Volume Ii Part 1 (1/2)
The Eve of All-Hallows.
by Matthew Weld Hartstonge.
VOL. II.
CHAPTER I.
I have marshalled my men, Their swords are a thousand, their bosoms are one.
They are true to the last, of their blood and their breath; And like reapers descend to the harvest of death.
CAMPBELL.
Many a trumpet sounded forth the bold advance, and many a drum beat to arms, and full many a heart throbbed high, upon the morning of the ever memorable first of July, 1690. Then burst forth the signal-gun that loudly pealed forth the approach of day, re-echoed by the woods and waters of the Boyne. This signal was to announce to the troops of the Prince of Orange instantly to commence their march as soon as summoned by the cannon's roar. Their march was about three miles distant from the margin of that stream which on this day was destined to become the rubicon of empire!
The plan of attack, upon the part of the Prince of Orange, consisted of three parts. We shall now begin with the first:--Count Menard Schomberg (the son of Field Marshal Duke of Schomberg, and Commander-in-Chief under the Prince of Orange) was to lead on the right wing towards the westward of some fords which adjoined the bridge of Slane; the force consisted chiefly of cavalry, and amounted to ten thousand men; Count Schomberg commanded the cavalry, and Lieutenant General Douglas the infantry. Their route to the ford, which it had been determined they were to pa.s.s, lay through an unenclosed country, the grounds of which were partly covered with low brush-wood, over which the horses sprung with delight; and had the soldiers been clad in green a spectator might have imagined he looked down on a hunting party, instead of beholding an army upon the burst of battle; for, startled and roused from their peaceful lair, numerous rabbits and hares were seen to jump forth from beneath underwood, furze, fern, and heath; which soon set the soldiery at fault, and who for the moment gave up (tumultuously das.h.i.+ng into the merry greenwood) the hunting of men for chase of the leporine tribe; and they were not brought back to a sense of duty until thrice the bugle of recall had sounded; when having knocked on the head some hundreds of these peaceful, harmless animals, the troops gave up the chase, which is the symbol, for the dire reality of war.
They had now arrived on the margin of the Boyne, and upon the opposite banks were entrenched King James and his army, consisting of English, Scotch, Irish, and French troops. The latter were the experienced veterans of Louis the Fourteenth, who had toiled and conquered in many a desperate conflict.
The camp of King James was stationed thus:--On its right was the city of Drogheda, filled with Irish soldiers: upon the further banks of the Boyne, and to the eastward, their tents were extended in two parallel lines, and protected by a deep mora.s.s, and on the left it was difficult to be pa.s.sed. In front of the camp were the fords of the Boyne deep and dangerous, protected by rugged banks, and defended by some breast-works; while the huts and hedges were lined with infantry on the rere; and at some distance arose the church and village of Donore, upon whose commanding heights King James in person was stationed. Three miles further onward was the pa.s.s of Duleek, on which King James firmly depended for a retreat, if such should be found wanting. The works thrown up for the defence of the camp were strong, and well fortified in front by the broad and deep waters of the Boyne; while the ditch, or fosse, defending this position, was deep, and flanked with redoubts, batteries, and pallisadoes.
The batteries of James kept up a brisk fire, pouring forth cannon-shot upon the a.s.sailants, and not without due effect. This was to awe the troops of Count Menard Schomberg, and incapacitate them from fording the river. But it was not long erewhile that this deep salutation from the cannon's mouth was duly responded to, and with correspondent effect, by Count Schomberg, who, advancing to the margin of the ford, planted on the spot three twenty-four pounders, which instantly commenced to fire upon the enemy's intrenchments. This was soon again answered on their part by five field-pieces returning the cannonade, which General Sarsfield had mounted on his batteries. However, after an hour's heavy and destructive cannonade, the superior weight of metal and calibre irresistibly carried its expected success. Several of the French and Irish artillery were killed; guns might then be seen dismounted, some with their wheels broken, and others hurled from their carriages, all thus rendered useless. Count Schomberg thus witnessing their batteries to be effectually silenced, gave the signal for fording the Boyne; and boldly and promptly dashed first onward at the head of his squadron, the trumpets, drums, and kettle-drums, and all the accompanying bands, striking forth their martial music, to which the waters of the Boyne re-echoed. This was of course to encourage and arouse the ardour of his troops, who, with a firm unbroken front, dashed impetuously into the stream, as though it had been their natural element. The waters were indeed deep, the infantry found them breast-high, and were compelled to carry their muskets above their heads, to preserve them dry and fit for service; while the horses of the cavalry were forced in many instances to swim, the current of the river having been stopped by this sudden and mighty influx of men and horses, which, as might have been expected, raised the waters of the Boyne to an unusual height. In the mean time a large squadron of infantry arrived on the opposite bank, who kept up a galling fire, at which time some of the cavalry of King James plunged into the stream to oppose the landing of the troops of the Prince of Orange. It then became uproar, noise, and confusion, all the while death was busy on the Boyne, and upon its opposite banks.
”Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan!”
With the loss of many wounded, and in a greater ratio of others who were slain, Count Menard Schomberg effected the landing of his troops; at which time the dragoons of King James began incontinently to retreat towards the main body, which was attended with very considerable loss.
The main body of King James's infantry was extended in two parallel lines. Lieutenant General Douglas finding how matters stood, sent promptly for a reinforcement of foot to extend his lines in a similar manner; but this intention was impeded by the intervention of an extensive bog to his left, which rendered it quite impossible for his cavalry to pa.s.s; he therefore ordered them to defile to the right, and the infantry to march in open column to the left, and then to pa.s.s the bog, or mora.s.s, in single files. This pa.s.sage of the troops was effected below the bridge of Slane. And having now dispersed the troops which opposed him, his object was to force his way to the ford of Duleek, so that at once he might attack the enemy from behind, and totally cut off his retreat at the same moment. King James perceiving Count Schomberg to march for Slane, and great bodies of troops moving with him, concluded that the whole army were taking the same route; and that the English and Dutch troops, conscious of the difficulty of forcing the fords between the camps, would not, thus circ.u.mstanced, dare to attempt them, discouraged, as well they might be, from an expected attack on their flank, in such an enterprise. However, should they attempt, and succeed, he apprehended that his communication with Duleek might in the mean time be cut off. Accordingly, under this full impression, King James sent forward a great force to watch Count Schomberg, and by his doing so he weakened his princ.i.p.al force. The Count Schomberg, in consequence of these improvident movements of his opponent, found but little opposition to his ulterior pa.s.sage of the ford, soon dispersing the few troops which had soonest arrived to oppose him; and then he dashed on with his infantry, and boldly floundered through the bog; while he sent his cavalry round over a narrow tract of firm ground. The boldness of which action completely discouraged his opponents; in consequence of which they rapidly retreated to Duleek.
We are now come to the _second_ part of the attack, as devised and planned by the Prince of Orange. The moment that the prince was informed that Count Schomberg had pa.s.sed the ford, and had accomplished the landing of his troops, although his Highness had long been quite prepared to ford the river, yet the information which he received of the complete success of Count Schomberg increased his desire to commence the march, which he instantly began. He was attended by Duke Schomberg, who was to command the centre of the army. The Dutch Guards, in their blue jackets and orange facings, first plunged into the waters of the Boyne.
The Brandenburghers at the same instant, impelled by national compet.i.tion, dashed also simultaneously into the stream, led on by their gallant colonel.
The Dutch Guards, who thus led on the van of battle, were broadly exposed to the fire of their enemies, whose lines were intrenched along the opposite heights of the Boyne, and also by several battalions stationed upon the banks beneath. These troops of King James not only resisted on the banks, but plunging into the stream, manfully opposed the approach of the infantry of the Prince of Orange. But the troops of his Highness, even while in the river, fired a grand discharge of musketry, which instantaneously checked their opponents. Here a chivalrous combat for the standard of green Erin, fought for in the very bosom of the Boyne, is worthy of being recorded, while
”Advanced--forced back, now low, now high, The pennon sunk and rose.”[1]
[1] Marmion.
The standard of the golden harp was borne by Cornet Hamilton, nephew to Major General Hamilton, and an officer in the General's regiment of horse. The combat for the armorial banner was sustained by a brave officer of the Brandenburghers, who seemed determined at every risk to possess the standard, and place it as a trophy at the feet of the Prince of Orange. The conflict was fought with desperate fury; they fought in the flood--they fought at the ford; they next landed on the banks, and fought upon the verdant sh.o.r.es of the Boyne. Here Hamilton, dreading to lose the banner he had so gallantly defended, tore the banner from the standard-staff, (it was the work of only a moment,) and instantly wrapped the banner around his body, while with earnest enthusiasm he exclaimed:--
By death alone shall Erin's harp be won, And through the life-blood of her faithful son!
