The Irish standard., 1888-04-07
The BATTLE OF KINSALE.
BY WESTON ST. JOHN JOYCE.

head Of Kinsale. saw far out at sea a
great fleet in full sail, bearing for Cork
harbor. The ships, forty-dve in num-
Der, passed close to the Head on their
way, but as they were nearing the har-
Dor, contrary wind arose which blew
so hard that they were forced to tack
about and make for Kinsale instead.
On 23rd September they entered the
barbor of Kinsale with Spanish colors
flying, and landed all their forces in
the town. The long promised aid from
Spain had indeed come at last. The
small English garrison evacuated the
town without attempting resistance,
and retired to Cork, while the Irish re-
ceiyed the newcomers with great dem
constructions Of joy. The Spaniards:
some 8, 900 strong, were commanded by
an officer named Don Juan Del Agu-
ilha, who, on entering, at once pro"
ceeded to fortify the place aud garrison
the forts of Rincorran and Castle-na-
mark at the eastern and western points
OF the NaIDOf respectively
Lord Mountjoy, the Deputy, was at
Kilkenny when he heard OF the inva'
sion, and with Sir George Carew. Presl-
dan. Of Munster, FASTENED to recoanoi-
tire the enemy's camp.
K;nsale is a seaport town situated at
fhe mouth of the river Bandon, III
County Cork, in position extremely
difficult to defend except against an at
tack nv sea. 1t is hard to account for
90 unfortunate a choice by the Span
lords. unless indeed chat they were
driver, into it by stress of weather, and
eyau if such were the Case there was
nothing to prevent them leaving 1t
when She weather had calmned. Both
O,Nei]l and O'Donnell had besought
the Spanish King to send his aid to Vi
ster. 50 80 to effect junction with tbs
irish forces there, but, now so far FROM
4,harn as Kinsale. the Spanlards were al
most entirely unsupported. On land
ing. however, they lost no time III de-
spatcn1pg messengers TO the north to
anprize the Irish chieftalns Of their AZ
rival upon which Red Hugh O'Don-
neil. accompanied by many OF the no
bjGty Of the north, at once set ont On
tbs march. Carew, with "a superior
force, marched from Kinsale AND en-
doavoyed to intercept him near Cashel,
while ST. Laurence with the Army OF
The Pale, pursued him in the rear, But
notwithstanding these formidable pre-
variations for his destruction, C'Don-
nell succeeded in escaping by taking a
nirc,1itous route westward over The
Sieve Fe]im Mountains in Tipperary
and Limerick, accomplishing journey
OF 40 English miles in day with al
army encumbered by baggage, feat
almost unprecedented in military his
toryj Carew, after frantic effort,
abandoned the pursuit.. despairiMg OF
cyertaking 30 swift~footed a COM
1mander.
On l7ts1 October the English army, !
numbering about l2,00o men, after
wards increased to 1900, sat down be.
fora Kinsa,o, and encan}ped at a hill
called KNOCK Robin, mile and e-half !
nort]}east of the town. Towards the
close of the month they sent party to
attack the fort of Rincorran, which the
Standards attempted to relieve by sea,
hut were repu]sed by the English ships
in tbs harbor. The English cannon
continued to play night and day upon
the fort, and the Spaniards made
another unsuccessful attempt to re-
lieve it by land, inhicting, however,
considerable loas on the besiegers. On
list November, after a prolonged par~
Icy, the garrison, eighty in number.
surrendered. and, with their COM
mander, were sent prisoners to Cork.
About the middle Of November the
English vessels commenced a lombard
ment Of the fort Of Ltstle-na park, at
the other side OF tn harbor, but failed
TO effect anything further than dam
aging the hattlements. They then sent
ashore q storming party Of 400 men to
sap the foundations. but the garrison
met them with such q tremendous VOL
lev ef musketry and missiles Of every
description that they were forced to T;
abandon the attempt with the loss Of |
several of their number. On 20th No {
7ember, after a heroic defense against I
hopeless odds, the small garrison (sev-
anteen} Of this fort also surrendered on
condition of their lives being spared,
and were sent prisoners after their
comrades to Cork, and thence to Eng- {
and. t
All this time the English ordnance, i
Ibout twenty in number, were con. (
SANITY playing on the town. while the t
5paniards had only three or four pieces 8
10 return the fire, the vessels conveying t
;hir artillery having put back to Spain (
wing to stress of weather. t
At the end Of November the English /
ent a trumpeter to formally summon 4
he garrison to surrender. but he re- n