Battle of Knocknanuss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Knocknanuss |
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| Part of the Irish Confederate Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Parliamentarians |
 Confederates |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Baron Inchiquin | Earl of Carlingford Sir Alistair MacColl † |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 foot 1,200 horse |
7,000 foot 1,200 horse |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Up to 1000 | Over 3000 | ||||||
The Battle of Knocknanuss was a major fight in 1647. It happened during the Irish Confederate Wars. These wars were part of bigger conflicts called the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The battle was between the Munster army of Confederate Ireland and an English Parliamentarian army. The Parliamentarian army was led by Murrough O’Brien. The battle ended with a big defeat for the Irish Confederates.
Contents
Why Did the Battle of Knocknanuss Happen?
The Parliamentarian Army's Actions
In the summer of 1647, Murrough O’Brien was the leader of the English Parliamentarian forces in Cork. He led his army to attack and burn Confederate lands in Munster. This caused a serious shortage of food for the people there. Because of these actions, O’Brien was known by the Irish nickname, "Murrough the Burner."
O'Brien's army also captured the Rock of Cashel. This was an important place for the Confederates. It was defended by Confederate troops and had strong religious meaning. When O'Brien's troops took the castle, many of the defenders and religious leaders inside were killed.
The Confederate Army's Challenges
The Confederate army in Munster struggled to stop O’Brien. There were many disagreements among their own officers. Some officers wanted to make a deal with the English Royalists. Others did not want any deal. This made it hard for them to work together.
Because of the capture of Cashel and the lack of food, the Confederate leaders made a change. They replaced their army commander, Donagh MacCarthy, Viscount Muskerry. The new commander was Viscount Taaffe. He was ordered to fight O’Brien's army.
Comparing the Commanders and Armies
Viscount Taaffe was an English Catholic. He was not a very experienced soldier. He did have some skilled veteran troops led by Alasdair MacColla. But most of his other soldiers were new to fighting. Also, the Irish troops felt discouraged because of the arguments among their leaders. Many of them did not feel loyal to Taaffe.
On the other hand, Murrough O’Brien had been leading his army since 1642. He was very experienced in battle. His army was made up of well-trained Parliamentarian soldiers from England. It also included British settlers who had lost their homes during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. The two armies met at a place called Knocknanuss, which is about 29 kilometers north of Cork.
How the Battle Unfolded
A Confusing Start
The battle that followed was very messy for the Irish forces. Taaffe placed his soldiers on different sides of a hill. This meant that one part of the Confederate army could not see what the other part was doing. Because of this, they could not work together well.
One part of the Confederate army, led by MacColla, attacked the Parliamentarians facing them. They fought well and made the Parliamentarians run away. Many Parliamentarian soldiers were killed. Thinking the battle was over, MacColla's men then started taking supplies from the enemy's camp.
The Parliamentarian Counterattack
However, on the other side of the hill, O’Brien's cavalry (soldiers on horseback) attacked the less experienced Irish horsemen. The Irish cavalry quickly ran away. Viscount Taaffe tried very hard to get them to stop and fight, but he could not.
The Irish foot soldiers then also started to run away. Many of them were caught and killed by the chasing Parliamentarian soldiers, known as Roundheads. The chase continued for many miles. This caused heavy losses for the Irish army. They also lost most of their weapons and supplies.
O’Brien's side also lost some important officers. Sir Robert Travers, a legal officer, was among them. MacColla and his men realized what had happened to the rest of their army. They surrendered to the Parliamentarian forces. Sadly, they did not survive their capture.
About 3,000 Confederate soldiers died at Knocknanuss. Up to 1,000 English Parliamentarian soldiers also died. The fighting continued even after the main battle. The next day, a few hundred Irish soldiers were found hiding in a nearby forest. They were also killed.
What Was the Result of Knocknanuss?
This defeat, along with another battle at battle of Dungans Hill in County Meath, was a huge blow. It led to the collapse of the Confederate Catholic cause in Ireland. This forced them to make a deal with the English Royalists.
See also
- Confederate Ireland
- Irish battles
