May the 4th.
Captaine YARNER'S RELATION OF THE Battaile fought at Kilrush upon the 15th. day of Aprill, by my Lord of ORMOND, who with 2500 Foot and 500 Horse, overthrew the Lord Mountgarret's Army, consisting of 8000 Foot and 400 Horse, all well armed, and the choyce of eight Counties.
Together with a Relation of the proceedings of our Army, from the second to the later end of Aprill, 1642.
LONDON, Printed for F. Coules, and G. Badger, 1642.
Captaine Yarner his Relation of the Battail fought at Kill-rush on the 15 Aprill, 1642.
THe 14 day of April my Lord of Ormund having intelligence that the Lord Mountgarret, was come down from Kilkenny, with the choyce forces of that County and 8 Counties more, sent out the Commander of his own troope Sir Patrick Wems and with him Captaine Armestrong to view their numbers and manner of lodging, who being discovered from their Army, they entertained with an Ambuscado of 10 Musketters: who swamme the river or made hard shift to get over, and the better to toll them unto danger sent over some 10 Horsemen, but their Ambush was discovered, and Captaine Armestrong dismounting 6 Dragoneers, drove them to make as hard shift to return with the losse of their armes, the horse being charged with a small party of ours tooke the same course for their fasety; ours escaped not shot free, for 2 or 3 of my L. of Ormunds troope were hurt, and Sir Patrick Wems horse shot under him, to be better satisfied my L. of Ormound, with Sir Tho.' Lucas, and a troop of Gentlemen volluntiers, most of them Officers, and some other troopes, went himself to see the countenance of the Rebels; some shot they made at him, but he returned with this resolution, not to alter or make any stay of his fore resolved march, nor to go one foot out of the way for them: The next morning we had order to march: I visiting my L. of Ormund to receive his Commands, he did me the honor to aske my opinion, and withall told me his, viz. Not to avoid them, nor to seek them upon their advantage, and that he had finished his designes in despight of them, and if they had the confidence to stop his passadge he would make his way through them.
Notwithstanding the neerenesse of his insulting enemy, his Lordship tooke care for the safety of the Town of Athy, left behind him there, as I take it, 3 Companies, with necessaryes for a town of defence, and so after prayers, which every morning was performed, began to march; which he had disposed to best advantage he could, how ever our traine and baggage was a great hinderance to our march, and a great weakening to us, making so great an interposition betwixt our Van and Reare; Cornet Pollard was sent with 30 Horse, as Van Currier to see the passages free from Ambushes, to second him was sent a party of firelocks, I think about 100 or 200, the Rebels appeared with their numerous Army, adorned with many Colors, on the other side [Page 2] of the bog by a Castle called Killika, some 3 miles distant from us, but marching very swiftly towards us, without any trouble of carriages and somtimes we could perceive them to trot, all this while we kept on a steddy march with as much order as the inconveniency of our carriages would [...]iv [...] u [...] leave, and my L. of Ormond was resolved not to spare a bit of it, bu [...] a [...] [...] deare rate, notwithstanding the L. Mountgarret had made liberal promises of it and us to his Souldiers, assuring them that we were running away and would not strike one blow, commanding them not to spare one of us, and to that purpose had sent to gard all p [...]ssages, by which we might escape, that one might not live to ca [...]ry news to Dublin, but [...]od disposed other ways.
About 2 or 3 of the clock in the afternoon (as I take it) our way led us neer them and to a passe, which they hastened to take, which had been a great prejudice to us, to prevent which, Sir Tho. Lucas with 6 troops hasted to gaine it, which he did and faced their Van, and so brought them to a stand: My L. of Ormond seeing he could [...] passe without manifold danger to his Carriages and Reare-gard, drew the Van into a battalia, sending his Carriages away behind him under the gard of the Van Curriers, and hasted up the Reare, which being placed in a handsome forme of Battaile, which he did all himself and fitted his Battalias to the ground on which he stood.
