William
himself landed at Carrickfergus on 14 June, 1690, bringing with
him thousands of fresh troops, 200,000 pounds sterling in cash,
and a train of artillery from the Netherlands that included a
prototype of a machine gun capable of firing 150 musket barrels
at once, turn over, and fire the same number again.
The
Williamite army was well supplied, well trained, and above all
well commanded. Reinforcements to Schomberg included 6,000 recruits
from England, Huguenots from Switzerland, 7,000 mercenaries rented
from King Christian V of Denmark, and about 7,000 Dutch soldiers.
Hessians, Prussians and Lowland Scots also accompanied William's
forces, as well as 6,000 Ulstermen who were incorporated into
Schomberg's army, giving William a total strength of about 37,000
soldiers to James' army of about 25,000.
William
began the march towards Dublin. There was some resistance near
Newry, but the Jacobites soon withdrew to the south bank of the
River Boyne. On the 29th of June, a force of 1,300 Jacobites took
control of the bridge at Drogheda, while the main Jacobite armies
formed three miles upstream near the village of Oldbridge. In
spite of its name, there was no bridge near the town, however
the river there was fordable at low tide.
William's
armies arrived on the northern hillside overlooking the Boyne
and encamped at Tullyallen. Later that day, he accompanied the
Dutch Guards in reconnaissance down near the river. A ricochet
cannon shot grazed William's right shoulder, to a great cheer
by Tyrconnell's Irishmen. William soon recovered from the wound,
and the torn jacket he was wearing is now in the National Museum
in Dublin.
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