July 22. 1642. A brief relation of the late passages that happened at His Majesties fort of Duncannon, in the county of Wexford in Leinster, since the 8 of June, 1642.: With the taking and burning the town and castle called Dunmore, being a place of shelter for the rebels, with divers other matters of note. Written by Captain Thomas Aston, imployed in that service under command of the Lord Esmond; and by him sent to a gentleman of good credit in London.

A continuance of the Passages that happened unto us at His Majesties Fort of Duncannon sithence the 8. of June, 1642.

June 13.

MUnday, hearing divers Guns to be shot off to∣wards Tintern, and fearing that the enemie had besieged them there, I obtained leave of the Lord Es∣mond to march forth with some Musquetiers and Pikes, and 6 horsmen, to learn what News; and ha∣ving marched so far as a place called Kilbreed, about the midway to Tintern, I made a stand, and comman∣ded the horsmen to scout abroad, who riding by the the Castle of Dungulp, about a mile from Kilbreed, they discovered some 30 horses of the enemy, feeding neer the Castle, which our horsmen brought away, they being most of them labouring horses, and not a∣bove one or two fit for service: Our horsmen being

come up unto me, and finding the shooting to cease, I marched back again unto the Fort, not being assault∣ed by the enemie that day.

June 16.

Thursday morning at break of day having obtain∣ed leave of his Lordship to go to Tintern, to see in what case they remained there, I marched forth with my whole company, and six horsmen, and came unto Tintern in safety, not being molested by the enemie, where I remained by the space of 2 or 3 hours, and demanded the reason of the shooting, which had pas∣sed the Munday before; they told me, that 10 of their men had sallyed forth unto Dungulp, & from thence taken 20 Cows, and brought them away in despight of the enemy, who pursued them almost within a Mus∣quet shot of the Castle of Tintern. Then I returned with my Drums beating a march towards the Fort, but when I came to Kilbreed, there I found a party of fifty Musquetiers and Pikes, which his Lordship had sent to second me, as occasion had served, where I made a stand, and by and by we discovered the enemy, being about 200 of them, distant from us on our right wing, about a mile, I commanded our horse to ad∣vance towards them, to see if they would come on, but they kept their standing, and onely came to shew themselves and no more; then I marched back again unto the Fort, not having any resistance given me by the enemy that day.

June 19.

Sunday night a Consultation being had between the Lord Esmond, Captain Weldon, and my self, con∣cerning a surprisall, and an assault to be made in the

night time upon the enemie, whereas they lay quar∣tered in a Town called Shelbeggan, and another small Town called Burkestown, neer thereunto ad∣joyning, being about 4 miles distant from the Fort, and to fire the same, his Lordship then conceived it to be most fit, that I should give the first onset, and give the Alarum: and therefore his Lordship under his Honours hand, ordered me the Sunday night be∣fore mentioned, to march with 60 Musquetiers and Pikes unto Tintern, there to procure what horse and men I could get (leaving a competent Guard to de∣fend the Castle) as also some good guides to conduct me the best way to shun the enemies Sentinell, and bring me unto that part of the Town which was ap∣pointed me to fall upon, between Shilbeggan and Burkestown, according to his Lordships order, Cap∣tain Weldon being likewise ordered by his Lordship under his Honours hand, to meet me in another place of the Town, with some 120 Musquetiers and Pikes, and six horsmen, and likewise immediatly so soon as I had given the Alarum, and fired one house, to fall on into the Town to second me.

In pursuance of his Lordships order, I marched to Tintern with my men that night, and there got a friend of mine, by name Edward Aston, who was Com∣mander of the Souldiers that defended the Castle, to furnish me with 8 horses & 24 Musquetiers, amongst whom were some good guides, and to march along with me himself (leaving behinde him at Tintern a reasonable guard) not having stayed above half an hour. In our marching towards Shilbeggan, by the help of our guides, we came so fortunately (albeit

the enemy had placed many Sentinels) as that wee came to the place appointed, where making a stand, wee heard one of our enemies Sentinels singing, whom wee had cut off, but that one of our horses neighing, upon a sudden the Sentinell ran into the Town, crying out, Arm, arm: The Town was pre∣sently in arms, although confusedly, then immediatly I commanded our horsmen to advance forwards in the Van towards the Town, to see if they could dis∣cry the enemies horse, which were first to bee inter∣cepted, my self and company drawing up also unto the Town, our horsmen having found the enemies horse feeding just under the Town, drove them away, then I gave the onset upon the Town, and fired one house, the first man that was slain, was the Captain of the Watch, one of their Commanders, whose name we do not as yet know, and eleven more, which we could discern, it being scarce break of day, but 'tis conceived there were divers more slain and burn∣ed, and having given the Alarum, and fired the house as aforesaid; Thinking Captain Weldon would have fallen on, and joyned with me according to his Lord∣ships order, I proceeded in firing of the houses, and firing upon the enemie, who shot at us very roundly on our Van; and Captain Weldons men on our Rear from off a hill neer adjoyning to the Town, that wee were forced to retreat, conceiving the enemy had been round about us, having fired onely 10 or 12 houses. And when as we had retreated out of the Town, and and gotten out of the smoke thereof, the day be∣ing broken, I discerned a body of men standing up∣on the top of an hill close by the Towne,

