The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-01
The Battle Of the Boyne.


In the recent debate on the Church Bill, Lord
Derby took occasion to say, These are men
who, at the Battle of the Boyne, indicated the
freedom of Ireland and the rights of the Pro
testant religion" This has brought forth a
statement from q correspondent of the London
Times, who says:
Let US see, then, what share the Irish Pro-
testants really had in this famous battle. The
army by which it was won is thus described by
Lord Macsnlay in his most characteristic man
.l, q William ha6 under his command nearly
So 900 men, born in many lands and speaking
many tongues. Scarcely one Protestant Church,
scarcely one Protestant nation, was unrepre-
sented in the army which q strange series of
events had brought to fight for the Protestant
religion in the remotest island in the west
ormond was there with the Life Guards and
Oxford with the Blues. Sir John Lanier, an
officer who had acquired military experience
held in high esteem, Mt the head ~ - n sse
Un GG zasl There a were Beanmonts foot,
who had, in defiance of the mandate of James,
refused TO admit Irish Papists among them, and
Hastings foot, who had, on the disastrous day of
Kiliecrankie, maintained the military reputa-
ton of the Saxon race. There were the two
Tangier battalions, hitherto known only by
deeds of violence and rapine, but destined to
begin on the following morning long career
of glory. Two fine English regiments, which
had been in the service of the States General,
and had often looked death in the face under
Williams leading, followed him in this cam
paign not only as their General, but as their
native King. They now rank as the fifth and
sixth of the line. The former was led by an
military science, but whom the whole army
allowed to be the bravest of all the brave,
John Cults. The, Scotch footguards marched
alsler the command of their countryman,
*Fles Douglas Conspicuous among the Dutch
88ps were Portlands and GinkePs Horse and
Solmes's Blue Regiment consisting of 1000 of
the finest infantry in Europe. Germany had
sent to the field some warriors sprung from her
noblest houses. Prince George of Hesse Darn
stadt, gallant youth, who was serving his ap-
premiership in the military art, rode near the
King. A strong brigade of Danish mercena-
ries was commanded by Duke Charles Frederic
of Wurtemberg. 1t reported that of all
| the soldiers of William these were most dread
ed by the Irish. For centuries of Saxon domi-
| nation had not effaced the recO1lections of the
viofenCg and cruelty of tho Scandinavian sea
kings; and an ancient prophecy that the Danes
would one day destroy the children of the soil
| was still repeated with superstitious horror.
Among the foreign auxiliaries were Branden-
berg regiment and Finland regiment. But
in that great array, so variously composed,
were two bodies of men animated by q spirit
peculiarly fierce and implacable-the Hugue-
nots of France, thirsting for the blood of the
FRENCH and the -EnglishrY of Ireland, impa=
tient to trample down the Irish. All
the bold spirits of the uncomfortable colony
had repaired to Williams camp. Mitchelburne
was there, with the stubborn defenders of Lon
had raised the unanimous shout of Advances
ON the day of Newton Butler. Sir Albert Co
nynghanlJ the ancestor of the noble family
whose seat now overlooks tho field of battle,
had brought from the neighborhoOd of Tough
Erne regiment of dragons, which still glo-
riee in the name of Ennislzillen5 and which has
proved on the shores of the Enxine that it has
not degenerated since the day of the Boyne."-
MaoaWLay's Works, rol. 3, p. 2S9.
In round numbers, less than one-eighth of
the victorious army was composed of Irish
Protestants. But it may be said they were
foremost in the decisive battle for the cause
which was pre-eminently their own. Unluck-
lily, they were not. William crossed the river
with the English troops not far from Drogheda.
The Irish Pedestrians formed part of the GEN.
passage of the fords at Oldbridge. Schom-
berg gave the word Solmes's Blues (Dutch)
were the first to move They marched gallant
ly, with drums beating, to the banks of the
Boyne Then Gho drums stopped, and the men,
ten abreast, descended into the water next
plunged Londonderry and Ennisbdllen"
It would seem that Londonderry found the
water too cold or the FIRE too hot, for old Walk
or, their new bishop, rushed into the river to
animate his townsmen, and was killed in the
act Of calling on them to behave like men.
The Enniskilliners got ACROSS after the Dutch
Bl2es Rnd the French Huguenots, but hardly
in an active, effective or collected condition.
g e was long remembered" continues the his
toFian, among the Protestants of Ulster, that
in the midst of the tumult William rode to the
do for me 2 he cFied.n This, by the way, sounds
as If they had not yet done much. He was
not Immediately recognized adds Lord Ma