The Diaries

In England the parliament had triumphed. The death of the king caused somewhat of a counter-move- ment in Ireland; and the royalist cause was now- 1649-sustained by the confederates, with Ormond the lord lieutenant, and Inchiqmn-now again turned royalist-at their head, and by the Scots of Ulster. 1 hey proclaimed the prince of Wales king as diaries II; and they were well pleased when, in February 1649 Prince Rupert on their side entered the harbour of Kin- sale with sixteen frigates.

Rmuccini, seeing his mission a failure, returned to Rome in I’cbr.iary, 1649. O’Neill, tlic only” great soldier now in Ireland, was at the head of a small army of old Irish; but tlie other confederate leaders kept him in the bai-.kgiound through jealousy.

On the side of fhe parliament Jones still held Dublin, and Sir Charles Coote Derry. Jnchiqum took from them Droglied:i, Dundalk, Newry, and Trim. Urmond besieged Dublin, first encamping at Finglas, and afterwards at Radimine-i. lie sent major-general Purcell on 25th of July to fortify the old castle of Bagot Rath, near Rathmines. But colonel Jones sallied forth in tlie night and surprised not only Purcell but Ormond himself, and utterly routed the whole army (2nd of August, 1649;. This great disaster was caused by the bad generalship of Ormond.

Oliver Cromwell was appointed by Parliament lord lieutenant and commander of the forces in Ireland, and landed at Dublin, 14th August, 1649, with 9,000 foot, 4,000 horse, military stores, and 20,000 pounds in money, accompanied by his son-in-law Ireton as second in command, lie issued a proclamation against plunder, ordering that all supplies taken from the natives should be paid for.

He first proceeded against Droglieda. It had been garrisoned by Ormond with 3,000 troops, chiefly English, under Sir Arthur Ashton. Cromwell began by battering down the steeple of St.. Mary’s church. Next day, the 10th September, 1649, the cannonade continued, till towards evening two breaches were made. Two desperate attempts to enter were repulsed ; but the third succeeded; and immediately, on Cromwell’s order, the whole garrison, including the commander, Sir Arthur Ashton, with many friars and townspeople, were massacred. After this, Trim, Dundalk, Carlingford, Newry, and several other places in the North surrendered.

Cromwell returned to Dublin, and marching south, appeared before Wexford. It was well fortified and garrisoned with 3,000 men, under the command of David Sinnott. Cromwell began his cannonade on the ilth of October, and when some breaches had been made, Sinnott asked for a parley. But meantime the commander of the strong castle )ust outside the walls treacherously delivered it up to Cromwell’s troops. This enabled a party of the be- siegers to get into the town and open the gates. The garrison retreated to the market place, where they found the townspeople congregated. Here they defended themselves in desperation for an hour, but were over- powered by numbers; and Cromwell’s soldiers under his orders killed garrison and townspeople without distinction to the number of 2,000 filth of October, 1649).