Break of Dromore
Encyclopedia
The Break of Dromore is a name given to a battle fought during the Williamite War in Ireland
on March 14, 1689. The battle was fought between Catholic Jacobite
troops under Richard Hamilton
and Protestant Williamite
s.
The engagement, fought near Dromore
, County Down
resulted in the rout of the Williamites and the Jacobite's securing of eastern Ulster
. It is known as a "Break", because the Williamites put up little resistance, being put to flight after only a short fight.
to thrones of Ireland, England and Scotland, the rest of Ireland, including the Lord Deputy of Ireland
, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell and the army, supported James II
. As a result, war broke out in Ireland after James was deposed in the Glorious Revolution
. At the start of the conflict, the Jacobites were left in control of two fortified positions at Carrickfergus
and Charlemont
in territory which was predominantly Williamite in sympathy. The local Williamites raised a militia and met in a council at Hillsborough
. They made an ineffective assault on Carrickfergus. However, this was easily beaten off and a local Catholic cleric named O'Hegarty reported that the Williamite were badly armed and trained.
Richard Hamilton, the Jacobite commander, was dispatched from Drogheda
on March 8 with 2,000 men, in order to pacify the north east of Ireland. Hamilton sent a Presbyterian clergyman, Alexander Osbourne to offer the Hillsborough council a pardon in return for their surrender. However the council, reportedly with Osbourne's encouragement, refused. Hamilton therefore marched north to subdue the Williamites by force.
and attacked a 3,000 strong Williamite force under Lord Mount Alexander at Dromore. Alexander's cavalry fell back in disorder following a charge by the Jacobite dragoon
s. Seeing this, Hamilton ordered a general advance of his infantry and the Williamite foot fled towards Dromore itself. They were overtaken in the village by the Jacobite cavalry and slaughtered, roughly 400 being killed and the rest fleeing for their lives.
In the aftermath of the engagement, Alexander rode to Donaghadee
and from there took ship to England. Hamilton's men looted and sacked Dromore. The following day, he took Hillsborough and Williamite council dissolved. Thousands of Protestants, fearing Jacobite and Catholic retribution, fled either to Coleraine
in the west of Ulster, or to the ports and from there to England or Scotland.
Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
on March 14, 1689. The battle was fought between Catholic Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
troops under Richard Hamilton
Richard Hamilton (officer)
Richard Hamilton was a Jacobite Irish army officer who fought on both sides during the Williamite War in Ireland.-Biography:...
and Protestant Williamite
Williamite
Williamite refers to the followers of King William III of England who deposed King James II in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs....
s.
The engagement, fought near Dromore
Dromore, County Down
Dromore is a small market town in the Banbridge District of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast – Dublin road. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 4,968 people....
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
resulted in the rout of the Williamites and the Jacobite's securing of eastern Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
. It is known as a "Break", because the Williamites put up little resistance, being put to flight after only a short fight.
Background
While much of the Protestant population of east Ulster supported the claim of William IIIWilliam III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
to thrones of Ireland, England and Scotland, the rest of Ireland, including the Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell and the army, supported James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. As a result, war broke out in Ireland after James was deposed in the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
. At the start of the conflict, the Jacobites were left in control of two fortified positions at Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
and Charlemont
Charlemont
Charlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 150 people in the 2001 Census. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area...
in territory which was predominantly Williamite in sympathy. The local Williamites raised a militia and met in a council at Hillsborough
Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
. They made an ineffective assault on Carrickfergus. However, this was easily beaten off and a local Catholic cleric named O'Hegarty reported that the Williamite were badly armed and trained.
Richard Hamilton, the Jacobite commander, was dispatched from Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
on March 8 with 2,000 men, in order to pacify the north east of Ireland. Hamilton sent a Presbyterian clergyman, Alexander Osbourne to offer the Hillsborough council a pardon in return for their surrender. However the council, reportedly with Osbourne's encouragement, refused. Hamilton therefore marched north to subdue the Williamites by force.
The 'Break'
On March 14, he crossed the river BannRiver Bann
The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh...
and attacked a 3,000 strong Williamite force under Lord Mount Alexander at Dromore. Alexander's cavalry fell back in disorder following a charge by the Jacobite dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s. Seeing this, Hamilton ordered a general advance of his infantry and the Williamite foot fled towards Dromore itself. They were overtaken in the village by the Jacobite cavalry and slaughtered, roughly 400 being killed and the rest fleeing for their lives.
In the aftermath of the engagement, Alexander rode to Donaghadee
Donaghadee
Donaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
and from there took ship to England. Hamilton's men looted and sacked Dromore. The following day, he took Hillsborough and Williamite council dissolved. Thousands of Protestants, fearing Jacobite and Catholic retribution, fled either to Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
in the west of Ulster, or to the ports and from there to England or Scotland.
Sources
- Kevin Haddick Flynn, Sarsfield and the Jacobites
- Padraig Lenihan, 1690, Battle of the Boyne