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Article THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. ← Page 3 of 8 →
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The Battle Of The Boyne.
he had at last the opportunity of one fair battle for the . crown . He insisted on maintaining his present post , and , from such animated laiifiiao-e , his officers concluded that he meant to take a desperate " part in the engagement ; yet , with an ominous precaution , he dispatched Sir Patrick Trant , one of his commissioners of revenue , to Waterfordto prepare a ship for conveying him to France , in case
, of any misfortune . William was no stranger to the motions of the French , and the machinations of his enemies . Whatever was the proper conduct for , James , it was evidently his interest to bring- their contest to an immediate decision . On . the last day of June , at the first dawn of morning , his army moved towards the river in three columns . He
inarched at the head of his advanced guard , which by nine o ' clock appeared within two miles of Drpgheda . William observing a hill west of tlte town ; rode to the . summit with his principal officers , to take a view of the enemy . On their right was Drogheda , filled with Irish soldiers . Eastward of the town , on the farther banks of the rivertheir camp extended in two lines , with a morass on the left ,
, difficult to be passed . In their front were the fords of the Boyne , deep and dangerous , with rugged banks , defended by . some breastworks , with huts and hedges , convenient to , be , lined-with infantry . On their rear , at some distance , lay the church and village of Donore ; three miles farther was the pass of D . uleek , on which they : depended
'¦ for-a retreat . : The view of their . encampment was intercepted by _ some hills to the south-west , so thatSgravenmore , one . of William ' s generals , who counted but forty-six regiments , spoke with contempt .. of the enemy ' s numbers . The king Observed , that , more might lie concealed behind these hills , and many be stationed in the town ; . " But it is rny purpose , ' . ' said he , " to be speedily acquainted with " their whole strength . " .
, . , ..,. His arm } - was now marching into camp ; when William , anxious to gain ' a nearer and more distinct view of the . enemy , advanced , with some officers , within musquet-shot of a ford opposite to a village called Old Bridge ; here he conferred for some time on the methods . of passing , and planting his batteries ; , when riding on . still westward , he alihtedand sat down to refresh himself on a rising . ground .
. g , Neither the motions of . William nor of his army were , unnoticed . Berwick , Tyrconueli , Sarsefield , and . some other generals , rode slowly on the opposite banks , viewing the army in their march , and soon discovered the present situation of the king . A party of about ' forty horse immediately appeared in a plowed field , opposite to the place on which he sat . In their centre they carefully concealed
-two field-pieces , which they planted unnoticed , under cover of a hedge , and retired . Willj & m mounted his horse ; at that moment the first discbarge killed a man and two horses on a line ( at some distance ) with the king ; another ball instantly succeeded , grazed oti the banks of the river , rose , and slanted on his right shoulder , tearing ¦ his coat and flesh . His attendants crouded round him , and appeared E 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Battle Of The Boyne.
he had at last the opportunity of one fair battle for the . crown . He insisted on maintaining his present post , and , from such animated laiifiiao-e , his officers concluded that he meant to take a desperate " part in the engagement ; yet , with an ominous precaution , he dispatched Sir Patrick Trant , one of his commissioners of revenue , to Waterfordto prepare a ship for conveying him to France , in case
, of any misfortune . William was no stranger to the motions of the French , and the machinations of his enemies . Whatever was the proper conduct for , James , it was evidently his interest to bring- their contest to an immediate decision . On . the last day of June , at the first dawn of morning , his army moved towards the river in three columns . He
inarched at the head of his advanced guard , which by nine o ' clock appeared within two miles of Drpgheda . William observing a hill west of tlte town ; rode to the . summit with his principal officers , to take a view of the enemy . On their right was Drogheda , filled with Irish soldiers . Eastward of the town , on the farther banks of the rivertheir camp extended in two lines , with a morass on the left ,
, difficult to be passed . In their front were the fords of the Boyne , deep and dangerous , with rugged banks , defended by . some breastworks , with huts and hedges , convenient to , be , lined-with infantry . On their rear , at some distance , lay the church and village of Donore ; three miles farther was the pass of D . uleek , on which they : depended
'¦ for-a retreat . : The view of their . encampment was intercepted by _ some hills to the south-west , so thatSgravenmore , one . of William ' s generals , who counted but forty-six regiments , spoke with contempt .. of the enemy ' s numbers . The king Observed , that , more might lie concealed behind these hills , and many be stationed in the town ; . " But it is rny purpose , ' . ' said he , " to be speedily acquainted with " their whole strength . " .
, . , ..,. His arm } - was now marching into camp ; when William , anxious to gain ' a nearer and more distinct view of the . enemy , advanced , with some officers , within musquet-shot of a ford opposite to a village called Old Bridge ; here he conferred for some time on the methods . of passing , and planting his batteries ; , when riding on . still westward , he alihtedand sat down to refresh himself on a rising . ground .
. g , Neither the motions of . William nor of his army were , unnoticed . Berwick , Tyrconueli , Sarsefield , and . some other generals , rode slowly on the opposite banks , viewing the army in their march , and soon discovered the present situation of the king . A party of about ' forty horse immediately appeared in a plowed field , opposite to the place on which he sat . In their centre they carefully concealed
-two field-pieces , which they planted unnoticed , under cover of a hedge , and retired . Willj & m mounted his horse ; at that moment the first discbarge killed a man and two horses on a line ( at some distance ) with the king ; another ball instantly succeeded , grazed oti the banks of the river , rose , and slanted on his right shoulder , tearing ¦ his coat and flesh . His attendants crouded round him , and appeared E 2