the General resolving to make all the Force he could they had also their part both of the Honour and Service of the Action And tho Brigadeer Stuart is there set down it 's only as to his Post for he was then at Dublin ill of his Wounds received at Athlone Col. Lloyds Regiment was also in Garison at Athlone and two more left at Balynasloe so that we were not altogether so strong as this Line of Battle makes us In this order the Morning proving Foggy our Army stood till nigh 12 a Clock and then were Commanded to Advance the General going with a party before to view the Enemy and perceiving some of their out Scouts upon the Hills ordered a party to beat them thence upon whose advance the Enemy retired from place to place till they were within half a Mile of their Camp by which means the General had an opportunity from an high Hill to the Right of the Enemy to view their whole Army posted as before described by which posture they had the advantage by at least 1000 men but being assured of the valour of his Army the General resolved to draw nearer and expect what further opportunities of advantage might offer in order to which and for the security of our own Army he saw the necesity of gaining that Pass to the Right of the Enemy called Vrachree where the Irish had some men posted he sent therefore a Danish Captain with 16 Troopers to force it but the men run away from a less number than themselves tho the Officer behaved himself very well and the rest retrieved their Honour afterwards upon this the General ordered two Hundred of Sir Albert Cunninghams Dragoons to march to certain Ditches nigh the said Foord to keep the Enemy from coming over and in the mean time our Army was marching forwards by this time it was Two a Clock and the General finding the necessity of having that Foord and other ways that led to the Right of the Enemy as the most proper ways to assault them he ordered Cunninghams Dragoons at the Ditch to advance towards a Party of the Enemy that stood on the other side were sustained by a considerable Body behind the House of Vrachree all which at the advancing of our Dragoons retired behind an Hill nigher their Camp and where a greater Body was posted then some of our Dragoons pressing on too far were obliged to retreat a little disorderly the Enemy sustaining their Men by several fresh Parties which the General perceiving he ordered Briggadeer Eppinger's Dragoons to get between them and their Camp but this was discovered by the Enemy who had the advantage of pouring in so many Men upon us that they would have been too hard for our Dragoons still if they had not been quickly seconded by greatest part of the Earl of Portlands Horse who behaved themselves with great Bravery and lost several Men and Horses in this part of the Action And what was at first only a Skirmish had by this time engaged a considerable Body on both sides fresh Parties being still sent out tho after about an hours dispute the Enemy were obliged to retire in some Disorder over the Brook that flanked the Right of their Army no considerable dammage being done as yet to either side Then all things seemed pretty quiet for a while and our General Officers coming together began to consult whither it was fit to give the Enemy Battel that Night considering the disadvantages we were to expect in Attacking them some therefore were for deferring the Battle that Night and so to fall on by break of day next Morning which was so far agreed to as that our Tents were ordered to be sent for and pitched along the other side the Bogg but then perceiving the Enemy to be in some Disorder by what had already happened they concluded not to delay their Attack lest the Enemy should March off in the Night and so afford us no more opportunities it was therefore agreed to prosecute the Battel on the Enemies Right by that means proposing to draw part of their strength from Aghrim Castle nigh which their main Body was posted that so our Right might have the easier Passage over to Attack their Left and then our whole Army might have opportunity to engage This I am told was the Advice of Major General Mackay a Man of great Judgement and long Experience and it had its desired Success Our Army was disposed of as you see in the Line of Battel only the General moved up and down as he saw occasion as did also the rest of the General Officers and before the Battel began there was no distance left between the first and second Line since a great part of the second Line were the first that engaged The Irish Army was commanded by Monsieur St. Ruth Lieutennant General D'usson Monsieur De' Tessec Lieutenant General Sarsefield Major General John Hambleton Major General Dorington and several other About half an hour past Four in the Afternoon a part of our Left Wing moved towards the Enemy and by Five the Battel began a fresh A Party of our Foot marched up to their Ditches all strongly guarded with Musketiers and their Horse posted advantageously