Beyond
Irish History
And
The Fighting Irish
And
The Fighting Irish
this again pits had been dug and covered with hay and brambles. A body of light
armed troops were stationed in the wood, " beardless youths, " about five hundred, armed with muskets.
Bagenal had to pass through the wood. The August morning was bright and fine. By seven his vanguard, musketeers and horse, was seen marching up the road. In the main body - pikemen in three columns formed the centre; cavalry and a second division of musketeers formed the rear. The " beardless youths "
posted among the trees, fired on the van. Then they darted from tree to tree firing repeatedly from snaphance or matchlock. The van could not charge; could not dislodge them. Bagenal galloped up; tried to keep his men steady, tried to clear the wood. But the smoth bold young faces mocked his efforts. " Very
angry " says the historian, " were Bagenal and his veterans at being attacked and harassed by such boyish and silly sort of men. "
In time he extricated his troops, and got on the plain.The beardless ones held the ground in front. Bagenal ordered his cavalry to charge. Men and horses fell into the pits, and the boys fired on those who came to their rescue. There were skirmishes, retirements, charges, advances of fresh battalions, but it was not till eleven o'clock, fours hours after he had entered the wood, that Bagenal's army found itself in front of O' Neill's camp. There was the ditch. It was lined by O'Neill's men. The battle raged here. The brass cannon soon made a breach; three of Bagenal's divisions got over. The Irish pikemen who had retired in disorder before the cannon re-formed and rushed upon the musketeers. Bagenal, oppressed by the weight of his armour and the heat of the fight, raised his visor. A bullet then entering, ended his career. The Irish horse charged; the queen's musketeers broke and fled; their cavalry joined in the flight. A number were cut down as they tried to re-cross the ditch. The three divisions were panic-stricken, broken and flying. Nothing could stop the helter- skelter. The Yellow Ford was fought and won. Portmore and Armagh were surrendered to O' Neill.
The brilliant victory freed Ulster. Crown forces lost about 900 killed at the battle. This included 18 captains or officers dead. Several hundred soldiers deserted to the rebels, and many hundreds more deserted back to their families, or went astray in the Armagh drumlins. Out of 4,000 soldiers who had set out from Armagh, just over 2,000 reached the town after the battle. Those who did reach Armagh were virtual prisoners inside. The cavalry broke out and dashed south escaping the Irish. After three days negotiations, it was agreed that the crown troops could leave Armagh as long as they left their arms and ammunition behind them. They were evacuated by sea from Newry to Dublin. O'Neill's forces lost perhaps 200 to 300 killed in the battle, though sources for the number lost O' Neill's side are very scanty. In light of the battle's result, the court at London undertook to greatly and rapidly increase its military forces in Ireland.; and simultaneously many in Ireland who had been neutral on the sidelines undertook to support the rebellion. Thus the ultimate outcome of the battle was an escalation of the war.
The battle became an immense sensation in England. It was talked of on the Continent. " The generl voice, " says the English contemporary historian, Moryson, " was of Tyrone after the defeat of the Blackwater, as of hannibal among the Romans after the defeat at Cannae. "
O' Neill's authority was recognised over the greater part of Ireland. He strengthened his defences, appointed or dismissed officials, nominated chiefs, acted with justice and wisdom. No English forces could stand before him. The confederation of the chiefs seemed firmly knit. Ireland appeared about to achieve her freedom.
For a time the question was alone put to the sword. Elizabeth an old woman now, with the levity of youth among her courtiers, an ungovernable temper when roused, sent Essex, her favourite, to re-conquer Ireland. He came with the largest army yet sent to the country. O' Neill outwitted him at every move; beat his troops; reduced him to impotency. Once they had an interview on the banks of the Lagan. O' Neill learnt his ambitions, mastered his thoughts, and turned his mind practically inside out. He dictated terms; Essex accepted them as far as he could without royal authority. When the enraged Elizabeth heard of them she recalled Essex, whose head went on the block.
Bagenal had to pass through the wood. The August morning was bright and fine. By seven his vanguard, musketeers and horse, was seen marching up the road. In the main body - pikemen in three columns formed the centre; cavalry and a second division of musketeers formed the rear. The " beardless youths "
posted among the trees, fired on the van. Then they darted from tree to tree firing repeatedly from snaphance or matchlock. The van could not charge; could not dislodge them. Bagenal galloped up; tried to keep his men steady, tried to clear the wood. But the smoth bold young faces mocked his efforts. " Very
angry " says the historian, " were Bagenal and his veterans at being attacked and harassed by such boyish and silly sort of men. "
In time he extricated his troops, and got on the plain.The beardless ones held the ground in front. Bagenal ordered his cavalry to charge. Men and horses fell into the pits, and the boys fired on those who came to their rescue. There were skirmishes, retirements, charges, advances of fresh battalions, but it was not till eleven o'clock, fours hours after he had entered the wood, that Bagenal's army found itself in front of O' Neill's camp. There was the ditch. It was lined by O'Neill's men. The battle raged here. The brass cannon soon made a breach; three of Bagenal's divisions got over. The Irish pikemen who had retired in disorder before the cannon re-formed and rushed upon the musketeers. Bagenal, oppressed by the weight of his armour and the heat of the fight, raised his visor. A bullet then entering, ended his career. The Irish horse charged; the queen's musketeers broke and fled; their cavalry joined in the flight. A number were cut down as they tried to re-cross the ditch. The three divisions were panic-stricken, broken and flying. Nothing could stop the helter- skelter. The Yellow Ford was fought and won. Portmore and Armagh were surrendered to O' Neill.
