ABout the first Day of December, 1688. there came a Letter from Mr. Secretary Ellis, by the Lord Tyrconnel's Order, to the Provost of Inniskilling, to provide Quarters for two Foot Companies; viz. Capt. Nugent's and Capt. Shurloe's Companies, that were sent to Quarter in that Town; and about the same time a report was spread through the Countrey, That the Irish intended to Massacre all the Brittish; and to confirm the same, upon Friday the 7th of the same Month, there came to Inniskilling, and to most Gentlemen in the Country about, a Copy of a Letter from the County of Down, written to the Earl of Mount-Alexander, telling, That the Massacre was to be on the Sunday following, being the Ninth of De­cember 1688.

This Letter had an incredible Operation on the Minds of all near Inniskilling, for many of them were yet alive, who had been Eye-witnesses of the Barbarous Cruelties Committed on the Protestants, by the Irish Papists in the Rebellion of (41) without any Compassion, or distincti­on to Age or Sex. This Letter with the other to the Pro­vost, to receive a Garison into the Town (which had not [Page 2] had a Garison for a long time before in it) and having good Information from Dublin, that the Lord Tyrconnel had granted Commissions all over the Kingdom to put all Pa­pists in Arms; and that any Papist that was able or could propose any way to maintain men for three Months, had got what Commissions they desired; and to confirm the same, they saw the Natives that lived in the Countrey near them, gather in great numbers, and forming them­selves into Companies, and had some experienced Sol­diers sent to several Parts of the County to exercise them. This made those of Inniskilling apprehensive that those Preparations were all making for the intended Massa­cre; and knowing that Inniskilling was the only place of Consequence upon Logh Earne, (all Protestants, and who held out the whole Rebellion of 41, with remarkable Cou­rage) and if the Irish were possessed of it, they had an open Passage from Connaught to Ʋlster; they therefore did unanimously resolve not to admit the Two Foot Compa­nies to Quarter in the Town, but did immediately dispatch Letters to all the Gentlemen in the Countrey near the Place, acquainting them with their Resolution, and cra­ving their Advice and Assistance in that Juncture; for of themselves they were not able to keep out the Two Foot Companies, there being but about Eighty Dwellers in the Town, and few or no Arms among them; but when their Messengers returned, tho some few gave Encouragement, yet the greater part did disswade them from the Enterprize [...]s dangerous; the Irish being well provided of Arms, Am­munition, and all things necessary; whereas they had not [...]n Pounds of Powder in the Town, and not Twenty [...]ll fixed Fire-Arms: But the Towns-men were still bent [...]n their first Resolution, at all hazards, not to receive the [...]arison; for then they did expose their Lives, as they said, [...] the Mercy of their barbarous and bloody principl'd [...]nemies.

[Page 3]Upon Thursday, the 13th. of December, News was brought to the Town, that the two Companies were on their March towards them, and upon Friday that they were come to Clownish, within eighteen miles of the Town; and then the Towns-men (thinking it full time to look to themselves.) send again to all their Neighbours, praying them to come to their relief, promising that whilst they stayed with them they shou'd have free-Quarter for Man and Horse. Upon this, several of the Neighbourhood came into the Town, with their best Horse and Arms, promising to stand by them in Defence of their Lives and the Protestant Religion, which they did believe, (by the preparations they heard were making by our Enemies,) wou'd be very soon inva­ded.

Upon Saturday, the 15th. of December, the two Foot-Com­panies came to Mac Guires Bridge, within eight short miles of the Town, and upon Sunday by ten of the Clock, word was brought into Town that they were upon their march, and come to Lismella a Village about four miles distant from Innskillen: At the time when the news of their so near ap­proach came, most of the men in the Town were gone to Church, but soon came out and went to their Arms, resolving to meet the two Companies before they came near the Town, and being drawn out, they were about 200 Foot, and a hundred and fifty Horse, and having consulted what was fit to be done, they sent some of their number before to perswade them by fair means to return, and brought some Ale and Meat from the Town to treat them in case they did comply with their desire. And at the same time Gustavus Hamilton, Esq our present Governour, came with about a hundred Horse within a mile of the Town, to support the Towns-men if there should be occasion, for it was re­ported that the two Companies had brought with them two or three Horse loads of spare Arms, to Arm a numerous Rabble of the Country-Irish that flocked to them from all [Page 4] hands. But the Inniskillen Horse advancing towards them under the Command of Captain Browning, and Lieutenant Christopher Carleton, and the Foot under the Command of Cap­tain Molcome Cathcart, who came no sooner in view of the two Companies, but they with the whole Rabble that was with them, turned their backs and fled without halting, in very great fear and disorder, back that Night to Mac Guires Bridge, and their Officers being then at Dinner in a Gen­tlemans House not far from them, hearing that Inniskillen-men were come out, left their Dinner (as was reported) before they had half done, and fled after their men in as great fear and disorder as they had gone before. The next day they went to Cavan twenty four miles distant from Inniskillen where they stayed in great fear of the Inniskillen-men, till they received new Orders from the Lord Tyreconel to march to some other Quarters: And I must here take notice, that they did not shew their Potent to Quarter in the Town, nor once askt to be admitted into the place.

About the 18th. of December, the men of Inniskillen and those that did adhere to them, seeing the Storm that threat­ned them grew still more black, the Irish arming on all hands, and growing much more insolent than usual, thought it adviseable to put themselves in some posture of Self-Defence, and at a full meeting unanimously made choice of Gustavus Hamilton, Esq to be their Governour, a Gentleman that was a Justice of the Peace in the County of Fermanagh, of which Inniskillen is the County Town: His Father Lodowick was Brother to the late Lord Glenawly in Ireland, both Sons of Archibald Hamilton, Arch Bishop of Cashell in Ireland, had been both Colonels under Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden, and both raised to the dignity of Lords in that Kingdom. The Lord Lodwick married his Lady (who is Mother to our Governour) in Swedland, she was a great Fortune to him, and 'tis said she is nearly related [Page 5] to the Crowns of Denmark and Swedland; But he desirous to live in his native Country near his Brother, the Lord Glenawly, upon his return was unfortunately killed at Sea, leaving our Governour and a younger Son behind him. Our Governour had been for several years Cornet to the Troop that belonged to his Uncle the Lord Glenawly, but was dis­banded by the Lord Tyrconel, when the rest of the Protestant Offices were turned out of the Army in Ireland, and af­ter that he lived constant ly at home on his own private Estate.

He was not present at the Election, but as soon as it was made known to him, he consented to take that Charge upon him, and immediately gave orders to raise two Foot Companies in and about the Town, the one under the Com­mand of Captain Allen Cathcart, and the other under the Command of Captain Malcome Cathcart, and in a very few days formed a good Troop of Horse, and a Foot Company for himself, out of his own Estate and the Country ad­joyning, and used all the endeavours he cou'd to provide them Arms and what else they wanted, and then remov­ed his Family from his own Dwelling House to the Castle of Inniskillen.

Some time before this, having heard that Derry had deni­ed entrance to the Lord Antrim's Regiment, that was or­der'd to Quarter in that Town, and had chosen their former Governour Mr. Phillips, and were putting themselves in a Posture of Self-Defence against any Irish Garrison to be sent there, which nearly resembled our Case; we did there­fore about the 20th. of December, send Captain Allen Cath­cart, and Lieutenant William Mac Cormick to Derry, with Letters, acquainting the Governour and others, that had any Command there with what we had done, craving their advice and assistance in case of any trouble to us, as promising them likewise our Friendship and assi­stance if they stood in need of it, and we had a ve­ry [Page 6] kind return to our Letters by those Gentlemen that were sent.

Soon after this we had news brought us, that the Pro­testants in all parts of the Kingdom were very much opprest by the Papists, first by stealing their Goods in the Night, and in a short time after taking them publickly in the day, and upon complaint made to the Magistrates, (who were for the most part Papists) had no redress given them; some of them having the confidence to tell the Protestants (who had been robbed of their Goods,) that if their Lives were spared they had no cause to complain, and now about this time several came to us from other parts of the Kingdom, leaving all their goods behind them; and among many others, those two worthy Gentlemen, Thomas Lloyd and Daniel Hodson Esquires, with their Families; the first is now a Collonel among us; who though young, and of little experience be­fore, yet by his care and diligence has supplyed all other wants, and shewn himself a person of Courage and good Conduct beyond expectation.

It was about this time that the News came to us of the ate King having deserted the Kingdom and Government, dis­banded his Army, and left all in confusion in England, and the Lord Tyrconell of his own head was Arming all the Irish Papists, and inlisting forty or fifty Thousand of them.

The Month of January was spent with us in Raising some more Troops and Foot Companies, and our Officers used all the care and diligence they possibly cou'd to fix the few fire Arms they had procured; they caused a great Number of Pikes to be made, and beat out a great many Sythes, fixing them in Poles, whereby in a short time, the few Foot we had were in an indifferent posture of defence; and having about twelve Companies and some few Troops rai­sed, the Officers thought it time to Regiment themselves, and made choice of Gustavus Hamilton Governour of In­niskillen [Page 7] to be their Collonel, and Thomas Lloyd their Lieu­tenant Collonel, and about the latter end of January sent Mr. Hugh Hamilton and Mr. Allen Cathcart (two [...]o) their number, who had been very active among them▪ with an Address to the then Prince of Orange, and with full power and instructions to act for them at the Court of England, to solicite for Commissions, Arms, Ammunition, and some Mony for the place. We ordered them to make their way by Scotland for their greater safety, and sent Letters by them to the associated Lords and Gentlemen of the Counties of Down and Antrim, acquainting them with our Affairs, and craving their aid in Case we were put to any extremity; and soon after had very kind An­swers returned to us.

The month of February was spent in Consultations, and several Meetings and Treaties with Collonel Lundy, and the leading men in the Counties of Derry, Dunegall, Tyrone, Cavan, and else where: orders were given out that the pro­testants in the several Counties in the North West part of Ireland shou'd form themselves into Troops and Compa­nies, and afterwards into Regiments (for the North East part had done the same before) and all concluded (in case of ex­tremity) to submit to Collonel Lundy, who was in great re­putation with us for Conduct, and experience in military affairs.

The Gentlemen of the County of Fermanagh did meet and conclude to raise two Regiments of Foot and a Regi­ment of Horse, which by reason of some mens backward­ness to the service were not made up, so that the great stress of our Country was left upon the Governour of In­niskillen, and those Gentlemen who did adhere to him.

