The Siege of Derry 1689

by Richard Doherty

  5. James FitzJames, Duke of Berwick. Illegitimate son of James II and Arabella Churchill, sister of John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, Berwick was one of the greatest cavalry commanders of his era, although he gained notoriety for his scorched-earth policy in Ireland, which he first demonstrated during the siege. Before serving under his father in Ireland, he had already fought in Hungary and later went on to become a Marshal of France, leading a French army to victory at Almanza in 1707. Granted French citizenship, he was created Duc de Fitz-James by Louis XIV and Duque de Liria y Xérica by King Philip V of Spain. (Tony Crowe)

  6. David Cairns (or Cairnes). A lawyer and one of the prime movers in the defence of the city, he travelled to London to raise funds for the defence. Cairns had been elected a burgess of the city in 1680 and was the uncle of William Cairnes, one of the apprentices who shut the gates of the city against the Earl of Antrim’s troops. (Tony Crowe)

  7. Henry Baker. A soldier and veteran of Tangier who commanded one of the defending regiments in Londonderry, he was elected governor of the city in succession to Colonel Robert Lundy; George Walker was elected as his assistant. Baker fell ill and died on 30 June, the seventy-fourth day of the siege, and was succeeded by Jonathan Mitchelburne. (Tony Crowe)

  8. Jonathan Mitchelburne. Another soldier, Tangier veteran and commander of what had been Skeffington’s Regiment, Mitchelburne was nominated by Baker to be his successor. After the siege he settled near the city and left money in his will for the flying of the crimson siege flag – ‘Mitchelburne’s bloody flag’ – from the spire of St Columb’s Cathedral on the anniversaries of the shutting of the gates and the relief of the city. (Tony Crowe)

  9. Lord Mountjoy. William Stewart from Ramelton in County Donegal was the commanding officer of the garrison regiment in Londonderry which was ordered by Tyrconnel to march to Dublin, leaving the garrison role to Antrim’s Regiment, against which the gates were shut. Mountjoy had also been Master-General of the Ordnance in Ireland. He was subsequently sent on a diplomatic mission to France where he was imprisoned in the Bastille. Shortly after his release, he was killed in action, at the Battle of Steenkirk, in 1692. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  10. George Walker. Assistant governor to both Henry Baker and Jonathan Mitchelburne, Walker wrote the first published account of the siege in which he gave himself a leading role and made little mention of the many doubts that existed about his integrity. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  11. John Harvey. The keeper of the city’s stores during the siege, Harvey was later City Chamberlain. He died in 1737 at the age of 81. (Tony Crowe)

  12. Ezekiel Hopkins, Bishop of Derry. When Antrim’s Regiment arrived on the east bank of the Foyle, Hopkins was a leading advocate of allowing the soldiers to enter the city. His argument was that they were the king’s soldiers and that, since the king was God’s anointed, refusing them entry would be an act of disobedience to the Almighty. Hopkins subsequently left the city. He was succeeded as Bishop of Derry by the Reverend George Walker, who was killed at the Boyne in July 1690 before he could return to the city. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  13. Adam Murray rallying the defenders. The son of a farming family from County Londonderry who rose to military prominence during the siege, Murray was one of the most energetic leaders of the defence. He commanded a cavalry regiment and showed great tactical skill as a soldier as well as leading a ‘commando’ operation behind Jacobite lines in which he was wounded. (Tim Webster)

  14. The locks and keys of the four original gates. When they were built the walls had only four gates, each of which took the shape of a small fortress. These are the locks of those four gates together with the keys which the thirteen apprentices seized to shut the gates against Antrim’s ‘Redshanks’. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  15. Cannonballs and musket rounds. A selection of cannonballs of varying weights with some musket balls that were fired during the siege. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  16. Derrymade cannonball. An example of the rounds produced by using the lead that had covered the original wooden spire, which had been removed from St Columb’s Cathedral, combined with brick dust. On this ball the damage of impact has exposed part of the inside of the round, which is a pinkish hue. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  17. Walker’s sword. This is the sword carried by George Walker in his role as the commanding officer of one of the defending regiments during the siege. Walker’s Regiment had previously been Sir Arthur Rawdon’s Dragoons. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  18. Adam Murray’s sword, believed to have been taken from a French general during one of the early engagements of the siege, at Pennyburn, to the north of the city. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  19. French flags taken at Windmill Hill. During the first battle at Windmill Hill, the Jacobite attackers were beaten off and a number of their company colours captured. Two of these were later presented to St Columb’s Cathedral by Jonathan Mitchelburne and were hung in the Cathedral. Although the fabric has been replaced the staffs are original and the new fabric shows the pattern of the original colours with the fleur-de-lys of France embroidered in the upper left quadrant. This suggests that the colours were presented to the Irish unit by the French. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  20. St Columb’s Cathedral in 1689. A contemporary illustration of the Cathedral as it appeared at the time of the siege. The tower was used as a battery, or gun platform, on which were mounted two cannon taken from Culmore Fort. From the tower the defenders enjoyed an excellent view of Jacobite positions around the city. (St Columb’s cathedral)

  21 & 22. The shutting of the gates, December 1688. This was the act of rebellion against King James II that led to the beginning of the siege five months later. Plate 21 shows the apprentice boys shutting Ferryquay Gate against Antrim’s soldiers (St Columb’s Cathedral) while plate 22 is a modern depiction by Tim Webster showing Antrim’s reconnaissance party outside Ferryquay Gate as it is closed against them.

