We must now come to the third part of the battle, as it was arranged (as we have before premised) by the Prince of Orange.
During the two former attacks every where was to be seen the blue and orange plumes of Nassau waving over flood and field! Now also every where was he to be seen quickly to rush into danger, riding rapidly from place to place, examining every regiment and troop, exhorting and inspiring them by look, gesture, and action. The soldiers were well pleased at this attention; they were flattered and animated, every man considering himself under the immediate inspection of his royal leader, while every motion and manœuvre his counsel, conduct, and courage directed.
The Prince of Orange led on the left wing of the army, accompanied by Prince George of Denmark, and they passed the Boyne at the ford of Old Bridge, between the army of James and the town of Drogheda; and it was not without difficulty that this measure was accomplished. Here the charger of the Prince of Orange got entangled in a bog or morass at the other side of the river, where he had landed, and where he was forced to alight until one of the royal attendants succeeded in extricating "Sorrel" (for so was the royal charger named) from his entanglement in the morass, and assisted the prince to remount.
As soon as all the troops had passed over the Boyne water, and were put in some order, the Prince of Orange commanded them to march; and constantly was he seen upon the alert, with his large conspicuous triangular hat and nodding plumes, urging "Sorrel" in full gallop at the head of his cavalry, his sword drawn, and his wounded arm freed from the scarf which had supported it. He waved his sword on high, and encouraged and inflamed the soldiery to battle.
At this sight the troops of King James manifested a disposition to retreat. King James, however, endeavoured by every method and persuasion he could use to rally his men, while loudly he repeatedly called out to them,
"On, on ye brave!"
while to his general officers he expressed his fixed determination "to make a bold and resolute effort for the recovery of his throne; for that all the hopes of his restoration depended upon the result of that day!"
The Prince of Orange now despatched twelve battalions and nine squadrons to strengthen his right wing, and placed himself at the head of the left wing of his army. The right, as we have before observed, was commanded by Count Menard Schomberg; the centre by Field-Marshal Duke of Schomberg, and the left by William.
In the meantime all the forces of King James, except the detachment which had retired to Duleek, promptly gathered from all quarters, and formed a firm and formidable phalanx around their king. Here the battle raged loud and stormy, but with various success, for about an hour, representing both to the eye and ear all the horrors of civil and foreign war commingled. Here waved in the breeze the silver lilies of France; there undulated the silver harp of Erin, the golden lion of old merry England; and the Scottish unicorn, with the bordure of the thistle; next the Belgic lion in refulgent gold; then the dark, black eagle of Brandenburgh, with the ominous raven of Denmark, all waving in the morning breeze, and in the fierce discordant attack shaken to and fro, like the woods of some ancient forest. Here, and every where, resounded the languages of France, England, Holland, Denmark, Germany, and Ireland—all spoken promiscuously. May we then not observe, what a scene was there combined! withal the various and varied nations, their troops' uniforms consisting of various and discordant hues, all combining and forming the different tints of the rainbow, including many ultra and even plus-ultra dyes of the arc of heaven!—green, blue, black, yellow, scarlet, and some undefinable colours. The varied look that caught the eye, and the varied language that irresistibly reached the ear, rendered this ever most remarkable battle-scene truly another Babel! While Frenchmen fought against their fellow-subjects in some quarters of the field—while in others brave Britons contended against Britons—and, alas! the sons of unhappy Ireland fought against each other in opposing ranks!—Oh, the reflection was dreadful!
At this period of the battle Tyrconnel defeated the English, who were commanded by General De Ginckle, and who thereupon suddenly retreated. The Prince of Orange, perceiving what Tyrconnel had done, rallied the English cavalry, and remonstrated with them upon their flight. When thus urged, they rushed again upon the charge, and not without some success.