And here I cannot but with honour make mention of Sir John Hume, who has been always reputed to have the greatest fortune and best Estate in that County, but was then so sickly and infirm, that he cou'd not undergo the [Page 8] Toyl and Fatigue of those Confusions, yet he was not be­hind in contributing to his utmost for the common securi­ty; he raised more than a hundred Horse, and above two hundred Foot of his Tenants, and Armed them in­differently well at his own expence (who have behaved themselves on all occasions very well with us) he sent for his Eldest Son from England, who had been three or four years in the Army there; a very hopeful young Gentle­man (who died in the service) to Command them, and to defend his house, which standing near Loghearn, within three miles of Inniskillen, he fortified very well, and plen­tifully furnisht it with Provisions to his great charge, which has maintained a great Garrison ever since, and been a very great security to the Country about, and of much con­sequence to the defence of Inniskillen: He being forced by his great infirmity retired into England with his younger Chil­dren, his second Son being in England before he came there he sent him under the Command of Major General Kirk to the relief of Derry, who died of a Feaver at Sea much la­mented of all that knew him.

Now came the News to us, That the Convention of the Estates in England, as well Spiritual as Temporal, had Voted the late King James's Desertion to be an Abdication, and placed their Present Majesties in the vacant Throne, and from this time and upon these grounds we thought we were oblig'd to behave our selves as their Subjects, our Alle­giance being transferr'd and descending from the late King James upon his voluntary Desertion, as if he had been na­turally dead, and accordingly March the Eleventh, we did proclaim King William and Queen Mary at Inniskillen with such Joy and Solemnity as our Circumstances cou'd bear, rejoycing unspeakably to see the Crown descend in the same Royal Line, which time out of mind had inherited our Government.

About the 16th. of March we had an Account, that the [Page 9] Garrison of Dunganon by order from Collonel Lundy was deserted, and that they and all the Inhabitants in the Coun­try near Dunganon were fled towards Strabone and Derry. And about the same time, our Governour received Let­ters from Collonel Lundy, acquainting him, that it was con­cluded at their Committee, that all the Forces in the North West of Ʋlster shou'd draw towards Derry and the Legan, to make good Fin Water against the Enemy, and he gave us a very melancholly account of the Ill condition his own men were in. But our Governour and the rest of the Gen­tlmen that adhered to him, were positively resolved not to desert Inniskillen, the keeping whereof being of so great consequence, that it kept the Conaught Irish, from joyning with the Ʋlster Irish, and so was a great security to Derry and all the Country about it.

March the 20th. all the Protestants in the County of Cavan in pitiful stormy Weather, and in great disorder came running to Inniskillen, and the Villages about, to the no small surprize of us all; about three or four Troops of Horse coming before, followed with about as many Foot Companies, and then the whole inhabitants with their Wo­men and Children to their middle in Clay and Dirt, with pitiful Lamentations, and little or no Provision to sustain them. Our Governour order'd them free Quarter for Man and Horse in the Town and Country about, many of them were indifferently well Armed, and we were joyful that they were come to us, being in hopes that they wou'd joyn with us in the defence of our Country.

But upon enquiry into the reasons of their leaving their Country as they did, (where they had several good strengths that might for some time have been defended.) Their Officers told us, that they had orders from Colonel Lundy for so doing, and did endeavour (though to no purpose,) to perswade our Governour to do the same with Inniskillen; But that which hastened them away in [Page 10] so great disorder, was the Lord Gilmoy's coming with a part of the Irish Army into the County of Cavan, and surprizing a House that belonged to Mr. Dixy Dean of Kilmore, and made Prisoner the Deans Eldest Son, (who was Captain of a Troop of Horse,) Edward Charleton his Cornet, and about eight or ten of his Troopers; upon news of which all the Garrisons about broke up, some setting fire to their own Houses, and the whole Country fled to us without knowing who or what number of men were come a­gainst them.

The Lord Gilmoy animated by their running away, and thinking by their example to drive the whole Countty be­fore him, came with his Souldiers to Belturbet, and next day sent a party to besiege Crom, in the County of Ferma­nagh, a Castle standing on Loghearn, about sixteen miles distant from Inniskillen, it was under our protection, and has been ever since our Frontier Garrison towards Dublin, and his Lordship thinking to frighten that Garrison to a Compliance with his Demands, sent two Canon made of Tin, near a yard long in the Chase, and about eight Inches wide, strongly bound about with small Cord, and covered with a sort of Buckram, near the colour of a Canon. These two mock Canon he drew towards Crom with eight Horses a peece, making a great noise as if they were drawn with much difficulty. As soon as they came before Crom, he threatned to batter the Castle with these two great batter­ing Guns, and had the vanity to fire one of them, which burst and had like (as t'was said,) to have spoiled the Gunner. But those within the Castle (depending upon aid from Innis­killen) denied to surrender, and fired out at them from the Castle, killing several: Gilmoy continues the Siege, and on Friday the 22th. of March, sent a Letter to the Gover­nour of Inniskillen in the nature of a Summons, acquainting him that King James was come to Dublin, and that he was come with an Army to reduce that Country to his obedi­ence, [Page 11] and that by his Commission, he had power to grant them better Conditions than they might ever expect from him afterwards, if they were reduced by force. Upon re­ceipt of this Summons, our Governour called his Officers together to consult what was fit to be done, and all of them did unanimously conclude not to desert Inniskillen, nor to submit to any but to King William and Queen Mary whom they had now Proclaim'd, and accordingly return'd Lord Gilmoy an answer, that they ow'd Allegiance to none but them, nor wou'd they submit to any but to their Majesties, or those Commissioned by them, and so did prepare them­selves the best they cou'd to defend the Town, and to use what means they cou'd to relieve Crom.

On Saturday the 23d. of March early in the morning, many of the County of Cavan-men left Inniskillen, and march'd towards Derry, in obedience (as they said) to Co­lonel Lundies orders: And the same day in the afternoon, our Governour drew out all the Horse and Foot he had un­der his Command to the common Hill near Inniskillen, keeping them all day at their Arms, expecting every hour to hear that the Lord Gilmoy was on his march towards us, and resolved to give him battel before he came near the Town, for ever since we took up Inniskillen, we judged it adviseable rather to fight the Enemy at a distance from it, than to let them lay Siege to it, and we have hitherto done accordingly: But seeing no Enemy appear all that day, and our Scouts returning and bringing us word that Gilmoy came only the length of Lisnaskea a Village ten miles di­stant from the Town, and that upon the news of our draw­ing out against him, was retreated back with his men to the Siege of Crom. Our Governour therefore in the Night, sent a detachment of about two hundred of his best armed men, some by Land and some in Boats towards Crom, hop­ing they might get into the Castle in the Night, but it being day before they got there, the Enemy used all the En­deavours [Page 12] they cou'd to keep our Boats from Landing at the Castle, firing many Vollies at them, but being bad marks­men, killed only one old Boatman, and did our men no farther harm, but our men shot several of them dead from the Boats, Landed at the Castle, and having joyned those that were within, they sallied out together, and beat them from their Trenches, killed, between, thirty and forty of them, got the Fire arms of those that they killed, took their two mock Canon, (one of which was left at Crom, and the other brought to the Castle of Inniskillen,) got two suits of Armour, and several other things of value, and im­mediately after this the Lord Gilmoy quit the thoughts of any farther Siege against Crom, and retreated to Belturbet.

At this time one Brian Mac Knaghor Mac Guir (who had been a Captain in the Irish Army,) was a Prisoner with us at Crom. Him the Lord Gilmoy had a desire to release, and the next day sent an Express to Captain Crighton (the proprietor of the Castle of Crom, and is Governour thereof) proposing to exchange Captain Dixie for this Captain Mac Guir, and desiring if the change were approved of, that Capt. Mac Guir might be sent to him, promising upon his Honour, to return us Captain Dixie for him. The exchange was very acceptable to the Govern our and all that were in the Castle of Crom, but yet wou'd conclud nothing un­til they had the consent of the Governour of Inniskillen, and the other Officers that were there, and so sent an Express from Crom to Inniskillen for their Resolution. The Messen­ger was immediately sent back to Captain Crighton, with Orders from the Governour to go on with the Exchange: Accordingly Captain Crighton sent Mac Guir to the Lord Gilmoy desiring that Captain Dixie might be returned to him according to his promise under his hand, which Letter is in the hands of the Governour of Inniskillen.

But the Lord Gilmoy (shewing what we may expect from the word and promise of a Papist) as soon as he had Mac Guir [Page 13] in his hands, called a Council of War on Captain Dixie and his Cornet Mr. Charleton, where they were both found guilty, and sentence of Death passed upon them, for levy­ing men by the Prince of Oranges Commission, which was found in their Pockets; and immediately they were desired to prepare to Die against the next day; but in the mean time great endeavours were used, and promises made them of life and preferment, if they wou'd turn Papists and ad­here to King James. But they (though both young men,) resolutely rejected the offer, and preferr'd their Religion to the saving of their Lives.

And here I cannot but remember Mac Guires Carriage, who (as it was reported) shewed an extraordinary concern for the Lord Gilmoyes breach of Faith, he went to him and told him, that his putting Mr. Dixie to death, (after his pro­mise under his hand to return him) wou'd be a perpetual stain to his honour, and rather than he shou'd do so base a thing, prayed that he might be return'd a prisoner back to Crom, and that Mr. Dixies Life might be saved, for he did not desire to purchase his Freedom by so great injustice. But the Lord Gilmoy deaf to any thing that cou'd be said on their behalf, caus'd both the Young Gentlemen to be hanged on Mr. Russels Sign Post in Belturbet, and when they were dead commanded to take their Corps into the Kitchen, to cut off both their Heads, and ordered them to be thrown out in­to the Street to the Souldiers, to play at foot ball with, and when the Souldiers for some time had pleased themselves with this Barbarous sport, their heads were set up on the Market House in Belturbet.

March the 25th. 1689 having intelligence that Captain James Hamilton was come to Derry from England with great store of Ammunition, and Arms: The Governour sent Ni­cholas Westby Esq and my self Andrew Hamilton Clark, and a guard of four and twenty men to Derry with letters to Collonel Lundy, and Captain James Hamilton for a supply [Page 14] of Arms and Ammunition, Captain Hamilton was very de­sirous to supply us, but Colonel Lundy having the Com­mand of all gave us but a very cold welcome, would not give us one fix'd Arm, and only sixty Musket Barrels with­out stock or lock, that were thrown by in the store house of Derry as useless, which we soon fix'd, and five Barrels of Powder out of at least five hundred Barrels then in Derry, the Powder and Musket Barrels we sent safe to Inniskillen, and this was all the supply that ever we had of Arms and Ammunition (but what we took from the Enemy) until Ma­jor General Kirk supplyed us.

