Policy of Mountjoy, the New Deputy : Its Success
Above : Portrait Of Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy
Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy, was the new Deputy selected by Elizabeth to accomplish the task in which Essex had failed so signally. He was a man of considerable military experience, and had certain statesmanlike qualities. While absolutely unscrupulous in the means which he used to attain an end, he never indulged in useless cruelty nor in spiteful annoyance, calculated to irritate but not to weaken an enemy.
When the Lord Deputy landed in Dublin (February 1600), the English power was, except in a few of the larger towns, and in some small districts here and there over the country, practically extinct. Still, the league against England was by no means as strong as it appeared. True National feeling was scarcely at all to be found among the allies who had joined one or other of the two Ulster chiefs. Many were ready, as the event showed, to go over to the English side at the least provocation or on the least temptation. Mountjoy’s ready understanding of these facts, and his skill in availing himself of them, constitute one of the chief secrets of his success.
Avoiding Essex’s mistake, Mountjoy concentrated his attention on Ulster. He ordered Sir Henry Dowcra to take a considerable force by sea from Carrickfergus, and to endeavour to land on the shores of Lough Foyle, while he himself invaded Ulster from the south (May 1600). The plan was successful. Mountjoy, in spite of the efforts of the Irish to oppose him, marched his forces as far as Armagh. Then, as he received intelligence that Dowcra was safely established in a fortified camp at Culmore, he drew back to Dublin. Later in the year, when the harvest was ripe, he sallied out again, raiding the Leinster counties, tearing up and burning the crops, so that famine and desolation followed in his track. By this method many Irish leaders were terrified into submission.
In the north, Dowcra advanced from Culmore and took possession of Derry. Hugh O’Donnell sat down to besiege it, but his patience was soon exhausted. He went off on raiding expeditions, leaving Niall Garff O’Donnell, his cousin, to take command of the siege operations in his absence. So far, Niall Garff had been faithful to the Irish party, but now, when ” the English proffered him the kingship and chieftaincy of the territory if they were victorious, and they promised him many jewels and great wealth,” he listened to them, and passed over to Dowcra, bringing with him his three brothers and about a hundred men.
The first service that Niall Garff rendered to his new masters was to hand over to them O’Donnell’s Castle of Lifford, which they at once garrisoned. Amongst the English there was no longer any lack of provisions, their Irish allies carried off great spoils of cattle from the country round and kept them well supplied. Dowcra built a fort some eight miles from Derry, and placed in it a strong garrison. In south Ulster, Conn Ruadh Maguire had been won over and had deserted the National party
.In Munster, too, the confederacy was being rapidly broken up. All the craft and cruelty of Sir George Carew, the President, were brought into play against it. On the one hand, he held out hopes of favours and dignities to those who submitted ; on the other, he executed ruthless vengeance on those who held out, destroying their crops and cattle, burning the houses and slaying the peasants. One by one the chiefs and nobles ” came in.” The few fortresses which did not surrender were besieged and taken. Soon scarcely one was left in the whole province which had not either received an English garrison or been dismantled and rendered useless.
Above: Picture of Sir George Carew
