Transcriber's Notes:
—Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
—Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
—Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.
THE BATTLE-FIELDS OF IRELAND,
From 1688 TO 1691:
INCLUDING
LIMERICK AND ATHLONE,
AUGHRIM
AND
THE BOYNE.
BEING AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE JACOBITE WAR IN IRELAND,
AND THE CAUSESWHICH LED TO IT.
"And as they tread the ruined Isle,
Where rest, at length, the lord and slave,
They'll wondering ask, how hands so vile
Could conquer hearts so brave?"
Moore
NEW YORK:
ROBERT CODDINGTON, PUBLISHER,
366 BOWERY.
1867.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867,
By ROBERT CODDINGTON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States forthe Southern
District of New York.
Most of the following chapters were written some time since, at therequest of the publisher, whose intention it was to present the readersof Irish history with a portable volume, which, while removing thenecessity of wading through many tomes, would give an authentic accountof the two leading events of a very important period,—the battles ofthe Boyne and Aughrim.
Having undertaken the task, and performed it to the extent of hisinformation, it appeared to the writer that, without some allusion toantecedent causes and intermediate events, the book, though it shouldbe acceptable to some, would be quite unsatisfactory to others; and itwas concluded to make such interpolation as, without overburdening,would render the offering more clear and comprehensive.
After collecting much matter bearing on the subject, and finding itimpossible to compress it methodically within the limits assigned, suchselections were made, from historians of every shade of opinion, aswould suffice, without distorting the parts already arranged, to give aconsecutive view of the Jacobite war in Ireland, from its inception toits close.
As it was almost exclusively a war for religious ascendency on theone side, and for complete civil and religious liberty on the other,continually presenting a politico-religious aspect, it was chosento leave the ethological bearing to other mediums, and confine thisprincipally to the leading military events of the time. Hence, noallusion whatever is made to the interior merits of either faithdependent on the issue; nor to its exterior action, only so far as topreserve the order of an unbroken narrative.
Having followed the war down to the battle of Aughrim, inclusive, andreached the limit prescribed, the writer stops short of the finalevent—the last siege of Limerick; and he does so as well from motiveas necessity, for he thinks that event could be more appropriatelyconnected with a history of "The Brigade." But whether the subject isever resumed by him or not, will greatly depend on the reception ofthis little volume, which is now submitted to the public.
THE AUTHOR.