says Rapin, "was to preserve
his army, and that would save Ulster and keep matters entire for
another year. And therefore, though this conduct of his was blamed by
some, yet better judges thought that the managing of this campaign as
he did was one of the greatest parts of his life."

Winter passed. Nothing decisive had been accomplished on either side.
Part of Ulster was in the hands of William; the remainder of Ireland
was in the hands of James. Schomberg's army was wasted by famine and
disease. James made no use of his opportunity to convert his athletic
peasants into good soldiers. On the contrary, Schomberg recruited his
old regiments, drilled them constantly, and was ready to take the
field at the approach of spring.

His first achievement was the capture of Charlemont, midway between
Armagh and Dungannon. It was one of the strongest forts in the north
of Ireland. It overlooked the Blackwater, and commanded an important
pass. It was surrounded by a morass, and approachable only by two
narrow causeways. When Teague O'Regan, who commanded the fort, was
summoned to surrender, he replied, "Schomberg is an old rogue, and
shall not have this castle!" But Caillemotte, with his Huguenot
regiments, sat down before the fortress, and starved the garrison into
submission. Captain Francis Rapin, cousin of our hero, was killed
during the siege.

The armies on both sides were now receiving reinforcements. Louis XIV.
sent seven thousand two hundred and ninety men of all ranks to the
help of James, under the command of Count Lauzun. They landed at Cork
in March, 1689, and marched at once to Dublin. Lauzun described the
country as a chaos such as he had read of in the Book of Genesis. On
his arrival at Dublin, Lauzun was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the
Irish army, and took up his residence in the castle.

On the other hand, Schomberg's forces were recruited by seven thousand
Danes, under a treaty which William III. had entered into with the
King of Denmark. New detachments of English and Scotch, of Huguenots,
Dutch, Flemings, and Brandenburgers, were also added to the allied
army.

William landed at Carrickfergus on the 14th of June. He passed on to
Belfast, where he met Schomberg, the Prince of Wurtemberg,
Major-General Kirk, and other general officers. He then pushed on to
Lisburn, the head-quarters of his army. He there declared that he
would not let the grass grow under his feet, but would pursue the war
with the ut