A

from her guns, was seen emerging from the smoke. second time she struck the boom full force and broke it: and the whole three ships sailed up to the town amid frantic cries of joy. Great heaps of luxurious foodbeef, bacon, cheese, oatmeal, butter, biscuits-gladdened the eyes of the famishing crowd, and the town was relieved. Hamilton, having continued to ply his batteries for the next day or two, at last gave up all further attempts and marched away: and thus came to an end, on the 31st of July 1689, a siege of a hundred and five days, one of the most famous in Irish or British history.

Of the 7000 fighting men of Derry, only 4300 survived; and the mortality among the non-combatants was still greater: probably 10,000 altogether perished during the siege, chiefly of hunger and disease. The Irish army, though not so badly off for food, suffered almost as much as the defenders from want of camping and sleeping accommodation, from exposure and hardship night and day, and from unwholesome food and sickness while, on account of the deficient supply of arms and ammunition, more of them fell in the several conflicts than of their opponents: so that the mortality among them was almost as great as it was in the town.

The ancient walls of Derry are still perfect, though the town has extended far beyond them; some of the old guns are reverently preserved; and on the site of one of the bastions, rises a lofty pillar surmounted by a statue of the Rev. George Walker.

Enniskillen, the other Williamite stronghold, was threatened by the approach of an Irish army; but the Enniskilleners, not waiting for a siege, marched forth on the day before the relief of Derry, and intercepted and utterly defeated them at Newtownbutler.

Ꮓ

It is

stated that the Irish defeat here was due to a mistake in a word of command. The general ordered a detachment to face to the right in order to relieve another party that were hard pressed; but the next in command delivered the order, "Right about face and march," which in fact meant a retreat. This order was obeyed; on seeing which, the rest of the army, thinking the order was a general one, threw down their arms and fled. This mistake brought rout followed by merciless slaughter on the Irish, with little loss to the Enniskillen men.

Sarsfield was not present at Derry; he commanded a detachment at Sligo; but on hearing of these disasters, he retired to Athlone; and now Ulster was nearly all in the hands of the Williamites.

The Duke of Schomberg. From an old print in National Gallery, Dublin.

CHAPTER L.

A.D. 1689-1690.-William and Mary.

HE siege of Derry was only the beginning of the struggle. King William had now leisure to look to Ireland; and he sent over the duke of Schomberg-then above eighty years of age-who landed, in August 1689, at Bangor, with an army of about 15,000 men. After a siege of eight days, Carrickfergus

Castle was surrendered to him; and he settled down for some time near Dundalk, in an unhealthy position, entrenching himself in a fortified camp, which soon became a vast hospital, where he lost fully half of his army by sickness.

In the following year King William came over to conduct the campaign in person. He landed at Carrickfergus on June 14th 1690, and immediately joined Schomberg. About half of the united army were foreigners, excellent soldiers, a mixture of French, Dutch, Danes, Swedes, and Prussians or Brandenburghers.

View of the Boyne looking down towards Drogheda. Tide full in. Schomberg's Monument in front. Bank to the right a portion of main field of battle.

James had advanced from Dublin to Dundalk, but fell back on the south bank of the Boyne, with his centre at the village of Oldbridge, three miles above Drogheda, whither William followed and took up his

position on the north bank. The two banks rise on both sides, forming low hills, on which were placed the camps, and the river flowed peacefully in the valley beneath. The Irish army, consisting of about 26,000 men, was largely composed of recruits, badly drilled and badly armed, having only twelve French field guns as their sole supply of artillery, with the crowning ill-fortune of being led by King James. They were opposed by a more numerous army-about 40,000 men -well trained and well supplied with all necessaries, including a fine artillery train of fifty field guns, and commanded by William, a man full of energy and determination, and one of the best generals of his time.

On the evening of the 30th June, King William, riding down to the river with some officers to observe the opposite lines, had a narrow escape. The Irish, observing the party, at once brought two field guns to bear on them. The first shot killed a man and two horses, and the second struck the king on the right shoulder, tearing away skin and flesh: but the wound was only slight. The Irish, thinking he was killed, raised a great shout, and alarming rumours went among the English lines: but William, having got the wound dressed, and making very little of it, rode all through his own camp to assure the army of his safety.

The conduct of James on this same evening-the evening before the battlee-was enough to damp the spirits of any army. He was flighty and undecided. One time he seemed to contemplate a general retreat and gave orders to raise the camp; but in a few moments came a countermand, and he appeared determined to risk a battle. Finally he sent off towards Dublin his baggage and six of his twelve field pieces, which were badly needed on the battle-field; and this