And now. Mr. Hamilton on his way back from Derry to Inniskillen, met Dr. Walker at Lifford where a token passed between them which was of great use afterwards during the Siege of Derry. For, all the Correspondence that was kept between Derry and Inniskillen was managed by Dr. Walker and Mr. Hamilton, and because it was hazardous to write, it was concluded on, that all messengers that credit was to be given to by either party, were to give that token which if they could not give, no notice was to be taken of what they said. And during the first month or six weeks of the Siege the Irish Army did not much Scruple to let both men and women pass to and from Derry, whereby we had a constant Correspondence with them during that time, but after that they, would suffer none to go into the City, whereby our Correspondence was in a manner wholly cut off.

April the 13th. having intelligence that Collonel Cun­ingham and Richards were come to the Lough of Derry, with Men, Arms, and Ammunition. The Governour of Innis­killen sent Mr. Andrew Hamilton to Derry again for a far­ther supply of both, but the Lagan Army happening to be broke near that time, and the Irish Army coming before Derry, Collonel Cuningham returned to England without landing the Men or Arms he brought with him; and Mr. [Page 15] Hamilton endeavouring to make his way back from Derry to Inniskillen was taken by a Quarter-master of the Irish horse, but then King James having issued out his Procla­mation, that all men that pleased should have liberty to go to their former dwellings, Mr. Hamilton procured Lieutenant General Hamiltons Pass, to return to his house in Kilskirry, and so got Safe back to Inniskillen. But before he left the Irish Camp, he got a trusty messenger sent into Derry to Dr. Walker, and having given him the token that was between them, it was Concluded on, that Dr. Walker should not give credit to any report that might come to Derry of Inniskillen being taken by the Irish unless he saw it under the Governours hand, or Mr. Hamiltons: and neither were we to believe that Derry was taken un­less we saw it under Dr. Walkers hand, and this was ve­ry happily concluded on, for there was Scarce a week af­ter the Siege of Derry began, but the Irish found means to spread a report among us, that Derry was taken by them, which we gave no credit to since we did not see it under Dr. Walkers hand, which was well known to several of us.

It will be but a small digression here to relate an unnatu­ral piece of Cruelty, that I saw in the Irish Camp before Derry, at the time that I came to get Lieutenant General Ha­miltons Pass to return to my own House.

On Thursday the 25th. of April, with one Mr. Anthony Dobbin (a Justice of the Peace near Derry,) I came to the Irish Camp about Nine or Ten of the Clock in the Morning, at which time a considerable party of the men of Derry came from the Town, and were Skirmishing with some party of the Irish, where Lieutenant General Hamilton went himself in person to encourage his men, and whilst we were expect­ing his return, Mr. Dobbin and I went as near the place where the Fight was, as (in the circumstances we were in) we durst venture, and coming among some of their Tents, we met [Page 16] Lieutenant Collonel Farrell, Lieutenant Collonel Nugent, and his Father Mr. Nugent of Coolamber, with several others, who being of the County of Longford, and having some Estate in that County, and been acquainted with those Gen­tlemen formerly they came to me, and very civilly offer'd to do me any Service they cou'd in that place; whilst we were together, we heard several Shots going off within a little way of us, and seeing a Souldier coming from the place, Lieutenant Collonel Farrel enquired of him what the reason of it might be, who made answer that there was very good sport there, for the Souldiers had got an English or a Scotch Witch who came to bewitch their Horses, and had been gathering their Horse-Dung, but the Souldiers had made above twenty Shot at her and could not get her kill'd, upon which believing it was some poor old Crea­ture that they were murthering, I entreated those Gentle­men to step to the place and to save her, until they en­quired into the matter, who accordingly went, (my self, Mr. Dobbin, and above twenty others being in Company with them,) and as they came within twenty or thirty yards of the place, we saw a poor old Woman at least seventy years of Age, sitting with her brest laid bare, and one of the Souldiers came close up to her, and held the muzle of his Musket to her breast and so shot her dead. It seems they being bad marks-men and shooting at her at a distance, none of their former shots were mortal, though she was wounded in several places. I being concern'd at the bar­barous Cruelty of the Fact, enquir'd into the matter, and who the Woman was, and found that she had been a Wo­man of the Country near Derry, who being rob'd of all that she had by the Irish Army, and hearing that the Army was full of Provisions, having got all the Meal of that Country, and that they were very civil to all people that came among them, she came there that morning to beg a little Meal among the Tents, and a man passing by her [Page 17] with a load of Meal, the bag burst, some of the Meal falling upon some Horse-dung, and after the man had gather'd up as much of the Meal as he thought fit, the poor Woman came, and was throwing the Horse-dung out of the dirty-Meal that he had left, which an Irish Souldier seeing, cal­led out that there was a Witch, gathering their Horse-dung to bewitch their Horses, that the men of Derry might get the better of them, upon which the Souldiers gather'd about her, and brought her to that Tragical end that I have here told.

April the 24th. Lieutenant Collonel Loyd by our Go­vernours order took a party of foot and horse, and went from Inniskillen towards Omagh, where the Irish had a Gar­rison, (which his party was not in a condition to besiege) he drove all the Cattel near that place with him, from thence he went to Aughor, where the Irish had another Gar­rison in the Castle, which fled before he came to it, but least they might return thither again, he set the Castle on fire burning it to the ground, and defacing the fortificati­ons about it. From thence went into the Country of Mo­neghan, and so returned to Inniskillen with a very great prey of Cows and Sheep, which proved a seasonable relief to the poor people in and about Inniskillen, for when the party came in one might have bought from the Souldiers a good milch Cow for two shillings or half a Crown, and a dry Cow, or an Ox cheaper, and this was Lieutenant Col­lonel Loyds first expedition with our men.

About this time in the later end of April there came to us from Ballishany some troops and soot companies of excel­lent men that belong'd to my Lord Kingston, and came with him to Belishany, when at Collonel Lundies desire he left Sligo. And then our Governour raised a Fort on the com­mon hill next the stone bridge, which he afterwards (to [Page 18] his great charge) did finish, and is a very considerable, strength, and great security to the Town.

May the 2d. The Irish Garrison in Omagh sent two men unto the Parish of Kilskirry within five miles of Inniskillen and in the night the two men stole away about twenty or thirty Cows. In the morning the owners missing their Cows, and seeing their track go towards the road that leads to Omagh did believe them stollen, and therefore sent to some of their neighbours to come and assist them in go­ing in Quest for their Cows; Accordingly eight of them got together and went upon the trace of the Cattel and overtook them within a few miles of Omagh, but the theives made their escape to that Garrison: The men that followed the Cows having got them gave themselves no further trou­ble in following the thieves, but were bringing the Cows back with them to their own dwelling, but before they got above half way home they were overtaken by four and twenty Dragoons from Omagh well mounted; the men (having all but bad horses and few Arms) three of them quit their horses and got into a great bog: The other five thinking they had done no harm but followed their own Goods, submitted and had Quarter given them. The Dragoons (leaving a guard with the five prisoners) follow­ed the other three men, but to no purpose, for the Bog that they got to lay near a mountain not passable by horse, whether they escaped and so got home. The Dragoons returned to the prisoners carried them a little way back with them, and then most barbarously murder'd them all cutting them so in the face with swords and baggonets that their friends scarce knew one of them when they found them: and this for the most part was the fair Quarter that the Irish gave our men when ever they took any of them, which was the principal cause of our so obstinate defence both of Der­ry and Inniskillen against such unequal odds for these with what I told before of the Lord Gilmoy and other like barbarous [Page 19] Usages and breach of Faith, with the same yet in me­mory practised in 41. and all agreeing with the Princi­ples of their Religion, That Faith is not to be kept with those whom they account Hereticks. All this made so strong an impression upon the minds of the People, that they were firmly perswaded the Irish wou'd not keep Articles with them; and therefore that it was in vain to capitulate. And they not only acted these Inhuma­nities without remorse, but glory'd in them; for the next day after that horrrid and base Murder I have told, Bellew the Governour of Omagh sent an Express to Lieu­tenant General Hamilton before Derry, acquainting him that a Party of his Garrison had gone towards Innis­killing, and killed about a hundred of our Men (calling every man twenty) which good News soon went through the whole Irish Camp, and caused a great deal of Joy among them.

May the 4th. our Governour had an Express sent him from Captain Folliot, Governour of Ballishany, acquaint­ing him, That a considerable Party of Men were come from Conaught to besiege that place; he sent him the Summons he had got, and prayd him to send speedy relief. May the 6th. our Governour sent to all the Garrisons under his Command, ordering them to send him speedily all the armed Men they cou'd spare; and the next day sent Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd with about twelve Foot-Companies, and some Troops of Horse to­wards Bellishany, who meeting the Enemies Horse near Beleek (a Village three miles nearer Inniskilling than Belli­shany) soon put them to the rout, killed about sixscore of them, and took about sixty Prisoners: All their Foot fled away towards Sligo, and got off safe, except some few that were taken in the Fish-Island near Bellishany, with their Captain, one Mac Donagh, a Counsellor at Law commonly known by the Name of Blind Mac Donagh' [Page 20] We got two small Cannon, several service-Horses, and some good Arms; and thus was Bellishany relieved by us on the eighth day of May 1689. and this was the first time that our men encounter'd the Enemy in the Field with Foot and Horse; and having had so great Suc­cess in the beginning, it encouraged our men very much; and so we returned to Inniskilling, having gained this Vi­ctory without the loss of one man.

