Michael Jones (soldier)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Michael Jones (died December 1649) fought for King Charles I
during the Irish Confederate War but joined the English Parliamentary side when the English Civil War
started.
The son of Lewis Jones (1560-1646), a Welshman
who settled in Ireland, becoming Bishop of Killaloe, the young Jones trained as a lawyer. After fighting for the Crown
during the early part of the Irish Rebellion of 1641
he joined the Roundheads and fought as a cavalry officer in England. In 1645, he commanded the besiegers at the siege of Chester
, and was instrumental in the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Rowton Heath
.
By 1647 his reputation was such that at the end of the First English Civil War
he was chosen to lead the Parliamentary expedition to Ireland. His old commander, the Royalist Earl of Ormonde
, surrendered Dublin to him without a fight in June 1647 saying that he "preferred English rebels to Irish ones". When Jones landed in Dublin, he brought with him 5,000 English Parliamentarian soldiers. In addition to this, he inherited 3,000 English Royalist soldiers who had been under Ormonde's command. Jones persuaded these men to switch their allegiance to the Parliamentarians in order to fight the Irish Confederates
.
Jones marched to Trim
which was being besieged by a Confederate Leinster
army under the command of General Thomas Preston
. He raised the siege, but in doing so exposed Dublin to attack by the Confederate Leinster army. However, when the main Confederate army attempted to march on Dublin, Jones smashed it at the Battle of Dungans Hill. This was the best trained and best equipped Confederate army and the loss of its manpower and equipment was a body blow to the Confederation.
However, although Jones reported to the English Parliament that he was now in a position to re-conquer Ireland, in fact, he remained confined to Dublin and its environs, which were systematically raided and burned by Owen Roe O'Neill
and the Irish Ulster Army. Jones's men, deprived of supplies, suffered badly from disease in the winter of 1647-48.
The Confederate loss at Dungans Hill, coupled with other defeats, caused the Confederates to ally themselves with the Royalists under the overall command of the Earl of Ormonde. With nearly all of Ireland under Royalist control and declaring allegiance to Charles II the English Parliamentarians sent Oliver Cromwell
to pacify Ireland. However in a pre-emptive strike Ormonde attacked Dublin hoping to deny Cromwell and his expeditionary force a port to land at and a base from which to operate. Jones and his army destroyed this plan by roundly defeating the Royalist army at the Battle of Rathmines
in August 1649. This victory allowed Cromwell's expeditionary force to land unopposed at Ringsend
two weeks later.
Jones served in Cromwell's Irish campaign
, besieging Waterford
and Duncannon
, but to Cromwell's great distress Jones died of fever in Dungarvan
at the Siege of Waterford
in December 1649. He held the rank of lieutenant-general when he died.
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the Irish Confederate War but joined the English Parliamentary side when the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
started.
The son of Lewis Jones (1560-1646), a Welshman
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
who settled in Ireland, becoming Bishop of Killaloe, the young Jones trained as a lawyer. After fighting for the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
during the early part of the Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
he joined the Roundheads and fought as a cavalry officer in England. In 1645, he commanded the besiegers at the siege of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, and was instrumental in the Parliamentary victory at the Battle of Rowton Heath
Battle of Rowton Heath
The Battle of Rowton Heath occurred on 24 September 1645 during the English Civil War between the Parliamentarians, commanded by Sydnam Poyntz, and the Royalists under the personal command of King Charles I...
.
By 1647 his reputation was such that at the end of the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
he was chosen to lead the Parliamentary expedition to Ireland. His old commander, the Royalist Earl of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
, surrendered Dublin to him without a fight in June 1647 saying that he "preferred English rebels to Irish ones". When Jones landed in Dublin, he brought with him 5,000 English Parliamentarian soldiers. In addition to this, he inherited 3,000 English Royalist soldiers who had been under Ormonde's command. Jones persuaded these men to switch their allegiance to the Parliamentarians in order to fight the Irish Confederates
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
.
Jones marched to Trim
Trim, County Meath
Trim is the traditional county town of County Meath in Ireland, although the county town is now Navan. The town was recorded in the 2006 census to have a population of 6,870....
which was being besieged by a Confederate Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
army under the command of General Thomas Preston
Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara
Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara was an Irish soldier of the 17th century. He was a descendant of Sir Robert de Preston, who in 1363 purchased the lands of Gormanston, County Meath, and who was keeper of the Great Seal in Ireland some years later....
. He raised the siege, but in doing so exposed Dublin to attack by the Confederate Leinster army. However, when the main Confederate army attempted to march on Dublin, Jones smashed it at the Battle of Dungans Hill. This was the best trained and best equipped Confederate army and the loss of its manpower and equipment was a body blow to the Confederation.
However, although Jones reported to the English Parliament that he was now in a position to re-conquer Ireland, in fact, he remained confined to Dublin and its environs, which were systematically raided and burned by Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill
Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
and the Irish Ulster Army. Jones's men, deprived of supplies, suffered badly from disease in the winter of 1647-48.
The Confederate loss at Dungans Hill, coupled with other defeats, caused the Confederates to ally themselves with the Royalists under the overall command of the Earl of Ormonde. With nearly all of Ireland under Royalist control and declaring allegiance to Charles II the English Parliamentarians sent Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
to pacify Ireland. However in a pre-emptive strike Ormonde attacked Dublin hoping to deny Cromwell and his expeditionary force a port to land at and a base from which to operate. Jones and his army destroyed this plan by roundly defeating the Royalist army at the Battle of Rathmines
Battle of Rathmines
The Battle of Rathmines was fought in and around what is now the Dublin suburb of Rathmines in August 1649, during the Irish Confederate Wars, the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in August 1649. This victory allowed Cromwell's expeditionary force to land unopposed at Ringsend
Ringsend
Ringsend is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey, about two kilometres east of the city centre, and is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll Bridge....
two weeks later.
Jones served in Cromwell's Irish campaign
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland refers to the conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell landed in Ireland with his New Model Army on behalf of England's Rump Parliament in 1649...
, besieging Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
and Duncannon
Duncannon
Duncannon is a village in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. Bordered to the west by Waterford harbour and sitting on a rocky promontory jutting into the channel is the strategically prominent Duncannon Fort which dominates the village.Primarily a fishing village, Duncannon also relies heavily on...
, but to Cromwell's great distress Jones died of fever in Dungarvan
Dungarvan
Dungarvan is a town and harbour on the south coast of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the county town and administrative centre of County Waterford. The town's Irish name means "Garbhan's fort", referring to Saint Garbhan who founded a church there in the seventh century...
at the Siege of Waterford
Siege of Waterford
The city of Waterford in south eastern Ireland was besieged from 1649–50 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. The town was held by Irish Confederate Catholic and English Royalist troops under general Thomas Preston...
in December 1649. He held the rank of lieutenant-general when he died.
External links
- Biography of Michael Jones British Civil Wars website