Leicester's Journal, 76.]
[Footnote 2: Walker, ii. 230, 243. Whitelock, 416. Leicester's Journal,
82.]
of Milford Haven, Jones, in Dublin, reaped the laurels which Cromwell had
destined for himself. The royal army advanced on both banks of the Liffy to
the siege of that capital;[a] and Ormond, from his quarters at Finglass,
ordered certain works to be thrown up at a place called Bogatrath. His
object was to exclude the horse of the garrison from the only pasturage in
their possession; but by some mishap, the working party did not reach the
spot till an hour before sunrise; and Jones, sallying from the walls,
overpowered the guard, and raised an alarm in the camp.[b] The confusion
of the royalists encouraged him to follow up his success. Regiment after
regiment was beaten: it was in vain that Ormond, aroused from his sleep,
flew from post to post; the different corps acted without concert; a
general panic ensued, and the whole army on the right bank fled in every
direction. The artillery, tents, baggage, and ammunition fell into the
hands of the conquerors, with two thousand prisoners, three hundred of whom
were massacred in cold blood at the gate of the city. This was called
the battle of Rathmines, a battle which destroyed the hopes of the Irish
royalists, and taught men to doubt the abilities of Ormond.
Pages:
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404