Immediately after this, we had an Express sent us from Colonel Sarsfield, proposing an exchange of some Priso­ners of War that the Irish had at Galway and Ballinrob, for those that we had taken it Bellishany. Our Gover­nour was willing to listen to the Change, but having been so treacherously served before by Gilmoy in the matter of Captain Dixie, desired Col. Sarsfield to send him the Names of the Prisoners that he would change for those then at Inniskilling. Col. Sarsfield delayed sending their Names for near a Month after, and in the mean time he order'd all the Protestants in the Province of Conaught (that had a little before taken Protection from him and others) to be put into the Goal of Sligo, and then sent their Names to our Governour, pretending that Sir Tho­mas Southwel and some other Prisoners in Galway, that be­fore he promised us, were to be sent into England to re­lieve some Irish Prisoners who were kept there; but our Governour suspecting some deceit, refus'd the Change: upon which Col. Sarsfield dealt very hardly with these he had in Prison, scarce allowing them Food to keep them from starving, and made them send some of their Wives to our Governour with Petitions and Letters, begging of him to relieve them out of their Misery: Upon which at length our Governour consented to the Change; but this was not without Treachery, as the Governour had sus­pected; for he found all those who were sent him in ex­change, to have been persons protected by the Irish, whom [Page 21] afterwards they made Prisoners, and used them ill (not regarding the Protections they had given) on purpose to cheat the Governour with the exchange. It was the expe­rience of such faithless Dealing, and cruel Butcheries of our men after Quarter given, that made some of our Soul­diers less merciful to them in Battel, than they would have been to any other Enemy. And we suppose it was for this reason that for some time we enjoy'd our quiet, being a terrour to the Irish on all hands near us.

But in the latter end of May, information being brought to the Governour, that there was a Garrison of the Irish in Redhill, and another at Bellinacareg (two Houses in the County of Cavan) who straitned those of our bounds that lay next them; Lieutenant Col. Lloyd was sent from Inniskilling against them; but he no sooner set out with a­bout 1500 Horse and Foot, but the news of his march was brought to the County of Cavan before him, and their fear added to his number, he being reported to be about fifteen, or sixteen thousand; upon which all the Irish fled, and we no sooner came to Redhill, but the Garrison held out a sign for a Treaty; and having Conditions offer'd them, immediately surrender'd the Place with all that was therein, getting Quarter to all the men that were in it; and so without destroying that House, we marched from thence with the Prisoners we had taken, to Bellinacareg, which was reputed one of the strongest Castles in that part of Ireland; and that which gave it the greater name (tho' it was indeed a strong place) was because Oliver Cromwel lay several days before it, and could not take it, but left it, until afterwards the Irish deserted the place, when he had overcome the rest of the Kingdom. But when we came before it, there was no great Garrison, and but little Ammunition in it; and the news of our taking Redhill struck so great a terrour in those of the Castle, that not many hours after our men came there, they held out a [Page 22] Flag for a Treaty, and did capitulate, That both they and the other Prisoners taken at Redhill, should have free li­berty to go, without being stripp'd, leaving the Castle with the Arms, Ammunition, and what Goods were in it, to the Plunder of our Souldiers, which was accordingly per­formed by both Parties. We got in the Castle some Pikes, about thirty Musquets, some Cases of Pistols, and but very little Powder. As soon as our Souldiers had plun­der'd the Castle, we set some Masons, who were in our Party, to undermine the Walls of it, which they soon did, and then set it on fire, and in a very few hours it fell to the ground, and sunk in a heap of Rubbish; which we did, because it was a place of great strength, and lying in the heart of the Irish Country.

The News of our taking Redhill and Bellinacareg was soon brought to Dublin, with a report, that our Army was on their March thither (being ever after this reputed among the Irish to be above fifteen thousand well armed Men) and it is incredible to think what a Consternation the Irish about Dublin were in; but our number was too small, and not half well armed for such an Undertaking; however our Men marched near Kells and Finna in the County of Meath, and brought from thence above three thousand Cows and Oxen, two thousand Sheep, and some Horses, and then returned safe to Inniskilling, without the loss of one Man.

June the 3d. Information was brought to Inniskilling, That the Irish Army before Derry had sent a great many of their service-Horses to graze in some waste Lands near O­magh, eighteen miles distant from Inniskilling; and the next day our Governour sent two Troops under the Com­mand of Captain Francis Gore, and Captain Arnold Cosbie, into the Parish of Kilskirry, ordering them to keep Gar­rison at Trellik, a House belonging to Captain Mervyn, and about half way betwixt Inniskilling and Omagh. They [Page 23] had not staid there above two days, when taking with them another Troop and two Foot-Companies that quar­ter'd in the Parish of Kilskirry, they went in the Evening about Sun-set from Trellick towards Omagh, and before eight of the Clock the next day they returned to Trellick with about eight score of good service Horses taken from the Enemy at Omagh, and near as many more smaller Hor­ses fit for labour, and about three hundred Cows. This was a lucky hit; for by it we did disable about three Troops of the Enemy, and better'd several of our own Troops, when the Horses were divided among the Men they sold the Horses they got to others of our party, at very easie rates; and our Men had certainly surpriz'd the For at Omagh, and taken it, if notice had not been sent to the Ene­my of their coming, and so they had time to secure the Fort, but not to save their Horses, who were grazing with­in a short way of the Town.

Soon after this, we had information from all hands, of the miserable condition that the Garrison in Derry was reduc'd to, and several Messages were sent us to endeavour their Relief; but alas our Condition was very unfit to attack so powerful an Enemy, and so well appointed as the Army that lay before Derry was; for we were not then at most above two thousand Men, and those very ill armed; and we had not above two Barrels left of the five Barrels of Powder that Col. Lundy gave us. But hearing that Der­ry must surrender very soon, unless reliev'd, and believing that much of our Safety did depend upon it, our Gover­nour resolv'd in person, with all the strength we could make, to endeavour its relief, or perish in the Attempt.

Our Governour therefore drew all his Men to the Field, and notwithstanding that he was much press'd by those of Inniskilling not to go in Person, but rather to stay in the Town for the securing of the Place, yet (since Derry was in so great hazard) he could not be perswaded to stay, but [Page 24] on the 10th. day of June, he marched his Men, being near two thousand, and came that night to Trellik; the next day we march'd toward Omagh, and on the Road we were inform'd, That the Garrison at Omagh hearing of our com­ing, had fled from that place, which (tho' it was a false information) yet incourag'd some of our Party, who were free Booters, and not under any Command, to go on be­fore in hopes to get the Plunder of the Town before the Souldiers came to it. They went near a mile before our Forelorn, but by that time that they came within less than three miles of Omagh, and fearing no Enemy, they were surpriz'd by a party of the Garrison at Omagh, that lay in Ambush in a hollow, and came upon them unawares; yet all of them made their escape, and retreated safe to our Forelorn, except one Rowland Betty, a man in good e­steem among us, who after he had discharg'd his Pistol, just as he was wheeling his Horse, fell to the ground, and before he cou'd recover his Saddle again, they came upon him and took him Prisoner, carried him with them a great way nearer Omagh, and then murder'd him. And thus (as I said) for the most part they dealt with many of our Men after they had been their Prisoners, and gotten fair Quarter.

Our Governor with his Men march'd that night within a mile and a half of Omagh, and next day early he pos­sest himself of the whole Town (being an open place) except the Fort, which he laid close Siege to Our Men placed themselves in all the Houses near the Fort, and be­ing good Marksmen, ply'd them so warmly with their small Shot, that not a man of them durst come in view; for they killed one of them, and wounded several others. But we had not been there many hours, when several Ex­presses came fron Inniskilling, one after another to our Governor and the Officers that were with him, acquaint­ing him and them, that Col. Sarsfield with five or six Thou­sand [Page 25] Men was come to besiege Bellishanny, within twenty miles of Inniskilling, and that Col. Sowtherland was come with another Army to Belturbet, about twenty miles di­stant from Inniskilling on the other hand; and that the one Army, if not both, would be very soon at Inniskilling: Our Governor therefore having received this Account, called his Officers together, to consult what was fittest to be done, whether to go on to relieve Derry, or to re­turn for the defence of Inniskilling. But the most of them having their Families or Friends in Inniskillng, it was soon resolv'd on to return: Some of the Officers were for burn­ing the Town, it being a great shelter for the Irish Army on their March to and from Derry; but the Town, be­longing to Capt. Mervyn, who is a good Protestant, and in great esteem in that Country, it was resolved to spare the Town for his sake; and so we left it as we found it, and the next day our Men return'd to Inniskilling.

June the 15th. we had Intelligence that Col. Sowther­land's Party at Belturbet, was daily increasing, the Irish flocking to him from all Parts, and that he intended soon to draw towards Inniskilling. But we were ever resolved, not to suffer the Enemy to come so near as to lay siege to the Town, but rather to sight them before they came to't; neither did we think it safe to give them any long time to stay near our Quarters; and therefore our Governor ordered Lieut. Col. Lloyd to take the Field with the great­est strength we could make in Foot and Horse, and to march against Sowtherland.

June the 17. Lieut. Col. Lloyd came with his Men to Mac-Guires Bridge, a Place not full half way betwixt Inniskilling and Belturbet, where Col. Southerland and his Party lay; from which Place an Irish Spy went in the night, and ac­quainted Col. Southerland, that all the Forces of Inniskilling were coming against him: Col. Southerland had then with him but about two Regiments of Foot, a Regiment [Page 26] of Dragoons, and some few Troops of Horse; he had brought with him from Dublin spare Arms for two Regi­ments of new levy'd Men that were every day expected to come to him; he had some Pieces of Cannon, and great store of Bisket, Wheat, Flower, Malt, and o­ther Provisions for his Army, in order to besiege Inniskil­ling. When this News was brought him, that the Innis­killing Army was coming against him, and believing it true that they were so numerous, above fifteen thousand (as was reported) he thought it not safe to stay at Bel­turbet, having no Place of any Strength there but the Church and Church-yard, which was a little fortified, but not large enough to contain the number of men he had with him: He therefore thought it best to provide for his own Safety, and to secure the Cannon, and what he could on a sudden carry with him; but withal drew out a Detachment of Eighty Dragoons, and about two hundred Foot, and left them in the Church of Belturbet, under the Command of Lieut. Col. Edward Scot, and some other Officers, to see if they could make good that Place against the Inniskilling Men, until he came back to their Relief, and so march'd with the rest of his Men to­wards Monaghan, that if he were pursued, he might come to Charlemont under the shelter of the Castle.

