The Battle of Tecroghan was a short battle that took place at Tecroghan Castle near Westmeath, Ireland on 19 June 1650. It was fought between the armies of the Irish Confederacy and the English Parliament during the Irish Confederate Wars. A Confederate force commanded by the Earl of Castlehaven attempted to relieve the siege of the castle by the Parliamentarians. Although the Confederates broke through with some supplies, the siege continued and the garrison surrendered six days later.
Background
In the spring of 1650, the situation for the Irish Confederates in Ireland was dire. Since Oliver Cromwell's arrival in Ireland in August 1649, the Parliamentarians had taken almost all of the major cities and military garrisons in Leinster from the alliance of the English Royalists and the Confederates. By May, one of the most important garrisons remaining in the hands of the Confederates was Tecroghan Castle located on a bog island near Westmeath, seven miles west of Trim. The surrounding terrain was fairly desolate, but the castle was only a few miles from the main Dublin-Athlone road, making it of considerable strategic importance to logistics and trade. The castle was defended by a garrison force commanded by Sir Robert Talbot and Lady Fitzgerald. The castle's strengths included thick walls, cannon armament, and the fact that its location on a bog island made it difficult to approach and nearly impossible to attack by means of artillery. In May of 1650, Cromwell and his military commander in Ireland, Henry Ireton, decided that Tecroghan Castle should be taken and sent a large Parliamentarian force in excess of 2,000 men commanded by Col. John Reynolds to surround the castle. The plan was to simply siege the castle from a safe distance and starve the Confederate garrison into submission. In response, the leader of the Royalist alliance, the Duke of Ormond instructed two of his military commanders, the Earl of Castlehaven and the Marquess of Clanricarde to lead their respective armies to relieve Tecroghan.
The battle
On 18 June, Castlehaven and Clanricarde brought their respective armies from the interior of Ireland and met at Tyrellspass, 23 kilometers west of Tecroghan. Their combined force consisted of approximately 3,000 men, including 2,700 infantry foot soldiers and 300 men on horseback. The Confederates observed that the castle and the bog island were surrounded by a large Parliamentarian force with a great many mounted soldiers. The Confederates discussed tactics and it was agreed that a frontal infantry assault on the siege lines surrounding the castle would be foolhardy because the Parliamentarian cavalry was substantially larger than their small mounted force. The best way to relieve the garrison, it was agreed, would be to march directly toward the castle as a unit and attempt to break through at a single point. Such an approach would render the Parliamentarian cavalry virtually useless as the path taken to the castle would be through terrain that would be largely soft, wet bogland. Clanricarde's health precluded him from walking, so Castlehaven volunteered to lead the infantry in the march and attack. On 19 June, Castlehaven began his attack by marching toward the castle through the bog. Four miles from the castle, the English confronted the Confederates in a battle line. Castlehaven deployed his infantry and immediately attacked. The Confederate left flank commanded by Colonel Burke attacked the defensive line of the Parliamentarians, broke through, and continued their advance towards the castle. The Confederate right flank also attacked but was turned back by the Parliamentarians. Discipline broke and the troops began to scatter. The disorder spread to the center of the formation where Castlehaven was positioned. The center began to retreat despite Castlehaven's attempt to stand and fight. Soon the center and the right flank were in full retreat. Burke on the left flank was far enough along that he and a large number of his men were able to reach the castle. The fighting ended at that point. The battle had been brief with relatively few casualties. Although Burke had broken through with some provisions for the besieged garrison, the Parliamentarians remained in place and the siege continued. Castlehaven and the Confederates that had retreated, fell back, regrouped, and later marched back to Tyrellspass and home. The garrison in the castle reinforced with what Burke's men were able to carry did what they could in their own support and began sallying out daily to destroy the defensive works of the English. Such sorties continued for several days until 25 June when the garrison no longer had the gun powder to carry out such activities.
Aftermath
Although some individuals might consider this a small victory for the Confederates in that they broke through to the castle with provisions, the overall plight of the garrison changed very little. At best, the outcome of this small battle must be considered as inconclusive, a stalemate status quo ante meaning "the way things were before." The castle remained short of rations and ammunition after the battle. The siege by the Parliamentarians continued unimpeded. Six days later on 25 June, Sir Robert Talbot and Lady Fitzgerald agreed to terms and surrendered the castle. The garrison was allowed to march out with their weapons as free men.
