of higher rank than Marlborough, would enable him to claim the
supreme command, and to carry off the honour of any success that might be
gained.

This force arrived before the town, within a day of the appearance of the
fleet. Marlborough had already made good use of his time, for immediately
the leading vessels had effected the passage, troops were landed in
boats, and the batteries attacked in rear and carried. The rest of the
fleet then entered, and, on the 23rd and 24th, the troops were landed on
the south bank of the river, and commenced their march towards the city,
the sailors dragging the guns. Wirtemberg immediately sent to
Marlborough, to claim the command of the whole force.

Marlborough replied that his commission was an independent one. He denied
the authority of any of William's foreign officers in Ireland, and stated
haughtily that his troops were British, and he a British officer.
Wirtemberg was greatly offended that the English general should affect to
look down upon the Danes, Germans, French, and other foreign ragamuffins
who composed his command, and he insisted strongly upon his claims.
Marlborough maintained his position, and Wirtemberg was driven, at last,
to propose that they should command on alternate days, and Marlborough
agreed to the proposal.

The position of Cork was not a strong one, although, in the days before
the use of artillery, it was considered well-nigh impregnable, being
built upon the islands and marshes formed by the river Lea, and
completely surrounded by two branches of the river. But upon three sides
it was surrounded, at a short distance only, by high hills, which
completely commanded it, and these hills were defended only by castles
and forts of no great strength.

The garrison was but small, for the Irish were taken by surprise by the
arrival of Marlborough's expedition, and had prepared only for a siege by
Wirtemberg and his foreign division. They were therefore obliged to
abandon Shandon Castle, and two adjoining forts, which defended the hills
on the north of the city, and Wirtemberg's Danes at once took possession
of these works, and, planting their guns there, opened fire on the
northern quarter of the city.

Marlborough constructed his batteries at a monastery called the Red
Abbey, on the south point of the river, where he was separated from the
city only by the stream and narrow strip of marshy ground. These guns
soon made a breach in the walls, and Marlboroug