The next day hapned to be a most terrible day of Rain, insomuch that our Men cou'd march no further that day; and this gave Col. Southerland time enough to go off with those Men that he brought with him; but the next day again proving fair, Lieu-Col. Lloyd with his Men advanc'd towards Belturbet, and order'd Capt. Robert Vaughan and Capt. Hugh Galbraith, with their two Troops of Dragoons to be the Forlorn; but by that time they came within two miles of Belturbet, there met them about a Troop of Dragoons that fired at them, but our Dragoons alighting from their Horses, and lining the Ditches on both sides of [Page 27] the Road, and the main Body of our Men coming in view, the Irish Dragoons retreated to Belturbet, and went all in­to the Church and Church-yard to the rest of their Men, intending to make good that Place, firing very fast at us, but with the same success that is usual with them; for they touch'd not a man of ours, but one, who recovered after­wards. Our men came very close upon them, and soon got into all the Houses near the Church, and some of them get­ting into the Archbishop of Dublin's House in Belturbet, (which by its height does overtop the Church-yard) from the upper windows they did so gall them with their Shot, that not a man of them could keep the Church yard; and within less than two hours after we came there (some of their men being killed) they held out a Flag for a Treaty; which being granted, they made Conditions; and it was Agreed, That all the Officers and Souldiers should be our Prisoners: The Officers to have all their Cloaths and Mo­ney given them if it did not exceed t [...] [...]ounds the piece; the common Souldiers were to have their Lives sav'd, but to be stripp'd of all their red Coats, which was according­ly performed. And thus we got about three hundred Pri­soners, whereof thirteen were Commission Officers, toge­ther with Lieut. Col. Scot, their Commander in chief; but next day we let go near 200 of the meanest of the com­mon Souldiers, because of the Charge we were at in main­taining them; and the rest, with their Officers we brought with us to Inniskilling. We got about seven hundred Mus­kets, a Barrel and a half of Powder (which was as much as we had in our Store-house before) eighty Dragoon-Horses, with all the Accoutrements belonging to them, about twenty Horse-loads of Bisket, above fifty Barrels of Flower, a hundred Barrels of Wheat, some Malt, and o­ther Provisions, all which we sent by Water to Inniskil­ling; we got but as many red Coats as serv'd two Com­panies, many of their men (being new Levies) wearing [Page 28] Gray; and then we return'd to Inniskilling without the loss of one man, loaden with the Spoils and Provisions of our Enemies, which came very seasonably to us; for by it we were plentifully provided with Bread until our Har­vest supply'd us again; and our Companies, who were ill Armed before, were now well recruited, and some new Companies were immediatly rais'd, so that our Condition was very much better'd by it.

July the 3d. we received a Letter from Mr. Archdeacon Brown, Chaplain in the Bonadventure Frigat, Capt. Tho­mas Hobson Commander, giving us an Account, That Major General Kirk had sent that Ship from the Lough of Derry round to Bellishany, to know in what condition we were at Inniskilling, and if we stood in need of Ammuni­tion, or any other thing that he could spare, we should be provided; and withal desired that some of our Number should be sent to the Ship to give Capt. Hobson a particular Relation of our [...]ffairs. This was a most seasonable and acceptable Message to all the Garison of Inniskilling, espe­cially when we were in hopes of a supply of Powder; for although our Foot-Souldiers were indifferently provided in Arms by the supply that we took from Col. Southerland, yet (as I observ'd before) we had but little Powder, not much more than three Barrels in our Garison, whereof we got a little before a Barrel and a half in Belturbet.

Orders were therefore that very night given by the Go­vernor that Lieut. Col. Lloyd, Capt. Francis Gore, Capt. Hugh Montgomery, Mr. Andrew Hamilton, and some others should go the next day to Bellishany, with some Troops and Companies to guard what Ammunition we should get, and to acquaint Capt. Hobson with the state and condition of our Country; and accordingly, all things being in readi­ness for our journey, we march'd the next day towards Bellishany, being Thursday the Fourth of July.

The same day the Duke of Berwick with some Troops [Page 29] of Horse, about two Regiments of Foot, and two Regi­ments of Dragoons, came to the Dwelling-House of Mr. Andrew Hamilton (he being but about two hours before gone towards Bellishany with a Troop of Horse) and ha­ving searched the House for him, and not finding him, first ordered the Souldiers to plunder the House, and then set fire to it, burning it to the ground, with all the other Houses belonging to him upon any of his Lands in that Country, saying, if they had got him himself, they would have made him Meat for their Hawks; and that this was in re­venge of the Horses taken a little before from Omagh, for which they blamed Mr. Hamilton. They did no preju­dice to any other mans Estate; but after they had burned and destroyed all that belonged to him and his Tenants, they drove away all their goods to Trellick, where the Duke encamped his men for some few days. This was a surprize upon us, most of our men being abroad at Bellishany and other places: However, our Governor came that night to Mr. Hamilton's House, but they were gone before he came there, and he had not a Party strong enough to beat up their Quarters, and so he returned to Inniskilling, order­ing strong Guards to be kept on all the Roads from Trel­lick to Inniskilling.

Within two or three days our Scouts brought word to the Governor, That the Duke of Berwick with all his Ar­my was on their march to Inniskilling, and in a few hours would be near the Town. Upon notice whereof, our Governor commands two Foot-Companies (with two Troops to second them) to go and defend a strait Pass near the Mill of Inniskilling, by which the Dukes Army must pass before they could come near the Town, and which might easily be defended by a few men: and in the mean time the Governor was getting the rest of his men together to second them. But the two Companies coming to the Mill, and seeing no Enemy near, after some stay [Page 30] there, advanc'd near a mile farther than the Post which they were ordered to keep, and coming to a Hollow be­tween two Hills, were on a sudden surprized with the whole Body of the Enemies Horse and Dragoons coming upon them: The two Companies were soon put to the Rout, and the two Troops who were to second them, seeing the number of the Enemy so great, wheel'd about without coming to their Relief; we had five and twenty of our men killed, whereof one was an Ensign, six and twenty taken Prisoners, and the rest (though many of them wounded) escaped to Inniskilling; we lost most of the Arms that belonged to both the Companies. Our Go­vernor (though too late) by the time that they were broken, was advanc'd on his way towards their Relief; on whose Approach the Duke retreated to Trellick, ta­king the Prisoners along with him, and from thence, the next day to the Camp near Derry: But our Governor sent an Express after him, desiring that our men who were taken might be used as Prisoners of War; for if they receiv'd any damage, he would revenge it on the Prisoners then in his hands; and in a few days we had all our Prisoners return'd to us in exchange for others that we sent them. We gave Lieut. Col. Scot for a Captain of ours that was taken; and these were the only Pri­soners of our men that they took and did not after­wards murder, which we attribute wholly to the mes­sage of our Governor sent after them. This was the only Loss that we sustained since our first taking up Arms; which was their own Fault, by going beyond the Post that they were order'd to maintain; and besides was the occasion of burning of Capt. Corry's House and several o­ther Houses near Inniskilling, which the Governor order'd to be burn'd as soon as he heard the two Companies were engag'd, apprehending the D. of Berwick would have made Capt. Corr'ys House his Head Quarter, being of considera­ble [Page 31] strength and accommodation, and that his men would have quartered in the other Houses.

But now to return to those who were sent to the Bonad­venture: On Friday the 5th. of July, the Officers went on Board the Ship where that worthy Gentleman Capt. Hobson treated them with great Civility; and being fully inform'd of the State of our Affairs, he gave us good encouragement, assuring us, that very soon there wou'd be care taken to re­lieve us. He gave us thirty Barrels of Powder, which our Officers within two days sent safe to Inniskilling; he gave us also a few Fire-locks, which we left in the Garrison of Balli­shany; and at last it was concluded on by Capt. Hobson and our Officers, that two of our number shou'd be sent to Ma­jor Gen. Kirk for Commissions, some more Ammunition and Arms (for we had, and still have a great many Men in our Country that never bore Arms) and [...]aid of Men, especial­ly experienc'd Officers, of which we had great want. And this being agreed on, Mr. John Rider, and Mr. Andrew Ha­milton were chosen to go to the Bonadventure to Major Gen. Kirk, who accordingly went on Board the 8th. day of July, and the 12th. came into the Lough of Derry, where Maj. Gen. Kirk lay with the Fleet. Mr. Rider and Mr. Hamilton being brought before the Major-General, he for about two days did inform himself by them of the condition Inniskilling was in, what store of men belong'd to that Garison, and how arm'd.

We had then about seventeen Troops, thirty Foot-Com­panies, and some few Troops of Dragoons; our Foot were indifferently well arm'd, but our Horse and Dragoons not so well. The Major General had few or no Arms fit for Horse­men, but he gave us six hundred Fire-locks for Dragoons, a thousand Muskets to raise more Foot with, twenty Barrels of Powder, besides the thirty we receiv'd out of the Bonad­venture, with Bullets and Match proportionable; eight small Cannon, and some few Hand-Granadoes. He gave us Com­missions for a Regiment of Horse consisting of sixteen Troops, [Page 32] and fifty private men in each Troop, besides Officers; for a Regiment of Dragoons consisting of twelve Troops, and the like number of private men in each Troop, and for three Regiments of Foot, and an independent Troop of Horse to every Regiment, each Regiment of Foot to consist of eigh­teen Companies, whereof two Companies to be Granadees, and sixty private men in every Company. The Major-Ge­neral told us, he could spare none of his private men, but gave us some very good Officers, viz. Col. Will. Wolsely to be our Commander in chief, and Col. of Horse; Capt. Will. Berry to be Lieutenant-Colonel to our Horse; Capt. Charles Stone to be Major to our Horse; Capt. James Winn a Gentle­man from Ireland, but then a Captain in Col. Stewarts Re­giment, to be Col. of our Dragoons; and for our three Re­giments of Foot, Gustavus Hamilton Governour of Inniskil­ling, was made eldest Colonel; and Lieutenant-Col. Lloyd and Major Tiffan were the other two Colonels; he gave us Capt. Thomas Price (who has a Troop of Horse with us) to be our Aid major-General, and one Capt. Johnston, who has a Foot-Company, to be our Engineer.

In a word; when Major-Gen. Kirk knew what Condi­tion we were in (which he was a Stranger to before, until he saw one of our selves) he then granted us whatsoever Mr. Rider and Mr. Hamilton desired of him, as far as he saw it for our Advantage; and no man cou'd have shown more Zeal than he did for their Majesties Service, and the Preser­vation of the Protestants.

And thus being by the Major-General furnish'd according to our own desire, with some choice Officers, with Commis­sions, Arms and Ammunition, we took leave of him on Sunday the 20th. of July; we were a little before that come from Lough foyle (which is the Lough that comes from Der­ry) to Lough-swilly, where the Isle of Inch is, and the same day the Major-General went from Swilly to Lough-foyle in the Swallow-Frigat, accompanied with the Mountjoy of [Page 33] Derry, and another lesser Vessel loaden with Provisions; but the Wind being fair for them, and cross to us, we were the same night driven back to the Isle of Inch, where we staid two days, but the Major-General went on his Course with the Store ships towards Derry.

