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L161—O-1096 tt EVENING TELEGRAPH" REPRIN'ts.—V.
lEELAlSTD'S
ATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS
A SERIES OF ARTICLES
BY
WESTON ST. J. JOYCE
Reprinted from the ''^Evening Telegraph"
DUBLIN:
4*
33 MIDDLE ABBEY STREET.
1886.
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I PREFACE
In the following series of articles an endeavour has been made, without deference to eO sect or party, to truthfully delineate the leading battles fought on Irish soil from the Danish invasion down to modem times. From still earlier ages many great battles arc
recorded ; but in those remote periods history was to such an extent encroached ujMn, if not superseded, by fable and romance, as to render any detailed accounts almost valueless, except as legendary classics. Even in the Danish period, chroniclers appear to have possessed but a rudimentary appreciation of sober, truthful narrative. Bombastic and
extravagant exaggeration was their prevailing characteristic, and it is rather in collateral
and incidental issues than in the main narrative that we must seek for authentic details.
During the earlier portion of the Anglo-Norman period English historians are, as a
rule, very prejudiced and untrustworthy ; "but in the later Anglo-Irish wars, the official military despatches are calmly and intelligibly written, and, on the whole, are fair and
truthful.
In the case of the Williamite wars the authorities are more conflicting than in any
other Irish war ; but there are so many writers on this period, that a judicious examina- tion of them cannot fail to elicit the truth as to this great dynastic struggle.
It will be observed that the Irish won most of the great battles till the Williamite wars. This may seem inconsistent with the continuity of English sovereignty in the
country j but it should be recollected that these battles did not follow one another with
sufl5cient rapidity to have any very marked result, that in the innumerable minor conflicts
the English were more frequently victorious, and that the Irish, during long periods of
their history, were so busily engaged in petty inter-tribal warfare that they had no time to devote to fighting the invader.
The Danish war—the first dealt with in this series—ended at the battle of Clontarf, where the power of the fierce Vikings was crushed for ever in Ireland. A succession of
petty dynastic wars occupied the attention of the country from that time till the ill-
advised expedition of Robert Bruce, which left but little mark upon the sands of history,
and terminated with the life of its unfortunate leader at the battle of Faughart hill in 1318.
759 455 ly . PEBFACB.
Tho wiir of Hugh O'Neill Wiis tl\o most serious revolt ngniiist their sovereignty with wliich tlic Kuglish over had to contciid. After a sticcossion of victories leading up to the
battle of tho Yellow Ford, followed by tho abortive cam[)aign of l']ssex, tho tide at length turned in favour of England, and the Irish, with their S])anish allies, in IGOI, met with a
ruinous defeat at Kinsalo, Avhich completely broke up their forces, and loft tho country ^laralysed for a considerable period.
From the insurrection of IG U to tho Confedorato war and tho close of CromwoH'g
campaign in 1050, the country was one constant scene of tunudt and bloodshed, and the
history of this period is extremely perplexing, owing to tho strange complications and multiplicity of parties.
The Williamite struggle was tho sequel of the great "Revolution in England. James,
renounced by his English subjects, found it convenient to espouse tho cause of tho Irish
Catholics, and, with tho aid of France, hoped, if not to regain tho English throne, to at least establish an independent kingdom in Ireland. Throughout this campaign the
individualities of the rival monarchs present a strong contrast, .and there is little doubt that the great difference in their personal characters contributed largely to the issue of this momentous conflict, which closes the writer's detailed record of " Ireland's Battles and BattleiieUls," which are herewith republished from tho columns of tho Evening Tdegrujih.
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CONTENTS
Ths Battles op Rilmasiioour, Siilcoit, and paoe i'iiE Battle of tub Cuulif.u Pas.\ IAOQ.— iaov OlenMAMA—919-1000 A.D.— First v sits of the iissex's continued march thr
Assassination of Kini< Mahon by the Danes- besiege I Collooney (Jastle— English expedition Brian Bora succeeds him, and makes war unon to reli(!ve it un'ler Sir C. CliflFord—Clinord at-
the Danes—His march through Leinster -The tempts to march from lioyle to Collooney ; ia Battle of Olenmama—Death of tho Danish attacked in the Curlicu Aiountains ; his annjr prince, Harold—The battlefield 3"6 routed and himself killed -The Governor's
inonuineiit and tlie I'ass . . . Thk Battle of Clontarf, 1014 a. d.—Brian be- Yellow 29-31 comes Kinfc of Ireland—Uava(;os of tlie Danes- riiK Downfall of Usskx and the Campaign of Brian marches against them and lilorkadca MoUNTJOY AND Cakkw, 1600.—Essex's confer- Dublin—The blockade abandoned—Massing of ence with O'Neill at Ballyclinch'—E.ssex returns the Danish hosts in Dublin—IJrian ai^ain to London, is arretted and executed— Confer- marches on Dublin—Tho Jiattlo of Clontarf ence between Carew and Owny O'More— En- The battlefield—Death of King lirian, his son, courit(;r between the parties, and capture of Earl and grandson ... 7-11 of Oriiioude by Irish—The storming of (ilin Castle by Kii'^'Iisli -Surrender of The Careeii and Battles op tup, Bih;cf.s, l.'Jls- Carrigafoyle 1318. —Landing of Edw.ard Bruce in Ireland^ (/'astle — Ueatli of (Jwny O'.More near Jlarybioro' 32-M - Capture of Dundalk—Siege of Carrickfergiis I'liE Sii;ge a.vd Battle of Ki.nsale. —Arrival of Castle—Battle of Athenry—The IJruoes march Spanish fleet under Don Juau iitil Aguilha in on Dublin—Vigorous measures of tiie citizens- Kins;ile Harbour—Red lIughO'Donnell'sraarch Edward Bruce marches to Dundalk—Battle of through the Slieve Felim Mountains—Arrival Fai^hart—Death of Bruce, and total defeiit of of the English army—They invest Kinsale by the Scots ll"li] land anil sea—Surrender of Rincorran and The Wars of Hugh O'Neill.—The Irish besiege Castle-na-P.ark—Arrival of Hugh O'Neill—Dis- be' wccn Irish EnniskiUen Castle—The English despatch a sensions and Spaniards—O'Neill's propos.als • conToy of provisions to its relief—"The Battle overruled—The battle—Total defeat of Irish Spaniard.s . . of the Biscuits "—Capture of the crmvoy and the and 86-39 surrender of Enniskiilen—The i5,ittle of Clon- The Sack of Duxbdy and the Retreat of tibret—Encounter between O'Neill ami Sea- Ddnal (VSullivan Be\re, 1602-3.—Surrender grave—Tlie Irish besiege Armagh—A convoy of the Irish fortresses by Don Juan Del Agnilha sent to its relief—O'Neill captures tho convoy —O'Sullivan Beare takes possession of hia His strategy—The battle before Armagh—Sur- ancestral Castle of Dunboy and expels the render of the town 15-18 Spaniards—The English march on Dunboy—The rrRRELLSPASS AND Drumfluicii, 1597.—Feach siege and stonning of the Castle—The garrison MacHugh O' Byrne killed—Tyrrell's expedition hanged—Description of present remains of —Tyrrellapass, description of—The battle— castle—O'Sullivan homeless, retires with his Siege of Hallyshannon Castle—Storming and people to the mountains—Sets out fr m Glen- Capture of Portmore by Deputy Borough Larriff for Leitrim—His route—Is pursued and O'Neill's unsuccessful attack on Portmore harassed by his enemies—Repulses every attack
Conference with O'Neill . 19--22 —The survivors reach O'Ruarc's castle . . 39-42 Bellanaboy or the Vellow Ford, 1508.— The Battle of Bexhuub, 164G.—The English O'Neill's demands and Queen Elizabeth's reply— asseirtbb' in the north to march on Kilkenny O'Neill pardoned—O'Neill appears before Port- Owen Kiie O'Neill resolves to intercept them more—Consternation in Dublin— Expedition to He encamps on tlie Blackwater at Benburb relieve the fort—English massed at Aiinagh Tiie English general, Munroe, marches to Bagenal's advance on the Yellow Ford—The Armagh and thence by a circuit'ms route ad- battle—Death of Bagenal—Explosion of English vances on Benburb—Positions of the English powder magazine—Bout of the English—Survi- and Irish armies—The battle—O'Neill's tactics vors retire to Armagh—Surrender of Armagh —The Irish attack at sunset—The charge- andPortmore—The battlefield 22-2G Defeat and retreat of the English-The battle- The Disastrous Campaign op Essex, 1599.— lii;ld ., .. 43-46 Essex appointed viceroy—Land sin Dublin with The B vttlefields of Rathmines andCulleks- immense army—Marches for Munster—His WOOD, 1209-1649.—Old Rathmines the district of progress—"The Rattle of the Plumes"—Bar- Cullen—CuUenswood—Bristoli.on settlement in nagutty—Reaches Kilkenny—Captures Cahir Dublin—The colony annihilated by the Castle—Defeat of English under Sir Henry mountain septs at CuUenswood on Easter Harrington near B!>Jitinglass 26-29 ^Monday—"The Bloody Fields "—«anyA«r*''''
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*'•
CONTENTS.
description of the affray—Subsequent sklr- PAOR of his siege train—Sarafleld determines to in- PAOR iniHhes with the mountain septg. tercept it—His midnight inaruli by the Shannon Lord Unnonde, the Viceroy. bealegeH Dutilin —Ho surprisea the ci>nvoy,at Uallyneoty— Do- in 1640 and encarapa at Rathinlnea—He fortlflea atructirin of the siege train—William aeuda for Baggotrath Caatle—General Junes HalUus out a now sieco train—The siege commences— from the city and 8urprUe.<« Ormonde -Tlie broach made in the walls—'i he storming of tho Battle of Bathminea— Total defeat of tlie breach—The Wlllliimitea effect an entrance-
Boyaliat army—Uiatorv of BagKotrath Castle . . 47-61 Desperate flghtinp—The >Mlliaraite8 forced The Sirge of Dkrhy, lOSO.-The ahuttinj? of l)ac^ to the lireach- Kxplosion of the mine— Derry gates—The Jaco1>ito8 march on Dorry I'epulao of the Williamites—The siege aban- — Diaaensiuns within the town — The in- doned ...... 69-68 habitantM reaolve on resistance— Arrival of tlio I'liK Two SiEOKS OP Atiiixine, 1690-01.— General Jacohitea under King Jamos—The 8it>({0 com- Douglas marches on Athlone—The Siege—Tho mencos—The Battle of Windmill llill-Un Defence—Douglas retires and raisea the siege successful attempt of the Jaoobit«H to stonn the (liuckel advances on tho town—Capture of tho town— Great distreaa of the inhabitanta—Gene- Knglish town—The tight at the bridge—Tho ral KIrke arriveafrom England with supplies for Knglish repair the bridge-The Irish break It the gaiTison, but is stopped by the b(H)m— I he down— Desperate str igglo—The town captured garrison starving—The Jacobites again attempt through the carelesaneas of the garrison . . 68--A6 to storm the fown—Cruelty of De Rosen The garrison reduced to dreadful privations The Battle op Auoiirim, 1691.—St. Roth —Kirxe forces the boom and relieves the gar- marches to Aughrim—Tiie Williamites follow rison—The siege raised—Departure of tlie The respective forces— The battle — Skilful Jacobites ...... 61-66 manceuvring of St. Rutli—Capture of the Castle of Aughrim—Death of St. Ruth and defeat of 1690.— of The Battle op the Boyne, William the Jacobites—The battlefield . . Od~71 Orange lands at Carriokfergus—He marchea onthward—James retires before him and en- The Second Siege of Limerick and the camps on the Boyne-William takes up a Treaty, 1001.—The Williamites again march position on the opposite bank —Narrow escape on Limerick—The Siege—Tho tight at the draw- of King William—The roapectivo forcest— I'lan bridcre—The parley—Th- Treaty of Limerick- of the battle—Death of Calimotte and Schonberg Capitulation of the girrison—How tho Treaty —Brilliant conduct of the Irish Cavalry- was kept .. .. 71-71 Forcing of the Jacobite positiona—Strntogic Conclusion.—Revolt of the American Colonies advance of the Williamite riitht wing—llotreat —Grattan'a Parliament—Ilia Declaration of In- of the Jacobite army to Dublin .. ..56-69 dependence—Lord Charlemont and the Volun- The First Siege op Limerick, icoo. -William teers—Tlie French Revolution—The lirest Ar- appears before the walla of Limerick—Strength mada—The Rebellion of '98—landing at Killala of the besieging force—Tlie Iriah aluinduned by of the French under Humbert—The Union— their I^wich allies—William awaits the arrival Kmancipation of the Catbolica .. .. 74- -70
'n
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IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. THE DANISH WARS.
THE BATTLES OP KILMASHOGUE, SULCOIT,
AND GLENMAMA. \
N 796 A.D. the In 916 they defeated the King of Lebster at D a n • ftrat Cenn Fuat, said to be Oonfey, near Leixlip, viaited Ireland. where fifty Irish chieftains were slain. En-
Thouf^h ccm- couraged by these successes, another great rein - monly called forcement shortly afterwards arriTed in Dublin Danes, they came and encamped in the neighbourhood. Niall Dot only from Oluniuff, King of Ulster, hearing ef this fresh Denmark proper, invanon, marshalled his troops and clansmen, but also from and marched on Dublin to attack them, Norway, Swe- lite Danes then retired to the moun- den, and in general trom the islands and coasts tains, probably to choose tlieir ground, and on •f the Baltic. Finding that Ireland offered a fair Wednesday, 15th September, 919, the opposing tleld for plunder they soon came in larger forces met at Kilmasbogue Mountam, above numbers and organised a 8erie4 ef predatory Whitecburch, abeut six miles from Dublin, where expeditions, chiefly directed against the wealthy an obstinate and bloody battle was fought, in eceleeiasfeical establishments. wliich the Irish wore disastrously defeated, brave They contmued these raids, with few reverses, King Niall, with twelve tributary Kings and a ap to about the year 838, when, under Turgesius, great number of the Ulster nobles, being num- they established, themselves in Dublin, where bered among the slain. From the strange site they erected a stronghold, probably on the* hill chcisen for this battle in the mountains, then co- now occupied by the Oastle and Christ Church vered by primeval forests, ft is not onlikely that Cathedral. the Irish were entrapped into aa ambuscade, ns Once established in Dublin they gradually ex- they werA much less skilled in such artifices than
• tended their power, till in a few years a great their adversaries. The remains of a cromlech part of the country groaned beneath the oppi-es- within the grounds of OlenaouthweU, on the side sion »f these ruthless barbarians. of Kilmashogue Mountain, in all probability From abeut 912 to 916 a constant succession marks the spot where King NiaD or some of these of Danish fleets and expeditions poured into chieftains was buried after the battle. I inci- Waterford, taking possession of the town, such as dentally referred to it in No. VL of BanibU$ it vnta then, during which time it is supposed by Around Dublin.
some that they built Reginald's Tower, still A year after this reverse the Irish had ample standing perfect on the quays. They then ravaged revenge, for they defeated the Danes with great all south-eastern Muaster, occupying every har- slaughter at a place, unidentified, in the county bour and fortress of importance, and compelling Meath, where, in the words of die old chroniclers,
the inhabitants to pay tribute, " tli^re escaped not more than oioa^ t* te]l
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IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS.
what hntl happened; nnd tlioro fell of the uobleg advanced to meet them in the open. A furieus of the Nurseinou here as many an had fallen of the battle then commenced, no quarter being given
iiublea and plebeians of the Qaol (Irish) at the on either side; it raged till mid- day and resulted battle of Ath-oliath," meaning Kilmashogue. in a decisive and ruinous defeat of the Dames, for By 9G0 a great part sf Munster had fallen they weredriveu from the battlefield, whence "they
under the rule of the Danes, who levied black- lied to the ditches aad the vallies, and the soli- mail and exacted ruinous taxes from the unfor- tudes of that great sweet flowery plain," and were tunate inhabitants. Two illustrious chiefs of pursued till next morning by the viotorious Irish the Dalcoasian tribe, Mahon and his yuungor bro even as far as tlie fortress of Limerick, a distance ther Brian (afterwards the hero of Cloutarf), re- of twenty miles. solved to raise an army and endeavour to free In the dreadful confusion of the retreat their country from the tyi-unuy of the foieign and pursuit the gates of Limerick were flung yoke. Accordingly, taking all their people open to both victors and vanquislied, the and goods with them, they crossed the Danes beting slaughtered by the Irish in the Shannon westwards from Limerick, and stiects and in the houses, and thus this important went into the county Cloie, whore, from the fortress reverted to its rightful owners. It is re- fastnesses of the woods of Thomond, they ha- corded that the prisoners were collected en the rassed the enemy for a eonsidorablo perio^l by a hillocks of Saingel, now Singland, on the south system of guerilla warfnre. At length, after bank of the Shannon, aud part of the city of protracted disagreements and conferences be- Limerick, where everyone that was fit for war tween tlte brothers, the tribe decided upon as was killed, and everyone that was fit for slavery Burning a more aggressive attitude, and resolved was enslaved. Such was the common practice in on open warfai-e. Ivar, King of the Limerick these barbarous times. This great battle, which Danes, however, determined to forestall this took place in the year 968, completely shattered move. He at once proclaimel a war of exterini- the power of the Danes in Munster, the Burvivors natisn against tliem, and from far and near the of whom now entrenched themselves in Scattery Danes of Munster, as well as many »f the recreant Island, in the Shannon. Irish, flocked to his battle standard. Meanwhile Mahon, now undisputed monarch of Munster, the Dalcassians, under then' two chieftains, had followed up the victory of Sulcoit by breaking mai'ched into Muskerry on the borders ef Cork up the isolated settlements of the Danes through and Kerry, where they wei-e joined by a number the south, aud compellmg the wavering Irish of adherents, an
THE BATTLES OF KILMASHOOUB, SULCOIT, AND OLENMABIA.
t* ft preaiTanged plan, at hlia place nelected gress, became alarmed, and after a conference for the murder. Molloy watclied the o^saHsma- eflfected a treaty with him by which the
tioB from % iiUntance and waited till he naw the sovereignty of Ireland wa« divided equally be-
flashing; of the sword in the hands of the murderer tween them. Shortly afterwards—about 999 or and Mahon fall under the blow, upon which he 1000 AD—the Irish of Leinater revolted and mounted his horse and precipitately fled the joined the Danes of Dublin in a war against Brian, loene. It should be mentioned that the ecclesia^i- who, collecting his forces, marched northwards tics in guaranteeing Mahoa's safety acted in per- to besiege Dublin. On bis way he en*
fectly good faith throughout, hiiA ing been deceived camped at a place called Glen-Mama, or the Qlen of by Donovan and Melloy. the Gap, near Dunlavin, in county Wicklow, and The Danes gained nothing by the murder of thirty-two miles south-west of Dublin. Here he Mahon, for his brother Brian, a much more reso- w(M joined by Malachy at the head of his troops. lute and dangerout foe, now succeeded to the Meanwhile the Danes^ who had marched from throne. He nt ence commenced a campaign Dublin to intercept bicn, were approachin<; Dun- against them, and Ivar and his son were both lavin, where they intended to encamp. Their killesl ia Scattery Island, within a year after the way lay through Glenmama, bt^t on entering the
•It 4 'V f » ' ^'^^M
HOBbKFASS BRIDOB ON THB LIKFET.
murder. Next year he attacked and defeated an defile they found it blocked by the allied armies army under Donovan and the surviving son of •»f Brian and Malachy. They then, it seems, Ivar, both of whom were killed in the engagement. hastily made preparations for an attack; but the terrible Of his brother's murderers there now remained Irish were too quick for them, and in the but Molloy to be dealt with. Brian sent him a battle which ensued the Danes were totally de- peremptory challenge by a special envoy to meet feated, with a loss of several thousand killed, in-
liim at the scene of the murder, adding that if it cluding their Prince, Harold, the Heir Apparent were not accepted within a fortnight tlie Dalcas- to their sovereignty in Ireland. Mailmora, king sians. led by himself, would attack him in his of Leinster, escaped by concealing himself in a own stronghold. This brought on the battle ot yew tree, where he was discovered and taken Belach Lechta, in which Molloy and 1,200 of his prisoner by Murrogh, Brian's son. Brian pursued troops were killed, and the murder of Mahon, the fugitives the whole way to Dublin, which he finally avenged on the very spot where it was entered, plundering and burning their fortress committed. there. Malady ^I., who had been king of Ireland for The place where this great battle was fought is eighteen yeSM, hearing of Brian's victorious pro- recorded with minute details ae being in tl)*
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IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. neighbourhood *f Dunlaviu, though th« name and orunbling arches of a Teuerable-looking •f " Qlentnama" haa long since been forgotten ; bridge. Thia is Horsepass Bridge, which super- and eTen the very aputs where the dead wore seded the ancient ford, and was in its turn super- buried in proiniscueua heaps could be painted seded by the modern bridge of Poulaphuca. At out till recently by some of the old inhabitants. this place, as the name would indicate, waa in for- The ancient fortress of Dunlavin, the palace ef mer times a deep and dangerous ford, whiob, - the Kings of Leinster, stoed one mile due seuth except when the river was very low, could only
•f the medern town of Dunlavui. and higher up \>e passed on horseback. The old road from the hillside which forms the southern slope ef the Dublin crossed the Liffey here, and it can still be valley of Qleumama. The i-emahis are now gene- plainly traced for some distance at each side of rally known as the Moat of Tournant. From the ruined bridge. The Danish army must have thia the valley runs generally in a uorth-easterly forded the river here on their march from Dublui, direction and terminates about twe miles from and the survivors, in attempting to recross it on Dunlavin. their retreat, were killed er drowned in great After the first rout the Danes retreated back numbers. ftlong the delile and across the low hills which Towards the close of the laat century, when intervene between it and the ford of Lemons- some ef the wild swamps and moors around Dun- town, on a tributary of the Lifiey, where lavin were being reclaimed, the workmen came they attempted to rally, but only to be killed upon the pits where the slain were buried in in thousands. Their bonea are to this day heaps, but closed them up again on seeing what turned up in the fields near this ford, and several they were. About twenty years ago, when soma sepulchral mounds along the banks of the stream further excavations were being made hei-e, one of are full ef them. Another body of the fugitives these pits was again opened, and was found tu fled to Holly^'ood, about a mile and a half east- contain a great quantity of human bones, among ward of the ford, and on to the Horsepass on the which was a Danish sword.
Liffey, where they made a last but futile stand To the eastward of Glenmama is tlie old church- against the victorious Irish. A reference to a map yard of Crehelp, now almost indistinguishable of the locality will make these details much more and unknown. Within it conspicuously standi a intelligible. granite pillar or shaft, about five feet high. Dim Travellers from Dublin by the Blessicgten and tradition avers that beneath this rude memorial, l^altinglass rond, on approaching Poulaphuca, may in a warrior's gory grave, sleeps the fierce Harold, Save noticed up Uie tivar, to the left, the shattered SOD of Amlaff, Prince Rey»1 of the Norsemen of Erin.
' .^^ V -li-iutS li/iui ui^Vfr. S Iki-l^^ii^^^ .
THE BATTLE OF OLONTABF.
II.—THE BATTLE OF CLONTARF.
RIAN BORU 'baring defeated th« for his meanness in submitting as vassal to any Danes and th« Lemster Irish at Qlen< man, adding that his father or grandfather would mamR, adopted a policj of concilia- never have been guilty of such. tion t«wards them, in pursuance of This iueidenbgreatly excited Mailmora, and before
which he ft^ave his daughter in mar- long another incident occurred which precipitated riage to Sitric, King of the Dublim the inevitable result. Brian's sod, Murrogh, wu Danes, and himself married Gorm- playing a game of cheas with his cousin, when
flaith, mother of Sitrio, and sister of Mailmora, Mailmora, looking on, suggested a move by which Kingof Leinster. This Gormfiaith was a woman mt Murrogh lost the game. Murrogh, annoyed at celebrated beauty but questionable antecedents, .this, said, " That w«a like the advice you gave as she had been previously married to and repu- the Danes, which lost them the battle of Glen-
diated in turn by ' Amlaff, the Dane, and King mama," to which Mailmora replied, " I will give Malaohy II. She appears to have been of a deep them advice again, and they shall not be de- and vengeful disposition, and centinually hatching feated." Murrogh answered bitterly, " Then you mischief. Having forMcd this confederacy with had Wetter remind them to prepare a yew tree for his vanquished foes, Brian returned to his palace your reception," alluding to hia having taken at Kincora, near KiUalee, whither he was accom- refuge in a yew tree after Glenaama. Mailmora his court, was so much exasperated by this panied by Germflaith. Here . he held reply that he and received the homage of many priuces and left Kincora abruptly next memieg, and set out
chiefs. But the - great victery of Glen mama for Leinster, vowing vengeance against Brian and seems to have awakened in his mind the ambi- hia allies. On hia arrival he lost no time in tion to make himself ruler of all Ireland, and rousing his tribe to revolt, in which Uiey were accordingly, with this object, he organised a con- soon joined by the Dublin Danes. spiracy in violation of his treaty with Malachy to In 1013 they made an expedition into Malachy' depose him front the throne. After some trifling kingdom, ravaging it, murdering the inhabitants, engagements between them, Malachy reluctantly and plundering the churches, whereupoa Malachy gave his informal conseat to an arrangement by sent messengers to Brian to demand the proteo which he became a vassal of Brian's mih the tion to which he was entitled aa a vassal. Brian nominal title of King of Meatb, and then Brian collected his Dalcassian troops, with their allies, became sole King ef Ireland. and marched into Leinster, ravaging the hoetile Meanwhile Germflaith was plotting aa usual, districts with fire and sword. His son, Murrogh, and this time against Brian, her husband. Mail- in command of an auxiliary force, proceeded by a mora one day arrived at Kincora, bringing aa a different route and devastated the whole district present to Brian three pine maats which had been from Glendalough to Kilmainham. As the coun- out in the forest of Figile near Clonsaat, five try lying directly between these two places is even miles north-east of Portarliugton. In conveying now little more than a desert, it nuy be safely pre- the trees fiom that place Mailmora {.ersoaally sumed that his line of march lay along the coast. assisted in lifting one of them for a few momeats. The two armies, under King Brian and his son, met He wore a* tunic of silk with silver buttons, a at Dublin, the walls of which they surrouaded, present from Brian, and in the exertion one of forming a blockade. There they remained from tko buttons got torn off, which, on his arrival at 9th September till Christmas without a move Kincora, he asked his sister, Gormfiaith, to re- being made by either party, the Irish resting in place. She took the tunic, but, to his surpiise, their camp and the Danes keeping close within threw it into the fire, reproaching him bitterly their walls. Then, as events began to prove, i'
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BATTLEFIELDS. ft IRELAND'S BATTLES AND
WM ()h« b«a{egers who were renUy blockaded, for The weight of evidence would seem bo indicate their proviBiona became oxJiaustod long before that the battle was mainly fought south of the
those of til* besieged, ami bu Brian wan obligod, Tolka, instead of north of it. as has been generally much to his disappointment, t<» raise tlm siege iwsunied; in othur words, that the battlefield was »nd return to his headquarters in Munstt-r. not Clontarf, but the ground now covered by the
But the Danes well knew that ho wius not a Jnan north side of t he city.
to be easily dirertfid from his purpose, and accord- In-proof of tluH it is recorded that the progresi
ingly news soon ))egan to reach tliem <•! prf parationa of the battle was anxiously watched from the bat- for a second and greater expedition. Thoroughly tlements of Dublin by Sitric and the Danish gar- alarned, for they had not forgotten Olenmama, rison, who, it is stated, could distinguish friends and greatly distrusting t)ieir own strength to cope from foes. Those battlements must have been with him, they sent ambassadors to their various Bomewhcrc on the hill at present occupied by the allies abroad, to raise t)ie standard of war and Ciistle. Now, assuming that all north of che inyoke assistance for a final contest with this for- LiGfey was then open country, and without taking midable foe. All Scandinavian Europe now into account the inequalities and undulations of
brstled with preparations for the coming struggle, tlio ground, it may be bafely asserted that the
and every armoury in Norway, Sweden, and Den- range i»f distinct vision could not extend beyond mark resounded with din and clangour. In the the Tolka, two miles distant. following spring detachments began to arrive, The fact that the battle is now known aa and fleet after fleet poured into Dublin mighty "Tho Battle of Clontarf " does not aflford much cohorts of mailed and armed warriors in corselets clue to the site, for in the contemperary
of gleaming brass or glittering steel. And thrro Scandinavian records it is called " Brian's Battle" came nobles and chieftains •i mighty renown and in the Iiish records," the Battle of the Fish- from Saxon-land, from the far isles of Orkney, ing-weir of Clontarf," and there is good reason to and from the bleak Northern coasts. But Brian believe that this weir stood hot at Ballybough- unawed by those pi-eparations, strove night and bridge, aa has been supposed, but higher up the day to perfect his plans te crush " the proud in- Tolka, near Clonlifife, wliich was more likely tlie Tader." He again marched intc Leinstcr, mouth at that time. burning Howth and ringall. And whoa the Danes In 1763, when opening some new ground at from the buttlcmeuts of Dublin saw afar tiie Cavendish-row and Gran by -row.a great quantity ml blaze and glow from tlie plains <»f Fingall, they kuman bones, accompanied by the remains of knew that he was on the march, And tliey sallied arms and armour, were discovei-ed in trenches- " forth to attack him on the Plain of the Bird relics, no doubt, of this great battle. Flocks," which extended from Tallaght to Howth. The Irish account of the battle (Wars of the Brian was new -encamped on the Green of Dublin, Gaedhil xcith the Gaill) states that a few days be- probably at the norckern side of the LifFey, On fftre the engagement, part of the Danish army the eve ef Holy Thursday, hearing that the Danes sailed in their fleet to Howth, probably to attack were determined to fight next day, he held a the Irish there, but, returning, eSected a junction council of war with his nobles, and, after leng- with the main body wf the Danes and the Leinster thened deliberations, it wait decided to prepare Irish under Mailmora, upon which the battle com for battle, though they were very unwilling to menced immediately.
fight on a day hallswed by such sacred associa- From the foregoing facts, it may he reason-
tions. When Good Friday, 23rd April, 1014, ably concluded (1), that during the comhat the dawned the two armies stood face to face, de- Danish fleet was moored along the coast imme- ployed in battle line, waiting for the signal to be- diately north of the Liflfey, and that the Danish f^n, the Danish fleet lay moored al*ng the army formed on the shore with their northern side of the bay, and a small portion of backs to the sea ; (2), that King Brian Mieir army garrisoned the fortress of Dublin. having chosen his ground so that th«
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THB BATTLE 07 OLONTASF.
