In the midst of these measures, and of the alarm and misery which they created in Ireland, news arrived of the deposition of and the arrival of William in England. The joy which this created in the Protestants was sudden ly and completely damped, by information that a general massacre of the Protestants was planned, and about to be executed. The utmost consternation immediately prevail ed. The flight of the Protestants was almost general ; their only hope of safety seemed to be by leaving Ireland; and the coasts opposite to England were almost literally lined with the fugitives. in the north of Ireland alone, be ing more numerous, they resolved on defence, and for this purpose took refuge in Londonderry.
The citizens of this place participated in the general alarm ; and when they heard that the Earl of Antrim's regi ment, composed entirely of Catholics, was marching to wards Londonderry, they naturally supposed that the crisis of their fate was at hand. Under this impression, they were filled with dismay, and utterly at a loss how to act, when the enthusiasm of a few youths determined them to oppose the entry of these troops ; nor did they admit them, till they were convinced that their intentions were not what they apprehended, and on conditions which they them selves proposed.
As soon as the alarm of the assassination had subsided, and it was ascertained that it was destitute of foundation, the Protestants began to form associations, especially in Ulster ; but these were dissolved in a short time, being ob jected to, and in fact opposed, both by the Protestant and Catholic members of the council.
Almost at the same time that information was received that William meant immediately to send troops and sup plies into Ireland, intelligence came that James had land ed in Munster with an army. On the 24th of March 1689, he entered Dublin. His promises of protection to the Pro testants were rendered very suspicious, by the solemn pro cession with which the Catholic clergy welcomed him into Dublin, and, in a very short time, wer • ed to bc insincere. As the Protestant strength lay el • fl y in the north of Ireland, James resolved to direct his march thither. Londonderry was to be first reduced. Ini y Lundy commanded, a man suspected of attachment to James, but to whom William, in the midst of his embar rassments, had been obliged to commit this important place. The suspicion that attached to him was too well founded. He refused to defend the town ; and had it not been for the skill and intrepidity of George Walker, a clergyman, James would instantly have gained admittance into it. The inha bitants, encouraged by him, resolved to defend the town, and elected Walker, and a Major Baker, their governors.
The garrison consisted of 7361 men; but there was not one well mounted cannon, no engineer, no person who possess ed any considerable degree of military skill. The fortifi cations too, originally not strong, were by no means in a good state, the stores were few ; and besides the garrison, there were 30,000 people, who could be of little or no use, to maintain. Under such circumstances, they determined to defend their town against James's army, consisting of 20.000 men, well equipped in every respect, prepared for the beige, and led by him in person. it is not to be sup posed that Walker and his brave associates were qualified defend the town according to the rules of military art. They depended solely on zeal, perseverance and courage. Their sallies were frequent, fierce, and destructive to the besiegers ; and so confident were they in themselves, that they always kept the gates open, in order that they might sally forth whenever an opportunity occurred ; and when James's army battered the walls, they told them that was useless, as they might enter by the gates if they were so disposed.
The prospect of reducing this place, so defended, ap peared to James so distant, that after having continued his assaults for eleven days, lie returned to Dublin, leaving his forces with orders to continue the siege. From force, there seemed now no chalice of gaining the town. The besiegers, therefore, resolved to wait patiently till fa mine forced it to surrender. Of the approach of this, the inhabitants were not unapprebensive ; but they trusted that supplies of forces and provisions would speedily arrive from England; and, in the mean time, the clergy in the town, both of the establishment, and belonging to the dis senters, by daily addressing the people in the cathedral, kept up, and even increased their determination never to yield.
But the period seemed now near at hand, when human nature, however reluctantly, must give way to fatigue, hun ger, and disease, united ; and the hopes of the inhabitants had almost deserted them, when thirty ships were descried in Loch Foyle, containing arms, ammunition, provisions, and troops. Animation now lighted up every eye, and fill ed every bosom ; but this feeling was soon turned into despair, when the fleet, instead of approaching the town, sailed away. The commander, however, informed them, that he would attempt by another route to send them the necessary articles ; but from this intelligence, in their pre sent state of mind, they derived little confidence.