Wednesday the 24th. of July, we went to Sea again towards Bellishany, but the Wind falling scant upon us, the Ketch that the Officers were in, did ply round, and we landed safe within three miles of Bellishany on Friday the 26th. of July, but the other Vessels wherein the Arms and Ammunition were, did not come to Bellishany for three or four days af­ter. When we landed, we were met with several Troops of Inniskilling-men (who with much impatience expected our coming) welcoming us with firing several Vollies at our landing, and giving us all the expressions of Joy and Satis­faction that they were able, and so conveyed us the same day to Bellishany.

We were no sooner come to Bellishany, but notice was given us, that Lieutenant-General Macarty with a considera­ble Army, was come to Belturbet, in order to besiege Innis­killing; upon this our Officers went the next day to Beleek, and on Sunday the 28th. day of July, they went by water from Beleek, and landed safe at Inniskilling, and so they did not stay for the Arms and Ammunition that Major-General Kirk sent us. When the Officers landed at Inniskilling, all the Foot-Souldiers in the Town were drawn up from the Castle to the farr point of the Island next to Bellisha­ny, where they came ashore and receiv'd them with a Guard; and when they were come to the Gate, gave them three full Vollies. All the Men and Women, and younger sort of People that were in the Town, came in great Crowds towards the place where they were, insomuch that they cou'd scarce get coming to the Castle; and nothing was heard but loud Acclamations welcoming those Centle­men, and praising God, that their English Friends had not [Page 34] quite forgot them, but that there was some sign of Relief come at last.

That Night that they landed at Inniskilling, there came an Express from Crom to the Governour, acquainting him, That Lieutenant-General Macarty had march'd his men from Belturbet, and was come before Crom, and was rai­sing a Battery to play upon the Castle: our Governour was then ill of a Feaver, and Colonel Wolseley by his Commission being Commander in Chief, the Express was brought to him; and the next day on Munday-morning the 29th. of July, by another Express from Crom, we were inform'd, That Lieutenant-General Macarty had begun to batter the Castle with his Cannon, and made his Approa­ches very near it. The Besieg'd with their small Shot from the Castle, kill'd a great many of the Enemy, but yet being unacquainted with Cannon, they made earnest re­quest to our Governour Hamilton (for as yet all Ex­presses were sent to him) for speedy Relief. Colonel Wolseley returns an Answer, That he wou'd make all the haste he cou'd to get our Souldiers together; and upon the Wednesday following he wou'd endeavour to relieve them. And the same Monday Colonel Wolseley sent Or­ders to Bellishany, That all the Men there that belong'd to our Army should march the next day to Inniskilling, lea­ving a convenient Garrison at Bellishany (for Sarsfield with his Army, lay at Boudrows, within four miles of it.) Accordingly some Troops of Horse, and about four or five hundred Foot marched from Bellishany to Inniskilling in their Arms, which is twenty long English Miles, by Land, and some of them lay two or three Miles farther than Bellishany, and they show'd no weariness at all when they came to Inniskilling, but were willing that very night to to go towards the Enemy, for to relieve their Friends at Crom.

[Page 35]A little after our Men came from Bellishannon, about an hour and an half after Sun-set, we saw from Inniskilling a great Light in the Air above Newton-Butler (where Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty with his Army lay) which conti­nued for some hours, and was seen by most of all the Peo­ple in and about Inniskilling; but we concluded, that either they had set the Town of Newton-Butler, and all the Country about, on Fire; or had raised some Fire in that Country, to give notice to Col. Sarsfield, that he was on his March towards us: but after the Fight was over, upon enquiry into the matter, we found there was no Fire that Night raised among them.

I am not very superstitious to lay great stress upon such sort of Signs in the Air, but something remarkable there is in them. The like was seen at Glaslogh before the Action they had there with the Irish of the Garison of Charle­mont, whom they defeated upon the 13th of March last, killing their Leader, and about 200 of his Men, with the loss only of Capt. Ancketill on their side; but were or­dered the next day to desert the place upon the coming down of the Irish Army, under the Command of L. Gen. Hamilton, which they did, and marched to Derry. About a Week before this, at Eleven at Night, the Night being very dark, there appeared in the Air several Pillars of Light pointed from towards Charlemont, which were so bright, that they might have read by them, and this lasted above two hours to the Observation of all the People there.

This brought into my Mind a Passage in the Examina­tion of Dr. Robert Maxwell, late Lord Bishop of Kilmore, then Rector of Tynon in the County of Armagh, printed at the end of Burlacy's History of Ireland, in the last Page but one; I shall give you his own words, having told a little before of 56 Men, Women and Children who were taken out of his House and drowned by the Irish at Cur-Bridg. About three or four Nights (says he) before the six and fifty Persons were taken out of the Deponents House [Page 36] and drowned; in the dark of the Moon, about one of the Clock at Night, a Light was observ'd in manner of a long Pillar to shine for a long way through the Air, and refracted upon the North Gabel of the House: It gave so great a Light about an hour together, that divers of the Watch read both Letters and Books of a very small Character thereby, the Deponent presaging thereby that bloody Massacre which ensued.

I pretend to make no Explanation, or enter into the Reason or Dependance we can have upon these things, having resolved only to tell you matters of Fact, and to leave every Man to his own Conjectures of them.

Information was brought us upon Monday at Night, that L. Gen. Mac-Carty intended the next day to send a part of his Army towards Lisnaskea, within ten Miles of us, and to place a Garison in the Castle; upon this L. Col. Berry the next Morning, being Tuesday the 30th of July, was sent with seven or eight Troops of Horse, about three Foot Companies, and two Troops of Dragoons, with Orders to take up the Castle of Lisnaskea before the Ene­my came to it, and to place a Garison in it if he found it tenable, but otherwise to burn it, if he thought it might be useful to the Enemy: And withal he had Directions given him to see if he could discover the Enemy, what their Strength was, and how posted, with assurance that all the rest of our Men would soon follow to relieve him, and to raise the Siege from Crom.

L. Col. Berry, according to his Orders, marched to Lisnaskea, and when he came there, he found the Castle so much out of order, that he judg'd it a place of no Consequence, and so left it without doing it any prejudice, keeping his Men all that Night in the Field. The next day being Wednesday, the last day of July, early in the Morning, he marched his Men from Lisnaskea towards the Enemy (who lay about six Miles from him); he sent his Scouts before, ordering them not to engage any Enemy they met with, but to retreat until they might discover [Page 37] their Strength, and fight them on some advantagious Ground. He had not march'd above two Miles, when near a place, called Donagh, his Scouts did discover a considerable Body of Horse, Dragoons and Foot marching towards them, who immediately advertise L. Col. Berry of their ap­proach; he therefore retreats with his Men to Lisnaskea again, the Enemy still advancing towards him, and being a rising Ground the way that he retreated, before he came to Lisnaskea he had a full view of the Enemy, and found them to be above double his Number, and therefore did not think fit to fight them in that open place, but to re­treat till he came to some more advantagious Ground. But as soon as he began to retreat, he sent off an Express to Col. Wolseley in Inniskilling, acquainting him what Con­dition he was in, and desiring him to make all the haste he could to his Relief, which accordingly he did.

Now there are two ways leading from Lisnaskea to Inni­skilling, the one lately made through some Bogs and low fenny Grounds, nearer Loghearn than the old way; and this Road L. Col. Berry resolv'd to take, as being more secure, and several Passes on it much easier to defend than the o­ther. He had not stay'd long at Lisnaskea but the Ene­my came near him, and then with his Men he retreats by this new Road (which turns off from the old at the end of the Town of Lisnaskea) and marched in good order, the Enemy still advancing upon him till he came about a Mile distant from Lisnaskea, to a Bog with a narrow Causway through it, that two Horsemen could scarce ride in abreast upon, and at the end of this Causway (which is an easy Musquet-shot over) Berry halted, resolving to make good that Pass against the Enemy until he had Relief from Col. Wolseley; there was a Thicket of Under-Wood at the end of the Causway where Berry placed his Foot and Dragoons, ordering them to make good their Ground; the Horse he drew a little farther off, promising that they [Page 38] should relieve the Foot and Dragoons, and gave the Word, Oxford.

They made but a very short stay there, when Col. Antho­ny Hamilton (who was Major-General to Mac-Carty) came in view with a considerable Body of Men, who alighting from his Horse, ordered his Dragoons to do so too, and very bravely advanced near the end of the Causway, his Men firing briskly at ours, but with no great Success; for it pleased God that after a great many Vollies of Shot which they made at us, not one of our Men was killed, and but about a dozen or fourteen of them wounded; our Men were better Marks-Men, they shot about a dozen of the Enemy dead at the end of the Causway, and wounded Col. Anthony Hamilton, their Leader, in the Leg; he being hurt, retreated a little, and mounted his Horse, ordering another Officer to lead on the Men, who very soon was likewise killed, with some more of their Men: The Enemy seeing their Men thus drop by our Shot, and their General, Col. Hamilton, being gone a little ways back, and no chief Officer there to lead them on, began to retreat from the end of the Causway, which our Men seeing, gave a Huzza, and called out that the Rogues are run­ning, and immediately our Foot and Dragoons took the Bog on each hand, and our Horse advanced on the Causway towards them, which the Enemy perceiving, began at first to retreat a little faster from us, but their Retreat soon turned to a most disorderly flight, without offering to face about, or fire any more at us: our Horse soon over­took them, and fell in among their Foot, and such Dra­goons as were on Foot, and made a very great Slaughter of them, having the Chase of them through the Town of Lisnaskea, and near a Mile farther; and the Execution had been greater, but notice was brought to Berry, that L. Gen. Mac-Carty, with the Body of his Army, was advancing towards him: upon this he sounds a Retreat, and [Page 39] brings back his Men to the place where the Fight first be­gan, having killed about 200, and taken about 30 Prisoners, which he sent immediately to Inniskilling, with several Horse-loads of Arms that he had taken from the Enemy, and this Action happened about 9 a Clock in the Forenoon.