l^lStj Intftrpoaed batwem tha battleGeld and the Bonally engage in it, rode along in froafc of hie fortrew of Dublin, the Daaea were forced to army, and buIdiuK aloft the cross, th« emblem ti
ftbaodon Dublin as a baae of refuge and -to de- tlieir proscribed and persecuterl religion, reminded pend solely ou their fleet in caee of retreat, and them of the great sai:ritice of tliat day, and
(8) that the bulk nf tlie fif^htinp; t<;ok place, as I exhorted them to fight valiantly for their faith have stated, between the Tolka and Mie Lifiey. and fatherland. They then advanced to the The waters of Dublin Bay then flowed very combat, the details of which are given in extra- much farther inland than now, and tlie Bea>-hore vagant and bombastic language by the old epitended from about Gratian Bridge by Abbey histiiriann. street, O'Cenuell (or Sackville street), and thence The battle raged from early morning till about somewhat etuitward of Mountjny square eut to four o'clock in the eveuing, when, nearly all the the Tolka between Ballybough and Drumcoudra. DanLih leaders of note having fallen, tlie Iriah
Drumcorvdifto, Or
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CastleWO]
The position then of the twe armies in acti would lie, roughly speaking, in a line from the their centre, whereupon tho Danes having no one Four Courts to Drumcondra. Of course Dublin to rally them fell back in disorder. The confu- was then only a small town south of the Lififey, sion now l)ecame general, and they fled on every of which tliA LDanish) Castle was the centre or side; one portion attempted to reach their cf>m» citadel. rades in Dublin by crossing the Liffey at Duff- Just before the battle commenced, King Brian, gall's Bridge, supposed to have been near the who on account of his great age did not i^er- present Queen's-street Bridge, but the Irish had ft'tc'"- ^».^-.i-j A.v...... ^.,i.v -toiMiMiJiiiai&i ^_g^ . j*^ A .f^ •^»-i'J^-'»:Tj , 5'*.-»t»; * .T;'7'A*^S?'<-.''^' -w Pt 10 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. antioIp»t«d them there, and, cutting uff their noticed a imall party ef Dmim approaohbig, and retreat, net a man esoaped. Another large body directed hia attention to them. They were about fled back te the strand to res:aiu their ships, to pasa him by, when one of them recognised him hut when they reached the shore th«y found as the Irish King. Thereupon Bredar, the oom- ^at it was high water, and they were thus cut off mander of the fleet, who was one of the party, from all refuge in that quarter. In dosptiir mnny raised his i^Ieaming battle-axe and attacked him. threw themselves into the sea, and oiideav<)ur- Brian drew his sword, and with one furious blew ing to swim out to the ships were drowned in cut off his leg at the knee, but the fieree Viking great number.", A wood called Tomar's Wood before falling had time to cleave the King's head then fringed the northern shores of Dublin Bay, with his axe. So fell the mighty Brian Boru, th« and in this vroed some of the Irish took up a one Irish sovereign who rose superior to tho position, killing many of the fugitives who came petty jealousies and tribal disputes of his time, that way. and united his country in a supreme and suceesa- The Danes, now hemmed in between the Tolka ful effort to free it from the Danes, who at that on the nerth and the Liffey on the south, with time and for long afterwards held undisputed tlie Irish on their west side and the sea on the sovereignty in England. eaat, made a desperate rush to force a passage Brian's son Murrogh also fell in the battle. Ha across the Tolka, then swollen by the returning engaged in combat a Danish chieftain, but hii tide; here the greatest slaughter took place, the hand was so disabled that he had ta drop hia river bed being in places choked up with the sword; he then seized his adversary by the hel- bodies. A considerable number, however, suc- met with his left hand, and tearing off his armour ceeded in escaping across it and over to threw him te the ground. Murrogh then being the '' northern shore of the bay, and, uppermost, seized the foreigner's sword and being pursued, a running fight was kept up stabbed him thrice with it, but notwithstanding along the Strand from Clontarf out to Howth. this the dying chieftain drew hia long knife and The recollection »i this may have originated t)ie gave Murrogh a deadly wound of which he expired local tradition that the battle was fought at Clon- next morning. Brian's grandson Turlough, only tarf, though probably very little •f Uie actual 1 5 years of age, the sou of Murrogh, was found fighting took place there. It is likely, however, drowned at the fishing- weir after the battle with that the district of Clontarf was then more ex- his hands entangled in the long hair of a Dane tensive, and reached inland as far as Druncondra whom he had pursued into the river. and southward as far as the Tolka. Another tra Among others that fell in the battle were the dition states that a party of Danes who were pur- traitor Mail mora and Brian's nephew who played sued out to Howth took refuge on the Bailey the celebrated game of chess at Kinuora. They promontory, on which a ruined fertress stood, and fell in combat with each other. there defended themselves against desperate odds Thus at a blew the reigning family became ex till tlieir ships took them off in safety. tinct, and there can be little doubt that the The battle was all open fighting, the nature of dynastic wars which followed, bringing Ireland the greund admitting of no ambuscades and little to the verge of social and national dissolutioa, strategy. The combatants fought man to man ultimately paved the way for the invasion of Anglo-Kormaus. and breast te breaat, and the victory was gained Strongbow and the recorded by dint of sheer physical strength and personal Among the incidents of the battle it ia while the isaue valour. No mention is made of any cavalry that in the earlier part of the day, having been used in the engagement, though waa yet doubtful, Sitric, who was on the hattla- in Dublin, said, " Well there are evidences of the existence of Danish nients of his watch tower is the sheaf cavalry in Ireland before this period. do the foreigners reap the field; many Towards the close of the conflict, when King they cut down," to which his wife (Brian's will be seen at the end of Ijfjan waa praying in his tent, bis attendant daughter) replied, "That m^'^-T^z^^-'c^-^'^i^:^. *W^.w^ '' r'y^, '^ '^'^"j£:^'i- THE BATTLE OP OLONTAEP. 11 tha dny.** But when it mm ereuing, and the There is curious oerroberatlTe evidenee to Danes were im full retreat towards the show that the writer ef the Irish account of the ea, she said to him, in bitter ironj, -battle must have been an eye-witness or got his "The foreigners are gomg into the sea, their details from ena wbe was. It is stated that oa natural inheritance. I wonder is it to ceol tbeoi- the day ef the battle (23rd April, 1014) full tide aelvesf ' Whereupon he became so angered that he coincided with sunrise, and that the full tide again struck her a blow in the mouth which knocked out in tlie evening cut eff the Danes from their ships. one of her teeth I This has since Ween proved te be true by Dr Sitric was the son of Anlaif, and brether ef HaughtoB, T G D, who, without a knowledge of Hareld who fell at Olenmama, so that it may be the Irish account of the battle, by a difficult naturally suppesed that he felt great enmity to- and abstruse calculation found that on that wards the Irish. His marriage with King Brian's particular day it was high water at 5 30 o'clock daughter, which took place soon after Gleamama, in the morning and again at i 55 o'clock in Hm was a diplematic alliance for which Brian him- evening. self was mainly responsible. THE CAREER AND BATTLES OF THE BRUCE& Irish chieftains, on 26th Hay, 1315, Edward Bruce landed near Carrickfergus with an army of 6,000 men and a number ef Scottish efficers of distinction. They then sent hotae their ships determined, like the Dedaanane ef old, to leave no means of retreat. The colonists of eastern Ulster, under the great De Burgh, known as the Red Earl, encountni ed Bruce shortly after landing, bnt were utterly defeated by him at a place called Connor, uear Ballymenit, upon which a party of them re- treated to Carrickfergus aad shut themselves up in til* strong castle there. Bruce now marched on and took possession of Carrickfergus, at that time an important town and especially valuable to him on account of its proximity te Scotland. Itagreat castle, however held onty and as he had ROM the tiaie ef the Anglo- no adequate means of attacking it, he left a por- Norman invasions the history tion of his army there te maintain a blockade. of Ireland is occupied by a He was by this time sorely in want ef previsions, tedious succession of aimless and, marching southwards, he drew up his army in civil wars without any battles array before Dundalk, which was garrisoned by a of note till the era of the Braces in 1315. powerful English force. A reconnoitring party Tlie Battle of Bannockburn placed Robert Bruce sent out from the town returned with the cheer- on the thrcme ef Scotland, but in the wars with icg news that the Scots would be but " half a the English, his brother Edward had shown such dinner to them." But the Scotch attack was so vigour and ability that it became desirable to vigerous that the place was captured in one as- find some fitting position fer him. Ireland seemed sault, and Bruce's army triumphantly entered the to offer a likely field, and accordingly, an arrange- tewn, where they found abundance »f storea and ment having bees concluded with some ef the proTisions. 'A-M-.riS^-:''V' U:Vi,,-Jr.. .^i-.rHi^k^siAL^ :T*™.7f'l,*-#;5S. -'5 '. IS IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. After tliia great victory Bruce wm crowaed Neil Fleming, » brave old warrior who had won of King Ireland on the Hill ef Knock- his spurs en many a bloody field. He, seeing how namelin, near Dundalk. Hearing now that the. matters stned, resolved t* sacrifice himself and Viceroy was «n the march against hin witli an his party in engaging the assailants, so as to give army of 20,000 mmi, he left Dumlalk, and. mov- the Scots time t« get ready. Having sent a mes* ing westward, reached a great forest which then senger to Bruce he rushed forward, sword in lay south of Lough Ross in Monaghan. Here he hand, shouting, " Now they shall see how we can remained in concealment for a month with hia die for eur king." He received a mertal wound army, awaiting tlie coming of various Irish chief- in the combat, and nearly all his men were killed, tains who had promised him assistance. While but his heroic conduct cheeked the onset of the sheltering in this forest his scouts saw a large English. Mandeville, temporarily victerious, army movmg past in command ef the Red Earl. now marched in triumph through the streets •£ Bruce, hewever, did not show himself, as Carrickfergus till he was met by Bruce and his his army was greatly inferior in num- men. Gilbert Harper, a renowned Scottish officer bers, but retreated slowly northwards of gigantic stature and strength, recognising CAR HICK FERGUS AND CASTLE. and renewed the siege of Carrickfergus Mandeville by the richness of his armour, singled Castle. After about two months, the garrison him out, and felled him to the ground with a blow showing no signs of surrender, he wju» again of his battle-axe, where he was immediately de- obliged in December to 8Ui«pend active operations spatched by Bruce with a dagger. The English, till the following spring on account of the severity disheartened by the death of their leader, turned •f the weather. and fled back to the Castle, whither they were so On 10th April, 1316, Lord Thomas Mande- closely pursued by the Scots that the garrison ville, in command of a strong body ef had to laise the diawbridge and abandon thoir troops, marched to the assistance of the Castle, comrades to the mercy of their ruthless enemies. and succeeded in obtaining an entrance after a Bruce now closely invested the Castle, knowing struggle with the besiegers. Early next morning tliat their provisions were nearly exhausted, and at daybreak he made a suddfn and des[>crate about this time his brother Robert arrived from* sortie on the Scots, who were lying in camp Scotland with reinforcements, and assisted in the utterly unprepared for the attack. They .had siege. only sixty men on guard, commanded by one The garrison, now seeing thoir hopeless plight, - THE CAREER AND BATTLES OF THE BRUGES, 18 offered to lurrender on Slsfc May, uuless relieved O'Conors were all but exterminated, Felim in the meantime. This was agreed to by the brother atone survivmg. De Bermingham after Scots, and, when that time arrived, Bruce sent 30 tliis was made Baron of Athenry. •f hia men to the Castle to demand surrender. llie English, emboldened by this success, now They were admitted, but immediately made adopted more vigorous measures. The Mayor of prisoners by the garrison, who then raised the Dublin, in command of a band ef citizens, went to drawbridge and announced their intention to Mary's Abbey, then outside ih» city, and after a hold out to the last. Bruce accordingly kept up conflict, arrested the Red Earl on a charge of the blockade, and oy the end of August the be- complicity with Bruce, to whom he was closely sieged were reduced to such desperate straits for related by marriage. The Braces were now provisions that they ate their shoes, boots, and marching on Dublin, and took Castleknock, where horses, and ended, as the annalists (^Cox, Stany- they encamped. That night the citizens of hurst, etc) gravely inform us, by eating the 30 Dublin, frantic with terror, burnt the western Scottish prisoners, after which they were good suburbs of the city, and adopted such other de- enough to surrender unconditionally. fensive tneasures as deterred the Scots from at- Having left a strong garrison in the Cattle, tacking the place. The Bruces, now foiled, marched Bruce now proceeded southwards, and took up his along the green banks of the Lififey till they quarters at Lough Sewdy, uow Lough Sunderlin, reached the pleasantly-situated waterfall at at Ballymore, in Westmeath; thence he marched Leixlip (Salmon Leap), where they rested for iuUi the heart of the Pale by Hathangan, Eildare, four days. They now commenced a career of Athy, and Naas, where he was joined by a number plunder and destruction, and paaaiu^ on to Naas of the wild clans from the fastnesses of the Wick- reduced the ancient town to ashes. They next plun- low mountains. dered Castledermet Friary, and marched on to Meanwhile Felim O'Conor, a powerful Con- Kilkenny, devastating and burning ibm whole naught chieftain, who had been fighting on the country through which they passed. Their course side of the English, seceded from his alliance with could l'>e tracked by the fire and smoke ef burn- De Burgh, and openly declaa-ed for Bruce. Having ing towns and houses, and the unfortunate in- secured the assistance of the chief tribes of the habitants were reduced to such distress that great West he mustered an immense army in Cunnaught numbers died by starvation. and marched onAthenry, then the fortified strong The closing act in tlie career of this unhappy ^Id of the De Burghs and De Berminghams. On prince was now fast approaching. Robert had 10th Aug, 1317, was fought the battle of Athenry, returned to Scotland to look after his own king- said to have been one of the most bloody dom, and Edward, apprehensive of an attack and decisive ever fought on Irish soil. It was con- from Mortimer (Earl of March) again retired tested with heroic obstinacy, but tlie armour-clad northwards. John De Bermingham had assem- Norman hosts under William De Burgh and bled an immense army in the Pale, whence he Richard De Bermingham ultimately prevailed was advancing on Dundalk, whera Bruce was over the linen coated clansmen of the West. encamped. Notvdthstanding tho great numerical 10,000 of whom were left dead uijou the field. inferiority of his army, Bruce resolve*! to risk the Tlie trained English archers contributed largely issue of battle, contrary to the advice of all his to the issue of this battle, the Irish being no more officers, who wished him te wait for reinforcements able to stand against them than the French were hourly expected from Scotland. in after years at Crecy and Poictiers. It was a It is Slated that before the battle the English sad and disastrous day for the Irish arms, and" commander De Bermingham, who was anxious to almost extinguished the hopes of the Bruces in see Bru.e so as to identify him afterward-!, dis- the South. A great number mi the Irish nobility guished himself as a meudicant friar and obtained fell, asd tradition states that, like the Fabran admission iuto the Scottish camp, where Mus wan family of old, the nee powerful sept of the being celebrated- He made h\ nay te Bruce, ^ ^vy^j^:i T- •^wi':'.' ;-.,>,' 't^ u IREIJ^ND'S battles Aiy) BATTLEFIELDS. who WM on bis knees prayinpr, and never ceased one John Mapns, who struck him down with « asking him for alms till the King looked >? fi'om leaden plummet er slung-shot, and after the battle hut miaaal and ordered his attendants to give his body was found lying across that of Bruce. something to the troublesome mendicant. But It is said by some that Mapas had previously Bruce discovered the identity of this strange made himself acquainted with the King's visitor after his departure, and nt onoe divining appearance, and, knowing that the fortunes the object of the viait, ke obangnd clothes with •f the day depeadad on it, determined tm Gilbert Harper. kill him in battle, even at the cost of hi> own On Sunday, 14th October, 1318, the two life. armies met on the grassy slopes of the Faughart Hill is situated about tw* milM from Hill of Faughart, near Dundalk. Sir John Dundalk, and on its summit are the ruins of St De Bermingham commanded the English Brigid's churoh and churchyard, about a quarter FAUGHART HILL AND EUINS. and Lord Alan Stewart the Scotch. Bruce, •f a mile to the left ef the old road from Dun£ntfi| auxioua to personally secure the credit of the to Newry. The churchyard is still used as a expected victory, prematurely ordered a charge, burial-ground. About four yards from the which was repulsed with considerable loss. western corner, in a neglected grave, lie the muti- The English then made a rapid charge lated remains of the unfortunate and chivalrous upon the Scots, portiuu of whom stood Edward Bruce. His head was sent te England, a firm, but were quickly hewn down; the remain- ghastly present for the King. At the western der fled back to the Irish contingent. De Ber- end »f his grave is sua uninseribed, er at least mingham, notwithstanding his having seen Bruce, illegible, tombs tene, nearly horizontal, of which mistook Stewart for him, and slew him in single but little now remains above the soil. The hollow combat* on which the Scots fled in disorder. Bpa:e known as Carrickbroad, between Faughart Bmee was, however, subsequently recognised by Hill and the Moiry Pass, is still pointed out ^t^rt^f. THE WARS OF HUGH NEILL. 15 the spot where Bruce, haying gone eut from his those great qualities which mado his iDnstrieua oamp unguarded, was killed by Mapas. brother the victor «f Bannockbum. TakiBg a brief retrospective view ef Bruce's It is a remarkable fact that Faughart Hill was career, it is difficult to see how it could have the scene of another great battle in far earlier ended otherwise, and, except for the nu mber of times—732 a.d. —between Hugh Allan, King •{ Irishmen who fell in his caur^/, it is hard to Ireland, and Hugh Roiii, King of Ulidia, er regret his discomfiture. Though chivalrous Eastern Ulster. The King of Ulidia wan defeated, ' and brave, his hasty and impetuous dis- and beheaded on a stone called in Irish ' The position pre-eminently unfitted him for a posi' Stone of Decapitation," which is still pointed tion of authority, and his horrible sacrileges, out by tradition in the doorway of St Brigid's wanton cruelties, and inexplicable spirit of church on the summit ef the hilL The cause of destruction alienated the sympathies of those he this battle was the profanation of Kilcoonsy undertook to emancipate. He possessed but few of church, in county Tyrone, by King Roin. i THE WARS OF HUGH O'NEILL. I.—THE FORD OF THE BISCUITS. tremities for want of provisions, on which the Deputy ordered two expeditions, from Lelnster and Connaught respectively, to march to Cavan, then an English stroagkeld, where they were to unite and obtain supplies, and thence to preceed ' by forced marches to the relief ef EnniskiUen. The town of EnniskiUen is situated on an island in the centre of a deep and winding strait connecting upper and lower Lough Erne, HILE Hugh O'NeiU, Earl of embayed on all sides by mountains, to th« Tyrone, was wavering in his aUe- left ef which lay the English line of mftrcfa. Ma- giance to tlie English, but had not guire having heard of this expedition and its ob- declared yet openly for the Irish, a ject, relinquished the blockade of the oastle, and great partof the North was in rebellion. In 1594 the setting out with his own forces and some of Lord Deputy ef Ireland marched from Dublin with O'DonneU's, took up his position at a ford on the ft large force and besieged EnniskiUen, capturing river Arney, now spanned by Drumane Bridge, tlie castle there, and having placed a strong gar- about five miles south of EnniskiUen, across which rison in it he returned to Dublin. When Hugh he knew the English must pass. In a few days Maguire, one of the rebel chieftains, heard of the the expedition arrived and halted near the ford, Deputy's departure he despatched messengers to where they were unexpectedly assailed after night- Red Hugh O'Dunnell requesting his assistance to faU by a heavy fire from the Irish, which was besiege and re-capture the town. Toung O'Dun- maintained at intervals throughout the night. nell, who had only just escaped from his prison m Next morning the English advanced en the ford Dublin Castle, gladly responded to this demand, in three lines, between which were the baggage and, marching to his assistance, they both laid and provisions, the flanks being supported by siege to the castle from the beghining of June cavalry and musketeers. till the middle of August, when O'Donnell left to As they approached the river they were fiercely meet some Scottish allies who had just landed in attacked by the Irish musketeers and pikemen, tiie Forth. The garrison contrived to send word but they fought stubbornly ea, cut their way to Dublin that they were reduced to great ez- through thelrisli, and crossed the ford. But now '': iArjf-i. . tliia body of tlie Irish, cut in two and driven to valuable spoils were left behind ky the English, the sides, attacked and forced the English flanhs besides the cenvoys of previsions which were in- iu upon their centre, and, pouring in a destructive tended for tke Tictnalling ef the fortress of En- fir«, threw them into confusion, on which they were niskiUen. charged in front by the Irish pikemen, which in- When the garrison ef Enniskillen Caatle heard creaeed tlie disorder. The three lines becane of the defeat of the relifving force, they sur* hepelessly entangled in the baggage between thetu, rendered en condition of their lives being spared, and becoming commingled, the whole ferce was which was agreed to ky Maguire, and they accord- broken up, and fled back across tke ford in tumul- ingly departed i« safety. On account of the tuous confusion, leaving all their previsions and quantity of provisions left behind by the Eaglisk, baggage along the river banks. A great slaugh- Maguire called this ford BaUinabriska, or "The ter was made, and many steeds, weapons, and other Ford of the Biscuits." II.~CLONTIBRET. In 1595 both Armagh and Monaghan, by the Irish, when a body of English cavalry, held by English garrisons, were closely in- led by a gigantic Meathian officer named Seagrave, vested by the Irish under Hugh O'Neill, dashed across the stream and fiercely charged the who had now thrown off all disguise and was in Irish horsemen led by O'Neill in person. Sea- open war with the Government. General Norris, grave singled out O'Neill, and rushing to meet who was commanded by the Deputy to march to him, those two doughty warriors shivered tli«ir the relief of the beleaguered garrisons, attempted lances on each other's corselets. The single to victual Armagh, but was repulsed after a combat became so exciting that the opposing severe stiuggle, in which he was wounded. Soon troops on either side, as by common accord, afterward*, however, he succeeded in throwing grounded arms and awaited the result in silence. provisions into Monaghan over the walls of a Seagrave now attompted to drag O'Neill from his monastery in which the English had fortified horse by main force, and O'Neill grappling with themselves. O'Neill hearing of this, resolved to his gigantic adversary the two rolled on the intercept Norris on his return march, and ground together in deadly struggle. Hie Irish choosmg his ground at Cloutibret, a small village chieftain, though the smaller, wm much the more six miles south-eivst of Monagkan, he drew up bis active oi the two, and drawing his sword he troops in battle array on the left bank of a small buried it deep in Seagrave's body, beneath hia stream which runs northward through a valley armour. Boundmg up victorious, O'Neill now enclosed by low hills. Here he awaited the quickly remounted his horse, and leading his approach of tlie English. cavalry to the charge, swept like a whirlwind When Norris arrived he attempted to force a down upon tl;e English, who turned and fled passage, but wa^ driven back. Again and again headlong acrosfi the stream, leaving tkeir standard he tried, but was as often beaten back, each time and 700 dead behind them. Norris hastily re- he himself bravely charging at tlie head of his treated to Newry, whence a detachment of the man, and being the last to re tiro. Both he Jand English, who had learned of the disaster, came to his brother, Sir Thomas Norris, were now meet him, and iu a few days Monaghan waa wounded, and the day seemed appaiently won surrendered to the victorious Irish arms. III.—ARMAGH, In 1596 Armagh waa stiU held by the encamped at EiUoter, in the neighbourhood. The English. The garrison was strong, and waa town being an important one, O'Neill was anxious nrutected by an army under Norris, which lay to expel the Engliah from it ; bnt not having tke THE WAKS OF HUGH O'NEILL. 17 mstarialB for % ,Biege, he attacked Norria and and iring, rushed to their battlensonts, from drove him frem his encampment till he toek re- which they saw what appeared to be a detachment fuge in the town. Here I^orris left *>f their countrymen in full march to relieve them 500 men to reinforce the garrison, retiring wich provisions; then they saw the Irish make an with the remainder of his army to Diindalk. onslaught on them, and a furious battle O'Neill did net seek to molest him, but when he seemed to proceed. Both parties kept up a tre- was gone, sat down before Armagh and inter- mendous fire with their muskets loaded with cepted all the supplies for the garrison, so that powder only, and the quasi-combataots fell on famine ensued. The English in Dundalk hearing every side according to instructioas. After a of the sore distress of their comrades, sent a con- while the English seemed to be over-matched; voy of provisions to their relief under escort of the Irish were pressing fiercely upon them, pour- three companies of infantry and a troop of horse. in? in a terrible fire, brandishing their battle-axes, O'NeiU, tired of the monotony of the blockade, and shoutmg ferociously the while. This was now bethought him of a stratagem by which he more than the hungry garrison could Lear. Staf- might capture the U)wn at once. Hearing of the ford, the commander, gave orders that half of ARMAGH. approach of the convoy, he made preparations to them should take up arms and advance rapidly to meet it on the way, and succeeded in capturing it, the relief of their countrymen on che battlefield. and makmg prisoners of the escort. He now Wk«n they arrived they found to their amaze- ordered a number of his men to strip the English ment that both English and Irish united in at- prisoners of their uniform and attire themselves tacking them —nay, even the dead and wounded in them, and at daybreak marched them towards on the battlefield marvellously revived and as- Armagh with English colours flying, as if corring sisted in the attack. So dumbfoundered were they to the relief of the place. The previous night he by these extraordinary pr«>ceedings that they had had btationed an ambuscade in a ruined monastery scarcely the strength to defend themselves. After « little to the south-east of the town. O'Neill a brief though gallant struggle they were worsted now pursued the supposed English up to near the and attempted to return to Armagh. But now ruin, upon which commenced a fieice sham battle the party in the monastery, s&Uying forth from between them, the party in the ruin remaining their ambuscade, cut oflf their retreat, and thus, hidden all the time. surrounded ou all sides, they were SDPedily killed The garriseu of Armagh, aroused by the tumult or taken prisoners. StafiTord, who commanded C ; 18 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. de remainder of the garrison in Armagh, seeing " Now don the convoy's garmenta, and tak« their aUiK the futility of further resistance, surrendered to dard, too—" Twas thus at break of meminc out spake our gallaafe O'Neill, and was permitted by him to retire with Hagh; th« surviTors to Dundalk. The Irish then entered " And march ye toward the city, with baggage, arms» Armagh in triumph ; but O'Neill, whe preferred and all. •fiiensire to defensive measures, and was unwilling With all their promised sneooor, and see what shall befall.' to garrisoB it, dismantled the fortificatiens and evacuated the town. We donned their blood-red garmenta, and shook their Soon afterwards the English, under the Deputy^ banner free. We marched us towards the city, a gallant sight to see < again entering the town, restored the fortifica- Upon their drums we rattled the Saxon point of war. tions and held them till -tlie Battle of the Yellow And soon the foemen heard us, and answered from afa& Ford. • • • • • • • The monastery in which the ambuscade was With all his rushing troopers, out from the wood he stationed, though a very extensive ruin in the 16th sped. century, has since been gradually dilapidated and Their matchlocks filled with powder—they did not want the lead— removed for building pui'pn;es, and but little of it And well they feigned the onset, with shot and sabre now remains. stroke. And deftly, too, we met them with olouds of harmless smoko. THE TAKING Od' AEMAGH, 1596. tossed their saddles, to imitate Twas fast hy grey Killoter we made the Saxons run ; Some them from tho We hewed them with the claymore and smote them slain; with the gun. Whole ranks fell at each volley, along the bloodies* " !'- Armagh ! Armagh cried Norris, as wild he sparred plain; •way. And groans and hollow murmurs of well-feigned woe And sore beset and scattered they leached its walls and fear that day. From that strange fight rang moumfally upon the foe* man's ear. Aias, we had no cannon to batter down the gate. Up heaved the huge portcallis, round swang the pon- To level fosse and rampart ; so we were forced to wait. derous gate. And leaguer late and early that place of old renown. Out rushed the foe to rescue or share their comrades* By dint of plague and famine to bring the foeman down. fate; And fiercely waved their banners, and bright their lancea VTe camped amid the valleys and bonnie woods about. shone, " Merrie England !" they cried Bat spite of all our watching one gallant wight got our. And George for as they fell Till far Dondalk he entered, by spurring day and night. on. And told them of oar 'leaguer, and all their wofui plight. Saint Columb 1 the storm of laughter that from our ranks arose. As up the corpses started and fell upon our foes; Twas on a stormy twilight, when wildly roared the blast, As we, the routed convoy, closed up our thick ranka Up to our prince's standard a scout came spurring fast, well. And told him how that convoy—four hundred stalwart red pike, and I men- And met the foe with claymore, petronel Had pitched their camp at sunset by Oartan's woody glen. Yet stout retired the Saxon, though be was sore dis- trait. Till, with his ranks commingled, in burst we through We swept npon their vanguard, we rushed on rear and the gate; flank nien soon the Bed Hand fluttered upon their highest Like corn before the sickle, we mowed them rank on towers. rank. And wild we raised our triumph shoot, for old Armagh And ere the ghostly midniiflit we'd slain them every one— was ours 1" I trow they slept far soimder before the morrow's dawn. Robert Dwyke Joycs. THE WABS OF HUGH O'NEILL. Vd IV.