to sustain them here we fired one upon another for a considerable time and the Irish behaved themselves like Men of another Nation defending their Ditches stoutly for they would maintain one side till our Men put their Pieces over at the other and then having Lines of Communication from one Ditch to another they would presently post themselves again and flank us this occasioned great firing on both sides which continued on the Left nigh an hour and an half e're the Right of our Army or the Centre engaged except with their Cannon which played on both sides All this while our Men were coming up in as good Order as the Inconveniency of the Ground would allow and now Major General Mackay and the rest seeing the Enemy draw off several Bodies of Horse and Foot from the Left and move towards their Right where our Men pressed them very hard they laid hold on that advantage and ordered the Foot to march over the Bogg which fronted the Enemies main Battel Colonel Earl Colonel Herbert Colonel Creighton and Colonel Brewers Regiments went over at the narrowest place where the Hedges on the Enemies side run furthest into the Bogg These four Regiments were ordered to march to the lowest of the Ditches adjoining to the side of the Bogg and there to post themselves till our Horse could come about by Aghrim Castle and sustain them and till the other Foot had marched over the Bogg below where it was broader and were sustained by Col. Foulk's and Brigadeer Steuarts Col. Earl advanced with his Regiment and the rest after him over the Bogg and a Rivulet that ran through it being most of them up to their Middles in Mudd and Water The Irish at their near approach to the Ditches
ten Granadiers who are to take to the Left and clear the Rampart of the Enemy 5. After these fifty Work-men whereof Twenty-five are to follow the Lieutenant-Colonel to the Right and Twenty-five to go after the Major to the Left with Hatchets Pick-Axes Shovels and Hammers 6. After them shall follow the two Battalions of Stuart and Prince Frederick whereof Stuart is to go to the Right and Prince Frederick to the Left and the Officers are to take care that the Men do not press on too fast but cover themselves from the Enemies Fire as soon as they can 7. After these two Battalions two hundred Foot to carry Fascines and each of them to carry Tools along with them 8. After these shall follow the Regiments of Brewer to sustain Stuart and Count Nassau to sustain Prince Frederick 9. The Work-men are to open as soon as possible the two Gates of the Town that the Horse and Foot may come in that way 10. The Lieutenant-Colonels or Major or both that shall come first to the Ford on the left of the Bridge is to take care to prevent the Enemies Sallying that way and also that their Men do not fire one upon another 11. All these foregoing Detachments are to be Commanded by Major-General Mackay and the Brigadiers Stuart and Vittinghoff To sustain all these a good Body of Horse were got ready and a Lieutenant of Colonel Cambon's Regiment according to Orders having the Advance Party of thirty Men went under Covert of certain Hills within a hundred and fifty Yards of the Breach then Advanced upon the Plain before his Men and the rest of the Detachments following the Enemy fired upon us very smartly but our Men went on and kept their fire till they were at the Breach which the French Lieutenant first mounted throwing his Granade and firing his Piece ordering his Men to do the like and with great bravery encouraged his Party though he lost his Life in the Action Our Granades so galled the Enemy and the Men pressed so fast upon the Breach that the other quit their Works and run towards the Bridge whither we pursued them and even to the foot of the Draw-Bridge the The English-Town taken Irish in their hurrying over the Bridge crowded forwards so fast that several were crushed to death and not a few forced over the sides of the Bridge who were either kill'd or sore bruised When our Men had possession of the Town they rung the Bell and covered themselves at the Bridge foot We lost not above twenty men and had about double the number Wounded the Enemy had about sixty killed and more wounded Brigadier Stuart was Wounded in this Action and one Captain with three private men of the Enemies taken Lieutenant-Colonel Kirk of Brigadier Viller's Regiment was unfortunately killed by a great Shot from the Town as he lay viewing the Action upon the side of an Hill That Evening our three Guns were drawn off from the Ford and nine Guns from the Battery into the Town June the 21st several Detachments of Horse were Batteries planted against the Irish-Town sent abroad one Commanded by Colonel Woolsley went towards Ballymore to meet the eleven Guns and three Mortars that were upon the Road and also to hasten the Pontoons This Evening a Battery was begun at the foot of the Bridge to the Right for five Twenty-four Pounders and a Floor made for six Mortars The 22d