Catalogue description REPORT by LIEUTENANT TUCHER.

On Sunday, 24 May 1595, we marched from the Newrie, 1,500 foot and 250 horse, to the eight-mile church. The enemy appeared upon a hill with 1,500 horse. Our General (Sir Henry Bagenall) commanded all the horse to be drawn up towards them. The enemy retired, thinking to draw us up "into their straights of foot, which lay some mile distant;" but the General drew back. Next morning, after eight miles' march, the Earl of Tyrone brought all his forces to a straight which we were to pass, and turned off seven or eight companies of foot to skirmish with us. They annoyed us much, the passage being between a bog and a wood. After we had passed the straight the enemy's powder was spent, but their forces increased. We found that Magwire and McMahon had besieged Monohon, but they rose so soon as we came. We encamped on a hill close to the Abbey. Our loss was 12 slain and 30 hurt; the enemy's, 100 slain and many hurt. The same evening the enemy drew up his forces, increased to above 8,000 foot and 1,000 horse, within three quarters of a mile, and yet did nothing.

Having put victual [into Monaghan], and changed the ward, the next day we dislodged and marched back. The enemy stopped all the straights and passages. It was long before we could wind ourselves through one of them, "being driven to exceeding many stands." We lost 12 horse, amongst whom was Sir Edward Harbert's brother. "Having recovered the champion, they somewhat withdrew the heat of their skirmish, their munition being very near spent, having consumed almost 14 barrels of powder, as we were informed, for we had ever good intelligence from amongst themselves." They sent for a supply to the Earl's house at Dongannon. Next morning we marched away in some quiet. Thinking we would go to Dondalke the Earl stopped all the passages, but we marched to the Newrie, where we found all our losses to have been about 31 or 32 slain and 120 hurt, but none hurt of account except Sir Henry Duke, Captain Cunye, five lieutenants, an ensign, and a sergeant. Of the enemy we hear 300 or 400 were slain and very many hurt. The enemy have broken up the causeway between the Newrie and Dondalk, and "plashed and made up the same." They lie there expecting our army's coming that way. But having spent all our powder, 10 barrels, our General drew to a council, and determined to send me in a small boat by sea to declare what was done and crave a supply of munition, "which had, they are ready and desirous to come away, if they be commanded: but I think it impossible for them to do it were they as many more as they are, for now the enemy is fourteen or fifteen thousand strong in that place."

Signed: Tucher; Perkings.

Headed in Carew's hand: "A report of the service done by Sir Henry Bagenall in the relieving of Monaghan."

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. III, document 154.