ordered in this manner there happened several Skirmishes both between the Enemy at Newry and that part of the Protestant Army at Loghbricklan in some part of which a very worthy Gentleman one Captain Poe was slain with about Nine more as they went a Forraging by an Ambuscade as also several Skirmishes between the Lord Blany's Party and the Enemy at Charlimount and other flying Parties who were Pillaging the Countrey So that scarcely a Day passed without killing and taking some This being about the beginning of March things arrived to a very great pitch and the Irish grew more insolent than formerly Insomuch that many People fled from their Concerns leaving all or most of their Substance behind to the disposal of the Enemy and grew almost impatient for Relief out of England expecting every fair Wind would bring over an Army which would settle that Kingdom And indeed a very small Number of Men with Arms and Ammunition might have effected it when the Prince of Orange the now King his Proclamation came over requiring the Irish to surrender themselves and their Arms by the 10th of April Which Proclamation was sent by the Lord Blany to the Garrison of Charlimount And the said Lord Blany had his Majesty Proclaimed at Armagh with all the Solemnity imaginable which was likewise done at Hillsburrough and several other Places in the North. When the Earl of Tyrconnel had advice That our Present King William was proclaimed in Armagh and several other places he by this time had put his Army into some better Condition than before and ordered some Horse and Dragoons commanded by Collonel Dominick Sheldon with a considerable Body of Foot commanded by Collonel Richard Hamilton who was sent out of England with Conditions for the Irish to march towards the North And having stopt all Correspondence from the Protestants from Newry downwards that Army marched within some few Miles of Loghbricklan before any particular Account came to the Lord Mount Alexander or the Council at Hillsburrough Whereupon it was thought fit to withdraw what Forces were quartered at Loghbricklan and thereabouts nearer Drumore and Hillsburrough and to burn and destroy all the Countrey they marched through to make the same uneasie for the Earl of Tyrconnel's Horse in regard there was not much Forrage in that Countrey However Collonel Hamilton and Sheldon finding the Garrison of Loghbricklan deserted immediately moved forward and having some Troops in the Forlorn marched within some few Miles of Drumore Sir Arthur Rawdon then commanding at Drumore sent out some Scouts to observe the Motion of the Enemy and to discover their Number The Scouts informed him that there could not be above Three or Four Troops of Horse and that they approached near the Town Whereupon Sir Arthur Rawdon drew out about Five Hundred Men or thereabouts to prevent the Enemies coming farther into that Countrey and upon View of the Body of Horse the rest of the Army lying obscurely under a great Hill resolved to Charge them but before there was any Close Engagement the great Army which lay secure behind the Hill moved forward and were much too strong for Sir Arthur's Party Whereupon the Protestants fled and made their way through Hillsburrough the Enemy killing several having the pursuit of them for about Five or Six Miles and getting great Plunder of Rich Portmantions and other things left on the way but finding themselves near Hillsburrough and not knowing but the Body of the Protestant Army were in a Reserve thereabouts thought it convenient to make a Halt until they had brought up the rest of the Army But to give Sir Arthur Rawdon his due he behaved himself with as much Courage as any Man could do in this Engagement and had there been but reasonable Odds he and Major Baker now one of the Governours of Londonderry had defeated the Enemy But the loss of the Protestants was not much considering the advantage of the pursuit the Enemy might have made losing about 100. Upon the News of this most of the People about Hillsburrough fled but some kept the Castle being a place of a reasonable good Strength and having about a Thousand Pound in Money and an incredible Store of Oatmeal and other Provision were resolved to defend the Place but in a very little time surrendred it and all the Money c. to the Enemy Col. Hamilton and Sheldon giving Protections to all People who desired them on his March which was their Policy for thereupon many remained in their own Houses After the Break of Drumore Sir Arthur Rawdon brought what Horse and Foot he could with him to Colerain and thereupon what Forces were in Lisnegarvy Belfast Antrim and other places thereabouts made their way to that Garrison thinking to secure that Pass and prevent the Enemy going over the Ban Water having cut down the Bridge at Porteglanone about Ten Miles from Colerain and ordered all the Boats on Lough Neagh and the River to be burnt which was esteemed the only way to retard the Enemies March into the County of Londonderry and Donegall having no way to pass but by a tedious march by Charlimount But the great oversight of not sinking or