登陆注册
5246300000761

第761章 CHAPTER XVI(21)

An O'Donnel was to gain a great battle over the English near Limerick; and at Limerick the O'Donnel and the English were now brought face to face.752While these predictions were eagerly repeated by the defenders of the city, evil presages, grounded not on barbarous oracles, but on grave military reasons, began to disturb William and his most experienced officers. The blow struck by Sarsfield had told;the artillery had been long in doing its work; that work was even now very imperfectly done; the stock of powder had begun to run low; the autumnal rain had begun to fall. The soldiers in the trenches were up to their knees in mire. No precaution was neglected; but, though drains were dug to carry off the water, and though pewter basins of usquebaugh and brandy blazed all night in the tents, cases of fever had already occurred, and it might well be apprehended that, if the army remained but a few days longer on that swampy soil, there would be a pestilence more terrible than that which had raged twelve months before under the walls of Dundalk.753 A council of war was held. It was determined to make one great effort, and, if that effort failed, to raise the seige.

On the twenty-seventh of August, at three in the afternoon, the signal was given. Five hundred grenadiers rushed from the English trenches to the counterscarp, fired their pieces, and threw their grenades. The Irish fled into the town, and were followed by the assailants, who, in the excitement of victory, did not wait for orders. Then began a terrible street fight. The Irish, as soon as they had recovered from their surprise, stood resolutely to their arms; and the English grenadiers, overwhelmed by numbers, were, with great loss, driven back to the counterscarp. There the struggle was long and desperate. When indeed was the Roman Catholic Celt to fight if he did not fight on that day? The very women of Limerick mingled, in the combat, stood firmly under the hottest fire, and flung stones and broken bottles at the enemy.

In the moment when the conflict was fiercest a mine exploded, and hurled a fine German battalion into the air. During four hours the carnage and uproar continued. The thick cloud which rose from the breach streamed out on the wind for many miles, and disappeared behind the hills of Clare. Late in the evening the besiegers retired slowly and sullenly to their camp. Their hope was that a second attack would be made on the morrow; and the soldiers vowed to have the town or die. But the powder was now almost exhausted; the rain fell in torrents; the gloomy masses of cloud which came up from the south west threatened a havoc more terrible than that of the sword; and there was reason to fear that the roads, which were already deep in mud, would soon be in such a state that no wheeled carriage could be dragged through them. The King determined to raise the siege, and to move his troops to a healthier region. He had in truth staid long enough;for it was with great difficulty that his guns and waggons were tugged away by long teams of oxen.754The history of the first siege of Limerick bears, in some respects, a remarkable analogy to the history of the siege of Londonderry. The southern city was, like the northern city, the last asylum of a Church and of a nation. Both places were crowded by fugitives from all parts of Ireland. Both places appeared to men who had made a regular study of the art of war incapable of resisting an enemy. Both were, in the moment of extreme danger, abandoned by those commanders who should have defended them.

Lauzun and Tyrconnel deserted Limerick as Cunningham and Lundy had deserted Londonderry. In both cases, religious and patriotic enthusiasm struggled unassisted against great odds; and, in both cases, religious and patriotic enthusiasm did what veteran warriors had pronounced it absurd to attempt.

It was with no pleasurable emotions that Lauzun and Tyrconnel learned at Galway the fortunate issue of the conflict in which they had refused to take a part. They were weary of Ireland; they were apprehensive that their conduct might be unfavourably represented in France; they therefore determined to be beforehand with their accusers, and took ship together for the Continent.

Tyrconnel, before he departed, delegated his civil authority to one council, and his military authority to another. The young Duke of Berwick was declared Commander in Chief; but this dignity was merely nominal. Sarsfield, undoubtedly the first of Irish soldiers, was placed last in the list of the councillors to whom the conduct of the war was entrusted; and some believed that he would not have been in the list at all, had not the Viceroy feared that the omission of so popular a name might produce a mutiny.

William meanwhile had reached Waterford, and had sailed thence for England. Before he embarked, he entrusted the government of Ireland to three Lords Justices. Henry Sydney, now Viscount Sydney, stood first in the commission; and with him were joined Coningsby and Sir Charles Porter. Porter had formerly held the Great Seal of the kingdom, had, merely because he was a Protestant, been deprived of it by James, and had now received it again from the hand of William.

