Cromwell in Ireland.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 199, 25 August 1886, Page 4

Cromwell in Ireland.

Tin; cavalry, which wero at first unable to ontor '.he town, owing to the fact that the breachoa had not been cut down sutliciently low, now jiourcd into tho streets, from which they quickly drove the enemy, who lied across the Boyne, or into tho Mill Mount, a dofonsivo palisaded work on an eminence, which formed apparently a epocies of citadol. The victorious troop? pressed on, the Mill Mount was stormed, and all whom it contained, including the Governor, wcro put to tho aword. Those of tho garrison who had escaped across tho river, however, still held three points— namely, tho eteeple of St. Peter's (Jhurcb, the West Gate, and a towor noar Uig latter, called St. Sunday's. Sinco these men refused to surrender, tho steople, with all in it, was burnt, while a strong guard was set to watch Iho towere. These both bu:rendered on tho following day, v lion tho otlicors and every tenth man of tho defendors of one lowor whence tho troops hid even tired on, whoro shot at once, whilo tho remainder of that garrison, us well us tho whole of these in tho other tower, were mado prisoners, ami sout eventually as slaves to Barbadoos. Of tho entire force of tho Royalists not fifty men escaped from death or captivity, direct orders having boon by I'lumwoll to sparo uo:io who illicit bo found in anus. Tho loss of tho English army waß 100 killed, which, following tho ordinary ratio of casualties- would imply an addition of about 2W wounded. Much has been naid with respect to tho slaughter which Cromwell ordered on this occasion (a slaughter certainly not without a parallel in our] own day), and while his dotractors point to it as an instance of hia cruelty and intolerance, his admirers lament it as unworthy of hia greatness, and ondeavcur to iind excuse for it in that, by his own statement, wo know that it was ordered " in tbo heat of action." But 110 blamo or oxcuae is really needed, for war cannot be made on humanitarian principles j and Cromwell, being a soldior, and having specific work to do, did that work iv tho way that seemed to him, and was, the most etloctual and complete, iio Buys himsolf—" Truly I bolieve this bitternoes will (savo much etlusion of blood ;'' aud that thiH was its tendency is shown by tho immediate surrender of Duudalk and Trim, due almost certainly to tho warning takon from the terrible fate of tho do fenders uf Droghedu. That war is an awful and horrible tbiuy thrwo who have boon it most often lostify distinctly :[ but it is unfortunately still as unavoidable as disoase, uud, like diseaso, must bring with it suffering and doath. So long as those attendants upon war strike only tho actual combatants, pity is wasted on tho fato of thoso who enduro only that which they strive to inilict. But tho true eadnosa of the matter lies, not in those details of it which affect tho paid and professional ministers of war, but in such as ruin, starve, and clay the innocent inhabitants of tho theatre in which tho deadly tragedy is played out. Tho Irish campaign of Cromwell was surely one of the most] remarkable in his history, since in nine months he reduced to almost entiro peace a country in which war had scarcely coasod during eight years. It is true that in co doing ho mado his name such a curse as is not yet forgotten ; but it was, perhaps,scarcely tobeoxpectedthattho proceedings of tho conqueror should be appreciated by tho conquered, while from a eoldier's point of view ho is entitled to the highest praiso, since that which ho had to do ho did efficiently. —'• The Parliamentary Generals and the Great Civil War." by N, h. Wolford.