before they were commonly Seven Battalions on at a time and relieved at Twelve a Clock at night but this method was altered for a reason to be given afterwards This night we advanced our Trenches and attackt the Irish at the two old Chimneys the Granadeers threw in their Granades and then endeavoured to get over this occasioned a general firing from our Trenches and also from the Town the King himself was at Cromwells Fort to see what happen'd as he was constantly every night The Irish in the Fort made no great resistance but after once firing they cry'd out Murder and Quarter but made the best of their way toward the Town those that stay'd in the Fort were knock'd on the head The firing from the Walls and Trenches continu'd for at least two Hours longer by which time we had secured this Fort from the Enemies retaking it A Battery planted Next day being Monday the 18. we planted a Battery below the Fort to the right of our Trenches and dismounted some of the Enemies Cannon All that day the Guns plaid briskly on both sides and at night the Trenches were relieved by Lieutenant General Douglas my Lord Sidney and Count Nassau as Major Generals and Brigadeer Stuart We made our Approaches toward the Fort without the Wall and Lieut. Gen. Douglas's and Brigadeer Stuart's Regiments were posted towards the right It was dark when they went on and they did not perceive the Enemy to be so near them as they really were for there was at that time scarce Twenty yards distance between them they were ordered to lye down upon their Arms which they did and a great part both of the Officers and Soldiers fell asleep The Enemy perceived this and attack'd them which put them presently into a Confusion and several of them gave ground but presently recovered themselves and fired but they did not know at what The Danes to the left took our own Men for the Enemy sallying and so fired upon them they believed the Danes to be the Irish and so return'd the Complement The Irish fired upon both and they at one another This Confusion lasted nigh two hours in which time several were killed nor did the King or any body else know what to make of it At last our Men found their mistake and the Irish were beat in crying quarter and murder as they used to do After this his Majesty ordered the Trenches to be relieved in the day and our Men marched always in and out in the very Face of their Cannon The story of the Irish Deliverer About this time we had an Account of one Balderock Rho O Donnel of the ancient Family of Tyrconnel this Man was born and educated in Spain But there being a Prophecy amongst the Irish that he should free his Country from the English doing great matters in his own Person and more by his Conduct he was sent for on purpose and came to Limerick It 's incredible how fast the vulgar Irish flocked to him at his first coming so that he had got in a small time Seven or Eight thousand Rapparees and such like People together and begun to make a Figure but after a while the Business cool'd and they were weary of one another and he is only now a Colonel in Limerick They had another Prophecy also That we should come to the Field above Cromwell's Fort where stands an old Church where on a Stone hard by we should pitch our utmost Colours and afterwards be undone with a thousand such like Fopperies not worth the naming Tuesday the 19th our Battery plaid upon the Walls and also the Guns from Cromwell's Fort upon the Houses in Town And the Enemy were not idle for their Shot flew very thick His Majesty had a narrow escape insomuch that the King riding softly up towards Cromwell's Fort directly as His Horse was entring a Gap a Gentleman staid His Majesty to speak to him and in the very moment there struck a Twenty four pounder in the very place which would have struck His Majesty and Horse too all to pieces if His usual good Angel had not defended Him it struck the Dust all about Him however tho' He took little notice of it but alighting came and laid Him down on the Fort amongst all the Dust That Night we planted Four Twenty four pounders at the Angle of our Trenches near the South-east corner of the Wall where we made the Breach afterwards A Fort taken from the Irish Wednesday the 20th Colonel Cuts's Granadeers commanded by Captain Foxon and my Lord Meath's by Captain Needham were placed conveniently in the Trenches for an Attack and at Two a Clock in the Afternoon the Signal being given by firing Three Pieces of Cannon they leapt over the Trenches and ran straight to the Fort which the Enemy had to the Right of us at St. John's Gate The Enemy fired from the Fort and from the Walls our Men did the like from the Trenches and the Great Guns went to work on both Sides The Granadeers threw in their Granades and Captain Foxon made an Attempt to climb up but was thrown down again but entred at the second Trial and his Men with him So did my Lord Meath's Men with Captain Needham and in a small time we were Masters of the Fort. There were about Fifty kill'd in it and Twelve with the Captain taken Prisoners and some made their Escapes to the Town The Firing continued however on both Sides for above an Hour and all possible diligence was used to bring down Faggots wherewith to make up that side of the Fort that was open to the Town Before the Attack a Party of our Horse