owns, connected
together by a bridge. The English town was much the strongest. It was
built upon an island, surrounded by morasses, which could at any time
be flooded on the approach of an enemy. The town was well supplied
with provisions--all Clare and Galway being open to it, from whence
it could draw supplies.

Notwithstanding the strength of the fortress, William resolved to
besiege it. He was ill supplied with cannon, having left his heavy
artillery at Dublin. He had only a field train with him, which was
quite insufficient for his purpose. William's advance-guards drove the
Irish outposts before them; the pioneers cutting down the hedges and
filling up the ditches, until they came to a narrow pass between two
bogs, where a considerable body of Irish horse and foot were assembled
to dispute the pass.

Two field-pieces were brought up, which played with such effect upon
the Irish horse that they soon quitted their post. At the same time
Colonel Earle, at the head of the English foot, attacked the Irish who
were firing through the hedges, so that they also retired after two
hours' fighting. The Irish were driven to the town walls, and
William's forces took possession of two important positions,
Cromwell's fort and the old Chapel. The Danes also occupied an old
Danish fort, built by their ancestors, of which they were not a little
proud.

The army being thus posted, a trumpeter was sent, on the 9th of
August, to summon the garrison to surrender. General Boileau answered,
that he intended to make a vigorous defence of the town with which his
Majesty had intrusted him. In the meantime, William had ordered up his
train of artillery from Dublin. They were on their way to join him,
when a spy from William's camp went over to the enemy, and informed
them of the route, the motions, and the strength of the convoy.
Sarsfield at once set out with a strong body of horse. He passed the
Shannon in the night, nine miles above Limerick, lurked all day in
the mountains near Ballyneety, and waited for the approach of the
convoy.

The men of William's artillery, seeing no enemy, turned out their
horses to graze, and went to sleep in the full sense of security.
Sarsfield's body of horse came down upon them, slew or dispersed the
convoy, and took possession of the cannon. Sarsfield could not,
however, take the prizes into Limerick. He therefore endeavoured to
destroy them. Cramming the guns with powder up to their muzzles, and
bur