Some facts about the Siege
of Londonderry – 18 April 1689 to 1 August 1689
The Siege proper lasted for 105 days but the citizens and
the garrison were pent up by the presence of first the Earl of
Antrim`s forces from 7 December 1688, and then by King James` forces, to
31 July 1689 a total of 236 days.
King James retreated from Londonderry on the evening of
31 July 1689 having lost between 8-10,000 men.
Troops in the City at 19 April 1689
7361
Living at close of Siege
4000 (of these 1000 unfit for
service)
Killed and died of disease
3361
Civilian deaths
7000
Total killed/died in Londonderry
10,361 approx.
Shells/bombs fired into the City between 24 April
and 21 July 1689 (on 34 days) totalled 584.
The worst days were 3 June (28), 4 June (36), 6 June (30, 8 June
(35) , 11 June (28), 13 June (26), 3 July (30), 15 July (26), 21 July
(28).
The price of provisions, when they could be found were:
A quart of meal
1s.0d
One pound of horseflesh
1s.8d
One pound of tallow
4s.0d
One pound of salted hides 1s.0d
One pound of greaves
1s.0d
1/4 of a dog (fattened by
eating corpses)
5s.6d
A dogs head
2s.6d
A quart of horse blood
1s.0d
A horses pudding (gut)
0s.6d
A cat 4s.6d
A rat. fed on human flesh
1s.0d
A mouse 0s.6d
A handful of sea wreck
(sea weed)
0s.2d
A handful of chick weed
0s.1d.
The soldiers/defenders were allowed 1/2lb of meal,
1/2lb of shelled oats, 1/2lb dry salted hides, daily.
Water as could be found, was mainly contaminated.
By the 28th July there were only nine lean horses left
alive.
25 Clergymen remained in the City – 17 Church of Ireland
and 8 Presbyterians
Ch of Ireland:
Rev Geo. Walker, Donaghmore, Dungannon
Chris Jenney, Mullaghbrack
Moses Davis, Donagheady
John Knox, Glasslough
Bartholomew Black, Aghanloo
T Semple, Donaghmore, near Castlefin
Robert Morgan, Cappagh
John Campbell, Sego
Andrew Robertson, Derryloran
Michael M1`Clenaghan, Derry
Michael Christy, Monaghan
Seth Whittle, Bellaghy
William Cunningham, Killishandra
Richard Crother, Comber
James Watmough, Errigal
John Rowen,Balteagh
John Ellingsworth, near Newry.
Presbyterian ministers:
Thomas Boyd, Aghadoey
William Brooke, Ballykelly
John Bowat, Lifford
John Hamilton, Donagheady
Robert Wilson, Strabane
David Brown, Urney
William Gilcrist, Kilrea
John M`Kenzie, Derryloran.
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