As soon as the Lord Lieutenant was no more, Plowden, who had superintended the Irish finances while there were any Irish finances to superintend, produced a commission under the great seal of James.  This commission appointed Plowden himself, Fitton and Nagle, Lords justices in the event of Tyrconnel’s death.  There was much murmuring when the names were made known.  For both Plowden and Fitton were Saxons.  The commission, however, proved to be a mere nullity.  For it was accompanied by instructions which forbade the Lords justices to interfere in the conduct of the war; and, within the narrow space to which the dominions of James were now reduced, war was the only business.  The government was, therefore, really in the hands of D’Usson and Sarsfield.115

On the day on which Tyrconnel died, the advanced guard of the English army came within sight of Limerick.  Ginkell encamped on the same ground which William had occupied twelve months before.  The batteries, on which were planted guns and bombs, very different from those which William had been forced to use, played day and night; and soon roofs were blazing and walls crashing in every corner of the city.  Whole streets were reduced to ashes.  Meanwhile several English ships of war came up the Shannon and anchored about a mile below the city.116

Still the place held out; the garrison was, in numerical strength, little inferior to the besieging army; and it seemed not impossible that the defence might be prolonged till the equinoctial rains should a second time compel the English to retire.  Ginkell determined on striking a bold stroke.  No point in the whole circle of the fortifications was more important, and no point seemed to be more secure, than the Thomond Bridge, which joined the city to the camp of the Irish horse on the Clare bank of the Shannon.  The Dutch General’s plan was to separate the infantry within the ramparts from the cavalry without; and this plan he executed with great skill, vigour and success.  He laid a bridge of tin boats on the river, crossed it with a strong body of troops, drove before him in confusion fifteen hundred dragoons who made a faint show of resistance, and marched towards the quarters of the Irish horse.  The Irish horse sustained but ill on this day the reputation which they had gained at the Boyne.  Indeed, that reputation had been purchased by the almost entire destruction of the best regiments.  Recruits had been without much difficulty found.  But the loss of fifteen hundred excellent soldiers was not to be repaired.  The camp was abandoned without a blow.  Some of the cavalry fled into the city.  The rest, driving before them as many cattle as could be collected in that moment of panic, retired to the hills.  Much beef, brandy and harness was found in the magazines; and the marshy plain of the Shannon was covered with firelocks and grenades which the fugitives had thrown away.117