Siege of Drogheda
1649 · Drogheda (modern County Louth, Ireland) · World · Modern
After Cromwell breached the walls, the garrison and clergy were killed in large numbers, and some civilians also died
Belligerents
English Parliamentarian army
- Commanders
- Cromwell
- Strength
- c. 12,000 men
Royalist garrison
- Commanders
- Arthur Aston
- Strength
- c. 2,800 men
Background
After the English Civil War, Ireland's Royalists and the Catholic Confederation were still resisting. In August 1649 Cromwell landed at Dublin with the New Model Army.
Course of the battle
- The SiegeCromwell besieged the northeastern port of Drogheda; his demand for surrender was refused
- Artillery breaches the wallsHeavy guns battered a breach in the walls; the first two charges were repulsed
- Storming the townThe third charge broke into the town, and the defenders fell back to strongpoints such as Mill Mount
- Massacre of the townCromwell ordered that no quarter be given, and the garrison and clergy were killed in large numbers
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1649 |
|---|---|
| Place | Drogheda (in today's County Louth, Ireland) |
| Result | After Cromwell breached the walls, the garrison and clergy were killed in large numbers, and some civilians also died |
| Winner | English Parliamentarian army |
| Casualties | Most of the garrison of about 2,800 men was killed; the number of civilian deaths is disputed |
| Territorial change | The Parliamentarian army then captured Wexford and other towns |
Impact
The massacre at Drogheda is one of the most painful events in Irish historical memory, and Cromwell's name still carries a special meaning in Ireland today.
See the world in 1649 on the map →