LONDONDERRY CITY HISTORY

Samuel Lewis

1837

In 1689 this city became the asylum of the Protestants of the north, who, in number about 30,000, fled to it for refuge before the marauding forces of James; and is distinguished in the annals of modern history for the heroic bravery of its inhabitants amidst the extreme privations of a protracted siege. The chief governor having withdrawn the Protestant garrison, and steps being taken to introduce an undisciplined native force influenced by hostile prejudices, the young men of the city closed the gates against its admission, and the bulk of the inhabitants took up arms in their own defence. The magistrates and graver citizens endeavoured to palliate this ebullition of military ardour in their representations to the lord-lieutenant, but in the meantime the armed inhabitants applied to the Irish Society for assistance.

Lord Mountjoy, a Protestant commander in the army of James, was, however, admitted, in a great measure from personal regard, but on condition that a free pardon should be granted within 15 days, and that in the interval only two companies should be quartered within the walls; that of the forces afterwards admitted one-half at least should be Protestants; that until pardon was received the citizens should guard the fortifications; and that all who desired it might be permitted to quit the city.

By the advice of Mountjoy, who was obeyed as a friend and associate, the arms were repaired, money cheerfully subscribed, ammunition purchased in Scotland, and the agent despatched to England urged to procure supplies. He was succeeded in the command by his first lieutenant, Lundy, whom King William, on sending an officer with some military supplies, commissioned to act in his name; but the dissatisfaction of the citizens was excited by the vacillating character of this commander, who, on the approach of James to besiege the city in person, prepared to surrender it, notwithstanding the arrival of two English colonels in the river with reinforcements, which he remanded. The principal officers being about to withdraw, and the town council preparing to offer terms of capitulation, the inhabitants rose tumultuously against the constituted authorities, received with enthusiasm a brave and popular captain who presented himself at the city gates with a reinforcement, and, rushing to the walls, fired upon James and his party advancing to take possession of the place.

On deliberation they suffered the timid to depart unmolested; Lundy first concealed himself and afterwards escaped; and two new governors were chosen, one of whom was the celebrated George Walker, rector of Donoughmore. Under their directions the soldiers and able inhabitants were formed into eight regiments, numbering 7020 men, with 341 officers; order and discipline were in some degree established, and, notwithstanding partial jealousies, 18 Protestant clergymen and seven non-conformists shared in the labour and danger of the siege, and by their exhortations stimulated the enthusiastic courage of the defenders with the fervour of devotion.

The operations of an army of 20,000 men were thus successfully opposed in a place abandoned as untenable by the regular forces, unaided by engineers or well-mounted guns, and with only a ten days' supply of provisions. An irregular war of sallies was adopted with such effect that James, who had hitherto remained at St. Johnstown, six miles distant, returned to Dublin, leaving his army to continue the siege.

The defenders had now to contend against the inroads of disease and famine; and the arrival of Kirke with a fleet in the lough afforded but little prospect of relief, as he deemed it too hazardous an enterprise to sail up to the town in front of the enemy's lines. Although thus apparently left to their own scanty resources, the brave garrison continued the defence with unabated heroism, still making desperate and effective sallies even when too much enfeebled by hunger to pursue their success.

To induce a surrender, Marshal Rosen, the besieging general, ordered his soldiers to drive round the walls of the town the helpless Protestant population of the surrounding district, of all ages, who were thus exposed to the horrors of famine for nearly three days before they were suffered to disperse; some of the ablest of the men secretly joined their comrades in the town, and an ineffective body of 500 people were passed from it unperceived by the enemy.

When even such miserable resources as the flesh of horses and dogs, hides, tallow, and similar nauseous substances had failed for two days, two of Kirke's ships, laden with provisions and convoyed by the Dartmouth frigate, advanced up the lough in view both of the garrison and the besiegers, in a dangerous attempt to relieve the place, returning with spirit the fire of the enemy. The foremost of the provision ships came in contact with the boom that had been thrown across the channel and broke it, but rebounding with violence ran aground, and for the moment appeared to be at the mercy of the besiegers, who with acclamations of joy instantly prepared to board her; but the vessel, firing her guns, was extricated by the shock, floated, and triumphantly passed the boom followed by her companions.

The town was thus relieved and the enemy retired; but of the brave defenders only 4300 survived to witness their deliverance, and of this number more than 1000 were incapable of service; those who were able immediately sallied out in pursuit of the enemy, who had lost 8000 men by the sword and by various disorders during the siege, which had continued 105 days. Culmore fort was reduced to ruin, and was never afterwards rebuilt; and the city sustained so much damage that the Irish Society deemed it necessary to appoint commissioners for its restoration; the twelve chief companies of London advanced £100 each; the Society supplied timber for the public buildings, abatements were made in the rents, the terms of leases were augmented, and other measures necessary for the accomplishment of this object were adopted.

In 1692, the corporation failing to negociate with Bishop King for a renewal of the lease of the quarter-lands, reminded the Society that the bishop's claims to this property were unsubstantial, and agreed to establish their right in consideration of £90. 10. per annum, which is still paid. In 1695 the Society procured a resumption of the remainder of the 1500 acres comprised in their letters patent, by an ejectment against the bishop, who, in 1697, appealed to the Irish House of Lords and obtained an order for their restitution, which the sheriffs and other inhabitants of Derry opposing, were taken into custody and conveyed to Dublin. Against this decision the Society applied to the English House of Lords, and in 1703 an act was passed establishing their right not only to the 1500 acres but also to the fisheries, which had previously been an object of dispute, subject to the payment of £250 per annum to the bishop and his successors, which is still continued, with a condition of exonerating him from rent or other demands for his palace and gardens.

In 1721 a dispute took place between the corporation and the military governor, who refused to deliver the keys of the city gates to the new mayor, which by the charter he was bound to do; he surrounded the town-hall with troops, and prevented the members of the corporation entering it, but was removed immediately after. A grand centenary commemoration of the shutting of the gates took place in 1788, and was continued with the utmost harmony for three days; and in the month of August following the relief of the city was commemorated.

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