Cromwell In Waterford - Waterford County Museum

Waterford County Museum - P.M. Egans History Of Waterford

Cromwell In Waterford - 1. Cromwell In Waterford

The Bauble - Species prey upon species. Such is the law in the natural world, which brings us to the theory the fittest alone survive. Perhaps the political world may be called upon for an analogy. The Puritan Parliament of Charles I. pursued their sovereign with an asp-like acrimony till his blood paid the ransom at the hands of executioner. But the time was to come when the Parliament itself would be called upon to answer for its misdeeds.

The Puritan succumbed - for the day arrived when Oliver Cromwell, who was at the head of the independents entered parliament, jeered at its members, stamped on the floor for the musketeers who were outside, and as soon as they entered he cried out, "Take away that bauble," pointing to the mace which lay on the table of the house. The hall was cleared, Oliver locked the door and put the key in his pocket, thus expelling the British after which he appointed a parliament of his own. So he gazed upon England stretched at his feet torn by dissensions.

"So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch
That trembles under his devouring paws."

But the hour of tribulation had to arrive for Ireland. After the death of the King, Ormond collected his scattered forces and proclaimed in favour of his son, Charles 11. The troops of the Confederation had been almost scattered since the departure of the Nuncio, except those under Owen Roe O'Neill. Inchiquin, for the fifth time, had changed sides with the men under his command, and now had thrown up the Parliamentarians and joined the Royalists, under Ormond. Owen Roe and Lord Monck strangely enough had joined the Parliamentarians, thinking that better quarter was to be got from them than from Ormond.

Ormond attacked Dublin with all the power and vigour at his disposal, but so signal was his defeat at the hands of Jones that his forces were completely routed. Hence the way was made easy by this great victory for new scourge in store for the island - Oliver Cromwell.

Cromwell Landed - He landed in Dublin on August 14th, 1649. Jones, the Parliamentary general, had driven out all the Roman Cathohcs, leaving only women and children. After the siege and capture of Drogheda; Dundalk, Ross, and Wexford, Cromwell turned his attention to Waterford. It is needless to say that the butchery of the people, men, women, and children at Drogheda and Wexfond exceeded the most hellish barbarities of Attila King bf the Huns, who was styled the" scourge of God".

Duncannon was pretty strongly held by Ormond's troops on behalf of the King, then Charles II., but Cromwell seeing the importance of the fort, sent General Ireton to siege it. There were three batteries attached to the fort on the water side, with a deep ditch and a strong rampart behind from which two watch-towers overlooked the expanse of bay in front. Ormond visited it at the time, appointed a Colonel Edward Wogan as the governor and did what he could to encourage the soldiers into an active resistance. He sent Lord Castlehaven to fight General Ireton, and with that view sent additional succour from Passage in the shape of eighty horsemen. In the morning after the landing of the reinforcements at Duncannon, Ireton having arrived with some of Cromwell's forces to siege it, they attacked Ireton and put him to route with great slaughter, capturing his cannon. So far, Duncannon remained in the hands of the Royalists.

Cromwell sent Reynolds, with Major Ponsonby, to take Carrick. They having approached the place with twelve troop of horses, and three of dragoons, they seized some countrymen, whom they put on horses, and made them ride up to the gates to declare in Irish that it was the Irish army sent by Ormond that was outside; whereupon the gates were thrown open, and the garrison either fled with their lives or were massacred without mercy.

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