The brilliant victory freed Ulster. Crown forces lost about 900 killed at the battle. This included 18 captains or officers dead. Several hundred soldiers deserted to the rebels, and many hundreds more deserted back to their families, or went astray in the Armagh drumlins. Out of 4,000 soldiers who had set out from Armagh, just over 2,000 reached the town after the battle. Those who did reach Armagh were virtual prisoners inside. The cavalry broke out and dashed south escaping the Irish. After three days negotiations, it was agreed that the crown troops could leave Armagh as long as they left their arms and ammunition behind them. They were evacuated by sea from Newry to Dublin. O'Neill's forces lost perhaps 200 to 300 killed in the battle, though sources for the number lost O' Neill's side are very scanty. In light of the battle's result, the court at London undertook to greatly and rapidly increase its military forces in Ireland.; and simultaneously many in Ireland who had been neutral on the sidelines undertook to support the rebellion. Thus the ultimate outcome of the battle was an escalation of the war.
The battle became an immense sensation in England. It was talked of on the Continent. " The generl voice, " says the English contemporary historian, Moryson, " was of Tyrone after the defeat of the Blackwater, as of hannibal among the Romans after the defeat at Cannae. "
O' Neill's authority was recognised over the greater part of Ireland. He strengthened his defences, appointed or dismissed officials, nominated chiefs, acted with justice and wisdom. No English forces could stand before him. The confederation of the chiefs seemed firmly knit. Ireland appeared about to achieve her freedom.
For a time the question was alone put to the sword. Elizabeth an old woman now, with the levity of youth among her courtiers, an ungovernable temper when roused, sent Essex, her favourite, to re-conquer Ireland. He came with the largest army yet sent to the country. O' Neill outwitted him at every move; beat his troops; reduced him to impotency. Once they had an interview on the banks of the Lagan. O' Neill learnt his ambitions, mastered his thoughts, and turned his mind practically inside out. He dictated terms; Essex accepted them as far as he could without royal authority. When the enraged Elizabeth heard of them she recalled Essex, whose head went on the block.
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. A favourite of the Queen and military hero. Following a failed campaign in Ireland he was executed for treason.
Then O' Neill made something like a royal progress from the north to the south. The southern noblemen and gentlemen visited him on the banks of the Lee. He issued a proclamation styling himself Defender of the Faith. He showed himself a statesman and soldier. When he returned to the North his power was confirmed.
If the sword failed there were other methods for England to use. Mountjoy and George Carew were sent to Ireland. These men were to break up the confederation. Craft, treachery, offers of friendship ' not to be kept'
gold, bribes, were their weapons. Letters of betrayal were forged purporting to come from a member of the confederation. In time these methods succeeded. The confederation was weakened. There were serious defections, and O' Neill and O' Donnell were eventually left to carry on the fight in Ulster. This they did heroically. O' Donnell held the coast lines on the north against an English force that had landed there;
O' Neill the southern frontier. " They fought as it were back to back against the opposite lines of attack. "
Through the spring and summer of 1601 that fight went on. By September little had been gained by the English except Munster. Then came the long promised aid from Spain.; three thousand men were landed at Kinsale - instead of the five thousand which O' Neill had warned must be the minimum, if landing was made in the south. The English troops were at once concentrated in the south, and Kinsale invested by an English fleet. The General in command of the Spaniards was unfit for the work; an ill-tempered impatient man with no grasp of generalship. He was dismayed and angry at finding himself besieged instead of meeting friends.
Sorely against their will he forced the Northern Chiefs to march and fight their way south to him. And then, again contrary to O' Neill's expert advice, forced them to attack his besiegers ( under Carew ) when it were wiser to besiege them. A series of fatal mistakes, aggravating d' Aquila's bad generalship, lost them a battle that they could have won. - and which, being won, would, in all probability, have left Ireland an independent kindom.
By error and accident it was lost. A council was held that night. Though O' Neill wished to continue the war in Munster, as some of the northern chiefs for private reasons decided to return to their own territories, Hugh O' Neill was forced to fall back on Ulster. O' Donnell sailed for Spain to see the King, and ask for further help.
If the sword failed there were other methods for England to use. Mountjoy and George Carew were sent to Ireland. These men were to break up the confederation. Craft, treachery, offers of friendship ' not to be kept'
gold, bribes, were their weapons. Letters of betrayal were forged purporting to come from a member of the confederation. In time these methods succeeded. The confederation was weakened. There were serious defections, and O' Neill and O' Donnell were eventually left to carry on the fight in Ulster. This they did heroically. O' Donnell held the coast lines on the north against an English force that had landed there;
O' Neill the southern frontier. " They fought as it were back to back against the opposite lines of attack. "
Through the spring and summer of 1601 that fight went on. By September little had been gained by the English except Munster. Then came the long promised aid from Spain.; three thousand men were landed at Kinsale - instead of the five thousand which O' Neill had warned must be the minimum, if landing was made in the south. The English troops were at once concentrated in the south, and Kinsale invested by an English fleet. The General in command of the Spaniards was unfit for the work; an ill-tempered impatient man with no grasp of generalship. He was dismayed and angry at finding himself besieged instead of meeting friends.
Sorely against their will he forced the Northern Chiefs to march and fight their way south to him. And then, again contrary to O' Neill's expert advice, forced them to attack his besiegers ( under Carew ) when it were wiser to besiege them. A series of fatal mistakes, aggravating d' Aquila's bad generalship, lost them a battle that they could have won. - and which, being won, would, in all probability, have left Ireland an independent kindom.
By error and accident it was lost. A council was held that night. Though O' Neill wished to continue the war in Munster, as some of the northern chiefs for private reasons decided to return to their own territories, Hugh O' Neill was forced to fall back on Ulster. O' Donnell sailed for Spain to see the King, and ask for further help.
