ON the 12th of August 1689 a numerous Fleet ap­peared off the Coast of Donaghadee in the County of Down, out of which two hundred men made that Night a descent on the land, and intrenched themselves.

On the 13th Mareschal de Scomberg who Commanded the Forces on Board debarquing his men, Horses and Train of Artillery, set foot on shoar without opposition.

On the 14th he ordered the 200 men that first landed to March to Belfast, and the next day he followed in Person with the gross of the Army, and refresh'd himself there till the 19th.

On the 19th he invests Carrigfergus and having Sum­mond the Garrison to surrender in vain though with offers of fair and honourable conditions, He drew out his lines and the next day played upon the town from four Batte­ries of Cannon, and three of Mortar pieces, besides all the Gunns of the Navy to which the place stood exposed with in distance, whilst he made his approaches by land, where he found the works, or walls most accessible, yet tho' he with Bombs (of which he threw in a thousand) had lay'd all the buildings in Ashes; and tho' the Garrison could not reasonably hope for any succour, they kept it nine days, and even then reduced to one Barrel of powder made Sol­dier-like Terms, marching out with their Arms, Colours flying, ball in mouth, and other usual ceremonies of War, to be attended by a convoy untill they were within three mile of the Newry; yet the Articles (tho' signed by Scomberg) [Page 4] himself, were nevertheless barbarously violated by the sol­diers who without regard to age, sex or Quallity disarmed and stript the Towns people, forceing even women to Run the Gantlet stark naked.

On the 26th of August the King came from Dublin to Tre­dath attended with 200 of his Guards, and gentlmen Volon­teers on Hors-back, and found there no more then seven Regiments of Foot, and some few Troops of Horse; a strong Party of the Cavalry being commanded out as Far as the Newry, under the Duke of Berwick.

The sixth of september His Grace to hinder the Enemies advancement upon him, and render his march to the Newry incommodious, and difficult broke up all the Caus­wayes, and other defile's thro' which he must pass, and to make all secure burnt even the Town, and retyr'd to Dun­dalk, where he found Monsieur D'esco with two Companies of Foot, and a Troop of Horse sent out from the Army to bring up his Rear for their Forces united were very insufficient to make head against the enemy, who then pressed their March; so they all fac'd about, and drew off together.

The King now in Tredath was informed by some Irish and one French Deserter, that Schomberg's Troops were ve­ry much diseased, and already in want of provisions.

The 13th all His Majesties Forces were come down to the Camp near Tredath.

On the 14th the King marched the Army from Tredath to Atherdee about 8 Irish miles, and there met with intel­ligence that about 12 Sail of the Enemies Fleet were the day before up with the Skerries, and fired many Guns, which drew the Militia and people in such numbers down to the Shoar, that they durst not venture upon it, but bore away large to the Southward, where they plyed too and agen betwixt Hoath and Bullock, with design as it is thought, to animate the malignant Party (if any such were in Dublin) to rise. But matters were so well secured there by the conduct and vigilance of Collonel Symon Lut­trell the Governor, that disappointed of all expectations, they vainly stood off to Sea, and were soon out of sight.

On the 16th His Majesty at the first appearance of day marched the Horse and Dragoons from Atherdee to Allards­town [Page 5] near Affayn-Bridge about three miles short of Dun­ [...]lk, of which he possessed himself about twelve. By [...]d i [...]ht following his Foot-Guards came up to him, and [...]e Body of the Infantry by noon the next day. Having [...]rt fled the Bridge, he placed the Guards on the further [...]de of the River, and sent Parties out to discover the E­ [...]emy. Towards the evening six Troops of the Cavalry [...]ade up to a small advanced Party of fifty Horse, and [...]ome few Volontiers that attended His Majesties Army, [...]ho nevertheless receiving the Enemies Fire, immediate­ [...] charged, and put them to flight.

On the 18th the whole Camp was formed with as much [...]egularity and advantage as the ground would admit of. The King in his person having travers'd it all over, after [...]ewing the Intrenchments, and posture of the enemy.

On the 19th several Prisoners were taken, and some [...]serters came with intelligence that Schomberg had set all [...]ands to work to secure himself by fortifying Dundalk, [...]nd seem'd rather to prepare against a Siege than a Bat­t [...]l

On the 20th the King drew out his Army, and march­ing in the Head of the first and second Line, within less than Cannon-shot of the enemy, He immediately put them in order of Battel (according to a method agreed upon) with wonderful expedition and silence. The Lines [...]tended themselves ftom South-east to North-west along a [...]ge of Hillocks that front the Town; the second Line shewed it self between the intervals of the first. In this po­sture they stood for three hours, the Souldiers transported with Courage, by the Presence, and great Example of their King in the Head of them, could not forbear by shout­ing and other demonstrations of Joy. to dare, and chal­lenge the Invaders; who nevertheless could not be pro­voked, nor invited hy any means, out of their fortifica­tions: And therefore the King, disappointed in his hopes of deciding the War by a Battel, commanded his Troops just under the Mareschals view, to march easily back to their Camp again, His Majesty Himself remaining in the Rear of all His Army until He saw the last Souldier drawn off. Seven Prisoners were that night brought in by [Page 6] a detacht party of Dragoones from a Village called Haggard­stown on the sea side The Captains O Neil and Murphy likewise with 50 Foot, Surprizing a party of 80 Dragoones behind a Mountain that cover'd the Enemy killed two o [...] the place (mong whom some French Hugonets refused Quarter) took six prisoners the rest escaping by Flight.

