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ACCOUNT FROM Colonel KIRK, Of the Relieving of LONDON-DERRY, Brought by Mr. BEALE the Messenger, in an Express to the COURT: Together with an Account of a Great Fight between the Duke of Berwicks's Forces and the Protestants, with all the Particulars.
Licensed and Entered according to Order.
MR. Beal the Messenger being sent Express by the way of Scotland, to Ma∣jor-General Kirk, returned yesterday morning about eight of the Clock, having left Major-General Kirk on Tuesday last, being the thirtieth Day of July, in the Island of Inch in Lough Swille: He brings Advice, That Major-General Kirk, with the Ships and men under his Command, having continued a considerable time in Lough Foyl, and seing that it was impossible to Relieve the Town by that way, till such time as he should be Re-inforced with Forces from England, he thought it necessary and Requisite to Sail to Lough Swille, to joyn Colonel Stuart, who is Posted in the Isle of Inch: And accordingly he did set Sail, in order to perform that Voyage; upon which the Irish drew all their Forces from Lough Foyl, in order to oppose their Designs: And withal, to prevent the People of Inniskilling and Ballyshannon, &c. from joining them, leaving only an inconsiderable Party, with two Pieces of Cannon, to Guard the Bomb, having carried the rest of the Guns with them. Upon notice of their so do∣ing, Major-General Kirk sailed back to Lough Foyl, where he soon put the Irish to flight, & broke the Bomb with little or no opposition, having lost but one Man in the Action. Then he Sailed to London-Derry, where he was joyfully receiv∣ed by the Inhabitants, who began to want Provisions, being reduced to that scarcity, that they were obliged for some days together to eat Horse-flesh, and were allowed but one Bisket a piece every day. The Inhabitants of the Town sent on Board the Fleet to acquaint Major General Kirk, that they wanted no Men in the Town, nor Ammunition, but Provision; and in regard they had been so long Commanded by the Reverend Colonel Walker, and had been so successful by the Blessing of God in their several Sallies, they humbly desired him not to Land his Men there, but to Sail and joyn Colonel Stuart; telling him withal it might occasion Grumbling in the Town, if so be the Inhabitants should be commanded by strange Officers. They likewise desired to land what Provisions he had for them, which he accordingly did; and afterwards accor∣ding to their desire, Sailed to the Isle of Inch, where he is now Arrived, and has a Body of Six thousand brave Men, and hath a free Correspondence with the People of Inniskilling and Ballyshannon, who have lately marched out of that Island, and fought the Duke of Berwick in the Field, with that resolution and bravery, standing the Brunt of the Battel, till all the Shot on both sides were spent, and then they went to work with the But-end of their Musquets. At length they beat the Enemy out of the Field, killing some hundreds upon the Spot, and taking several Prisoners, with Two Hundred Scarlet Cloaks, the Duke of Berwick himself narrowly escaping. 'Tis generally believed, that they have joyned those of the Isle of Inch ere this; if Major General Kirk had but Arms, they would be able to make a Body of Thirty Thousand Men, which would, in all probability, soon destroy the Irish Army, they being so often al∣ready defeated, and the Protestants flusht with Victory.