about five in the Morning our Batteries were finished and by six the Cannon and Mortars begun to play very briskly on the North-East side of the Castle where it was weakest and by seven in the Evening a large Breach appear'd in the Wall In the Afternoon a French Lieutenant-Colonel was brought off by our Men who had laid under the Bridge since the Attack he was sore bruised and his Back almost broke but seemed not to be so much afflicted with his own private Misfortune as in being engaged with a People who were like to prove but very indifferent defenders of his Master the French King's Interest in that Kingdom The 23d our Guns and Mortars continued firing all Night with that success that by five in the Morning the whole side of the Castle was beaten down and our Bombs had that effect upon it as to make it very unserviceable to the Enemy who were now forced to make an Hole on the West-side of the Wall to get out and in though in a day or two they had no business there at all About two that The Tin Boats come up Afternoon our Tin Boats Floats and other Materials came to the Camp with Colonel Byerley's and my Lord of Oxford's Regiments and a great many People were set to work to repair those Boats that were spoiled the Year before nigh Limerick for there being more New ones expected from England than really came and what we had being judged too few those Old Boats were brought out of a place where they had been thrown by and so were fitted up to lay next the Shore which occasion'd a Report that they were concealed on purpose by the Store-keeper but the thing was as it is here related The same Afternoon a Prisoner was taken nigh the Bridge who gave an Account that Sixty-four Men were in a Mill upon the Bridge which being fired by our Granades and those within not being able to quench it nor get thence they were all consumed with the Fire except the Prisoner and one more that escaped by leaping into the Water A Drummer comes to the General from the Town with an Answer of his Letter sent the Day before about the exchange of Prisoners The 24th was spent in raising three Batteries one below the Bridge another above it and a third without the Town-Wall by the River-side opposite to a Bastion the Enemy had made on the other side the River That Evening one of my Lord Lisburn's Men going under the Bridge to see for Plunder found a pair of Colours amongst the dead Men and tho' the Enemy fired a great many Shot at him yet he brought them off flying and presented them to the General who rewarded the Soldier with five Guinnea's We begin now to contrive Methods of passing the River and a Lieutenant of Horse was commanded with a Party to a Ford towards Lanesborough where the General was informed there might be an easie and undiscovered Passage for most of our Army whilst our Cannon amused the Enemy at the Town This Party went and found the Pass according to Information but tho' he was positively ordered to return as soon as he had passed the River yet such are the powerful Charms of Black Cattle to some sorts of People that the Lieutenant espying a Prey some distance from him on the other side must needs be scampering after them by which means our Design was discovered and the Enemy immediately provided against it by throwing up strong Works on the other side The Lieutenant I beard was afterwards try'd and
suffered for it That Night the Enemy raised two Batteries above The Enemy plant new Batteries the Castle the one close by the River the other at a greater distance from it upon a rising Ground the one of four the other of three six Pounders with the latter of which June 25. they play'd on the old Walls in the Town where our Men were lodged but did little or no harm with the other they shot into some of our Regiments encamped near the River which obliged them to remove to a greater distance Our Battery of six Twenty-four Pounders below the Bridge play'd on the Enemy's Breast-Work on the other side which did it very great Damage and also ruin'd most of the Houses that were as yet left standing which so exposed the Enemies other Works to our view that they were forced to quit most of their Trenches none appearing but some few behind the Castle The 26th was spent in firing from seven Batteries Seven Batteries now at work upon the Enemies Works and a great many were kill'd in endeavouring to repair them About thirty Waggons loaden with Powder come to the Camp and that Night we possess our selves of all the Bridge except one Arch at the farther end on Connaught side which was broken down and we repair another broken Arch in our possession and all Night our Guns and Mortars play most furiously For the Design of passing the River at the Ford being frustrate the General and the other Great Officers resolve to try what can be done in forcing our way through Athlone it self and therefore we labour hard to gain the Bridge but what we got here was Inch by Inch as it were the Enemy sticking very close