onsequence, extreme,
and the council and lords justices besought Ginckle not to leave them
without protection; but he only replied that they had it in their own
power to put an end to the war, by publishing such a declaration of
pardon and security, for person and property, as would satisfy the Irish
in James's army. But the council, even in this moment of alarm, refused
to renounce their golden hopes of confiscation.

Ginckle's first attack was directed against the village of Ballymore,
which lay between Mullingar and Athlone. It was defended by a thousand
cavalry and infantry, and a sergeant and a few men were posted, in a
castle, on an eminence some distance from the village. The first attack
was made on the castle, but the sergeant and his little garrison made a
long and gallant resistance, and the savage Dutchman was so infuriated at
the opposition that, when at last the post was taken, he ordered the
gallant sergeant to be at once hung.

He then sent word to the garrison of the village that, if they did not
surrender, he would serve them as he had served the sergeant. They were
unmoved by the threat, and made a long and gallant defence against the
whole of Ginckle's army; and the Dutch general was unable to overcome
their resistance, till he at last offered fair terms of surrender. The
position being a strong and important one, Ginckle spent some days in
adding to the defensive works the Irish had erected, before he moved
forward and sat down in front of Athlone. His army was well provided with
heavy artillery and everything necessary for a siege, and he was firmly
resolved that there should be no repetition of the disastrous failure of
the preceding autumn.

Chapter 14: Athlone.

The Irish had, this time, determined to defend not only that portion of
Athlone situated on the west of the river, but the English town on the
east. The fortifications here were repaired and added to, and the town
was abundantly supplied with stores and ammunition. It was, however,
unable to resist the heavy artillery which Ginckle brought to play
against it. Walls, buildings, and towers crumbled beneath the heavy
cannonade; and although the Irish repelled, with great slaughter, several
assaults upon it, the place became at last untenable, and they abandoned
that part of the town, and retired by the bridge across the river to the
Irish town.

The British, on entering the eastern town, found it a mere mass of ruins,
with the d