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hill, which they began to descend in disorder, when brigadier Nugent, and many officers of his regiment, retiring from the field, wounded, a panic seized the troops, and, in a moment, from being conquerors they became conquered. All the foot fled into the fort, without it being possible to rally them on the outside. The cavalry, unmolested, retreated twelve miles. The English continued half an hour on the field of battle, and then retreated to Belturbet. In this action they lost between two and three hundred men, the Irish five hundred.

The only frigate that remained in the service of James, was now captured in his sight, by Sir Cloudesly Shovel, in the bay of Dublin.

The fort of Charlemont was also lost. Blockaded early in spring, provisions began to fail, when colonel Mac Mahon with four or five hundred men, some ammunition and provision, entered the town on the 2nd of May 1690. The slender supply introduced by this additional force, soon failed. The distress of the besieged increased. Their additional numbers only served to hasten on the famine; they therefore attempted to return, but were repeatedly driven back with slaughter, The governor, exasperated at their ill success, compelled them to lodge on the counterscarp and dry ditch within the palisadoes. On the 13th of May, famine compelled Teig O'Regan, the governor, to surrender. The defenders obtained honourable terms. "The day following, the garrison marched out, to the number of eight hundred effective men, besides many women and

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children. Schomberg enquired the reason, why so many useless mouths were kept in the garrison, to consume the provisions. He was answered, that the Irish were naturally hospitable, and that they all fared alike; nor would the soldiers stay in the garrison, without their wives and mistresses." To which he replied, "that there was more love than policy in it." As indeed there was, for they had no provisions left, except a little dirty meal, and part of a quarter of musty beef; so that as they marched out, several of the soldiers were devouring pieces of dried hides with hair on. Duke Schomberg ordered every Irish soldier a loaf out of the stores of Armagh, and the officers were all civilly entertained. Seventeen pieces of cannon, mostly brass, one mortar, eighty-three barrels of powder, bombs, grenadoes, &c. were found in the fort."*

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On the 14th of June, 1690, James's sons-inlaw, William and George of Denmark, accompanied by the young duke of Ormond, the earls of Oxford, Scarborough and Manchester, and many other persons of distinction, were received at Carrickfergus, by duke Schomberg, the prince of Wirtemberg, Kirk, and other officers of distinction. His forces were ordered to take the field. He came not to Ireland to let grass grow under his feet,' was his answer to the cautious counsels of his officers. At Loughbrickland his army mustered, at the lowest estimate, thirty-six thousand men, English, Dutch, French, Danes, and Brandenburghers, all well appointed in every * Harris's Life of king William.

respect. Having adjusted the plan of the campaign, William marched from thence to Newry, while the fleet coasted slowly in view to supply them with every necessary.*

James left Dublin the 16th of June, with 6000 French infantry, and joined that part of his army which was advanced as far as Castletown Bellew, near Dundalk, under the command of M. Gerardin, one of his lieutenant-generals. He encamped there, having the town on his right, a small river in his front, which discharges itself into the sea at Dundalk, and facing the high grounds. The French and the greatest part of his troops repaired to this camp.

While William halted at Newry three or four days, waiting for his artillery, and deliberating whether he should march straight to Dundalk, or take the road by Armagh, which is a little about, one of his reconnoitering parties was observed every night to insult a guard of cavalry, posted at the pass of Halfway bridge, between Dundalk and Newry. A detachment of horse and foot was placed in ambuscade, under colonel Dempsey and lieutenant-colonel Fitzgerald to cut it off, and succeeded. The party, consisting of two hundred foot, and sixty dragoons, fell into the ambuscade at day break, and was almost entirely cut off or taken with very little loss on the side of the Irish, except colonel Dempsey, who died of his wounds. As the army of William advanced, that of James retreated. To Ardee, on the 23rd, to Dumlane the 27th, and on the 28th * Harris's Life of king William, 3 K

VOL. III.

passed the Boyne, and encamped opposite the bridge, with the right towards Drogheda, and the left extending up the river. This appeared to James a tolerable good post, and the best in the country; he therefore resolved to continue there, and wait his enemy's approach, though his army did not amount to more than twenty thousand men, and that of William was between forty and fifty thousand.*

At the first dawn of morning, on the last day of June, the army of William appeared, advancing towards the river, where it was fordable almost in every part. His infantry was opposite to Old-bridge, their left towards Drogheda; his wing of cavalry was drawn up on an eminence so near the river, that James ordered some pieces of cannon to be brought up, which obliged them to retire behind the hill. It was upon this occasion that William had his shoulder grazed by one of the two first bullets. At noon his artillery arrived, and cannonaded the Irish camp, with little effect, till the close of day.

While James foreseeing that the river would be crossed at Slane, and that the passage at Oldbridge would be attempted to be forced, had posted Sir Neal O'Neal's regiment of dragoons at Slane, and ordered his baggage to be in readiness to march, William ordered that the river should be passed in three different places; by his right wing, commanded by count Schomberg, son of the duke, and general Douglas, on the west, at some fords near the bridge of Slane; by

* King James's Memoirs.

the center commanded by duke Schomberg, in front of the Irish camp; and by the left wing, led by himself, at a ford between the army and the town of Drogheda. At midnight William rode through his camp with torches, inspected every post, and issued his final orders.

The first of July, before day, the general beat in his camp. At sunrise count Schomberg with the cavalry, and general Douglas with the infantry, which composed the right wing, marched towards Slane. James immediately ordered his left to oppose them, and sent the baggage to Dublin. For near an hour Sir Neal O'Neal's dragoons disputed the passage, till the cannon of this division had arrived, when they retreated in good order, with the loss of fifty men: their colonel was shot in the thigh, and one or two officers besides were wounded. Douglas advanced, formed, mixing horse and foot, squadron with battalion; on the arrival of more infantry they changed their position, drawing the horse to the right. Having thus considerably outflanked their opponents, M. de Lausun marched his left abreast of them to observe their motions. James at the same time came up to the right of his army, to order all the troops to follow M. de Lausun; certain that the main body would fallow their right wing. At Old-bridge he found the duke of Tyrconnel, with the horse and dragoons of the right wing, and the two first brigades of the line, drawn up. These were not moved. The rest of the foot filed off after M. de Lausun. At the head of the corps de reserve, composed of

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