—TYRRELLSPASS AND DRUMFLXnCH. in his army named Richard Tyrrell, Lord ef Fer. tuUagh, in Meatk, an Englishman by desoent, and one ef his own personal friends and ablest eom- manders. His capabilities for sustaining fattigue and peculiar talents eminently fitted him to com- mand a flying expedition, for there waa not a mountain pass, bog, or wood in aU the eeuntry-side with which he was net M r'N 1597, after the capture ^f Armftgh, thoroughly acquainted. O'Neill aecordinghr 1 11 Red Hugh O'DonHell and a number of despatched him with 400 light infantry to march ^''C Irish cbieftauis entered Connaught by a circuitous route through Leinfeter and get with their troops, raTaging and burning the assistance of the Wicklow clans. Tyrrell the hostile towns. In Leinster, the great Wick- marched through the whole of Heath without low chief, Feagh MaeHugh O'Byrne, was be- meeting an enemy, and now, having reached trayed inte the hands of the English by seme Fertuilagh, his own territory, lying south of Mul- ef hia kinsmen, and killed in the wilds ef Bal- Ungar, he rested a while. While reposing hia linacor, near Rathdrum. Lord Thomas Borou^ little army here in the woods around the beau- was appointed Deputy this year, and one of his tiful Lough Ennel, news reached Mullingar of his first acts was to deprire Sir Thomas Nerris of his whereabouts, on which young Barnewell, confi- eommand, and send him to gorern Muneter with dent of success from his superiority of numbers, his brother. Borough was a much more able and sallied out to attack him. Tyrrell then retired to determined man than his predecessor Russell, and Tyrrellspass. had orders to presecute the war yigoiously against Tyrrellspass is a village prettily situated in a the Irish. softly rolling country, about twelve miles south After some fruitless attempts at a confert,nce of Hullingar. There is no " pass" here in the between the belligerents, a truce of one month ordinary signification ef the word, but at that was agreed to, though the object in view by both time there were impassable bogs at each side of parties was to rest and ceUect their forces. The the narrow road, and at the western extremity of month having expired, the Deputy set eut for the village the castle of the TyrreUs guarded the Ulster in cemmand ef a powerful army, and only road to Achlone. Its crumbling ruins are directed his ceurse towards Armagh, while Sir still to be seen be->ide the road. Cenyers Cli£ford, geremor. of Connaught, simul- Immediately westward ef Tyrrellspaas is taneously adranced with his troops to Boyle, and the small hamlet of Killavalley, meaning " the thence marching by the western shares of Leugh church of the way or pass," so that it is evident Erne he was to effect a junction with the Deputy that the pass extended from the old caatle along in the North. by the site ef this village. The Anglo-Irish of Mea'..h, being anxious The name ef Tyrrellepass is merely a transla- to distinguish themselves in service tion of the original name— " Ballagh-an-treely," against O'Neill, aasembled at Mullingar to the meaning " the road or way of the family of number ef 1,000 men, also te join the Depu^ in Tyrrell," and se called because they owned the the North. They were oemmanded by young castle that commanded the passage of the ad- Barnewell, a sen ef Lord Trimblestoa. O'Neill, jacent road. Most writers unacquainted with the in Ulster, hearing of all these preparations against locality, in describing this battle, have eonsc> him, saw that something should be done at once quently fallen into the very natural error of sup* t* create a diversion and check the flow ef troops posing that it was fought in a mountain paas. The to the North. For this purpose he chose an officer "paas," however, must have been then a very ;—; ; 20 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. awkwRrd place U be okught in ambu«o«d«, fer Ob! sunset is the sweetest of all the hours that be For titere wm uo uoape at the aide*, one ahould muslnf lone, or tale of lore, by glen or forest tree; But its radianoe bringeth saddening tlioughts to him either adTatii e ur retreat. whoae good right hand When Tyrrell, who waa aome diataao* aorth of Must guard his life in the eoming strife 'gainst tlie foe C'hia, beoaiiin aware ef fiarnewell'a approach he of hia fatherland; For he knows, thinking fell baek till lie gained kite pau, whiek he aade when lonely by hia Hniall tent on the plain, still nore dangeroua by placing felled treea and Ihe glories of the kinking sun ho ne'er may hbo affaln. otli«r obttruokiona along the aidea of the road. Brave Tyrrell xat that summer eve amid the fure»t liilli. He tliaa at dawn secreted half his little aroay, un- With hold O'Connor at his side, by Inny's founiuin der Owuy 0'C«inner. in some brushwood near tlie rilla- tuiirance to the ''piua," while he hiaaelf boldly Bravo Tyrrell of the flying camps, and Owen Oxe of Cong— marched forward aa if to meet the eaemy. When And round them lay thuir warriors wild the forest t(lade lite Kogliah oatiia in aight he appeared «o heaitate, along. (liuu ilowly retreated, ae aa te draw them after Four hundred men of proof they were, thene warriors liim iutu the paaa. They followed impetuously, free and bold; In many a group they sat around the green skirts of the I toping to aanihilaie hia little band, wold hut tlie menent they had all deiiled Some telling of their early loves, and soaie of mighty pHat the ambuscade the ahrill notes of deeds. the pipes from O'Ouunor'a party resounded In regions wide by Shannon side, in (Jalien of the steeds through the morning air to the tune of " The Somo cursing the Invader's steps, and wishing for the Tyrrell's March." This being tlie preeoaoerted fray, bigaal, Tyrrell turned about, faced hia puraners, That they might sate their burning hate ere the close of and aa«ailed tliam in front, while Oway O'Gouuor that bright day. and his man atepped forth from their hidiag-plaoe and attacked theca in the rear. Now up the woody mountain-side the battle rolls along The English, eatircly hemmed ia aad unable Nuw down into the valley's womb the tugging warriors to deploy, oa account of the boga aad obatructiena throng at the aidaa, fought with the energy of deapair, As hounds around a hunted wolf some forest rock be- hut were completely defeated and aanihilated. neath, Whence comes no sound save the mortal rush and the Voung BaruewsU wae the only prisoner, aad of gnash of many teeth. the theuaand who had set out from MuUiagar Their charging shouts liave died away—no sound rolls l>ut three d»ys before, oaly ene ether eseaped by upward sare The volley of the murderous gun and the crash of axe piuugmg up to hia aeek in a quagHire, where he and glaive I lay ooacealed by the reeda and aedge till night. Oh I life, it ia a precious gem, yet many there will He brought news of the disaater to MuUingar. throw U'Oonuor fought with such fury that day that hia The gem uway in the mortal fray for vengeance on the fue. htuid swelled within the fcuard of his sword, and And thus they tug more silent still, till the glen ia I'lid to be released after the battle by the aid of covered wide a tile. With war-steed strong, and sabred corse, and many a gory tid& XYRRELI.SPASS. a.D. 1507. Hurrah ! that about it roUeth up with cadence wild and stern; By Ri-aelRl DWYBK JurcE. 'lis the triumph rpar of the gallowglass and the sharp Uy the flowery baaka of iniiy the burninc suuaet fell. yell of the kern 1 In many a stream and golden gleaia, en hlU, and mead. Hie foeman flii-a before their steel—not far, not far he Mod dell. files; And frtnn thy shorefl, bright Ennel, to the ita-oft In the gorge's month, in the valley's womb, by the mountain crest. mountMn foot he dies; O'er plain and leafy wildwood there was peace and quist Where'er he speeds, death follows him like a shadow ia rest. his traoka— : THE WARS OP HUGH O'NEILL. n He meet* the uleam of the fMrfnl pike and the sharp Dunganaon, O'Neill's stroagkold. The modern aad gorjr axe I BlackwatertewB is supposed to be aear the site of llirir leader of the boasting words, joang Trimbleston, was ta'en, Portmore. After the capture ef Armagh the Irish And his rbamplons all, save one weak man. In that bloody took this fort aad expelled the small garrisoa fforge were tlain from it, and now Borough was marehroir ea it He sped him on, unchased by kern, nnsmote by gallow- with 1,500 men, te place it onee aiere in the Rlnm, ef slight Tliat he miRlit tell how bis comrades fell that mom In haads the English. He met with some TyirnirHPass. resistance ea the way, but ultimately forced a pae- sage acress the river and teek the fort by sterm, Meanwhile Sir Coayers Clifford had marched the Irish garrisen, hewever, nunbering enly forty friSin Bojle to Sligo, and thence to the Erne, which naca. The official despatehes on the subject neo- he croBied after a serere struggle at the Ford of tion that the rampart was so high, the diteh ee Ath-Cooloeii, half a mile west of Belleek. In this deep, and the hedge befere both so plashed (in- eugageofieut lie lost one ef hin principal officers, terwoven) that the 1,000 English had enough to Murregh O'Brien, Baron of Inchiquin, who was do, without tvsistance of any enemy, te break •hot when midway across tke ford. Clifford threugh the one and scramble up the other. It having been sent some cannon hj sea from Qal- is also mentioned that the embrasures of tlte fort way, next laid siege to Ballyshannou Castle, which were so badly constructed that the cannon could WM defended with great oliatiaacy by the Irish only sweep the slopes ef the oppoeite hill, while and Spanish garrison. After the cannon had the ford waa left unguarded except by mus- been playing on the castle for three days without ' keteers. any satisfactory result, the Knglish under eerer of While they wore engaged in prayws and thanka- a testude mads a determined effort to sap the givings fer this success, the Eugliah were iater- foundations, but the garrison hurled such a rupted by the reappearance ef the Irish in an tremendous shower ef rocks and missiles of every unexpected quarter, oemmanded by O'Neill in description on them as broke the testudo, and person. Tlie Deputy ordered an advance against forced them te retire, leaving some dead be- then, but it was repulsed by the masterly t*ctics hind them. Next morning Red Hui^fa of O'Neill, who had divided his foroe inte two O'Duunell unexpectedly arrived with a large parties sufieiently aear te assist each other. force, and besieged the English in their own camp. When the attack was made the two divisions Clifford, now overmatched, resolved to retire, and cealesced te meet it, and in the engagement which accordingly, in the grey dawa ef meraing, he earned the Deputy was severely wounded. He silently and stealthily recrossed the Erne at a died at Newry shortly afterwards, it is supposed, dangerous ford immediately above th« eataraot »f his injuries. The Earl ef Kildare waa also v.—BFTJJNABOY, OR THE YELLOW FORD.* oonsequenee of any further disagreement it is diffieult to say, but it is certain that he never acknowledged it. On the 7th June the last truce expired, and two days afterwards O'Neill appeared with an army before the fort of Portmore "swearing by his C* si PS -^ ^'^^ Hugh barbarous hand that he would not depart till he had O'Neill, Earl carried it." The brave Williams and his men in- of Tyrone, side the fort were by this time nearly famished after which with hunger; they bad eaten all their horses, his demands every blade of grass, aud every bit of weed and were submit- herbage that grew upon the walls; and each morn- ted to Queen ing they anxiously strained their eyes over Uie Elizabeth. southern hills, hoping to see the English flag flut About the toring in the breeze or their spears glinting in tho THB O'NBILL arms—" THX middle ef the morning sun. BLOODT HAND." following They still managed to subsist a while by making March her an- sallies out of the fort aud capturing some of th« awer was received, and another •eaference Irish troop horses; but even that forlorn hope was waa held to communicate it to him. Her now cut off, for O'Neill surrounded the fort Majesty was willing te pardon him upon with immense trenches more than a mile in eertaiu specified conditions, some of which length, sevoial feet deep, with a great thorny went fair enough, but others were entirely hedge over it. Every approach to that unhappy unreasonable, and these latter he objected fort waa " plashed " (rendered impassable with to. An arrangement of some kind seems to have felled trees and interwoven boughs), and tho Irish been concluded, for the pardon waa actually army were so scientifically distributed that it waa drawn up, bearing date 11th April, 1598, and impossible for a relieving force to approach &om aaled virith the Great Seal of Irel&ud. O'Neill, any quarter without fighting a battle under avery however, now refused to accept it, whether in disadvantage. * In writing the account of this famous battle, I have used the followinc authorities :— State Papers of Queen Elizabeth on "The Jomey of the Blackwater," published in Kilkenny Archaeological Joomal Harerty's Ireland Moryson's History of for 1866-7 ; Annals of the Four Masters ; History of ; Ireland ; Facsimiles ol Kational MSS., edited by John T. Gilbert, Esq., M.R.I.A. THE WAES OP HUGH O'NEILL. When mesMBgert brought thu newi to Dublin army preparing to eentest thoir paosagoMroos tho it oaused grMt anxiety ; frequent and prelonged Callan rirer, which they must cross on thoir war meeting! of tho Oounoil were held in the Cutle, to Portmore, five miles distant. and opinion* were dirided u to the coune to bo On Monday, 14th August, 1598, tho Englifeh punued. Some would hare Williami make tho marched from Armagh with bands playing aixi best terms he could and surrender tho fort, but colours flyins;. They advaaeed in nx rogiMont* thui proposal waa OTorruled by tho military formed into three divisions, about half a miie olemont. Marshal Bagenal urged that an ex- distant ftom each other, tho Tan being eom pedition should at once start for tho relief of manded by Colonel Cosby, the middle or maiu Portmore under his own command, and ultimately body by Sir Thomas Wfaigield, and tho reor by this sup;geBtion waa adopted. New, it happened Colonel Cunie. Marshal Bagoaal rode in the Tan. that O'Neill and Bagenal were bitter personal The horse waa diTided into two bodiea, and oom- enemies, for Tyrone had married tho Marshal's manded by Sir Calistkenes Brooke. When they sister much against her brother's wishes, and out had marched about half a mile from Armagh, this their of grew a deadly feud between them ; no that course lay between a bog on tho one side the Qovernmont thought no fitter man could be and a wood at tho other, and here tho Irish chosen to crush this proud northern rebel than sharpshooters, who had concealed thomselToo m his brother-in-law and mortal enemy, Marshal Sir the brushwood at tho sides, opened a hoary fira Harry Bagenal. upun them, which was maintained tho whole way to tho trench. This trench was a formidable ob- stacle; it was fire feet wide, four feet deep, and plashed with thorn bushes. The ranguard bad a large field-piece, which stuck fast in tho )>ogg>- ground as they approached tho trench; but, boii^ exposed to a heavy fire, they had to leave it be- hind them. They then charged tho Irioh, and forced their way across tho treneh. Hm main body, under Sir Thomas Wingfield, next eomii^ up, endeavoured to extricate tho gun, bat tlM Irish crowding around them, killed tho oxen ttet drew it, and one of tlio wheels breaking, tho nmin body had likewise to abandon it. Hie drspatchri say that it caused serious obotruetioa to the UN THK BbACKWATEU. troops from lying right in tho line of naardi. Accordingly, early in August the exped?tioo, Meanwhile tho vanguard, having p^aod tho consisting ef 4,000 foot, 400 horse, and some field trench, were advancing, and, having crosaed oomo artillery, started from Dublin in command of tho rising ground, were lost to view from tho i«aain- Marshal and Sir Thomas Wingfield, bringing with der ot the army. The main body haTii^ been them supplies and ammunition for Portmore. considerably delayed by tho fioid-pioco, ICankal The OoTernment had nearly double that number Bagenal sent a message to the ranguard to rotnm of troops aTailable, but by an unaccountable act of and wait for tho rest. All tliis time heavy firing stupidity,insteadof despatching their whole forces was heard from tho rear, and tho Marshal, foarirg «gaiust O'Neill, they diyided them, sending half that tho last division waa hard boaot, sent Wing- under Ormonde against the Cavenaghs of Leinster. field to its assistance, while he himself w«nt for- Bagenal and his army marched by Drogheda, ward to the van. Just then Wingfield aaw tba Dundalk, and Newry, to Armagh, where they rear coming up, and spurred forward to tell tho pitched their camp immediately outside tho city Marshal, who raised his vizor to look. At (ha* walls. From here tkey could see O'Neill with his same instant a bullet from an unknown 24 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. man pierced hia brain, and ttie brave Bageual succeeded that night in escaping with trifliHg loss, I'ell dead at Winfc field's feet. though he was pursued for aeveial miles towards When the Tanguard, already nearly ererpowered Newry. by the Iriah, received the order to retura, it ap Meanwhile the Iriah continued to besiege peara t<> have alarmed them considerably, for they Armagh, and both partiea kept up a fire at each wheeled abouc in su disorderly a faahiou that the other for three daya, at the expiration of which Irish instantly fell upon them, broke their ranks, time the English ceased hoatilities and sent mes- .-^nd drove them back in a eonfuded body to the sengers to the Iriah to say that Pertmore would '' trench, where they were aearly all slain, and their be surrendered if its garrison were permitted to colours captured. The aurvivors, retreating, wildly come to Armagh anMolested, after which they rushed into the ranks of the advancing main engaged to surrender Armagh itself if given body, causing considerable confusion. At the quarter and escorted to their own territory. same time a soldier, carelessly replenishing his The Irish then held a council to con- pouch, let fall a spark iuto one of the barrels ef aider this offer ; some were for putting all powder, exploding it and several others beside it. the garrison to the aword, but they finally The explosion was tremendous, and the surround- agreed to the conditiona proposed, and sent ing hilly ground was enveloped in a dense smoke a message back to that effect. A number of for the rest of the day. By this accident many Irish and English officers then proceeded to of the English were killed and another of their Portmore, and, on their telling the garrison how pieces disabled ; and before they could recover the case stood, Williams surrendered the fort, from their confusion they were charged by the and he and his famished companiona came to Irish eavalry, led by O'Neill in person. The Armagh to join the rest. They were then all result waa utter rout and slaughter—the English escorted into English territory. retreating in a disorderly mass to Armagh, pur- It should be mentioned that it was not a usual sued by the Irish the whole way, " in couples, in proceeding in those days to allow a garrison to scores, in thirties, and in hundreds." The English surrender on such easy terms—in fact it was the loss was about 2,000, and the Irish about 400. almost universal practice of English commandera The survivors retreated to Armagh and shut to put them all to the sword, so that this act of themselves up in the town. They found, how- O'Neill shows that he was a man of humane and ever, on taking count of the provisions, that they generous disposition. Ixad not more than would suffice for ten days at the The Battle of the Yellow Ford was undoubtedly utmost, and that there was no provender at all tor the greatest defeat ever received by the English the horses. It was therefore proposed by some that upon Irish soil —it was the climax of a long serie» thoy should retreat to Newry. But aa Newry was of successes achieved by O'Neill, and nearly twenty milea off, and the road lay through a severed the slender connectioa between the two broken and difficult country, the chances were countries. Camden says of it — " Tyrone that, pursued and harassed by the enemy the triumphed to his heart's desire over his adver- whole way, few would ever reach the friendly sary, and obtained a remarkable victory over the shelter of ita walls. In this perplexity the officers English ; and doubtleas, since the time tliey first' conferred long together and decided that the best aet foot in Ireland, they never received a greater plan was for Captain Montague, in command of overthrow^thirteen atout captains being slain the horse, to attempt to cut his way that very and 1,500 of the tommoa soldiers, who, being night through the cordon of Irish that environed scattered by a shameful flight all the fields over, the walls, and then ride with all possible speed to were alain and vanqukhed by the enemy. Thi» Newry and southwards to alarm the Pale and was a glorious victory for the rebels, and of bring relief. Captain Montague aaaented to this special advantage, for hereby thoy got both arma arrangement, atating that he waa willing to risk and provisions, and Tyrone's name waa cried up his life in so good a cause, and he and his party all over Ireland as the author of tkeir liberty." a — ! THE WAKS OF HUGH O'NEILL. 25 Why, it may be aeked, did Dot O'Neill follow fined marsh or bog, which still retains tlao up the victory by marching on Dublin ! Why historic nasso of " Bellanaboy." The thickest ml did ke permit the garriaou ef Armagh to march the fight took place upon this spot; and a quarter oubhwards and swell tlie ranks •£ the attenuated of a mile north of it stands a whitethorn baah " army of the Pale ? There waa then, apj^areutly, called Qreat Man's Thorn Tree," under whidi. no garrisen in Dublin, and a thouaand men according to tradition, sleeps the brave MarahnI would .have captured the Castle without difficulty Sir Harry Bagenal, who fell as befitted % ^indeed, its terror-stricken warders would pro- soldier. Near the battlefield is "tbo bably have surrendered it without a struggle. Yellow Ford" across the Callan Rivw. On tke The only explanation of this apparent remissness 6-inch Ordnance Survey map of tho district tho is that O'Neill prvbably knew that even if he battlefield is marked by crossed swords above tbo secured possession of the capital he could not hope words " Beale-atha-buidhe. 1598." to bold it long against the myriads that would be A strange variety of weapons were used in this battle guns, despatched against him , so that in thib respect — matchlocks, crosa-bows, long bows, he perhaps only showed his sound judgment. battle-axes, swords, spears, and lances. Tho English wore armour, but the Irish fought am usual in their linen tunica. The lengthy despatches and State correspon- dence on "The Jorney of tbo Blackwater," ao this campaign was called, leave no doubt that the blockade of Portmore and the subsequent defeat of tho relieving force inspired the Government with the greatest terror. One of tho letters (whidi, however, was never delivered) is trom tho Lords Justices to Tyrone, begging of him to spare the survivors of tho army cooped up in Armagh and THB FORT OF PORTMORK, 1598 (200 PACKS LONO). Portmore, lest he sltould further incenao her (From a contemporary drawing.) Majesty. Queen Elizabeth, who seems to have The battle was essentially a scientific one— bad mare courage than aU her Irish cuuneillora, game of skill between two brave commanders was furious when she read this communication, and consummate tacticians, and is most interestmg and wrote back a scathing letter to the Lorda to analyse in detail. Both sides fought with Justices reproaching them for their moauness and great valeur, and there has been no accusation ef cowardice. The letters from tho Lords Justice* cowardice made by either. Briefly summarised, to the English Privy Council are couched in tho the prezimate cause3 of the defeat may be most abject and suppliant language, prayiqg aid to be —(1) The superior generalship of for assistance to save them from tho Irish O'Neill, who completely out-naauoeuvred his "rebbeUs." tdversary. (2) The excessive distance which The following spirited lines by Drennan aiv intervened between the English vanguard, main perhaps the best on the subject : body, and rear guard respectively, whereby each of these divisions was cut to pieces before By O'Neill close beleaguered, the spirits might droop Of the Saxon three hundred shut up in the coop. tho others could coma to its assistance; and (3) the Till Bagnal drew forth his Toledo, and swore disastrous explosion of the powder magazine, On the sword of a soldier to succour Portmore. which disranked and disorganised the English linos, BO that they fell easy victims to the im- His veteran troops in the foreign wars tried. petuous charge of the Irish cavalry. Their features how bronz'd, and how haughty thMr stride, Two miles due north of Armagh, not far Stepped steadily on; it was thrilling to see from the CaDan river, is a small well-de- That thunder-cloud broodinc o'er Beal-an-a-bni D : 26 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. The flash of their nrmonr, iciaid with fine gold, Their faces to Heaven : there were others, alack Oleaming matchlocks and cannons that mutterincly By pikes overtaken, and taken aback. roUed. store, With the tramp and the clank of those stern cnirassiera, And the Irish got clothing, coin, eoloun, great Dyed in blood of the Flemish and French cavaliers. Arms, forage, and provender—plunder galore. niey munched the white maachets, they champed tbe . • • . f • brown chine, Lnnd of Owen Aboo I and the Irish mshed on : Fnliluab for that day, how the natives did dine 1 Hie foe flr'd but one Tolley—their gunners are gone. Before the bare bosoms the steel coats have fled, The chifcftain looked on, when O'Shanaghan rose. Or despite casque or corselet, lie dying or dead. And cried: "Hearken, O'Neill, I've a health to propose- And braTe Harry Bagnal, he fell while he fought, To our Sassenach hosts," and all quaffed in huge gleo. 'With many gay gallants : they slept as men ought. With Cead mUle/ailthe go ! Beal-aN-A'-boi t THE DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN OF ESSEX. AOENAL'S death and tho sigaal plenary powers—almost those of a king—and en- disaater at tho Tellow Ford trusted to his eonmand a vast army of 20,000 caused great consteniacioD in foot and 2,000 horse, one of the largest ever sent England. The military prowess into Ireland. His instructions were to neglect all landing of O'Neill, great aa it waa, was the insurgents of lesser note, and on te exaggerated, and Moryson saya march at once with all his forces to reduce rebel- of him — " Tho generall Toyee lious Ulster. With this splendid army he landed was of Tyrone amongst tho English after the in Dublin on the 15tii April, 1599, and was sworn defeat of Blackwater, aa of Hannibal among tho in the same day. Romans after the defeat of Cannae." But now his ineptitude became manifest. In Elizabeth was greatly exasperated at the catas- direct violation of his instructions he divided hia trophe and wrote indignant letters to tho Irish army, sending 3,500 men, under Sir Henry Har- 4}oTemmemt, upbraiding thorn for dividmg and rington, to Wicklow to check the O'Byrnes and wasting their forces in petty contentions with tho O'Tooles, 3,000 more to Sir Conyers Cli£Ford in Tobels of Leinster. To replace Bagenal, who waa Coanaught, and ho also seat garrisons to Dun- aa honourable man, she sent Sir Richard Bingham, dalk, Drogheda, and Naaa. Thus his fine army an officer who had distinguished himself by the was soon scattered all over the country, and he most savage acta of brutal butchery in Con- had now but 7,000 left. With these he marched naught. He died, however, almost immediately against the Munstor Geraldiues, instead ef pro- ou landing in Dublin, so that he had not time to ceeding against O'Neill, as he had Ween ordered. repeat his exploits. Sir Samuel Bagenal, brother Having reached Athy he seized a fortified bridge -of tho late Marshal, waa then sent to Ireland with across the Barrow, by which he advanced with iS,000 men to replace the losses at tho Yellow Ford. his force into the Queen's County. He then pro- England's best generals— De Burgh, Eildare, ceeded by the Caatle of Rheban on to the English Norris, and Bagenal—had now been successively fortress ef Maryborough, vrhich he victualled, and hurled bnck in ignominious defeat trom tho fron- next encamped on the slopes ef a high hill called tiers of Ulster, and Elizabeth felt that if Ireland Crosby Duff, abouk three miles farther south- were to bo retained at all it would be only by a ward. From the summit of this hill, which com- supreme effort of all the powers of the empire. manded an extonsive view, he surveyed the sur- By some strange infatuation she appointed as Lord rounding coimtry, and directed his march accord- Lieutenant her Court favourite, Robert Devereux, ingly. But he waa not unobserved. Owny Earlof Essex, a young man only 22 years of age, O'More hung on his flank, and, with his scouts with little experience and absolutely devoid of securely postod on the Dyaart hills, waa kept prudence and judgment. She invested him with apprised of every movement. ' " THE DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN OP ESSEX. «7 At Crosby Dull^ Essax marshalled his ranlcs and About fifty years ago, when the foundations of tidTanc«d by tha Ballyknockam cross-roads to- an eld building near Ballykneckan Houee were wards Ballyroan, knowing that th« eneny wer* being excavated, cartloads of human remains ware Mmewhere in that diractton. His course lay exhumed and removed by the workmen. Consi- thratifk almost impenetrable woods, which derable quantities ef these remains also lie in the afforded secure corer for the Irish, and enabled high gravelly ground between Ballyknoekan cross- them to form an ambuscade. The road here tra- roads and the Castle. The tradition of a great versed a narrow winding defile, and this place battle haring been fought here is still quite vivid Owny O'More selected for' the attack. The en- amenf the peasantry ef the neighheurhood, wIm gagement which ensued has been minutely de- ay that the ight raged fer about half a mile scribed by Sir John Harringten, an English officer along this road, which was strewn with dead whe fought on the occasion. His account is pub* bodies. The battle terminated at a bog eaOed lishcd in " Tractt Relative to Ireland," VoL II. ' Monecn-na-fulla," meaning " the little bog of the The road passed for a mile through a dense blood " in which skulls, human remains, and arms weed, and was plashed at the sides with trees have been found from time to time. •nd boughs, behind which the Irish main- On account of the great number of plumed hel- tained an intermittent fire, and at one place mets found in the pasa after the battle it got tbe they had dug a deep trench across the road to name ef Bamaglitty er " The Pass of the delay the passage ef the English. Adjoining Plumes." This name is, however, now obeelete the woed were bogs, quite safe te the lightly- and forgotten. equipped Irish, but which the English dared not It should be mentioned that the site ef this attempt, and in a small village between the wood battle was unknown until it wassatisfaeterily iden- and the bog the Irish were massed in consider- tiled and all controversy set at rest by the invee- able numbers. tigatiens ef the Rev John Canon O'Hanlea, To force a passage through this dangerous de§Ie M K I A, te wkese paper on the aubjact in the Pro- Essex divided his army into three divisions. ceedings of the Royal Irish Academy I am in- Before the vanguard marched the forlorn hope, debted fer my local details. consisting of "forty shot and twenty short This was the first reverse experienced by Kaeex, weapons," and they were ordered not to discharge and from the letters he wrote to the Privy them " until they presented them at the rebels Council subsequently it seems to have impraeeed kreaats in the trenches, " and were te suddenly him vTith a greater respect for the fighting powetB enter the trench at either side of the vanguard. ef the Irish than he previously had. The baggage and part of the horse preceded the After this engagement Essex marched te Bally- Main body, and in front ef the last division were ragget, and thence te Kilkenny, " a cytty when placed the remainder of the horse, except thirty, the Earl of Ormend is resident." Here he was re- who in command of an officer cempleted the rear. ceived with great demonstrations by the Kt^^^ill^ The Irish apparently allowed the first division inhabitants. He next preceeded by Clenmel to " to pass unmolested and then fiercely attacked the Cahir, where in the midst ef the ryver Snyre middle and rear, throwing them into partial con- lyeth an Hand, the same a naturaU rocke, and fusion, Meanwhile the vanguard had hurried en upon yt a castle which, although it may be nei till they emerged from the pass into the open built with any great arte, yet is the scite aneh by plain, where they halted for the rest to cone up. nature that yt may be said te be inexpugnable. The English of eeurse greatly outnumbered their {"Tracts Relative to Ireland.") When he assailants, and would have easily defeated them reached the castle he sent officers to in the open, but, being unable to fight to advan- parley with the garrison, but failing to induce tage in the pass, the battle partook ot the nature them to surrender he made preparations for • of a running attack by the Irish and a hurried siege. Accordingly he planted cannon in poaitkm, inarch by the English te gain the open country. and, having sent SOf men te take possesaiaa cf — 28 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. the bawn who expelled " feheae beastes," aa the Irish were killed, but Norris received his death Irish are hert elegantly dtsignated, he com- wound, and was carried to Kilmallock where h» menced a vigorous cannonade which s«*n breached died six weeks later. the walls. Hearing that some reiBforcements Meanwhile bad news began to arrive from other were advancing fr«m Mitchelat«wn to the relief of parts of the country, and ill luck appeared te at- the castle, he ssnt Sir Christopher St. Lawrence, tend all the expaditiens. Sir Henry Harrington with 300 w«n, to break d«wn a bridge over wliich sustained ascriens reverse at Ranelagh, near Bal- the relieving force would have t* pass. tinglass, in couBty Wicklow, ef which a most de- The garrison, seeing themselves tbutii cut off from tailed account is given by himself. According this expected relief, endeavoured to leave the to this naiTative he set eut with his troops castle under cover of the night, but they were dis- from Wicklow anil marched to Ranelagh, but covered by tlie English, who feU upon them, ascertaining that the Irish were massed in and killed about eighty . of thena. The great force in the neighbourhood he attempted English tiien took possession of the castle and to return next day. The Irish followed and soon placed a strong garrison in it, and Essex advanced overtook him, keeping up a running fight fer some to Limerick, leaving the wounded at Clonmel. miles. Another party of the Irish teok a short cut to a ford, across which the English were to pass, and intercepted their van. Tlie main body of the English were seme distance behind, and be- fore they could come up the vanguard fired off their pieces recklessly, and thnu, throwing Ihem away, turned and fled. One of tlie officers who had charge of the colours also rau away, aud a large number of pikemen in the main body broke from the ranks and followed his example, throw- ing away their arms, and even stripping them- selves of their clothes ! Harrington writes "All that I or tiieir captains could do could never make one of them eBce to turn his face tewards the rebels." Another officer. Captain Ather ton writes, "When we came to the rear we found some of the rebels killiBg our men, they making no resistance, nor CAHIR CASTLE. —once turning their faces towards their enemies" While the English were storming Cahir Castle, " never offered to turn or speak, but as men Sir Thomas Norris, Governor of Munster, came to without sense or feeling, ran one upon another's Kilmallock to meet Essex, as he knew he weuld baek, it being not possible to break, by reason of pass that way. He had been nearly a fortnight in the captains, who endeavoured by all meaas to the town before the Earl arrived, and in the stay them, but in vain." interval was in the habit of daily sceuring the Essex, on hearing of this disgraceful defeat, tirrounding roeuBtains accompanied by his hastened to Dublin, and held a courtmartial on soldiers t.o try if he could not capture or kill some those responsible, and the lieutenant, who had of the " Irish rebbels." He happened ene day te charge of the colours, with one out of every ten meet a well-known rebel, one ef the Burkes of seldiers, were executed. Sir Henry Harrington CaatleeoBnell, with d,bout 100 Irish soldiers; a was also suspended for a time, thcugh he was net sharp conflict ensued in which some 20 of the te blame in the matter. THE DISASTBOIJS CAMPAIQN OF ESSEX. THE BATTLE OF THE CURLIEU PASS. and equipment to the Eagliah, thoy winly avoided general eagagements, but hung on thur flanks and rear, dogged their footsteps, cut off stragglers, and greatly impeded thoir mov*- ments. From Lismore Essex marched to Dangarvan and Waterford, still followed by the Qoraldiuee ; but at Waterford they left hina and returned to their own ceuatry. He remained for aome days N Juue, 1599, Essex left Limerick oity, in Waterford examining the forts and harboTurt; and preceeded t* Adare. Next day as also inspected fort of Duncannoa in he marched westward, he was met by he the the eounty Wexford, which was built to eommand the the Earl of Desmond and his *rmij, passage to Waterford harbour. This fcn-t who contested his progress the whole waa unanimously condemned by the military officers of that day, killing a number