to it though great Numbers of them were slain by our Guns And this Service cost us great store of Ammunition The 27th seven Rapparees were brought in being taken at Ballynehewen to which place the General ordered a Garrison of a Lieutenant and twenty Men. That Afternoon one hundred Carrs came from Dublin to the Camp loaden with Cannon-Ball And all that Day our Guns and Mortars fired without intermission We raised also a Battery of five Guns in the Meadow below the Town to stop the way the Enemy had on that side of coming into the Town And in the Evening our Men burn the Breast-Works the Enemy had on the other side the broken Arch with throwing their Granado's for most of these being made of Fascines and the Weather being hot they soon dried and easily took fire That Night we wrought very hard on the last Arch in the Enemies possession So that on Sunday the 28th in the Morning our Beams were laid The Enemy ruin our Works over and partly planked which the Enemy perceiving they detach'd a Sergeant and ten Men out of Brigadier Maxwell's Regiment being all bold and daring Scots these were all in Armour and came over their own Works with a design to ruin ours but were all of them slain and yet this did not discourage as many more from setting about the same piece of Service and they effected it by throwing down our Planks and Beams maugre all our Firing and Skill tho' they all lost their Lives as Testimonies of their Valour except two who escaped amongst all the Fire and Smoak This made us resolved to carry on our Work by a close Gallery on the Bridge which was done But all last Night and that Morning the Enemy were hard at work in repairing some old and making new Trenches in the Meadow opposite to our new Battery and our Guns are now playing very briskly especially on a place called Connaught-Tower which stood on the North-side the Castle and was so solid that it took up more time to bring down than any one part of the Castle This Afternoon a Council of War was held wherein A design to pass the Shannon it was concluded That next Morning we should attempt passing the Shannon one Party to go over the Bridge a second to pass upon the Floats and Pontoons and a third Detachment were to go over the Ford below the Bridge where our Horse were also to pass and second the Foot a large Breach being made on the other side for their entrance And accordingly at Night Orders were given out That forty three Granadeers eighty three private Men three Captains five Lieutenants two Ensigns and seven Sergeants out of each Regiment with fifteen Shots a Man and every one a green Bough in his Hat should be ready by six a Clock in the Morning under the Walls of the Town and all to be commanded by Major-General Mackay but the whole to be done with the greatest silence and secresie imaginable Killkenny was the Word that Night The 29th in the Morning our Men were ready according to Orders and march'd to the Town-Wall where they stood at their Arms but before our Boats and their Appurtenances could be drawn into the Town it was ten a Clock and all this Morning we observed great Bodies of the Enemy march into the Irish Town though our Cannon were very troublesome to them for the Irish guessing at our Design or rather being assured of it by some Deserters they drew a very considerable Body of their choicest Men to their Works But whilst these Preparations were making on both sides the Granadiers of both Parties that defended the Breast-works on the Bridge throwing The Enemy burn our close Gallery Hand-Granadoes one at the other the Enemies Granadoes set fire to our Fascines that lay close on the broken Arch where our Gallery was which suddenly flamed so violently that our Men could not endure the Fire and Smoke that blew in their faces and though they laboured very hard to extinguish it yet could not prevent the burning that part of the Breast-work next the broken Arch but preserved all the rest by raising another Breast-work on a sudden just behind the burnt one By this time it was past twelve a Clock and the Generals finding the Attack upon the Town that way like to cost many Lives they deferr'd it till new Measures were Consulted on nor knew they well what to think at present seeing themselves defeated in so great a Project and as it fell out Providence in all appearance had ordered it for the best for it 's probable that if our Men had really forced the Bridge at that time they would have run great hazards in storming the Town the Enemy being so well provided for them and then our Retreat could not have been without the ruin of more Men than it has pleased God we lost in all the Actions since All that Afternoon our Guns continue firing And also June the 30. Our Canon play without ceasing and in the Afternoon another Council of War was held wherein the difficulties of staying there any longer were represented all the Forrage being consumed A Council of War for several Miles round so that they must resolve to do something with Expedition