burning these Boats proved very fatal as you shall hear hereafter The Garrison at Hillburrough being surrendred and all the Protestant Forces making their way to Colerain there was nothing left to oppose the Irish Army in all that Country where they got very great Plunder especially in Lisnegarvy Belfast and Antrim besides to the value of 3 or 4000 l. belonging to the Lord Massereen in Money and Plate hid about his House and discovered by his own Servant for a Reward of 10 Guinies and besides this they got all the Furniture of his House as it stood to a very great value And in this plentiful Country the Enemy thought fit for some time to refresh themselves which indeed they did Now I must return to Armagh Monaghar and Glasslogh to give account of the Forces there under the Command of the Lord Blany and the other Forces of the Counties of Cavan and Fermanaugh commanded by Capt. Francis Hamilton now Sir Francis Hamilton who for the good of his Country and Religion deserted the late King James's Army and brought off about 16 or 20 of the best Men in his Troop and forced his way escaping several imminent dangers The Irish of the North-West having advice that the Army had conquered all before them in the North-East Country very violently prest the taking in of strong Houses and Castles wherefore the Protestants thought good to make a fair Escape to Iniskilling where many of them now are to the number of about 10000 of good Men under the command of Gustavus Hamilton some time Cornet to the Lord Galmoy and many of the Protestants got into the Castle of Monaghan but the Irish were so numerous about that place and so very earnest in getting it that the Protestants were forced to desert it and make to Glasslogh But
LONDONDERRY the New fortified Spur Prnited for Iohn Amery at the Sign of the Peacock in Fleet street A True and Impartial ACCOUNT Of the most Material PASSAGES in IRELAND Since December 1688. WITH A PARTICULAR RELATION OF THE Forces of Londonderry BEING Taken from the Notes of a Gentleman who was Eye-Witness to most of the Actions mention'd therein during his Residing there and now being in England is desired to Publish the same for the further satisfaction of this Nation To which is added a Description and Map of LONDONDERRRY as he took it upon the Place Licens'd July 22. 1689. J. Fraser LONDON Printed for John Amery at the Peacock against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet 1689. A True and Impartial ACCOUNT OF The most Remarkable Passages in IRELAND c. IN December last the Protestants of Ireland had very great expectation of an Army suddenly to be sent over into that Kingdom for their Relief and were privately arming themselves and securing what Ammunition they could to prepare to join with the English Forces assoon as they should land and to make the People more earnest to put themselves in a posture of defence in case the Earl of Tyrconnel the then Lord Deputy should offer any violence to them there was by way of Letter a Relation given from some Persons of Note in the North to two or three Lords in Dublin and to several Persons of Quality throughout the Kingdom that the Irish were generally to rise on the 9th of December with intent to massacre and totally destory the whole Body of English and all of the Protestant Religion in that Kingdom These Letters did so run about the Nation that in few days all the Protestants were upon their defence and every private man making his House a Garrison by keeping great and strong Guards in the Night-time insomuch that if their nearest Relations had come to visit after night they were answered out of Casements Spike-holes or Windows with Blunder busses on Guns at their breasts to know their business And particularly on the 9th of December as is mention'd before it was credibly reported that there was not a Protestant in the whole Kingdom but was on his Guard that whole Night in his own respective Dwelling or joined with some Neighbours in some sort of strength The Earl Tyrconnel finding the whole Kingdom in this great Consternation sent to some of the Gentlemen in Dublin who had received this Advice and assured them with Oaths and Execrations That there was no such thing intended against the Protestants but being doubtful that the English of that Nation had but very small regard to his Oaths did call a grand Council in order to propose some way to appease the people The result of which was That a Proclamation should be immediately issued out commanding all people to repair to their respective Dwellings assuring them that no injury was intended against them making it penal for any man afterward to desert his own House or associate himself with any riotous people in any Garrison-Town or strong Houses But notwithstanding all these fair Promises and Threats the people were so universally alarmed by these Circular Letters whether true or false that they daily joined themselves in greater Numbers and many of them went into England Scotland and the Isle of Man for safety carrying with them what they conveniently could The Earl of Tyrconnel observing the humour of