ef bis men aa useless, " for the scite ii so overtopped by an and delaying him so that he wa« only able to emynent height not distant from it more thui reach Askeaton that evening. The following day 150 paees, that no aian can stand secure in tho Ess*x and Ormeade, after consultation, decided piazza of tho forte" {Traett Rel. to Ireland. Vol IJ. to leave part of their ammunition and stores in Dymmek). The modem Duncannoa is a prettily the Castle of Aakeatoa, and not to proceed fur- situated fishing village, nearly opposite Passage, ther westward into Munster on account of the on " Tho lovely green banks of tho Suir." From menacine attitude of the Irish chiefs. Ob their tho many other defects of this so-called fort, eau- return eastwards next day they were again attacked by the Geraldines under Desmond morated in detail by Dymmok, a bombardaMat of passing ships have been comparatively at a place called Fiuniterstown, in the most a parish of Adare, ten miles south-west harmless amusement to all parties concerned. From Waterford Essex marehed to Enais- of Limerick. Here, by the wooded banks of the corthy, aai along tho coast by Arklow, Wicklow, Maigue, m the vale of " Sweet Adare," a san- Newcastle, in of which places guinary conflict ensued, and the sylvan solitudes and each was a castle held by an English garrison. fie roaehod were rudely disturbed by the crash and roar ef Dublin at last with tho shattered remnants af musketry from the thickets adjoining the road, his army, worn out with sickness and fatigue aft During all this marchimg and ec untermareh- in Dublin he set out oa another ezpodiuun, ing through the country, the Irish never ceased marching through Philipstown ia King's County, Uieir attacks. Inferior in numbers, discipline, or Ofblgr, as it was then called, and — 80 Ireland's battles and battlefields. from that t* Ballycowan, near Tullamore, where the summits of tho mountains overlooking Boyle,, he waa joined, according to arrangement, by Sir so that tho English could not leave tho town un- Cunyere Clifford, Qorernor of Connaught, and his noticed. In the early dawn of 15th August those army. Clifford, in his mareh from Qalvray, was scouts noticed an unusual commotion in Boyle sore beset by the Irish at a place called FircaU, Abbey—raising of standards, blowing of trum- where a number of his men were killed in the pets, and massing of troops—and presently th» fastnesses ef a dense forest through which they army slowly de£lod out of tho town. With all passed. Haring civen detailed instructions to possible speed they ran down the mountain and Clifferd, Essex ence more returned to Dublin, and brought the news to O'Doniiell, who at once sent Clifford hastened to Qalway to make pi-eparations forward a party of sharpshooters in advance of tho^ for a campaign against the Irish. main body, to delay and disorganise the English O'CoBor Slige, an Irish chieftain who was in before they should reach tho difficult part of th*^ alliaace with the English, had accoMpanied Essex pass, where the Irish were massed in force. He during part of his march through Munster, after then dismounted his cavalry, and placed them to- which he proceeded to Galway to confer with Sir fight among the infantry on account of the broken Conyers Clifford. He then retired to his castle at nature of tho ground. CoUooney—an almost impregnable stronghold The English were now approching the pass;: and shut himself up there. Red Hugh O'Donnell, their vanguard was commanded by Sir Alexander hearing of his return, resolved to besiege him in Ratcliff, tho main body by Lord Olanricarde's son, his fortress, and, marching with his army, sur- and the rear by Sir Arthur Savage. The eavalry rouBded the place on all sides, keepmg guards to were posted half way between Boyle and the en- watch night and day lest anyone should escape trance to the pass, and were to remain there till from oi into the castle. tho infantry had effected a passage. About a Meanwhile O'Conor had contrived to send news quarter of a mile from the entrance the Irish had' of his distressed condition to Dublin, upon which erected a barricade, from behind which soma 400 Essex summoned Clifford to meet him at Fir- of them opened fire on tho English as they ad- call, near Tullamore, where they arranged that vanced. The English, however, stormed and. supplies for the castle should be sent by sea from forced this barricade, driving the Irish out of it,, Galway to Collooney in charge of Theobald -na- after which the vanguard, followed by the rest of long, while Clifford himself, ia command of tho tho army, proceeded by a narrow path to a bog,, army of Connaught, was to proceed by land, and where a large body of the Irish had raise the blockade. The fleet duly arrived in taken up a position. Sir Alexander Ratcliff,. Sligo Bay, where tiiey awaited Clifford, as they at the head of his men, marclierl across were unable to approach the castle on account of tlie bog to attaek them, but before O'Donnell's forces. Clifford had meanwhile he had advanced very far he received a shot in marched to Roscommon, and thenee to Boyle, the face which wounded him severely. Un- where his army remained in the Abbey while daunted, however, he persisted, till another shot arrangements were being completed for tho mareh. in the leg quite disabled him, upon which two of When O'Donnell learned of Clifford's movements his officeis attempted to carry him to the rear, he left a sufficient besieging party at the castle but one of them was killed while so assisting him, under Nial Garv O'Donnell, while he, with the re- and Ratcliff himself waa shot dead immediatelj mainder of his forces, marched southwards, and after. took up a strong position on a pass through tho Captain Cosby, who was next in command, Curlieu Mountains, about three miles north of appears to have acted with considerable cowardice Boyle. Through this pass of Ballaghhoy lay the and indecision, for, after the death of Ratcliff, only road from Boyle to Collooney, as a glance at instead of attempting to rally his men, he hesi- the map will show. From the time of his arrival tated as if to retreat, which so discouraged them O'Donnell had kept scouts constantly posted en that they fled hi eomplote rout. THE DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN OF ESSEX. Th« Ttnguard in retreat to alarmed the maa by CDonnell, who Bagnaaimoiuly rest«red t» body that thsy turned likewia* and fled, aad tk« him his estates and property. rearguard followed their example. Thus in a The celebrated pass through the Curlien Moon- •kort space of time the whole army was broken up tains in wkieh this battle took place is eaQed and confused, although the main body of the Bealach-Buidhe. meaning "The TeUow Irish had not yet made tkeir appearaace. It gives name te the townland of BaDaftfa- Abeut this time aaother Irish chief, boy, in the pariah et Aughanagh, barouy ef named O'Rourke, arrived on the field with Tirerrill, and county of Sliga a large body ef infantry, and assisted in the The ancient road which travenM the peas is attack. now generally known as Boher-Bwee (tha TaDow- Sir Conyers Clifford rainly oadearoured te road), and sometimes Boher-an-Irla-Roe, ie—^TIm stem the ebbing tide ef battle, but being seyercly Rtsd Earl's-road (Red Hugh O'DenneU). It wounded, twe ef his lieutenants seized him and branches to the left from the read leading nerth- ferced him to retire with them. But when he wards by the Fair Green from Bridge-street, saw kis army in utter rout, bursting from theat Boyle, and was Lu former times the main road W im a fury, swerd in hand, he rushed into the midst Sligo ; it is stiU traceable, and in many plaoea of his pursuei*s and bravely fell, overpowered by passable along its course. numbers. Two miles north of Beyle, in the townlaad ef The whole army in a disorderly mass now made Gkrroo, and about 150 yards te the right •£ thia for Beyle, whither they were hotly pursued by ancient road, is a standing stone, called " The the Irish, who slew great numbers ef them. They Governor's Monument," which according te tradi- would probably have been all killed but for the tion marks the spot where Clifford, disdaininf^ courageous conduct of Sir Griffin Markham, flight, bravely died facing his fees. Long after- #ovemer of Beyle, whe, when he saw his country- wards one ef the Kingsten (Lorton) family erected men Ux retreat, sallied out with his troops and to his memory a monument, originally in thr» charged the Irish so fiercely that they wei-e forced form of an octagonal pillar about S feet high, built te abandon the pursuit. ef chiselled limestone. Four feet of this octagon Glifford's tragic death was greatly regretted by was standing until about 1817, when the stenea the Irish, for he was a wise and just governor, were removed by seme local barbarian, who used and was much respected by the inhabitants of them in bailding a house, where they may atiU be Cennaught. His body was interred with solemn seen. Lord Lorton's agent thereupon caused th* ceremonial in the monastery ef the Sacred present stone to be set up in its place. Trinity en an island in Lough Key, while his The name " Ourlieu " as applied to those moun- head was sent te Collooney as proof of the victory. tains is apt to mislead ; it may therefore be ne4 When O'Conor, in Cellooney Castle, was told ef amiss ts mention that it is an Anglioised form of the defeat ef the English he would not believe it "Gorsliabh," the original name, which infns till Clifford's head was shown to hina, upon which " rugged hill." They are consequently in no way he surrendered unconditionally, and was pardoned indebted te the curlew bird for their BomeBclatark. 33 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. THE DOWNFALL OF ESSEX AND THE CAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CAREW. FTER the Battle of the Cur- Ha waa shortly afterwards reloaaed, but then, in- lieus, Essex wrotd to England stead ef ^jearing himself with caution, he began for further rein forcemeats; to inveigh openly ngainst the Queen, statiag that biit by this time Elizab«th " she grew old and cankered, and that her mind had lost all confideace in was become aa crooked aa her carcaae." Hia hint, and her patience waa enemies, who thea prevailed at Court, on hearing well-nigh exhausted. She of this, to the re- summoned him Council, but he . sent hire more troops, how- fused to attend, and armed some of his followers /ever, and with these he to resiat. After an insane attempt at insurrec- marched northwards into tion and soma slight bloodshed, this unhappy Louth, where O'Neill wa« eacamped, O'Neill young nobleman waa arrested, and subsequently, «ent messengers to request a conference on 25th February, 1601, beheaded in the Tower. with him, and on the 8th September, 1599, In December, 1699, O'Neill gave notice that he these two commanders met at the ford ^f would renew hostilities in a fortnight, and accord- Ballaclinch, now spanned by Anaghclart Bridge ingly in January he set out with an army ef 3,000 cross the Lagan, where it forms the toundnry men. He marched through Westmeath, Roscrea, between the counties Loutk and Monaghan. Haring and Tullamore to the Abbey of the Holy Cross, in posted small bedies of their respective troops on Tipperary, where he paid homage to the sacred the risiag ground at either side, they advanced relies there. At Caahel he waa joined by tho to meet, and O'Neill, riding into the middle ef Earl of Desmond, and the allied forces marched the river, where he remained during the whole to Limerick and thence to Cork by the kistorie interview, saluted tho Viceroy with great re- pass of Barna Derg, where in earlier times tko spect. good King Mahon waa murdered. They then en- The interview lasted for over aa hour, without camped at Inishcarra, on tho river Lee, about six witnesses, and historians have variously conjec- miles above Cork. tured what transpired, each, of course, deducing It happened one day that Sir Warham St Leger conclusions favourable to his owa views; but it and Sir Henry Power, two of tho Queen's Com- has beea supposed by some that the subject was missioners in Munster, were nding out for recrea- •f a more startling nature ihan generally tion a few miles from Cork, when they unex- believed, involving the deposition of the Queen pectedly met Hugh Maguire (" Ford of the Bis- and the usurpation of tho throne by Essex. cuits"), accompanied by a few Irish soldiers. The ]irincipal officars frem each side were then Maguire, levelling his lance, fiercely charged St summoned and a formal parley held, at which a Leger, who at the same instant fired a pistol at truce was agreed te, lasting till May, 1600, ter- and mortally wounded his assailant. St Leger minable, however, at a fortnight's notice from survived the combat only a few days, and either party. Maguire, with his life's-blood faat ebbing away, Whatever may have been tho trutk aa to this rode into canp, where he expired almost imiae- conference, it excited deep suspicions at tho diately after receivmg tho last sacraments. Tho English Court, particularly in the mind of Eliza- deaths ef these two distinguished oficers caused bet'n. Essex left Ireland suddenly and without great regret in their respective camps. permission to explain matters, but on pre«enting Meanwhile Lord Mountjoy had been appointed himself be fere the Queea she at once ordered Deputy of Ireland and Sir George Carew Presi- him to be arrested and coafiaed in the Tower. dent of Munster. On 7th April, 1600, Carew set DOWNFALL OF ESSEX ANDCAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CAREW. 33 «ut for MuQBter with a BMall armj of about 1,000 citement in Ireland and greatly distresood hit men, beia^ aocompanied by th« Deputy aa far as family. According to the English de«patclM«, ChapeUzo«L O'Neill, hearing that the new Presi- however, he was well treated, though detainod » dent was on the march against him, resolved to clot>e prisoner. He waa ultimately liberatod m retire at once to his own territory in Ulster, which the following June on payment of a ransom of he succeeded in reaching in safety, although £3,000 and giving hostages not to seek rotali*- Mountjoy had marched to Mullingar with a cob- tion. «iderable force to intercept him. Though it is difficult to say whether his captura Early i» April Carew reached Kilkenny, where ho was preconcerted or not, there is no dsabt was requested by tho Earl of Ormonde, Com mander- that Ormoxde showed little prudence or in-Chief, to accompany him to Ballyragget, a few discretion, first in attending a mooting in no ooa- miles distant, to hold a conference with Owny picious a place; and secondly, in so far forgefcfeing O'More ("Pass of tho Plumes"). The meeting place himself as to use such unseemly language at tko was a low boggy ground on tho banks of a stream conference. «urrouBde«l by shrubs and thickets, and there the Immediately after this Carew and Thonsoad Irish chieftain made his appearance, accompanied marched from Kilkenny to Waterford, and theaoa by a strong force of pikemen and cavalry. to Youghal and Cork. In July, 1600, tboy set After about an hour had been spent in fruitless out from Limerick, and, marchine into the county negotiations, Ormonde's companions endeavoured Clare by the northern bank of the Shannon, tkoy to persuade him to depart, but he was unwillmg recrossed the river and laid siege to tho Castle of to «lo BO until he had spoken with a Jesuit named Glin, on its banks, near the borders of Limerit^ Archer, a leading spirit and adviser of the Irish. and Kerry. The cannon were brought by river When became forward the two fell into argument, from Limerick in one of Lord Thomond's veaaois. in the course of which Ormonde called Archer The English planted their artillery in pueitioo a traitor and a rebel, and reproached hiu for in- without any resistance from tho garrison, after citing tho Irish to rebellion. Archer becauo so which tho Knight of the Valley, tho owner of tk* excited and irritated by this ofifensive language castle, requested an interview with Carew. Thia that he raised his cane as if to strike Ormoxde, being granted, they held a parley for some time^ upon which there was a general rush by both but, failing to arrive at any satisfactory terms, tfa* sides, each to protect their own spokesman. Knight left the camp and the bombardmont ctua- In tho scuffle which ensued one of naenced. tlie O'Mores seized tho reins of Ormonde's After about three hours' firing a breach wao horse, while others of the Irish puUod tho Earl made in the waU under the great entrance hall of from his saddle. If we are to believe " Pacata the castle, and one of the English captains was Hihernia" (letter of Carew and Thomond) the Irish commanded to enter with some companiea of by distributing themselves among tho shrubs soldiers. They succeeded in forcing an entrance^ during the interval, had quietly encircled the though stoutly resisted by the garriicm, small company of English, so that when the rup- who then took possession of one of tho adjoining ture took place tho latter were instantly sur- towers, from which they kept up a fire on tho rounded. Carew and Thomond, with more pru- English. The storming party then ascended • dence than valour, put spurs to their horses, and, stairs, leading from the entrance hall to two followed by their companions, precipitately fled turrets, which they captured and occupied, loeii^ the scene, escaping in safety to Kilkenny, while one officer and several men in tho encounter. Ormonde remained a prisoner in the hands of tho As it was now over night, the storming partj Irish. Only one man was killed oa each side in fortified themselves in the portions they had taken, this affray. and deferred further operations till the foUowtoi; The capture by tho Irish of so important a per- morning. The constable of the castle, seeing no fionage as the Earl of Ormonde caused much ex- possibility of success and little hope ni mercy. 34 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. made an attempt with some of his h«b to whieh the besieglDg party burned, causing such • escape in the darkHess of the night, but they smeke that for a ceuple ef hours there was no were perceired by the English, whe put them going near the place. At the end ef that time one to the iword and fixed the constable's head on a et the Irish came down the stairs and ofiPered on take to intimidate the rest. Early next morning behalf of the rest te surrender. His offer waa re- e THE STORMING OF GUN CASTLE. (From Pacata Hibemia), the remainder ef the garrison established tham- fused and he himself waa kiUed, upon wliich the elves in the upper part of tire principal tower of garrison retired, te the battlements determined the castle, to which the only approach was an ex- to fight to the last. tremely steep and narrow stairs. At the batten The English now ascended the stairs without •f this stairs was a massive wooden doorway. resistance until they reached a deor at the top lead- DOWNFALL OF ESSEX AND CAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CAREW. 35 ing out upon the roof; as they entered at thia door Rery, a bloody and bold young man, wh* lately a dreadful struggle commenced, the Irish fighting had taken the Earl of Ormond prisoner, and had with the oiergy ef despair, but in vain, they were made great stirs in Munster. He was the chief of ultimately overcome by the superior numbers of the O'Mores' Sept in Leix, and by his death tbey their assailants, and the whole garrisen, soma 80 were so discouraged that they never after held up in number, were slain. The English accounts their heads." {Pacata Hib. and Cox) say that 11 of their men " Our captains, and by their example (for it mm were killed and 21 wounded at this siege. The Irish otherwise painful) the common soldiers, did cat had no cannon whatever, se that it is not sur- down with their swords all the rebels' eom, to prising that they were wersted. the value of £10,000 and upward, the only Carew remained here for five days repairing the means by which they were to live and to keep caatle, after which, leaving a garrison in it, he their Bonnaghts (or hired soldiers). It seemed marched on Carrigafoyle Csujtle, about twelve incredible that, by so barbarous inhabitants, the miles westward on the Shannon, opposite Scattery ground should be so manured, tte fields so orderly Island, which was surrendered to him without fenced, the towns so frequently mhabited, and the resistance by the owner, 0' Conor Kerry. He also highways and paths so well beaten as the Lord took or obtained possession of several other Deputy here found them. The reason whereof castles in the neighbourhood. The whole popu- was that the Queen's forces during theee wars lation of the surrounding country, seeing the never tiU then came among them "(!) English .prevailing against them, abandoned Early in 1601, after repeated attempts. Mount- their houses and fied to the mountains and joy forced the passage of the dangerous Moyry forests. Pass, immediately north of Dundalk, and erected Meanwhile the English Government resolved to a castle on the northern approach to it. He then concentrate all their eflforts towards reducing crossed the Blackwater and marched on the castle O'Neill, and with this object despatched a fleet to of Benburb, but the resistance he encountered on Lough Foyle, conveying a powerful army and the way was such that he deemed it advisable to munitions ef war, in command of Sir Henry return to Dublin after having relieved the several Docwra, who, after some trifling skirmishes, garrisons along his route. marched on and occupied Londonderry. Red When he reached Dublin he issued proclama- Hugh O'Donnell advanced to besiege him, on tions offering £2,000 for the capture of O'Neill which Docwra made a vigorous sortie eut of the alive and £1, 000 for his head, but even these town, but was repulsed with some loss, he himself tempting ofifers failed to effect any result. In all being dangerously wounded in personal combat directions, however, disasters began to fall thickly with O'Donnell. upon the Irish. Nial Garv O'Donnell, who had Lord Mountjoy, the Viceroy, was during thia fought with distinction against the English, now time carrying on the war against the "rebels" of went over to them and was sent by Docwra with Leix, who, under their chieftain, Owny O'More, 500 troops to occupy the monastery of Donegal, had recovered all their original possessions from where he was besieged by his kinsman and former the English except PortLeix (Maryborough). But comrade. Red Hugh O'DonnelL After a desperate this famous guerilla chief, having incautiously midnight struggle, in which the building took fire, exposed himself in one of the border skirmishes, exploding the powder magazine, Nial Garv re- fell pierced by a musket ball on 17th August, treated to the monastery of Magherabeg, which 1600. His death so discouraged his followers he occupied instead. There he was again closely that the whole district of Leix soon afterwards besieged till tidings came that a Spanish fleet reverted to the possession of the English. had arrived in Kinsale to assist the Irish who Morysou says of this incident: —" But the best were at war, upon which Red Hugh broke up service at that time was the killing of Owny Mac camp and marched southward to Munster. 8( IBELAMD'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. THE SIEGE AND BATTLE OF KINSALE. N th« evening of 20th Septem- rival, upon which Red Hugh O'Donaell, accom- ber, 1601, a fiiherman BtAnd- panied by many of the nobility of the North, at ing on the old Head of Einsale, onoe set out on the march. Carew, with a superior saw far out at sea a great fleet force, marched from Kinsale and endeavoured to in full sail, bearing for Cork intercept him near Cashel, while St Lawrence, harbour. The shipe, forty-five with the Army of the Pale, pursued him in the in number, passed close to the rare. But notwithstanding these formidable pre- fiead on their way, but as they were near- parations for his destruction, O'Donnell succeeded ing the harbour a contrary wind ares* in esoaping by taking a circuitous route west- which blew so hard that they were forced ward over tlie Slieve Felim Mountains in Tip- t* tack abouli, and make for Kinsale in- perary and Limerick, accomplishing a journey of stead. On 23rd September they entered the 40 English miles in a day with an army encum- harbour of Kinsale with Spanish oeloura flying, bered by baggage, a feat almost unprecedented and landed all their forces in the town. The long- in military history ! Carew, after a frantic effort, promised aid from Spain had indeed come at last. abandoned the pursuit, despairing ef overtaking The small English garrison evacuatad the town so swift-footed a commander. without attempting resistance, and retired to On 17th October the English army, number- Cork, while the Irish received the new-comers ing about 12,000 men, afterwards increased to with great demonstrations of joy. The Spaniards, 15,000, aat down before Kinsale, and encamped some 3,000 strong, were commanded by an officer at a hill called Knock Robin, a mile and a-half named Don Juan Del Aguilha, who, on entering, north-east of the town. Towards the close ef the •t once proceeded to fortify the place and garri- month they sent a party to attack the fort of son the forts ef Rincorran and Castle-na-park, Rincorran, which the Spaniards attempted to at the eastern and western points of the harbour relieve by sea, but were repulsed by the English respectively. ships in the harbour. The English cannon con- Lord Mountjoy, the Deputy, was at Kilkenny tinued te play night and day upon the fort, and when he heard of the invasion, and with Sir George the Spaniards made another unsuccessful attempt Carew, President of Munster, hastened to recon- to relieve it by land, inflicting, bowevw, consider- noitre the enemy's camp. able loss on the besiegers. On 1st November, Kinsale is a seaport town situated at the mouth after a prolonged parley, the garrison, eighty in of the river Bandou, in County Cork, in a position number, surrendered, and, with their com- extremely difficult to defend except against an mander, were sent prisoners to Cork. attack by sea. It is hard te account for so unfor- About the middle of November the English tunate a choice by the Spaniards, unless indeed vessels commenced a bombardment of the fort of that they were driven into it by stress of weather, Castle-na-park, at the other side of the harbour, and even if such were t)ie case there was nothing but failed to effect anything further than to prevent tkem leaving it when tlie weather had damaging the battlements. They then sent calmed. Both O'Neill and O'Donnell had be- ashore a storming party ef 400 men to sap the sought the Spanish King to send hia aid t« Ulster, foundations, but the garrison met them with 80 a« to efifect a junction with the Irish forces such a tremendous' volley of musketry and there, but, now so far distant from them missiles of every description that they were as Kinsale, the Spaniards were almost ^i- forced to abandon the attempt with the loss tirely unsupported. On landing, however, they •f several of their number. On 20th Novem- lost no tioie in despatchuig messengers to the ber, after a heroic defence ap;ainst hopeless odds, north to apprise the Irish chieftains of their ar- the small garrison (seventeen) of this fort also DOWNFALL OF ESSEX AND CAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CABEW. 37 surrendered on condition of their Utm being attempt was made after this to enter th« t«wn, spared, and were sent prisoners after their com- but the eannen continued to play, reducing it m rades to Cork, and thence t* England. p»rtB to ruins. All this time the English ordnance, about Oa 3rd December the aissing portion of th* twenty in number, were eonatantly playing on Spanirii fleet sailed into Castlehaven, about 80 the town, while the Spaniards hail enly three er miles westward, and lauded some troops there, four pieces to return the fire, the vessels ceavey- part of whom garrisoned the castles of Baltimore, ing their artillery having put back to Spain Dunboy, and Castlehaven, and the remainder owing to stress of weather. joined Red Hugh O'Donnell's army, and marched At the end of November the English sent a with them on Kinsale. These vessels also brought trumpeter to formally summon the garrison to a quantity of artillery and ammunition, which surrender, but he returned with the answer that— they landed and placed along the harbour for its ^^id^^S^^Mm KINSALE HABBOITB. " Don Juan held that town, first for Christ, and defence. The English, hearing of th« new then for the King of Spain, and so would defend arrivals at Castlehaven, at once sent six of thaii it against all their enemies." Again the English fleet to attack them, and a fierce engagement artillery thundered against the devoted town, ensued in the harbour, one ef the Spanish veHcla and by the 1st of December the besiegers were being sunk in shallow water. Having expended rewarded by the sight of the first breach in the aU his ammunition, the English commander than walls. At once a party of 2,000 were seat forward attempted to sail victoriously out of Uie harbeor, to enter, protected by an incessant cannonade; but, to his intense chagrin, he found he was b*- but the garrison, sallying out, met them with calmed, and when a wind afterwards arose it wia such gallantry that, after an hour's fighting, the contrary, and only drove him closer to the shor*. English retired te their camp without making The Irish, seemg how matters stood, opened fra even an attempt to storm the breach. No further with all their cannon, which they plied inrnmantlj 38 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDa during the two days the English vesaelB were oem- as a page to the President in England, sent • fined in the harbour, bo that whem they returaed t* messenger to the English camp to request the Kintale they were in a sorry plight, haying lost favour ot a bottle of agua vitCB from the President. everal hundred of their men and received about To this request Carew, for the sake of their old feur or five hundred hot durins their brief friendship, readily acceded, and sent him th« sojourn. bottle by the messenger. On 21st December—soon after O'Donnell's ar- Next day MacMahon sent another messenger with large feroe on rival—Hugh O'Neill appeared a with a letter thankinc: him for his kindness ; but a hill called Belgooly, three miles nerth-east of unfortunately for the Irish his gratitude did not the English camp, where he entrenched himself end there, for the letter also warned him of the directly between the besiegers and Cork, thereby intended attack upon the English camp that cutting off their supplies from headquarters. In night. The President was well repaid for his that position he resolutely remained and refused bottle of whiskey. to he drawn out of it by any ruse. The English It is right te say that the sole authority for commanders now became seriously alarmed^ this incident is " Paeata Hihernia." sickness and desertion were fast thianing their Messengers were now despatched hotfoot to all ranks, their supplies had been cut off, while those the outlying English posts, and the whole camp they had were nearly exhausted, and, worse than bustled with preparations. A letter from the all, the dreaded victor of Bellanaboy lowered like Spanish commander which was intercepted cen- a thundercloud over their camp, ready at any firmed the intelligence as to the attack that mom^it to burst forth in destruction upoM thein. night. Mountjoy began to consider the advisability ef A little before daybreak one of the English abandoning, or at least postponing, the siege, and officers rode up in great haste to the Deputy, say- retiring to Cork. But the Spaniards, cooped up ing that he had seen great numbers of matches in the town, became more and more impatient glimmering through the darkness [the guns then seeing that no active measures were being in use were matchlocks], and that lie believed the concerted, and Del Aguilha despatched Irish were marching upon them in force, and soon several communications to the Irish com- afterwards thescouts reported similarly. Thereupon manders pressing them to take immediate the Deputy sent forward a body of picked men to action. O'NeiU strongly resisted all proposals oppose the passage of the Irish at a barricade for active measures, knowing that time was across the road by which they were advancing. the greatest enemy of the English, who were fast The main body of the English marched to a piece withering away by disease and famine. But oba of ground to the west ef the town, enclosed be- Spanish commander renewed his demands, tween a bog and a trench, and here, protected on strenuously urging the Irish to make a general the flanks by cannon, they awaited the onset of attack upon the English camp an a certain night, the enemy. while he was simultaneously to make a sortie The Irish had originally set out in three divi- from the town. When this proposal was discussed sions, but, the night being exceptionally dark and in council by the Irish it was still opposed by tempestuous, they lost their way, and the divi- O'NeiU, who earnestly entreated them to wait, as sions becasae separated. the English could not hold out much longer ; but When O'NeiU, stealthily advancing by a ciroui^ Red Hugh O'Donnell, with the ardour and impe- tons route in the uncertain light of dawn, crossed tuosity ef youth, advocated an immediate attack, a low hiU from which he could view the English in which view he was supported by the majority camp he was confused and thunderstruck at the of the Irish chiefs. Thereupon O'Neill, unwillmg, sight which met hisgaze. Instead of taking the Eng- acquiesced in the arrangement. lish unawares, as bethought, biU and dale bristled On th« night of the 22nd December an Irish with serried masses of cavalry and infantry, officer named MacMfthon, whose son had served spears and sAbres gleamed in th« dim twilighti DOWNFALL OP ESSEX AND CAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CAREW. 