The Irish standard., 1898-06-11
drive the garrison of Randalstown be-
fore you, and haste to form a junction
with the commander in-chiee,
HENRY JOY McCRACKEN.

y,
The next morning, with his little force
-variously estimated by different au-
thorities at from 500 to 5000 men-he
set out for Antrim. Reaching his OBJ
jectivo point at about midday lie halted
forces on the height above the town,
and then addressed to them a few stir
ring words Of encouragement and ad-
vice, which had an excellent effect on
the spirits of the men, who thercupon,
to the air Of the "Marsellaise," marched
confidently to the attack, musketeers in
front, pikemen i'll the center AMI two
small field pieces in the rear
The strength of the loyalst army is
almost as uncertain as that of the in
surgents. Sir Richard Musgrave, how
ever, states that Gen. Nugent, on re-
ceiving the intelligence of the intentions
OF the united men, sent orders to Blair's
consisting Of the Gath regiment, and the
light companies of the Kerry, Dublin,
Tipperary, Armagh and Monaghan MILL
tia, and $50 of the 22d light dragons,
with two cannon (6-pounders) and two
| 5la inch HowitZers, to march to Antrim
with all possible Dispatch; $50 of the
Monaghan militia, troop of the I'd
! light dragons and the Belfast cavalry,
under tho command of Colonel Durham,
to march to Antrim by Carnmoney and
| TcmplepatriclS, the light battalion from
Blair, commanded by Col. Clavcring,
| and tho Dragons by Col. Lumlcy. lie
also dispatched orderly scrscanls to
Major Seddon at Antrim to inform him
or the intended attack, and of the REIN
forccmcnts which were going to his as
slstancc.' Meantime the troops already
i'll tho town had madc preparations to
| rcpel the attack, which did not begin till
about 2 o'clock, by which time Col.
Lumlcy had arrived with his dragons.
and strong reinforcement had come ND
| from tho camp at Dlair's When the
| loyalist troops were placed In position
1t was found that their infantry was in
front OF the castle gate. at the main en-
| trance to tho town, and the cavalry was
at the other end of the street behind n
| high wall, and that their cannon were
| planted between. The best and clcarcst
account of tho fighting is that written
| by James Hope, McCrackcns faithful
follower, who on that day proved HIM
self The hravcst of the brave
| I'VE marched Into Antrim" he writes,
''in good order until our front arrived
opposite tho Presbyterian meeting
! house, when a party of the 22d light dra-
goons wheeled out Of the lane below
tho church, fired on us, and then re-
treated. Another party then advanced
from the samo quarter, but was soon
brought down, men and horse. Tho rest
OF their force fled to the market house,
and we advanced under Il heavy fire
from Il body of foot, covered from our
flro by the castle wall and two field
pieces, by shot from one Of which 4
| gun we had brought from Tcmplopat-
rick, placed on n common car, was dis
mounted. We then went into the
churchyard and silcnccd the field pieces
and relieved our pikemen from the
shower of grape shot which they had
stood without ninching Part of our
rear had been imprudently drawn up in
Il field on tho left of the church, aud
another party had appeared on oul
right on the Doncgorc ROAD, as we en-
tered the other side of the town. by
the back of gardens. On the approach
of the party the horsemcn at the market
house, in danger Of being surrounded
a charge at full speed up the street
some of the troops having previously
fed by Shane Castle road The body
that charged soon fell by our pike men
At this time the party stationed on the
west side of the town entered by Bow
lane, but were checked by destructive
fire from the men behind .hc wall and q
vollcy from another party posted AT Il
house In the lane by which they entered
They were forced to retreat at the NOM
cnt that body of 500 men from Connor
and kells, who had taken Randalslown
on their march to Antrim, came to our
assistance, and on entering the town
mistook the flying horscmcn for body
of the kings troops making Il charge
and the rctrent OF the Bow lane party for
a complete route. They became panic
stricken and instantly fled McCrackcn
Immediately led a party down through
the gardens to disodgc the enemy from
their position behind tho wall in front O.
tho dcmense of Lord Massarcnc. Thi.
party, however, seeing the flight OF tho
Connor and Kels men, followed thcil
example; and two of them, crossing ;
pike handle against McCrackenS breast
threw him down when attempting tC
stop them and their comrades. The Mon.
Afghan regiment, with Doncgal's cavalry
now made their appearance on the rOaC
from Belfast, and took up a position al
a little distance from the town ant
placed two field pieces on an cmincnct
the main body keeping behind the Gle.
vatcd ground as il expecting an attack
while party of the Donegal corps sur
rounded our men who were stationed III
tho field between them and the to~l
and slaughtered them without mercy