the hedges. The British might have defended these hedges, as the Irish
had done, but the soldiers saw that they would be taken in the flank and
rear, and, observing a large body of cavalry ascending the hill, they
were seized with a panic.

On the first shock of the Irish infantry, the four regiments broke and
fled. They were hotly pursued, and slaughtered in great numbers, the
Irish cavalry pouring through the openings in the hedges which had been
prepared for them. At length, the fugitives reached the edge of the bog,
where they gathered in a confused mass; which the officers, in vain,
attempted to form into order. The cavalry charged down upon them, broke
and scattered them, and drove them into the morass, followed by the Irish
infantry, who were better acquainted with the ground, and more accustomed
to traversing bogs. The soldiers were driven into the deepest and most
difficult portion of the morass, and a great slaughter took place.

The British artillery were planted on the edge of the morass, but so
mingled were the two parties that they were unable to fire. Great numbers
of the English were killed. Colonels Earl and Herbert, with many officers
and men, were taken prisoners, and the remnant of the British were driven
completely across the bog, to the shelter of their own cannon.

While this was passing in the centre, another division of Ginckle's army,
consisting of English and French infantry, had crossed the bog by a
passage more to the right. They also had met with no opposition in
passing, and it was only when they reached the hedges, on the firm
ground, that the Irish showed themselves, fired, and retreated. This
division, more cautious than that of Earl, could not be tempted to
pursue, but contented themselves with maintaining their ground under a
heavy fire, awaiting anxiously the arrival of the British horse. They