BattlefieldsBattle of the Yellow Ford
Tudor

Battle of the Yellow Ford

1598
northern_ireland
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
northern_ireland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
England *Loyalists
Forces
Irish alliance: 3,500–6,000
VS
Victor
Irish alliance
Forces
England *Loyalists: 5,000
Outcome
Irish victory
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of the Yellow Ford was fought in County Armagh on 14 August 1598, during the Nine Years' War in Ireland. An English army of about 4,000, led by Henry Bagenal, was sent from the Pale to relieve the besieged Blackwater Fort. Marching from Armagh to the Blackwater, the column was routed by a Gaelic Irish army under Hugh O'Neill of Tyrone. O'Neill's forces divided the English column and a large earthwork stalled its advance. Bagenal was killed by an Irish musketeer, and scores of his men were killed and wounded when the English gunpowder wagon exploded.

Suspected site. The exact location is uncertain.
Casualties & Losses

England *Loyalists: 2,000 killed ; 500–1,000+ wounded ; Rest of the army deserted | Irish alliance: Light

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources