The Battle of Kinsale
On December 21st the entire Irish army marched up and settled themselves to blockade the English. The besiegers were now in their turn besieged, and were cut off from the interior of the country, whence their supplies of fresh food had been drawn. Under these circumstances, it could not be long till men and horses- began to suffer from starvation and disease.
The Irish had, therefore, only to remain quiet and allow the army of their enemies to melt away of its own accord. This was the course which O’Neill advised, but, unfortunately, some of the younger and more impetuous spirits allowed themselves to be moved by the urgent message which D’Aquila had sent, begging for a speedy attack, which he promised to support by a sally from the town. When a Council of War was held, the majority of the chiefs, including O’Donnell, voted for immediate action. It was decided to attempt a surprise attack on the English during the night of December 23rd.
In some way or other, the English became acquainted with the design, and when the Irish vanguard which had been delayed on its march by the ignorance or treachery of the guides, came in sight of Mountjoy’s camp, they found the soldiers under arms and ready to receive them.
It was now broad daylight and O’Neill, seeing that the enterprise had miscarried, tried to retreat. In executing this manoeuvre, his troops, fell into some confusion, and Mountjoy’s infantry profited by the opportunity to attack them.
The Irish were forced back on their own rearguard, which was under the command of O’Donnell. A general panic ensued. The Irish, scarcely making an attempt at resistance,, turned and fled. How many fell is uncertain ; the English loss was certainly very small. D’Aquila attempted a sally, but his men were easily beaten back into the town. The Battle of Kinsale was hopelessly lost.
After retreating a few miles only, the Irish halted and their leaders held a Council. Those who wished to return and renew the fight were overruled, and O’Donnell decided to go to Spain to ask for further aid. It was hoped th^t Don Juan D’Aquila would hold out till this arrived.
A few days after the defeat of Kinsale, therefore, Hugh Ruadh, with a little band of followers, embarked at Castlehaven and saw the shores of his native land for the last time. After his departure, Rory his brother, and Hugh O’Neill led the Irish troops back to the north.
Philip III received the noble fugitive with the honours due to a prince, and promised to send a new and more powerful expedition to Ireland. Months, however, passed, and nothing was done. Hugh wore his heart out in the land of exile.
In September (1602) he died, almost certainly from poison, administered by an English agent named Blake. His romantic career ; his high and chivalrous character, and his early death—he was scarcely twenty-nine—have endeared the memory of Hugh Ruadh O’Donnell to generations of young Irishmen, but, as compared with Hugh O’Neill, he appears to have lacked both statesmanlike qualities and breadth of National outlook.