39 Btandarda waved ia the meraing breeze, toki the day, killing twenty Irish with his own hand, aad olank and dm ef arms mingled with the crash of crying out to " spare no rebel," for which arrioe tiie breakers • the shore. He retaiaed his pre- the Deputy knighted him im tho field in ijbm sence •£ mind, however, and ordered his midst of the slain. men to stand well together, aad then to retire The English then held a thanksgiving, and slowly towards a ferd at the foot ef the fired off a feu-de-joi on tho field of battle, hear- hill; but all that he eould d* would act keep then ing which the Spaniards sallied out of tlio tuwn, steady, and after a time they broke up and re- imagining a battle was proceeding, but quickly re- treated in considerable disorder. When Marshal turned on discovering their mistake. Wingfield thought he ebserved some cenfusion in Through some extraordinary misunderstanding their rasks he and Lord Clanricarde charged the Spaniards failed to support the Irish attack by them, but O'Neill's cavalry thea came to the a simultaneous sortie from the town, as tboy had rescue, and drove back the English again and promised ; and it was only when the engagement again, till reinforcements arrived, when the Irish was quite over that they made their appearance at length gave way, still fightiag stubbornly. The as above described. U&ny prisoners were taken in retreat became a rout, and the English cavalry this battle, and the English themselves admit that poured upon the broken masses, killing them in thev were hanged on being brought into camp. hundreds. Another body of Irish and Spaniards {" Pacata Hibernia," page 421). under Sir Richard Tyrrell, then came up and This disastrous overthrow of the Irish took made a brief stand, but, being unsupported, they place on the morning of 24th December, 1601, were likewise broken and a great number killed. Old Style ; it broke the power of O'Neill, who waa According to the English aceoimts, the Irish lost then an old man; and O'Donnell died shortly pver 1,200 in this engagement, but the Irish, with afterwards, broken-hearted, in Spain, whither ho soma reason, make the number much less. The had gone to invoke further aid for his unhappy Earl of Clamricarde distinguished himself that countrymen. THE SACK OF DUNBOY AND THE RETREAT OF DONAL O'SULLIVAN BEARK FTER tho battle of Einsale the castle as nothing short of treason, and detorninod Spanish commander capitulated, and to hold it airainst the English till help should his army marched out of tho town come from Spain. with all the honours of war. Del Accordingly he marched with a snail force to Aguilha after this formed an inti- the walls of the castle and demanded admittance, mate friendship with Sir George but he found it occupied by a Spanish garrison, Carew, and openly expressed his con- who refused to give him possession of it, having tempt and dislike for the Irish, so that it is not sur- heard of Del Aguilha'i terms of capitulation. prising that their leaders believed him to bo guilty O'Sullivan, however, kn< wing the positions of the ef cowardice or treachery. Not only had he sur- outworks, determined to try strategy, and one rendered Einsale, but he undertook also to dark, tempestuous night ho approached the deliver up the Castles of Baltimore, Dunboy, and castle and made an aperture in the eutor wall Castlehaven, which, though garrisoned by Spanish through which he and his men effected an en- troops, were the private property of the Irish trance, surprisiag and overpowering the chieftains. Baltimore and Caatleks-ven sur- Spaniards, some of whom remained in tlie castle rendered, according to Del Aguilha's agr«^ement, and tlie rest left for Einsale. but Doaal O'Sullivaa, Prinee of Beare and Bantry, Del Aguilha was greatly irritated at the seizure deemed the proposal to surrender his anco ^ral of Dunboy in defiance of his capitulation, and be — 40 Ireland's battles and battlefields. •ffered to go himself and iis]»oiPeB8 O'Sullivan, their assailants, who at length planted thair but this geMtrouB proposal was dscliueil by th« standard in one of the tawars. English coinmander. New inspired by despair, however, the Irish Carew set out from Cork •n 20tli April, 1602, fought with the most amazing fury—from with an army rf 3,000 men, while Wilmot, with turret to garret, from hall to stairs, from another force »f 1,000, marched from Kerry vault to vault, tha dreadful struggle raged both t© attack Dunboy. Early in Jume this army all day till tha castle flowed with blood. •f 4,000 sat d«wn befora tha casble, defended Some thirty af tha garrison attempted to by 143 resolute and datermined men, who had escape by swimming across an arm of tha sea, but only a few small cannoa to appose tha well they were killed, some before they could reach tha equipped park af artillery of the besiegers. The water and the others by saldiers posted in boats defence af tha castle was entrusted ta Richard for that nurpese. At length the survivors tttok MacGeoghegan, while O'Sullivan and Tyrrell were refuge ia a cellar, entered by a narrow flight af encamped at some distanca inland. Before tha Btaue stairs, in which part af tha castle the gun- siaga commenced Carew seat a letter ta the powder was stored. MacGeoghegan was now Spaniards who were among the garrison, attempt- mortally wounded, and the command devolved ing ta bribe them into betray isg the castle or in- on Thomas Taylor, wha, when he entered the juring the ordnance and ammunition, but this cellar, threatened to fire tha powder and blow up preposition they rejected with scorn. He next castle and all unless thair lives were promised to sought to corrupt tha Irish commander, and seMt them. tha Baron of Inchiquin to hold a parley wil h him, Carew, however, refused this, and poiired a but ia this he fared no better, for the brare fubilade of cannon balls into the cellar, upon MacGeoghegan was the soul of chivalry and which Taylar was forced by his comrades to desist* honour. fram his threat, and surrender with them uncon- Meanwhile a Spaaish ship had arrived at Ardea, ditionally. But Mac6eaghagan, thaugh dying, on Kenmai-eBay, brmginj: arms and treasure, as disdained to surrender ; and when he saw his well as the cheering intelligence that a fresh ex- companions yielding and tha Englifih enterinc^ the pedition was being argaaised in Spain, upan place, by a superhuman effort ha raised himself which O'Sullivan at once set out ta meet tha ea- from tha floor, where ka had lain down to die, voys who had landed there. and, seizing a lighted torch, crawled over Th% English now began the bombardment of to fire the barrels af powder. There- the castle, and after a few days attempted to upon one ot the English officers caught starm it, but were vigorously repulsed after him just in time to prevent him effecting his des- ama loss on bath sides. The batteries still con- perate design, and held him ia his arms till he tinued to play incessantly, and in a few days was killed by some of the soldiers. So more a breach was made; agaia a storming party died the brave MacGeoghegan, a true hero and sought to enter, but were repulsed as before, gallant soldier. Taylor and his companions, 78 in though they succeeded far a time in gaining the all, were then brought prisoners into tha English hall af kha castle. By the 17th of June the eamp. Fifty-eight of these brave fellows were castle was little mare than a shattered ruin, and hanged that day ia tha market-place af Castle- the garrisaa, seeing the hopelessness «f further re- tawa Beare, and the remaining fifteen ware istanca, sent a messenger to tha English caup to executed a few days later in Cork and els'ewhere, offer surrender provided they were aHawed to sa that not one af that little baud survived after a depart with their arms. The offer was refused, heroic' defence for eleven days against thirty tka messenger at once hanged, and the order times thair number. given for a fresh attack. The garrison disputed The defence af Dunboy is ana of the most bril- thv entrance for a long time, but ultimately were liant episodes af Irish history, and the lustre forced to yield to tha averwhalming numbers of with which even unbympatbatic annalists have in- DOWNFALL OF ESSEX AND CAMPAIGN OF MOUNTJOY AND CAREW. 41 TMted it ia not tarnished by the absence of sue- Accordingly, on the Slst December, 1602, vytm- eesa or by the cruel fate of iti gallant defender!. menced this memorable aad disastrous retreat, "Pacata Hibernia," says—"The whole number of which has excited the admiration of historians the ward consisted of oae hundred and forty- of every country. O'Sullivaa, when setting out, three selected fightinf; men, being the West choice had 400 fighting men and 600 nou-cumbatants, of all their forces, of wbick no oae escaped, but the latter mostly women, children, old people, were either slaia, executed, or buried in the ruins; and servant;. He had been unable to make any and so obstinate and resolved a defence had not special arrangements for supplying them with been seen within tliis kingdom." food, aad w:is obiie:ed to depend upon the chaaees On 22nd June, 1806, Carew blew up the re- of obtaining a sufficiency on the way, as he had mains of the castle with the gunpowder found in plenty of atoney sent him from Spain. But ke the cellars. found «h« people afraid to sell him anythwg, as Of this once famous stronghold there mow re- the President had Rent word that anyone asaisfc- mains but two parallel walls, about 49 feet long, iag them in any way would be tre ited as O'SuOi- 10 feet high, 8 feet thick, and 36 feet van's covert or open abettors. And any lands asuader. There also remains a small portion of through whieh they passed were to be forfeited the wall at the western end, but of the eastern to the Crown. ead wall every trace has disappeared. Some low, irregular grassy mounds, relics of the original outworks, extend around the ruins. On the north side tlie descent to the sea is nearly per- pendicular, and on the east the ground facing the open bay slopes /gradually to the water's edge. The ruins are now surrounded by trees, giving the place an air of frloomy solitude, and the tra- veller often passes on his way, uaeonscious of bis proximity to a spot of such tragic celebrity in BERBHATSNT. Irish history. With the imperfect resources at his disposal After tko destruction of his ancestral castle O'SuIlivan found it utterly impossible to brtiq^ O'SuUivan Beare, now homeless, retired with hie his sick and wouaded with him, and accordingly people to the mauatains and woods of Glengarriff, he left them behind in his camp where he kept the Eaglisk forces at bay till with a supply of food, hoping probably Christmas time, when, forsaken by aaaay of his that they would be humanely dealt with. •fficers, his posibioa became desperate. Cooped But he was mistaken, for in the words of Carow up in a wild and desolate glen, the overhanging himself in Pacata JSihemia (page 659)—" The mountains covered with the winter aaews, he was next morning, being the 4th January, 1603, Sir pressed hard by the English while eaeuaabered Charles Wilmot, comming to seelce the Enemy m by a crowd of his people unarmed, infirm, and iheir Campe, he found nothing but hurt and tiehe laany of them women and children. His fighting men, wh«se pains and lives by the soldiers were both aaen were only a few hundred in number. After determined" (ended). % hastv consultation with his few remaining The first day of their march O'SuUivt-n and his officers, it was decided, as all other resources were people reached Ballyvourney ; from that they •xhaustod, that their oalv hope was now torotreat proceeded into the couatj Limerick, and uade northwards to Ulster, and fight their way through for the Glen of Aherlow, where they hoped for » the hostile districts till they reached the territory brief rest in the fastnesses of the Galtoe?. On «C O'Ruarc, Prince of Sreffni. The project was a the way they were met by Viscount Barry, with desperate one, but to remain where they were was a strong force, at Bellagkan ford, near Buttevaat, certain destruction. where he hoped to stop their progress, but the 42 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. famished and desperate fugitivea fought with Lord Clanriearde's brother; but here they wore such ferocity that they utterly routed their oppo- again victorious—like starving wolves, maddened neaka. They then reached th« Tale of Aherlow, by hunger and suffering, they dashed upon their where thoy refreshed themaelTts with foes with resistless fury, scattering them like kerbs and water, for they could get chaff before the wind, killing their leader and no other food. On tkey still advanced, their capturmg their standards. ranks thinning eTery day, BtiM harassed and When they arrived in Roscommon, where they pursued by their ruthless foes, botk EaglLsh and were kindly treated by the inhabitants, a guide Irish, and often reduced to the direst straits for pi-eaented himself and offered to conduct them te wank of food. On the ninth day of their toilsome O'Ruarc'a castle, about a day's march oft. O'Sul- journey they reached the Shannon at Lorrhae livan, struck by his kindness, gave him two hun- oppeaitd Portumna, but they had no means of dred pieces of gold, which he accepted with some crossing, and maanwhile their assailants were kesitattoa, as he wished for no reward. After horering around like vultures, but afraid to at- travelling for a whole night in the dark, they at tack. O'Sullivan ordered hia men to entrench length reached the summit of one of the Curlieu tkemaelves, and gave directions to have a number mountains at sunrise, from which the guide of his heraes killed ; the flesh was kept a» a luxury pointed out in the distanee the towers and battle- for the sick aud wounded, and the skina were ments of O'Ruarc's castle rising above the trees. stretched over wooden frames so as to form light There being no further difficulties he then bade eurraghs or boats. In those frail skiffs ke trans- them farewell. ported his people across the river, repelling at the About noon O'Sullivan, with 85 survivors, same time an attack by the Sheriff of Tipporary, resehed the castle, where they received every pos- who attempted te throw the women uid children Bible kindness; some more straggled in next day into the river. in detached parties of two or three, but out of The gaunt and attenuated band next reached the thousand who had originally set out from Aughrim, where they were met by three times Olengarriff, not one hundred reached the friendly their number, under Captains Malby and Burke, portals of O'Ruarc, Prince of BreffnL BSKBUBB. 43 BE NBU RB. meeting of the brothers Munroe at Waslough. O'NeiH was there by the 4th; thence he uarchod northward,croesed the Blackwater into Tyrone, and encamped at Benburb. He then sent a strong body of cavalry northwards to intercept GteorfO Munroe and beat him back upon his route, and be despatched another force to hold the ford at Port- more, lest either party should attempt to cross there. Meanwhile, on same day (4th}, the main body, under Major-Gensral Munroe, had marched from Dromore, in Sown, to Loughadyan, near Poyntz- pass,on the borders of Armagh,about 20 miles from Benburb. Munroe had sent en iu advance a small N 1646 Owen Roe O'Nsill was Oom- force ef light cavalry to cross the Blackwater at maader of the Irish treops ut CTlster, Benburb and meet his brother's forces en their and in the spring ef that year he way te Glaslough. By accident thib cavalry fell travelled to Kilkssny t* neet Rinuecini, in with a few of the Irish scouts, and sncceededin the Pope's Nuncloj who hrought him money making prisoner of one, kem whem they elicited and supplies. He then returned to the the startling intelligence that O'Neill was already North te calleet his forces, and in the month e£ entrenched at Benburb. Quickly retracing their May had assembled an army of 5,000 foot and steps they bore their prisoner back te their eosa- 500 horse. Esrly in June, while drilling his mander, who then learned that O'Neill lay right troops at Cr Dana^h, in Cavan, news reached him between him and his brother's forces. Althoufl^ that the whole of the English and Scotch garrisons it was new late at night, Munroe roused his army in Ulster were to start immediately from their irom their slumbers and instantly despatched all quarters, unite in one great army imder Major- his cavalry te Armagh, while the infantry and General Hunroe, and advance by foreed marches artillery struck their tents, broke up camp, and on Kilkenny to suppress the assembly of repre- foUewed. sentatives there. The intended point of rendezveus About eight o'clock on Friday morning, 5th ci was Glaslough, in the north of Menaghan. The June, Ceneral Munroe and his army rode out main body, under Major-Qeneral Munroe himself, from Armagh and made a reconnaissance of the was te march there fe-om Belfast, another detach- enemy's position at Benburb, which he observed ment under his brother George was to proceed to be very strong, as they held both the bridge southwards from Coleraine, crossing the Black- and the ford. He then held a council with his water at Benburb, and these two forces united officers, at which it was decided that it would be were to be joined at Clones by the Donegal con- imprudent to risk an engagement with the Irish tingent. in so advantageous a position, but that the best To prevent the union of all these troops was plan would be to march about six miles higher BOW O'Neill's plan ; there was no time for heiita- up the river to a ford at Calcdon {iktm Kinard). taon, he therefore resolved to threw all his cross the river there, and thus draw the enemy strength into one swift and telling blow before the out of 'the strong position which they held. two first-mentioned forces could effect a junetien. Accordingly tkcy marched along the river in The 5th of June was the day appointed for the view of the Irish and succeeded in crossing at 44 Ireland's battles and battlefields. CaledoB without meating resistance; but wk«Q enemy's ire, and they repeatedly besought their they had proceedaci some distaace at the other command to lead tkem forward agaiost the Eng- side towards Beaburb their ranguard was at* lish. But O'Neill desired them to wait tiH soma tacked, aud a smart engagement wsued between aavalry which ke had sent away in tlia mornmg them »nd the advajsced body of the Irish at the skeuld return, and he continued tke skirmishing, wooded pass ef Ball^kilgaria, three niles north of his real objeet being to wait tiU the brilliant bub Caledou. The English ultimately forced this of that June day went round sufieientlj to be m pass and drove the Irish eut ef it. the backs ef the Irish, and shine full in the faces O'Neill meanwhile had abandoned his positiea •f their adversaries, so as to dazzle them. Then, OB the rirer, and adranced westward te meat and not til then, would ke order a general ad- the English, taking up his position oa a vance. As tke time approached he harangued hia "screggred high hi U " called Kneckaacloy, abeut treopa in inspiring language, exhorting tkem to two miles west ef Benburb and immediately fight valiantly for their faith and fatherland, and westward of the confluence of the Oona and the concluded by orderuig them not to fire until they Blackwater. His army then faced south-east, were within pike's length of the English. and hia left wing was protected by the Oona river At length when the proper mament came and his right by an impassable swamp. Munroe O'Neill gave tke order. The Irisk advanced in than came up and deployed his troeps in battle two divisions, the first or front composed of five line oa another hillock about 500 jards to the columns with spaces between, and tlieseeond (tho southward, looking aortk-west, so that the two reserve) of four similarly spaced; but it waa armies now stood face te face, with a shallow stated by one of the English officeis (Sir 11 Bel- valley or hallow between them. . lings) diat the intervening spaces in both tiiese Hostilities commenced about 6 o'clock p m by divisions were too narrow, so that in the event of skirmishing parties being thrown forward from a reverse or of the reserve being brought forward tka wingi •! betk armies next the river, where neither could pass through tho etlier without sti say, I lie brushwood was dense and thick; in these en- causing confusion. The English, auge to cuuaters the English were mostly worsted and had no reserve. They farmed all their troops into had to be aautiuually supported by detachraeats one body, and numbered 6,0*9 feet and 80f frwm the maia body. At ene time, however, the horse, while tke Irish numbers were 5,000 and Scotch musketeers serieusly threateaed t.he Irish 600 respectively. left wing, but O'Neill sent forward a stroag body Munroe, seeing the Irish advaneing to attack* of his famous light cavalry who at once dis- sent forward a body of cavalry (mostly Irish, as persed and routed theni. All this time the Eng- he says in his despatch), but O'Neill's cavalry lish field artillery was playing from the summit met and quickly turned them, drove them back ..t the hiU, but it appears te have been but badly upon tlio English infantry, and even served, as most of tke shot passed harmlessly pursued them through their ranks, causing high, aad oaly twice struck down iles ef tke considerable disorder. The Irish coloaelr Irish. dismounting from their horses, led their men to An attempt was made by Lerd Ards, one ef tke the charge—down the hillside to the bottom of English commanders, te attack the Irish left wing the hollow, then up the opposite slope facing tho by crossing the Oona with a body of cavalry, pre- cannon, and right up against tke English lines till eeeding along its eastern bark, and charging the they were within pike's length of them. Irish across the shallows ef the river. O'Neill, One murderous volley crashes from the Irish liowever, >ent his son Henry to meet tkem with musketeers, and then, obseured by the clouds of GOO foot, who completely routed them, Lerd Ards circling smoke, the opposing lines meet man t* and many ^f his ofiBeers beinc; made prisoners. man and pike te pike. Tke Englisk and Scottish Tke Irisk were at length losing patience at eflieers stood their ground manfully, and would being kept so long inactive and exposed to the uoi give way till forced by the Irish pikemen, but BENBUflB. 45 the rank and file of the English fought badly, and, follewing a« befoie in pursuit. This miehap pre- falling back, in a few moments their position w«a cipitated the result. O'Neill now gave the order earried bj tka Irish. " Redouble your blows and the battle ia won." The English were in bad condition for receiving (AphoritmieaU DitcoverieJ. A total rout fol- a charge; their ranks had already been broken by lowed, and the English army broke up in tumul- their own retreating eavalry; they were wearied tuous disorder. The cavalry forded the Black- by their long march, and, as they say themselves, water, and most ef them e8ca]»ed in safety, bat of " Thay did not expect to be faced by Ulstermen, the infantry great numbers were killed and many much leas to be fought with" {The British Offictr). others were drowned in attempting to cross tke Besides, the sun, now setting, was glaring level in river where it was not fordable. (Carte's Ormonde THB BAOTIil OF BBNBCBB. Munroe's despatch). Only one regiment, that their faces, so that between smeke and sunshine and ef Sir J Montgomery, retired in order; all the they could with difficulty distinguiah their oppo- others broke from their ranks. nents tiU close at hand. The English loss wae about 2,000 (The Brit The struggle was a brief one, and the fate of Officer), though many autherities make it Mere battle was decided in a few moments. Munroe, second thaa that. The loss on the Irish side was re- seeing the Irish prevailing, despatched a with markably small, not more than 150 at theutmust; squadron ef cavalry against them, but only agaiu met this may be partly accounted for by the clumsy the same result as before. They were handling of tke English artillery. by the Irish cavalry, hurled back in disorder ranks, the Irish Tke Irish captured nearly all the artillery. upon tiie infantry, breaking their 46 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. arras, »nd ataadarda of the EnglUh, b«aid«a a pied by the English ia bow oorered by auall field* great quantity of tents, baggage, and suppliea. and meadows, and is partly under tiUag*. Ifunroe precipitately fled from the battlefield A quantity of Stat* correspondence relative to without his cloak or wig (Carte'a Ormonde), and this battle is published in " The Aphorumtoall his brother, with the Coleraine eontingent, seeing Diteovery" and " Contemporary History of the fight raging from afar, wisely retired aad aue- Affairs in Ireland," edited by J T Gilbert, ceeded in escaping without the loaa of a aingle Esq, M R I A; two letters in particular are very man. detailed—Muaroe'a despateh, and an extract from According to the English aocoumta (The Brit. " The History of Ui« Warr in Iieland from 1641 to Officer) the Irish pikea were much better than the 165S,"by a British Officer of Sir John Clot- English ones, being a foot or two longer, 4- sided, worthy's regiment. There is also a very detailed and sharp, while the others were hroad -headed account of the battle in " Transactions of the and blunt. The same authority aays that the Ossory Archceelogical Society," by " An Ulster English and Scottish soldiers, whem they fouad Archseologiat." their pikes too heayy for tkeu, were in the habit At midnight I gtxed on the moonless skies ; of ousting ofif a fool or two to lighten them. There glistened, 'mid other star blazonries, A. sword all stars; then Heaven, 1 knew. Had holy work for a sword to do. Be true, ye clansmen of Nial ! Be true 1 At morning I looked, as the sun uprose. On the fair hilU of Antrim, late white with snows VTas it morning enly that dyed them red ? Martyred hosts, methought, had bled On their sanguine ridges for years not few 1 OP BOB O'NBILL (DON RCOBinO 8IQN1TTJRK OWBN Ye clansmen of Conn this day be true ! o'nbill). From a facsimile letter in " Contemporary Histery of is felt more on the earth Events in Ireland." There once The step of a kingly man : Like a dead man, bidden, he lay from his birth The Irish took many prisoaers, and gare quar- Exiled from his country and clan. ter to all who submitted, according to The British This day his standard he flingeth forth Officer. The day afUr the battle O'Neill buried ; tramples the bond and ban : tho bodies of several of the English and Scottish e Let tham look in his face who usurped his hearth ; officers, and a tablet in Benburb churchyard still Let them vanquish him they who can 1 records the last restiag-place of Captain James Roe, our own O'Neill 1 Hamilton, who " was slain in his Majesty's ser- Owen He treads once more our land ! viee against the Irish rebbels, the 6th day of June, Ths sword in his hand is of Spanish steel t 1646." But the hand is an Irish hand I The hill whieh formed the centre of the Irish position has been a large grazing field for a lung time past, and the hillock, or rising ground, occu- AUBRET Db Vebb. — RATHMINES AND CULLENSWOOD. RATHMINES AND CULLENSWOOD. BathKar, upon thy broken wall, Now grows tk* lusmore rank and tall— 'Wild Rraas ap«n thy heartstone springs, And ivy round thy turret clings; The night-owls tbrvugk thy arches sweep. Thy moat dried up, thy towers a heap, Blackened, and charr'd and desolate— The traTeller marTels at thy fate 1 —"Thb Monks of Kilc&ea." IFTY or sixty years ago Rath- Bristol settlers in Dublin, to whom, regardless of mintB eonsietMl of a cluster of the rights of the original inhabitants, ko capri- houses in the neighbourhood of ciously granted a charter of the city similar t* "Tko Chains," with a few that of Bristol, ^ese settlers were accusU>med to dataehed residences scattered meet on the plaias of Cullenswood on sparsely around through the holidays and festivals to indulge in the •pen coontry ; to-day it is a games and sports of the period. The lar|;e and populous sujburb of fierce sapts of the mountains viewed tkoao the metropolis, of which it al- new usurpers of their homea with deep most forms a part, while feelings of hostility and resentment, and eagerly scarcely » vestige remains of watched for an opportunity of wreaking ven- its ence rural character. The place known as geance upon them. On Easter Moaday, 1209, " The Chains," situated at the upper end of afterwards known as Black Monday, a large num- Rathmines-road, though now in a dilapidated and ber of these settlers went out to tko plain of unsanitary condition, originallyfermed the nucleus Cullenswood, according to custom. While they of the little hamlat of Rathmiaes, through which were amusing themselves there a number of the the Swan Rirer, now entirely closed in, flowed. Wicklow clans—the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles In aneient times the whole district lying south with the dispossessed Irish from the neighbour- of Dulilin was called Cualann, corrupted into ing mountains, who were concealed in an ambus- CuUen; that portion of it between Rathmines and cade in the wood, fell upon tium with great fury, Donnybrook, and extending out to the Dodder, waa and slew SCO of thess. Tko following quaint known as the Wood of Cullen, or Cullenswood,from account of this sanguinary affray is given by a wood which tkon covered a eonsiderable part of Stanyhurst, a writer of the 16th century : — it. " CuUen" is, therefore, in this instance, a " The citizens having over great afiance in tke topographical and not a personal name ; it also multitude of the people, and so consequently occurs is the name Glencullen, a gorge in the being somewhat retchlecs (reckless) in heodmg tko Dublin Mountains between Glendoo and Tibrad- mountain enewie that lurched undo* tkoir boms. den. After the Anglo-Norman invasion numbers were wont to roam and royle in alusters, somo- of the Irish were driven out of Dublin, and took iimes three or four miles from towne. Tke IrL>h refuge in the fastnesses of the Dublm and Wick- enemie, espying tkat the citizens were accustoii;!>d low mountains, from which, in company with the to fetch such odd vagaries on holydaya, and Wicklow elans, they made warlike incursions having an inekling withal by tho means of aoioe upon the plains beneath, ravaging the country claterfert ^traitor) or other that a company of and keeping the English settlers in continual thorn would range abroad on Monday in tko terror. Xaater week, towards tho woode of Cullen, they About 1200 A D King John founded a colony of lay in a state very well appointed, and layde in a 48 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. sundry places for their coning. The citizens, city and the mountains, was the scene rf contisua] ratlicr minding the pleasure they should presently conflicts between the early English settlers enjoy than forecastiBg the hurt that might ensue, and tbe aative Irish. Tradition still flockt unarued from the citie to the woode. points out the sceae of the memorable dis- Where, being intercepted by their lymg in ambush, aster of 1209, and the place is to this ivere, to the number of five hundred, miserably day known as "The Bloody Fields." Its exact elayne. The citizens, deeming that unluckie position is ehowa oa the 6-inch Ordnance Survey tyme to be a cross or dismaU day, gave it the Map in Thom's Directory. The name ef " Cul- appellation ef Black Monday. The citie being leaswoed" still remains, though the " wood" has soon after peopled by a fresh supply of Briatol- long since disappeared. It is applied to the dis- lians, to dare the Irish enemie, agreed trict lying immediately south of Raaelagh. I have to bancket yearly in that place. For the mayor been unable to discover anything as t« the site of and the sheriffes, with the citizens, repayre to the the eriginal " wood," wliich probably consisted TVoodc of Gullen, in which place the mayor more ef brushweod and heather than trees. The bestoweth a costly slinuar withia a meate er Dublia, Wieklow, and Wexford Railway now passes rouadsU, and both the sheriffes within another, through " The Bloody Fields ;" a considerable where tliey are so well guarded by the youth of portion is occupied by Palonerstea Road and its th* citie, afl the mountain enemie dareth not at- offshoots, and the remainder is becoming gradually tempt ta snatch so much as a pastye trust from built over. In sinking the foundations fer the tlience." houses there considerable quantities of human The rather meagre details ef this iBcident that boaes have beea discovered from time to time, have beeM handed down to us represent that the accompanied in some instances by arms and settlers were unarmed and unprepared for this at- coins. tack, aad that it wa* tlierefore a mere massacre. It is a remarkable fact that these fields re- It should be reeollected, however, that there is no mained till receatly an open country space long eestemporary account, and that these details, after the surrounding suburbs of Rathgar, Clon- such as we have them, rest exclusively upen the skeagh, and Donaybreok were built on. A glance testimeny ef chroniclers who wrote upon hear- at tlie map will show this, the place appearing say evidence some hundreds of years after the hemaied ia on all sides by houses aad private event occurred. The accounts must tlierefore be grounds. Whether the evil traditions received with reserve. of old attaching to the Ucality had Duhlin wail shortly after replenished by a fresh aay deterrent effect upon building enterprise coleny »f settlers from Bristol, who for haadreds it is impessible to say, hnt the fact remains of year saft«rwards marched out every Easter that it is only within the paat few years that Men day to the scene of the disaster, fully armed, it has begun to be generally built on. It is and headed by a black flig, aad formally ehal- now a growing suburb of modern red brick houses lenged the Irish septs to combat. This strange and a tram line ruas through it ; in a few years ceremeaial was observed up to a comparatively more it will be entirely built over, and ef the recent period. "Bleody Fields" wiH survive but the name— The same chroaiclers relate that in 1316, David memento ef this tragic episode of the early Eng- O'Teole, an Iri&h chieftain, laid a similar ambus- lish settlement. cade, but the citizens, sallying out suddenly from During the Civil War between Charles I. and the city with tlteir black flag, defeated the am- his Parliament, Lord Ormonde, the Viceroy, was buscade, and routed their assailants, killing; anum- entrusted with eemmand of the Reyalist troops in ber of them, and pursued the reiuainder for miles Ireland. In 1649 he determined to besiege Dub- into the mountains. lin, wluch was occupied by the Republioan forces The distiict of Rathuines and CuDenswood, under Colonel Jones, and with this object he en- lying south ef Dublin, and directly between the camped about the middle c^ July south of the RATHMINES AND CULLENSWOOD. 