Battlefield in Ballagh (moyashel & Magheradernon By.),clonsheever,rathconnell,curraghmore

Battle of Rathconnell At c. 11 a.m. on 7th February 1643, Grenville’s army of more than 1,700 men arrived in Mullingar town. The bulk of the town’s population had already fled, but Grenville managed to take one local prisoner. From him he learned that Preston’s army was stationed at Rathconnell pass, two miles north-east of Mullingar, on the main thoroughfare to Dublin. Grenville decided to confront Preston directly, and he immediately advanced his army towards Rathconnell. The pass at Rathconnell, which runs, in south-west to north-east line, was c. 60 yards wide and stood directly behind marshy ground. Approximately 100 yards beyond the pass, there was also a steep hill on which stood Rathconnell Castle. On either side of Rathconnell pass there was a bog described in contemporary accounts as stretching for c. 100 yards in either direction. According to the pamphlet Speciall newes from Ireland, the bog around Rathconnell pass had been deliberately cut up by the Confederate forces in advance of Grenville’s arrival, in order to make it more difficult for cavalry to operate on this terrain. In addition, Preston’s troops had also constructed a deep trench and a breastwork across the pass itself, and loopholes had been built into the breastwork to allow Confederate musketeers to fire on their enemy from a sheltered position. On approaching the pass Grenville drew his army up into battle formation. A ‘forlorn hope’ of 50 musketeers, commanded by Lieutenant Dikes, was to the fore of the main body of Grenville’s army. On either side of the ‘forlorn hope’, Grenville placed another detachment of musketeers. Each of these detachments consisted of 30 men. Directly behind the ‘forlorn hope’ Viscount Ranelagh was stationed with a troop of Horse, numbering c. 50 men in total. Behind Ranelagh’s Horse troop was yet another detachment of musketeers under Sir Richard Sherlock’s command, comprising c. 200 men (the vanguard of Grenville’s army). The main portion of Grenville’s army commanded by Lieutenant Rogers, stood behind Sherlock’s musketeers. Rogers commanded c. 900 men, both musketeers and pikemen. The pikemen were positioned in the middle of the formation, while the musketeers took up flank positions. A further force of 200 musketeers under Lieutenant Hatcher stood behind the main portion of the army. To the rear of the government army was another detachment commanded by Captain Pate, of 40 Dragoons and 20 musketeers. Three divisions of cavalry were stationed at either side of Grenville’s infantry. According to Speciall newes from Ireland Charles Coote was reputed to have overall command of Grenville’s Cavalry at Rathconnell. Contemporary accounts of the size of the Catholic army are less precise. Preston is reputed to have had c. 4,000 men at Rathconnell, though this estimate comes from Grenville and the Lords Justice in absentia in Dublin, all of whom would have had good reason to exaggerate the size of the Confederate force to enhance the prestige of Grenville’s subsequent victory. By Grenville’s account Preston placed 2,000 infantry and six troops of Horse (an estimated 300 to 400 men), in Rathconnell Pass. Another two divisions of c. 600 infantry troops were reputedly stationed on either side of the pass. Grenville also claimed that c. 800 men of Preston’s infantry were stationed to the north-east, behind the pass, some of these in Rathconnell Castle. Meanwhile, in Mullingar, two miles to the rear of Grenville’s army, c. 500 of Preston’s men occupied the town to cut off Grenville’s retreat. Grenville began the battle by sending his ‘forlorn hope’ into Rathconnell Pass. The 30 musketeers on their (the forlorn hope’s) left flank, advanced with them, though the 30 musketeers on their right flank hung back, contrary to orders. Grenville himself ascribed this failure to the cowardice of their commanding officer, Ensign Lake. Other troops from the vanguard now moved up to fill the gap left by Lake’s musketeers, and these forces advanced into Rathconnell Pass. They were under constant fire from Preston’s army and they were unable to break through the Pass. Contemporary accounts also refer to the difficult terrain at the entrance to Rathconnell Pass.