On the 21th the King gave Orders for the Fortifying Atherdee with Ditches, Ramparts, and other Necessary Works; a retrenchment was likwise cast up before the left wing of the first line.

On the 24th the King viewed the Country on all sides resolving when he found it necessary, or convenient to dislodge from the ground he then stood encamped on, and to pitch his Tents on the Edges of small Hyllhocks that arise between the Rivers of Mapastown, and Atherdee, and ther­fore gave general Orders for preserving the Forrage in all parts within Command of his Army.

On the 26th a Commanded party of Horse-dragoones with 35 Companies of Granadiers, set fire to all the Forrage and Corn, on the other side of the Lurgan River for 3 miles a­long the sea coast, and under the Enemies Nose who ne­vertheless made a faint Sally, but were easily forc'd back to their Trenches again.

On the 28th towards the evening the discharge of the enemies Artillery three times pursued with as many Volleys of small shot, and huzza's amused the Kings Camp for some wile untill disabused the next day by a deserter who said all that noise was in celebration of a great victory ob­teined by those of Iniskillen againk the Kings party at Sli­go; but this mighty Action upon better intelligence pro­ved a Skirmish between a small band of that County Mil­litia and a Troop of Rebells, wherein 3 of the Loyalists fell, and that number twice told of the enemy.

On the 30th an Ensigne from mac Ca [...]y More's Regi­ment, returned to his Majesties Camp with advice that 3 ships whereon were imbarqued Collonel Villiers Troop horse and men were newly cast away, that 500 French officers and Soldiers suspected to be Catholicks, and well wishers to his Majesties cause were sent a ship-board their place of confinment that seven Frenchmen, and a Captain were [Page 7] Hanged upon suspition of affecting the Kings party. That Four-score a day at the least were sent from the Ene­mies Camp to the Hospital, and that all their Horses were turned out to Grass for want of Hay and other ne­cessarie Forrage.

On the 31th [...] Regiments of Foot were Commanded to Sligo, and the parts on all sides adjacent to it to preserve the inhabitants under his Majesties Obedience, and check the excursions from Inniskillen.

On the [...] of October A party of 150 Foot were de­tached under the command of Lieutenant Coll. Stapylton and Captain H [...]gh Macnemarra to Relieve and bring off the 500 French that Schomberg had caused to be stript and car­ried by water to Carlingford; suspecting they had a design of changeing their party; The march was difficult and hazardous, For they could not avoid the English camp, but by a detour of at least 30 miles, and that through almost impassable Mountains, nevertheless they Marched cheer­fully ouer them to a vale within six miles of Carlingford, where making a hault to fix their Arms and cover their Primeing against a shower of rain that hung over their heads, a party of the Enemy came upon them, and being demanded whom they were For, they answered they were For King William, so are we said stapylton with purpose to take his oppertunity of Surprizeing them, but the Zealous Souldiers ignorant of his Meaning declar'd loudly they were For King James and made good their words with a Volley, 14 they killed on the spot Seized all their Arms and made Eight Prisoners without Receiveing a wound.

On the 5th of October (Forrage becoming now scarse) the King thought fit to return to Atherdee, and on the 6th ve­ry betimes in the Morning the Army was in a Rediness to March, But the smoak of the Soldiers Hutts set on Fire by Command made their first setting out a Little Incomodious and Difficult, but that was soon over For when they saw Clear they easily fell into their Ranks and Marched in great Order, The Right Wing of the Horse and Dragoones with [...] Brigade [...] of Foot, the Canon and all the Kings Equi­page by Mapastown bridge; The left Wing with the reserve [Page 8] of the Foot and all the Baggage of the Army by the Road that led to the Bridge of Tallanstown, and that Afternoon the Foot incamped in two Lines near Atherdee, having the River, and a long Morass before them. The Horse and Dragoons for convenience of forrage, and shelter, were sent to three Villages lying on the right of the Infantry, and the Brigade of Foot that made the Corp de reserve to a­nother Village beyond them. But the next day His Ma­jesty visiting that part of the Army, thought the Corps de reserve (as indeed it was) too far advanced, and therefore gave orders that they should return to the Village where the Duke of Tyrconnel's Regiment lay, and sent the Lord Dongan's Dragoons, with three other Battalions of Foot from the Camp, to reinforce that Post. He then ordered a Brest­work to be made at the end of a narrow Causeway that passes thorough the Bogg, and a guard of 60 foot to defend it. Collonel Purcell's and Sir James Cotters Dragoons were po­sted on the Left at Dowdstown and Peppardstown to secure the two Bridges. The Earl of Abercorn's Regiment of Horse stood incamped at a small Village between the two Lines. But the Horses of that and Collonel John Parker's Regiment being very much harrassed, and no danger appear­ing from the Enemy, His Majesty thought fit to send them to their Winter Quarters.

The King having reason to believe that Mareschal Schomberge would not easily quit Dundalk, called a Council of War, and proposed the fortifying of Atherdee, to hinder his advance, and to facilitate the carrying on of the War the earlier in the Spring. Some of the chief Officers were of opinion against it; yet the Duke of Tyrconnell, who chiefly seconded the King's re­solutions of marching from Tredath with his Army, in order to engage the Enemy; to which, (under God) we owe all the success we have met with, joyning in opinion with His Majesty, the work was set on foot, and that place made so strong a Frontier before the King left it, that tho Schomberge stayed for almost ten days after at Dundalk, where he lost by Distemper above 1000 men, yet made no attempt upon the Party left at Atherdee under the Command of Major General Boiselot, but was glad to make a safe retreat with the reviving part of his Army, leaving many sick behind, and a number of dead Bodies unburied.