The dreadful personal combat now recommenced, and in the fierce and astounding shock of the charge, the sword of Hamilton was s.h.i.+vered in twain; and within the same moment, from the overpowering shock and impetus of the charge, both the combatants instantaneously were flung, horse and rider, to the ground. They now arose upon equal terms, for both were disarmed; but still they met, while each with daring desperation contended for the prize; foot opposed to foot, knee to knee, and arm to arm! For some time they strenuously contended with doubtful success; but soon the Brandenburgh officer was upon the point of success, when Cornet Hamilton, with deep determined desperation, aided by bodily strength, instantly seized upon the Brandenburgher, and with all resistless force plunged himself and his adversary into the waters of the Boyne, from whence neither ever more were seen to rise! And it was horrifying to hear the splash of the gurgling waters into which the brave combatants, fighting with an unsubduable valour, sunk entombed, never more to rise! and this amid the applauding shouts, or rather shrieks, of either contending army, who had meantime given a pause to the battle; while intently gazed both friend and foe, with wonder, awe, and admiration, upon such a determined deadly feat of chivalry! seldom equalled, and probably never surpa.s.sed, neither in the annals of war, nor amid the feats and fictions of chivalry!
The Duke of Tyrconnel gallantly headed and led on his own regiment of dragoon guards in headlong charge, with signal bravery, and not without due effect. At length, however, the duke was repulsed, and his charger which he rode was shot dead, and fell with his manly master to the ground. However, he was soon seen mounted again, having arisen without hurt from the earth, and briskly vaulted on a led horse of his own, which was conducted instantly to him by his groom from the rere of the regiment. The Irish troops were, at this period of the battle, thrown into some confusion, and compelled unwillingly to retire. But the duke conducted the retreat in a masterly and gallant manner. Soon after this the English and Danish troops, with the brigades of Sir John Hanmer and Melionere, immediately followed, and pa.s.sed the ford without opposition. The cause a.s.signed for this disposition of the forces was this:--that the Prince of Orange well knew that both the Dutch and Brandenburghers were warmly attached to his person, and he felt convinced that the Huguenots and Enniskilliners were as deeply attached to their religion. But the Danes at that time he did not as yet sufficiently know; and much he feared to oppose the English forces who now supported the princely James, their lawful sovereign, and who had formerly commanded them, as now he did, in person.
Field Marshal Duke of Schomberg, who was most anxious, yet at the same time doubtful of success, thinking the attempt a desperate one, still firmly retained his station, surrounded by a strong body of troops, in order to yield a.s.sistance wherever most it was wanted. The French troops of King James now seemed to start from the earth, for hitherto they had remained undiscovered; but now they arose upon the sight from among the little hills, appearing far more numerous than what they really were.
This deception arose from the circ.u.mstance of their gradually, and at intervals, arising to view from the brush-wood, thickets, and ditches, where they lay stationed; and furthermore from the extension of their ranks, from the interposition of trees, walls, and hedges, and the intervention of houses, hamlets, and other objects, which had hitherto obscured them.
Major General Hamilton, at the head of his own regiment of dragoons, made a truly gallant charge, while fiercely he attacked the squadron of the Danes, and withal with such vigour and success, that they soon fled back incontinently through the river. Hamilton's cavalry, and that of the Count de Lauzun, meanwhile pursued them, and having briskly chased them, but without effect, as soon they returned, and then fell furiously upon the French Huguenots, who having no pikes to sustain the dreadful charge, their ranks of infantry were instantly broken through. Here suddenly the cry arising of ”_horse! horse!_” (of which to support them they were in great want) having been mistaken for ”_halt! halt!_” still further threw the centre of the squadron of the Prince of Orange into great disorder. The Dutch?--They _halted_ indeed, and with a vengeance.
The Huguenot ranks were broken through, while slowly the English succour advanced; and the Danes, without even waiting to be attacked, wheeled somewhat precipitately ”right about,” then fled panic-struck, and plunged into the Boyne to effect a retreat. Not slow, however, were some companies of Hamilton's dragoons to pursue, who promptly dashed into the river to cut off a retreat.