Lieutenant-General Hamilton advised King James at this council, "to send a detachment of dragoons to defend the ford of Slane, which was below the town of Drogheda, (which the English either knew not of, or did not regard of importance,) and to despatch eight regiments to defend the bridge of Slane."
But King James coldly said in reply: "I shall send fifty dragoons to protect the ford." [59]
This reply put Hamilton into the utmost amazement, considering the importance of the place to be defended. But he remained silent.
In many respects the determination of King James to maintain the post he occupied, which certainly was well chosen, was as correct as his resolve was judicious; where encamped,
"His white pavilions made a show, Like remnants of the winter's snow, Along Donore's dark ridge."
"Stationed upon the commanding hill of Donore, which looked down upon the Boyne, his right approach was upon Drogheda, which he occupied, his front facing the Boyne, fordable, but still deep, and rising every tide, with strong banks, which, intersected by mounds of earth, and divided by hedges and ditches; hence his army presented a front of about three miles, extending towards the Slane, where he negligently failed to occupy a bridge, which had been advised by General Hamilton. The river Boyne forms towards the centre of where James was stationed a considerable projecting curve, and another in reverse higher up toward Slane." [60] This, as will be seen in a subsequent chapter, was of the utmost importance to the two contending princes. We must add, that the localities of the station added to the security of King James; for had his opponent succeeded in crossing the Boyne at this point, there was still a morass also to be passed, and then succeeded by the barrier of a rising ground.
Thus advantageously was encamped upon the 30th of June the army of King James.—He had thrown up some breast-works upon the banks of the fords which lay between the two camps; and he now gave orders that "if his troops were driven from these on the morrow, then to retire to the line of houses; if from the houses, to the hedges; if from the hedges, to the range of small hills; and if driven from these, to occupy the heights of Donore: and if they could not then make that station good, they were to retreat to Duleek, and stop further pursuit by defending the pass."
Throughout the whole of this eventful day, the precursor of the ever memorable first of July, salutation from the cannon's mouth had been interchanged between each contending army, and not without leaving numerous ostensible marks of slaughter in the camps of the two contending princes. But towards the close of day the thundering roar of cannon ceased at once on both sides; while in the rival camps of royal James and William was only then to be heard the "dreadful note of preparation" for the battle on the morrow.
King James having caused his army to pass him in single files, surrounded by his nobles, generals, and staff, he thus addressed his army:—
"Soldiers, and comrades of my toil! to-morrow I purpose putting an end to all our hardships and privations by terminating the war; by boldly encountering those squadrons who are now yonder encamped, and whose standards, waving on the banks of the Boyne below, seem to invite us to the battle. We shall not disappoint them! nor, brave men, shall you be disappointed! They shall indeed feel what loyal men, determined in a just cause, can do and dare for their lawful sovereign. And God protect those who fight under the banner of justice;—who fight for their lawful king, and for all that is dear to men! As for myself I have been bred in the ranks of war, (if your king may for once be permitted to speak of what he has performed;) educated alike in the school of hardship as of war. I have fought in different realms—in Spain, in France, and Holland, I have fought and conquered with the brave Turenne, for whom I have ever felt the tenderness of a son. I have fought by land and by sea, and with those same Dutch that now invade us; aye, and beat them too we have to boot! at the mouth of their Texel—upon their own shores, I did it! But to-morrow we shall meet them again, and their vaunting leader, in the battle-field; when and where, I trust, under the auspices of heaven, that again and once more I shall rout them, and that too upon my loyal shores of Ireland! For strongly I feel that the blood of the noble Edwards and the Henrys still pulsates in these veins; and that the valiant blood of the fourth Henry of France, my glorious grandfather, still survives, and animates his descended son. Soldiers! he too, like myself, met with ingratitude—with disloyalty! he, like me, was driven from his throne! But he had a Sully; and I can boast that I have a Tyrconnel! His loyal troops of Navarre restored him to his throne; and on to-morrow, with the benison of God, I shall witness my restoration to the ancient throne of the Stuarts, by my brave—my loyal Irish, and the gallant swords of my noble Frenchmen that now encircle me; and who, to a man, are fully determined to conquer or to die for me; and in that fate shall your king fully participate with you all—to vanquish or to perish!"