Page:Trenchard Tracts 074-124.djvu/27

 it, all the Courtiers uhered in their Speeches with this Declaration, that they would have been the firt for dibanding them when the War was over; and this Declaration has been made as often as an Army has been debated ince during the War, and I uppoe punctually oberv'd lat Seions. At lat the Thing was conented to, and the King iu'd forth Commiions for the raiing of Hore, Foot, and Dragoons. In this Army very few Gentlemen of Etates in Ireland could get Employments, though they were in a mierable Condition here, and made their utmot Application for them; it being a common Objection by ome Colonels, that a Man had an Etate there, which in all likelihood would have made him more vigorous in reducing the Kingdom. It was long after this Army was rais'd, before they could be ready to be tranported; and even then it was commonly aid, that Shomberg found many Things out of Order; and when they were at lat tranported, which was about the middle of Augut, they were not in a Condition to fight the Enemy, though lately baffled before Londonderry, epecially their Carriages not coming to them till the 24th of September, when it was high time to go into Winter Quarters. By this means the Irih got Strength and Courage, and three fourths of our Army perih'd at the Camp at Dundalk.

But though our Army could do nothing, yet the Militia of the Country, almot without Arms or Cloaths, performed Miracles, witnes that memorable Siege of Londonderry, the Defeat of General Mackarty, who was intrench'd in a Bog with ten thouand regular Troops, and attack'd by fifteen hundred Innikilling Men, defeated, himelf made a Prioner, and three thouand of his Men kill'd; and a great many other galant Actions they perform'd, for which they were dicu'd by Kirk with Scorn and Ignominy, and mot of their Officers left to tarve. Thus the War in Ireland was nurs'd up either through Chance, Inadvertency, or the Neceity of our Affairs (for I am willing to think it was Deign) till at lat it was grown o big, that nothing les than his Majety's great Genius, and the uual Succes that has always attended his Conduct, could have overcome it.