Sir Tho. Lucas seeing my Lord in a posture to fight, left his station and returned to my Lord and presently drew his Horse to flanke the left wing of the Foot, and gave me charge of the Reserve, himself preparing for the charge with Cap. Armestrong and Sir Patrick Weames; I had for the Reserve the L. Lieftenants Troope, Sir Geor. Wentworths commanded by Cap. Harmon & Sir Char. Coots commanded by Lieftenant Daniel Havilide. The left wing was flanked with 3 troopes commanded by Sir Richard Greenefield, viz. the Lord Liles commanded by Captain Treswell his own, and Captain Stouts: in the meane time our Cannon made 16 shot at the Rebels, but feared more than hurt them: our forlorne hope being 100 Musketters commanded by Cap. R [...]chford began to give fire upon their batalia, being seconded with 100 Firelocks commanded by Cap. Samford; the whole Army Horse an [...] Foot advancing towards the Rebels, Sir Tho. Lucas with his 3 troops 6 fe [...]te before them, espying a breach in the ditch, where 4 horses might charge a brest, began to trot towards their strongest and t [...]ckest body, where stood about fourescore Horse of theirs, who first began to run, their body presently began to stagger, which hee perceaving, began to set spurs and rusht into the middle of them with his three troops, the other three being so greedy of execution, could not be restrained, notwithstanding all my endeavours [Page 3] and premonitions: Sir Rich. Greenfield with his 3 trops charged their left wing and there routed them likewise; so that they had only their Van consisting of about 1500 and one troop, who seemes to advance a little, but were presently sought with by my L. of Ormonds troope of Volluntiers wherein Collo. Barry and Collo. Farrar, and many more Officers of quality served. Col. Craford advancing with his Divisions put them to a hasty, but not so disorderly a retreit, as the rest; the execution lasted 2 miles, I conjecture we could not kill so few as 500. Many more Armes were lost, that little baggage which they had with their little quantity of Amunition come to our Custody, the bog behind them and our former labours which had worne us much was their protection: what men of quality were slaine I certainely know not but many there were; it growing now late and having 5 or 6 miles to our quarters where we intended that night to lodge, my L. commanded prayers and thanksgiving to God for the victory to be performed on the place, and so in the best order wee could marched towards ould Connell, where that night we lodged.
In this businesse I could not find one man taxed for any thing in the execution of his duty; from the highest to the lowest there was a great alacrity and cheerefulnes in their countenance, the Officers commanding, the Souldiers with a gallant silence obaying and kept their orders and distance, with much more care and exactnesse, than usually in their common exercise: the enemy had a trebble number, the advantage of place, sun and wind, which no art could prevent them of; but God gave us the advantage of courage and conduct, and had not our Horse been too furious in the execution, the slaughter had beene the greater. Sir Char. Coote would not be out, but as if he had been but 30 yeares old, charged in amongst them and with his owne hand did brave execution, and although at first he had lost his Cap, yet would his earnestnesse not permit him to stay to take it up, but bare headed scoured about the field, crying, Kill, kill, and with his hand gave the example, whilst my L. of Ormond secured the Cannon, and victory, with some divisions of foot, and beat their Van into a speedy Retraite, &c.
Soli Deo gloria.
A short Relation of the proceedings of our Army in their march through the Queenes County, to the reliefe of sundry Townes and Castles besieged by the Rebels.
THe 2. of April, my Lord of Ormond took the field with 3000. foot, and 500. Horse, marching from Dublin in the Evening with five peeces of ordinance, and 200. waggons with Amunition, and victualls for the use of our Army, and the reliefe of our Forts besieged, and that night they lodged at Racoole, 6. miles from Dublin, from whence Captain Yarner was sent with two Troopes of Horse to destroy the Country on the left hand, under the Mountaines, in the County of Wicklo, with command to meet the Army the next night at the Nace, which he did; having burnt 10. or 12. Villages, and slain about 10. men armed, Sir George Wentworths Troope passing by the Castle of Tipper, within a mile of the Nace, had their Trumpeter slaine from the Castle, in revenge whereof, Sir Charles Coote drew up 200 Firelockes and a Troope of Horse to it, and blew up the Castle, putting all to the sword.
That night the Army lodged at the Nace, and the next day marched to old Connell, and the day following, came to Athy, where they found the Towne burnt by our own people the day before, who had all betaken themselves to the Castle, not being able to defend the Town any longer, but by the approach of our Army, their wants turned to great plenty; Captain Yarner having brought into the Town 500. head of Cattle, which he had driven out of the Country, besides what was brought in by others: during this march about 8. score hors were sent by my Lord of Ormond to rownd the Country by Cullen Bridge, with provisions to releeve Sir George Greanes his Castle, and the Castle of Carlo, which was close beset by 1300. Rebels, but upon the approach of our horse they fled, and in the Town of Carlo were slaine and hanged about 100 men, and having relieved the said Castles, our horse returned to our Army, which were marched from Athy to Mary-burrow, alias, The fort of lease, where our body of foot remained, and about 400. horse were sent under the command of Sir Charles Coote to relieve Burrowes, the [...]irre and other forts there-about, in which service he stayed abroad three dayes, and having relieved the said Towns, after severall skirmishes, and as many slaughters of the Rebels, who lay like swarmes of Bees in the woods, bogs and other places of advantage, through which our Horse passed, and in their returne relieved Sir Robert Piggots Castle, and the Town of [Page 5] Balle-Ma-Kill. which he found in great distresse, and out of these severall places he brought with him men, women and children, such as were not serviceable, to the number of 60. families, which at his returne he planted at the Nace, 12. miles from Dublin.
