The Battle of the Boyne History and Celebration: Diary Discovered Sheds new light on the unfolding history of the battle

Friday, June 18, 2010

Diary Discovered Sheds new light on the unfolding history of the battle

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/Catholic-Irish-soldiers-too-drunk-to-fight-at-Battle-of-the-Boyne--95845889.html
Were the Irish forces Too Drunk to fight click here

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The Boyne Water

by Lieutenant Colonel William Blacker
July the First in Ouldbridge Town there was a grievous battle
Where many a man lay on the ground by cannons that did rattle;
King James he pitched his tents between the lines for to retire,
But King William threw his bombballs in and set them all on fire.
There at they vowed revenge upon King William s forces
And oft did vehemently cry that they would stop their courses;
A bullet from the Irish cam an grazed King William s arm,
They thought His Majesty was slain, yet it did him little harm.
Duke Schomberg then, in friendly care, his King would often caution
To shun the spot where bullets hot retained their rapid motion;
But William said, He don t deserve the name of Faith s Defender,
Who would not venture life and limb to make a foe surrender.
When we the Boyne began to cross,the enemy descended,
But few of our brave men were lost, so stoutly we defended;
The Horse it was that first marched o er, the Foot soon followed after,
But brave Duke Schomberg was no more by venturing o er the water.
When valiant Schomberg he was slain, King William he accosted
His warlike men for to march on and he would be foremost;
Brave boys he cried be not dismayed for the loss of one commander,
For God shall be our kin this day and I ll be general under.
Then stoutly we the Boyne did cross to give the enemies battle;
Our cannon to our foes great cost, like thundering claps did rattle;
In majestic mien our Prince rode o er his men soon followed after,
With blow and shout put our foe to the rout, the day we crossed the water.
The Protestants of Drogheda have reason to be thankful
That they were not to bondage brought, they being but a handful;
First to the Those they were brought and tried at Millmount after,
But brave King William set them free by venturing o er the water.
The cunning French near to Duleek had taken up their quarters,
And found themselves on every side still waiting for new orders;
But in the dead time of the night they set the fields on fire
And long before the morning s light to Dublin did retire.
Then said King William to his men after the French departed
I m glad, said he that non of ye seem to be faint-hearted;
So sheath your swords and rest awhile , in time we ll follow after
These words he uttered with a smile the day he crossed the water.
Come let us all with heart and voice applaud our lives defender
Who at the Boyne his valor showed and mad his for surrender
To God above, the praise we ll give now and ever after,
And bless the glorious memory of King William that crossed the water.
pp.171-2Faolain,Turlough,Blood on the Harp,Whitston,Troy,1983.

Version 2

Sir Charles Gavan Duffy

July the First, of a morning clear one thousand six hundred and ninety,
King William did his men prepare-of thousands he had thirty-
To fight King James and all his foes, encamped near the Boyne Water
He little feared,though two to one their multitudes to scatter
King William called his officers saying: Gentlemen, mind your station,
And let your valor her be shown before this Irish nation;
My brazen walls let no man break, and your subtle foes you ll scatter
Be sure you show them good English play as you go over the water.
Both foot and horse they marched on ,intending them to batter
But the brave Duke Schomberg he was shot as he crossed over the water
When that King William did observe the brave Duke Schomberg falling,
He reined his horse with a heavy heart, on the Enniskilleners calling
What will you do for me , brave boy-see yonder men retreating?"
Our enemies encouraged are,and English drums are beating.
He says My boys, feel no dismay at the losing of one commander,
For Good shall be our king this day, and I ll be general under..
Within four yards of our forefront before a shot was fired
A sudden snuff they got that day which little they desired
For horse and man fell to the ground and some hung in their saddle
Others turned up their forked ends which we call coup de ladle
Prince Eugene s regiment was the next, on our right hand advantaged
Into a field of standing wheat where Irish horses pranced-
But the brandy run so in their heads, their senses all did scatter
They little thought to leave their bones that day at the Boyne water.
This ws the third assault they made
Thinking their foes to scatter
But here they got a dismal stroke
And their bones left at the water
The Irish they ran fast away
The French they soon did follow
And he that got the farthest away
Was aye the happiest fellow
They threw away both fife and drum
And firelocks from their shoulder
King William's men pushed very hard
to let them small their powder
But aye the faster that we shot
The faster they did scatter
And now the ford is all myde clear
And you may cross the water
Had Enniskillen men ot leave
When they their foes defeated
For to pursue the victory
In honor they had gained
Ten thoushand brougeineers and more
They ne'er had bred much cumber
Nor Jame's men mad head again
By the third part of their number
Now, praise God all true Protestants and heaven s and earth s Creator
> For the deliverance that He sent our enemies to scatter...
The Churches foes will pine away, like churlish hearted Nabal
For our deliverer came this day like the great Zerubbobel
So praise God all true Protestants, and I will say no further
But had the Papists gained the day, there would have been open murder.
Although King James and many more were ne erthat way inclined
It was not in their power to stop what the rabble they designed.

from - Street songs and Ballads ,Irish Literature.,pp.3271-2,Justin McCarthy Editor, John Hand, author.