Battle of Deputy's Pass facts for kids

The Battle of Deputy's Pass was an important fight during the Nine Years' War in Ireland. It happened on May 29, 1599, in County Wicklow. In this battle, an Irish force led by Felim McFiach O'Byrne set an ambush for an English army.

The English army had about 500 soldiers. They were led by Sir Henry Harrington. The English were marching from Rathdrum to Wicklow. The Irish attack caused the English army to lose control. About 250 English soldiers were killed, went missing, or ran away. This battle was a clear victory for the Irish.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

The O'Byrnes and the Nine Years' War

The O'Byrnes were a powerful Irish family. They had joined forces with Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone. This alliance started when the Nine Years' War began in 1593. A leader named Fiach McHugh O'Byrne was very close to O'Neill. People even called him O'Neill's "right arm" in the area of Leinster.

However, Fiach was killed in 1597. After his death, the O'Byrne family's power seemed to get weaker.

England's Plan to Control Wicklow

In 1599, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex became the new Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This was a very important English job in Ireland. He ordered Sir Henry Harrington to go into County Wicklow. Harrington's mission was to deal with the O'Byrnes and their allies, the O'Tooles.

Harrington's army had five groups of foot soldiers. But four of these groups were new and not very experienced. They had just been brought from England. Only one group, led by Captain Loftus, had experienced soldiers. Most of these experienced soldiers were Irish.

English Preparations and Challenges

The groups of soldiers were organized into a larger unit. This unit was commanded by Sir Alexander Radcliffe. Fifty horsemen, led by Captain Charles Montague, also joined them. Harrington wanted to check out the Irish defenses near the Avonmore River at Rathdrum. He also hoped to give his new soldiers some practice.

Harrington tried to scout the area on May 28, but it didn't work out. He returned to his camp. He tried again later that day, but bad weather stopped them. Harrington then told his men to march back to Wicklow town.

How the Battle Unfolded

The English March and First Skirmishes

The English army marched in a long line. The front part was called the van. Then came the baggage, followed by the main group, and finally the rear. Captain Atherton, a leader in the army, believed the Irish would attack the rear. So, the horsemen (cavalry) were placed at the back.

After marching about a mile, Irish soldiers with guns (musketeers and caliver-men) started fighting. They attacked the back of Harrington's force. The Irish tried to block a river crossing. But the English quickly took control of it. The English soldiers at the rear fought the Irish. This allowed the rest of the army to cross the river safely.

Continuing the March and Irish Attacks

The march continued for two more miles to another river crossing. The English rear guard kept fighting off the O'Byrne's Irish gunners. Again, the English soldiers secured the crossing. The Irish firing slowed down, perhaps because they were running out of gunpowder.

Harrington placed 40 to 50 gunners behind a small dirt wall. This was on the left side of his army after they crossed the river. The Irish brought up soldiers with long spears (pikemen). Their attack focused on the English left side. The right side of the English line was protected by thick bushes.

English Confusion and Irish Victory

Atherton gathered 60 to 80 men to attack the Irish pikemen. The English gunners behind the dirt wall were supposed to wait to fire. But they shot too early and then ran away from their position. Without their support, Atherton's men refused to charge the Irish. They then went back to the main English group.

Atherton found that the English gunners had left the main group. This left the English pikemen unprotected from Irish gunfire. The English pikemen became confused as they tried to cross the river. The Irish pikemen saw this confusion and charged into the English rear. They killed many English soldiers who could not fight back.

Montague's English cavalry tried to help the panicking foot soldiers. But the Irish pikemen opened their formation. This allowed the horsemen to ride through. As the English horsemen passed, the Irish pikemen used their spears. Montague was wounded by a spear thrust to his side. Despite their officers' efforts, the English soldiers gave up. The English army ran away. The Irish continued to kill Harrington's men until they were very close to Wicklow town.

All the English companies lost their flags, except for Captain Loftus's company. But the English horsemen later got the flags back. After the battle, Radcliffe guessed that the English army had lost 250 men. These were soldiers who were killed, went missing, or ran away.

What Happened After the Battle?

Blame and Consequences

At first, English reports said they lost because most of their soldiers were new. Harrington first blamed the English pikemen for not fighting. But later, at a special military court in July, Harrington changed his story. He blamed Captain Loftus and his Lieutenant Walsh. Two of Harrington's officers supported him. This was easy to do because Loftus had died from his wounds. He could not defend himself.

A map of the battle was drawn, possibly by Montague. This map seemed to support Harrington's story. Loftus and Walsh were found guilty by the court. Loftus was already dead. But Walsh was executed by a firing squad. Mallory and Linley were not found guilty. However, they lost command of their soldier groups.

The soldiers in Loftus's company were sentenced to death. But this was changed to a punishment called decimation. This meant one out of every ten soldiers was chosen by drawing lots and executed. Even for that time, this was seen as very harsh. Harrington was not charged with bad behavior. But he was never given command of such a large force again.