The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-17
Orange Day.

There are doubtless great many who wear
the Orangemen's badge. who do not know
why they do it, and still many more who do
not know why they get angry about it, The
following bit of history, may enlighten them:
King James II. having been dethrone by
William of Orange, that monarch arrived al
Belfast on the 18th of June, 1890, and prepar-
ed the Lish army for battle. King James set
out from Dublin to C,eet him at point near
the northern frontier of Leinster. About the
30th of June both armies encampe1 on the
banks of tho Boyne river. William nad un-
der his command near $4,000 men, boln in
many lan's and speaking many tongues. But
in that great array, so variously composed.
were two bodies OF men animated by spirit
peculiarly fierce and implacabe-the Hugue-
nots of France thrsting for the blood of the
French, and the Englishry of Ireland impa-
tent to trample down the Irish. The Irish
Protestants were represented by gallant reg
iment of dragons fiom Enuisken. on
these men eventually turned the battles fate.
The army of King James con isted of nearly
$4,000 men. The 1st of July 10. S. bro q
beautiful aud cloudless, and by four O'Clock
both armies were in motion, that of William
advancing in three columns, with Soimes.
Blues in the van, until the brink of the Boyne
was reached. Then the drums ceased, and
the men, ten abreast, descended into the wa
ter. Londonderry and Enniskllen followed
Solmes, and then can Cailnott with his COL
umn of French refugees. Still further to the
left the main body Of the English infantry
struggled through the river, up to the armpits
in water, and in few minutes the Bo me for
qua rter OF mile was alive with muskets
and green boughs. 1t was not until the Az.
sailants had reached the middle OF the
river that they became aware of the
whole difficulty and danger. They had
as yet seen little more than half of the
hostile army. Now whole regiments oI
horse and foot seemed to starr out of the
ca th. A wild shout of defiance arose from
the whole shore. During one moment the
event seemed doubtful, but the protestants
pressed resolutely forward, and in another
moment the Irish line gave way; then whole
regiments flung away arms, co'ors, and
cloaks, and scanipered away to tie hills with
out striking blow or firing shot.
A king came to fight for three kingdoms;
father come to fight for the birthright oil
his child; Jealous Roman Catholic come to
fight in the holiest of crusades, looked down
from his secure position on the neiSht Oh
Donore on sight which, it m snt nave peen
thought, would have moved the most torpid
of mank;nd TO emulation. Fe saw his rival,
veal sickJv. wounded, swimming the river.
struaal;nI through the mud, leading tb.
oharse stopping the fight, grasping tb,
sword with his lef; hand, and managing the
brde with his bandaged arm. But none OF
there things moved that sluggish, ignoble
nature. When he found he had lost the day |
be was seized with apprehension that his |
fight might be intercepted, and mounting |
his horse in horse in haste. ealloped towards |
Dublin. Thus euded the battle OF the Boyne; |
thus ended the Catholic regime in England, |
and thus was given day which has never |
since returned without exciting strong emo
! ltions which divide Ireland.