  23. The city walls in 1689. Based on a contemporary work, this illustration shows the layout of the walls during the siege. The ravelin built on Governor Robert Lundy’s orders is on the left, at the south wall of the city. (Tim Webster)

  24. Culmore Fort. Situated at Culmore Point, where the Foyle flows into Lough Foyle, the fort should have played a vital part in the city’s defences but was taken early in the siege by a clever ruse on the part of the Jacobites. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  25. As this contemporary illustration shows, Culmore Fort dominated the approach from the sea via Lough Foyle to the city. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  26. Clady bridge. The first major actions of the siege were fought on the Tyrone/Donegal border. This is the bridge at Clady, built on the site of the original which was destroyed by the defenders to impede the Jacobite advance. However, Jacobite cavalry were able to charge across the Finn, which is both narrow and shallow, to force the Williamites to retreat. (Private photo)

  27. Mongavlin Castle: A Jacobite headquarters was established at the small castle at Mongavlin on the west bank of the Foyle south of St Johnston in County Donegal. (Private photo, courtesy Mr Roy Craig)

  28. Cavanacor House: Having decided to leave the conduct of the siege in the hands of his generals, James II left for Dublin but stopped to dine alfresco at Cavanacor House near Ballindrait. This Protestant property was given a protection by the king and was the sole substantial Protestant-owned house to survive the ire of the Jacobites when they were forced eventually to abandon the siege. (Private photo, courtesy Cavanacor House)

  29. Under siege: A contemporary German print. The grid layout of the city and Lundy’s ravelin are shown clearly, as well as Jacobite positions close by. It will be noted that the orientation of the plan is reversed with North being to the bottom where the ‘narrows’ and the boom may be seen. (St Columb’s Cathedral)r />
  30. Another contemporary print, showing the city and the Jacobite position in Stronge’s orchard. This is much simpler than plate 29 and shows Windmill Hill closer to the walls than in reality while Pennyburn is shown as Pennybrook. Once again the orientation is reversed. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  31. A Jacobite view of the besieged city from the Dutch artist Romeyn de Hooghe. Although the terrain and the layout of the city owe more to the artist’s imagination than to reality, the military detail of the battery in the foreground is accurate with the detachments manning the mortar and the field piece protected by gabions. Also accurate is the detail of the infantry soldiers who may be seen in the panorama. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  32. A typical infantry soldier of the period, armed with a musket, a sword and carrying a bandolier of twelve charges for his musket. He wears a wide-brimmed felt hat which was usually turned up at one side and a long frock coat with deep cuffs that could be pulled down over his hands. Those soldiers of the Jacobite army who had been issued with uniforms wore red coats as did many of their Williamite foes. Collars and cuffs were usually in the facing colours of the soldier’s regiment. (Tim Webster)

  33. Some typical weaponry of the siege. The artillery piece is a demi-culverin on a field carriage as used by the Jacobite army while the firelock musket and sword would have been common to both armies, although the older matchlock musket was also still in use. (Tim Webster)

  34. Roaring Meg: The most famous of the defenders’ artillery pieces, this gun, named on account of its loud boom when discharged, was presented to the city by the Fishmongers’ Company in 1642. As with all the defenders’ artillery, ‘Roaring Meg’ sat on a garrison, or naval, carriage. Sadly, in the recent refurbishment of the city’s cannon, the local council have seen fit to finish some as field pieces, a completely inaccurate representation. (Ian Bartlett)

  35. The Windmill. The first major engagement after the close investment of the city was fought at Windmill Hill. The remains of the windmill still stand in the grounds of Lumen Christi College. (Private photo, courtesy Lumen Christi College)

  36. During the first battle at Windmill Hill, the Jacobite Brigadier-General Ramsey was killed. He was buried with full military honours in the grounds of the Temple More, now St Columba’s, or Long Tower, Church. His grave is not marked but may be in this section of the churchyard which is overlooked by the city walls: the double bastion and the spire of St Columb’s Cathedral can be seen clearly in the background. (Private photo)

  37. The Battle of Windmill Hill. This impression compresses the area, bringing the windmill much closer to the walls. It shows Bishop’s Gate, the ravelin and the defensive palisades to good effect. (Tim Webster)