or else to remove with the whole Army to some more likely Pass which wanted not its inconveniencies neither since by this means the Enemy were encouraged and our own men disheartened at the beginning of the Campaign and not only so but upon our removing there was a way open for the Enemy even to Dublin it self at least into all the Countries adjacent by which means we must expose at least our Provisions to hazzard and so be forced to go back to make a defensive instead of an offensive War And on the other hand to make an Attack upon the Town not to succeed and then be forced to remove wou'd be of more fatal Consequence However the Duke of Wertenberg the Major Generals Mackey Talmash Ruvigny and Tetteau urged that no brave Action could be attempted without hazzard and considering the goodness of our own men and the faintness of the Enemy in all great Attacks that had been made upon them hitherto they stood up for the probability of the attempt proffering themselves to be the first that shou'd indeavour to force the Enemies Works in their own persons particularly Major General Talmash very forward and instrumental in promoting was of it which they happily performed accordingly for the Detachment drawn down the day before was ordered still to be in a readiness and A Party ordered to pass the River the General gave Command that they should be all brought three days before by three of the Danes one being a reformed Officer who with two more boldly ventured in the face of all their Works and in opposition to their Vollies which were made at them and that at Noon-day and found passable so that all things being in this order six minutes past six a Clock Capt. Sandys and two Lieutenants led the first Party of 60. Granadeers all in Armour and 20 a Breast seconded by another good Body who all with an amazing resolution took the River the Stream being very Rapid and deep at which time our Great and Small Shot began to play from our Batteries and Works on our side upon the Enemies Works on the other and they fired as thick as possible for them upon our men that were passing the River who forced their way thro Fire and Smoak and gaining the other Bank the rest laid Planks over the broken part of the Bridge and others were laying the Bridge of Boats by which our men past over so fast that in less than half an hour we were Masters of the Town and all the Trenches except one beyond the Town for the Irish being amazed at the suddenness of the thing and the resolution of our men with no great difficulty began to give ground and soon after made the best of their way towards their Camp tho a great many of them were killed in their Works and yet it 's observable that our men when they saw themselves really Masters of the Town were not at all forward to kill those at their mercy tho it was in a manner in the heat of Action but the Rubbish and Stuff thrown down by our Cannon was more difficult to climb over than a great part of the Enemies Works which occasioned our Soldiers to Swear and Curse even amongst the Bullets themselves upon which Major General Mackay told them that they had more reason to fall upon their Knees and thank God for the Victory and that they were brave men and the best of men if they would Swear less The Soldiers however got good store of Plunder What Stors were â—â—und in Town amongst the Ruines and a great many dead men were found in the Castle there were six Brass Guns and two Mortars in Town with about 20 Barrels of Powder 12 Hogsheads of Meal some Wheat and a great many other things We lost in this Action only 12 men and Lieutenant Col. Collumbine with 4 more Officers and 30 Soldiers wounded The Enemy they say lost 500 at this attack and as many more during the Siege as made them 1200 amongst whom were Col. O Gara Col. Richard Grace Col. Art Oge Mackmahon two of the Mack Genuess and several others there were taken Prisoners Major General Maxwell a French Adjutant General Capt. Dalton one Capt. more and two Lieutenants with about 60 private Men. At our mens first entering the River an Express An Express sent to Saint Râ—th was sent from the Town to Monsieur St. Ruth then in the Irish Camp signing Articles against My Lord Tyrconel as some say but going out a shooting as others report who when he heard the news said it was impossible that the English should pretend to take a Town and he so near with an Army to Succour it but being very soon assured that the English were actually possest of the place he lamented his misfortune extreamly and ordered several Detachments to beat the English out again but then he was sensible of a former oversight in not demolishing those Fortifications of Athlone next his own Camp for now the English possest their own Works entire against themselves Tho some say that St. Ruth had given orders for those Works to be thrown down the next day several Parties however of the Irish both Horse and Foot came in all hast