ANNALS OF CORK
XXVI
now of no use ; another of petitioner's houses in Cork was employed by Mr. Peirara~ · for keeping corn and meal for three-quarters of a year, value above £20 per an., ana. much damaged ; another house of petitioner's, in Kinsale, was made an hospital for sick and wounded soldiers, and quite ruined, repairs cost her £100. Petitioner got· no satisfaction for damages. That the house wherein petitioner lives at Cork, and other houses adjacent, were the property of James Ronaine, and forfeited to us by rebellion; reut fayable by petitioner is £40 per an., who is a poor widow, and has a great charge o children.'' . . . A Full and True Relation of the Taking of Corke, by the Right Hon- Br~. ~~s. orable the Earl of Marlborough, Lieut.-Gen. of their Majesties Forces, p~tit & Together with the articles of their Surrender. Hist:, 23. Last night we received the joyful news of a surrender of Cork, and the particulars of that siege, which were as followeth : On the 20 of September, 1690, the whole fleet sent with the Earl of Marlborough having made the coast. of Ireland towards night, lay by, and next morning by break of day they stood in for the Harbour's mouth. There were on each side two Block- houses, on each of which were 4 pieces of cannon, and which plai'd very warmly; . but as soon as 2 of our Friggates had plai'd a Broadside they quitted those forts and ran away. About 12 at noon the ships came as hig.b as Passage, where was also another redoubt. But as soon as the enemy espied our men landing in boats they scoured as hard as they could drive. Here part of our men landed that night, and encamped. The next morning being the 22<1, the rest were debarqued, and began to march up towards the town, which was six miles thence; they arrived at night within a mile of it, and there encamped. The 23d, the Earl of Marlborough sent a summons to the Governor to Surrender, which he very peremptorily answered, and hung out a bloody flag, firing several guns. But there being an outwork, which the enemy had lately made to secure a hill which commanded the Uastle, My Lord Marlborough re- solved to attack it, it giving him so advantageous a post; accordingly 1000 mus- queteers were detached out of the whole body, and about 3 in the afternoon they .marched to attack it. The enemy that were in it as soon as they spied our men ap- proaching fired one volley and then ran into the town. The great guns fired mightily, however our men took possession hereof and of the hill, and that night made a very good lodgment. The .24th they prepared batteries on this hill, also took possession of several outposts, which were very necessary to annoy the enemy. There was great firing with musquets all that day. Several deserters came to us out of the town, giving an account, that on the 20th 2 regiments came into them from Kinsale; tha.t the ~arrison was 400 strong, and that they seemed. resolved to defe~d it/· we were also mformed that General Scravenmore was five mile3 on the other s1de o the town with 1500 horse and dragoons. That night our Battery was finished and 6 cannon placed thereon. On the 25, about one in the morning the enemy made a little sally, but our men were so watchful that they were presently beat in again and about 20 killed of them. About break of day our guns began to play against the castle, and by the advantage of this hill our musquets annoyed them very much, and about 12 at noon our small friggates came up to the quay with tide of flood, and battered the castle. Towards hlght we could see some of the stones of the wall begin to shake down. 'l'hat night several deserters came to us, and informed us our cannon had done great execution that day, had killed several, and put them in great consternation. The 26th, by break uf day, our guns began to batter again, and the wall began to tumble down, so that by night there wes a pretty good breach. That day 500 horse joined us, and brought in with them a great prey of cattle. They left Monsieur Scraven- more on the other side with the rest, to prevent any relief that might come. That day, also arrived the Duke of Wirtemberg, with 2 Danish Regiments of foot. On the 27 our cannon continued battering, so that by 4 in the afternoon it had made a very fair breach, fit to enter. Therefore, at night it was resolved that next morning our men should storm the town, the design being laid that 200 grenadiers with hand grenades should lead the van, and these to be seconded with 300 fusilee~ and then 2 battalions of foot to sustaiu all in case of necessity. The 28, at 8 in th~ morning,
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