Speech to a Grand Committee of both Houses of Parliament, Part 5
Right Honorable,
IT being my duty to represent unto your honours the condition of affaires here touching our Army, and these of the Brittish Army, who were engaged with us in the service being extraordinarily scarce of provisions, and hearing from all parts that the Irish had no considerable Army on foot, for preservation of our quarters it was resolved by joynt advice to make to the Feilds with a Moneths provision, for to purchase victualls or Cattell from the enemy; So that we entred our march the second of Iune being effective under Armes 3400 fooot, and eleven Troopes of horse with six feilding peeces, And Colonell Monro was to joyne with us at Glashloch with three Troopes of horse, and 240 Musqueriers, Auchinbreck being left at home for defence of the quarters; the Marquis Regiment being landed from Scotland two dayes before, could not be gotten in readinesse to joyne with us. It was also condiscended on by the English Commissioners and me, that the Laggan forces should march unto Connaght immedately to keepe the enemy busied there, who were ordained to keepe correspondency with us on all occasions; having parted with our Commissioners the second night of our march neere Drummore. The fourth in the morning, I commanded forth a party of horse being 72, commanded horse-men led by the Lieutenant of my Troope Daniel Monro, who had direction to crosse the blackwater at Benburg to scoure the fields, and to certifie Colonell Monro of my Rendezvouz place at Glasloch Iune the 5. whereby the way at Armagh the party unexpectedly foregathered with the enemies fore Troope, and tooke a prisoner of theirs, who gave intelligence that the enemies Army were marching that morning from Glasloch to quarter at Benburg andCharlemount, which intercepted my party from going to Colonell Monro, the prisoner being sent to meete mee, after examination certified us the enemies Army were effective above 5000 foote, and twelve Troopes of horse provided with a fortnights Victualls. Being thus informed I presently broke up our night leagure and marched six miles surther to Hamiltons hand foure miles from Armagh, and sent for our party to retire upon the Army, being impossible for them to get through to Colonell Monro. Friday the fifth by foure of the clock in the morning I marched to Armagh in view of the Enemy, thinking the nearer our Army was to theirs, to hinder them from sending any strength to fall upon Colonell Monro, his way lying directly towards the enemies quarters. And having viewed the enemies Army in a posture to defend the passage at Benburg, which being hard for us to force the passage, by reason of the straitnesse of the passe, the enemy being master of the Bridge and of the Ford, very advantagious for him; presently I conveened the Officers of the Army to consult what was best for us to undertake, whereby joynt advice it was resolved to march with the Army in the enemies view to Kinnard to crosse the Water there, And so to draw the enemy from his advantage, and from Colonell Monro his party being but weake, which being effectuated we were betwixt the enemy and his Victualls, having gained the passe at Kinnard without dispute and had he enemy betwixt us and our party, and our baggage secured in our Reare; All our Army foote and horse did earnestly cover fighting, which was impossible for mee to gainestand without being reproached of Cowardice; And therefore having provided our selves for Battell, And that orderly, with resolution, we advanced towards the enemy about six a Clock at night, and beate in their commanded men and fore Troopes to their Army, where they stood ready in Battell to receive us. Lieutenant Colonell Cuningham, with 500 commanded men cleered the passage for our horsemen to advance who were commanded then in absence of Colonell Moure by the Lord Viscount of Ardes; The Army followed up after the feilding Peeces, and drew up in Battell forth against the enemy, who had possessed themselves with the advantagious ground, where their foot were covered with scrogs and Bushes; the service begun hot on both sides continued from six a clock at night till after Sunne set. The enemy could not get charged on our left or right Wing having the blackwater on the right hand and a marrish bog on the left wing, and wee being drawne up in the plaine, having our peices before us and our horsemen behind our reserve, and it being impossible for the enemy to charge us but in our van, our horsemen could receive them marching up, and charging through the intervals, betwixt the brigades of foot, About sun set I perceived the enemy making ready for a generall assault, first with his foot and his horse coming up behind his foot to second them, I had given order to a squadron of our horse to break through them before they should advance to our foot, that squadron of horse consisting for the most part of Irish riders, although under the English command, did not charge but retreated disorderly through our foot, making the enemies horse for to follow them at least one squadron, notwithstanding thereof our foot stood to it, and received the enemies batalions body to body with push of pike, till at last our second squadron of horse charged: the enemies horse and fell pell mell amongst our foot, who being carried in disorder, had no way of retreat but to wade the Blackwater where it was scarce foordable, and by that meanes and the darknesse of the night many of our foot escaped with the losse of some few Officers, six field pieces, and some colours, so that by all appearance the Irish under the Lesnegarvey horsemen had a purpose to betray the Army by their running away; leaving the foot to be cut downe, who were also deserted by the rest of the horse after retiring from their last charge, the enemy falling on our baggage, the baggage horses being all gone, the enemy loved the spoyle better then to prosecute the victory. So that we lost off the foote at the nearest conjecture five or six hundred, and twenty Officers were taken prisoners the Lord of Ardes being one, we lost also many armes by reason the souldiers had above 50 miles to retire. And notwithstanding of all our losses, the enemy as yet (praised be God) hath not attempted to prosecute his victory within our quarters, and Col. Monro with his party miraculously retreated home from the enemy who viewed them, without the losse of a man. And now we are making up out forces again, having not lost of our horsemen above thirty, and one Cornet who was killed; we are both scarce of armes and victuals, and for ought I can understand, the Lord of Hosts had a controversie with us to rub shame on our faces, as on other armies, till once we shall be humbled; for a greater confidence did I never see in any Army then was amongst us, and we behooved to taste of bitternesse as well as others of both nations; but praised be God being now humbled before God, we increase in courage and resolution so according to your interest in us and in the poore inhabitants in this Province, use some speedy meanes to supply us. Thus recommending your Lordships and all your weighty affaires to the protection of the Allmighty, I humbly take my leave.
Cariek-fergus the 11th of Iune. ROBERT MONRO.
About the same time a party of our countrymen in Connaght incountered with a commanded party of Prestons Army, where the enemy lost five hundred men, besides twenty Officers that were taken prisoners, whereof Generall Major Taaff was the speciall, with whom and such others as I have prisoners of theirs, we intend to relieve the Lord Ardes and other of our friends.
FINIS.
End of the text · Archibald Argyll, Speech to a Grand Committee of both Houses of Parliament (1646)