Thus having performed what they intended, he returnd to our Army at Mary-burrow, both horse and man being quite spent with extraordinary marching, thorough the bogs and woods, having in 48. howers together taken but three howres rest, and in all this service lost not one man, only about 30. or 40. horse were lost in the bogs, Captaine Yarner being shot in the head, and Captaine Armestrong shot in the belly, but had no hurt, only crushed them a little, our horse being returned to Mary-burrough, my Lord of Ormond having left a good Garrison there, returned to Athy, and having left a strong Garrison there, and overthrowne my Lord Mountgarret, with the flower of the Rebels, he returned to old Connell, and so to the Nace, where Sir Charles Coote with his Regiment and 300. Horse, being left in Garrison, the Lord of Ormond, with the rest of our Army returning to Dublin, where we joyfully received him upon the 17. of Aprill, being Sunday, having in that space being but 15. dayes, marched above 50 miles out-right into the Country, and relieved all our distressed Forts and Townes thereabouts, in despight of all the powwer of the Rebels, Sir Charles Coote being left in the Nace aforesaid, did there plant the 60 families of poore people, which he brought with him out of the Queenes County: and having by his dayly sallyes. from thence into the Country round about him, brought in great store of Cattle, Corne, and provision, he gave to the said families 300. milch Cowes, upon condition that they should sel milke to his Souldiers, at a halfe penny a quart, and Butter and Cheese pro Rato; he gave them also great store of Corne at the rate of 10 shillings the Winchester bound barrell, after which rate they are to provide Bread for his Souldiers; if all our commanders would take this example, we should have no want in our Army, nor be thus burthened as we are with the maintenance of many thousands of poore stript people, gathered hither out of all parts of the Country, most of them people of quality: Sir Charles Coote hath also banished all the Irish women and children out of the Nace, not to be seen in the Town or thereabouts, upon paine of death, their men being all fled before.
Out of the 800. Horse received out of England this last weeke, with my Lord Lile 400. are sent for Drogheda, and the Towne of Dundalke, 200. to my Lord Moore, who in Sir Henry Tichburnes absence is Governor of Drogheda, and 200. to Sir Henry himselfe at Dundalke, together with 300 foot, from whence we hope shortly to [Page 6] heare of some good service effected by them, Sir Henry having burnt up all the Country round about him, for 5, or sixe miles, and having understood that Sir Phelom o Neale had raised a new Army of 3000, men and lay at the Newry, but 8 miles from him, he issued out of Dundalke, with 800. men and went 6 miles to go and visit him, where Sir Phelom o Neal appeared on the one side of him, with 1500 men, and Collonell Master Bryan on the other side him, with 1000. more; both which Armies he with his 800. men dared to battle, but they refusing him, he returned to Dundalke, burning all before him. There are now some store of Scots landed in the North at Knock-fergus, with a Regiment of English and store of Armes and Amunition, so that we hope shortly to have the passages cleare betwixt us and them, and that Sir Henry Tichburne will joyne with their Army which by this time we suppose is drawing towards him; but we have here strange reports of the behaviour of the Scots, which we hope are false: if they should prove true, we should soone be weary of them: here is also a tumour of a Ship of 300. Tonne, lately arrived at Wexford, with Amunition from Hamberough, which if true is very bad newes, and will cost much bloud in this Kingdome, if our Seas be no better guarded, also some Ships with Amunition are said to be gotten into Galloway, and we have also sent some Ships thither to relieve the Fort which we feare may be in some distresse: if they have gotten any store of Ordinance and Amunition into the Citty, the greatest power of the Rebels lyeth in the West, about Corke, Kingsaile, and Bandon Bridge, but God sending some timely succour thither, we hope speedily to remove them from thence. The second of April, the Countesse of Ormond, with all her Children, and about 100 poore stript English arrived at Dublin, shee being prisoner to my Lord Mountgarret 5. months before, and was now brought to Dublin by Captaine Bartlet, in the Kings Pinace from Waterford; the Fort of Duncannon, at the mouth of that Harbor being secure: our Army is shortly going forth againe farther Westward to relieve divers parts there distressed, and in the County of Wicklo, the Lord be their protection, &c.