Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan, the
beloved of damsels and dames, was the hero of this period. A handsome,
large-limbed, brawny soldier, towering over the tallest of his dragoons,
and true as the steel he wore, he was a fitting leader of a forlorn
hope. Originally, one of the "Gentlemen of the Guard" under the Merrie
Monarch, his defence of Limerick was a military achievement worthy of
the ambition of any general; nor were his Williamite opponents slow to
cordially appreciate his valour. But he was fated to die, "on a far,
foreign field." The sieges of Limerick led up to its name of the City of
the Broken Treaty. William of Nassau, having routed King James in
August, 1690, invested the city with 35,000 men. Tyrconnel and Lauzun,
Commander of the French allies, had cleared out, considering that the
place could not be defended. Sarsfield, although not in command, with
other kindred spirits, decided to defend the position. The heavy
ordnance of the Williamites, while on the way to the scene of siege, was
surprised at night at Ballyneety by Sarsfield and a hero called
"Galloping O'Hogan," and the guns spiked and the ammunition mined and
fired. Auxiliary artillery was, however, brought into camp, and the
assault delivered. The guns breached the walls, the outworks were
carried, but before the garrison could pour in, the townspeople--men and
women--the latter, vieing in valour, flowed out and swept away all
opposition.
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