Excerpt from “The Life and History of James the 5^th Earl of Ormond”

 

On Tuesday August 20^th they sat down before Liscarroll, a castle of Sir Philip Percival’s , and strong both by art and by nature. On the south and west side of it lay plain and fruitful grounds, environed with a pleasant hill looking into the County of Cork, but on the north and east it was bounded with woods, bogs and barren ground. Sergeant Thomas Ryeman commanded in it, with 30 men and a competent quantity of victuals and ammunition. The enemy planted their canon on a little round rocky hill within a musket-shot of the castle and Ryeman surrendered it on Friday September 2^nd, in the afternoon, though he was promised relief the next morning.

 

Lord Inchiquin had with the Lords Barrimore, Dungarvan, Kilmeaky and Broghill come that day to Mallock and resolving to fight, marched that night to Ballybeg, leaving Sir C. Vavasour and the Lords to follow the next morning, when being joined, they advanced towards Liscarroll. The enemy had intended to march to Doneraile, but hearing of Sir C. Vavasour’s resolution to fight, they drew up near the castle of Liscarroll in the order wherein they were resolved to expect an attack. They divided their foot into three equal bodies, the right wing was posted on the top of a little rising ground, near a fortification they had made, which was well manned with store of shot: their left wing was placed near the castle, within a half musket-shot of another work: where in their artillery was planted as a guard to that wing: between these a little behind them stood their main body, consisting of pikes: their horse were all drawn up in one body, near their right wing on the brow of the hill. The advantage which they had in the ground troubled the old Inchiquin more than what had in their numbers. To draw them from it he advanced with a party of horse, against which they drew out a party of musketeers to line the hedges, and playing upon the English from thence, whilst with a body of horse, they advanced against that party, which retreating by order, they returned to their post, in their retreat, Lord Kynalmeaky was killed by a shot from the musketeers, who fired from the bushes and the ditches, but his horse was brought off by his younger brother, Francis Boyle, afterwards viscount Shannon, Lord Inchiquin, seeing the rebels were not to be drawn from their post, determined to attack them in it, and advanced towards them with all his army, the foot being divided into three bodies, and all his horse in one body, opposite to theirs. The enemy endeavoured to incommode him with their artillery, but it was planted too high, and did little mischief. His foot were weak with the hardships they long endured, and some of them fainted in their march, had been forced to be carried behind the troopers, so that his great dependence was on his horse. With these he began the attack, which the enemy received very bravely, and which he would like to have proved fatal to Lord Inchiquin. For the first, second, and ranks of his troop having fired, as directed, wheeled off to the rear, which the hindermost ranks mistaking for a retreat, began to fall off, and a great confusion followed.

 

His lordship was by this accident left engaged among the enemy, of whom he killed Captain Oliver Stephenson, but had followed his fate, being hurt in the head and hand, if he had not being seasonably relieved by Captain Jephson. The enemy’s right wing of foot, seeing their advantage, advanced against the foot that were led by Lieutenant Colonel Mynns, but were gallantly received and driven back. The horse in the meantime being by Captain Bridges and other officers reduced into order, (which was favoured by party of 300 musketeers under Captain Cooper, which galled the enemies horse, and hindered their advance) a second attack was made upon the whole body of their horse. The enemy stood firm for a good while, but at last fell back and began to fly; upon which all their right wing of foot took to their heels. Sir Charles Vavasour with 600 foot attacked the left wing of the rebels and a sharp action ensued, till they seeing their artillery of no service, and their left wing routed, quitted the fort, and retired to a neighbouring bog, wherein their example was immediately followed by the third division in their foot, which had hitherto remained out of gun-shot, and now fled for safety to the same bog, which was half a mile distant from the place of battle. Lord Inchiquin having pursued the enemy’s horse till they were all dispersed , was now on the farthest part of the bog, where the rebels lay, and were , by the foot marching it in good order, encompassed on all sides, without any apparent means of escape. But his Lordship returning, and not knowing that the rebels right wing was fled, unfortunately mistook his own men for enemies and caused a retreat to be made for almost a mile before the error was discovered, in which time they had fled to Sir W. Power’s bog near Killbolan where it was impossible to follow them, otherwise very few of their number would have escaped. Lord Inchiquin had only twelve men killed in this action and about twenty wounded, most of them horse but of the Irish about 700 were slain. There were taken three pieces of artillery, thirteen colours, 300 muskets, and three barrels of powder, but as no quarter was given but to Colonel Richard Butler, son to the Lord Ikerrin, (who was the last man of the Irish army that retired) and two or three other officers, very few prisoners were made. This defeat threw the Irish into a terrible consternation, but the Lord Inchiquin, through the want of pay and victuals for his soldiers, was not able to pursue his victory and finding no sustenance in a wasted country, was forced the next day to march back to Mallow and disperse his army into garrisons.