the people and how apprehensive they were of the Irish Cruelty and likewise being informed of the vast number of people daily leaving Dublin and many considerable Merchants and House-keepers lying at Rings-End for a Wind to carry them off sent the Earl of Roscommon and the Lord Mountjoy to Rings-End to discourse to the people and endeavour to prevail with them to return to their own Dwellings and follow their Employments but what they said either at Rings-End or elsewhere made no greater impression on the minds of the people than the former Proclamations he had issued out which occasioned his Excellency to redouble his Oaths and burn some Hats and Wigs that being his accustomed way of appeasing his rage and passion during all this time the people having advice of the great Success of his present Majesty against the late King James's Forces were encouraged to appear more bare-fac'd and they appeared in greater Bodies than formerly in Munster Connaght and Vlster and the Protestants of Leinster daily made their Escapes into the North leaving all their Substance to the disposal of the insatiable ravenous Irish who would impudently in the day-time drive Horses and Cows with thousands of Sheep from the Owners thereof before their faces who dared not to ask them what they did and the Protestants of the Counties of Dublin East-Meath West-Meath Longford Lowth and the upper part of the County of Cavan being the greatest Sufferers repaired with this great loss quietly to the North esteeming it the Mercy of God that they escaped with their lives The very great Success of his present Majesty and the Late King 's abdicating his Kingdom so much encouraged the Protestants that then they began to appear in great Bodies of Horse and Foot and take possession of Towns and Forts and declare their design And now being Londonderry and Iniskilling were the first that shut their Gates against the Irish it 's necessary that I give an account of them before I proceed to speak of other places of the same Country The News of his present Majesty's design in landing an Army in England did so alarm the Earl of Tyrconnel that he very speedily put what Forces was then in Arms into such Garrisons as he thought fit but it seems upon some Orders from the Late King James two Regiments of Foot and one of Dragoons were to be forthwith sent into England whereupon his Excellency gave Directions for the Regiment of Foot quartered in Londonderry belonging to the Lord Mountjoy to march up to Dublin in order for their embarquing for England which was accordingly marcht to Dublin and a new Regiment belonging to the Earl of Antrim newly raised was ordered to march into Londonderry to secure that Garrison the same being left to the Government of the Townsmen and Inhabitants of that place but whether it was that these new Levies looked so dreadfully starved or the Townsmen had an inclination to keep Popery out they shut the Gates of the Town on the appearance of this new Regiment and utterly denied them entrance but some of the Officers being desirous to go into the Town the Inhabitants allowed them that priviledge and upon some debate the Inhabitants declared they would secure the Garrison for the King and their own Preservation and sent the Gentlemen out with this Answer to the Earl of Antrim This coming by an Express to his Excellency and considering how indiscreetly he had commanded the whole Regiment to march out of the Garrison before others were ordered to possess that place he burned another Wigg and
the General in the Field upon all Sallies This Election mightily pleas'd the People and were notwithstanding Col. Cunningham and Richards had left them resolved to defend the Place Now there was a hot Discourse in the Garrison that King James was in person before the Town and that if they would not believe it two Gent. who knew him might go out and see Whereupon Mr. Arch-deacon Hamilton and Capt. Nevil were appointed who returned not again to the Garrison Then another Paper came under the Hand and Seal of the late King to desire the Garrison to send out any number under Twenty to see him but Answer was return'd That whether he was there or not the Town should not be surrendred When the late King found himself thus slighted by the Town he did then tamper with Capt. Robert Galbreath Capt. William and Benjamin Adaire for the Surrender of the Fort of Kilmore which indeed took effect but before this Col. Lundy one Giluer Brasier and Lieut. Wildman made their Escapes in Disguise and went down to Kilmore with Benjamin Adaire who came for Powder to the Town and so got off to Scotland This News of the Surrender of Kilmore was a second Surprize to the Town but all this would not perswade them to surrender and by this time most of the Horse in the Town were forced to be turned out for want of Forage and only one hundred kept being two Troops Col. Murray Capt. of the one and Nathanael Bull Capt. of the other And now the Town being surrounded they came to examine their Provision and Number of fighting Men and upon search it plainly appear'd there was Provision for 12000 men