  38. Having decided that the boom and the Jacobite defences along the narrows presented too grave a danger to the fleet and that the defenders were not in immediate peril, Major-General Percy Kirke took his relief fleet around the coast of Inishowen into Lough Swilly to anchor off Inch island where he established a camp. This is Inch from the nearby Grianan of Aileach. The two causeways and the flat land in the middle ground date from the late-nineteenth century. To the right may be seen Lough Swilly and the fleet’s course in from the Atlantic. (Private photo)

  39. Burt Castle, once a stronghold of the O’Dohertys, is close to Inch and features in contemporary accounts, although it seems to be confused with Inch Castle, which is on the island. Burt Castle stands on high ground overlooking the lough and surrounding area as may be seen from this photograph. (Private photo)

  40. Although the Jacobite forces had established a close investment of the city, strenuous and heroic efforts were made by the defenders to maintain communications with their counterparts at Enniskillen and elsewhere. In one such effort, Adam Murray led a small ‘commando’ party by boat into County Tyrone. This illustration shows a small boat leaving from the shadow of the city walls. (Tim Webster)

  41. An offer of surrender terms was made to the defenders in early-July. Those terms were contained in a note fired into the city in this mortar shell which stands in the vestibule of St Columb’s Cathedral. A 12-inch (30 cm) ruler provides an indication of the size of the hollow round. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  42. At the end of July, three merchant ships and a Royal Navy warship were despatched to make the run upriver to the city. While the warship, HMS Dartmouth, drew the fire of the guns at Culmore Fort, two of the merchantmen, the Mountjoy and the Phoenix, entered the narrows and made for the boom. This contemporary illustration shows the two ships, with Mountjoy leading, sailing upriver. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  43. In this detail, Mountjoy can be seen as it is about to strike the boom. On this occasion, the boom held and it was not until sailors from HMS Swallow, manning that ship’s longboat, attacked the boom with an axe that the construction gave way and the merchant ships were able to make for the city. It was at this time that Mountjoy’s captain, Michael Browning, was killed. (St Columb’s Cathedral)

  44. Walker’s bible: With the siege at an end, Walker preached from the Psalms to the congregation in the Cathedral. His bible, open at the pages from which he drew his inspiration, is preserved in the Chapterhouse of the Cathedral. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  45. This stained-glass window in St Columb’s Cathedral commemorates the relief of the city and shows Mitchelburne’s bloody flag of defiance with Walker pointing to the relief ships as they make their way to the city’s quay. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  46. Phoenix was the first to arrive at the Ship Quay, followed closely by Mountjoy and both ships began discharging their cargoes almost as soon as they tied up. Enemy fire was directed at the work parties and gabions were used to protect them. The arrival of supplies and the imminent arrival of reinforcements meant the end of the siege and the Jacobite commanders were forced to admit defeat and withdraw from the city. (Tim Webster)

  47. Captain Michael Browning, a native of the city, who died as the relief ships sought to break the boom, is commemorated by this tablet on the city walls, overlooking Shipquay Place and across from the city’s Guildhall. (Ian Bartlett)

  48. Browning is also commemorated in St Columb’s Cathedral where his mortal remains rest alongside those of Henry Baker, governor of the city from April 1689 until his death on 30 June. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  49. In the Cathedral grounds the many who died in the 105 days of the siege are commemorated by the mass grave known as the Heroes’ Mound. The Mound has been refurbished recently by the Associated Clubs of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, who maintain it in conjunction with the Cathedral authorities. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  50. The most controversial figure of the siege was Colonel Robert Lundy who was the city’s military governor in the months leading up to the siege. In May 1686, Lundy’s daughter Aromintho was baptised in St Columb’s Cathedral. This is the record in the Cathedral register of baptisms which reads: ‘Aromintho, daughter of Colonel Robert Lunday and Martha his wife’. Martha Lundy was the daughter of the Very Reverend Rowland Davies, Dean of Ross. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  51. Letter from the Lord Deputy, the Earl of Tyrconnel, to the Earl of Antrim telling him to have his regiment ready, at an hour’s notice, to march on Derry. Dated 18 December 1688, the letter was written at Dublin Castle after the shutting of the gates on Antrim’s Regiment. (St Columb’s Cathedral; photo: Ian Bartlett)

  52. The undertaking from Jonathan Mitchelburne, as Governor of the city, that James Stronge of Gobnascale within the liberties of Londonderry would be repaid £1,000 that he had provided towards the costs of the defence of the city. This debt was never repaid by the government and the original of this document was destroyed when James Stronge’s descendant Sir Norman Stronge and his son James were murdered by republican terrorists in their home at Tynan Abbey, County Armagh in 1981 which was then destroyed by arson. (Tony Crowe)

  bsp;

  Richard Doherty, The Siege of Derry 1689