49 city at Rathminea. Another portion of his army would in a short time deprive them of cavalry, took up a position at the nerth side of the city and ia a great measure restrict tk«ir operations. under command «f Lerd Dillon. From Rath- But it was fated to be otherwise, as the sequel mines OrmoBcle intended to carry works and en- will show. crenchments down towards the LiiFey, wkieh In the district known as Baggetrath, and (ae- would enable him t* command the Mouth of the eordmg to Mr. Wakeman), exactly on the site o< rirer and thus cut off the enemy's supplies 44 Upper Baggot-street, there thea stood the by sea. In this project, howerer, he waa stout old castle of Baggetrath. This castle unsuccessful, and the garrison was strength- Ormonde considered the fittest place to be forti- ened by successive reinforcements of infantry fied and made the headquarters for offmsive and cavalry, as well as considerable quantities operations against the city. After it had been •f supplies and ammunitioa. viewed and examined by three of his principal BAGGOTRATH CASTLE, 1791 (From Qrose» Antiquitiet). Site now oecupied by 41 Upper Baggot-street. On 1st August Ormonde held a council ef war, officMv, who eoncurred in his views, Ormonde as tlie army appeared too much expesed in camp directed General Purcell to march te tlie castle lit Rathmiues. Ormonde himself was disposed to with 1,500 men and materials and ammunitioe to take up quarters at Drimnaeli, near Crumlin, fortify it. This was on the evening of the Ist of where he could eommunicate with the rest of his August. army at the north side ef the Liffey. This waa At daybreak next merning Ormonde went him- opposed by most of his ofBeers, who thought sueh self te the castle to see how the work waa pre- a movement would seem too like a retreat, /ind it gressing. To his annoyance he found it very was oecordingly decided to take up a position so little advanced, and on asking for an explanation •close to the outworks of Dublin as would prevent Purcell stated that he had been mitled by his the beleaguered forces within from grazing their Irish guide, that he had lost his way, aad that he horses on the pasture lands which then lay between in eonsequence did not arrive there till an hour the city w%lls aad the camp. This, it vraa thought, before daybreak. This explanation Ormonde G 50 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. naturally enough did aot contider vary satiB- ments ran away, throwing down their arma f»ct«ry, as th« total distance ttss enly and bcggmg for quarter. A body of 2,500 in- one mile, and Purcell had therefore spent fantry.finding themselves deserted by the cavalry, the wk«le night marching this distance. The surrendered in a body on being promised quarter, castle being, howvTer, in a naturally strong pesi- but numbers of them were butchered when tion , Orm*nde considered that it would not take brought within the city walls. It was stated by long to fertify, and he accordingly deputed the the Republican* tkat in tkis battle there were work to Sir William Yaughaa, with directions t« three thousand killed and as many taken prisoners, hare it dene as hastily as possible. and some authorities plact the number even still Observing some bodies of the enemy horering higher. about, he drew his whole army over towards the Tho victory was complete and decisive—it broke castle, with the right wing corering the fortifying up the Royalist army and raised the siege of Dub- party, and planted his artillery on an emmence lin. Ormonde's undoubtedly bad generalship on •ailed GaUowB Hill, near where Mouat-street is the occasion involved him in great discredit at the now, between the castle and tlie city walls. Having Court of England, and in reply to the charges then assigned different duties to his several offi- brought against hira he furnished a long explana- cers, Ormonde retired to kis tent about eight tion, which, however, seems lame and uniatisfac- o'clock a.m. to take some rest, as he kad been up tory. His reputation as a military leader ap- all night writing despatches. He does not appear pears to have been shattered, and he never after- to kavo anticipated any imatediate attack, and wards made any effective stand against the Re- was apparently satisfied tkat he had made ample publican forces. He deemed it advisable shortly preparation for any eontingeney. afterwards to retire to the safe seclusion of tho About nine o'clock, however, Colonel Jones Continent, where he remained till the Restoration. sallied out from the city with 1,200 horse and Shortly after tho battle, Baggotraih Castle was 4, 009foot, intending only to make a reconnaissance, again seized by a small body of Royalists, who held but, seeing the occasion, favourable for an attack, out for some days against Cromwell, but he ulti- and tkat Ormonde's troops were badly disposed, ke mately took it by storm, and left it a shattered made a detour to the castle, and about 10 o'clock ruin. In this eoadition is remained till tho be- suddenly and unezpeetedly attacked the right ginning of ^e prosent century, when it was ruth- wmg, which, after some brief fighting, broke up lessly demolished to make room for a terrace of in disorder and fled from the field, bringing tho dwellinghouses in Upper Bagget-street, which fortifying party with them. Ormonde, wakened have since risen over its ruins. There is a fine by the shots, rushed from his tent just drawing of this old castle, dated 1791, in " Grose's in time to find his right wing in full retreat. His Antiquities of Ireland" in which it is represented officers then attempted to rally the main body as Quite a rural scene in the midst of fields and and left wing, which for a time made some trees, with the mountains in the background, show of fighting, but in vain; the Republican and would considerably exercise tho imagiaatioii troops gained field after field until they came up of a modern inhabitant of the neighbourhood. to where tho artillery was planted. Here Or- Tko accompanying illustration is copied from monde, surrounded by his personal staff, made a Grose. last attempt at resistance ; but, being attacked The original Castie of Baggotrath was built front and rere, they had to fly from the field leav- about the twelfth centi^y, but the latest struc- ing thoir artillery, ammunition, and treasure in ture, a square tower, was erected about the time the hands of tho enemy. of Jatues I. or Elizabeth. There are, I believe, la this disastrous engagement Sir William some old people still alive who remember its ruins. Vaughan and many other officers of distinction Some interesting local details concerning it are " were slain. A panic seems to have seized Or- given in Ifr. VTakeman's fit at series of Old monde's army on tho occasion—whole regi- Dublin." THE SIEQE OF DEBRT. 61 For a long time aft«r the great battle tliere, it of the salary paid te Sir Joha (afterwards Lerd) waa the resort of freabooters, deBparadoes, and De Blaquiere. highwaymen, and was coasidered a dangeroua In this battle the fighting extended aU along place to paas after dusk. the south side ef the city, from Rathmines down, " Lewia'8 Dublin Guide," published in 1787, to the sea and back as far as the banks of the gives the following notice of chis interestins niia— River Dodder. After the battle a large number " The upper part, which threatened immediate de- of Lord Inchiquin's soldiers from Ormonde's struction to all whe should approach its base, was in army, took refuge in the grores and thickets of 1785 taken down: and what small fragment of the Rathgar with which the place then abounded, and tower was left was entirely filled up with stones, there concealed themselves till after seme parley- earth, and other matters.and the wholealosedatthe ing th«y obtained conditions for their lives. Next top; 80 that it is mow almost as solid and compact day the gi eater number of them took up arms in aaarock, andmaybid defiance to theshocksof time." the Republiean service, which would indicate that The office of GoYernor of Baggotrath Castle, th^ir political views were ef an accummodatin^ though a sinecure froxa the time of tiie battle, kind. It may be observed that even to this day was fiUed from time to time, aad a salary paid till Rathgar bears traces of Uie character which then the Union, when it, with a number of similar distinguished it, it being one of the most wooded appointments, was aboliskcd, and a ctimmutation suburbs ef the city. THE SIEGE OF DERRY. N 1688, before affairs in It is scarcely necessary to say that the pro- England had taken a very jected massacre was but a myth like r.he others, pronounced turn against and originated in the fevered and excited imK<^ina- King James, Ireland was in tions <>f the people. It is not seriously referred to a most disturbed ocndition. by any historian. Ulster im particular was While deliberations were proceeding as to the greatly disorganised. Mys- course to be adopted, news was brought to the terious rumours were afloat assembled multitude that Lerd Antrim's regimen* SB to risings and murders, wa» now within two miles ef the wall«. The and Protestants and Ca- people were divided in their councils —some were tholies alike lived In constant apprehension two terrified to give any opinieo, many discredited of being ssassacred, each by the ether. Early the whole stery; but the great majority of the t December maay anonymous letters were humbler classes clamoured vociferously for the received by prominent persons in the gates to be shut against the forces of the King. North warning them of an intended massacre of The obnexieus regisaent waa by this time in view Protestants at an early date. On the 7th De- at the far side of the river and was making pre - the town council cember two eommunicalions were received by the , paratiens to cress, but while Town Ceuneii of Derry, one intimating that the and the more responsible inhabitants still MMsacre was fixed for the 9th, and the other a wavered, the young apprentices of the town hands. letter from one of the old governors ef the city, took the matter in Uieir own stating that Lord Antrim's regiment, mostly Thirteen ef them sudden^ drew their swords,^ Catbelics, was only twelve miles off, and calling seized the city keys from Ae guard, and then, upon the inhabitants te shut their gates agaiut rushing dewn te the ferry which Antrim's meu them. were approashing, they raised the drawbridge, 52 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. and, rcturniag, lacked all the gates of th« t«WB. soon after returned to Dublin in company with Such wafi the first overt act of rebellioa against De Rosen, leaving his army at Derry in command KiDg Jam*8 II. of General Hauiilton. The troops, which wers intended aa a garrisoa Meanwhile dissensions raged within the walla. for the t«wn, haviag formally aLemanded and The pusiUanimous town council were still advo- been refused admission, withdrew with their cating a surrender, and had even prepared and eommander te Coleraine. From all sides new the signed a document to that elect, when Colonel English settlers, terrified, thronged te Derry an a Murray ami the great bulk of the humbler citizens refuge, and night and day strenuous efferts were cook armed possesuon of the town and superseded made te strengthen the fortificatiens around the the municipal authorities. All negotiations for a t«wn< surrender were summarily terminated. The On Christmas Day, 1688, King James landed peace party met no more, and Derry by an over- on the French shores, a fugitive from his king- whelming majority resolved on resistance. dom and his subjects. In March, 1689, he eaa- On 21st April a prolonged roar of cannon pro- barked at Brest for Ireland with a naval and claimed that the siege had begun. The Jacobites military ferce, aa well as a considershle quantity had completely surrounded the town so far aa of supplies and money provided by King Leuis ef land was concerned; but the approach by water France. He landed at Einsale about the middle was unprotected, because tliey had no ships of of March. war and tkoy had to substitute a boom across the On 9bh April, after a toilsome march, James river below tlie town instead. This boom was and his army appeared before Derry, accompanied composed of great cables and pieces of timber by his son, the Duke of Berwick, and Qeneral De bound together, drawn tightly across the river, Kesen, a French officer. Lundy, the governor of and securely fastened to massive stakes or pillars the town, advocated submission, and forbade all on either bank. It was thus impossible for an preparations for resistance, but on the appearance vessel to pH£S up or down the ri rer without burst- of King James's army, a tumultous meeting ef the ing through this formidable obstacle. inhabitants was held, and Lnndy was openly ac- Buring the lirst day the besieged made a cused' of cowardice and treachery, for it was sudden sally and attacked an isolated detachment strongly suspected that he had epwied secret ne- •f Jacobite infantry under Hamilton who were gotiations with the Jacobites. The conimEind of Marching round to the other side of the town. A the tewB now devolved upon two of the principal fierce combat ensued. llie sortie was •fficers, assisted by Rev George Walker, rector ef led by the gallant Murray, who charged Duuough more, who by his exhortations and cease- at the head of the cavalry, but tliav less energy greatly enceuraged the garrison. were met by Berwick and his cavalry with such Lundy found it necessary to conceal himself irom effect that the Williamite ranks were broken, and the fury of the townspeople till tlia ensuing tlioy had to fly for refuge to the town. Murray's ni^^ht, when he escaped from the town in dis- horse was killed under him, and ho himself guise. escaped with difficulty. But although this sally When James arrived he entered into negotia* wsA thus repulsed, tho Jacobites suffered the tions with the townsjieople touching an honour- greater loss, and had two of their principal * able surrender. Shortly afterwards h« ap- officers killed. proached the walls accompanied by his staff, with On the 25tk of April the garrison made another the object of conferring with the garrison, but sally on a body of 590 Jacobites, whom tliey when he was within about one hundred yards, a fought in a desultory way from 10 o'clock in tho oannon from the nearest bastion was without morning till 7 o'clock in the evening, when the warning treacherously fired at him, killing one of Jacobites, nearly overcome by force of numbers, his officers by his side. He then, seeing the hope- were relievod by reinforcements from the main lessness of a compromise, at once withdrew, and body, and the Williamites were forced te retire. THE SIEGE OF DEBBT. 58 The loii on both sides in this action was ia- them in the face, and had already made its mark contidaraUe, but th« Jacobites lost De Pusignan, in their aaxieus features. Their last leaf was gone a dislinguiskcd Frenck officer. and they wero forced to stave off the cravings •£ Early ia May, during a dark sight, the Jac*^itea hunger with horseflesh, tallow, and various kinds toak possesBian af an eminenca, called WindniH- of refuse. hiU, aTarloekine tka town ua the south-wast, in- On 13th June the watchmen on the ehurck teadinur ta plaat same artiUerv tUere; but wkaa tower discerned out at sea thirty skips, display- morning came and the garrison saw their be- ing friendly signals and ensigns, about to enter siegers iu ua manacing a positioa, they sallied out Lough Foyle. This news caused great joy, and in force, and after a desperate hand-ta-hand en- the garrison anxiously watched the pregrets of gagemeat, completely routed theas , killing tkeir the fleet. A messenger at length swam, at duftk, gaUant commander, Ramsey. Tka Wiliiamites from one of the ships, and announced that Major- then constructed trenches and outworks here, General Kirke kad arrived, conveying a great which they held duriag the remainder af the quantity of previaioae a.wd arms for the famished siege. In this encounter, as indeed in all others, and miBerable ^'arrieon. Their hearts were glad- the Derry men showed their rast superiarity as dened with the hope of relief, but it waa destined marksmen over their apponents, erary shat, both to be dashed to the ground, and to prove but a •f musket and cannoa, telling witk deadly affect. very draught ef Tantalus. Kirke became faint- Many af the Jacabites who had been captured hearted when he saw the boom and the threaten- in the sevwal conflicts were now prisaners within ing aspect ef the Jacobite forts guarding the pas- the town, and these the (nrrison, to their credit sage of the river. He accordingly lay te, and be it said, treated with the greatest humanity, for forty-six days this great fleet of thirty sail even allawing surgeons and snpplies of praTiaiuus rode securely at anchor in Lough Foyle, while the t* be sent to tkem. brave fellows inside she town starved and fought On 4th June a desperate attempt was Made in rags, hopiag against hope, day after d.-ij, that te storm and enter the tewn. The attack, Kirke would make some effort to relieve tham ! which was aaade by three detachments of horse Meanwhile the garrison were reduced to dread- and two af foot, was concentrated «a iul straits. Meat and corn had entii^ly din- that part of the outworks adjoining appeared. Dead dogs, horaes, cata, foul grease, 'WindmiU-hill. The Jacobites advanced and tallow had taken tkeir place, and even of with the utmost gallantry, cheering aa they ap- these there was a scant supply. The foUowiag proached and holding boughs before thou. The tariff of prices during the siege will give some WiUiamites met tham witk a steady fire in three idea of the privations suffered by the garrisoa aad lines, each line retiring to the rear ta load aa bhey townspeople—Horeeflesh, Is 8d per lb; quarter fired. This cheeked the advance ef the storming of dog fattened by eating dead bodies, 5s 6d; dog's party, who, after long and hard fightiag, lost seTe- head, 2s 6d; cat, 48 6d; rat fattened by human ral hundred by the eool and deadly fire from be- fleth, Is; mouse, 6d; greaves, Is per lb; tallow, 4s hind the eatrenchmonts, and had many prisoaeTS per lb; salted hides. Is per lb; quart of horse- taken aa well, upon whioh they desisted from the blood, Is; handful of sea- wrack, 2d; handful of attempt on the town. In this engagement the chick^i-weed. Id. defenders were ably assisted by the women of Several attempts were made to sommunicate Derry, who, regardless of danger, were to be seen with tho sluggish commander of the fleet, but in the thick of the fight, serTiag out refreshments thou^ they failed, through tho messengers being and ammunition to the men, and even attacking intercepted, he could not but be aware of their the besiegers with showers of stones. Bufferings, for they never ceased to signal to him Now, howerer, the brare garrison were con- for relief. It seems strange that he should net fronted by a new and mere deadly foe, against have tried the simple expedient of firing on th« well-directed which no valour is preef. Grina famiae stared boom. A dozea shots at 40 or 50 I — 54 IBELAND'S battles and BATTLEFIELDa yarda could hardly have failed to break it, aad it the boom. Tke unhappy garrison knew nothing waa well aboTo the water at low tide. ef this, however, and had almost abandoned aU The laat attempt to aterm tke town was mad* hep« of relief—but relief was at hand. on the 30th June, but it was repulsed like the others. Then it was that Marshal de Rosen, the Freach comataader, cemmitted an act ef cruel barbarity for which Miere is no parallel since the Riegeef Calais by Edward III. He oolleeted aU the Williamite inhabitants—men, women, and children—froaa the surrounding country and drove them to the gates of the town, leaving tkem there to starve, in hope that the garrison weuld admit t^em, and thus still faster ceasume their store ef provisions. This piece ef savagery, however, aroused such indignation assong the Irish officers and men ef the Jacobite army that Da Resen, afraid ef taking so extrsMe a step en- tirely on his own responsibility, wrote te King James in Dublin apprising him of it. James at once replied forbidding it, and ordering the other gMxerak not te execute such a command, but be- fore this reply was received numbers ef these un- fortunate people were already congregated at tke gates in tlie utmost misery. The garrison refused to admit them, and now walkbr's honuhbnt, sirrt. adopted retaliatory measures. On tke bastion facing the hostile camps they erected a huge Tke shades ef evening were closing into night gallows, and brought forth t^e Jacobite prisoners, on the 28th July, when a flash was seen in the di- whom, up to this, tbey had treated kindly. Osten- rection ot Culuore Fort, and a loud report rever- tatious preparations were tken made to hang them berated along the placid waters ef the Feyle. unless De Resen desisted, and they were permit- There was a rusk te tke battlements, and tkeo, sa ted te write to him te that effect. This st«rn a tkoHsand lean and wMted forms wistfully attitude of the garrison, together with James's peered tkroug^ the darkening gloom, another letter, had «ke desired result, and the wretched flash bade them listen for a second report, crowd were permitted te depart in safety. which waa feUewed by ,a rapid succession About the middle of July negotiations were of others, the fitful light of the opened for a surrender, but thev came to nothing, flashes revealing tke forms ef three ships for the commissioners disagreed about the date. sailing up the Foyle amid a continuous fire from The active siege now ceased, and wae turned into tke Jacobite forts along the river. Kirke had ati a blockade. It had nearly sufficed. An ominous last resolved te attack the boom. Tke spectators silence had settled down upon the ancient town were breathless with anxiety and excitement. the shadow ef approaching death. The gaunt and Onward sailed the ships with every inch of cui- starving garrison still laanned the walls, but tkey vaa spread to the wuid.ttiruugh a raking fire of now looked like living skelekeni. They had only shot and shell. At length tke foremost struck a dozen horses left and a pint ef nteal to each witk full force against the boom—there was a loud oraab, the vessel recoiled from the shock and Meanwhile Eirke had received peremptory grounded, but tlie boom was broken. The other orders from England to risk everything aod force two ships passed through, and ft broadside from — THE BATTLE OP THE BOTNE. 65 th« tkird relcaud it in time to foll«w ; tk* thre* and children. Except in occasional figkting out* then 8»ilad up t* ih« town and larndsd all their side the waHs, boweTer, this nunerical superi- iorai and prcTinont. The 8i«g« wm ended, and ority was of little advantage to tbe besieged on next morninii; whan the waated defenders looked aeceusit of tke limited space in whick they were trom their ranparta they saw an empty camp enclosed and the scarcity of previsions. It i» esti- the Jacobites kad gone and the gallant sity was mated that each side lost about half its number. free. Ifany of the eaanon and other interesting The accounts as t* the numbers and losses in relics ef this famaus Eiec;e are still to be seen in tills famous siege are rery eoaflicting, but accord- the town, and in 1828 a lofty pillar surmounted by ing to tke best autherities the beiiiegers were a statue of Walker wu erected on tlie site •t about 6,000 or 7,000 strong, while tke besieged one of the western baatdona t* the memory ci wer« betwe^ 10,000 and 12, 000,«xciusiTe ef women that remarkable nfuio. THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. He also issued orders that bis soldiers should pay for everything they got from the people. On 24th June, everything being in readiness, he marchad southward witk all his troops, and en the 27tk he reached Dundalk, wkick had been occupied by tho Jacobite forces, but waa eva- cuated by thorn on hia approach. James then retired to Ardee, and on tho 28 th ko crossed tho Boyno, and encamped on its soutkcru bank, about three miles above Drogkeda. Hero he resolved to wait for his rival and try the issue of battle. William, quickly following, at early morning on the 30th, he reached the Boyne ; and from tke hill of TuUyeiker, about two miles north of Droghe«la, he surveyed tho picturesque surround- iag country in all tho glory of su muter. In front CRIPPLED by the relief ef Derry was tho Jacobite camp, nearer the ancient town and the disastrous defeat at New- of Droghtda, and away to the right lay tho de- tewH-Butler, the Jacobites retired vious glittering course of tbo Boyno. Accom- aontfaward hrom UlsUr, and King James, having panied by some of his officers, he then rode down sent his army into winter quarters, returned to to the picturesque gorge now known as King Wil- Dublin in Nevsmber, where he remained till the liam's Olen, from whick ko made careful observa- following June. tion of tho Jacobite position, and determined kia William ef Orange landed at Carriekfergus en point of attack, while kis army advanced in tho 14t^ June, 1690, accompanied by a number of rere close to the river. distinguished offiews and nkblecaen, and on tke He was so charmed witk tho beauty of the same day he arrived in Belfast. Me took imme- Bceoe, enhanced by the lovely morning, that ko diato measures to coHect and organise his scat- rode a couple of hundred yards along tho river tered army and put a stop to pillaging and otker and sat down upon some rising ground opposite misconduct of wkick ke bad heard while in England. tke Jacobite camp, where he called for hia break- — 56 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. fut t« b« •TTed him al fretco. Mcanwliile a jocularly referred to by soma af William's foreign party mi tha Jaaobita Kane quietly descended officers {Storey, p. 73). from the hill of Donora ob tha far tide and entered The Williamites were all well disciplined •*]. a ploughed field opposite tha apok where William diars, tried ia maay a fereiga battlefield, and and hie suite were breakfaatiag. After reaaiBing drawn from nearfy every aatioaality in central there soma time thay ratHmed, apparaatly \nt^- Europe. out having accomplished anything; but neTartha- The Jacobites caasisted of French and Irish, less had, unnoticed, unliaibercd two field tha Freaeh beiag well equipped thay aad disciplined ; pieces and concealed tkam uader a hedge, leaving but of the Irish a large number—five or six thou- a few axparc guaners in charge. sand at least—were raw levias, inezperioBoed, ua- About half an hour afterwards William rasa to discipliaed, and littla better than tha iasurgeats remount his herae, when a loud report from one in '98, armed with pikes aad other imjsrevised •f tha pieces resaunded along the river banks, the weapeas. ball killing a man and a eouple of horses a short The Williamites had about 59 pieces ef artillery distance behind him. Before he could recover besides mortars ("ilfacariaefxctdium," p. 343). Tha from his surprise a second was fired, and the ball, Jacobites had but 12 field-pieces, of which oaly ricochetting from the river bank, struck him an six were availabl. on tha battlefield, the remain- the right shoulder, inflicting a harmless lacerated der having been sent towards Dublin to protect wound. A few inches closer would have abruptly the baggage {Cane, p. 211). ended the war. William fell forward on his When, in addition to this great numerical dis- horse's Bcck, a loud shout of cKultatiou wns parity, we consider that so maay of the Irish raised from the Jacobite camp, and messengers were practically useless as soldiers, beiair imper- were evaa despatched ta Paris aad Dublin with fectly armed, and that the Jacobites were almost l^e mews that he was killed. In a few moments, totally deficient in artillery, we may fairly say however, he was sufficieatly recovered to sit that tkey were outnumbered by their oppoaeats upright again aad asswer the uaay inquiries aa ID the proportion of at least two to one. to tha wound, which waa then dressed by the Day dawned cloudlessly on Tuesday, 1st July, RurgeoBS. The place whare this incident aad the silvery waters of the Boyae glanced bril- tha occurred is a littla below the glen and near liaatly beneath tha merning sua ; but before tka obelisk. early mists had risen from tiie surroundiag The night of tha 30th closed without any fur- heigjits, the braying of trumpets, neighing of ther action, and both sides prepared for a fiaal steeds, and other martial sounds disturbed the struggle on the morrow. Authorities differ as to rural stillness and proclaimed the presence of war. the respective numbers on each side ; but Sir William's plan of battle was to force the pas- William Wilde, who seems to have investigated sage af the river in foxir places, aa follows : tha matter with some care, places tha aumbers Goieral Douglas with 10,000 nen vraa to march at 86,000 Williamites and 23,069 Jacobites at daybreak to the bridge and fords at Slano, (" The Soyne and the BlaehvMter," p. 249.) and theace advance upon, and, if possible, out- Stoiay, who waa King William's chaplain, and flank tha Jacobite left wing—a march of was present at tha oigagemant. estimates tha about six miles. This passage having been respective forces at 36,000 and 2a,000. (See accomplished, the Dutch Blue Guards, the French Surrey'» History, page 70.) The Duke of Ber- Huguenots and tha Irish EnniakiUeaers com* wick, at page 63 of his memoirs, says, "The enemy manded by Duke Schonberg were to enter at the had 45,000 aad we were oaly 23,000." " Maeariae ford opposite William's Glea. The Daaes and Excidium" (p. 47) makes the Williamites double the Qermans under Count Nassau were to cross at th* number af their adversaries, aad Cane gives the shallows between the two islands; and the left WilliamitcB a majority af 12,001 at least (p. 207). wiag, almost exclusively composed of Daaish and The smallneas •£ King James's army was cvea Dutch eavalry, waa to cross immediately eastwarcl THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNS. 67 of Tvllfalien hill. It mty b« mMtioned thai tm of cavalry were ef course routed, abovt 70 of < it wa8 8umm«r tk* rirer wm vary low aad ford- being killed. Tbe Jaaebite left wing whiek abla in almost aay plaaa. extended out towards Slane then came to thoir It will b* meceasary t« refer to tk« map to aasiatance and coTwed tho retreat of the anr- aaderstand these seTeral mevea which I have TiTora. umbered thus :— About half past tea o'cloek Wiliaaa, haviiif (1). 10,000 under Dosftlaa to cross at Slaae, &c. been irn forseed by special messenger of the sueoaoa (2). Dutch, French, and EnniskiUiners vnder of this expedition, ordered the other attempts to Sohomberg to cress at Oldbridge. be made. The Dutch Blue Guards, reputed tho 19 THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. (8). Daaes and Oermant under Count Nassau. finest infantry la the world, entered tho river (4). Loft wing under King William. opposite Oldbridge, and tho Danes and Germans Douglas with his 10,000 men (nearly half tho at a ford betweea tho two islands. The Irish foot number of the Jacobites) maroked to Slane; the resisted tkair progress, but being principally horsecrossed atRosnaree, and some of the infantry armed with pikes, their resistance was ef short at a ford about a mile higher up. Immediately on duration, and they fell back upon the line of crossing tkey were met by Sir Heal O'Neill with cabins and rudo defences on tko southero bank, some 500 or 600 cavalry, who for a short time by before the withering and well directed fire of tkoir his skilful manoeuvring held them in oheek, but oppoaonts. O'Neill w«s ultimately killed, and the small force Hamilton, leading the Irish horse, now advaaood H a 58 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDa te the river*! edge; part waT«r«d uid fled before men along tke laae te Skeepheuae, whither the the terrible ire, but the remainder impetueusly Jacobites were retiring, whe at ene time turned charged into tke watar, hurling back Dutch, 8o fiercely at bay that they drove some Daaes, aud BraudoBburgkera, with the loss ef of William's best troops down the hill, till some Calimotte the leader ef the Huguenota. Brave reinforcements enabled tke Williamites to rally. old Schonberg, thcu 82 years of age, atoed on By this time both wings of the Jacobite army the northers bank at the ent ranee te Williaaa's were closing in upon their centre. Tke left wuig, Olen, watching the struggle with a SDaall body ef temporarily successful at Rosnaree, but ordered reserve, but when he learned of tke death mi hii te retire te support the centre, had fallen back old friend aud comrade Calimotte, ke rushed iute •pen Duleok, and tke right wing and centre re- the river to rally the Uugueaets without waiting tired upon Donore Hill, and fnally, towards even- to doB hia helmet or cuirass. Just as ke wm ing, joined the left wing at Duleek. The retreat abeat to laad at the opposite side Hamilton's was effected in good order, with inconsiderable cavalry again charged, with disaatreus result te loss, and directed with consummate skiU. themselve;, for they were met by a treuendeus The advance of the Williamite right wing by fire which emptied many a saddle, bet they never- Slaae waa a manterly manoeuvre, but it partly thelesa broke tlie ranks of tke Huguenots and i* failed in its object. Had Douglas succeeded in the struggle the gallant old Sshonberg feU dead oatflanking tke Jacobite left and seizing tke paaa with a musket bullet through kia head. of Duleek, ae as to cut off James's road to Dublin, From the acsotiat of the battle givea is the the result would have been the annihilation ef "Histoire de U devolution d' IrUnde," published at the Jacobite army and the termination of the war Antwerp in 1791, it seems likely that Schonberg at a blow. But fate decreed otherwise, and tke feM a victim to a stray Williamite buMeb. Storey Vfilliamitea had to be satisfied witk an indeeisivo also says riiat ke was killed by the eareless firing victory and a successful passage of the Boyne. ef his ewn men. A monument now stands on It will be observed that the victors made little tke spot to mark where ke fell. A sketch of it ia or me attempt to follow up tkeir success. Their given on page 55. cavalry pursued the Jacebitea te Duleek, where The Irish cavalry, tke enly really effective Irisk tke Iritih rallied and presented a front, but tke troops, perfernaed prodigies ef valour, consideiing WiUiamites declined battle, and tke last stand of tkeir numbers. On another attempt being made tkevanquisked was made at the deep defile of Naul, by the Dutch and Danes te establish themselves, in the extreme north ef tiie county Dublin, on tkis famous cavalry ckarged witk such effect that tlie borders of Meath ; there tke Williamites in a few momenu they swept nearly all tke reined horse and returned to Duleek. Williamites koa their positions on the southera So ended the famous Battle of tke Boyne— baak of tke Boyne. TVe Dutch Blues, however, battle of dynasties—where WiUiam of Orauge stood unbrekda by cavalry or infantry, and held snatched the sceptre fiem the enfeebled grasp ef tkeir ground admirablj though temporarily eut- the ill-starred Stuart line. niunbered. It has been stated by many writers that James William now led the left wing of 5,000 cavalry during tke battle remained at Donore Church, dowa to the river, eastward ef Tullyalleu Hill, and which would be almost entirely out of view ef the thou|^ wounded and acarcely able to use battlefield ; but this stateMcnt is in conflict with kia right arm, ke plunged into tke nearly all accounts ef tke battle, and is not con- water and rode at their kead to the firmed by any e«ra potent autkerities. It is likely other side, where he efifected a landing, apparently enough that he went there towards the close ef with little oppoaitien. On reaching tke bank, battle, when his troops were being forced back which waa wet and swampy, his kerse got begged from the river. and he was fereed to alight, tiU one of his officers It should be mendoned that the celebrated •extricated it* He then remomtedt and led kia fighting ohurckman, Oeorge Walker, whe had w THE FIBST SXEGB OF LDIEBICK. 