for ten or twelve weeks Whereupon the men were Regimented and brought to an Allowance and have ever since most gallantly defended the Place their Sallies being frequent and brave I will only say That by the prudent Government of these two Gentlement being encouraged by many in the Garrison the Town has been preserved In Munster the Lord Inchequin commanded the Protestants but being surprized by Major General Macarty were all disarmed and no farther harm done them Before I proceed any farther to give an Account of the Town of London-Derry and the Situation of the Place I must give a Relation how that Honourable Person the Lord Kingston with about 1000 Horse and Foot were decoyed out of the two strong Forts at Sligoe which might very well have held out as long as Derry and been a great Relief to many of the Protestants in Connaught Col. Lundy Governor of London-Derry writes to this Honourable Person to march his men to joyn the Protestants in the Laggan Upon this Letter the Lord Kingston accordingly marched his men as far as Ballyshannan and Donegall but when his Lordship had come that length he had Advice that there was no room for his men or Forage for his Horse in London-Derry and therefore desired him to shift for himself and that his men might take the late King James's Protection Upon which the Lord Kingston made for England forcing a French Vessel that lay near Castledoe and brought some of his men with him and the rest got into Iniskilling This carries the Face of contrivance in regard his Lordship was not able to make his way to London-Derry nor to return to Sligoe the Enemy possessing themselves of those Forts so soon as they were deserted And now I must return to London-Derry As I have informed you how the late King James used all means to get that Town so there was one Expedient more found out which was thus A Sham-Letter was sent into the Garrison That the Lord Kingston's Party had engaged some of the Enemy at Fin-water and routed them and therefore earnestly pressed the Governor to send 500 Foot with twenty Barrels of Powder to meet him about Raphoe and that his Lordship doubted not to repel the Enemy but the Governors very discreetly considering the unreasonableness of that Letter inasmuch as the greatest part of the Irish Army lay between the Town and Raphoe looked upon it as a Trick to get the Powder and Arms the truth of which was afterwards made very plain in regard the Lord Kingston had not writ any such Letter nor was he near that place or ever engaged any part of the Irish Army The Town by this time was very well allarm'd by the approach of the Enemy and having an Account of a considerable quantity of Salmon about sixty Tun belonging to the Lord Massereen in a Ware-house near the Town made a shift to get it all excepting forty Barrels which afterwards came to the hands of the Enemy and a great Stack of Hay which stood within a quarter of a Mile of the Town which might easily have been brought in but was not The Enemy having now got the Fort of Kilmore by Surrender which lies on the Mouth of the River wherein was 300 Foot belongnig to the Town and some Powder and Salmon the Soldiers made Conditions to carry out their Swords and Baggage leaving their Fire-Arms behind but these Conditions were not performed for most of them had their Swords Hats c. taken from them in the Garrisons of Colrain Balymenagh and Antrim for want of Guards to conduct them from Garrison to Garrison as agreed upon upon which Complaint being made to General Hamilton all the Satisfaction he gave was That if the Persons wronged could discover who plundered them they should be punished if Soldiers but was not able to prevent the Barbarous Actions of the Rabble After the Fort of Kilmore was surrendred the Irish Army were Quartered from St. Johnstons along the Country about eight miles in length and Brook-Hall was ordered for the Duke of Berwick Mr. Fitz-James and General Hamilton's Quarters They also placed about 100 men in the Fort of Kilmore and about two Batallions of Foot at Pennyburne-Mill lying a mile from the Tomn so that most of their Foot were near that Place and the greatest Body of their Horse consisting of two Regiments belonging to the Lord Gallmoy and Sir Maurice Eustace of Castlemartin and a Regiment of Dragoons belonging to the Lord Duleeke were quartered about St. Johnstons and the Carrigans all which did not amount to more than 7000 on Derry side and about 3000 attending a Battery raised near Strongs-Mill in view of the whole Town on the other side of the Water in which Battery were seven Cannon which play'd very warmly against the Town and especially against the Walls but did no great prejudice the Governors ordering Blinds to be built on the Walls to prevent the Enemy's Shot against the Men who were posted on the Works The Harm they did against the Town was very small and only brake some Slates and Tiles on the tops of Houses The Governors being apprehensive of some Bombs to be thrown into the Town ordered a great part of the Pavements to be pulled up lest the fall of a Bomb might do some injury by breaking of the