About 11 of the Clock there came an Express from Col. Wolseley, to Lieut. Col. Berry, acquainting him, that he was come with his Men to his Relief; and desiring him to march the Party under his Command, to the Moat above Lisnas­kea, where both their Parties might join together, and then consider what they had to do. Now Col. Wolseley had marched his Men the old Road from Inniskilling to Lisnaskea, leaving the new Road, where Berry and his Men were, about a mile on the right Hand. As soon as this Express came, Berry marched, and both he and Col. Wolseley, with their Men, met at the same time near the Moat, above the Town of Lisnaskea: And after some kind words had passed between both Parties at their meet­ing, Col. Wolseley acquainted the Officers, that the Party under his Command had made so great haste to relieve the other Party, that few or none of them had brought a Meal of Meat with them; and therefore they must speedily consider what they had to do, for either they must ad­vance towards the Enemy, and resolve to fight them that very day, or return back again to Inniskilling for want of Provision. But after the thing was debated among the Officers, it was agreed on to consult the Souldiers them­selves, and to know their mind in the Matter: The Men were called to their close Order, and the Question was as­ked, Whether they would advance and fight the Enemy that Day, or turn back to Inniskilling? They who had never before turned their Back to their Enemy, thought it dishonourable then to begin, especially after so remark­able a Victory obtained that Morning, and upon so une­qual Terms, which they took for a Presage of what they [Page 40] might expect in the Afternoon: All of them therefore, with one Acclamation, called out to Advance. Upon this Col. Wolseley, and the other Colonels, drew up all the Men in Battalia, and gave them the Word, No Popery: which was very acceptable to all our Party: And then he drew out four Men out of every Troop, with an Officer to command them, for a Forlorn: Our whole Number, when all were joined together, did consist of about 16 Troops of Horse, 3 Troops of Dragoons, and 21 Companies of Foot, besides some that were not under Command: So that in the whole Party, we reckoned our selves some more than 2000.

The Forlorn Col. Wolseley ordered to march on about half a Mile before the Army; he ordered Col. Tiffan to lead on the first Battalion of Foot, consisting of about 5 or 6 Com­panies, seconded with some few Troops. C. Lloyd led on the next Battalion of Foot, consisting about the same Number, and the same way seconded; then followed the Dragoons: and Col. Wolseley himself led on the main Body of Foot, fol­lowed with the rest of our Horse, under the Command of L. C. Berry, and Maj. Stone. And in this order we marched from Lisnaskea to Donagh, and so towards the Enemy, who we were informed had raised their Siege from Crum, and were come to Newton-Butler, a Village about two miles from Donagh.

We had not marched above half a mile from Donagh, when our Forlorn came in view of the Forlorn of the Ene­my, who immediately retreated before our Men; we ad­vanced after them till we came within about half a mile from Newton-Butler, where there is a steep Hill that the Road leads through; and before you come to the Hill, there is a Bog, with a Causey through it, where only two Men at most can ride in a-Breast: the Enemy was drawn up in ve­ry good Order upon the Hill above the Bog; and no other way had we to come at them, but by the Bog and Causey through it.

[Page 41]When our Men came near the Place, our Officers con­sidered the Ground, and how advantagiously the Enemy had posted themselves, and then Col. Wolseley ordered Col. Tiffan, with his Battalion of Foot, to take the Bog on the right Hand of the Causway, and Col. Lloyd with his Battalion to take the Bog on the left, and Col. Win to divide his Dragoons, and the one half to second Col. Tiffan on Foot, and the other to second Col. Lloyd; and he ordered Lieut. Col. Berry to advance with the Horse upon the Causway as the Foot on each hand advanced through the Bog; and he himself brought up the main Body in the Rear to send Recruits to those that went be­fore, as he saw cause: and thus whilst we advanced, in good order, towards the Enemy, they ordered the Town of Newton-Butler, and the Country-Houses about to be all set on Fire; and before our Men came within Musket­shot of them, they began to Fire at us; but by that time that we came within Shot of them, and had fired two or three Vollies at them, our Men saw them begin to draw off and retreat towards Newton-Butler, which our Men misapprehending, believed them running away, and our Of­ficers had much ado to keep them from pursuing with all the speed they could: But Col. Wolseley, and the Officers with him, from a Height opposite to the place where the Enemy was posted, saw them go off in so good Order, that they believed it was either to draw our Men into an Ambush, or bring them to some place of better advan­tage for the Enemy; and therefore sent orders to Col. Tiffan and Lloyd, that no Man should go out of his Rank, but pursue them in good Order, until they were certain that they were flying: Our Men having received this Command, advanced after the Enemy, keeping their Ranks, and the Enemy still faced about in their Rear, firing at us till we went through the Town of New­ton-Butler, and near a mile past it, and thus in very good Order they retreated, and we advanced, till they came to [Page 42] a Bog, on the Road near half an Irish Mile over, with a narrow Causey through the middle of it, by which we must pass to them: And as soon as ever the Front of our Men came to the Bog side, they saw the Enemy all drawn up on the Hill opposite to them, at the other side of the Bog, having their Canon placed at the end of the Causey: Col. Wolseley ordered our Men to advance towards them as they had done before, the ground being much alike; and so Col. Tiffan with his Foot, took the Bog on the Right, and Col. Lloyd with his Foot took it on the left Hand, seconded by Col. Wynn and his Dragoons; and Lieut. Col. Berry and Major Stone advanced with our Horse to­wards the Causey; but as soon as our Horse came to the side of the Bog, and were beginning to come upon the Causey, the Enemy fired their Canon at them, and plied them so hard, that our Horse could not advance one step; but our Foot and Dragoons on both sides advanced by De­grees upon them through the Bog, (the Enemy still keep­ing their Ground) till at last they came up and seized their Canon, killed all their Cannoneers, and then advanced towards the Body of their Men that were drawn up a lit­little above them. As soon as our Horse perceived that their Cannons were seized by our Foot, they advanced on the Causey; which the Enemies Horse perceiving, they wheeled about with such Dragoons as were on Horse-back, and fled towards Wattle-Bridg, deserting their Foot; their Foot stood their Ground till our Men came among them: But then perceiving their own Horse and Dragoons fled, and ours coming up to them, they thought it no time to stay any longer, but turned their Backs; and instead of going to the left Hand, where they had an open Country, and might have made their escape, they (being Strangers in the Country) fled all to the right Hand, through a great Bog above a mile long, which leads towards Loghearn, most of them all throwing away their Arms into Turf-Pits.

[Page 43]Now the Country there is so full of Bogs, and standing Pools and Loughs, that there is no passing for Horse, but upon the Road, which for the most part is all paved. Our Horse followed theirs in a String, over the narrow Ways from the Place where the Enemy had planted their Cannon, to Wattle-Bridg, which is a Bridg over a Branch of Loghearn, and left a good Guard of Horse on the Bridg to secure that Pass; and about an hundred Foot, under the Command of Captain George Cooper, were ordered to guard the Can­non that we had taken. Our Horse kept all the Road be­tween the two Places, that not one of their Foot could pass them: Our Foot in the mean time followed theirs through the Bog into a Wood near Loghearn, and gave Quarter that day to few or none that they met with, un­less Officers; which the Enemy perceiving, and having no Courage to fight for their Lives, they desperately took the Lough in several places, to the number (as was computed) of about five hundred, and not one of them that took the Water, escaped drowning, but one Man, who got through after a great many Shot made after him. All that Night our Foot were beating the Bushes for them, and all that their Officers could do could not bring them off from the Pursuit till next day about ten of the Clock, by which time scarce a Man of them that took towards the Lough-side, escaped, but was either killed, taken Prisoner, or drowned.

In this Action there was a remarkable Stroke given by Captain William Smith, who at one blow cut off the upper part of a Man's Head, just under the Hat; as much of the Skull as was within the Hat, with all the Brains, being struck quite away from the other part of the Skull that stuck with the Body, and not so much as a bit of Skin to keep them together, but what was cut quite thorow.

Lieutenant-General Mackarty, when his Men were fled, he with about five or six Officers, went into a Wood near the Place where the Cannon were planted; and some small [Page 44] time after, came out of the Wood with those that were with him, on Horse-back, and fired his Pistol at the Party that were guarding the Cannon. Our Men, when they came first from the Wood, thought them some of our own Party, (supposing all the Enemy fled) and never questio­ned them, till Mackarty fired his Pistol; and then seven or eight of the Souldiers fired their Musqukets at him, shot his Horse dead, and wounded him very ill in several places, and then to put him out of pain, one of the Souldiers club'd his Musket to have knock'd out his Brains, which one of those that came with him from the Wood, espying, called to the Souldier to hold his Hand, for it was their General Mac-Carty; at the hearing of which Captain Cooper came up, and gave Lieutenant-General Mac-Carty, and those that were with him, Quarter, and that Night carried him to Newton-Butler; and he, being ask'd how he came so rashly to hazard his Life, when he might have gone off with his Horse when they made their escape? profess'd that he found now the Kingdom like to be lost, his Army being the best (for their number) that King James had, unless those before Derry, who were then much broken, and that he came with a design to lose his Life, and was sorry that he miss'd of his End, being unwilling to outlive that Day: And thus ended that Day's Service.

Whence we may reckon the Safety of the Protestants in Ireland, God having given us the greatest and most remar­kable Victory over the Irish that was obtained in this or any former Age. They were reckoned six thousand, and we not much above two; we killed that day in the Morning and the Afternoon about two thousand, brought to Innis­killing above four hundred Prisoners with their General, and a great many other Officers: There were drowned in several places of Loghearn, (as was computed) about five hundred. The Irish themselves confess there were three thousand of their Men wanting, when those that fled came to Dublin, but would not own that we killed so many, [Page 45] but that for fear of Punishment and Shame for being bea­ten by so few, many of their Men had deserted, and not returned to their Colours. We took seven Cannon, four­teen Barrels of Powder, a great quantity of Cannon and Musquet-Ball, all their Drums, and what Colours they had, which were not many, they having but about three pair of Colours to every Regiment.

Some few Days after this Fight, King James sent Mr. Huben, one of his Surgeons, to Inniskilling, to attend Lieu­tenant General Mac-Carty, and likevvise sent him some Mo­ney to subsist him and the other Officers vvho vvere taken Prisoners, and sent him some Hogsheads of Wine and other Provisions that were fit for him, which he could not get at Inniskilling.

We lost (as was computed) about 20 Men, whereof not above a dozen vvere Men under Command; and no Man of any Note, but one Capt. Robert Corry, and Cor­net William Bell; the rest vvere all private Men; and vve had about 40 or 50 Men ill vvounded.

