Battle of Newtownbutler
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Newtownbutler took place near Enniskillen
in County Fermanagh
, Ireland
, in 1689 and was part of the Williamite War in Ireland
between the forces of William and Mary
and those of King James II
.
, armed Williamite
civilians drawn from the local Protestant population organised a formidable irregular military force. The armed civilians of Enniskillen ignored an order from Robert Lundy
that they should fall back to Derry
city and instead launched guerrilla attacks against the Jacobites
. Operating with Enniskillen as a base, they carried out raids against the Jacobite forces in Connacht
and Ulster
plundering Trillick
, burning Augher
Castle and raiding Clones
.
A poorly trained Jacobite army of about 3,000 men, led by Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel
, advanced on them from Dublin. McCarthy's men were mostly raw recruits, raised from in and around his own lands in south Munster
. On 28 July 1689, McCarthy's force encamped near Enniskillen and bombarded the Williamite outpost of Crom castle to the south east of Enniskillen. Crom Castle is almost 20 miles from Enniskilen by road and about 5 miles from Newtownbutler.
s under Anthony Hamilton
stumbled into an ambush laid by Berry's men near Lisnaskea
and were routed, taking 230 casualties. Mountcashel managed to drive off Berry's cavalry with his main force, but was then faced with the bulk of the Williamite strength under Wolesley, who was pursuing him with more twice his number of troops. Unwisely, McCarthy halted and drew up his men for battle about a mile south of Newtonwbutler.
Many of the Jacobite troops fled as the first shots were fired and up to 1500 of them were hacked down or drowned in Upper Lough Erne
when pursued by the Williamite cavalry. Of 500 men who tried to swim across the Lough only one survived. McCarthy, the Jacobite commander, along with about 400 Jacobite officers were captured and later exchanged for Williamite prisoners; the other Jacobites were killed. Mountcashel was wounded by bullet and narrowly avoided being killed. He went on to command the Irish Brigade
in the French army.
The Williamite victory at Newtownbutler ensured that a landing by the Duke of Schomberg
in County Down in August 1689 was unopposed.
The battle is still commemorated by the Orange Order celebrated in Northern Ireland
, and is mentioned in the traditional unionist song, "The Sash
".
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
in County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, in 1689 and was part of the Williamite War in Ireland
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
between the forces of William and Mary
William and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
and those of King James II
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
.
The war in western Ulster
In EnniskillenEnniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, armed Williamite
Williamite
Williamite refers to the followers of King William III of England who deposed King James II in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs....
civilians drawn from the local Protestant population organised a formidable irregular military force. The armed civilians of Enniskillen ignored an order from Robert Lundy
Robert Lundy
Robert Lundy, , was Governor of Derry during the Siege of Derry.Nothing is known of Lundy's parentage or early life; but he had seen service in the foreign wars before 1688, when he was at Dublin with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the regiment of Lord Mountjoy...
that they should fall back to Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
city and instead launched guerrilla attacks against the Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
. Operating with Enniskillen as a base, they carried out raids against the Jacobite forces in Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
plundering Trillick
Trillick
Trillick is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 303 people in the 2001 Census. Trillick lies within the civil parish of Cleenish and the barony of Clanawley.-History before the 18th century:...
, burning Augher
Augher
Augher is a small village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is 18 miles southwest of Dungannon, on the A4 Dungannon to Enniskillen road, halfway between Ballygawley and Clogher. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 399....
Castle and raiding Clones
Clones
Clones is a small town in western County Monaghan, in the 'border area' of the Republic of Ireland. The area is part of the Border Region, earmarked for economic development by the Irish Government due to its currently below-average economic situation...
.
A poorly trained Jacobite army of about 3,000 men, led by Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel
Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel
Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel was a Jacobite general in the Williamite War in Ireland.McCarthy was the younger son of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty, from the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty who had lands in County Desmond. The family had had their property confiscated under the...
, advanced on them from Dublin. McCarthy's men were mostly raw recruits, raised from in and around his own lands in south Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
. On 28 July 1689, McCarthy's force encamped near Enniskillen and bombarded the Williamite outpost of Crom castle to the south east of Enniskillen. Crom Castle is almost 20 miles from Enniskilen by road and about 5 miles from Newtownbutler.
The battle
Two days later, they were confronted by about 2,000 Williamite 'Inniskilliniers' under Colonel Berry, Colonel William Wolseley and Gustave Hamilton. The Jacobite dragoonDragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s under Anthony Hamilton
Antoine Hamilton
Antoine Hamilton was an Irish classical author of near Scottish ancestry, who wrote in French....
stumbled into an ambush laid by Berry's men near Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
and were routed, taking 230 casualties. Mountcashel managed to drive off Berry's cavalry with his main force, but was then faced with the bulk of the Williamite strength under Wolesley, who was pursuing him with more twice his number of troops. Unwisely, McCarthy halted and drew up his men for battle about a mile south of Newtonwbutler.
Many of the Jacobite troops fled as the first shots were fired and up to 1500 of them were hacked down or drowned in Upper Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
when pursued by the Williamite cavalry. Of 500 men who tried to swim across the Lough only one survived. McCarthy, the Jacobite commander, along with about 400 Jacobite officers were captured and later exchanged for Williamite prisoners; the other Jacobites were killed. Mountcashel was wounded by bullet and narrowly avoided being killed. He went on to command the Irish Brigade
Irish Brigade (French)
The Irish Brigade was a brigade in the French army composed of Irish exiles, led by Robert Reid. It was formed in May 1690 when five Jacobite regiments were sent from Ireland to France in return for a larger force of French infantry who were sent to fight in the Williamite war in Ireland...
in the French army.
The Williamite victory at Newtownbutler ensured that a landing by the Duke of Schomberg
Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg
Friedrich Hermann , 1st Duke of Schomberg , KG , was a marshal of France and a General in the English and Portuguese Army....
in County Down in August 1689 was unopposed.
The battle is still commemorated by the Orange Order celebrated in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and is mentioned in the traditional unionist song, "The Sash
The Sash
The Sash is a ballad from Ireland commemorating the victory of King William III in the Williamite war in Ireland in 1690–1691....
".
Sources
- Kevin Haddick Flynn, Sarsfield and the Jacobites, Mercier, London 2003, ISBN 1-85635-408-3.