were not behind them in either: so that in less than two Minutes the Noise was so terrible, that one would have thought the very Skies to rent in sunder. This was seconded with Dust, Smoke, and all the terrors that the Art of Man could invent to ruin and undo one another; and to make it more uneasie, the day itself was excessive hot to the By-standers, and much more sure in all respects to those upon action."

The storming party succeeded in crossing the trench outside the broken wall; and, pushing on over the stones and rubbish that strewed the breach, after a desperate hand-to-hand conflict, drove the Irish before them, and rushed on for some distance inside. But here an unexpected obstacle met them. Some days before, when Boileau saw that it was likely a breach would be made, he caused to be thrown up a great rough rampart of earth and stones, about 60 yards from the wall inside, where the space happened to be free from houses, placing on it some light cannon, and having men armed ready to take their station behind it at the proper time. No sooner had the storming party reached the open space than they were met, front and flank, by a terrible fire of cartridge shot and bullets from cannon and muskets, so that they showed signs of wavering. But thousands of resolute men pressed on from behind, knowing they were fighting under the very eyes of their king, who surveyed the whole conflict from Cromwell's Fort at a little distance from the wall.

The Irish had planted two small field pieces on the Canons' Abbey near Ball's-bridge, which swept the space in front of the breach and killed great numbers of the closely-packed Williamites as they struggled on to gain the breach. But in spite of all, the party who had got inside the wall, being every moment reinforced by

eager comrades from behind, still continued to gain ground, and the Limerick men continued to yield. The want of a sufficient supply of arms told heavily here; for it was observed that a whole regiment of 400 of the defenders, all Ulstermen under Mac Mahon, kept flinging stones at the front ranks of the Williamites, having no better weapons.

During all this time the citizens viewed the fight from every convenient standpoint - walls, windows, roofs, and streets-but could see little through the thick cloud of smoke and dust. When at last they became aware that the assailants were prevailing, they rushed down in multitudes by common impulse from their view places, and seizing every weapon they could lay their hands on, dashed into the midst of the uproar and joined eagerly in the fray. Even the women, like the women of Derry, forced their way in crowds to the front, right up to the solid advancing ranks, and regardless of danger and death, flung broken. bottles, stones, and all sorts of next-to-hand missiles in the very faces of the assailants. "The very women," as Story tells us, "who boldly stood in the trench, were nearer our men than their own."

Among William's foreign troops, the Brandenburgh or Prussian regiment had distinguished themselves for cool and determined bravery. They forced their way into the city with the others; and attacking the Black Battery, situated inside, not far from the breach, took it after a bloody contest; when suddenly, either by accident or design, the powder in the vaults beneath exploded with a mighty roar, and battery and Brandenburghers were blown into the air, men, stones, and fragments of timber mingled up in horrible confusion.

For four hours in the hot afternoon this dreadful

conflict raged. The thickly-packed masses advanced and yielded in turn through the streets; a close and furious struggle, where all strained their utmost to force back the opposing ranks, and no one thought of personal danger. The rattle of small arms and the roar of cannon never ceased for an instant, and a cloud of smoke and dust, as Story relates, rose slowly over the city, and was wafted along by the gentle autumn breeze, till it disappeared behind a range of hills six or eight miles off.

Over

At last the assailants, unable to withstand the tremendous and unexpected resistance, yielded, and turning round, rushed back through the breach in headlong confusion: and in a few moments the old city was cleared of every foreign soldier, except the killed and wounded. King William, having witnessed the repulse of his best troops, "Went to his Camp very much concerned," says Story, 66 as indeed was the whole army, for you might have seen a mixture of Anger and Sorrow in everybody's countenance." 2000 of his men were killed, while the loss of the Irish was comparatively small. It was a matter of consideration whether another attempt should be made; but as the rainy season was coming on, which was sure to bring disease among his troops, the king thought it more prudent to raise the siege. He returned to England, leaving general Ginkle in command: and on the 31st August the army marched away from the city. The siege had lasted three weeks; and the heroic defenders of Limerick had, almost without ammunition, and with crumbling old walls for a defence, repulsed a well-equipped veteran army, directed by a great general celebrated all over Europe, who had never before been foiled by any fortress however strong.

Lauzun and Tirconnell, who were at this time in Galway, were no doubt ill-pleased to hear of the successful defence of Limerick, which they had deserted in its worst time of need: and fearing the displeasure of King Louis, they both embarked for France in order to have the first story.

In September 1690, Cork surrendered, after a fierce struggle, to the skilful generalship of John Churchill, afterwards the celebrated duke of Marlborough; and Kinsale followed. The capture of these two important places, which more than counter-balanced the successful defence of Limerick, ended the campaign of 1690.

o military events of importance took place in Ireland for about ten months after the Siege of Limerick, except the capture of Cork and Kinsale. But the war was carried on without intermission all over the country, from Cavan southwards, by detached parties of Williamite forces, who were resisted everywhere, with varying success, partly by detachments of Irish regular troops, and partly by bands of rapparees, a sort of irregular volunteers, who were looked upon as mere robbers by the English captains and were hanged whenever caught. So long as the two armies had been

kept together in large bodies, the men were under the usual discipline, outrage was repressed, and the ordinary laws of warfare were fairly observed. But when they got broken up into roving bands, discipline was all but abandoned, and they committed cruel outrages everywhere on the people. The account left us by the Williamite chaplain, Story, of the mode of warfare, of the numerous conflicts and daily executions by the Williamite captains, and of the general state of the country, is a fearful record of bloodshed and misery.

Tirconnell, who had sailed from Galway to France after the Siege of Limerick, as already related, returned with some money and stores in January 1691; and as he was King James's lord lieutenant, he resumed authority. In May a French fleet sailed up the Shannon, with provisions, clothing, and military stores, but no men or money: bringing Lieutenant-General St. Ruth, a brave and experienced French officer, but cruel, haughty, and excessively conceited, to take command of the Irish army, by direction of King James, who was at this time in France. It would no doubt have been better if James had given command to Sarsfield, who was at least as good an officer, and who had a cooler head, as well as a perfect knowledge of the country and of the modes of warfare best suited to it. But James and his party treated Sarsfield exactly as the Anglo-Irish majority of the Confederation had treated Owen Roe O'Neill half a century before (p. 297). Both these two great soldiers were kept in the background through jealousy; and in each case those responsible suffered for it in the end. Yet the Irish, though dissatisfied, obeyed the king's order and fought loyally under St. Ruth; while Sarsfield himself was