towards the Town and stopt their men that were running away at the furthest Trenches Upon which Col. Gustavus Hambleton advanced with a Party of Granadeers and there was a pretty warm dispute for some time and Major General Maxwell newly made a Prisoner was confident they would beat us out again but when he saw them retreat upon our mens advancing and firing he was soon convinced of his mistake Athlone it seems in the last Wars was neither well fortified nor provided for Sir Charles Coot with 2000. choice Horse and as many Foot went towads Sligoe and made a shew of sitting down before it but slipt over the Curlue Mountains and with no great difficulty took Athlone as also Portumna whilst Ireton with the main Body of their Army forced Killalow Pass and sat down before Limerick But this last was an Action that is scarce to be parallelled in History that a strong Town shou'd be taken by Storm cross a great and rapid River when a powerful Army lay within less than two Miles to support it but the same providential attendance that waited upon us at first did now and afterwards assist us But it will not be improper to leave the General and his Army for a while at Athlone and see what happened in these active times in several other places of the Kingdom for tho the Irish had drawn most of their Forces towards Athlone with a design if possible to oppose our passing the Shannon yet they being at this time all of one side and consequently very numerous they ordered matters so as a great many Rapparees and some of their Army were left in different parts of the Kingdom especially in the Counties of Cork Sligoe and Kerry who waited all opportunities to
in the Evening we begun to work The Battery begun at our new Battery At first the Enemy did not discover us but after some time the Moon shining very bright they found us out and fired both great and small Shot very lavishly killing five or six but still the rest went on bravely with their Work and had soon brought it into such a Condition as to secure themselves The 6th one Barnwell deserted the Enemy and tells us they seem resolved to defend the Town which they might do except we passed the River having all the County of Clare open to go out and in at pleasure Our Men work still at the Battery which being designed for a great many Guns it could not be finished in one Night tho the Rain did us some Damage This Night some Townsmen swam over the River and confirm the Account given by Barnwell the day before that the Irish resolve not to give us the Town except we pass the River since they had a free Passage to bring in and take out what they pleased and amongst other things they had forty Chirurgions Chests that landed from France in Kerry which were conveyed cross the River and so into Town at Thoumond Gate They informed us also that most of the Towns-people having left it and the Souldiers lying continually in the Works our Bombs did not do that Execution that was hoped for but that upon whatever House a Bomb fell the Irish Souldiers presently rushed in and plundered it And tho the Weather seemed to threaten us yet this was no great Discouragement since if it came to the worst we had now our Ships in the River and could at any time put our Guns on board which Conveniency we wanted the Year before The General had now an Account from Brigadeer Leveson out of Kerry that the Enemy according to their usual way of destroying had burnt Tralee and that he had secured two of the Irish Captains that were active in that Affair upon which he sent the following Answer Camp at Limerick Sept. 6. 1691. SIR SInce my last to you I have received your Letter of the and notwithstanding what I writ about your returning to the Camp I now desire you will stay with your Detachment in Kerry for the Safety of that Countrey and secure your self there as well as you can I have sent you the Princess of Denmark 's Regiment to be disposed of as you shall judg best As for those two Captains that burnt Tralee I would have them both hanged if they cannot produce Major General Sarsfield 's or the Orders of the Commander in Chief for what they did and then I desire you 'll respite their Execution till you send me a Particular of their Case To Brigadeer Leveson Bar. de Ginckell September the 7th this Letter was sent the Brigadeer then encamp'd at Lixnaw by Capt. William Fitz-Maurice of the Earl of Drogheda's Regiment and Son to the Lord of Kerry who this Morning left the Camp with about twenty or thirty of that Country-Gentlemen in his Company having also an Order for a Guard of Horse and Dragoons from Asketon But next Day coming to Listoell within five Miles of the Brigadeer's Party one of the Enemies Dragoons mistaking them for a Party of their own Men came hastily up and told them he was at first afraid they had been English but that my Lord Merion's my Lord Britta's Sir Maurice Eustace Sir James Cotter's Dragoons with a Body of between 3 and 4000 Irish lay behind the Hill