The Action of this Day, made the Irish, through the whole Kingdom, take new Measures: It put them in a very great Consternation, and had we followed our Blow, we might (in all humane reckoning,) have march'd to Dublin; which the Irish themselves did apprehend, for they had but a few Men then in Arms there; but that we did not know, and it was too great an Attempt upon uncertain Grounds: But the chief Reason of it was this, That when Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty was taken, there was a Letter found with him written by Col. Sarsfield to him, from his Camp at Bondrows; wherein he acquainted him, That the Duke of Berwick was at such a Day to be near Inniskilling, with a Party of Horse and Dragoons from Derry; desiring Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty, with the Army under his Command, to join the Duke of Berwick to besiege Inniskilling, on that side of the Town that lies next to London-Derry; and that he, with the Army under his Command at [Page 46] Bondrows, would besiege Inniskilling on that side of the Town that lies next to Connaught. And now the Fight that we had with Gen. Mac-Carty, happening but some few days before this was to be done, our Officers therefore immediately resolved to march our Men back to Inniskil­ling, and to go and meet either Sarsfield, or the Duke of Ber­wick, whom they judged to be on their way thither.

And so, with our Prisoners, and considerable Plunder gotten in Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty's Camp, we marched from Newtown-Butler towards Inniskilling, on Thursday the first of August, and there our Officers conclude next to go meet Sarsfield on his Road from Brondrows near Belli­shannon. Accordingly our Army marched towards Belli­shannon, on Friday the 2d of August: but before we went half way, there met us an Express from Capt. Folliot of Bellishannon, acquainting us that Sarsfield (having infor­mation of the Defeat that we had given Mac-Carty, and that we were returned back) had raised his Camp at Bondrows, and was retreated to Sligo: As also informing us, That the Arms and Ammunition sent us by Major Gen. Kirk, was landed at Bellishannon. Upon which Col. Wolseley sent Col. Tiffan, and his Lieut. Col. Gore, to Bel­lishannon, with three Troops of Horse, and some Com­panies of Foot, to secure the Arms and Ammunition, and to send them to Inniskilling; and withal, to stay at Belli­shannon to secure that Place, in case Sarsfield should re­turn with his Army to besiege it: And having so done, the rest of our Army returned the next day to Inniskilling, resolving to go and meet the Duke of Berwick; but on Sun­day morning, the 4th of August, we had intelligence that the Siege of Derry was raised, on Thursday the 1st of Au­gust in the Morning, a little before day, and that the Army which lay before it, was marched past Omagh. Upon this Lieut. William Charleton was sent, with about a Troop of detached Horse, to follow the Irish Army on their march towards Charlemont; who returned on Monday, and told [Page 47] us, That he had seen the Rear of them pass by Castle-Caw­sield, within three short miles of Dunganon, and so it was in vain to follow them.

And thus having defeated Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty's Party, and taken him Prisoner, Sarsfield fled; and the Siege of Dery being raised, our Fears were now at an end, and for some time we enjoyed quiet from all our Enemies, and the Name of Inniskilling-men became a Terror to the Irish. We had nothing left to imploy us after this, but to take care to regiment our Men, according to the Commissions which Maj. Gen. Kirk gave us.

Wednesday, the 7th of August (being the same day sevenight that Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty was beaten) we kept as a Day of Thanksgiving for the great Victory God gave us over our Enemies, and the Peace which we then enjoyed from them on all Hands. And the same Day Mr. Andrew Hamilton was sent by the Officers at Iniskilling to Maj. Gen. Kirk, to congratulate him for his happy Success in the Re­lief of Derry. He received him very favourably, and with­in two days, sent him back to Inniskilling, with Orders to Col. Wolseley, to send him 500 Horse, and 200 Dragoons, that he might march the Foot he had towards Colrain, and so towards D. Schonberg (whom we had advice was at Sea, or landed at Carrickfergus.) He likewise ordered the Dra­goons to bring with them 200 of the common Prisoners that we had taken of Lieut. Gen. Mac-Carty's Party, to help to empty the Store-ships at Derry, and to cleanse the Town, for they wanted Horse at Derry; and their Men were so sickly, that they were not able to do any thing towards the emptying of the Ships. According to these Orders, our Horse and Dragoons, with the 200 Prisoners came to Derry, about the 15th of August, and within a day or two the Major General ordered the Horse to march towards Col­rain, but to halt at Newtown, (a place half-way betwixt Derry and Colrain) until he came up with the Foot and Dragoons. But the News coming to Colrain, that the In­neskilling [Page 48] Horse were joned with the Maj. General, and that they were all on their march towards that place, the Garison there deserted the place, and fled towards Charle­mont: Notice whereof being sent to the Maj. General from Colrain, the Messenger met the Inniskilling Horse at New­town; who immediately marched forward, and came peace­ably into Colrain, being ready to receive the Maj. General into the Town the next day when he came to them, and so the Inniskilling Horse marched before the Maj. General all the way, until his Party joined Duke Schonberg at Car­rickfergus.

And here I would have ended, having been no longer an Eye-witness to any of their Actions at Inniskilling, but I cannot omit the manner of our taking Sligo, and driving Col. Sarsfield and his Party from thence; and altho I was not present at the Action, as I was at most of the rest, yet I had the Account of it from a Person of good Credit, and so may with confidence relate it here; and thus it was.

Col. Tiffan having from Bellishanon sent us the Arms and Ammunition that Maj. Gen. Kirk ordered for us; with­in some few days after (seeing no sign of Col. Sarsfield's return to besiege Bellishanon) he ordered Lieut. Col. Gore, to take three Troops of Horse, and an 150 Foot with him, to go as near Sligo as he could with safety, and to bring him intelligence in what condition Sarsfield's Army was, what their Number, and how posted; that if he might be able to attacque them with the Men under his Com­mand, (which in the several Garisons about Bellishanon, would have been about 1000 Men Foot and Horse) he would do it: But if the Party he had were too weak for them, that he might send to Inniskilling for the rest of our Men, for he did not think it fit to let an Enemy lie so near our Borders.

Lieut. Col. Gore, according to Col. Tiffan's Orders, took three Troops of Horse, and 150 Foot, and marched to­wards [Page 49] Sligo; but by that time that he came within six or seven miles of Sligo, some of his Party took an Irish-Man Prisoner, and brought him before Lieut. Col. Gore, who knew him to be a foster-Brother of his own, (that is, a Son of his Nurses, which is reckon'd a great Rela­tion amongst the Irish); but being of Irish Parents, and bred a Papist, he had forsaken the Lieutenant Colo­nel since these Troubles began in our Country, and ad­hered to his own Country-men and Friends: The Lieut. Col. threatned to hang him for deserting him: but the other finding his Life was at stake, begged earnestly of L. C. Gore to spare him, assuring him, that if he would admit him into his Service again, he would be just to him for the time to come: Gore, after some time, pretended to be overcome by the fair Promises of the Fellow, and the Intercession of some Gentlemen that were with him, he consented to spare his Life; and as a Tryal, imploy'd him in an Affair to Sarsfield's Camp, which, he said, if he per­formed truly, he would be kind to him whilst he lived, and take him into his Service. The foster-Brother faith­fully undertook to observe his Commands: and then Lieut. Colonel Gore desired him to go to Sligo privately, to five or six Officers in Col. Sarsfield's Army, (whom he named; and for whom he said he had a particular Kindness) and to acquaint them, That all the Army belonging to Inniskil­ling, with the Men of Derry, and the English that came over under the Command of Maj. Gen. Kirk, were all joined together, and on their march towards Sligo; that they were above 20000 Men, and would be there the next day; and that he, with the Horse and Foot under his Com­mand, were only the Forlorn, sent before to clear the way for the Army; and therefore desired that those Friends of his should provide for their own safety; but charged him not to tell any of the rest of Sarsfield's Army: And thus having instructed his foster Brother, he sent him away to­wards Sligo, whilst he with his Party marched slowly on their way.

[Page 50]All the Country near Sligo was planted with Irish; and as soon as ever the foster-Brother met any of them on the Road, he told, that the Inniskilling-Men, with the rest before nam'd, were on their march to Sligo, giving an Ac­count of their Number, and the Time of their being there, according to what Lieut. Col. Gore had told him.

This Story going from one to another, set all the Irish near Sligo, a running with their Goods towards Roscomon and Athloan, and some towards Gallway, not one daring to stay for fear of this great Army. The foster-Brother goes on till he came to Sligo; and as soon as he came there, he told every one that he met, what Col. Gore or­dered him to tell only to some few Gentlemen that were his Friends, assuring them, that Lieut. Col. Gore would be with them in a few Hours, and that the whole Army was following fast after him. This was soon noised over the whole Camp; which coming so unexpectedly upon them, put them all in a terrible Fear, and every one began to think of his own Safety, and packing up what he might most easily carry with him; and so all were leaving the Camp, and flying towards Athloan: Which coming to Col. Sarsfield's Ears, he sent to know the reason of the Tumult; the foster-Brother who had brought the News to Town, was soon brought before him; who having told what Lieut. Col. Gore gave him in charge, and naming those Gentlemen, (who happened accidentally to be then with Col. Sarsfield) and all of them knew that Gore had a kindness for them; this did fully satisfy them of the Truth of what he told Col. Sarsfield: Who immediatly caused beat his Drums, to bring his Men together, but in vain, for he could not get one of them to their Arms, all of them (much like Sarsfield's carriage at Wincanton, Hist. Desert. pag. 77.) making the greatest haste they could towards Roscomon and Athloan, and so to Dublin, leaving Sarsfield, with his own Servants, to break the Carriages of his Cannon, and so he marched after his Men to Athloan. [Page 51] And thus Colonel Sarsfield and his whole Party left Sligo to us, without seeing an Enemy, and in some few Hours after Lieutenant Colonel Gore with his three Troops of Horse and the hundred and fifty Foot, entred the Town, got fourteen Cannons (and some say three more after­wards) and a Mortar-Piece, with the whole Provisions that belonged to their Army, except what small matter (in the great Hurry they were in) they could carry with them.

This, may it please your Majesties, is a faithful and true Account of the Success of your Majesties Arms, in the Hands of the Men of Iniskilling, till about the end of August last; for then it was that the Governour, Officers, Clergy and other Gen­tlemen, belonging to the Garrison of Iniskilling, sent me to your Majesties with the Address, which your Majesties were gra­ciously pleased to receive from me at Hampton-Court the 12th. Day of October last.

And now, may it please your Majesties to give me Leave, in the Names and by the Commission of those Gentlemen of Iniskil­ling, humbly to beg your Majesties to accept of these their Ser­vices for your Honour, in the just Defence of their Religion and Laws, and to pardon the Imperfections in the Relation, by