59 difrt{agulali«d himself at Derry, f«U ia thii battk, ConsiderLag the numbers engaged in this battle, and waa immediately stripped and robbed by his the mighty issues at stakes, and the enduring im- •wn «amp foUewers I (" Storey" p. 82.) lb is portance of the result, the number killed—iOO 6Ten recorded that William, ob hearing of his Williaaiites and 1,000 Jacobites—seems surpris- death, unsympathetically remarked, " Fool! what ingly saal. brought hiat there !" But he was undoubtedly a There is no doubt that this victory has brave man, and well merited the tardy honour been vastly exaggerated ; when we recollect the paid to his memory at Derry. glaring disparity of numbo^ and equipments, that It is a strani^ fact that erery Williamite soldier James concentrated the besc ef his troops into wore a spray of greea in his cap, se that en this the apex ef a triangle (a singularly bad piece ef occasion, at least, green was the Orange celeur. Keneralehip), and that the WiUiamites had a The Jacobites wore small pieees ef white paper kmg worth fighting for, which Uie Jacobites in their caps, white being the Jacobite lacked, it is impossible but to conclude that " the colour. glorious Battle nf the Boyne," so long the shib- Notwithstanding many statements to the con- beleth of party faction, so oft the watchword ef traiy, JaMU had shown eonsiderable bravery on fratricidal strife, is one of those popular delu- many a foreign battlefield, though his conduct on sions which only needs a perusal of history to dis- this occasion looked Tsry like cowatdiee, and pel, and that suecess under such cireumstaaceft earned fer him in Ireland an unsaroury sobri- brings little of glory to the victors and stiU less quet, vrhich does not bear translation. disgrace to the vanquished. THE FIRST SIEGE OF LIMERICK. }HE victory at the Boyne and the at Singland, now a south-eastern suburb of the surrender of Dublin opened thm city. province of Leinster to the According to O'Callaghan's "Grten Book, " where WiUiamites. The Jacobites now the matter is gon« into with great minuteness, >^/^f^ decided to fall back upon the the WiUianaite forces at Limerick numbered T-^^^ Shannon as their Hue of defence, 26,«00. "ViUare Zfiiernicum" makes them 38,500, and occupy the fortified towns of but the former estimate is probably tlie mcro Limerick and Athlone. The gar- correct, as it is known that Williant detached from risons of the smaller towns canae his army about 10,090 men to garrison other in considerable numbers to Limerick, and a towas after the Battle of the B«yne. The Duke large force of French, under General Lauzun, of Berwick says that the Irish numbered 29,0§0 also proceeded there; but when Lauzun had ia infantry, of which only half were armed, and 3,500 spected the fortificatioas of the town he pro- cavalry;— " toute notre infanterie Irlandoise. qui nounced it untenable, declaring that " it eould be moatoit a environ vingt mille hommes, dout pour- taken with roasted apples," and he aecordingly tant il n'y avoit plus de la moitic qui fut armee. marched off to Galway with his entire force, in- Nous tiames la campagne avec notre eavalerie, tending to embark for Frzmce. The defence of qui pouvoit faire trois mille cinq cents chevaux." Limerick, therefore, devolved upon the Irish —(Memoires du Marecktd de Berwick, tome I. alone, and to shem belong* the undivided honour p. 76.) of its success. William intended to await the arrival ef hie On 9th August, 1690, forty days after the siege train, which was coming from Dublin uuder Battle of the Boyne. William appeared before the escort, as tho artillery he had with kiin was oi walls of Limerick with his army, and encamped light ealibre, and rather suited for field purposei 60 Ireland's battles and battlefields. thaa a siege. Tewards eTening he teat a trum- oao aide and passed beyond it, croasing Bia ShaB« peter te summen the tewa to eurroider, but noB kotwoen the town and Ballyvalley. Havmf Beisseleau, the goreraor, returned the anawer now entered Tippwary, tkey marched south-east- that he hoped to gain the good opkiieQ •{ the ward, almost in a direct line, for Keeper moim- Prince oi Orange by hia vigerouB defeaee of the tain, where they rested for a krief time. towu with wkick King Jamei had entrusted him. Sarsfield soon ascertained the whereabouts of . WilHam was rather diaappoiuted at thia reply, tho convoy, aad discovered that tkey intended to for he expected that the town would aurreader at encamp that night at Ballyneer.y hill, about 18 once oa aceouat of ita inadequate defeacea ; ke miles south-east of Limerick and IS miles from therefore resolved to at once cemmence offenaivo where he aad his troopers now stood. Gautioualy operations. following by unfrequented routes, ko at length On the 10th a Frenekman deserted from reached BaUyneety that night, where th* William's camp and made hia way into the tewn, eonvoy was encamped on a grassy slop» conveying the important intelligmca that near an old ruined eastle. Haviag, ky accident, William's siege train was oa its way from Dublin. discovered that the watchword was, by a strange It consisted ef a number ef heavy caaaon, a quan- coincidence "Sarsfield" he stealthily approached tity of ammunition and provisions, also seme tia tho camp shortly after midnight, croasing the in- pontoon boats for crossing tko river. When tervening hill, aad daaoendine on the Williamitos General Sarsfield heard this news ho determined from the summit. It was a calm moonlight aigkt, to intercept the convoy. He collected together and tho eamp apprehending no danger was stilled about 600 light cavalry—picked men, commanded in sleep. The sentinel challeaged. " Sarsfield is by an officer who knew every pas-*, wood, and bog tho word, and Sarsfield is tho man," was the reply. in all the countryside, and on the night of Sun- The sentiael was cut down, and then upon the day, 10th Auguat, ho aet out with hia troopers on amazed and half-awakened Williamites, Sarsfield this daring enterprise. and his troopers swept with tho suddenness and Almost simultaneously with his departure an swiftness of a thunderbolt. Down they caoie Irish gentleman came to William's camp and re- with wild huzzas along the green sward, the turf ported that Sarsfiold had started oa some myste- quivering beneath their feet, their sabres flashing rious noctunral expedition. William apparently in the pale moonlight. Little resistance was did not give the matter much consideration, for, offered; tko men were sabred and shot down as although he issued orders for a body of cavalry tkey rushed from their tents, and these wh» to pursue him, they did not start till Tuesday could, escaped and hid themselves in tho heather morning 1 and bushes till morning. Sarsfield then collected Sarsfield directed his course towards KiBaloo, the guns together, and having filled them with about fifteen milea higher up the Shannon, keep- powder, ho thruat their muzzlea into the grouad, ing tko river on hia right aU along. His imme- pat all tihe auppliea aad poatooa boata over them diate object now was to cross the Shannon and in a heap, aad laying a train blew up all with a get into the county Tipperary, through which the tremendous explosion which resouadod through convoy was passing, but this was no easy saatter, ail tho surrounding country, rudely disturbing for the bridges and fords were few, and vigilantly the stillness of the aight. Thus was destroyed guarded by the Williamitea. About ten milea tho splendid siege train, which William had des- above Limerick was O'Brien's Bridge, tka ancient tmed for the reduction of his refract* ^ish paas between Clare and Tipperary, but this he subjects. dared not attesapt, for it, too, was held by the Meanwhile the eouater expedition de^psSehed eneay. He and hia men, accordmgly, paaaed on by William were sluggishly making their way through Bridgetown and Ballycorney till they from the camp at Limerick; ihoy started at two reached Killaloe, which, however, thoy did not o'clock on Tuesday morning, but after about a> eucor, lest they might attract notice, but kept to hour " they saw a great light in the air, and — THE FIRST SIEGE OF LIMERICK. a liaard a strange rumbling aoue, which Mme cob- ef cannon and few: mertars, a breach appeared at jectured to be the train blowa up, u it really the walls near St John's Gate. On Wednesday, was. [Storr/, p, 119.) the 27th August, William ordered the asaaulk The deitruetioD ef their artillery caused great The garrison desired that the women and ehildraa anneyance to the WiUiamites, and an equal should be removed from tke tewa, but the wotaen amount of rejoicing ameng the Irish within tlie refused to forsake their husbands and brothen in city, whe w«re much encouraged by this brilliant the mement of danger. achievement of their dashing commander. It was half-past three in the afteraeon. A On 17th August WiUiam epened new trenches deathlike silence prevailed. The sun shone before the walls, determined to carry on the brilliantly ia the heavens, lighting up with its siege with the means and materials at his dis- gladdening rays many a peaceful landscape by posal, till the new siege traia, for which he had the fair waters ef the Shanaoa. Tke Irish stood sent to Waterford, should arriTe. A bombard- around the breach, grim aad fierce determiuatien ment continued till tlie 19th, when the King, depicted in their emaciated faces. Huated and ridiag about the treaches, uarrewly escaped being baited into their last stroagheld, deserted by killed, a caanon ball frem the ramparts paasing their allies and forsaken by their king—defiant within a few inches ef him. On the 20th tke still and desperate, the old patrician race turaed Irish made a soriie, infiietiag ceniiderable loss oa resolutely at hay. the besiegers. After this the WiUiamites used red hot balls, causing much destruction in the town and greatly alarming the inhabitants, who nerer before had serai such missiles, The shells threwB into tke city were of immense size, and would astonish evea modem artilleriats. Linehan, the historian of Lisaeriek, states that one in his possessiea is 18 mehes in diameter and weighs 2001b8 ! The crumbliag walls of the ancient city aew began to show the effects •r tlie bombardment, and the garrisoa adopted TH£ BRIDGE OF LIMERICK. tlt« atraage expedient ef hanging woel sacks out- side them to deaden the feree ef the eannon, Far along the surrounding treaches they saw which Story compares te Jesephus's defence ef Boried msMes of dark-visaged warriors from tke towns in Galilee when he hung sacks ef chaff ntany a distant sovereignty—from the swamps ^f orer the walls to protect them from the battering low-lying Holland, tha sunny plains mi France, rama of the Romans. the gloeaiy Rhenish foresu, 9mA the bleak shares Hunger was now beginning to tell upon the in- of Denaiark—heterogeneous eleaienta leagued trepid garrison, their food being limited to beans together iw a commoa bond ef warfare. and oatmeal, and these only in small quantities. Both sides waited in aoxious expectancy for The French, iadeed, had promised proTisions and the signal of attack. At length it was announced assistaace, but ae tidmgs of them eame, and the by three successive booms from tke cannon. The oondicion of the iahabitants was bacomiag more grenadiers leaped from the trenches aad rushed and more desperate every day. furiously upon the counterscarp, throwing in S.irs6eld, aaticipating a breach in the walla their grenades and discharging their muskets at under the continuous cannenadiag, caused masked the defenders. The Irish were well prepared, aad batteries and mines to he constructed at the poured a destructive cross fire upon their assail- weakest points, so that if menaced by a storming ants from the sides of tiie breach, the du.st and party he could instantly effect their destruction. smoke being so great that the eomkataats were At length, under tlie sustained fire of 36 pieces almost eatirely concealed from view. 62 IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. At length their immediat* iuppliea of ammuni- It was urged by some that WiUiam should tioD being exhausted, the Irish, weak with priTation order a aether attack, but he would act hazard it and hunger, were gradually ferced back from the —ha had lost too many mea already. "Th» breach, and the Williamites emtered in seeming King, therefore, caUed a council of war, wherein triuMph. But now the towaspeople, seeing the it was resolved to quit the tewn aad raise th* garrison ererpewered, thronged in numbers to siege, which, as the case stood with us, was no their assistaace—the shipwright with his adze, doubt the most prudent thing that could be done" the butchei with his kaife, and the brawny {Story, p. 182). It will be remembered that thia blacksmith with his hammer. The women, too, candid historian was King William'* diaplaia. in this terrible emergency, rushed inte the midst of the combat and fought with amazing fury, usiag sticks, st«>es, bottles, and in fine, every kiad of improTised weapon that desperate neces- sity could suggest. Encouraged by this unex- pected support til* garrison rally. They face about, and again meet their foes. A furious hand-to-hand struggle ensues, and the whole tewa resounds with the din. New the Irish prevail, and now the Williamites. Victory waveis. At last the besiegers, after three hours' desperate fighting, yielding inch by inch, are foiced back to the breach amid triumphaat shouts from the Irish. And now the retreat ba- ceiaing general, they rush back iu headlong con- fusioa—over the waUs, outside tbe eeuaterscarp falling iu mingled heaps of living, dying, and dead. When the fighting was at its very hettest, the Brandenburghers took possession ef the Black Battery, little knowing ef the velcano that slum- bered beneath their feet. As they swarmed thick SARSFIELD 3 STATUS. upon it Sarsfield fired the mine ; —high above the din of battle rose a mighty roar which seemed Accerdingly, on Sunday, the 31st August, 1690, te rend the very heavens asunder, and a dense William drew off his forces and commenced his mass of smoke and fire shot up into the sky, retreat. He was evidently apprehensive of an bringing up with it fort, men, and houses together attack from the Irish, for he placed some ef his iu one mingled mass ef ruin. cavalry in the rear {Story, p. 133). To show his Foiled and defeated at every point WiUiam extreme anxiety to get his artillery away in safety called off his men. " The King stood nigh Crom- it may be mentioned that (according to the same well's Fort all the time, and the business being authority) the first day he marched it to Cullen, over, he ^ent te his camp very much cencerned, near the scene ef Sarsfield's exploit, a distance of as indeed was the whole army, for you might about twenty miles, which was ne light day's have seen a mixture »f anger and sorrow in every- mareh for heavy artillery, drawn by exen over body's countenance." such bad roads as they liad in those days. The " We lost at least 5G0 upon the spot and had a Williamite losses in this siege were, according to thousand more wounded, as I understood by the their owa acov^ants, 1,200, but aceerding to the bui jireuus of our hospitals, who are the properest Jacobites 5,000. The Irish loss was probably judges." {Story, p, 132.) about half that of the Williamites. —— — THE TWO SIEQES OF ATHLONE. It WM a brilliant yietcrj ttr the Irish in three The next that topped the rampart he waa a colonel held; weaks' litge to hare npuli*«l bo formidable a Bright through the dust ef battle, his helmet flashed foree as that which triumphed at the Bojae. with gold. "Gold is no match for iren," the dou|^ty bUeksmith said. THE BLACKSMITH OF LIMKRICK. And with tiiat ponderous hammer he cracked the foe- man's head. He grasped his ponderees hammer, he could not stand it More, " Hurrah for gallant Limerick I" Black Ned and Moraa Te hear the bombshells bursting and thundering cried. battle's roar; As OB the Dutchmen's leaden heads their hammers He said, " Kie breach they're mounting, the Dutch- well they plied. man's murdering crew A bombshell burst between them—one fell withomt a ni try my hammer on their heads, and see what that groan. can do I One leaped into the lurid air and down the breach was thrown. " BraTe smith 1 braTe smith 1" cried Sarsfldd, " beware Ihe blacksmith raised his hammer, and rushed into the the treacherous mine 1 street, Brare smith 1 brare smith I fall badcward, or ssrely is 'prentioe boys behind him, the ruthless foe te death is thine I" meet Ihe smith sprang up the rampart, and leaped the High OB the breach of Limerick, with dauntless hearts blood-stained wall. they stood. As high into the shuddering air wont feemea, breach, Where bombshells burst, and shot fell thick, and redly andalL raa the blood. Up like a red Tolcano ttiey thundered wild and high- Spear, gun, and shattered standard, and foemen through the sky; The first that gained the rampart he was a captain dark and bloody brave And waa the shower that roaad the blacksmith fell- captain of the Grenadiers, with blood-stained dirk thought upon his 'prentice they were and glalTe; He beys— arenfed walL lie pointed and he parried, but it was all in Tain, • For fast through skull and helmet the hammer found ••••• hiabrainl BOBUT DWTU JOTO» THE TWO SIEGES OF ATHLONE. )% ^'^^FTER the battle ef the Boyne, appeared before the walls, and aa ooon ae Ibey aa" M-U Lieuenant-GMieral Douglas, came within range were greeted by a Tigorous fire with 12,000 Daen, 12 eannon, from the Irish cannon. Having established him- and 2 mortars {Maeariae self in positioB Douglas sent a drummer to sum- Exeidium, p. 167), was tie- aen the town te surrender, but Grace decliaed spatched by Williaoa to besiege to eBtertain say such proposal, and, fring a piatol Athlone. It may be well te re- ever the messenger's head, told him Aat these mark that Athlone k divided wei-e the only terms upon which he would treat into two parts by the ShaBBon, with the besiegers. On Douglas's approach Grace one part being in Leinster hmI tiie other in had buret the Leinster side of the town, de- Cob naught. ) stroyed the bridge across the Shannon, and then The towB waa commanded by Colonel retired into the great castle, having previously Grace, a stout old veteran whe had fought in strengthened the walls with immense earthwork! the Cromwellian wars, and waa now nearly 80 te make them bombproof. years of age. On 17th July Douglaa's army Douglas spent four days coutracting entrenoh* — 64 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS iQ«Dta undw ft eontinuoui ire from aerou fch« firaee kad made no attempt to defend the Eng- riTw; at tke end •£ that tim* h« had six gun* lish town—the portion at the Leinster side of the plantetl in positioa oppAsite tli« ruined bride*, Shannun—as he ooasidered the walls too weak t<> and c*aaB«BC«d firing up*n th« caatl*. But bis stand against cannon; but now he had repaired firing kad little afTact, for tii* canaon balls sank t'lem as well as tiieir condition would permit, harmlessly into tke great earthworks, and after and restored the fortifications, within, lliese three days' firinic the only danaga done was a slmder defences, however, seen gave way under •light breach in the battlemeats. Oa the other yb» English artillery, and on the seeond day (tho haad the fiiiag from the caatle caused great haroc 20th) Qmckel h formidable array of ordnaBco and ample supplies dint of extraordinary efifurts, held it till their of ammunilioB at his disposal. Apparoatly thero eomradna behind broke down tko arches with was little hope of reduciug tho castle from tko axes and picks, upon wkieh tho brave defenders Leinster side. Douglaa accordingly despatched escaped, some by plunging into the river and A strong detachment nortk to Lanes borough, others by clambering across tho tottering about twenty miles oft, where there waa a bridge masonry with tke aid of their eomrades at th« across the Shannon. By this move ho hoped to ether side. get round to the Cuunaught side of the town; but Oraco had anticipated him there, for Lanes- horough also was found bristling with defeneei, and its bridge swrpt by cannon. Meanwhile tho besie;;eis' supply of bread waa failing, and tkoir ardour slackened considerably under tho steady and d«s!ructive fire from the castle; and, to make matters worse, mews wrived that Sarsfiold was rapidly advancing with a large force to the relief of tlie garrison. Grace, seeing signs of hesit;iiicy among tho re- besiegers, THLONE OASTLI. doubled his effort^, and now hung out a blood-red flag, which signifies resistance a outrance. This On the 20th, General St. Ruth, who was at Bal- was the last straw. Douglaa now caUod a council liuasloe, hoard •t tho capture of tlio English town, of war with his offi(;«rs, at which it waa decided and at once set out with his army to assist the to abandon the siege, and at tho dead of night oa garrison, encamping within a short distance of Friday, tho 25th July, 1690, the Williamites the walls. By the 23rd, nearly tho whole side of atealt^ily withdrew from their positions, having the castle was battered down under the constant lost about SOO men a Mie abortive attempt on connonading, and on tho same dny the English tho town; »^d so ended tka first siege of sot fire to a miH upon the bridge, in which 62 Athlone. naen wore burnt alive. Next day a party of tho • • • • besieging foree attempted as before to pass the On the l^h Juno, 1S91 —nearly a year after- river at Lanesborough, but wore repulsed by its wards—Qeneral Qinckel advanced towards Ath- garrison under Edmund Boy O'Reilly. lone with au army of about 18,000 meu, 50 siege On tho 26th, seven distinct batteries of siege «aii ff# THE TWO SIEGES OP ATHLONE. 65 (.^knakinpfdlylnCore th« shot and shell of thus its cotmterpart in edr ewn history in tiie .„, lihe w«U-MrTed WUliamit* artillery. The Irish fight fer the bridge ef Atklene, whose r, went swept away as fast as they attempted to re- gallant defenders exhibited a devetien and .. . pair -them, hut still they bravely struggled ea. self-sacrifice as noble as ever graced the annals .« tion—his artillery eould do ne more; the town was Thougb no stately cenotaph eommemoratea their -- a mass ef emmbling ruins, aad yet its obstinate deed, nor pompous crypt surrounds their humble ', defoaders showed ne signs ef BubmiBsion or sur- dust, in the affectionate memories ef the Irish ' render. Apparently there wonld be no town left race they have a monument of deathless and im- . to take if they could not soen enter it. It was perishable fame. aecordingly reseWed to ferce a passage into the Failing te pass the bridge, the besiegers held a repairing council ef war, at which it waa resolved ; town by the broken bridge with planks. te Hie besiegers, after considerable loss, thoegh make another attempt while two ether partiea covered by a tremendous artillery fire, eenstructed were te simaltaneously cross the river by the pon- a breastwork at the near end of the bridge. Hie toons and the ford. St. Ruth observing the pre- Irish had another composed of wattles at their parations, and guessmg their object, drafted, end, but it was set on fire by the English troops hate the town, and during the night made grenades, and the Irish were forced to leave it. ample arrangements fer the reception ef the as- Dwrtng the night of Saturday, 27th June, the sailants. The attack upon the bridge English worked hard at the bridge, and when was commenced by the grenadiers throwing day dawned on Sunday, the 28th, tiie Irish saw in their grenades among the Irish, «du^ with dismay that a few more planks returned their volleys. llic Irish, however, wouM complete the passage, and then succeeded in setting fire to the English &uMine the town would be in the hands of th« or breastworks, and tiie attacking party were eneiiy. An English battery was placed to sweep forced te abandon them. " By this tisae it wm the bridge, so that it would be certain deaA te past twelve o'clock, and the generals, finding thf* appear even for an instant upon it. At this eriti* attack upon the town that way was like to eost cal moment one of the Irish, named Costume, aoaay lives, they deferred it till new measures were stepped forward and called upon ten others to consulted on; nor knew they well what te think follow hiaa and save Athlone. Ten volunteers at present, seeing themselves defeated in m great ' were easily found, and with Costume at their a project. {Storey, p 104.) head, tiiiese brave men advanced towards the On June 30th another council «f war was held, advisability ef . bridge and faced Uie battery. The English were and the raising the si^;e was de amazed at their intrepidity and recklessness. bated, but many of tite principal officers opposed With de8pei>te and frantic energy they proceeded this course, pointing out the shame of retraato^ te tear «p tiie planks and hurl them into the from a town already in rains. While they wero river. The English battery reared, the bridge yet in deliberatien, two ofteers, deserters fnmi waa swept by grape, and when the smoke the Irish, came and informed Ginekel that new cleared the whole eleven lay dead I But the waa his opportunity for an attack; that the Irish, bridge must go down I Undismayed by the fate having repelled- the last aasault, believed the be- of their comrades eleven more come forward and siegers were disheartened, and would draw off, take their places upon it. Again the planks are and so thinking themselves quite secure, were un- torn up and hurled belew, and again a terrifie prepared, and could easily be surprised. fire issues from breastwork and battery, killing The suggestion seemed a good one, and Ginckel nine ef the second batch, but net till they have at once acted upem it. Immediate orders werw thrown down the last plank—and saved the issued for tiie ttroeps to be isi readiness in the .•'.•^ morning, the town I 'T--. and signal for advance waa to be The legendary exploit ef Horatius Coeles has the tolling of the C o'clock church beU. It had .1 '^j''<^3«.i^$:;^x^^^^jtlif!^^,ii£i^k^^-)i^^ ^^fei*^s^'i^^-^lrfiife^itefiTr- — u IRELAND S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. ia«Dta under ft eontinuoua ire from aerosa the 6race kad made no attempt to defend the Eng> riT«r; ak tke end •£ that tim* ha had six guns liah town—the portion at the Leinster aide of the planted in posibioa opposite the ruined bridfce, Shannon—as he ooaaidered the walla too weak to and ceaeaeMced firing upen the caalle. But his staad against cannon; but now he had repaired firing had little eflect, for the canaon balls sank t'lem as well as Mieir eoadition would permit, haroaleisly into tke great earthworks, and after and ro:^tored the fortiScatioBS. within. Theso three days' firing the onlf damage done was a slmder defeaces, however, seen gave way under •1 ght breach in the battlemeats. Ob the other tfio English artillery, aad en the seeond day (the hasd the fiiiag from the caetle caused great haroc 20th) Qmckel hsvd effected such a breach that he AMong tke besiegers, and killed n>u.ny of their bent was able to carry it by assault; aad the Irish, -officers. Souglaa fouad Athloiie much s 'wronger having lost about 60 killed and wouaded, retired than he had expeeted. Tke commander, Grace, acrass the bridge to tke Irish Towa. Tke Eng- waa no ordinary adrwsary, having twice pre- liuk attempted to follow, but now a number of viously defended the town; and bow he had a the Irish faced tbem oa the bridge, and by formidable array of ordnaace and ample supplies diut of extraordiaary efforts, held it till their of ammunition at his disposal. Apparently thero comrades behind broke down the arches vrith waa little hope of reducing the castle from tke axes aad picks, upon wkiek the brave defenders Leinster side. Douglas accordingly deipatched escaped, aomo by plunging into the river aad • atroag detachment nertk to Lanesborougk, otkera by clambering across the totteriag about twenty miles oft, where there waa a bridge masonry with tke aid of their eomradea at the across the Shannon. By this move he hoped to other sidOi get round to the Couaaught side of tlie town; but Grace had aaticipated him there, fur Laaes- borough also was found bristling with defeneea, and its bridge awppt by cannon. Meanwhile the besie^eis' supply ef bread was failing, and their ardour slackened considerably under the ateady and dralructlTe fire from the castle; uid, to make niattera worse, aews arrived that Sarafield waa rapidly advancing with a large force to the relief of the garrison. Grace, seeing signs of hesituncy amoag the besiegers, re- ATHLONE CASTLI. doubled his effort"". :vnd uuw hung out a blood-red flag, which aigaifie* lesiHtaace a outrance. This On the 20tb, General St. Ruth, who was at Bal- was the last straw. Douglas now called a couacil liuasloe, heard •{ the capture of the English towa, of war with his officsrs, at which it was decided and at once set out with his army to assist tko t<> abandon the siege, and at the dead of night oa garrison, eacamping within a short distance of Friday, the 25th July, 1600, the Williamites the waDs. By the 23rd, nearly the whole side of stealthily withdrew from their positions, having the castle was battered down under the constant lost about 300 men a Mie abortive attempt on eonneaading, and on the same day the English the town; ^nd so ended tke first siege of sot fire to a mill upoa tke bridge, in which 62 Athlone. naea wore burnt alive. Next day a party of the • • • • • besieging force attempted as before to pass tlto On the l^h Juno, 1691 —ne^irly a year after- river at Lanesborough, but were repulsed by its wards—General Ginckol advanced towaids Atk- garrison under Edmund Boy O'Beilly. lone with au army of about 18,000 men, 50 siege Oa the 26tk, seven distiact batteries of siege •auaoa, and eight mortars. {Captain Furker't guns were pouring their iroa kail into the town, and Memoirs, p. 26). In tke previous siege Colonel every breastwork aad defeace thrown up by the THE TWO SIEGES OF ATHLONE. 65 Irish BMik npfdly before the shot and shell of thus its counterpart in eur ewn history in the the w«ll-B«rTed Williamite artillery. The Irish fight fer the bridge af Athlane, whose were swept away as fast as they attempted to re- gallant defenders exhibited a devetion and pair them, hut stiU they bravely struggled en. self-sacrifice as noble as ever graced tha annals oi Qinckel now began to seriously consider his posi- Rome or immartalised the pass af Thermopylae. tion—his artillery could do na more; the town was Though no stately cenotaph eommemorates their a niaes ef cruaibling ruins, and yet its obstinate deed, nor pompous crypt surrounds their humble defenders showed no signs ttt submission or sur- dust, ht the affectionate memories af tha Irish render. Apparentljr there would be no town left race they have a menument of deathless and im< to take if they could not soon enter it. It was perishable fame. accordingly reselved to force a passage kite the Failing to pass the bridge, Uia besiegers held », town by repairing the broken bridge with planks. council af war, at whieh it was resolved t* The besiegers, after ctmsiderable loss, thoegh make another attempt while two other partiea corered by a tremendous artillery fire, eenstructed were to simultaneously cross the river by the pon> a breastwork at the near end of the bridge. The toons and the ford. St. Rutii observing the pre- Irish had anotim: cemposed of wattles at their parations, and guessmg their object, drafted, end, but it was set on fire by th« English troops into the town, and during the night made grenades, and the Irish were ferced to leave it. ample arrangements fer the reception of the aa- Dvring the night of Saturday, 27th June, the sailants. The attack upon tho bridge English worked hard at the bridge, and when was commwiced by tha grenadiers tiu^wing day dawned on Sunday, the 28th, the Irkh saw in their grenades among tha Irish, who with dismay that a few more planks returned their volleys. The Irish, however^ wouM complete the passage, and then succeeded in settmg fire to the Eaglish faaeine the town would be in the hands of the or breastworks, and the attacking party wore meay. An English battery was placed to sweep forced to abandon theaa. " By thia time it w»a the bridge, so that it would be certain death to past twelve o'clock, and the generals, finding th« appear even for an instant upon it. At this eriti- attack upen Mie tewn that way was like to eoct oal moment ene of tha Irish, named Costume, many lives, tbcy deferred it till new measures woe stepped forward and called upon ten others to consulted on; nor knew they well what ta think follow him and save Athlone. Ten volunteers at present, seeing themselves defeated in eo great were easily found, and with Costume at their a praject. (Storey, p 104.) head, these brave men advanced towards the On June 30th another eeuncil af war was held, bridge and faced the battery. The English were and the advisability af raising the siege was d» aitazed at their intrepidity and recklessness. bated, but many of the principal officers opposed With desperate and frantic energy they praceeded this course, peinting out the shame of retraattng to tear up the planks and hurl them into the from a town already in rains. While they were river. Ite English battery roared, tha bridge yet in deliberatian, two ofieara, deserters from was swept by grape, and when the smoke the Irish, came and informed Ginekel that new cleared the whole eleven lay dead I But the was his opportunity for an attack; that tha Irish, fate bridge must go down ! Undismayed by the having repelled the last assault, believed tha be- of their comrades eleven more come forward and siegers were disheartened, and would draw off, take their plaees upon it. Again the planks are and so thinking themselves quite secure, weie un- torn up and hurled belew, and again a terriic prepared, and could easily be surprised. fire issues from breastwork and battery, killing The suggestion seemed a good one, and Oinckel nine af the second batch, but net till they have at once acted upen it. Imsaadiatc orders wem thrown dewa the last plank—and saved tho issued for tha troaps to be ia readiness in tha morning, and the signal town I for advance was to be The legendary exploit of Horatius Coeles baa ik» tolling of the 6 o'clock chureh beU. It had .