Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Diary of Bonnivert, 1690 (Author: Gédéon Bonnivert)

entry 8

Saturday, the 28th, we were taken fifteen men out of each squadron to go with a detachment of 1,200 to Ardagh,28 where we heard the late King's army was; the rest of our army stayed behind till the Sunday following. Just as we came within sight of the town, we saw the dust rise like a cloud upon the highway beyond it. It was the enemy's arrière garde scouring away with all speed. Some dragoons were detached to follow them, who brought back two or three prisoners and many heads of cattle. We encamped this side of the town the Saturday, and the Sunday after our army coming to us we marched on the other side of the river, where we encamped by a corn-field by a small ruined village. The town of Ardagh is seated in a very pleasant soil, and has

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been a fine and strong borough, as one may see by the great towers still extant. King James made there very strong works, as if he would have made it a place to withstand our army; and indeed it is a strong-seated town, being in a plain having a river of one side, and boggy of the other. Monday, the last of June, we marched towards Drogheda, where the enemy were, and we came within sight of the town at nine in the morning. There we drew up our horse in three lines, and came in order of battle upon the brow of a long hill. There we saw the enemy, and were so near them we could hear one another speak, there being nothing but the river between us. As we were drawn up we had order to dismount, and every man stand by his horse's head. We had not been there long; but some of the King's Regiment of Dragoons were detached, and sent to line the river side. So they began to shoot at the enemy, and those of King James's army at 'em. They had not been long at that sport when the king, passing by the first troop of Guards, the enemy fired two small guns at him. One of the bullets greased the king's coat;29 then they played on till three of the clock upon us, and shot often men and horses. One Mr. William, of the Third Troop of Guard, had his arm shot. Some of the Dutch troop were killed and wounded. Indeed 'twas a madness to expose so many good men to the slaughter without need, for we had no artillery yet come to answer theirs, ours not commencing till three in the afternoon. We did retire confusedly behind the hill at the sight of the enemy, when it might have been better managed. King James made that day a review of his army. We had a great mind to force a passage through the river to go to them, but we left it till next morning. At three in the afternoon our artillery came up, an begun to play upon theirs stoutly. Then the enemy showed they had many other batteries besides the first. They played upon one another till night; then we retired about a mile sideways.