同类推荐
  • 脉象口诀歌

    脉象口诀歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小儿痢门

    小儿痢门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 近体乐府

    近体乐府

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法玺印禅师语录

    法玺印禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 送张亶赴朔方应制

    送张亶赴朔方应制

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 毒步天下

    毒步天下

    她是一名亡命之徒,更是一名惟利是图的雇佣兵。一朝穿越,魂穿异世。她是苍域国的右相千金,亦是未来太子妃。不料,却遭到歹人暗算,被人烙下低贱的‘奴’字印记。醒来之后,她不再是她。为取自保,她韬光养晦,养精蓄锐。不仅制造兵器,怂恿奴隶,更是挑起战事,令烽火四起。当她身上’奴’印被人揭开,沦为低贱奴隶。接踵而来的是太子退婚,爹娘断决关系,受到众人唾气。怎么——她看起来像就是这么好欺负的人吗?他们该不会以为——身上烙有‘奴’印,就一定会是低贱的奴隶?身上烙有‘奴’印,就能与她撇清关系?身上烙有‘奴’印,就可以任由他们嘲她讽她、辱她轻她?可知在群雄逐鹿、奴隶乱世,她凭着一双纤纤素手就能翻手为云,覆手为雨,金戈铁马、倾覆天下!那时...可还记得曾被他们鄙弃过的怯弱相府小姐?↓↓保证内容比简介更精彩,喜欢的请点下面的(加入书架)↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
  • Sense and sensibility(理智与情感)(英文版)

    Sense and sensibility(理智与情感)(英文版)

    小说的情节围绕着两位女主人公的择偶活动展开,着力揭示出当时英国社会潮流中,以婚配作为女子寻求经济保障、提高社会地位的恶习,重门第而不顾女子感情和做人权利的丑陋时尚。小说中的女主角均追求与男子思想感情的平等交流与沟通,要求社会地位上的平等权利,坚持独立观察、分析和选择男子的自由。在当时的英国,这几乎无异于反抗的呐喊。
  • 离家出走的日子

    离家出走的日子

    提着笨重的行李包不知所措的望着这座陌生的城市,他乡并没有小顺想象中那样美好,也许是在这样糟糕的心情下和处境中看来是这样的,夜幕中的城市霓虹灯点缀,车水马龙,人流不息,更让小顺倒吸了一口冷气,眼神中流露出了恐惧、迷茫而无助。。。本作品为新手处女作,是结合本人亲身经历写下来的,不当之处,希望各位朋友们给予指导,写这部小说并非有其他幻想,只是想保留着自己的回忆,同时也是希望能引起有着和我同样遭遇的人的共鸣,也给有离家出走想法的朋友一个鲜活的现实版出走的警示。落鸟的悲剧读作群:100677001 在此特向盆友们推荐落鸟的新书《界统之天界恐慌》,,望大家给予支持,落鸟感激不尽。
  • 征途之九界至尊

    征途之九界至尊

    他,资质不佳,但勤奋无比;他,家族中唯一拥有根骨,能修炼神功之人;他,五次试炼尽皆通过,得宝物无数;他,兄弟众多,个个肝胆相照;他,率领百万修士,征服九界山;他,脚踏蛟龙撵,率领亿万五行堂修士冲出黑暗之地;他,在众多修真星球,举步维艰;他,神功初成,一统恒沙一般修真星球;他,率领众多高手,费劲千辛万苦进入仙界;他,神功大成,率领数之不尽的门徒高手争夺仙界之权;他,一统九大仙界,成就无上霸业,成就九界至尊;他,孤单一身,最终破空而去。
  • 环境与人类健康(青少年身边的环保丛书)

    环境与人类健康(青少年身边的环保丛书)

