Raid on Newry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raid on Newry |
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| Part of Williamite War in Ireland | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Williamites |
 France Jacobites |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Toby Purcell |
Marquis de Boisseleau |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 200+ | 1,700+ | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2 captains killed 3+ soldiers killed |
1 Lieutenant Colonel killed 12 killed 12 wounded |
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The raid on Newry happened in November 1689 during the Williamite War in Ireland. This was a time when two groups were fighting for control of Ireland. One group, called the Jacobites, supported King James II. The other group, called the Williamites, supported King William III. In this event, a combined French and Irish force, loyal to King James, attacked the Williamite soldiers stationed in Newry, a town in County Down. The attack was led by a French general named Alexandre de Rainier de Droue, Marquis de Boisseleau. The raid did not go well for the Jacobites, and they had to retreat after losing some of their soldiers.
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Why Did the Raid on Newry Happen?
After taking control of Carrickfergus in August 1689, the Williamite army commander, Marshal Schomberg, had moved his troops towards Dublin. However, he stopped his army at Dundalk Camp. This was because the Jacobite forces were defending Dublin. In November, Schomberg decided to send his soldiers to different towns in Ulster to rest for the winter.
As soon as Schomberg's army left Dundalk, the Jacobites gave orders to General Boisseleau. They wanted him to lead a force to Newry. Their plan was to defeat the Williamite soldiers in that area.
How Many Soldiers Were Involved?
Boisseleau's force was quite large. It had about 1,700 foot soldiers (infantry). They also had six groups of horse soldiers (cavalry) and dragoons. Dragoons were soldiers who could fight on horseback or on foot.
They left on November 23 and reached the River Clanrye near Newry early on November 24. Colonel Toby Purcell was in charge of the Williamite soldiers in Newry. He had several companies of soldiers from Sir Henry Ingoldsby's regiment. Purcell had sent many of his soldiers to guard different river crossings and strong points nearby. This meant he only had about sixty soldiers left in Newry itself. Twenty of these soldiers were not well enough to fight.
What Happened During the Fight?
Boisseleau sent one hundred of his men to cross the Clanrye River north of Newry Bridge. This was a trick to make the Williamites think the main attack was there. At the same time, two hundred of his men attacked across Newry Bridge. They managed to kill the first guard before he could warn anyone. However, the second guard fired his musket, which alerted the town.
Colonel Purcell quickly gathered some of his soldiers in the market square. Some local townspeople also helped them. The two Jacobite groups met in the market square, and a fierce fight began. Even some of the sick Williamite soldiers helped by firing their muskets from their windows.
Why Did the Jacobites Retreat?
The Jacobite soldiers started to believe they were fighting a much larger force than they had expected. They began to slowly move backward. Even though their officers tried to make them keep fighting, this slow retreat quickly turned into a full run. Many of them had to swim across the Clanrye River to escape.
General Boisseleau tried to convince the rest of his soldiers to cross the bridge and continue the attack, but they refused. Boisseleau had no choice but to give up the operation and retreat south.
Who Won and What Were the Losses?
The Jacobites lost a high-ranking officer, a Lieutenant Colonel. They also had about twelve soldiers killed and twelve wounded. Some of their soldiers were taken prisoner. The Williamites had fewer losses. However, they did lose two Captains who were coming out of their homes during the attack. Some of the Williamite soldiers tried to chase the retreating Jacobites, but they only went as far as Newry Bridge.
What Happened After the Raid?
After the raid, Marshal Schomberg took steps to make Newry safer. He sent more horse soldiers to the area. The bridge over the Clanrye River was taken down. An artillery battery (a group of cannons) was set up to protect the river crossing that the Jacobites had used.
Later in November, reports came in that the Earl of Antrim's regiment, stationed in Dundalk, was planning another attack on Newry. Brigadier William Stewart led a Williamite force. They defeated Antrim's men in the Moyry Pass, killing thirty and capturing seventeen soldiers.
After the Duke of Berwick's defeat at the Battle of Cavan in February 1690, the Jacobites stopped trying to raid towns in Ulster. The next summer, the Williamites won a major victory at the Battle of the Boyne. This battle was a turning point in the Williamite War in Ireland.
