Boyne, battle of the

Boyne, battle of the, 1690. James II's attempt in the summer of 1689 to reassert his rule over all Ireland faltered on the resistance of Derry and Enniskillen. The Williamite victory at Newtown Butler in July 1689 was the start of the counter-attack. Derry was relieved the following day and Schomberg landed on 13 August. In June 1690 William III arrived to take personal command and began his advance south. The Jacobites decided to give battle on the line of the Boyne, 30 miles north of Dublin. When they met on 1 July, James's army was some 25,000 strong, William's a little more. William hoped to outflank his opponents by crossing the river to the west towards Rosnaree, but the attack bogged down. In the end, the day was decided largely by a frontal assault across the Boyne, with the advantage of numbers beginning to tell. The Jacobites managed an orderly retreat and William's forces were in no condition to pursue. Though casualties were not heavy, the outcome was decisive. Schomberg was killed in action; William was in Dublin for a Te Deum on 6 July; James, explaining rather unnecessarily to his supporters ‘I do now resolve to shift for myself’, was safe on board a boat at Duncannon within two days.

J. A. Cannon