    《环境与人类健康》由谢芾主编,是一本自然科学类读物。环境问题的实质是社会、经济、环境之间的协调发展问题以及资源的合理开发利用问题。本书包括了人类生活、自然和生态等各种关系的方方面面,从而让青少年了解环境保护对我们的重要性,以环境保护为己任。在《环境与人类健康》里,既有令人感动的环保故事,又有深刻实用的环保知识,它会使我们每一个人都能成为一名守护地球家园的忠诚卫士。
  • 重生之女翻译官

    重生之女翻译官

    【简短版】外交部发言人秦卿,亿万富豪孙景炀,驻英大使余青童,三个男人异口同声:“晓云,你必须在我们中选一个!”她穆晓云只想靠本事吃饭,靠双手赚钱,靠头脑发财,为什么却引来一堆高干富豪追逐?她最烦的就是男人了!“选了一个呢?”“剩下两个就终身不娶!”【详细版】前一世,穆晓云是个为爱轻生的傻女人,再次醒来,却已经回到十年前……这一世,穆晓云决定斩断情丝,此生此世不再相信任何一个男人!现在的她只愿意实现自己前世未竟的梦想——成为一名出色的翻译官。然而命运之轮,却再一次把他,孙景炀,带到她的身边……她曾经为他怀过孕、流过产、捉过小三、赶过红颜、防过闺蜜、斗过婆婆……这种生活,她上辈子已经过够了!却没想到,曾经的花花大少,这一世却变成了深情专一的男人。只是他身边蜂蜂蝶蝶依旧环绕,而她,已经不想再上演那种无聊的婚姻保卫战!片段一2005年6月1日,南部,S大校园。“你不安好心。”小小年纪就当自己表妹的狗头军师,指点她怎么挽回男人。秦卿越看越觉得这个女孩子可怕。“我又没有害冯茹,你那么担心干嘛?”促狭的杏眼里,恶作剧的光芒一闪一闪地。冯茹在旁边弱弱拉穆晓云袖子:“晓云,从来没有人敢这样跟我表哥说话……”片段二2008年,5月18日,四川,北川。“穆晓云,你疯了,军人的铁则就是无条件服从命令——”秦卿漆黑的瞳仁充满怒火,盯着眼前满面血污,只剩下一双明丽美眸的佳人,“现在,我命令你,马上给我回学校去!”“长官,难道你不知道我在擅自上飞机之前,已经把退学信交到了教务处吗?现在你不能命令我了。”看着他脸色铁青,她冷冷一笑:“不是所有女人,都只敢在男人身后瑟瑟发抖的!”说罢,她毫不迟疑地跳上了他的抢险救援车,往灾区中心点飞驰而去。【新文推荐】江洋大盗重生到软弱的豪门大小姐身上,一睁眼就面对未婚夫悔婚,伪善的庶母庶妹假仁假义,父亲偏心母亲无能,她要如何扭转乾坤,活出不一样的过去?《重生之小姐你好毒》:
  • 引发学生奇思妙想的创新故事

    引发学生奇思妙想的创新故事

    本书精心挑选了100个寓意深刻、耐人寻味的创新故事,内容涉及古今中外的发明创造,以及生活中的新观念、新方法。每个故事皆充满智慧,体现创意,给人启迪;每个故事配有精彩独到的点评,挖掘故事深层的智慧,揭示创新的内涵和方法。
  • 就爱心欢

    就爱心欢

    十八岁生日,一夜之间,沈心欢从高高在上的豪门千金沦为人人避之不及的疯子。镇定剂、囚禁、捆绑接踵而至,她活在炼狱里,真正的凶手却在侵占她的家产。心中所有的爱转变为浓烈的恨,她已臭名昭著无所顾忌,砸他的婚礼、打他的新娘,他所爱的,便是她所恨的。她不惧牢狱之灾,却万万没想到等来的竟是他的逼婚!他是她的舅舅啊,他们怎么可以?当曾经彼此厌恶的人在相濡以沫中滋生爱情,当曾经死去的人再次出现在眼前,他们又该何去何从?
  • 佛说八吉祥经

    佛说八吉祥经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 荒都行

    荒都行

    在不远的未来,世界是否还是如现在一般?未知的危机,可怕的病毒,未知的冒险,手控神秘火焰的少年是否可以力挽狂澜?这一切都等着你去发现。