Lieut: General Jones's LETTER To the Councel of State, Of a Great VICTORY Which it hath pleaſed God to give the Forces in the City of Dublin under his Command, on the Second of this inſtant August, againſt the Earl of Ormond's and the Lord Inchiquin's Forces before that City.
Together with the Liſt of all the Priſoners and Ammunition taken, and the Narrative of Captain Otway, who was in the Fight.
ORdered, That the Letter from Lieutenant General Jones from Dublin of the 6th of this inſtant Auguſt, relating the Victory which it hath pleaſed God to give the Forces of the City of Dublin under his Command, againſt the Army of Ormond before that City; together with the Liſt of Priſoners and Ammunition taken, and the Narrative of Captain Otway, be forthwith printed and publiſhed: And that it be ſent to the Lord Major of London, to be ſent to all the Miniſters within his Iuriſdiction; who are hereby required to publiſh the ſame to morrow, being Lords day, the 12th of Auguſt in their publique Congregations, That there may be upon this occaſion, an Acknowledgement of the goodneſs of God to this Commonwealth, in ſo ſeaſonable a Victory; and that it be alſo ſent to the reſt of the Miniſters within the late Lines of Communication to be publiſhed as aforeſaid.
London, Printed for Edward Huſband, Printer to the Parliament of England, Auguſt 11. 1649.
THe Lord hath bleſſed this your Army with good ſucceſs againſt Ormond and his, for which Gods moſt holy Name be ever glorified. The account of that ſervice is thus briefly: On the firſt of this inſtant, the Enemy began his approaches to this place more then formerly, and that night was Ormond, Preſton, and the chiefeſt of that Army, at a Work begun at Baggotſrath, about a quarter of a mile hence Eaſtward of the City, upon the Sea, thence they purpoſed to run forward to our Trenches on the Land-ſide, and to raiſe their Forts towards the Water, for hindering the landing of thoſe ſupplyes and Forces expected. They had before cut off the water-running from the higher grounds into the City, whereby our Mills had been driven, and in their preſent work would they have cut us off from all forage for our cattle: To this end was that very night, a Breſt-work by them made croſſe the high-way, neer Baggotſrath, whereabouts was the onely grazing-place left for us. As for the Caſtle of Baggotſrath,, I cauſed it to be before demolliſhed, ſo as it was not capable of a Garriſon, foreſeeing what our prejudice might be in their poſſeſſing it.
On thurſday the ſecond, we diſcovered a party of the Enemies, drawn to Baggotsrath, about fifteen hundred foot, beſides horſe. We found a neceſſity for removing them, and that ſpeedily: and ſeeing the nearneſs of the Enemies camp at Rathmynes, (leſs then a mile from Baggotsrath) where they might be readily relieved with greater force as occaſion might require; therefore did I advance with ſo much a greater ſtrength, about twelve hundred horſe, and four thouſand foot.
The Enemies work at Baggotsrath we ſoon entred,4 yet not without ſtrong diſpute: moſt of the Enemies foot there were ſlain and taken, their horſe having deſerted them, after the firſt charge.
Our horſe and foot purſuing their advantages, we became at laſt wholly engaged with their whole Army, whom after two hours fight, we totally routed.
We ſlew on the place, and in the chaſe, about four thouſand; and have two thouſand five hundred and ſeventeen priſoners, moſt of them Inchiquines Engliſh, and of our run-aways. We got one whole Cannon, three Demi-Cannons, one long-ſquare gun, carrying a ball of twelve pound, one Saker-drake, and one Morter-piece, (all theſe braſs) and ſome Trayn-carriages, and about two hundred draught Oxen for the Trayn.
The Strength of the Enemy was by themſelves ſince acknowledged Nineteen thouſand; Ormond narrowly eſcaped: Of our men there are not twenty miſſing, many wounded. The greateſt loſs fell on the horſe, wherein my Regiment hath much ſuffered, which I humbly deſire may be conſidered, together with my former loſſes in the ſame kinde in former Services, and therefore that larger Recruits may be given me: To which end I have employed thither this Gentleman Captain Otway, one faithful and forward, whom I make bold to recommend unto your favor.
This whole work is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes: By whoſe eſpecial providence it was that we ſhould thus engage, we our ſelves at firſt not ſo far intending it: Neither did the Enemy expect our ſo doing; nor would they have willingly engaged with us, if it might have been by them avoided, they reſerving themſelves for the coming up of Clanricard with his Connaght forces about Three thouſand, and the Lord of Ardes with his Seven thouſand Scots,5 all ready for marching; Inchiquine alſo being looked for, who had the week before gone towards Munſter, with two Regiments of horſe, for appeaſing ſome ſtirrings there by Owen Roe, raiſed in his abſence. Never was any day in Ireland like this, to the confuſion of the Iriſh, and to the raiſing up the ſpirits of the poor Engliſh, and to the reſtoring of the Engliſh Intereſt, which from their firſt footing in Ireland was never in ſo low a condition, as at that very inſtant, there not being any one conſiderable landing place left you, but this alone, and this alſo (without this the Lords timely and moſt gracious goodneſs and providence to us) almoſt gone.
Yet is not all this any ground of Security, whereby may be kept back or delayed the Supplies deſigned us; for moſt of our Gariſons are yet to be taken in, and the Enemy to be ſpeedily followed, that they recover not (which yet they may do to a conſiderable number) and that they either poſſeſs not themſelves of this Harveſt, or hinder us of it. For our ſelves as at preſent, we are not in condition to proſecute this great Victory as we ſhould and would, wanting pay for our men, and neceſſary proviſions, which would be now made over to us ſpeedily and plentifully, this being the time, and the occaſion being now offered for a full ending of this War, by its vigorous proſecution, the opportunity whereof is not to be in any caſe omitted; beſides the ſecurity therein rendred to your affairs there, whereunto all theſe movings might have been dangerouſly carried, as they were by Ormond and his Party intended. All which I leave to your moſt wiſe conſideration, and as ever, remain
Two thouſand one hundred private Soldiers, whereof ſix hundred Iriſh, the reſt being of Inchequines party, and have taken up arms for the Parliament, promiſing faithfulneſs. Theſe had quarter on the ſurrender of the Caſtles of Rathgar and Ramaynes, whither for gaining conditions, they had betaken themſelves.
Captain Otway, The Meſſenger that brought this diſpatch who was an Actor in that Service, further relates, That the Enemy marched away with ſuch haſte, as they left their whole Camp which was very well furniſhed of all proviſions of Victual, ſtore of Wine, Silks and Velvet, Scarlet and other cloth, both woollen and linen, and ſome money, all the Cattle left in the Quarters about Dublin as they found them there.
The Enemy hath quit ſeveral Gariſons upon their marching off; viZ. Manouth, Naas, Donahadee, and Richardſtown.
Wedneſday the Eighth was appointed to be a day of Thankſgiving in Dublin for this great Victory.
Thurſday, Lieut: General Jones intended to march out again with his Army towards Drogheda.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A87642)
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