The Irish standard., 1901-10-12

ing that the stores had reached Bally-
neety "a place ten miles from Williams
camp he salhed forth, and, like a
fash of lightning was upon the camp.
The broadswords of Sarsfeld's 500
were in their midst, and to the af-
frighted gaze Of the panic-stricken vic
tins they seemed thousands! Short,
desperate and bloody was the scene;
SO short, so sudden, so fearful that it
seemed like the work of incarnation.
In few minutes the whole of the con-
voy were cut down or dispersed, and
the siege train was in Sarsfeld's hands!
But the task was only half accom-
plished. Williams camp was near by,
and thither some of the escaped had
fled. The guns were filled with pow.
der and each muzzle buried in the
earth; upon and around were piled the
rest of the train. There was flash,
the ground rocked, and the vast mass
burst into the sky. William did not de-
spair. In week he had another siege
train, and the work of bombarding the
city began. The city being set on fire
in several places, Sarsfield ordered that
the women and children retire to a
place Of safety in the Glare suburb.
The women in body loudly protested.
and declared passionately that mo ter
rors should cause them to quit their
husbands and brothers in this dreadful
hour, fighting for God and country"
The women were as good as their
word. Into the trenches by the sides
Of their husbands and fathers and
brothers they went, and "day after
day, women, old and young, full of
determination, were seen lnboring in
the breaches and mines; digging the
earth and drawing the ammunition,
while around them showered shot and
she'll"
On Aug. 27 breach was made in the
walls and the foe penetrated into the
town, but such was THE gallant resist
ance that the enemy was driven back
into their own trenches. The following
day William renewed the assault, but
could not persuade his men to advance,
though he offered to lead them in per-
son.
"Whereupon," says the historian, Gin
all rage he left the camp on the 31st,
and never stopped until he came to.
Waterford, where he took shipping for
England, his army retiring from Linn
ericll by night
Such was the ending of Williams
first attempt to capture Limerick. He
quilted Ireland, but left his army to
continue the struggle, and early in the
next year q69D the struggle was re-
newed. After the capture of Athlone
and Aughrim, Limerick again became
the scene of operations. Sixty guns
opened their deadly fire against it.
A fleet ascended the river, hurling
Its missiles right and left. Bombard-
ment by land and water showered de-
struction upon the city-in vain. Cine
kle the English general, now gave up
all hope Of reducing the place by as,
sault and resolved to turn the siege
into a blockade. Starvation must in
time effect what fire and sword had
so often and so vainly tried to accom-
plish.
"The treason of an Irish officer, Lut-
trell, betrayed to Ginclzle the pass over
the Shannon above the city, and one
morning the Irish, to their horror, be-
held the foe upon the Glare side of the
river. Ginckle again offered to grant
almost any terms If the city would
but capitulate, for even still he judged
it rather forlorn chance to await it's
capture. The announcement of this
offer placed further resistance out of
the question. Accordingly, on Sept. %,
after day of bloody struggle, ces-
sation Of arms took place. On the Oath
a three days. truce was agreed TO. On
the Goth the negotiations were opened.
Favorable as were the terms Offer
ed. and even though Sarsfeld now as
sented to accepting them, the news
that THE struggle was to he ended was
received by the soldiers and citizens
with loud and bitter grief. They ran
to the ramparts from which they had
so often hurled the foe, and broke
their swords in pieces. Muskets that
had scattered fire and death amid the
British were broken in frenzy Of
desperation, and the tough shafts of
pixies that had resisted Williams
choicest cavalry crashed across the
knees. The citizens, too. ran to the
wallis with the arms they had treasur-
ed proudly as mementoes of the last
years glorious struggle and shivered
them into fragments, exclaiming with
husky voices:
"'We need them no longer! Ireland
is no morev"