ations for the siege began to make considerable noise.

It was about the middle of August; the weather had been exceedingly wet for some weeks, and the Shannon, in consequence, had risen and flooded the low grounds about Limerick. This had retarded Ginckle's operations; but towards the end of the month the weather began to improve. Orders were sent to the squadron in the river to push some of their light ships nearer the town. Two hundred and fifty draughthorses, and a large convoy of cavalry, were sent out to meet the heavy artillery on its way to the camp; and the army was ordered to prepare for the siege by making two thousand fascines each regiment. Before the end of the month the great guns arrived safe in the lines, and the army now began to close upon the town.

CHAP. XIV

SECOND SIEGE OF LIMERICK.

GINCKLE advanced upon Limerick with great caution, but he met with little opposition, the Irish falling back as he moved forward, and showing no disposition to make any serious resistance outside the walls; nor did they defend the two forts called Cromwell's and Ireton's, which were situated close to the town, with any vigour. After firing some shot they withdrew their men, and abandoned them to the enemy. Acting upon the same system, they took no mea sures to support the castles of Carrick-a-Gunnel and Castle Connel, which commanded the navigation of the river above and below the town, and which fell into Ginckle's hands without a struggle.

As in the former siege, the city maintained its communication open with the county of Clare; and all the horse, consisting of seventeen regiments, were encamped on the Clare side of the river.

The British ships in the river attempted to annoy the cavalry-camp by throwing shot into

it from time to time. They had approached as near the town as they could do with safety, and kept up a communication with the British army on the one side, and on the other with the squadron in the Shannon's mouth, from which point a line of ships of war communicated with the English fleet cruising off Cape Clear. This fleet was on the look-out for the French squadron expected to the relief of Limerick.

The General occupied nearly the same position before the town which the king had maintained; but, with less judgment, he directed his attacks chiefly upon the English town, which was impregnable. His works appeared to be too considerable and extensive for his force; and the duty in the trenches fell with extreme severity upon the army. The cavalry were obliged to take their turn with the infantry. Notwithstanding this exertion, and that the fire from the batteries was much more powerful than at the former siege, day after day passed, and Ginckle made no progress whatever. The city had been on fire several times, but the flames were speedily extinguished, and those casualties seemed to create but little annnoyance to the enemy.

The inhabitants had in fact left the city, and had erected tents upon the Clare side of the river, far removed from the enemy's fire, and under the protection of their cavalry-camp. Here it was that the lords justices kept their

court, and James's judges, civil officers, and nobility, were collected. The city-camp was very large and irregular; but the people enjoyed security and abundance, and the wholesome air of the country. The cavalry and city camp exhibited occasionally scenes of great gaiety and festivity, while the town, being empty of inhabitants, made the defence easy and convenient to the garrison.

The Irish tried some sallies, which seem to have been attended with little success; and after a while they appear to have decided upon leaving the English to wear themselves out with vain attempts upon their walls, satisfied that the season and the rains would soon force them to raise the siege.

The spirits of the besiegers were kept alive during the investment by some small successes in other parts of the country. Sligo, and the Island of Buffin in the Bay of Galway, had capitulated upon the same terms as Galway had done. There were a number of small affairs between scattered corps of the British army engaged in those operations and various bodies of rapparees which traversed the country in all directions, and were sometimes bold enough to attack detached parties of the regular troops. They generally suffered for their temerity upon those occasions.

In the course of this troublesome warfare, many of the rapparee leaders arrived at considerable celebrity, and their fame has not yet passed wholly away. The redoubted name of the "White Sergeant," and the feats of valour and celerity performed by "galloping Hogan," still live in the traditional tales of the country, and hold their ground in our nurseries and at our farmers' fire-sides.

Successful to the north of Limerick, and his position secured by the possession of Galway, Sligo, and Athlone, Ginckle made an effort to open the country to the south by pushing a strong corps into Kerry under brigadier Levisson. This officer carried on a severe, though desultory, warfare in that mountainous district, where the Irish had a small detachment of regular troops under Lord Merrion, sup-. ported by several corps of rapparees. Levisson, having made an attack upon the small town of Tralee, was repulsed, and the town defended by an officer and a few men with great spirit; but finally the garrison, not being able to defend the place, set it on fire and retreated. Afterwards this officer was taken prisoner, and tried by Levisson at a court-martial of his own appointing, for the burning of Tralee. He was sentenced to be hanged; and Ginckle confirmed the sentence, "unless," he said, "the officer could produce proof of an order from General Sarsefield to burn