this Fellow they immediately shot for his pains and sent to give the Brigadeer notice of their Danger making all convenient haste towards Lixnaw But the Enemy soon had notice of them and drew out several Parties to intercept their Passage our Men however with some difficulty gained a Pass and yet the Irish ordered the matter so as to be in a fair way to destroy them all had not the Brigadeer appeared with a Party in the mean time for having received an Account that the Irish were got into a Body in such a place he was going then with a Party to discover them not knowing the Danger our own Men were in Upon the Brigadeer's approach when our Men understood who it was they gave a Huzzah At which the Irish began to draw off and being in great Confusion by reason of their eager haste to pursue our small Party the Brigadeer fell upon them in that posture and killed about thirty taking Lieut. Col. O Ryan and about thirty more Prisoners the rest making too great haste to the Woods and Bogs to be overtaken Our Party then went to the place where the Irish Camp had been and found two Barrels of Powder with a great deal of other Luggage left behind At Limerick the Enemy fired very briskly upon us all that day with eight Guns which they had planted in the King's Island and other places However we finished the Platform of the great Battery and the flooring for the Mortars September the 8th our new Batteries were all ready one to the left of ten Field-pieces to shoot red hot Ball another to the right of 25 Guns all 24 and 18 Pounders The Batteries finished and play upon the Town and in the Center were placed eight Mortars from 18 Inches 3 quarters to 10 ½ Diameter these stood altogether upon the North-east of the Town nigh the Island then there were 8 Guns of 12 pound Ball each planted at Mackay's Fort and some also towards the River on the South-west where the Danes were posted Those fell to work all at a time and put the Irish into such a fright that a great many of them wish'd themselves in another place having never heard such a Noise before nor I hope never shall in that Kingdom One of the great Mortars had a Shell burst in her flinging the Mortar and Carriage nigh two yards from the flooring which is demonstration that the firing the Fuse before you give fire to the Mortar is neither the readiest nor the safest way but this was the method of all our Foreign Bombardeers tho one Lieut. Brown afterwards at Mackay's Fort made use of a much better way as shall in time be related We threw Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses all day long and our Guns were discharged almost without ceasing by which there appeared a considerable Breach in the Wall within the King's Island between A Breach made the Abbey and Ball 's Bridg and our Bombs Fire-balls and Carcasses had the like success upon the Houses in Town The 9th more Provision-Ships are ordered from Cork under the Smirna-Merchant We improved our Forts between the old Church and our great Battery and our Guns fire all day at the Breach by which it was widened to a great Degree and also a great many Houses beat down we dismounted also two Guns from a Spur in the King's Island nigh Balls-Bridg and play'd from Mackay's Fort upon four Guns more that disturbed us from a
with an Officer desert the Enemy a Sergeant of theirs gave us notice where their Ammunition lay and our Guns fire very hard all Day at the Place the General and all the great Officers continuing the whole Afternoon at the Battery and were very well pleased to see a Bomb blow up some part of their Powder At Night our Works were double mann'd and our great Guns beginning to the right the whole Line made three running Fires which were seconded by as many from several Regiments both of Horse and Foot drawn up at the Heads of their respective Camps this was for Joy of the Christians Success in Guns fired for Joy the Turks were defeated in Hungary Hungary against the Turks but it alarm'd the Irish who stood at their Arms all the Night being much puzzled to know the meaning of it some saying that our Fleet had beat the French and others that it was only for a Blind at our going off and every one as they fancied Orders were now given for the demolishing Castle-connel Carick a Gunnell and other Places upon the Shannon and several Miners were at work upon them The fifteenth the Finnan Regiment of Green Danes march towards Clonmell in order to go to Waterford and most of our Guns were drawn off from the Batteries as a Blind to a Design at Night being a great many Men at work all day to prepare our Tin-boats and Floats That Afternoon my Lord Lisburn then upon Duty with his Regiment to the Left of the Great Battery his Lordship having laid down to rest him in a little Trench-Tent just in the rising up was unfortunately shot by a My Lord Lisburn killed great Gun from one of the Enemies Batteries being a Man of excellent Parts and who had shewed himself very diligent and forward