Oliver
Cromwell was born in Huntingdon on April 25th 1599. Since his
death as Lord Protector in 1658 his life, ambitions, motives and
actions have been the subject of scholarly investigation and
intense, often vitriolic, debate. Whatever position is taken on
Cromwell, "Chief of Men" or "Brave Bad Man", his importance as a
key figure in one of the most troubled periods of British
history is unassailable
Cromwell at Carlow - 1649
CROMWELL at Carlow!"
the accurate observer of the history of our country may exclaim.
" Surely here is a misnomer—for although at the period of the
Great Rebellion, the castle and town of Catherlough yielded to
the arms of the victorious Parliament—'Oliver the Protector'
does not appear to have been ever personally here." Well, our
critic is perhaps right. Ubiquity is one of the qualities which
have as yet to be added by hero-worshippers to the character of
Cromwell.
At the precise period of the siege of Carlow, it is
certain "His Highness" had returned from his Irish campaign, for
the dispatch of urgent and important business," to England; but
it is unlikely that his watchful eye never rested on that town
in his progress through its vicinity, or that he did not stop to
contemplate the reduction of so important a garrison as that of
Carlow on his marches to Ross and Innistiogue. Be this as it
may, the spirit and genius of Cromwell were ably represented
before the walls of Carlow by the ministers of his policy—Ireton
and Sir Hardress Waller—and so we have selected the alliterative
title, "Cromwell at Carlow," more to point attention to the
period than the person.
Before referring to
the scanty details which history and tradition have handed down
to us of the last actual siege of Carlow, it may not be
uninteresting or unnecessary to take a brief review of the
actual posture of affairs at the time.
The 30th of January,
1649, had been a remarkable era in England. The streets of
London had that day witnessed a scene which was regarded in the
most opposite lights by the two great parties of the time. The
civil war had terminated in the triumph of the Parliament over
the House of Stuart. The execution of Charles was looked upon by
the then dominant party as an act of necessary retributive
justice, while, by the adherents of monarchy, it was execrated
as the very acme of treason and impiety. The axe, according to
some, had descended upon the head of a tyrant; while others
viewed the fatal stroke as the climax of a glorious martyrdom.
And in these distinct
views does the transaction continue to be contemplated even in
our own day. Before this Society, however, where the defunct
politics of former ages, as well as the animated controversies
of the present day, are alike excluded, it would be impertinent
to pursue our reflections upon the theme; suffice it to say,
that the struggle which had convulsed England for some years had
ended in the abolition, for the time, of the monarchical form of
government, and the establishment of a commonwealth, or
republic—that, according to some, anarchy had begun—according to
others, freedom had dawned.
But although the
Parliament had thus effected the subjugation of England,
Ireland—then, as now, the greatest difficulty of English
statesmen—had not been reduced. Whilst the conflict raged in
England, this country had been, necessarily, comparatively
overlooked in the struggle which required all their energies at
home, so that Ireland, under the Marquis of Ormonde, still held
out for royalty. On the death of the first Charles, his son and
legitimate successor was proclaimed in Ireland as king, under
the title of Charles II. Dublin, however, and some other places,
were garrisoned by the friends of the Parliament. Ormonde, on
the other hand, was in the field, with an army of 16,000 men.
Monk, the parliamentary general, retired from Dundalk, which,
with Drogheda, Newry, and other places, espoused the royal
cause, and the affairs of the Viceroy assumed so prosperous an
aspect, that the young King himself entertained the notion of
appearing in Ireland.
In this posture the
Parliament of England began to turn their attention upon
Ireland, and this country afforded so favourable a field for
enterprise and glory, that the post of Deputy, or Lord
Lieutenant, inspired the ambition of more than one of the
leaders of the Commonwealth. Waller and Lambert had both been
candidates for this high commission, and each had many
supporters.
