agreed that, if it surrendered, they would make an effort to escape with
their troops, for they had no faith in the observance of any terms of
capitulation which might be made.

Accordingly, as soon as it was known that the governor had surrendered,
and that the gates of the town were to be handed over to the British,
O'Driscol and Captain Davenant formed up their commands, and, opening one
of the gates, marched boldly out. The exact terms on which the garrison
had surrendered were not known, and Marlborough and Wirtemberg were near
the breach, arranging for the troops to take possession of the gates on
that side. Consequently, the besieging forces opposite the gate from
which the little column had marched out supposed that, in accordance with
the arrangement, they were coming out to lay down their arms. They
therefore stood aside as the column passed, being far more intent upon
the plunder they expected to gather, in Cork, than on anything else. As,
a few minutes later, the gates were opened and the troops poured into the
city, no further thought was given to the little force which had marched
out; and the five hundred infantry, and the troop of horse, were safe
from pursuit before the news of the audacious ruse they had practised
reached the ears of the generals.

Inside the town, the articles of the treaty were at once violated. The
troops entered the town in crowds, and, incited, as in Dublin, by a mob
calling themselves Protestants, they proceeded to plunder the houses and
assault the Catholic inhabitants. The governor, M'Carty, was wounded. The
Earls of Tyrone and Clancarty, with difficulty, made their escape from
the mob. Many were killed, and a great destruction of property took
place, before Marlborough and Wirtemberg entered the town and put a stop
to the disorder, which inflicted great discredit upon them, as they had
made no arrangements, whatever, to ensure the safety of the inhabitants,