The Battle of Yellow Ford
By Aengus O Snodaigh
By the late 16th Century little of Ireland remained outside of
English domination. The century saw the English attempt to
gradually achieving their goal of total conquest of Ireland
through the surrender and re-grant policy, through a series of
plantations in Queen's (Offaly) and King's (Laois) counties, in
parts of Munster and Ulster, and through extending the Pale. Not
all areas submitted easily and outbreaks of revolt against the
English crown by Irish chieftains occurred sporadically.
This was especially true of those living in Ulster and when Aodh
O Neill, earl of Tyrone declared against the English in 1594 he
was joined by several other Ulster chieftains and their armies.
Aodh had become leader of his people and the ruler of the Irish
lordship of Tyrone on the retirement of Trulough Luineach in
1593.
Aodh O Neill was at home in both the Irish and English worlds
following his earlier upbringing as a protégé of the English
administration. He was a subtle politician, a genius at
organising, and an outstanding soldier, being courageous,
resolute and also inspiring great loyalty.
One of the main reasons for his challenge to Queen Elizabeth's
authority in Ireland was her administration's continued attempts
to destroy the old Irish order, and the creeping acquisitions of
territory closer and closer to the O'Neill lordship.
O'Neill's first overt act of war against the English was
destruction of an English-built bridge and frontier post on the
highway between Dublin and Tyrone in February 1595. Thereafter,
although with intermittent cessations during periods of truce or
negotiations, the united Ulster army organised itself ceaselessly
for war and hoped for Spanish aid. From 1599 until Queen
Elizabeth's death it was open war to a finish in 1603, with no
respite allowed on either side.
The attitude of the English to the rebellious Ulstermen is
starkly illustrated in a quote from one of their negotiators,
Captain William Mostyn. He believed that the only way to pacify
Ulster was not by sword or reform alone but must ``come by the
cruelty of famine which must be by the taking away of their
cattle in each part where the traitors inhabit... (so that) those
not cut off by fire and sword will in a short time be despatched
by famine.''
There were several spectacular victories in the face of an
ever-growing English army by O Neill's army, which added to his
reputation as a first class military tactician. He used his
professionally-trained soldiers in the guerrilla tactics of hit
and withdraw, recording many victories against what would have
been regarded as a superior army. One such victory was the rout
of a relief convoy under Marshal Sir Henry Bagenal (O Neill's
brother-in-law) and Sir John Chichester returning from Monaghan
to Dublin through Clontibret in May 1595.
Following on his success at Clontibret, O Neill moved to
consolidate his position and the English rarely moved out of the
relative safety of the Pale without a whole field force. The next
major engagement of note was the battle three years later, in
1598, at Béal Atha Buí (the Yellow Ford) outside Armagh city.
O Neill's army, fully equipped with the most modern weaponry,
again challenged Bagenal who had been sent to reinforce an
outpost near an important ford on the Blackwater River.
On the morning of 14 August a large force of soldiers set out
from Armagh to march the five miles to Blackwater Fort. The
column of nearly 5,000 extended over a mile with its carriages,
cannons and supply vehicles as it moved over open ground through
the wooded and hilly terrain. They were fully expecting to be
ambushed, but believed that they had military superiority.
O Neill though had prepared the ground well (his intelligence
network had supplied him with the planned route well before the
English set off); digging trenches and pits full of thorns or
water to impede the English cavalry, wheeled artillery or supply
wagons. He placed his infantry at strategic locations along the
route, putting them within attacking range, yet with ground or
tree cover to withdraw to.
The battle began about half a mile out when O Neill nephew Brian
MacArt attacked the vanguard under Colonel Sir Richard Percy, and
Randal McSorley Mac Donald of Antrim picked them off as they
marched forward, away from MacArt. Then shifting from their
places in concealment behind the trees and skipping at will out
of range in the bogs, O Neill's musketeers subjected the column
to continuous attack. The column became ragged as it tried to
continue to march, but at the same time defend itself. Forcing
his way through with many lost, Percy's section got furthest -
about three and a half miles - before being halted by the trench
and a bog.
By this stage the column was in several sections, each being
harried by the surrounding Irish soldiers. As one moved forward
to relieve the other they became cut off totally from the rest of
the column as the Irish moved between them and picked them off.
They ``were driven in great disorder over the trenches'', ``stifled,
tumbling one over another'' to get away from the Irish who ``came
on amain with full cry after their manner''.
Charges by the English cavalry were broken by the superior Irish
one and a massive explosion of cannon powder in their midst
contributed to the confusion which now reigned among the English.
With gunpowder running low and on hearing that Blackwater Fort
had fallen to Irish hands the orders to regroup, followed by the
order to retreat caused more consternation and resulted in a
scramble for the safety of the Armagh garrison. Half of what
remained of their cavalry did not stop till they reached Dublin.
O Neill was victor in one of the greatest victories ever achieved
by an Irish force over an English one in open battle. The English
lost 25 officers and close on 1,000 soldiers, with another 500
wounded. Over 300 soldiers deserted to O Neill, many were Irish
soldiers in the service of the queen. The victory paralysed the
English administration for a number of years.
The Battle of Yellow Ford occurred on 14 August, 400 years ago
this week.
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