Raid on Newry
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2022) |
Raid on Newry | |||||||
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Part of Williamite War in Ireland | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Williamites |
France Jacobites | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Toby Purcell | Marquis de Boisseleau | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
200+ | 1,700+ | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2 captains killed 3+ soldiers killed |
1 Lieutenant Colonel killed 12 killed 12 wounded |
The raid on Newry took place in November 1689 during the
Background
After
As soon as Schomberg had withdrawn from Dundalk, the Jacobites issued orders to Boisseleau to lead a force to Newry with the intention of rolling-up the various Williamite garrisons in the area. Boisseleau's force, which consisted of 1,700 infantry accompanied by six troops of
Fight
Boisseleau sent a hundred men to the ford the Clanrye north of Newry Bridge as a diversion, while two hundred men attacked across Newry Bridge. They managed to kill the first sentry before he could sound the warning, but the second sentry was able to discharge his musket and alert the town. Purcell hastily assembled some of his troops in the market square, assisted by some of the local townsmen. The two Jacobite forces converged at the market square and a brisk fight began. Several of the sick members of the garrison joined in by firing muskets from their windows. The Jacobite soldiers became convinced that they were facing a much larger force than had previously been estimated and began to creep backwards. Although their officers tried to rally them, this quickly turned into a full-blown retreat with many men swimming across the Clanrye River.[3]
Boisseleau tried to persuade the remainder of his force to advance across the bridge, they refused. Boisseleau was forced to abandon the operation and retreat southwards. He had lost a
Aftermath
Following the raid Schomberg took a number of measures to secure Newry. Cavalry were sent to the area, the bridge over the Clanrye was demolished and an
After the Duke of Berwick's defeat at the Battle of Cavan in February 1690, the policy of raids into Ulster was discontinued. The following summer the decisive Williamite victory at the Battle of the Boyne was won.
References
Bibliography
- Childs, John. The Williamite Wars in Ireland. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-84725-164-0