^MkifiMkiialM 66 IRELANDS «A11'LES AND BATTLEFIELDS. been diaoorered that the rirer wiu foi dable close jealousies between the Irlih and Freneh edm* to the bridge, owiug to the extremely dry manders largely contributed te the isiue ef this weather; accitrdiugly, when the time htul arrivud, siege, fer no one seems te have had suffieienfe sixty grenadiers iu armour, followed by obh-Ms, authority to enforce obedience. St. Ruch appears rapidly crossed the ford, and gaining the f:ir buni:, to have been guilty ef grave remissnoss, as at the rushed around and planke realise what had taken place. aud iwe mortars in the whole t In this final assault there fell the gallaui old p. 108). Tho same historian (at p. 115) stales t A U GH R I M. A — "Immediately after the cap- other, aud was more practicable for cava'ry move- *]t!' tureof Athlone, St. Kuth marched ments. On its inuer side it was formed by the whis army to Ballinasloe, fourteen gentle slope ef Kilcommodan; on its outer by miles westward, aud encamped sttep hilli and bogs. It was the most assailable on the western bank ef tlie ri\ur point of the Jacobite position. Su k. He was anxious for another The pass of Aughrim was much mere difficult. eagagemvnt us soon as poiscible in order It was closer to the Jacebite centre than Ura- to i-etrieve his reputation, so shaken by chree, and was flanked on ene side by the marsh, the loss of Athlone. On the 11th of and on the other by a great red bog. At the very July the Williamites advanced to BaUinaslee, narrowest part of the pass the little stream which but by this time St. lluth had shifted his caused the morass crossed the road, and ran into quarters to the village of Augbrim, five the beg on the opposite side. A short dis- miles further westward, where he took up a tance beyond this, on the right hand ap- strategic po$itien on tlte grten slopes *t the hill of proaching Kilcommodan, stood the ruined Kilcommodan, with his advanced guards posted on castle of Aughrim, one of the ancient the Corbally hills. His army extended about strongholds of the O'Kellys. The possession two miles iu length, from Aughrias to Urachree. ef this eastie, dilapidated though it was, was of All along their front, at the foot of tlie hill, was a great strategic importance, as it commanded the small brook, runaing through an impassable passage ef the road —so narrow that only two marsh, now meadow lands aud pasture. horsemen could ride abreast— leading out of the The two principal passes leading around this pass ef Aughrim to the open ground beyond. morass to the dry uplands ef Kiluommodau were St Ruth displayed consummate skill in hu the pass of Urachree en tlie rljht, and the pass ef choice of greund. Aleng the north-eastern side Aughrim on tlie left ef the Jacobite army. Both of Kilcommodan his army was drawn up in array, were held by the Jacobites. Urachree was the aud from his camp down the slope ef the hill to weaker of these pjisses; it was more open than the the morass below, were a number of parallel rows — AtJGHRlM. •7 •f lofty whitethorn hedged, many of which remain at tho battle, writing in 1771^ estimates tho at the present day. In tbase St Ruth liocl plated Jacobites at 15,000 and the WiUiamites at 25,000. his foot Boldiors, amd bo arraagsd matters aa to ' Macariae Excidium' (p. 131) makes tho Jacobite^ facilitate comiuuuication from one line to another 14,000. The official account in tlio London iiazettr at t.lie sides, in order that a body of assailant* ad- says that tho Jacobites were 28,000, and wei-e vancing from hedge to hedge in front might be superior iu number to tho WiUiamites. The eflfeciively attacked on both flanks as they ad- Jacobites had only nine pieces of ctvnuon, while vanced up the hill. He also cut gaps in these tho WiUiamites had 24 {''Macariae Kxcidiuju," Jjedges to enable bin cavalry to char^'c down tho p. 442). O' Vallaghan, who has certainly devoted hill when uecossury. more research to the matter than any of these The Castle of AuKhrim was garrisoned by Colo- writers, and gives even tho names aud strengths uul Walter Burke's Irish regiment, with twt af tho several regiments in " The Grceii, Book," pieces of cannon, and behind, in a hollow, was a estimates tho Jacobites at 15,000 aud the Wil- small body «f light cavalry, U attack any aitillery liamites at 26.000 or 27,000. that migkt be brought to bear upon the castle by Tho uight of Saturday, 11th July. 1691, fell the WiUiamites, Upon the other side of the paas, without any action between tho respective beUi- opposite Uto castle, a strong body of Irish infantry gereuts, but tlio English generals carefully waft posted, so tkat the Pasa of Aughrim was almost viewed the ground and studied tiie positions ou a impregnable from any (luarter. map of tho district. On next morumg (Sunday) about six o'clock, tho WiUiamites started from Balliuasloe, but, tho morning being foggy, they halted tiU about noon, when tho fog cleared. St Ruth, seeing them approach, deployed two lines in front of his camp to show that he was resolved to fight. Qinckel ascended to the top of a hiU about half a mile from St Ruth's canp, from whicit ho per- ceived the desirability of securing the pass of Uraehree on the Jacobite right, as aflfording the HILL KILCOMMODAM AND MOORUM CHURCH. iiCEN B ea.siest vtsy iu getting behind their camp. He OF ST. KUTH'S DKA.TH. accordingly sent seventeen Danifch troo|)«rB St Ruth had few artillery —only nine guns towards it, but they were at once repulsed by (Green Booh, p. 373); two of these defended the the outposts. He then sent a larger number to caatle, and tlie remaining seven he divided into remain at the entrance to the ])aas to pi event the two batteries —one ou the right slope of Kilcom- enemy from advancing, and shortly afterwards, modan, sweeping the Pass of Uraehree, and the about two o'clock, attempted to force tho pan by other on the left slope, covering the castle. He larger nunbors, but was each time repulsed, the had no artillery iu front, his plan being to allow Jacobites meeting the attacks by rapidly throw- tho Williamite foot to approach, and then to ing out relief parties from thoir centre. At last sweep them down the hiU with his cavalry into tho Jacobites made a feint retreat to draw theii the morass, where they would be all cut off before adversaries into an ansbuscade. Tho English their artillery could save then. dragoons eagerly foUowod, when they were uu As to numbers, Storey, Harris, Tindal, expectedly assailed by a discharge of musketry and Dalryinple variously estimate the Jacob- but notwithstanding this they courageously dis ites as being from 25,000 to 28,000 stroiig, mounted aud advanced towards the hedge whict and the WiUiamites from 17,000 upwards. concealed thoir assailants, aud kiUed most of those O'Halloran, a native of Limerick, who had oppor- who remained. tunities of couTiMTsiug with many who had fought But now,while so engaged aud dismeuutcd. th 68 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. Irish cavalrr charf^ed and drove thmta out •t the yelop itself almost without a hitch or mishapk p«w8 ia complete disorder. Giiickel tli«n Retiring up the hill before the advancing English abandoned tka attempt ob Uracbree, and, holding the Irish foot suddenly divided in two, and then, a council •£ war with his officers, it wan deeiied like a wave receding, only to return in greater un aea>unt af their disadTantafi^eoua position to force, impetuously attacked their assailants in postpone the attack till next day. Hut perceiT- Hank; while through the space thus created in ing some c*nf iiaioa on the Jacobite right, this front St Rutk poured his cavalry in overwhelming •rder waa rescinded, and it was resolved te per- numbers down t.he hiU through the gaps which sist in the attempt un Urackree with a siill he had cut in the hedges for that purpose. Tlie stronger force, in the heps mi eenipelling St. Ruth result was inevitable. The English feot held t» draw some troops from his ceatre an<1 left to their ground obstinately, aad fought with extra- Meet the attack. This, it wiu expected, would ordiaary cuolaessand determination: but it waa a weaken the Jacobite left, and thus facilitate aa hopeless s truj;gle. They were utterly unable to attack • Aughrim Castle {Utorcy, p. 128.) withstand the downhill cavalry charge, and in a Accordingly, at five o'clock, the battle was few minutes they broke and fled in headlong con- resumed. The WiHiamite foot, consisting of fusion baek again to the morass which they had Danes, French, and Gerssaas, marched right up crosKed, great numbers being killed in the attempt against the ditches on the slope of the hill near to recross it. {Store;/, p. 130.) Urachree. These ditches were lield by the Irisli The Jacobite troups now pressed the advantage infantry, " wk* behaved themselves like men of thus gained, and, crossing the morass in places, another nation, defendine their ditcher stoutly ; advanced to attack the Williamites on their own fur they would maintain one side till our uoen ground and suixeedud in maintaining themselvr. put their pieces over at the other, and tlien, there for a time. having lines of cemmunicatiun from one ditch to While these four regiments were being routed another, they would presently post themselves in this manner a larger body attempted the merass again, and flank us (Storei/, p. 12'J). This de.s- over near Aughrim Ctvstle, but fell into an am- perate fighting, resembling the struggle at La buscade and broke up in such complete disorder Haye Saint* at Waterloo, continued for about that " it was believed by all who saw the flight half aa hour, durint^ which time Uie rest ef the that the English had lost the battle.' —{Mackay two armies remained inactive, except the as quoted in " Oreen Book," page 415.) artillery, which continuously played on both sides. A great part ef the William ite foot were now St. Rutk now, seeing his right pressed hard by in disorder at the base of the hill, but they a superior force, despatched some cavalry and rapidly reformed and were reinforced by a large ^jifantry towards Urachree to their relief. This body under Major-General Talmash. They then wax what Ginckel desired. He now sent four regi- again faced their foes and once more advanced ments to cross the morass at the feot of the hill, up the hill, but were aiet by the same tactics aa and attack the Jacolite centre in front, while he before and repulsed with great slaughter. simultaneously de.'tpatched a body ef cavalry Meanwhile the Williamitc right wing, composed round by Aughrim Castle to support them. The •f cavalry and infantry, with their aitillery, were infantry sank to tliair waists in the bog, and were advancing towards the pass at Aughrim to succenr met by a heavy fire from the Jacebites, but they the foot, which seemed in great peril. They neverr.keless established tlieinselves on the op- dislodged the Irish from the mouth of posite side, and drove the Jacebites from eac the defile, but both parties were apparently hedge to auether, till the Williuraites at l>wt unable to use their artillery at this point on ac- approached the encampment at the brow of the count of the way in which the ceaabatants were hill. mixed. At this juncture, by amisunderskandiag St Ruth now saw the plan which be had con- or mistake oa the part ef one of the Irish officers, ceived with such marveUeus skill cradually da- HWBie trooDt were detached frwm the Jacobite left. AOdHRIBt 69 *nd drawn off towaris Ur»ehr«a, and fch« English Colonel Walter Burke, the cfimmander cf th* infantry, instantly seizing the advamtage, forced a castle, when h« opened the liarrels of ammuni- paaiage aorou the bog over near the caetle. They tion, found that the bullets with which he k» a$5- 4S;x^:^s?- %A -E I BATTI-R OF AUGHRIM. round by the Pass of Aui^hrim —they would have History," also " Light to the Blind," in " Plunlett ko defile along a narrow and difficult road beside MSH.," edited by J. T. Qilbeit, Esq, M.R.LA). the castle, which with its outworks wn« garrisoned The garrison in (le.°pcratiou fired their ramrode by nearly 2,000 men, Such a pass ws« believed and the buttons off their coats, but it was of little to be impregnable, and would undoubtedly have avail. The van of tlie Eaglisk horse passed at a been so but for the extraordinary blunder which gallop through the uarew causeway, while portieii Uien became evident. of the infantry captured the outworks ef the caatle. am^ TO IREI.ANDS BATTLES AND BATTLEFTELT^S. Sfc. Ruth ob.<<(>rvine; tlit prograss lUAd* by fch* 3,#00. Many credible historiann, Dr licalie, Dai- WilliAmite right orer uanr tiie ciistlc, and per- ly mplo, iStc, aa well as most Jacobite acoouuts oeiviag that Micy wen foieiug thoir way through of the battle, state tliat the conquerors gave ao tlie paaa, resolved t» make a doTwuhill charge upon quarter, and the prnportton between killed and tliem, and (•r that purpose placed himself at the prisoners (7,000 killed and 450 prif>oaerB, aa stated lioad vf hia guardt. But that charge waa fated in Storey's History, pp. 136-7) would seen te bear never to be made, fer aa St. Kutk waa about to lead •ut tkeir testimony. Evidently in extenuation it a canaea ball atruck hhu, and he fell forward oa of this, Storei/ (p. 123) states tliat the Jaeobitea ilia horse a headless and a gory corpse. This intended to give no quarter if they were victorious. event turned the tide of battle. Captaia Parker, It WiM a decisive and crowning victory for the wiio WM fightin<:: against that part et tk« Jacobite Williatnites, and a disastrous overthrow for their :\rmj in which St Kuth fell, says in his menoirs opponents, many of whom now retired ta '- (p. 35 au-i 36), had it not been that St. Kuth fell Limerick. Although the victory waa to a certain it ia hard to say hew matters would have ended ; extent a ehance one, it ."should not in anyway for to do hirn justice, notwithstaudinghis oversight detract from the gallantry shown by the at Aliilouc, hn was certainly a galant, brave mtui Williamite infantry, who, though beaten re- :\nd a good officer, as appealed by the dispossitioa peatedly down the hill, returned again and again he made of his army that day. His centre and with doggrtd and desperate determination te the 1 ight wing slill niaititained their ground, and had attack. lie lived to order Sursfiold down to sustain his Stovcji savs ef (ho battlefield—"The place it iiave ufTaitis on l«ft wiug rould given a turn . where this battle w.os fought will make a noise in ihat side." histeiy fer the future, though there's nothing No officer w:w able to lake St. Ruth's, place for worth taking notice of near it. For that which he had not coufu'.ed hi.s plan ef butiln t« any ef they call the Castle of Aughrim is only an old his subordinates, with wiiem ii« was on rather b.id ruinous building, with some walls and ditches terms since ttie mishap at Atlilone. Scoinn their about it, aud never has been a place ef any 'ammander fall, the Jacobite guards halted aiul a s'^icn^th, only as it's seated upon a pass. There '-onsiderable delay occurred. 'I'hk're was ue one are about half a score little eabbins;en the other to give ordeiB. The Irish cavalry deltnding tJie side a small brook, with the run:s of a little ] ass drew efi* and a retregiade uioreinenl com- church, and a priory dedicated to St. Catherine, snenced. The Williamites now gradually passed and founded by the Butlers; the whole being at across ike morass and extended their wing« riglit this day the estate ef the Duke of Ormend." aud left, amid a continued fire and hot dispute Of course the place is greatly changed since all along th« line, the Irish still defending their then, aud but a small fragment of the castle now ditches desperately. Driven from these, the remains. Traditions of the great battle are, hew- Irish retired up the hill, followed by the ever, quite vivid among the peasantry. In the Williamites, aud now the Jacobite ca- churcliyaid of Kilceramodan Church, ef wltlch valry, seeing that the day was lost, deserted now searcely a trace is left, is " St. Ruth's Flag," tlie infantry and thought only ef saving them- which is pepularly believed to mark his grave, selves. 1^ Willianiite troopers pursued the but it is supposed that kis reraaius, if they ever Jacobites across the hill and for miles from the rested there, were subsequently removed else- battletield. till the sun set upon that bloody scene where. A whitethorn bush, called " St. Ruth's tiiiil with it the star of the Stuarts for ever. Bush," on the north-eastern slope of the hiU, The slaughter was immense—4,000 or 5,000 at planted there to commemorate the event, marks lea.-t —and would prebaMy have been still greater the spot where he fell. but for darkness setting in, accompanied by a At the base of the hiU, on its northern side, is a thick mist, which stopped the pursuit. The place called " Glen-aa-FuUa," or "The Bloody Williamitth loss was, according te Captain Parker, HoUew," where the Inah. surrounded in tka — — THE SECOND SIEGE OF LIMERICK AND THE TREATY. 71 4nttle, went slain in great numbers. For fifty or Wlioro those who lost tli.-vt drca'Unl day Rixty years after wardflkhtir bluachcd bonus Might Stood, few and faint—but fearless still. be Bees strewed around the country—a melan- I''i>rf;et not the field whore they perislie.I choly sight aid a diaual menient* e( the Irish The truest, the last of the bniTo; wars. Stuart All (?one -and the bright hopes we rhcrishod " Night closed around the conqueror's way, Uone with them, and quenched in the gnrp." And lightning shewed the distant hill, —MouMC. THE SECOND SIEGE OF LIMERICK AND THE TREATY. FTER the defeat at Augh- On the 8th September a tremendous fire was c<>ra- rim, Tyrconnell sent a mes- menced with red-hot balls and sliells, making a •age te King James announc- breach in the walls and destroying great nuaa- ing that all was lost, and that bers of houses. On 12th the town was nearly all unless immediate succeur ruins, but the besiegers' supplies being nearly ex- arrived it waa useless to hausted, and tlie garrison making no sign of sab- continue re.siptance. Mean- mi.ssion, (treparations were made to raise the siege, while, Gal way having sub- and a message to that effect was sent to London. mitted, he made prepara- But meanwhile the besiegers appear to have tions to again put Limerick changed cheir counsels. into • condition of defence, and collected In the evening of 15th September a stroag stores of provisions and ammunition, but body of herse and foot set out after dark and on 14th August, 1691, he died of apoplexy marched to a shallow place on the river, two at the house of the French commander. On miles above Limerick, and about midnight they the 15th an advanced party of Qinckel's troops commenced to lay a bridge of boats, which tkey approached Limerick,' and on making a recon- eoiupleted by morning. naissance, saw the formidable preparations whieh Brigadier Clifford, who had been posted there had Ween naade by Sarsfield and Tyreconnell te by Sarsfield to prevent a surprise, shamefully fortify the city. The walls had been strengthened neglected bis duty, and allowed the Williamites by great earthworks, new forts had been built and to pass over almost without any resistance. The old ones repaired. news that the Williamites had crossed the river, On the 25th August the remainder ef the Wil- and were attackiitg the town from the Clare side, liamite army arrived with sixty pieces of canneu, caused great consternation among the Irish, wke none less than 12-pounders, and nineteen mortars flocked into the city from all the outlying wcnrks. (Williamite oflScial pamphlet Diary of the Siege On 22nd September Ginckel himself, with aenM and Surrender ef Limerick, Sec, pp. 6 of his principal officers an«h a strong detaehaaent and 7.) By the 27th they had cap- of artillery, crossed the river, under a trouble- tured some ef the outworks, and sent de- some fite frotn the Irish, and marched round to tached parties of artillery to attack and destroy Mie works protecting Thomond Bridge, the only all the isolated castles in the neighbourhood, for approach to the city frr>m the Clai-o side. Ginckel waa afraid te allow them te stand, the A desperate conflict ensued, and the loae waa Irish having acquired auch a reputation for de- considerable on both sides, but ultimately the fending fortifications. By the end of the mentb Williamites captured th^ works, and drere the the bombardmeat of the city wui in full swing, Irish out of them and over to Thomond Bridge. and ia a few days more parts ef it were set on fire The French officer in command of the bridge xee- by the shelly in^ the Irish approach, pursued by the William- 72 IRELAND'S BATttJES AND BATTLEFIELDS. He*, and fearinp; that besieKsrs and besieged chope came te the English camp and dined with would emter togabher in the confuMoa, to kis General Qinckel. Hestages were exchanged as A shame be it said, raised the drawbridge, and left preliminary to a treaty, and on the 27th tlie Irish hia friends at tlie mercy ef their pursuers. made their proposals for a surreader. which wer« rejected by Ginckel as unreasonable. j The foremost ef the Irish, pressed forward by Next day, these is the rear, fell orer the fall of the draw- howcTAr, a number of the principal Irish efiScers bridge into the rirer and were mostly drowned. preceeded te Ginckel's camp, and after a pro- rest , ''The cried out for quarter, holding up their tracted consultation agreed to certain articles handkerchiefs and whatever else they could get; under which net only Limerick, but also all the but before killing was orer they were laid o» forts and castles held by the Irish were te be sur- heaps upen the bridge higher than the ledges of rendered, and the war abandoned. it; so that they were all either killed or taken, ex- But the Irish commanders were not satisfied ' cept about 120 that got into the town before the tliat a treaty of such vast importuice in its issues iSr^n, THE TREATY STONB, LIMERICK. bridge was drawn up, and many of those cut and should be signed by General Ginckel on his ewn slashed to the purpose." {Storey, p 224-5.) responsibility, and so the Lords Justices in Dub- This miserable incident greatly accentuated the lin were sent for, and the whole matter lay in feelings ef distrust long entertained by the Irish abeyance pending their arriral. towards the French, who, it wa« now belieyed* Meanwhile the WiUiamite and Jacobite troops were wearied of the war and anxious to terminate became on friendly terms and Tisited each other's it at any cost. Two days after this the Irish beat camps. a parley. Of what use was furtiier resistance ? About nine o'clock p.m. on 1st October the The most sanguine among them could not hope, Lords Justices arrived at the camp, and on the by a successful defence of their city, to re-estab- ext day Sarsfield, Wauehope, and all the prin- lish upen the British throne the wretched, vacil- cipal Irish officers and functionaries attended at lating Stuart. Negotiations were opened, Qinckel's camp, where there was a long debate, and on the 26th Sarsfield and General Wan- lasting till aftur midnight, and on the follew- hii. _.,,s — THE SECOND SIEGE OF LIMERICK AND THE TREATY. 75 ing ixy the treaty was duly signed by the comprised in the 2nd and 3rjl Articles shall havA Irish and French and the Lords Justices liberty to ride with a sword and a case of pistols and Williamite commanders. There were if they think fit, and keep a gun in tkeir house two sets of articles—the Military Articles, pro- for the defence of same or fowling." Article VIII. Tidiiig for the surrender of th« Irish towns, etc., allows the inhabitants of Linerick and other signed by the French and Irish commanders; and towns to remove their goods without being theCiTilArticles, providing principally for the ciril searched. Article IX. is—"The oath to he »d- and religious liberties •f the Irish Catholics, minist«ie(i to such Roman Gatholicks as submit signed by the Lords Justices aad WiUiamite officers. to their Majesty's Government, shall be the oath These Articles, 29 in the first a«d 13 in the st- aforesaid, and no other. " The Irish Catholics coad set, are giren in detail in most complete were very particular as to this point, lest the , histories— Storey, MacGeoghegan, Linehan, etc. Oath of Suprciaacy should he administered to and it would be impossible in the limiti'd space then, which of course they could not accept, as it at my disposal to more than briefly autliue them. involved the rccognitioe ef the Sovereiga as th« The Military Articles preTide* that all persona spiritual and temporal head ef their Church, iv wishing to leave the realm should bar* fuU liberty "ppositioii tx) the Pope. Article X. enaets that ao te jjo beyond the seas te any foreign country ex- persoB or persons who break any of these articles cept England or Scotland; that if plundered on shall cause any other person to lose the benefit of the way tlie GoTemment should compensate them. Article XI. deals with arrests and execu- them; that a fleet should be provided for their tions for debt. Article XII. undertakes that the eoBveyance; that the garriso« of Limerick should tieaty shall be ratified by tlieir Majesties within the march out with all the honours of war—colours spa^-e •{ three months or less, and that they shall fly insr, drums beating, etc; —also that thwse wli« have it confirmed in Parliament. Article XIII. elected te enter the service ef William shouW re- deals with the debts of Colonel John Browne. tain their rank and pay. Tlie great majority of the Irish troops elected It is the Civil Artieles, however, that constitute to go abroad, and served in France and elsewhere tlie most important part of this famous treaty. ^thoy formed the famous Irish Brigades re- These, 13 in number, tk« Irish vainly hopod nowned in song and story. Sad was tiieir part- would {)rove the Magiia Charta ef their religieus ing with the old land which they loved so deafly, liberties. Aiticlel. states *'thal the RomsiH for whicK they had fought so well, on wliose green Gatholicks of Ireland shall enjoy such privileges, fields and swelling hills lay the homes of sc aiajay in the exercise of their religion, aa are consistent of their gallant comrade*. with the laws of Ireland, or an they did eujoy in Tht principal article of the Treaty provided that the Roman Catholics should have the same the reign of King Charles II. ; and thoir Majesties as they in the (as soon a* their affairs will permit them to sum- privileges had reign of Charles 11. mon a Parliament i» this Kuigdem) will eudeav-ur During that lime there were few repressive actk to secure the Roniaii Gatholicks such further in force against the Irish Catholics. The Oath of security in that particular as way preserve them Supremacy was not required except when formally administered to public functionaries both from any distarbance upon the accwunt of their ; and of were to said religioM." Article II. granted pardon and Houses Parliament open them. protection to all who served James on taking the It is scarcely necessary to tell the rest of thj* and miserable story. It will be Cath of Allegiance. Articles IlL, IV., and V. ex- sad remembered Treaty signed on 3rd tend the provisions of the Treaty to Irish mer- that the was October, 16S1. few months afterwards Parliament chants, officers, and geatlenten beyond the seas, A met iu Dublin and entirely repudiatod it. Within five as well as other persoMS. Article VI. prohibits othei- years not a vestige of the privileges which it all private suits-at-law for trespass and par- guar- anteed remained. The whole country Bonal ofifences eommitted during the war. Article seemed ib have become insane en the subject ef VII. proTides that ''every nobleman and gentleman Popery, aos •y^-l,^ .^A^^tL^ i IRELAND'S BAITLBS AND BATTLEFIELDS..Ei tkoi-e wert appai-eatly uo limits to legislation on sengers for assistance. But his fears were ground- the subject. less, for the Irish, though they regretted having It is worthy of mention tkat a day or two aft«r lost so good an opportunity, coaiidered the Ti-eaty th« Treaty wjia sig»od, a |;reat French fleet of irrovoeablv, and that their honour depended upon eiifhteou mem-.f-wjir, four firo ships, and twunty its observance— (Storey, lyj. 271-S.) sliips mt burdou arrived iu tlie Shannon with re- In justice to his raotnory it should be stated inforcenieutti, proTiw»ue, and ammunition tor that history attaches te William none of the Liuirrick. This Hcet Wiis sutBciently stror.f; to Btignta for ttie atrocities of the«e dark and terrible overpower tlie entire ]"]u;;liah uaval force and put times. He, and indeed his officers too, acted their euoujjh men ami supplies into the town tti make paits honourably and witk perfect ^ona fides. He ;i pmhiUKed dofonce. Ginckel wiw ;,'reatly dis- was too brave a soldier tu trample on an unfor- ••ontertod when he learned of its arrival, and tunate and fallun fee, and lie would undoubtedly fearing that tlie Irish would now break the Treaty have observed the Treaty had he been permitted and I'euew the war, lie at once despatched mes- to do so by his Pariiameul. CONCL USION. RELAND'S military his- killed and kis three vessels were disabled and tory may be said to have taken. terminated with the Treaty About tliis time the Catholics first venturtd to of Limerick. In the two cen- agitate for a repeal of the oppressive laws under turies which nave elapsed which they suffered. since the Williamite war, The year 1776 is marked by tk« revolt of the there have been uuhappiiy American colonies, which iu tlie following year re- many disturbance:! iu the country, but nothing sulted in tlioir independence. To meet tke great that could be dignified by the name of war. The drain upon the army caused by the American year 1715 \v*s memorable for the rebellion of the war, nearly all the troops were drafted out of Pretender in Scotland, but in Ireland there wits Ireland, which thereupon was left iu such a de- no i^ympathetic movement ; all martial spirit bad fenceless condition that the Irish Parliament en- been crushed out of tlie country by the recent rolled and armed a numerous volunteer force. disastrous campaign, the expatriation of the Irish Towards the close of 1779 some friction arose soldiers, and tbo cruel laws that followed. between the Irish and English Parliaments in re- In 1743 there was a rebellion in Scotland in ference to export duties on Irish goods favour of Prince Cliailes Edward, the young Pre- whieh in the following year culminated iu tender, but the possibility of a responsive move- Orattan's meotorable Declaration of Parlia- ment in Ireland was averted by an astute tem- mentary independence by which it whs porary policy ^f conciliation. sought to free the Irish Parliament from the In 1759 rumours of a French invasion caused supremuey of tke English Legislature as embodied some alarm, aad in the early part of the following iu Poyning's Law. By this law mo measure could year a landing was effected at Carrickfergus, by be laid before the Irish Parliament till it had Thurot, a brave but Quixotic Frenchmiui of Irish been submitted to and approved by the English descent. He captured the castle and held it for a few Government and Council. Grattan's declaration, days, after which he re embarked, but on his return however, met with little attention from the Eng- voyage he Wiis met by three English frigates, and lish Ministry. Meanwhile the Volunteer move- in the «harp action which ensued Thurot was ment had attained vast dimensions. There were ^>,vTr^,f^yv>(?w?wviw; •JS"" CONCLUSION. DOW nearly 100,000 of ' all ranks, artillery and aaembers of tho aristocracy, who had imbibed infantry, officered by tke flower of fclie Iriah aris- democratic ideas. Republican opinions grew tocracy uader Lord Charlene&t as Commander- more aad more prevalent, and in many parts of in-Chief. The English Ministry at this time the couatry there was avowed and maaifest sym- commanded a strong utajority in the Irish Parlia- pathy with the French revolutionists. ment, and, after a protracted strugxle, on 11th In 1794 Pitt entered on a course of coaciliation. December, 1781, a motion for a repeal of Poyu- in pursuance of which he sent Lord FitzwiUiam ing's Law was defeated by an OTerwhelming Go- aa Viceroy, but this new departure was of but vernment majority. short duration, and the popular Viceroy vaa re- A few days later Lord Charlemoat iavited a called in the course of a few laontha. Tho confereace of all the Irish Volunteer Corps tu United Irishmen now became a revolutioaary and meet at Dunganuon t« consider the action of the secret society, having for its object tlio Otttabliah- Parliament. The ceaference teok place on 15th artent of aa independent gorornmont in Ireland i<'ebruary, 1782, and there in conclare assembled, by the assistance and protectioa of Fraace. Thoir the representatires of 106,100 Velunteers paased schemes were perfected ia 1796, aad un 16th Dec, ia a series of resoluaons denyins: and repudiating that year a fleet of 43 ships with 15,000 troopo the supremacy which Poyning's Law gave t* the and 45,000 stand of arms, sailed froaa Breat for Eugliah over the Irish Parliament. Ireland. This formidable araiada met with the On the 16th of tlie following April Grattan fate which befel aearly all its predecessora—it waa again proposed his famous resolution, which mow dispersed and scattered by a storm witlieut eveo passed, and on the 17th May the matter was eflfecting a landing upon the Irish coaata. brought before both the English Houses ef Par- Ia tlio following year negotiaUoas were again liament, and carried almost unanimously. On opKued with France by tlio Irish leaders, but they 27th May the Irish Parliameat assembled to for- only resulted in vague promises of aasistanco. By mally receive the news frem the Viceroy, and as 1798, arrangements were completed for a simul- au evidence of their gratitude, voted £100,000 taneous rising all over the couatry, but the Go- supplies for the English navy and £50,000 to vernment was in tlie secret, and un tho 12th Heary Grattaa. Thus waa secured the independ- March, Thomas Addis Emmet and a number M ence of the Irish Legislature. other leaders wei'o arrested in Bridge-street and The Voluuteers aftsr this, keiiig deserted by uoinmitted to Newgate. A few weeks later Lord thair aristocratic leaders, gradually became a de- Kd ward Fitzgerald was arrested ia Thomas-street mocratic institution ; and now a social cataclysm, after a desperate struggle in which ho waa so which shook Europe te its foundations, exercised severely wouaded that he died a few days after* the popular mind. Goaded to frenzy by tlie ty- wards. Other arresU followed, and before tho ix«< ranny of a corrupt and irresponsible oligarchy, concerted time for action had arrived, nearly all the French people— the most refined aation in the leaders had been captured by the GovemMeat. Europe —rose in iiisurrectioa against their op- The country waa now in arms, but tlie aaoveooent, pi-assors, and casting asid* the restraints of civili- deprived of its leaders, was irregular aad disor- zation, committe*! excesses which appalled and ganised, and reduced to a series of sporadic out* horrified Christiaaity. The aacient gorernnent, breaks by an illiterate and semi-armed pea- enervated by a long unfettered sway of despetic santry. The fighting comaionced in tho power, was overthrown by one of the most san- month of May in Eildare aad Carlow, guinary revolutions on record. and at the close of the month the insur Inspired hy the aew and specious doctriaes of genta were defeated and routed at tho battle of liberty, equality, and fraternity, the Irish, smart- Tara. At Oulart Hill in Wexford the insursrenbi ing under a sense of cruel injustice, formed the were successful, and annihilated an. entire detach- society of " United Irishmen," composed prmci- ment of the North Cork Militia. They were again oally of the democratic classes, but led by some successful at Gorey and New Ross, but defeotetl Wy ;s.--v. 76 IRELAND'S BATTLES AND fiATTLBFIELDa. »t Arklow. Th«y now fixed th*ir camp fm' Tui«- miles from the scene of action. Humbert noi gar Hill, and •n 21 at Juu« Geaeral Lake, witk a rapidly adranced by an irregular route Kmrth- sti-Mig ferce, advanced to attack them, and partly wards, but was fiaally defeated and ferced te sur- •unrounded the hill. After aWout an heur and a render by an overwhelming force in county Long, half fightuig the insurgents broke up and fled in ford. Siaotier. This defeat crushed the movement in Shortly afterwards a fleet of tea vessels ym the south. despatched by France in aid ef Humbert, but thej Meaa while the rising was proceeding in the were intercepted by an English squadron neai Nerth, and the Irish were defeated at Antrim Lough Swilly, and after a terrific engagement after a desperate struggle, and again at Ballina- 12th Octeber, 1798, were cempletely defeated, hinch. After some slight further flickering the and five ef the vessels captured. Rebellion was practically extinguished by the end On the 2lBt May, 1800, Lord Castlereagh introj of June. It, no doubt, smouldered on for some duced the Union Bill in the Irish Heuse ef Cemj years after this in remete aad inaccessible parts of mens, and on the 7th June it ^na passed, and the the country, aetaWly in tlie fastnesses vf the House met for the last time. Dublin aad Wicklow mountains. On Ist January, 1801, the new Imperial After the Rebellion caaie the usual trials and standard knows as the " Union Jack," composed executions, \ud most ef the popular leaders who of the crosses ef St Patrick, St Andrew, and Sf were unable to make good tkeir escape Buffered George, was hoisted from the battlements of la? -f. on the scaflTold. Towards tlie end of August, when Bublia Castle, Great Britain and Ireland became the excitemeat kad partly subsided, three French one kingdom, and the representation of Ireland waq frigates, with 1,000 men and a quantity ef arms, transferred te the central Parliament ia London. landed in Killala, under comnand of Qeneral In 1803 an abortive attempt at insurrection Humbert, and t«ok possession ef the town. They was made by the unfortunate Robert Em met,who, were soon reinferced by numbers of the insur- with other leaders, was executed shortly after- gents. Qeneral Lake, in command of 5.000 wards. In 1829 was passed the Catholic Eman- troops, adTanced to attack them, but was de- cipation Act, and the Cathelics, after centurieofl eiaiTely defeated near Castlebar on August 27tl), of eppresaioa, took their rightful pesition as free! •nd his whole force breken up aad pursued for subjects of the Empirei "-;>'-c V i . ...t .. ^ : i-iitr±i *l«'m|i- ':^aW^¥l_: stliHW,?^.! ^i^iV'iS^aj^