whom afterwards I found to be Captaine Weldon and his Company, I marched up unto him, and there made a stand also; the enemy then encreasing a pace round a∣bout, we sent forth divers muskiteers to hold them play, untill such time as I had got my Ensigne off, who stayed behind to make good the place between both Towns with 20 muskiteers, which I had formerly commanded him to doe; I sent twenty muskiteers more and six hors-men to fetch him off, he came up unto me, and brought all our men safe with him, not one of our men being so much as once touched with any shot that came from the Rebels.

So having gotten all our men into a full body, we resolved to retreat, marching toward the Fort, Cap∣taine VVeldon leading the Van, my sonne in the body, and my selfe in the Reare. The enemy beholding our retreat, came against us in the Reare, and gave fire up∣on us very thicke, but we maintained our retreat and made good our Reare so well, that the enemy notwith∣standing their many numbers, and the great advantages which they tooke against us frō ditches, could not gain any ground or advantage at all upon us. The enemy still followed us retreating by the space of 3 miles, gi∣ving fire upon us in the reare, & now and then on either wing, as they found occasion and advantage by ditches; but we stil kept thē off, giving fire upon them so round∣ly, that they did not so well relish our powder & shot as to dare to approach within the command of our Arms, it being their chiefest drift and intent (presuming upon their overplus of numbers) to come in upon us pel mel; This skirmish continued untill we came within a mile of the Fort, where in a bottom the Lord Esmond having heard the report of our Guns, sent his Lieutenant with

some forty muskiteeres to have seconded us, as also to make good that place, where were divers ditches cast up; which if the enemy should have gotten, might have proved very dangerous to our men in our retreat; but his Lordship well knowing the drift of the enemy and the danger of the place, prevented the same in time, for about 20 of the rebels were making all the speed they could thither thinking to have come between us and the Fort, but his Lordships Lieutenant man'd the dit∣ches, and maintained them against the Enemy, untill such time as our men had passed over a brook of water, and recovered the top of the hill within command of the Fort, then the enemy retreated, and we drew off our men, and marched into the Fort, having lost but one man all that day, and two or three more that were wounded but nothing dangerous.

The numbers of the enemy that came against us that day were conceived to be about six hundred, which would have farre increased the whole Countrey being raised, and would have fallen upon us, have we not retreated and come off so soon as we did; the cer∣tain number that we this day killed or hurt on the ene∣mies side, we cannot tell, by reason that so soon as a man fals, (they having men enough) he is presently con∣veyed away, so as we can nere come to know any num∣ber of them to be slaine.

This day also we took eight of the enemies best and choycest horses most fit for service at my first onset upon the Town, the residue being but plow-horses I rather chose to leave behind, then to hazzard any of my men in the dangerous attempt of driving them away.

Iune 20.

Tuesday morning my Sonne, and his men being the

day before compelled to retreate with me to the Fort, I obteined leave of my Lord to conduct them unto Tintein, which I did with my Company; And by the way we found where the Enemy had layen in an Am∣buscadoe, to have cut them off, imagining they would have come that way the night before; As we were returning back againe to the Fort, we discried a compa∣ny of the Rebells on our left Wing neere unto Dungolph they made a stand and onely shewed themselves, bu•• would not advance towards us, So we marched back unto the Fort, not being intercepted by the Enemy that day.

Iune 27.