After the execution of
the King, the "foremost man of all," Oliver Cromwell, aspired to
the dignity. The unanimous choice of the Parliament fell upon
him, and he speedily set about the discharge of his duties in
his new appointment. He despatched before him into Ireland a
contingent of 4000 horse and foot under Reynolds and Venables,
to the assistance of Jones, who held Dublin for him. This
reinforcement enabled Jones, on the 2nd of August, 1649, to rout
the Marquis of Ormonde at Baggotsrath, near Dublin, with . a
loss of 1000 slain, and double that number prisoners. On the
15th of the same month Cromwell reached the harbour of Dublin,
where he landed a force of 8000 foot, half that number of horse,
with all the sinews of war, including a formidable train of
artillery, and a sum of twenty thousand pounds in money.
Cromwell was received
in the capital with shouts and rejoicing, but he sat not down in
viceregal ease. Tredah, or Drogheda, the nearest frontier town
on the north, where lay the principal strength of his
adversaries, first commanded his attention, and thither he
hastened, resolved to spread abroad the terror of his name by a
signal and bloody example. Ormonde, on his discomfiture at
Rathmines, anticipating an assault on Tredah, had poured into
the town a garrison of 2000 foot and 300 horse, well supplied
with arms, ammunition, and provisions, and had intrusted the
defence and government of the town to a gallant officer, Sir
Arthur Ashton.
Cromwell, with a force
of no less than 10,000 men, soon reached the gates of Tredah,
and surveyed the fortifications. His operations were immediate,
vigorous, and decisive. He summoned the governor to surrender,
and, hardly waiting for his refusal, thundered with his
artillery against the walls. Having made a sufficient breach,
the assault was given. Twice were his troops repulsed by the
valour of the besieged. In the third attempt, headed by the
Deputy himself, the place was taken, and Cromwell and Ireton,
sword in hand, were the first to enter the town. Promises of
quarter were given to all who would lay down their arms—"a
promise," as Leland says," only observed until all resistance
was at an end." No quarter was given, orders having been issued
to put the entire garrison to the sword.
"This execrable
policy," Leland tells us, "had the intended effect." Trim and
Dundalk were immediately possessed by Cromwell. Venables was
detached into Ulster. Carlingford was reduced ; Newry
surrendered; Lisburn fell; Belfast capitulated in four days
after his approach; Coleraine was betrayed; and the whole
country reduced, except the fort of Carrickfergus.
In October Cromwell
stood before Wexford. This place, too, Ormonde had supplied with
a garrison of nearly 2000 men; but all resistance was futile,
and the massacre of Tredah was re- enacted at Wexford. Ross next
surrendered upon articles, but the siege of Duncannon, after a
gallant defence by Wogan the officer in command, was abandoned
by Ireton. Distress now began to be felt by the invading army—an
epidemic spread amongst the troops, who perished in numbers,
while the severity of the weather and the scarcity of provisions
combined to dishearten the survivors.
In the spring,
however, Cromwell, having received reinforcements from England,
took the field again with renewed vigour, and his campaign was
attended with universal success. Having made himself master of
Kilkenny and Clonmel, the only places where he met with any show
of resistance, he resigned the care of the army to his
lieutenant-general, and embarked for England.
The history of
Cromwell's campaign in Ireland as yet remains to be written.
Dr. Wilde, of Dublin, whose pen has illustrated so much of the
topography of his native country, as of other lands, alludes to
this subject in his work on the "Boyne and Blackwater," and
refers to the ample materials which exist for the composition of
such a work in the numbers of unpublished letters, despatches,
orders, and state papers of the time. We hope the fertile genius
of Dr. Wilde may be induced to undertake the task.
Towards July the
invading army approached Carlow.
Source: Google.com
Next Page
Please report any links or images which do not open to
mjbrennan30@gmail.com
- The information contained in
these pages is provided solely for the purpose of sharing with others
researching their ancestors in Ireland.
- © 2001 Ireland Genealogy Projects,
IGP TM By
Pre-emptive Copyright -
All rights reserved
TOP OF PAGE