upon all Occasions since the beginning of this War In the Evening it was ordered that four hundred Granadeers A Party ordered to march over the River so soon as 't was dark should parade at the Head of Major General Kirk's Regiment from whence they marched about nine at Night being joined with six hundred Workmen with the Tin-boats and sustained with five Regiments of Foot commanded by Major General Talmash and a Body of Horse and Dragoons under Major General Scravemore with six Field-pieces Those all march to a Place of the Shannon about two Miles above our Camp and by twelve at Night begin to lay the Boats over In the mean time the Granadeers commanded by Sir David Collier with Capt. Ketchmay of Sir John Hanmer's Captain Alnut of my Lord Drogheda's Captain Parker of Colonel Gustavus Hamilton's Regiment another Captain and eight more Officers were wafted over by the Tin-boats into an Island where the Bridg was laying and from whence it was fordable to the other side beating some few Straglers of the Enemy from thence who now and then fired at the Workmen but with little or no Loss to us for the Night being very dark and the Enemy secure because they judged us going off the Bridg was almost compleated before they suspected it The 16th at Day-light our Bridg was finished and A Bridg laid and our Men pass over it Colonel Matthew's Dragoons beginning to pass into the Island by which time Brigadeer Clifford had got the Alarm who was not far off with four Regiments of Dragoons he seemed not very forward in the Matter tho his Dragoons came down on foot and pretended to make some Opposition as did also a Body of the Enemies Foot being about four or five thin Regiments who advanced towards the Ford when Major General Talmash immediately commanded the Granadeers to wade thrô which done they possess'd themselves of an old House and an Hedg or two about an hundred Yards from the Enemy and were commanded not to be lavish of their Shot but receive the Enemies Fire till our Dragoons and some Horse were got over which were passing Then the Enemy endeavouring to flank our Granadeers on the Right the Major General commanded a Detachment of Colonel Matthews's Dragoons to beat them from that Post which being done and a good Party soon got over Major General Talmash ordered the Granadeers to advance being sustained by a Regiment of Foot commanded by Colonel Tiffin and Lieutenant Colonel Bristow a Party of Dragoons and a Party of Colonel Coys's Horse This was done and after some faint Resistance the Enemy run towards a large Bog and a Wood that was in their Rear throwing away their Granadoes Muskets and every thing that proved troublesom our Men pursued them and killed several upon the Bog taking a French Lieutenant Colonel a Captain and some more Prisoners Our advance-Party received Orders to halt till all were got over and then march'd to the Left up towards the Enemies Camp But by this time the News of our passing the River was got to their Horse and also towards the Town both Parties providing for their Safeties as well as they could for the People that were encamp'd without endeavoured to get into Town but those within drew up the Bridg and would not admit them and it 's almost incredible what a Noise and Confusion there was then at Thoumond Gate their Horse tho begin to buckle to Arms and made a shew of fighting which was only to gain time to secure their Tents and Baggage and their Dragoons having their Horses two Miles off at Grass were forced to shift for themselves Our Horse expected Orders to pursue them but they were commanded by the General and Lieut. Gen. Scravemore who were now come up to halt till a greater Body advanced to sustain them Some of the Irish were now pulling down their The Irish in a great Consternation Tents others driving away the Cattle and every one in a Hurry making what haste they could towards the Mountains and then the General ordered our Men to advance towards their Horse-Camp where they found Brandy Beef and a great many other things And a Party of our Granadeers met with about three hundred Dragoon Saddles and other Accoutrements which they burnt by Order We did not pursue however for fear of an Ambuscade but sent to observe the Enemies March The Irish also nigh the Town were very busy in breaking down two small Bridges cross a Causey leading to the Town but the firing of two of our Field-pieces put a stop to their Proceedings in that Place There is a small white House about half a Mile from the Town on Thoumond side nigh which two Squadrons of the Enemies Horse were drawn up and about a Regiment of Foot posted in the Hedges to secure their Lords Justices the Records all their chief Ladies and Treasure which all were there and had been as then no difficult though a very good Prize But after some of our Parties had seen them go off in the greatest Confusion that could be we set two or three Houses on fire and staying on that side till about two a Clock in