Munday in the evening there being two ships which were imployed in his Majestes service, riding at Anchor under the Fort, the one the good ship called the Confi∣dence of Dublin, Captaine Thomas Bartlet being Com∣mander thereof; the other the Mary of Bristoll, Captain VVilliam Chappell being Commander thereof: his Lord∣ship, Captain VVeldon, and my selfe, together with the said Captains, upon due consideration had of a Town and Castle called Doumore lying in a bay without the harbours mouth towards the Sea, farre from the sight and command of the Fort, as also a place wherein the Rebels belonging to VVaterford kept divers fishing-boats and used to randevouze and shelter themselves, waiting and expecting the comming of any ships bound for this harbour with supplies of Ammunition from foraigne parts for them, and to give them notice of their expectancy and attendance there, being a place where (unlesse it proved to be tempestuous weather) shipping might safely Anchor and discharge their la∣ding unknown to the Fort, resolved that sixty muski∣teeres, twenty to be chosen out of each Company with∣in

the Fort, should goe aboard the said ships that night, Captaine VVeldon being their Commander in chiefe, and that the ships should fall downe before the said Town by break of day, and then land the men and fire the same, which accordingly they landed, fired the Town, and tooke three of their fishing boats with their tack∣ling, and came aboard againe without being interrup∣ted by the enemy, who about 300. of them onely ap∣peared a farre off, but fearing the Ordnance of the ships durst not draw neere.

Iune 30.

Thursday morning, having obtained leave of his Lordship to relieve the men at Tintein with some corne which we got out of a Ship that was at the Fort, they being in great distresse (Captaine Weldon being ap∣pointed by his Lordship to second mee with his Com∣pany at Kilbreede) we came to Tintein within shot ther∣of, but before I came thither I must bee enforced (by reason of the many bogs, which are unpassible) to march through Battlestowne, wherein was a Castle which we formerly had burned, which Castle if the enemy had gotten and manned the same, might have proved very dangerous to us in our retreate, the enemy being very thick round about us, wherefore I commanded twelve musketteers, Captaine VVeldon being appointed to send so many more to strengthen them, which was done accordingly, to make good the same untill my returne; Before I had marched within musket shot of Tintein as aforesad, and the Corne was delivered, the enemy was gathered together round about us in seve∣r••ll places, some of them about 200, made towards Battlestowne thinking to have gotten that, but whenas my men shot at them, they retreated and kept a loofe

off them, about 200 more came from Dungolph, and manned the ditches that lay betweene Dungolph, and Batlestowne, whereas wee must of necessity be forced to march along by them, whenas I came to Battlestowne I commanded of my men from off the Castle, resolving to make our passadge through them that lay before us, for the enemy had gotten the advantage both of our Van, and Reare, and shot at us very thicke, being in this dangerous case I led up the Van of my Compa∣ny, mine Ensigne bringing up the Reare, my men gave fire upon the enemy so roundly both in the Van, & R••are, that we forced them to keepe off at distance, so as they could not gaine any advantage upon us, and manteined the same so well, that I had gotten my men over a narrow passage of water, in a bogge which lay betweene us and Captaine VVeldon: which we God be praised having recovered in safety, onely I lost one of my men and an other was hurt upon the first on∣set: But 'tis conceived the enemy lost more on their side, for there was heard a great cry among them. Then marching up to Kilbreede to Captaine Weldon there also was an other Company of the Rebells within halfe a mile thereof, that intended to have got that place, which Captaine VVeldon was compelled to make good, and therefore could not safely come to relieve, or second mee, which if it had fallen out otherwise I doe presume hee would have done, Then wee mar∣ched unto the Fort, the enemy not pursuing us any further.

Where wee had not remained above the space of two howers, but that the enemy just a our men were at dinner gave us a suddaine Allarum, sending their Horses skouting abroad, who tooke two of our Horses,

as they were feeding, without command of the Fort, and drove them away unt•• a place called Ramsegrange, about a mile and a halfe from the Fort, where when∣as our men were gotten in Armes, and some of them had sallyed forth, they were discovered about 300 of them: Captaine VVeldon and I sallyed presently forth with 200 Musketteeres, and Pikes, towards them, offering to meete with them in a plaine plot of ground, but they would not come on, intending solely to have drawne us so farre from the Fort, that there Ambuscadoes might have cut us off, But wee well knowing their accustomed treachery, made a stand, and mainteined all such places of advantage that we could, for prevention of any suddaine attempt that might bee given against the Fort, which the enemy perceiving, immediatly they appeared in severall bodies, whereas they lay formerly concealed, amount∣ing in the whole number as neere as wee could guesse to a thousand Foote, and an hundred Horse, then we retreated, onely a few Shot were bandied between us and came into the Fort, All which companies of the enemies had (as wee conjecture) intelligenee of my going to relieve Tyntein, and were fully bent to have cut me off, and my company, had it not pleased God to protect us, it hastning our returne from thence, and likewise to protract most of them, who came under the command of the Lord Mungarralds. Sonne, to have joyned with the rest of the Rebells (which I met with∣all in the morning) so long that their intended pro∣ditious designe was altogether made frustrate and prevented.

FINIS.